FANG Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 (edited) Edit: I have been advised to remove this letter. PM me if you want to see it. Edited March 4, 2007 by FANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Not sure what the story is though? Why did you see her in the first place? Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FANG Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 Separation anxiety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Jones Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 lol i hope you didnt send that letter, that can be counted as blackmail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornir Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 (edited) oh dear Fang. I too used their services around this time last year. After that one month I switched to HCOC and I have been there almost a year You may need to see a behaviourist (sp) Not sure we have any in Tas. Damn it, if I had have continued with my science degree I could be one! ETA: perhaps you could contact Dr Debbie Calnon at Delta. SHe is an animal behaviourist and while she may not be able to help you, she may know of someone here who can. http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/behaviorists.htm Edited March 9, 2007 by Mornir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelpie-i Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Hi Fang I can completely understand your anger. You state that you called these people about your dog's supposed "separation anxiety" problem. Are you willing to share with us your dog's behaviour and also, the "advice" if any, you were offered by this trainer?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FANG Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 Hi everyone, Thanks for your responses. Ivy has found a new home this afternoon with a cat, Greyhound and lady who has experience with Greyhounds. I really hope she'll be happy there. I miss her heaps already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FANG Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 Hi FangI can completely understand your anger. You state that you called these people about your dog's supposed "separation anxiety" problem. Are you willing to share with us your dog's behaviour and also, the "advice" if any, you were offered by this trainer?? Ivy was very anxious whenever I left her. She would whine and panic. Once she almost choked to death on the cords attached to my blinds (she must have been looking out the window to see where I was). Luckily my flat mate heard her making an awful sound and came into my room to rescue her. She also soiled inside on a number of occasions when I was gone, even though she had been outside prior to me leaving (I was never gone more than a couple of hours). She had no toileting problems when I was home with her. The dog trainer was not really helpful. She spent some time showing me a Kong toy and then didn't leave it with me or offer for me to buy it off her. Apart from that, she told me Ivy isn't as bad as many of the dogs she sees, we discussed the Triangle of Temptation (which she criticised) and she had fun feeding Ivy treats. At the end of the session, I felt that there were no practical, realistic or workable solutions for me to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 (edited) I felt that there were no practical, realistic or workable solutions for me to try. Just for 'balance' I am compelled to comment here that dogs suffering severe separation anxiety (and I am by no means diagnosing or confirming diagnosis in your dog's case as I am not privvy to observation) sometimes do require behaviour modification treatment that is very demanding of the owner's time and energy. In some cases, it may be impossible to cure and a solution is to take the dog to work with you etc. etc. etc. etc. Can't comment (not that you were asking to) one way or the other with the trainer/behaviourist's method given but as to the impractical and unworkable 'solutions' ....... just pointing out that sometimes this is what it comes down to and may even necessitate re-homing the dog to a person/family who can accomodate the dog's requirements in relation to this 'condition'. What is impracticle to one person might well be quite suitable to another. Don't know how much time the trainer/behaviourist spent discussing 'Kongs' nor why any great length of time would be particularly necessary though. Maybe the 'Kong" was her own supply and perhaps showing it to you was designed as a possible item that you could purchase through the stores to assist in keeping Ivy pre-occupied in your absence? In any case of SA that I've dealt with, I've always investigated and where necessary worked to modify/correct leadership imbalances, so don't understand why "TOT" would be criticised as it is a program (amongst others) which can help in this regard. Please don't read this post as though I might be defending the trainer/behaviourist you engaged. In this respect I don't know her, Ivy or your relationship with Ivy. My attempt is to merely level up the 'playing field' (so to speak) and maybe shed some clarity on a couple of points. Glad you found a home for Ivy. Hope things work out for all concerned. Edited March 4, 2007 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FANG Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 Erny, thanks for your reply. With regards to the Kong toy, when I mentioned to her that I was planning to buy one from the vet but they didn't have the correct size in stock, she commented that it would be better to get one off her anyway because she doesn't put a 200% mark up on the price like the vets do. It's good of you to provide another perspective, and I'm sure mine is biased, as I'm merely explaining what happened from my point of view. There are always two sides to every story and the reality is probably somewhere in the middle. I just hope the letter is not viewed as blackmail, because that was absolutely never my intention at all. Most of all I hope Ivy ends up happy in her new home. The house feels awfully empty without her Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 With regards to the Kong toy, when I mentioned to her that I was planning to buy one from the vet but they didn't have the correct size in stock, she commented that it would be better to get one off her ... Did you end up asking to purchase one from her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blissirritated Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 (edited) Sorry that Ivy had to go somewhere else Fang. That's a hard decision to make and I know you wouldn't have taken it lightly. I want to comment here that I personally found Urbandogz to be very expensive for the service it provided. We took the 'problem dog' course and while I could see how it could work for a 'fear agressive' dog, it had the opposite effect on my girl -- I don't think her reactivity is based out of fear. The course that we took wasn't terribly flexible. Having said that, if someone wanted to learn 'purely' clicker training and didn't have access to it elsewhere -- go for it. In the end I paid a fortune and got a dog that I then had to work even more of that reactivity out of. *sigh*. I can understand Fang's frustration. That said, they *do* sell their Kong toys cheaper than I've seen down here. Mornir, how do you find the HCOC w/regard to reactive dogs? (are they in any way related to the group that's on the eastern shore?) I know that before we got Gypsy (at about 1.5) she was taken to two lessons "somewhere" where the solution to her barking was to alpha roll her and pin her down. Given that we spent the first 6 months of her life teaching her that it was okay to be sitting/laying anywhere within 5 feet of us, I don't want to see that approach taken again -- are they more flexible? Edited March 5, 2007 by blissirritated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FANG Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 (edited) No, Erny, and she didn't offer for me to buy one at all. I guess I should have asked, but I just wasn't sure if it was included in the price of the consultation and I was just generally feeling really overwhelmed by everything so I forgot. Thank you for sharing your story, blissirritated. Edited March 5, 2007 by FANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blissirritated Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Thank you for sharing your story, blissirritated. Ha, if only everybody said that. "Stop talking about your bloody dog woman". *blush*. You wouldn't be interested in a large dobe cross would you? Beautiful girl, been jumping fences so she's tied up. The owners have probed us to see if we'd take her (I would in a heartbeat)-- can't in the property we're in. Be an excellent Agility prospect... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FANG Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Hehe! I think people get sick of me talking about dogs so much as well. It's lucky we can come here, isn't it?! I don't think my place would be suitable for a large Doberman... I live in an apartment with a small courtyard, and I can only commit to walking the dog for half an hour each day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shekhina Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Oh you should take Jaida then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FANG Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 I would, but I'm not sure a Rottweiler is for me. I think I'm going to have a bit of a break before I get another dog. I'm really sad because I just want Ivy back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blissirritated Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Ah well, I'll have to keep working on weezling her into our place then. She's beautiful girl, we puppy sat her for nearly 3 months when she was about 2/3 the size of our GSD. 1/2hr would be more than she's getting at the moment She'd never seen a leash before we sat for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shekhina Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I'm really sad because I just want Ivy back It's very hard rehoming a dog, I have had to do it myself many years ago when I became too unwell to take care of him Jaida is not your typical Rottweiler, she's a X breed and doesn't have many Rottweiler personality traits...actually I hardly notice she's here she's that good. I wonder if the landlady wouldn't notice her either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Sounds as though you just need to find an adult dog who really quite enjoys being by themselves. ;) I have a couple of dogs here who would choose outside rather than inside most of the time. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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