My Dogs Today

[Lablover]

This morning I noticed a small diarrhoea, during my twice a day lawn scoop. Having five labradors, naturally I did not know who had an upset gut. Trained four, and all seemed fine, so assumed our nearly 14 year old girl was the culprit.

While posting on DOL, I went outside to hang up some laundry and my 5 year old lab bitch, shoved roughly past me at the back door. She is normally very well mannered and waits until released as I open the door. She was the one with the problem. Smart dog!!!!

Another thought as I pass the time. I realised something today, I hit, a couple of my dogs. From time to time we simply perform drill work, water cheating, tight entry and re entry angles and such. Due to a long standing habit, I praise, when some might not think the behavior warrants. I do not praise for my dogs simply breathing. I try to save my praise for good new learning responses. Anyway, I thought a couple of mine, performed very well today, so I slapped them on their sides while verbally acknowledging my/our achievement. They enjoyed it and so did I. If a hearing impaired person, had observed us, I am sure they would have thought I was been abusive.

Off to check my soft stool girl.

Any stories, to share?

[BrunoBella]

Very good diarrhoea detection lablover . I know more about dog poo than I ever wanted to know .

I often use my dogs as drums by banging on their sides. They love it and it makes a fantastic noise

I've been to the vet every two weeks for two months now. This morning it was Miss Bella with a secondary infection from her contact allergy. More antibiotics again.

This morning, Bruno laid his head on my knees and gave me a huge smile. I thought, this must be the happiest dog in the world. He doesn't take anything too seriously and enjoys every moment. Bella is nearly as happy but worries more! People and dogs are sometimes similar.

[Reddii]

I'm sure other people get sick of me waffling endlessly about my dogs so this is a great way to release.

I rolled over at about 4:50 this morning and snuck a peak over the edge of the bed to see which one was asleep on the dog mat beside me. I didn't sneak quickly enough because it was Xena and she saw me. Clearly this gives her the right to be in bed beside me :D ......time to get up.

We went for our walk down to the dog park and threw the frisbee for a while with CK (Xena can't at the moment because she has a sore leg). until a little lab puppy (14 weeks) came in and said hello. I mentioned to the owner CK isn't overly tolerant with puppies (particularly labs as he was monstered by one when he was 4 months old) and shortly there after he told it off for being in his face while he had his frisbee. The pup was pretty full on as even the submissive Xena nearly had a snap at it. All three dogs went on lead and greeted each other nicely after that - no harm done. Lesson learned though - CK goes on lead around puppies that are not black and white working dogs.

Miss Xena was far from impressed at not getting to play frisbee , but soon got over it as we started to walk home. I'm actually hoping this will get her keener for when she starts back, but is breaking my heart at the moment to see her sitting watching.

I left CK outside and fed him, while Xena got fed inside (not allowed off lead out side atm). After about 15 minutes Mr CK had had enough solitary 'confinement' and decided to ask to be let in - he just scrapes at the door once. If I ignore him he barks and then does it again in about 2 minutes this increases in volume and duration until he is let in. If I tell him no, he goes and sulks on the corner of the deck while waiting patiently to be let in. :D

I left for work just after that, but got a lunch time treat as the puppies came to say hello (with OH) because I had left some work at home and needed her to bring it in for me (I ride a pushy to work).

Now i know they are sleeping the afternoon away waiting for flyball tonight. Miss X is going to be far from impressed again because she will only be allowed to do the obedience stuff and will miss out on the fun side of it. CK is not too far off his first full run so hopefully we see him do it tonight or next week!

Now I just have to count the minutes until I can get going!

[Guest Tess32]

My puppy is so enthusiastic he tries to drop, sit, and high five all at once

[Snoozie]

Well I learned today, that my lab boy, who I call blonde cause he seems like he doesn't have much there, is actually very smart but hides it very well.

He has taught himself to open the sliding screen door and let himself inside to go to sleep on the rug in front of the computer desk. He was so peaceful I just didn't have the heart to tell him off!

ETA - no offence to blonde people...joke intented only.

Edited January 17, 2008 by Snoozie

[Gayle.]

My puppy is so enthusiastic he tries to drop, sit, and high five all at once

Hahah, that's funny. If I have a treat in my hand but haven't given a command, Benson will go through his whole repertiore in the hope that he hits on the right one to get the treat. Sometimes I just stand there with a Schmacko in my hand so I can watch him work for it.

[Guest Tess32]

It is very cute I start laughing and he will do zoomies. Probably not the best training technique but at least he thinks it's fun!

[PAX]

We have had heaps of rain grrrrr, don't even want to talk about how much. My dogs think it is far to wet to go toilet on the wet grass but play, 'oh yeah' we're up for it. It is apparantly never too wet to play.

[J...]

This is kind of a funny brag, but I'm pretty excited all the same!!

My kelpie x lab loves water, she's just turned two but has never been a swimmer. Will confidently head into chest deep water happily and stand there for up to 10 mins "willing" the ball/toy/stick to come to her, but every time she loses contact with the lake/sea floor she chickens out.

Took her to Kepala early in the New Year for some agility work and a swimming lesson. She sat on the edge of that pool in nearly complete shut-down/sulk mode with her claws fully extended absolutely freaking out about being asked to go into that pool, here I am thinking she'll never do it.

Last week I took her to the mouth of a local river which is quite shallow when the tides out, still wasn't swimming depth for as far as I could throw a tennis ball but still a great workout as the water was mid-rib in depth.

This week, took her to the same spot. Of course, tides in but I didn't think of that when I threw the ball out and she went out and collected it happily like she'd done it her entire life. No fuss no drama - then I twigged she was swimming!!! :p Not just once but at least a dozen plus times!! :p Woohoo - I finally have a dog that will swim!!!!

[WinGus]

It is very cute :p I start laughing and he will do zoomies. Probably not the best training technique but at least he thinks it's fun!

If I'm sitting on the ground with her and laughing, Pepper will jump up enthusiastically and try to lick my face. Same thing when I happen to sing along with a song on the radio. I didn't think I was that bad!!!

ETA: I taught Pepper (maybe a bit too enthusiastically) to give her paw, and now she "paws" me at every opportunity, especially when she knows I've got a treat or food, and I'm making her wait!

Edited January 17, 2008 by WinGus

[TangerineDream]

Tango & I went for a walk around some farm country on the edge of town this evening. A small herd of Angus steers (26 of them) in one paddock we passed were down the other end, but they had moved up to our end as we came back....all of a sudden, 26 steers wanted to talk to and play with Tango and came trotting, bucking and snorting over to us...we're outside the wooden fence (with an electric wire running at their shoulder height - which they were very careful to avoid), and all 26 are lined up with their heads down peering through the fence at Tango who was trying to bounce, squeal & wag his body all at the same time...I thought 'what a great training opportunity' and made him sit about 5' from them and just watch them...he got so bored with that that he lay down.....and they just jostled and snuffled through the fence at him....it was great...Tango, the Pied Piper of Angus steers

Edited January 17, 2008 by TangerineDream

[jaybeece]

Mine is trained to throw up on tiles/lino/floorboards

He started making hucking noises tonight and took off racing down the hallway. I tried to haul him into the bathroom, but then realised he was headed for either the back door or the kitchen. I'm so proud of him, even though thanks to my attempts at getting him into the bathroom he didn't quite make it in time and most of it went on the carpet

His best tricks are left (left handshake), right (right handshake), crawl (just downright cute) and he can sit from a drop. Ok, nothing that exciting, but he knows them very well.

EDIT: OOOH and he gets into the bathtub all on his own now! He's a sooky lala about water, but the towel rub down at the end is obviously enough incentive to climb on in

Edited January 17, 2008 by jaybeece

[The Spotted Devil]

My pup is having yet another growth spurt I've upped his biscuits by 3/4 cup as he looks half starved all of a sudden, he sleeps most of the day and spends the rest of it looking pathetic and yawning. Talented lad

As I'm a bit restricted following some minor surgery we have been doing some extra clicker training. He has learned to touch my hand or anything else (book, CD, wallet, phone, envelope) with his nose or whack it with is paw.....I'm quite impressed by his ability to generalise the command to pretty much anything with very little training!

[BrunoBella]

:D Great stories!

Bella has a better trick than Jaybeece's dog.

I taught her to find, dig up and kill crickets on command . Very handy trick

[jaybeece]

:D Great stories!

Bella has a better trick than Jaybeece's dog.

I taught her to find, dig up and kill crickets on command . Very handy trick

:cool:

Well....mine peed on a weed the other day :D I just wish I'd trained him to do that

[Reddii]

WOO HOOO!!!!!!

CK went really well at flyball last night. He managed a send away over 2 hurdles, up on the box and back over all 4 hurdles!!!! Another couple of weeks and he should be right for a full run.

We had him passing with the team dogs as well and had no problem until we swapped lanes without showing him properly and he crossed over into the other dog's path. Luckily they didn't collide, but she did take exception to it, CK on the other hand couldn't understand what all the fuss was about - he's not the brightest sometimes! At least he didn't really react to the situation like I thought he might.

Xena is better again too - she should be back to training tomorrow!!!!

All seems to be coming around.

Cheers and have a good weekend everyone!

Tony

[MonElite]

Took both the dogs for a walk with my friends, so used the friends to do a group and a figure of 8, Divani was very good, on and off lead. Well considering that she isnt that good overall thats with Rex running around free willing to play with her.

And Rex decided to dig a hole in the backyard, found some dirt behind bushes, dug a hole in it and covered himself in a cloud of dust. He is filthy!!!

[Guest Tess32]

I like this thread, the ramblings are cool

Yesterday our gardener came over for the first time since we've had Noah, so was a good socialisation opportunity! He was a bit iffy at first at the lawn mower but we got the gardener to come and say hello and pat him (he loved him) then played with Noah while the noises were going. All good, he ended up ignoring the noises and sat out near it (safely) and relaxed and played

[BrunoBella]

I took Bella to the vet yesterday, as he walked over to her room she did a big leap onto a little chair behind me to hide from him . He was very amused and impressed with her jumping abilities. She's 25kgs and 55cm tall.

[Guest Clover]

Go Noah.. he sounds like a sweet boy Nat .

Nothing much to report here. I have been teaching Elvis to go through the Agility tunnel from different angles the last couple of weeks. He has been getting quite excited though and getting stuck half way through and thinking it is a great game, with me standing by in tears laughing at him . He has been using the tunnel as a jump aswell, so that should be interesting when we start proper Agility classes in about 8 weeks time (we have to do a crappy obedience class first to get into agility).