Erny

Would be good, but too close to "sit".

Hhhmmm .... I'm thinking about using the word "vamoose!!" Or "riss!" (German for "tear") Or "gurt" (German for "belt") Or "scram"

Bedazzledx2 .... why the different ones? I'm presuming there's something different that you need to do in UDX than you do in UD, but wouldn't they have made it an extension rather than something that might require a different command?

I like this better. Visualising being in an emergency situation and needing the dog to go away from me in a big hurry for safety reasons. A bit tough if, in that emergency situation, I can't first run to the spot where I want the dog to go and lay-out my bunnings-bought square box on the ground. Give me the proper Schutzhund version any day :D.

Contact "Puppy Power" and ask which brands they have (or check them out in e-bay. They have a display factory in Dandenong South that if you make a date and time with them, you'd be able to visit there and have a good ol' fashioned "touch & feel" (of the crates, that is). 9791 9222.

Ah, well, yes .... there ya go. Ok - my friend in South Africa said that the Africaan word for "go" is "gaan" (pronounced "hun"). Would a judge know that I'm not saying "hon" as in short for honey or some such? Or does the word HAVE to mirror the english meaning for what I want the dog to do, as well? What is so wrong at having a word of another language as a command? Heck, I think we should be able to grunt and have our dogs understand and know what we want. Hhhmmm, come to think of it, mine does!! Does that make him too clever for KCC? Actually, in today's times, wouldn't the rule instance on speaking english commands be considered as being racist?

Ta. I'm making more of a deal of this than what it deserves, I know. But I like using words that sound good to me. Like Platz, for example. "To" in German is "zu" (which I presume is pronounced as "zoo") and I'm thinking I might use that. I'm not a fan of using the word "go" ..... and where in real-life does one generally come across a box you want your dog to sit in (save for at trials), lol. I haven't given up on thinking up other alternatives just yet. I'll be speaking with a person in South Africa shortly - I'll ask him what "go" or "to" or "box" or "there" means in African maybe, seeing as my boy is a RR. In the meantime, another thought has been crossing my mind. Why do obedience trials work on having a box marked out on the ground for this exercise? I mean, the box itself would become a cue to the dog, and how would one apply that in a real-life exercise when there isn't a box marked out on the ground? Why not have it as the dog learning to move out and away until commanded?

As the title suggests, I'm wanting a good command word for a 'send-away' and not sure which one I want to settle on yet. What do you guys use?

My boy gets the zoomies after having a feed. My own very uneducated theory (based on a guess) on this one is that it somehow gets the digestion moving, or something along those lines. I wonder if it relates to deep-chested dogs - perhaps settling the food to a better place in the stomach. As I said - all just completely unknowledgeable musing on my part.

But also know that not all B&T establishments/businesses are like what Fuzzy82 has painted at all. However Tixx, whether B&T is the service your dog and yourself most require is something that should be discussed and determined. An honest trainer/behaviourist/business should point you in the direction s/he thinks best for your both, or at least discuss and explain options so you can make the decision you most require/want.

If these dogs aren't so good around people they don't know, if their temperaments aren't solid and stable, why are they being put up as SAR dogs?

Tell the Council you are doing their work for them - there's no rhyme nor reason why they should be charging this lady for the "privilege" (tongue in cheek) of doing so. Casey Council USED to charge for cat traps but I think they realised more people would help out if it was something that they didn't have to pay for - especially given it was not something of their own (i.e. the people's) doing. Insist the Council come to the party to help out.

MDBA PACERS ..... quietly helping in the background, making so much difference . I know there is a TONNE of stuff you do, PACERS, that we tend not get to hear or know about. Good karma to you :D

I like RSA's contribution suggestion "Mamma Mia"

What's your prefix? "Muther" ??

It is, on the face of it, nice :). But it makes you want to get home before dark, rather than after the neighbourhood has gone to sleep, lol.

Had same situation here with my current boy. He still gives an excited and shrill bark or two when I arrive back home, but faaaaaar better than he was when he was younger. I did teach him I wasn't going to come in the gate/door until he was quiet. I warned the neighbours there might be a bit of escalated barking whilst he worked out that his barking was keeping me out, the very reverse of what he wanted and made sure they had my phone numbers to call me in the event it became too annoying for too long. No probs there and my dog knows I won't come into him unless he's quiet. Then he spins and leaps with excitement and I have to dodge his whippy boney tail. But that's another story :).

I'll check - I think I might have a spare scoop from a jar of the plaque-off that I have used up but not trashed. If I do, would you like me to post it to you? ETA: I presume the scoops are all the same size. Mine have been bigger than the size of the "O" that Boronia put up. I think how that size looks depends on your monitor screen?

PA : You're here, you're aware of your problem, you've admitted it to yourself and you're trying to get better, little by little. Four milestones that I can count, and I don't even know you :D. Keep taking one step after another. And don't quit even if there's a slip up. It makes such a huge difference when you know so many people are behind you, doesn't it? I know - I've had them behind me and it is a tremendous, overwhelming yet beautiful force of gentle, solid strength. Take it. Run with it. :)

Give the pats and cuddles on YOUR terms, not hers. And don't overdose on them. See how much less she is inclined to run away. She sounds quite the sensitive type - one who needs structure in her life. Remember, it's generally not the "No" dogs are concerned about and respond to, it's your body and facial language, including the sound of your approach style. Chances are these are what she's responding off ..... just happens your "no" comes a millisecond afterwards. Clarify your meanings. In this instance, crate train. You and your bf will get a good night's sleep and Missy won't be getting into trouble or compared with Rascal.

Ouch! (Edit : snap Perse) Is there concussion? Do you need to keep him from sleeping for the next while, as they do with humans?

I agree with the testing for thyroid, at least from the pov of ruling it out as a possible culprit. Personally I'd be careful about not going way over the top gung ho with picking all the fatty meats for your dog to eat - I think it can overload a system too much, so be careful about how you introduce it and how much you are feeding of it. My boy is one of those lean dogs too. Sure - he has other issues, but 'lean' does run in his lineage. I found that he did put a bit more cover on his ribs around the time I began to include Coconut Oil into his eating regime. Introduce slowly, if you're going to try it, to let your dog's system get used to it. From what I read, understand and gather (I'm no canine nutritionist - only know what I feed my boy and what I've seen as a result), it is one of those 'good' fats, not the sort that loads the system and can cause harm. I'd like to see a photo of this dog - one person's "skinny" is another person's "just right" (just as much as one person's "just right" is another person's "too fat", lol). Also, sometimes a dog can look skinnier than it is if it is sore in its abdomen and/or back, because of the way it holds itself it causes the ribs to protrude and stick out more, creating a false illusion of "skinny" when it might actually be not bad "lean". My boy has a tendency to do that because of his digestive issues (i.e. hold himself so he can look skinny one day and quite good the next). When I'm not sure, I look at the hips - if they aren't protruding badly, then I tend to stop being concerned about piling the food in and actually look at giving his system a rest.

Constipation? Hard to say and I hate guessing for stuff like this. I'm inclined to suggest that if you feel so disconcerted by your dog's behaviour, then follow your instincts and go to the Vet's. Otherwise, wait some and be vigilant - if things worsen, whip him down to emergency. If they aren't settled by first thing, head down to your own Vet.

I agree, Dogmad. If I cannot bring my dog to improve from and of discomfort via natural methods, I would (albeit as judiciously as possible) use chemicals to stop the horrible and continuous agony.