huski

I think there are way too many different factors that can be at play to be able to comment. In Any situation like that I would advise a behaviourial assessment by an experienced behaviorist. I have seen some pretty hard core working pups that behave in a way that would shock someone who hasn't had experience with pups or dogs like that.

Yep! Wisdoms litter was weaned onto a purely raw diet. We don't feed any of the dogs on dried food, the pups were no exception. Among many benefits feeding Raw Is great to help build/develop the muscle in pups jaws.

The first dog in my life was Cherry a Tibetan Spaniel cross we got when I was 10. I begged my mum for years to get a dog! Mum hoped my dog obsession was a phase. But alas it was a phase I wouldn't grow out of! Cherry is now 16 and lives with my family. Daisy was the first dog I got as an adult (I was 18 and just started UNI) but as I was living at home I had to "con" my mum into letting me have another dog so it had to be a breed we agreed on and was actually going to be her dog. However daisy is mine and stayed with me when I moved out. She was also the dog that got me into training and dog sports! (Her and mine first obedience trial trophy) Now I live on my own and I didn't have to compromise with the next dog. I am very lucky to handle the dog of my dreams, a Malinois

LOL, even my beagle has broken my skin accidentally in play. I agree with everyone else who said leaning over a fence with a dog in the yard is a bad idea. I would definitely organise a behaviour consult ASAP, if only to put your mind at rest.

I definitely think the type of dog you have makes a huge difference. I had three dogs for years and didn't find it difficult, in fact I could have and intended to add more. However now I just have two, and I am really happy with that number. Living with a working line Malinois requires a bit of a life style change as a dog like that does require a higher level of management than the average pet dog, I also put a lot of time into her for training (I wanted a dog that required that much commitment and time). If she was the only dog I had, I wouldn't have any desire to add another and would be more than happy living with one dog. However if I just had Daisy my beagle, I would want another working dog as it is so addictive to work and play and train a dog with that much drive.

agree. Apparently there are only two options in dog training; use a clicker or bash the dog with a 4x2. While it is wearing a prong collar and/or being zapped with an e-collar too Used to pee myself laughing at the idea oft trotted out here that K9Pro was Mr Prong and Mr "Fry them with the E-Collar" and that was all he did... especially after seeing him work my friend's nervous poodle swinging a flarfy toy. LOL, and it is still an idea trotted out sometimes now, we won't tell them he's really a big softie ;) :laugh:

agree. Apparently there are only two options in dog training; use a clicker or bash the dog with a 4x2.

I agree with you Cosmolo. With both daisy and wiz I use a verbal marker rather than a clicker. There are benefits to using both, but I don't find any disadvantage to using a verbal release marker. I also have a terminal bridge word that says to the dog they have got something right and a reward is coming (I use good). I have shaped everything I've taught my dogs with a verbal marker. Heel work, change of position, scent discrim, retrieves etc. I have never had a problem caused by the fact I use a verbal marker not a clicker.

I love now and then pics! This is my favourite one of my puppies :)

I love seeing well behaved dogs out and about with their owners. We don't have many dog friendly cafes out here, but I do take my dogs out with me frequently. When I stop at the super market on my way home from work I often take Wiz out of the car and play with her at the shops to have some fun and proof her training in different environments. A couple of nights ago I was training her at the shops and a man stopped to watch and said, "Sorry to interrupt you but I just have to say what you are doing with the dog is REALLY GREAT! I couldn't do that!" LOL :laugh: When I was in Europe I loved how dog friendly it was and the dogs I saw were overall so much better behaved than dogs we have here. I am sure a large part of it is how dogs are welcome in more places and its common for people to take their dogs out with them.

If you consider that what people call their dogs is a reflection of how they treat them, I think it matters. Erny's post suggests that this is the case. I know many dog owners who call their dogs affectionate names and as much as I don't like the terms 'furbabies' or 'kids' I don't think calling your dog these names means you treat them like people. On the flip side some people need to learn how to give their dogs more affection and praise. As I said in my previous post I don't think it matters what you call your dog affectionately as long as the affection is given appropriately. I think people who genuinely treat their dogs like children have a more ingrained problem than simply calling their dog a 'furkid' etc.

I have coats for the dogs when it is cold! I am probably more concerned with their health and fitness than my own sometimes I let my dogs sleep on the bed too, Daisy sleeps on the bed every night and Wiz sleeps on the bed some nights as an extra reward for working really well. I put a lot of time, money, care and love into looking after my dogs, spending time with them and training them. I still don't see them as people though :laugh:

I love my dogs endlessly and I'll call them names or talk to them as a way of being affectionate, but I still believe that they deserve to be treated like a dog and not in a "it's just a dog way" but because I believe dogs are amazing creatures in their own right. I don't think it's right or fair or does justice to them to assume they are like miniature humans and treat them as such. Aside from that dogs generally love affection and calling them cute names and being affectionate to them - as long as it's done at the right time - can be a great thing (I still don't like the terms furbabies or kids, but even when working my dog i will sweet talk to her and say things like "that's my good baby" "what a puppy star" "you're the best puppy" etc lol)

Sometimes Wiz does get an appetite for peoples LOL :)

I don't like furbabies but despise the term "kids" for dogs. they aren't my kids. They are my dogs. If I wanted kids I would have them! Having said that I often refer to wiz as my baby as a term of endearment so I am a bit of a hypocrite! But it's just a pet name I don't actually think of her a child or baby substitute.

My dogs eat anything! They eat a raw diet and one of their favourite things is green tripe

Bob a lots are great!

I agree with TSD! Definitely post some video if you can and we can help you further.

Not my cup of tea either but I would totally pay that for a collar I loved and thought my pupstar would look good in! LOL!

I haven't done an SG course and I don't do agility so it has no real interest for me, but she does have a large following and many happy clients. If people want to pay that amount for her courses and are happy with the results who cares what it costs, she wouldn't price it like that unless people were willing to pay for it. Online courses for dog sport competitors is a niche market and it obviously works well for her. If people don't want to or can't pay it there are generally many other options available. Club training, classes, cheaper trainers, other online courses. most people are not lacking in other training options.

I would be rapt just to see more support behind Schutzhund/IPO as a start. People in VIC are restricted from bite sports full stop. It would be great to see bitesports embraced more here and a wider range available.

These kinds of problems usually happen when you've let your dog learn the sight of the treats, treat pouch etc is part of the command sequence. Don't let your dog see you have treats before giving a command - have them in your pocket, have your treat pouch behind you never in front or to your side, or have the treats in a container on the bench and run over to the container to give your dog a treat once they do the right thing. Don't have the treat in your hand when you are giving the command. Most people train sit, down etc by luring the dog with food which can quickly make the dog think the sight of food is part of the command sequence. If you use a lure to train behaviours make sure you fade it as fast as you can. I personally never fade rewards from my training entirely, but if you work on eliminating the sight of the food reward as a part of the command sequence you will have a dog that will comply with a command whether you have food or not :)

I agree TSD, Sadly I have seen these things happen at trials on more than on occasion.

I don't have a problem with my dogs stays but I would also like to see longer sit stays removed from ANKC obedience. I just don't see the purpose of an out of sight sit stay, there is no time I would leave my dog in a long stay in the sit position. In real life if I want my dog to stay for a longer time I always ask for a down. To me it's an impractical exercise. Lots of competitors feel the same way regardless of whether they have issues with the exercise itself :)

No never really, sometimes they break in anticipation of the reward and come towards me, but I set that up and actually want them to break stays sometimes in training. I could release them to the reward at any time they are staying so if I return it isn't any more exciting than any other second they are staying, it means returning to the dog isn't a cue or a reminder they are about to be released or rewarded. Not sure if that makes sense :)