wyvernblade

And another picture, practising his stay!

Well actually got my hubby out this arvo to do some training with the boy! YAY! I've told him he just needs to do 5 to 10 minutes a day and he'll notice an improvement! Mind you he's going to a bike show on the weekend, so I'll have to take him to training.....................BUT it's a start and I'm very pleased with both of them!

Thanks everyone for their input. I have contacted the puppy buyers I was interested in and told them I'll have to wait another 6 months or so.(I was up front with them and told them we had a dog with agression problems at home and that I'd have to contact a few people and get their opinion before I committed to buy a pup)

so very true! He also doesn't understand how thrilled he'd be if he actually got this dog to work with him and do well, there's nothing like that feeling anywhere else on earth I think! It's my birthday in a few weeks time which is why I was thinking about the puppy now..................................But I am more than happy to wait, it's got to be about the dog this time round

I agree!!!!! What annoys me the MOST is that he had wanted another shepherd for AGES and I said that if we bought another one he had to do all the right things, socialising, training, taking it to work with him etc, basically making it part of the family. I've done alot of research into dog behaviour etc (Books everywhere at home!) and I KNOW how important it is to establish your dog in your pack heirachy and to keep an active working dog like a GSD busy! So he agreed and I bought him a puppy as a present. NOW the poor dog is lucky to have him spend 10 minutes a week with him, I walk him etc and play with him but nothing else (Apart from making him sit before he gets patted) so it makes me so mad that now he does have this problem hubby doesn't want to do anything (Too embarrasing for him at the club to have his dog going off at everyone) GRRRRRR So now it also looks like my puppy plans will have to be put on the back burner too. The way it's going I will take this boy over and start training him, orrrrr try and get hubby interested in doing it himself! Erny could tell that hubby had switched off halfway through her visit, information overload I think! Sigh

Yes I've read that story before, it's brilliant! I had Erny come out and assess our boy and I don't for a second think he's a lost cause! He shows very natural drive which we have started working him in and he basically needs to be taught some manners as my hubby has done next to nothing with him! But I think once leadership is firmly established and he puts some effort into working with him, he will honestly be fine. We have had shepherds before but I have always been principle trainer and the dogs respected me. Thie time round Hubby wanted dog to be 'his' so he doesn't want me to do anything with him. i.e I'm not allowed to feed him or do any training with him etc. (MEN!!!! Sorry, nothing against you, just some of them! LOL) I'm DESPERATE to compete in obedience again. I lost my bullmastiff cross two years ago now and am ready to replace him. I'm doing the NDTF course next year and am joining ADT (Firstly for our current dog if hubby is interested-he currently attends the shepherd club, and then for my puppy when I can get one) I am happy to wait for a puppy if that's what the general consenus is tho, as I want to do all the right things with new puppy so we don't go through all this again! :D

Well done Tim! Have saved that to my desktop now! Great thread everyone

The GSD gets upset at everything! Cows, Horses, cats, other dogs etc etc. He has been like it since we bought him, i.e he LAUNCHED at our yorkie the first time he saw him! He just barks constantly around other dogs, I don't think he would actually attack them, we had a Golden Retriever visit from our next door neighbours and our dog took off when he saw it. It's a problem that may never be fixed 100% tho so I am just going to have to be careful when we introduce puppy.Which is why I'd like some suggestions!

We currently have a 6 month old GSD who has some fear agression issues. We've had a trainer out to give us some tips in regards to training him, distraction work etc. He's my husbands dog and I am looking at getting my own dog to compete with in obedeince and agility. We are moving in a few weeks time and at the new house we have proper concreted dog runs etc set up which would make it easier having more than one (We also have two little ones at home too!) ANYWAY my question is. How do I introduce a pup to the family without giving the pup a fright and having ANOTHER fear aggressive dog on our hands! My thoughts so far have been 1. Do not get another puppy for a couple of months until we've had a chance to work with our boy solidly at home and at training for awhile. 2. Introduce somewhere neutral and don't have it as an 'introduction' as such, just work our GSD in the vicinty of the puppy and gauge reactions. 3. Keep puppy living inside for awhile and takes him absolutely everywhere so our GSD isn't the main dog he's dealing/living with. 4. Keep them at opposite ends of the dog runs so puppy can't see older dog if he does decide to go off at him? What does everyone think? I know that getting another pup is going to be hard work with the probelms we have with our boy, and I desperatley don't want to give puppy a fright, but I'd love to have a dog to compete with. So suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Have you been able to try the shadecloth idea? Any difference? I would have thought shadecloth or weed mat would be too 'seethrough' (I'm sure there's a more techinical term for it! ) But would be interested to see if it works. Good luck withhim!

How does he see the people walking past? Is there any way you could block his view so he can't see them? Or fence that section of yard off so he can't get to that area?

I'm looking forward to meeting you all too! I'm hoping to join with a new pup early next year but will probably talk my hubby into bringing his GSD before then. We're waiting to speak to a private trainer first as he has some fear aggression issues (He's only 6 months old but pertrified of everything! Big sook!) so you'll know me when I come, I'll have the great GSD puppy that's crying about everything!

I know that the herb Fenugreek is an appetite stimulant used in horses. Not sure if it would help with dogs, but maybe you could do some research into that too? Good luck with the poor girl!

What an awesome product! We live out in the country but I still wouldn't ride a bike without the dogs being attached somehow. Have emailed them to ask questions How do you go about training a dog to run quietly beside you without pulling you over??!!

We'll be moving to Lang Lang early next year and I'll be attending Berwick ADT. I think the drive and the money will be worth it! I'm hoping to get to a K9 Force workshop too next year when he comes back to Vic, AND i'm hoping to do the NFDT course next May, so look out doggies! You're in for a busy year! LOL

I went to the Berwick centre yesterday for the First Timers class (Didn't take dog tho, just wanted to find out more about it) I was impressed with the way they are structured and the different options they offer, altho they don't train for competition level which is what I'd like to do. Fo what I was looking at which was the Socilisation class and Advanced it is $610. If you pay before xmas it's a discount of $480. I'm currently a member of the GSDCV and you pay a yearly fee then a couple of dollars each time you go . I estimate it would take me three years there to spend as much as ADT charge. And for someone who wants only basic type training (well behaved family pet) It would seem quite pricey. However having said that, I will be trying to join before xmas to get the discount as I think it looks like a great club and I like what they offer. They didn't tell me about the different price depending on the dog's assessment tho? How does that work?! The lower the score the more you pay, or what? How do they work out assessments of puppies at 8 weeks then? Hmmm have to ask a few more questions. I would recommend anyone to go and have a look and a listen if they are interested.

Kelpie-I I would love some contact details of breeders if it's not too much trouble! my email addy is [email protected] I realise that any breed of dog requires hard work to get it to trialing level, but I'd like a breed that ENJOYS doing it! Which is why I thought most breeds of working dogs would probably do it quite well. The chap I contacted about the kelpies was Joe Fisher (?I think) and he's in Yarra Junction in Vic. I'm going to see his dogs tomorrow and ask a million and one questions!

Now everyone is just making it confusing! LOL I'm going to look at some Kelpies tomorrow arvo, but they are all WKC registered not VCA registered. Would a proper working dog be harder to live with in a fmaily situation, or require more training? The guy asked heaps of questions on the phone and said they don't like selling to people as pets, but if I'm keen on competing in obedience they can make an exception. The next week I'm going to look at some Dobe puppies, so I guess after I have seen both in the flesh (Parents included) that might make it easier to make a decision! And I don't agree with the sentiments once you've owned a particular breed you always love and promote that breed. We've had German Shepherds, Bullmastiffs and Yorkshire terriers and I wouldn't go out of my way to buy any of those breeds again! So maybe we just haven't found the right 'breed' yet. Actaully not wanting to stir up a hornet's nest, but the best dogs I've ever owned have been crosses

Ok as far as the detructive chewing etc is concerned I'm guessing that they aren't really a 'mature' breed until two or three? Or HR is your Dobe older than that?! We have always had shepherds and they can be very destructive as pups and all the ones we've had have been very nervy which has made obedience very difficult! I have also been considering a Kelpie, that was the breed I wanted when I was a kid living in suburbia in a tiny yard! For some reason my parents never let me get one :rolleyes: But was also thinking about the doberman's guarding ability as I breed horses (Very expensive ones) and I'd like a big dog running around the property to deter people too.But the Kelpie is my second choice, what are either breed like with kids? We have an 8 and 12 year old. The 12 year old desperately wants a Dobe as she's always loved them (But I think it's more than she can tell her friends at school that she has one rather than that she knows anything about them or would be interested in training it )So I'm happy to hear your comments on the kelpie's as well! Cheers

Thanks for that, it helps when you actually know of people that have them! Any idea on what they cost? I have a figure in mind but not sure if it's close or not :-) I suppose my next question should be if people are competing in obedience, which breeds are doing well? Altho I know from personal experience it's much more fun getting a dog that's supposed to be hard to train to a good level in obedience as opposed to those guys that should breeze through it!

I am looking for a breed of dog that I can compete with in obedience, and probably agility as high as we can possible go (With dog probably being better than human!) The breeders I have contacted all sing their praises, but I'd like to hear from someone who actually owns a 'pet' one that they do obedience with? I do not want to show, any dog we get will be de-sexed as soon as it can be, but I would like to compete in the obedience areas. Thanking you in advance