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Oh no! RIP Shadow.

Oh no! Pyro was a very special dog and will be remembered by many on DOL, even if we never got to meet him. RIP Pyro.

Oh no!! So so sorry.

After reading a thread about Dremmels when we first got Flame (about 18 months ago), we decided to give it a go... and we havent looked back. She doesnt like it and sulks when we get it out, but she is okay when we are doing her nails. I remember clipping the nails of previous dogs and what a huge trauma it was. This is SO much easier. We already had a Dremmel, so it was just a matter of buying the right attachment. It's one with a cord and we have no issues with the cord. EFS

Awww... look at that gorgeous little boy! He has improved out of sight! Good on you WL for being such a great foster mum!

Yep, we got our girl at 12 months old because the breeder had no more room and she thought she would be better off in a home with more attention! (NB. she had won Best Puppy in Show just before we got her, so she certainly couldnt be called a 'dud'). As it is, she is spoilt rotten at our place. She laps up the attention that she wouldnt have had at the breeders with several other dogs. She is still shown by me (not very well) and occasionally by the breeder, and does fairly well in the ring. The breeder knew what she was doing - she is the kind of dog who likes her luxuries and we can provide that for her!

Thanks for sharing your experinece, scrappynsuzie. We do live in an area with ticks, which is why I went for Advantix over the other brands. Flame has so far not had a tick and we always check her over if we go near the bush. I imagine that the vet was probably trying to calm me down by saying that this was a farily normal reaction..... I spoke to FD last night and we will be ripping up the carpet and polishing the floorboards - yay!! I truly despise the carpet we have, so I'm rather happy about that! As soon as the package from Bayer arrives with the sample, the war on fleas will begin!!

Rom, I spoke to them yesterday and there are still places in the course starting in March, so hopefully you made it in! I faxed off my application to try and beat the crowd! They also confirmed that you can do extra prac work if you want (and they do encourage it), but all the required hours will be covered in the block sessions in Melbourne.

For sure! Once I work out when I'll be down there, I'll let you know and we can organise something!! Hmmm... just looking agiain and I cant find that anywhere in the Information Guide.... However I just read the sheet provided wtih more detailed info on the electives, and it does say that.... bugger! I will have to give them a call and cut back to 2 electives if that's a requirement. I think that Food and Water would be really interesting, but I want to do the other ones more, and I think doing 4 electives is probably a bit too much at one time. It also states you can complete the other electives after you finish if you want to, so I might do that....

Wow! Now that's what I call a well-deserved brag!! Congratulations!!

Hmmm... guest speakers are not mentioned, but DVDs are provided, and those include lectures... Hopefully they'll have some guest speakers during the blocks of practical training in Melbourne. It's always a treat to speak with (or hear from) dog trainers!

Kavik - yes, but only twice:

I wish you did too! I will have to send you a postcard!!

Will do!!

We do have to go to Melbourne - there are 2 blocks of training, each of which goes for 9 days. I was told that this will cover the 100 hours of practical training that is normally done on a weekly/monthly basis for those who do the normal course. Those 2 blocks of training are going to be VERY full-on I expect!! I am hoping me meet a few DOLers while I'm there!!

Hi all, well I have just faxed off my application for the NDTF Certificate III in Dog Behavior & Training, Distance Learning course, starting on the 1st March!! WOO HOO!! I am so excited about doing this course! For anyone who was a bit confused with the paperwork that was sent, I called them to confirm about the practical training. The deal is that all compulsory practical training is done in the blocks in Melbourne. You are encouraged to try and do some other training in between the blocks for your own personal gain, but it is not compulsory to do any extra. I am going to be doing 3 electives (coz I couldnt decide!), so my electives are: Elective 1 - Conduct Companion Animal Training Classes Elective 3 - Train Dogs for Basic Assistance Roles Elective 5 - Train Dogs for Basic Tracking or Trailing If anyone else is doing the course and would like to meet up during the blocks, or maybe do some study assistance with each other, then feel free to PM me. Of course, if you're going to be in the vicinity and want to meet up, then it would be great to meet you too! I cant wait to start!!

Okay, I am reading through it all again, and I think what's confusing is that the enrollment forms etc are from the normal course, which mentions 100 hours of prac. The Distance Learning Information Guide states on page 9: The Distance Learning Information Guide states on page 11: The Distance Learning Information Guide does not mention 100 hours of prac anywhere, so I am assuming that the entire practical session is conducted at the block sessions in Melbourne. I am sending in my application now - just trying to decide which electives I want to do.... very hard to decide... maybe I'll have to do them all!!

Hmmm... wonder if they'll have it at the local hardware store? I will endeavour to hunt some down. The old guy next door will most likely know where to find some - he seems to be a bit of a lawn guru. Not much kills buffallo grass (well, except for Flame!! )

Well I just contacted Nicole at Bayer and she has offered me a sample of Advantage or Advocate to try (my choice). You could not get better customer service than that! A huge THANKYOU to Warley for giving me Nicole's contact details, and a big THANKYOU to everyone else gave me info. Hopefully Flame will be flea-free and happier soon! ETA: Warley - do you mean lime as in the citrus fruit, or lime as in the powdery white stuff? And if it's the powdery white stuff, where do you get it? Does it kill the grass? And how much do I need to spread around? Now I just need to get rid of the wandering cats!!

Warley, I didnt mean to put down Bayer as a company. I just re-read my post and realised it could have come off like that, so I've added a bit to it in blue. I know that this product works brilliantly for a lot of dogs, just that Flame is allergic to it (hey, I'm allergic to almost every cleaning product on the market, plus grass, so who am I to judge someone with an allergy? :D). I mentioned the name of the product specifically to see if someone else had the same specific problem. I will PM you for Nicole's details. Maybe she'll have some useful suggestions! I never actually thought of contacting the company!

Thanks for your replies everyone. Schnauzer, I am so sorry for your loss. That must have been awful for you! :D I believe that the fleas probably came from the grass - there are at least 6 cats that wander around our street at night (and cr*p in our yard), so I'm assuming they brought the fleas in. The reason I saw the fleas is that I'd given Flame a bath and was playing with her to dry her and gave her a good belly-rub and saw a flea. I think I only saw it becuase it was half-drowned and therfore slower than normal! LOL. I will go and buy some Advantage or Frontline and keep an eye on her for the 48 hours following the medication (which means it will have to be the weekend). I will also wash her and her bedding again (it is washed regularly). I really dont want to get a pest control person in. I quite like my friendly daddy longlegs spinning their webs!! I also have quite bad allergies to cleaning products, so I'm not sure what that sort of stuff would do to me! Our carpet is old and horrible... maybe we should just rip it up and polish the floorboards like we did in the living areas. I keep thinking of how cold my toes will be on winter mornings, but hey, what are chilly toes when you have a happy dog to sit on them and warm them up?

Okay, so we used Advantix on Flame about a year ago and she came up in hives and was itchy for days, so there is no way I am going to use that stuff again. Edited to Add that I am not putting down Advantix - I know it works for most dogs, just that Flame is allergic to this particular product. I'm just looking for someone with the same experience. Since then we havent had any issues, but I have now spotted a couple of fleas on her. Poor baby! :D We want to annihilate the fleas, so the plan is: - Clean all her bedding in hot hot water - Give her a good bath - Apply some sort of anti-flea treatment - Possibly flea-bomb the house ? So, my questions are: 1. What sort of flea-treatment can you use on a dog that has allergies to Advantix? I would really like to hear from people who have this issue - the vet said that about 10% of dogs have this sort of reaction to Advantix, so I'm hoping someone on here will have direct experience. 2. Is using a flea-bomb going to cause issues? I realise that they're poison, and dont really want to use one, but I am worried that there are fleas in the carpet.... any other suggestions on how to get rid of them? Thanks!!

Naughty Atlas!! Any news yet?

Flame is first of all a pet, and an occasional show dog. She gets trained in lots of little incremets every day, but no formal training. She also gets a run every day, which includes obedience bits and pieces in between sprints. Last time my Mum saw Flame she was impressed at her obedience, and said it's because we are constantly training her even when we're not trying to. Maybe we just nag her into submission!!

OMG I just read this thread, too! This is hysterical!! ;)