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To the OP - I went down to the local obedience club to where I am. Yes they suggested food to keep the dogs attention if they otherwise get distracted when trying to heel, stay etc. However if your dog responds to praise that's also encouraged (note I had no food til I was given some to use since no one mentioned bringing treats). My dog however has the concentration of a gnat and even with food spent half the time trying to sniff the ground when he was suppose to be heeling. The instructor did say something about praise etc in regard to trialling but since mine isn't going to be doing that anytime soon (this decade!) I don't remember what it was. Basically it comes down to you can do what you want - if you prefer to train with praise only no one can force you to use food. Its like how our beginner class after we'd done the sit stay 30 min later it was suggested to try to stand stay same exercise - in which my dog sat as he'd just learned so others tried it but I would have just confused mine. Especially since we are trying to teach him to sit not stand when he is still (unless the command is a straight stand). DO instructors handle your dog - well the instructor briefly took mine to demonstrate the correct length of lead (seems they hold the lead with the right and the left is free for hand commands - I naturally hold the lead with the left and the right holding the slack). And even he had to take a hold when my dog tried to take off somewhere - however now I know he knows the leave it command. But my dog is a lab trying to emulate 'marley' when it comes to being around other dogs.

Never had a dog with hind dew claws (they seem to be the ones that look like they are 'swinging in the breeze' as mentioned earlier. But I wouldn't personally have such claw removed if my dogs had them though unless there was an actual injury. But both our dogs use their due claws when they are doing things so removing the front ones 'just in case' is the same reason to remove a tail to save it 'clearing a coffee table' etc Yes dogs also use their tail much like horses do so no don't agree with that either. Cant see what dogs should have things cut off for cosmetic or 'it might get an injury to it'. (Desexing is different thats trying to prevent illness and future excess animals). Our older dog is 14 she ripped off the nail of the dew claw ONCE in the last 12 years. Yes it hurt at the time and I bathed it in salt water. By the next day the quick had shrunk and the vet merely neatened up what had ripped (plus I think tablets to stop infection). If they are going to 'scratch' I assume the other nails would too so wrap up the foot in that circumstance.

Our older dog when she was young (and the dog over the back was young) they would get into fighting at the very corner where thre was a tiny cm sized gap where the two fences met. Anyway worried we'd get the council complaint we taught ours not to fight at the fence and it was not on (face full of citrus spray kinda pushed my point as they tried it as I was spraying that corner). However if our dog 'talked' and stayed back from the corner I'd praise her - she could verbalise that way but not get stuck in at the corner. Both sides have to understand the other side of the fence is no longer 'their' territory. YOu might want to make sure your side is reinforced or has some kind of second barrier just to protect your dog too. And Id agree - the dogs are new to the yard and obviously could be set off until they get use to the different sounds and smells of their new house. As for any cats they should be kept inside or in those outdoor cat cage thingys anyway to stop them wandering off the property as any animal that is off your own property is at the mercy of ANY nasty people or animals around.

Our young dog who is nearly 3 but has the brain of a 12 month old especially when it comes to other dogs on walks. I pull of the path and try and get a good 5m or so away and make him sit (hopefully over a bit of a hill so there is a slope). If he sits he can watch the other dogs and people go past. If he jumps in the air and acts like a looney he'll he turned away and wont be able to even look at the other dog til he sits (he will talk and voice his opion which he also gets told off for as he will answer back). So far instead of lunging he now tries to jump in the air so starting to get through. However he has been to dog parks off lead. For the first five minutes he's a nutcase especially if we have the other older dog in front but once he sits and calms down and goes off the lead he is no more excited than any other dog out there and actually follows and listens to us better than the older dog (who these days just thinks she can wander off wherever she wants = if she doesn't want to go where you want you have to run her down and put her on the lead yes she is also good at trying to stay just a couple of steps ahead)

When we were fit I use to go for one 3km walk with the dog when she was 12-13 yo BUT if we had a break for ome reason (ie illness or horrid weather) always started over a shorter trip and worked back up to the 'big' walk. The young dog the only thig that's worn him out since we got him 11 months back was going to a horse event which pretty much fried his brain - but he was a tired dog no longer charging around that evening. But didn't have an issue back in summer when we went up and down the promenade walkway along the beach which im told is an easy 5km walk. Killed me I couldn't move for the rest of the day but he was fine.

Do you have the regular old dog health checks? (blood tests etc) These done 12 month or 6 monthly help to work out if something is going on 'inside' that you cant see. Also our older dog who has always been independent can get clingy (when we moved house she used to panic if she lost us) at times. If one of us goes away for a few days they both get clingy and you will move from room to room and look around and both are curled up apparently asleep in the same room. Our older dog does miss a few things and does miss food on the ground she once would have seen as at the vets it was clear her eyesight is a lot worse than we thought (if there isn't a clear contrast she will miss it) - often dogs forget they can use their nose for things. Seriously both of ours if you hide from them will do a few laps looking with their eyes or listening before they actually sniff you out. Its more worrying if they leave their actual meals - our older dog left some of her tea one night a few weeks ago and for the best part of a week she had intermittent gastro. I don't know what caused it but its stressful when you cannot work it out in a 14yo. As they get older they do change in their behaviour - our older dog even tried leaping over the foot by foot hedge a few months back but forgot to land (excitement from everyone coming home and the young one was also revved up) - she ducks though the gap now but still runs around when she feels like it. Though her dog run is now about the equivalent of a med jog for me whereas she use to be a lot faster but even if she gets sore she's allowed to run (treat with rapigel if she goes sore). If the dog is happy just monitor behaviour it was obvious when ours had her 'dog stroke' last year she was fine when she sat down but just staggered when she got up 10 min later - rushed her to the vet and now 9 months later she still sometimes has a head tilt and can be knocked off balance fairly easily but she still thinks she can match the younger dog if she can get a head start (and still lines up to jump in the kluger if you don't block and stop her)

Reading a few replays reminds me of the other day when I had our two out. Just getting back from a walk and two people with a little dog on the lead are coming the other way. I stop in our usual spot and the young one is sitting but breaks it to try and bound at the passing dog. I reef him back (on lead too) behind me and the other owners say 'ohhh he only wants to play referring to my dog'. Yes I know that and no he isn't allowed to as he will bound over and then stand over your little dog - yes friendly but in an excited manner that might just scare your dog (my actual words were yes but he isn't allowed to). So they pass and I stay out there a little longer with both as once he calms down they are allowed to just sniff the area to the end of the lead (without exposure he will not learn). They happened to come back the other way and this time he sits and stays there and doesn't get all excited. People don't say one word obviously thinking the fact I restrained my dog was over the top for a young exuberant dog. Howevr its my dog who would get the blame if he did scare a small dog in his excitement.

As for dogs being walked off lead - if the rules say under effective control and it is there is no issue. However I know of one lady in the area we are in now that had her SWF off lead walking past the shops - this dog has gone off its nut at my two that I was about to tie up at the time. Yes she dragged it away (it was a few metres back luckily) but it still fired up our young dog

And this is why things escalate - they will NOT declare a dog dangerous on a report that it got loose and could have caused an issue. Contact the council and just advise them what happened and that you are concerned for your own dog or others (if its a bigger dog mention smaller ones or if its a little dog concern that a bigger dog may retaliate and then be painted as the one in the wrong). Suggest that it wasn't an actual attack this time but if there was some way the owner could be spoken to about the rules (under effective control/on lead whatever the local rules are). Where I use to live the council was proactive to try and educate such owners before things happened that make the news, vets, courts, etc.

OUr dog who is now 14 has been on the medication for kidneys (and heart murmur - same pill helps both) due to high levels several years ago and the vet advising to change things then to stop it noticeably worse and manage the issue. I had her on the KD food for a year or two but 12 months ago had major issues with it upsetting her. It may have been the batch as I tried it on the other dog and seemed to upset him too. And that was the replacement bag. I preferred the Royal Canin one but they stopped that one here in Aust. KD seems to be the only one unless another supplier has started recently. Anyway I have her on the Pedigree and Supercoat mature dog food (the supercoat originally had protein at 17 percent but they changed it sometime ago to 20 percent) but at that its lower than anything else offered. She is also on the optimum wet healthy weight canned food. Her blood test last month came back with her kidney levels back within the normal levels so the medication and the food are doing the job (last year her levels were up and she was on the upset gut food at the time or in the weeks just prior) - you must check each bag though as I've seen 'senior' and 'mature' food with really high protein even some of the 'better spoken of' brands. The RAW/BARF diets are way too rich and fatty for her ever to have. We have to be careful with bones as they can often cause an upset about 3 hours later

Your current one hasn't even hit the teenager tantrum stage yet - you know Id wait until he is older and fully trained and then look at a second dog. Plenty of stories out there about how their dog turned into a nightmare when it hit that 12-18 month stage and then started to calm down again. And as has been suggested thinking years ahead and you then have two older dogs required twice the cost of treatments etc etc and when one old dog goes the second often go too sadly. Our Young dog is in theory nearly 3 and its only the last few weeks here and there he has started to think about things (he's a lot better than 9 months ago but still has a few excitement issues when walking). I could not imagine trying to control two of that age - our other dog is 14 and sometimes it handy to have the calmer dog who listens (though she can get worked up too but hasn't pulled and lunged for many many years)

Yep remember someone taking a mini pony/horse to a paws walk - older dog was just fascinated but she only wants to truly chase cats. Young dog he hasn't yet learnt not to try and chase.

That's the thing the people I spoke to and said email the council really hadn't thought about it until I mention just making a general email expressing concern about safety. I think some think that a complaint to council will see a harsh reaction or nothing whereas at least where I was before wanted to actually try and educate owners if there was a problem developing - easier than dealing with dog attacks if they get the chance. When I was only walking one dog any dog that threatened us and didn't back off was likely to be lined up for a kick - owners actually go from laughing to trying to retrieve their animal/s

Take details and contact the council - note your concerns that something may happen in the future or indeed other dogs etc. I wrote about some shih tzus that the owner would walk in an area noted as on lead and just let them go like it was their own back yard (and that's how they acted). I noted that I was baled up with one in front and one trying to get to my dog behind me and while she would not fight back another dog may and that owner will be in trouble when their dog hadn't started it and it doesn't take much for a bigger dog defending itself to be painted as the one in the wrong. I happened to get talking to a lady at the bank who also sometimes walked a dog in the area and also had issues and I said to just complain to council - doesn't have to be the official attack form but to let them know of a problem that might get worse. Soon after I did notice random people sitting in said park just watching at about the same time each day and didn't come across the shih tzus off lead again (I had contacted the council a few times after each time they had a go at us saying the owner needed to learn how to control his dogs). And the time I was actually attacked they did investigate and speak to the people (though it was a little hard to work out the residence as it was a line of units with no yards).

Have you looked at www.dpreview.com and excellent resource and it lets you compare cameras. Really things like if it takes 3.5 or 6.5 frames a second or what megapixel it is are not really a concern. I have canon and the Canon 600D does appear to be a nice camera - don't know Nikon so cannot compare. But also think about what type of photography you are interested in developing. I was always going to be looking at horse sports but other may love to try and do landscapes or nature and just be able to get a few action shots as needed. From that it will tell you the type of lenses you may want in the future (and then check the prices of the lenses - you may have to check what the pro lens and the consumer version is of the same lens) and see how the pricing there goes too as once you have the body its the lenses you are locked into in the future if you expand and eventually replace the camera.

Is he feeding her, as mentioned walking her, even cleaning up the backyard with the shovel and the dog can just watch what he is doing (as he ignores her).

Sounds excellent advice Nekhbet - Im amazed at how many would discard a 10yo dog because the dog doesn't understand and isn't coping with the situation. Perhaps the OP should have sought professional help sooner but that's hindsight and sounds like they tried to prepare and since it worked with one dog guess they thought as many would that the other dog would 'come around'. But then I remember a story on a horse forum where an old dog was near a door and a kid barged through door, door hit old dog, old dog lashed out at kid and owner grabbed dog and straight to vet and PTS. Poor thing was only reacting to be surprised and hurt by a door and many agreed it was right thing to do as if dogs are not animals and are suppose to understand they cannot react ever.

Get Professional advice - the dog is clearly not understanding that the new 'creature' in the house is above him in the pecking order. Is this dog the top ranking amongst your two dogs? If so that would explain why the other hasn't had an issue. But then Im the sort of person who doesn't think dogs just 'turn' and there is usually a reason and have read enough to know that any unwanted behaviour that has not responded to what was first suggested should be revisited with a professional. Or perhaps try posting on the facebook site for The Paw Man - he is brilliant but based in Brisbane so not in your location - but could perhaps suggest someone who could consult before you put down the dog.

I sold a gazzilion old Sa ones on Ebay. yes postage ended up about $30 but it was pretty heavy as there was about 80 of them

LOL - they nailed it weeping angel cat!!!

Why do people not even think to put their small dogs on leads especially when they are dominant and not listening to them. Walk the dogs this morning and see the lady with the two small dogs one on lead (this dog isn't the issue) and the other dog that is always offlead and it sees us coming and immediately marks something and gives us the stare. Our young dog reacts to this but I thought he'd missed it but I must have been wrong. Well I move off the path to let these dogs and owner past and the off lead one starts to hang back and not only does the young dog react but the older one starts barking at this dog (don't ask me what the small dog was doing I was busy hanging on to the young dog). Owner by now has stopped adjacent to me calling and calling this other dog that swerves towards us before eventually getting close. Finally she moved both dogs on so as I was just doing a loop we came them again a few minutes later with the off lead dog well ahead of the owner this time. I just had enough space to go along the road and the small dog this time didn't look at us so young dog looks but listens and we go on. Go past another young dog - he looks gets a little excited but listens. end of walk I've done a big circle owner with small dogs coming past again - we always stop so young dog can get exposure with just standing or sitting and watching people or whatever going past. Noticed owner had finally put little dog back on lead - complete change its just walking along no longer all dominate - young dog watches but sits happily (note going past the second and third time we are a little further away as there was space to move well away from the path - but even then he will try and fix on people and dogs if there is an issue). Seriously if someone has a very excited dog they are hanging onto off the path do you really stop a couple of metres away and call and call and call your offlead dog OR do you put your own dogs on the lead (or at heal under control) when you see others approaching and continue on your way til you are well past.

It happens with border security too - they have what seems to be a new episode but to pad it out they include older stories amongst the new stuff. I remember the dogs & fire but I don't remember the cats and the cow.

They don't find it so funny when it looks like you are going to turn their nasty little fluffball into a furry football. And the aggressive little things themselves will actually stop turn and run if you not only line them up but charge at them (followed by your own very confused dog!!). Yes I meant it had I got within reach it was going to be a football - they both were whichever one got too close. Owner stopped laughing and actually made some attempt to grab a dog! This was the third time I came across them and about the second time I complained to council (saying I feared for my own dog if they got close enough to attack and she defended herself or any other bigger dog who did). Sometime later saw similar dogs being walked on leads at night and didn't see the ones out of control again.

Twin city camera repairs are on Grenfell street. You walk through Adelaide arcade I think (the arcade on the Hindmarsh square side of where Harris scarfe is /was) and then turn left at grenfell street - there is a big vacant gap on teh other sie of the shop that will be a budget hotel one day. Think it may come up as Twin City Camera House on the google search.

Twin City Cameras - they cal either fix it on site or send it away. Good luck getting ito the city though the ACC doesnt want people driving into the city these days and its a nightmare in teh afternoons.