poodlemania

There has been some fantastic replies so far! I would also change around his food time so you are not conditioning him to anticipate food at 'x' time every day. P.S. I own a Beagle, I understand drool!!!! However, I only feed if the dogs are quiet and clam, otherwise you are reinforcing a crazy, aroused frame of mind!

Hi, I am a Dog Trainer in Perth and I run classes through the RSPCA at Malaga headquarters. There are also excellent classes held at Northern Suburbs Training and Obedience Dog CLub, Cottesloe Vet and Mosman Park Vet. I would try find a puppy class run by a Dog Trainer. My classes have limited, controlled off lead play and all methods for training are positive reinforcement/negative punishment. I have been to a few I would not recommend, but there are many excellent ones. Give them a call and ask to speak to the instructor. Hope this helps, Georgia.

Hi all, A friend from my dog club and I are both enrolling this year-we are both PR obedience instructors. We are both coming from Perth. I cannot take a dog as I have a very old girl who is very noise phobic and would probably have a heart attack on the plane and my friend may be taking her dog who I get along with very well and have trained with in the past so I hope we can share! Otherwise I will have to borrow a dog. The plan was to take my very cheeky poodle pup but she passed away 2 months ago It will be interesting to catch up and meet some dolers! Georgia.

mjk05-I just wanted to clear up some incorrect facts about NST&ODC and here is where I end it. In my opinion it is a great club and I enjoy training there very much. I also recommend it to anyone in the northern suburbs who is after training. I have trained agility for a few years a while back but I do not currently have a dog suitable (I have an oldie and a reactive boy, both rescues). I have lost two dogs this year so I am having a bit of time out and enjoying the company of my two 'babies.' Georgia.

I dont know how to quote so bear with me-mjk05: I believe that clickers can be used for family companion dogs, I dont only use them for competiton obedience. We try to cater to the majority of our members and most do very well with a verbal marker. We do split big classes as we have a good number of instructors these days, of course 40 dont have just one instructor. We have segregated areas for different levels so even though they are split up classes are still within earshot. We do teach a verbal marker and find this works magnificently. If people want to use clickers we suggest to use them at home. For example, I will teach a dog a new behaviour at home with no distractions with a clicker then when the dog has mastered that i will try more distractions then finally try it at training and switch to verbal markers and this works great for me and my dogs. People who want to join agility are assessed by an obedience instructor at normal training then by an agility instructor at agility training. Some of our agility instructors teach obedience as well. We are also not accepting agility only memberships anymore. We have also made quite a few changes in our agility structure recently and it runs very effectively. I have never been to Southern River but do plan to do so by the end of the year. I look foward to seeing the differences in clubs. Georgia.

It is true NST&ODC does not allow clickers in our junior classes for many reasons. These include: people were not using them effectively, they are distracting to non-clicker dogs and the biggest reason is our junior classes are geared towards family and companion dogs. The majority of people in our junior classes are not interested in trialling and have excellent results from a verbal reward marker. We also have very large classes-imagine 40 people using clickers! All of our instructors in agility are excellent and very knowledgable in agility. Most of them are trialling in Masters if they havent already got their title. I have trained at other clubs for agility and most beginner dogs were out of control and disrupted everyone. We are trying to NOT have that as a problem. In my opinion it is an excellent set up with very good instructors. Chicko-I will keep and eye out for you on Sunday. I have recently had time off instructing but will be there on Sunday. Come and find me at the insrtuctors hang-out. I have a little old black dog. Georgia.

Northern Suburbs has agility training Wed nights. The only catch is the dog has to be at a certain level of obedience. They must be to just about a novice level (CD) eg: have an excellent off-lead recall and be social with other dogs in a highly stimulating environment. Just let me know if you want more info, I instruct obedience there. Georgia.

I physically cannot do it full time anymore, probably not even part time without being in serious pain or risking doing further damage to my back. I would have liked to start my own salon(I worked at a vet), but I would have trained groomers to take over from me and only do the really well behaved dogs or the harder styles eg:scissoring poodles etc. I have been involved in dog training for 5 years and probably would have streamed more into that.

Mclennan-OMG!! What a nightmare. I thought of a few more-owners saying they want their purebred maltese clipped 'like a Maltese' even though Maltese aren't traditionally clipped, and also because their purebred dog is actually black! I didn't know you could get black Maltese's. 'Don't make him look like a poodle'-cocker spaniel owners usually say this. I always answered that 'If I could do that I would be a rich woman.' People ringing up day before Christmas and wanting dog groomed-then going beserk when I tell them I cant do it for a month! I will say some positives because I had some gorgeous clients( both two-legged and four-legged variety). An elderly couple with an ex show Standard Poodle who was beautiful!!! He would just about break down my door to get in and then didnt want to go home after his haircut. I had two lovely cockers also and I used to clip their feet with a #15 blade like poodle feet. Yes, cocker spaniels I am talking about! They were angels!!! I also had heaps of dogs and I had groomed since puppyhood-theses dogs were the ones I looked foward to alot. They were my friends!! We enjoyed catching up!! Georgia.

As espinay2 said, my pet hates are usually owners! Excuses such as-they have been on holiday thats why the dogs is matted, so I then ask in a super sweet tone knowing full well they havent been anywhere-where did you go? Then its alot of um's and ahhh's. Funny stuff! These clients never complain about price. Or the all time best excuse for a dog being matted-'I had brain suregery a week ago'-ahh ok, where is the scar?? Hahahaha, that one made me laugh. Or on the putrid line of thinking-really old, overweight white poodles with millions of warts and owner wants a #7 blade! Carnage!

Hi, I have been grooming for 8 years and started out as a bather. I also did a TAFE grooming course which was very expensive and pretty hopeless. Learning on the job is the way IMO. Just a word of caution-remember your health is more important than money. Buy the best equipment you can, be sure to get good tables with a sling system especially for big dogs. Stand on a rubber mat, dont try to lift too heavy dogs and become best friends with a physio, chiro or massage therapist. I had an accident at work (grooming) and for nearly 2 years I have woken up in alot of pain, every day. Grooming is a hard job, but it can be made easier with good quality equipment. Jodi from GRoomers Friend will tell you this too, and believe her. Hope this helps, Georgia.

Hi Hopenfox, My dogs tend not to bother with Kongs if they are too hard! So the best one I have come up with is mashed banana, yoghurt and honey all mushed together and frozen inside the kong. They love it!! Georgia.

My little poodle pup went to Rainbow Bridge last week-could only just bring myself to write this now. I was out and when I got home my next door neighbour told me my partner was at the Vet. I asked why and he told me the little black dog had been hit by a car. Just then my friend who comes to bathe my other 2 (used to groom Porscha myself) turned up and drove me to the vet. When we got there I knew by my partners face she had died, and we cried in eachothers arms for a long time before we got driven home to bury her in between Stella (who we lost to old age in Feb) and Cince (who we lost 2 years ago aged 17!). Turns out my partner opened the side gate to take the lawnmower out the front garden, Porscha saw a bird and ran straight out onto the road. Even though he had done this exact routine many times before. She was such a star, already showing so much intelligence and sparkle at 6 months, well on her way to obedience and agility success. She could also track very well for her age! Everyone who met her loved her and she will be so badly missed by me, my partner, Anna and Homer. I will never forget my little podgy-bum, I love you baby.

I know alot of people who would be interested in Perth

I use the BARF patties and have been for a few months. I just feed chicken bones(frames, wings or necks) a few nights a week for their teeth and a marrow bone every Saturday after tracking! I have had great success with them-my eldest dog has brightened up and looks/acts 10 years younger! It is on the expensive side, but definitely worth it! I know the supplier in Perth if anyone is interested. Georgia.

Flat collar on the old girl, Anna Limited slip on both puppy Porscha and Homer.

Greentea, I just thought I would pipe up as I am a groomer. It's a very good idea to get him off to the groomers ASAP to get him used to grooming. They dont necessarily have to strip his coat right now, he may only go for a bath and brush. Also, make sure your groomer does hand-stripping as alot of groomers over here in WA do not. The last thing you want is a clipped GB!! Are you still in contact with his breeder? The breeder is the best one to ask about grooming, especially for the show ring. I dont hand-strip myself, but I am pretty sure its not such a great idea to wait until the dog has a full coat and to get it all done at once?? Hope this is helpful, Georgia.