shekhina

Thank you everybody for your replies myszka, you asked what gets Daegon excited... sheep and horses he will also get excited when there is competition for the object he wants or if he's having a good day. Bad days are when he will just want to sleep and really not have a lot of energy. Vickie, of course I don't take it the wrong way! I did try quite a few different methods to teach Daegon drop, as you said, I was getting so many different opinions that I tried them all. I could see why he would be confused. It may be that, it may not. I don't have issues with him completing other commands, he is generally very good. Sometimes I will have to tell him to sit twice. ETA: about the feeding, yes sometimes it is force feeding, where I will have to put the food towards the back of his mouth...he will swallow it then. I do the TOT with both dogs for their dinner and while Daegon may eat a very small amount it is unusual for him to clean the bowl. He hasn't always been that way though.

I have tried that with Daegon, for quite some time...and he still never ate. I've tried feeding him with Kovu, didn't work either. I really have tried very hard. He will occasionally eat a meal on his own now but those times are few and far between. He will certainly be getting tests done Sorry I have to run to catch a bus now, will reply when I get back myszka. Don't worry, I was shocked when he still wouldn't eat after a week too

Why do I find this hard to belive? 3-4 days of no food, he must get hungry........ have you actually tried not feeding him for few days? If what you say is true than Id do some health tests on him to see if there is nothing wrong with him. Is he low thyroid? What does he get excited about, that relates to you (not other dogs)? Who knows why you find it hard to believe. I don't know what is wrong with Daegon, he is going in for tests on his thyroid as soon as I can afford it. With a current vet bill probably in the $600+ figures at the moment due to an emergency I cannot take him right now. I hope to get him there in a few weeks time

thanks Vickie, I will certainly give it a go Just on this though...there is certainly something not quite normal about Daegon and food. I am also very stubborn and have waited him out and out and out and out. When he became so thin there were bones beginning to show I started force feeding. He will occasionally eat a meal on his own now, I do not think him not eating his dinner is due to him being stubborn. He also cannot hold his weight, anything gained is lost overnight. He will be having tests for this No I do not correct him other than growling the drop command. I don't like correcting while teaching obedience as while Daegon is stubborn he is also sensitive to correction, verbal correction anyway. If this other method doesn't work I may have to start that physical correction because he definitely knows what I want, he is just refusing...and that's norrrty!

myszka, Daegon is so bad he refused to eat anything for more than a week and then STILL wouldn't take anything yummy. He just doesn't care. Kovu on the other hand goes bonkers over anything Thanks rakaaz, it's very, very frustrating having a dog that is just not interested in anything but livestock I think the jealousy tactic will be the way to go

Daegon knows exactly what drop is, he's just stubborn. He's really not interested in food and for the past 5 months or so I'm guessing it has been an uphill battle just to keep any kind of weight on him. Food is not going to work

Yes absolutely! I was told to growl it at him at my obedience club because he just refuses. I am doing prey drive training with Kovu, so it will be easy to tie Daegon up in an area he can see Kovu working, hopefully this will make him want to work for me. Kovu is so simple, I only have to say "where's the toy?" and he switches into drive. When I'm 'finished' with Kovu's drive training I think I'll start with Daegon, who know, it might be what he needs. Vickie, what do you mean about training Daegon to take rewards?

Thanks guys. Daegon definitely has the drive because I've seen it switch on...and when it's on it's very, very high. The only triggers I've seen to having it turned on is the jealousy, sheep and horses If I could find a way to get that drive with just me I'd be fine, Daegon is an excellent worker when he's switched on.

He doesn't care for food/toys? What do you use to reward him? Praise. Daegon is a very difficult dog to get motivated, some days he has energy and wants to work and other days he doesn't care about anything. I have had a lot of issues getting him to eat and he'll only really work for toys if Kovu is threatening to win the toy first. Most frustrating and I really don't know what to do.

No, not that I can tell. He will quite happily drop when he wants to lay down so I'm pretty sure it's a training thing and not a physical thing

That doesn't help me in the obedience ring though does it? And he sure as hell wont stand like that in the show ring

Daegon is a stubborn dog and is refusing to drop on my first command. If I growl it at him he will drop, slooowly. I think this has become a habit for him and I'd really like to get him out of it. How can I do that? He doesn't care for toys/food etc. so not rewarding him for not dropping the first time isn't helping at all

I hope all the test results come back OK. Ollie is such a fighter, please give him a special hug from me and all the furkids

Oh gawd, what an awful shock RIP Pyro My sympathies to you all.

They might not fight, but once one of them has finished their piece they will start chasing another one who still has some around and around and around and around...

A beautiful tribute to a beautiful girl. RIP Keisha

They should be desexed anyway when they are old enough, given that they probably haven't come from registered breeders and you wont be showing Are they possibly playing? When my two are playing it sometimes sounds like they are fighting, this might be what's happening with your guys. Also, as they mature, two males may fight. It is generally better to have a male and a female rather than two of the same sex.

What a gorgeous girl she was My thoughts are with you Hedds :D:) RIP Jemma

I would NEVER let one of my dogs get away with that kind of behaviour...they just wouldn't even dare for fear of hearing mum's growly voice My dogs are also taught to back away from their food if one of the cats happen to come up to their food (normally the cats are locked away while the dogs eat). Get straight back into taking her food/toys off her reguarly and rewarding her when she gives them up without a fuss. I don't care what anyone says, if I want to put my hand near my dogs' bowls they better stop eating and back off or else I will make them. I'm the boss and I'll do whatever I want and they will be OK with it or else ETA: in reference to your title...you took YOUR bone away from her, it's not her bone, you are allowing her to have it. All the toys are yours all the food is yours...you are allowing her to have those things, she does NOT have right to them.

I would guess the puppy has whined the whole night because at first you tried ignoring it, then you tried something else, then something else, then... That's where people go wrong, don't try something else, JUST ignore the whinging. Don't talk to the puppy, don't go out there, nothing. Stay in bed with ear plugs if you have to :D

I think Joshua is a great name :D He doesn't hate you, he's just confused at the big change...it's a brand new home for him and it'll probably take a little bit of time for him just to settle in let alone feel OK with a new person. He and you will get there, be patient with the both of you

Grief support counselling would be a good idea, but like you said there doesn't seem to be a lot around for us animal lovers. I know that if the gods forbid I lost one of my guys I would be hit as hard should I lose a family member. My animals are with me all the time, they are everything I have. When I was reading about your new budgie the name Noah jumped into my head straight away, it's a shame that doesn't appear to be working

I'm so sorry to hear this My first ever rat was killed by a cat of mine years ago, I was devastated. I never felt any anger towards the cat, but I just didn't know how I would ever be able to breathe without pain again. Time DOES heal things, hopefully that time helps you heal as well as your OH realising that having no dogs around isn't the best way to cope with things.

I don't know the exacts of those particular head halters, but I doubt I would use either in your situation. If your dog is lunging into one of those I would be very concerned about possible neck injury.

Oh no, no offence to the GSDs from me either...I have one after all They are just absolutely NOT the dog for him and his situation and I think it would be a big mistake for him to go down that path. Unfortunately, he thinks that he can find another one 'just like Kovu' Thanks for the PM, will continue with my 'convincing' ways