JulesP

That is great Snook

The thing is you aren't just teaching the dog to do something new, like a totally untrained dog. You are teaching him to do something he has been taught not to do. So there is possibility for stress.

I am simply reporting what the council are saying for people's information. What you do with the information is up to you. I have also been using the lake for a very long time and am slightly baffled by the don't go in the water message from the council. Seeing as how it has been built to go into the water. Beaches, boat ramps etc I was told quite grumpily that there are signs saying don't swim in the lake.

They are saying don't swim in there at all, not just whilst they are testing the water.

Yeah well there is still the reports of the dog suffering kidney failure after swimming in the lake. All the council stuff is saying not to swim in it.

There aren't actually signs saying dogs aren't allowed in the lake. They aren't allowed on the beach and the lake is onlead. I often dunk mine in the lake , onlead, half way round on warmish days. The tests have come back as the blue algae being within safe limits for humans and pets.

It is more like he has been taught not to sit. Also possibly been taught to not follow the treat, but to stand and look pretty instead. To plant his feet but show expression. I had some interesting experiences with a show horse once. I thought he as being a pain but was actually very well trained. It was just his training was hindering what I wanted to do. So maybe work on unsticking his feet first.

Yeah I haven't been for a couple of weeks so was thinking about heading down this week. A friend shared it on FB but it is on the Yarra Ranges Council FB page. I am slightly baffled though as apparently there are signs up saying no swimming. Which I can't say I've seen. But if they don't want people swimming in there why the hell did they build 2 beaches??? Heaps of kids swim in the lake.

I saw on FB yesterday that someone was having to put their dog down after it swam in Lilydale Lake, Victoria. It had been poisoned by blue algae and its kidneys had shut down. I couldn't find anything official yesterday but a Yarra Ranges Councillor has just shared this: Lilydale Lake • We understand Melbourne Water is currently investigating a report about blue green algae in the lake and is testing the water. They will advise us of the results once they are available, which they are expecting will be over the next couple of days. • It’s important to remember that swimming in Lillydale Lake is not recommended at any time, and there is signage at the lake advising this. • Further information about the results of Melbourne Water’s investigations will be available on Council’s website and Facebook page once we receive more details. So it might be a good idea to keep your pets out of the lake at the moment. They have had an issue with this in the past and ended up draining the lake.

River sand? You would buy at a landscaping/gardening supply place.

Have you tried early in the mornings? I've been walking around 6-7 am and it is quieter than I thought it would be at that time. The people that are out are out getting the job done too and seem more dedicated. It is the sometimes/weekend/holiday walkers I like to avoid. I was out at 6.30am yesterday and didn't see a single person. I am lucky in that most of the people around here are really polite.

Does he look like he has dry skin? Does he get a rash at all? If so were is the rash? Is he itching all over?

I had a local fencing company make mine. It worked out cheaper than if I can got it from a dog place so you could try that too.

Whether this fence will keep this dog in is really a suck it and see situation. If I want to test whether a fence is dog proof I go to the other side of it and do something that is really, really doing to want to dog to get to me (with mine it is just calling them, lol). If they can't work out how to get to me through/over/under the fence I figure it is pretty safe. Going to the fenceline and then walk away from the dog and see what happens. If he joins you then you have a problem. Or get a juicy steak, wave it under his nose and then walk away if he doesn't have enough value for just you. Ringlock is different sizes too, And a new fence is going to do a better job than a falling down fence too. I would approach with caution but I wouldn't say that it was a total no to start with. A run would still be good though.

A physical barrier would always be my choice over any attempt to train such instincts out of a dog. Even dogs in the country should be contained anyhow.

Well is your yard fenced? How much does your dog want to chase the sheep?

I also had a run in case I needed to stash them in there.

I had farm height chicken mesh, with a top wooden rail, which kept my border collies in. None of them were jumpers.

I loved the owner's jump for joy when he saw Jack!

...I can live with this... Have fun chatting to yourself then.

...and that is just nonsense, a dead dog can't ignore you. Ignoring means that the dog knows the cue but decide to ignore you and does something else (and that's just undesirable behaviour). You tell us that your dog ran to a fence and barked at another dog...and you didn't make an effort to recall him? ...if you didn't it would be pretty slack, if you did your dog ignored you obviously because he decided that it is more fun to bark at the other dog....not much room for other interpretations. Your statement that your dog couldn't hear you because it was in an aroused state ...well, would be plausible from someone with little experience in dog training... And that is just plain rude. Keep this up and everyone will have you on ignore.

Poppy is having some issues but at this stage it is only once every couple of weeks and is just little drops of wee. Happens mainly in the evening, when I put them out for their night time wee she will drip to the door! I haven't noticed any overnight wee issues. I did get some cornsilk but not sure if I should start her on it or other medication yet. Thoughts?

This owners joy is very touching when he finds out his dog is still alive after his boat capsized. http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/01/06/18/13/man-and-dog-rescued-after-boat-capsizes-off-altona-beach

My puppy classes used to be full of oodles. Most of them were very clever, too clever for their owners :laugh: So probably not correct to say that their owners are all dodgy. When a friend wanted an oodle, a bigger one, I tried to get her to buy a standard poodle but she wouldn't buy a poodle. She got her oodle. She 100% wanted this dog because of what it looked like. She wanted a scruffy, shaggy dog. Of course she was told the puppy's parents lived on a farm. (eyeroll). Then one day when we were out we came across 2 chocolate standard poodles not in clip. She loved them! grrrr

It is my fav class. I've taken all 5 of my dogs to puppy pre class at the same dog school. Even when I was instructing I still took them.