Dog_Horse_Girl

The whole point of training is IMO to train the human in how to communicate effectively with the dog. Rather than call it "dog training", perhaps we should call it "human/dog interaction training"? There are so many fantastic courses and clubs that rely on building that *positive* human/canine relationship, it's hard for me to understand why ppl persist in the notion that "someone else can train my dog and fix all the problems I've created b/c I am not sure what I'm doing"... It makes me sad and angry at the same time. I'd urge your rellie to ask for some money back as stated, but I'd also urge them to look at joining some type of class for the dog/human relationship. This is far too important an issue to ignore IMO.

Glad to hear Clye is OK...phew!

My dogs are indoor dogs too, but their toilet is outside...I'm not sure what you mean when you say your dog's toilet is indoors. Perhaps you could elaborate? If the gate isn't working, why not use a crate instead? A crate is a very useful tool for pup raising and especially for house training (unless your pup is accustomed to living in its own waste, as some pet shop pups are) b/c most dogs don't like to live with their messes. And yes, you must be a strong leader, or your pup will jockey for position as top dog...that's no way for a human/dog relationship to continue. HTH.

Unless you're there to supervise, my advice is to lock the dog somewhere the cane toads cannot access...probably inside your house is the only safe place. When we lived in Cairns, the only time Lilly was outside was if I was with her and she STILL got toads...a few close calls I can tell you! IMO a dog can't be reliably trained to leave them alone. ;)

That must be really tough on your rellie. I'd be asking for some money back. ;)

To me, that seems a little hefty for a female staffy...they do enjoy their food and can be difficult to encourage into sufficient activity to keep them at a "good weight". Our staffy cross is one that easily piles the weight on but is slow to take it off. She and I have just begun another exercise program, and today we spent about 30 minutes on the footy field playing frisbee. She *loves* to retrieve! I would certainly want to know if any of my dogs had a medical condition that is treatable. Thyroid problems are relatively common and very treatable. I don't know about costs, but if this were my dog, I'd pay whatever was required to ensure she lived a long, healthy, happy and comfortable life. I hope this helps! ;)

A "lay person" is someone not expert in a given area or field of endeavour. ;) Perhaps the term "novice", "beginner" or "inexpert" would have been more to your liking? If the OP is intent on breeding, that does not mean that she intends to become a registered breeder...but with the help of a mentor (or to put it another way, someone that is considered to be an expert), perhaps the OP will forge a name for themselves and their litter/s.

You have a GREYT vet by the sounds of it...good to hear Zahra is feeling better.

Jodie, baby steps with Ollie dog...he's doing great! Happy Easter and have a safe trip. Hugs to you all. ;)

You are having so many issues, and I think they're all related. In fact, I think your pup does have SA and every behaviour you describe is a symptom of SA. You are sort of on the right track, but in my experience, there are other things you can add to what you are doing: 1. Exercise is vital - both physical and mental. You say you haven't time to walk him of a morning, but you must find the time. Walk at a brisk pace for at least 20 minutes, and incorporate some basic obedience into every walk. This will help tire him out in body and mind. A tired dog will sleep! If a dog is sleeping she can't be destroying your house. 2. Obedience work - if you haven't already begun, try to fit in some basic obedience every day. This will help your pup to learn that you are the alpha and what you say goes, and that everything good comes from you. A dog doesn't care who is leader, as long as they know someone is! 3. House training - you haven't got the pup trained at all. Start from the beginning. That is, confine the dog when you cannot supervise, take the pup out on a regular schedule, and praise profusely for the right thing, ignoring the wrong thing. Do not train to paper - poor pup just gets confused. If you want the dog to toilet outside, take it out! ;) 4. Routine-making - your dog needs a routine, every dog does. It doesn't matter if the routine varies sometimes, but dogs do like to know that their day has structure. Without structure, the dog becomes less inclined to behave as we would like - with it, and they can predict what comes next and at least be ready for it. 5. Dog walker - having someone visit your pup during the day will help with so many issues, including house training and destructive/vocalising behaviours. Find someone you can trust absolutely with your pup and even if they only come one day per week, this will probably help. Similarly, day care is another option, again, even if it's only one or two days per week. 6. SA - your dog displays SA behaviours including toileting indoors, destructive behaviours, and vocalising. You must address this b/c the behaviours will escalate. Have you completed 'alone training' with your dog? I think if you have, it hasn't been completely successful. You can begin alone training again and only progress to the next level when the dog gets it right. The idea is that you teach the dog that it's OK to be alone and to be happy alone. Begin by leaving the dog for a moment (you leave the room) and immediately return. Build on this until you can leave the house and immediately return. It seems to me that b/c your home time is spent with the dog every second, that the dog now expects this level of company and is fretting when that doesn't happen. Have you got a DAP diffuser? DAP = Dog Appeasing Pheromones. If you haven't got one, I would suggest one, b/c they work in most cases. I've got two dogs with SA and two DAP diffusers, plus the DAP spray for car trips. This stuff works! It works for all kinds of anxieties and phobias. 7. Destructive behaviours - you haven't dog proofed adequately if your dog is destroying your things. Get down to the pup's level and remove anything that it can reach. If it's out of reach, it's out of harm's way. If you leave it there, how does the dog know it's not a toy? 8. Boredom - I don't think your dog is bored. But if you think this is part of the problem, then provide more activity-based toys and vary them from day to day. Providing a stuffed kong every day is great - give the pup their breakfast in the kong rather than a bowl and ensure you do not provide this until right before you leave. The dog will associate your cues to leaving with the kong and won't even notice that you've left b/c the dog will be far too busy to notice. Treat balls in various forms are also great b/c they keep your dog busy and working. Treasure hunts are great for the same reason. Suspend a kong from a secure point, upside down, and just above the dog's head level for even greater work and rewards. There are so many more things for your dog to do than just roll a ball over the floor! 9. Sensitivity to outside noise - what sort of company does the dog have? Do you have the TV, radio or CD on for company? If not, try it. My dogs have company and it helps. Lilly the greyhound has the TV (same channel every day), Ruby has classical music on a CD repeat all, and Molly has the radio. They barely notice external noises. I'm sure some of what is above will help - I know you feel that you're doing everything possbile, but please re-think and perhaps try some of the above. Obedience work and exercise are both vital in helping to overcome the behaviours you are faced with. Calming the anxious dog are also vital and if you can't afford a DAP diffuser, at least see your vet for advice. You can also try things like Rescue Remedy. I hope this helps. ;) Oh, the baby gate thing - block the dog's view any way you can...less inclined to escape through something that now seems 'solid'.

Anne it sounds as if the treatment above is going to do the trick. It's so worrying when they're sick isn't it? And extra b/c she's so little and you've only just met. Hang in there, she will feel better very soon. ;) Try to keep her fluids up - offer her ice cubes if she's not drinking much...most pups can't resist ice! I'll keep you and Zahra in my thoughts.

Yes, the freedom to express our views is a fabulous thing and a right.... I guess the difference is that most of us know the distinction between expressing an opinion and being rude. Lilly - you appear to have a very aggressive way lately of dealing with subjects that you choose to speak up about. I'd like to suggest you take a moment of time to assess your motivations for responding in the manner that you do. I'd also like to suggest you go suck a lemon so that you can experience the bitter taste that some of us have felt when reading some of your responses of late. And you don't sound even a teensy bit self-righteous or arrogant yourself...never mind rude. ;) As I keep on saying here, apparently it's one rule for me, but the opposite for everyone else...that is, I cannot be rude to anyone but you can be rude to me. Are you trying to goad me into playing tit for tat? ;) Hmmm...no, I don't think I'll get involved, thanks anyway! To the OP, please consider the health and wellbeing of your bitch and any pups you may produce...if you genuinely wish to improve the breed, please find a mentor (registered breeder), learn everything you can, enter your bitch into some shows, take it from there. But really consider your motivations before you allow her to mate.

No, Jed, I did not miss what the OP said. But thanks for quoting her twice...just in case! I know we can't know how intelligent members are based upon what we *think* we see on our screens. ;) I don't condone lay people's breeding intentions...hence my previous post in this thread. If the OP is a registered breeder with a mentor, wonderful! But as she has now posted in general about the "costs" of breeding, I am probably correct in concluding that she isn't a registered breeder. Hopefully these discussions she has here will educate her and she will re-think the idea of breeding her bitch and ultimately desex the bitch. If you disagree with my opinion, that's fine. We are each entitled to hold our own views and to express them. Thank goodness are all different, the world would be very boring if we were each the same.

Oh, great! A new registered breeder is among us! Welcome. ;) OTOH, if you are intending to breed your bitch but you are NOT registered, best of luck!

*Salutes*

Gee that was an intelligent and well-thought-out argument. Thanks very much for your enlightened response!

That's so nice of you to say! :D Why is it that you think I do not have the right to defend myself and my opinions? ;) I'm entitled to express my views and I'm not actually attacking an individual here but addressing my comments in a general, non-threatening manner. If only everyone else could find the same courtesy in their responses, this forum would be a much nicer and more welcoming place to spend time. Is it wrong that I love animals so much? Is it wrong that I'm compassionate? Please don't resort to personal attacks, as it's not appreciated and makes you come across as being impolite, dare I say it, even downright rude. I'm sure you are a very polite person...perhaps I've just misunderstood your comments.

Great news, Jodie. Let's hope the good times continue to roll for you and Ollie. The cockroach game, my dogs understand this! Me, ewwwww.

My opinions on hunting stand...I'm a humane and compassionate person and sadly, the evidence that I've seen shows that many "hunters" are neither responsible nor humane...it is never OK to leave an animal to bleed to death IMO. I respect other's rights to hold their opinions...however, not all individuals with firearms behave in a manner that entitles them to use them. If they did, I would have considerably less of a problem with ppl hunting for sport. For a number of ppl with firearms, part of the sport is in leaving the animals to suffer. And IMO no animal deserves that kind of treatment. Not for any reason, nor for any species. If feral pigs (for example) need to be killed, then at least have the decency to kill them humanely.

In the ACT, you commit an offence if you take an entire, in season bitch, off private property for any purpose other than visiting a veterinary clinic. So, before you take her out, check your local laws... Having a bitch in season is a big responsibility, both for her wellbeing and for the sake of all the entire dogs in your area. An entire dog will attempt to get to any bitch he can smell, and he can smell her for up to 1 km or more. If she were mine, she would not be left entire, but you may have a perfectly valid reason for delaying her spey surgery. What is the responsible approach to managing her season? Keep her secured (that is, within a building) for the whole season. If a dog can get to her, he will. So, please don't leave her outside in your "secure yard" b/c there is no such thing in the eyes of a bunch of "horny" dogs. Lock her inside a house, garage, or other secure building. When you take her outside to relieve herself, have her on lead and in the hands of a capable adult person. Keep her clean, wash her every day using a very mild shampoo for canines, at least twice. She will appreciate this. She will also lick herself and this is something you can try to avoid by putting "pants" on her...they do make sanitary garments for bitches! When her season is over, be sure to wait six to eight weeks before you have her speyed, but you can certainly book her in now! HTH.

IMO a growl is a warning and must be heeded rather than ignored or the dog may go further and snap/bite. Address the reasons your dog is growling and you may see results (less growling) rather than punishing him for growling. Is it better to stop him growling only to have him attack you (or someone else) b/c he no longer feels it is acceptable to give a warning, therefore launching a full-on attack instead?

Having spent some time in "the bush", I am just a *little* aware of feral animal problems in this country. But hunting them doesn't mean it's humane. Have you never seen just how many endangered birds that are NOT so-called approved species, are killed during "duck season" in this country (when the shooting of such birds is actually permitted, that is, as we have had a few years where the "season" was banned b/c of lack of bird numbers, haven't we?)? Or how about all the animals that aren't killed by the shot and the hunter leaves them to die, usually by bleeding to death? Is that humane? Is that OK b/c they're "over-populating" the area in question? Is that really acceptable for let's say, the eastern grey kangaroo? One of our "national emblems"? And a beautiful animal at that... I also know what the original purpose is for the gundog class of canine, I'm not really that dim. But that isn't to say that without this purpose, the dog is miserable either. That would be drawing a rather long bow, to coin a phrase that's relevant to this thread. Most GSPs are now kept as companion animals rather than gundogs (at least, in Australia, I know for the USA for example, that the numbers are quite different, but hunting over there is rather popular as a weekend "sport"...we don't quite have that element to our culture here, thankfully). I do not condone hunting for the purposes of removing a feral nuisance. Does anyone remember the brumby cull in Guy Fawkes National Park several years ago, whereby supposedly "professional hunters" were employed to shoot wild horses from helicopters, and many of these magnificent creatures lay dying for days, and in at least one case, took more than a week to bleed to death??? I do not condone hunting for the purposes of "sport" as there are far more humane ways to shoot for "fun" than attempting to kill a living creature. I love animals, of course I'm opposed to shooting them for "fun" disguised in whatever form a hunter attempts to justify his participation in this activity.

IMO, a pup needs to be toilet trained while kept indoors, otherwise how does he know the toilet is NOT on your carpet? He doesn't! You need to be consistent with your teaching, that is, no mistake is the dog's fault b/c you are supposed to be teaching him how to behave. If he has an accident, it's b/c you didn't catch him in time to take him out. Set a routine, confine him when you cannot supervise, and keep the rules consistent, and he'll be trained reliably in no time. Don't train to paper, it's more confusing for a dog that way IMO. Read a decent book on training and caring for a pup and focus on getting toilet training right ASAP. At this age, he should be fairly reliable already, but he's not, so start from the beginning again and go from there. HTH.

Oh, did I read correctly? You are a hunter? My goodness, what pitiful creatures do you hunt? Does your new dog become part of the "team" and hunt with you? Oh, I'm so sad and angry to read this on a dog-lover's forum...hunting is IMO not a very humane activity.

GM, I am obviously not reading the labels you seem to be quoting, however, generally speaking (which is all I can do, given that I know not from which source you are quoting), 70% chicken, rice and vegetables (total???) means there is 30% "other", does it not? Anyway, it matters not. A canine does not require rice or any type of grain, nor any cereal, for nutritional needs. A dog also does not need vegetables as it doesn't necessarily eat the vegetation of its prey's stomach contents (when looking at the nutritional requirements of wild canids, this frequently is misunderstood by 'scientists'). A canine doesn't need any cooked foods and cooking reduces the nutritional load of virtually everything the food originally contained. I am not a "zealot" but I believe the proof is in the eating, so to speak. With my dogs fed on processed foods, they did not do as well as they do now. Lilly (my greyhound) had constant loose and offensive stools. She lost a lot of weight, and given that she was a small hound to begin with, this was obviously not desirable. It was not acceptable to me that she lost around 4 kgs in the first three months with us, and the whole time was spent in trying to find a processed food she could "tolerate". There was one food that sometimes got digested and mostly did not but this wasn't acceptable to me and I began (very slowly and deliberately) to research the possibilities. I ended up reading Billinghurst and then reading Lonsdale, and talking with other pet GH owners about their feeding regimes and what worked for their dogs. I also spoke with her racing trainer/breeder, who recommended raw meat as the primary food, supplemented with vegetables and biscuits (Box One, to be precise). After another three months of difficulties with processed foods, we began a shift to raw, whole foods. Lilly improved literally overnight. While the other dogs were not doing that badly on processed foods, they certainly didn't thrive. They also smelt fairly awful...their stools were copious and frequent and foul-smelling. Their skin and coat was in poor shape. Their dental health was average...only when I commenced a raw, whole foods diet did these problems resolve, almost immediately. I have no problem with dog owners that choose to feed a high quality processed food. But IMO canned foods are "junk food for dogs" and no vet should be seriously recommending feeding such foods exclusively or predominately in the diet. Vets don't study canine nutrition in any degree, I did and I do. I continue to study canine nutrition and to adjust my dogs' diet as a result of what I find. The internet certainly makes research more accessible but also more fraught with danger b/c some sources cannot be independently verified. I do my best by my dogs and attempt to verify what I learn. If not, then I don't follow that lead unless I can have it verified by an expert at some point. I am continuously learning. There are some good (raw foods) canned diets for the canine. Sadly, I have not found any of these products available in Australia. If or when they become available, they are a reasonable alternative as long as RMBs are also fed (to keep the mouth clean and in good order, to exercise the jaw). There is one brand of canned food available in Australia that will do in an emergency but it's still cooked foods. So my dogs really only get it in a genuine emergency. Otherwise, I provide them with a raw, whole foods diet, taking their individual needs into account. Ruby has a meat/bone based diet, with a small amount of vegetation, some offal, small amounts of cow's milk by-products (yoghurt, cheese), and the occasional raw egg, plus canned sardines from time to time. Molly is predominately fed the same, while Lilly has a higher ratio of vegetation and offal in her diet b/c she thrives on both! Perhaps this has helped - I hope so!