alanglen

ps it sounds like she would love agility. 6 years old sounds a bit young for training but could they come and get involved too?

She sounds like wonderful fun! She also sounds very similar to my 14 month old labrador girl! We haven't had hoses in the yard for years and the girls watch through the windows very keenly! The things you are experiencing are just the things she loves and wants to get obsessed about, it's not an issue unless you need a perfect dog, and since that doesn't sounds like you, I think I would just accept them and have a laugh at it! My girls are obsessed by water but we haven't been allowed sprinklers for a long time, I suspect that when they come back, I shall just stay away, this latest pup would kill them in minutes!! ha ha! As it they worked the tap back to the wall after the hose was disconnected last year, and this year they now work as a team to get the childproof pool gate open for a swim. Subsequently we have chains and padlocks on the pool gate and we love the things that waken their fun spirit! Anjoy your girl, she sounds like a legend! As long as she isn't getting grumpy with these things, pull up and deck chair and have a giggle!

Is it dominant or is it his new game? When I do this, mum gets mad and shouts No at me! I'd do it again just for fun, and it is mentioned that he bounces around and grabs, it sounds like a game. So I jump around and grab at her clothing and she can't catch me! yeah. Sounds like a big game when human talks tough to pup, the pup talks back! I would also suggest that the Ian Dunbar training was not complete. A pup who has learnt bite inhibition will never cause discomfot by grabbing, that's the idea of the method, they learn to with-hold he presure on the nibble. My last girl has been trained this way and whilst she is more "mouthy (with toys etc)" she has never marked anyone or anything and is far more gentle. I love it! PS Be very careful with the above alpha rollover method. It has come up on this website before and whilst it can work well, if it doesn't work you may create a nightmare pooch! For my opinion, I would have thought this had become a new game, all bit it too rough, but to the pup, a new game. New things that are weird like a tissue become an object for defiance and let's cahnge this mum from weird new thing to big game!

Something to induce vomiting! Or maybe that's just me, I own labradors! Splint and bandage Muzzle and lead for injured strays

There is no medical need for steroids for them, just time and sometimes anti-nausea medication can help if required. Best wishes for your girl, sounds like she is doing great already if she is up so quickly. Give her lots of cuddles, and plenty of support, she will continue to improve.

Hi Black Dog, Welcome to the forum! I find visitors to my household of 3 labradors and one person is best managed with the command of "bed". The girls dart to the bed and wait, visitors are asked to take a treat from the cookie jar near the front door and give them to the girls whose little bottoms wiggle madly on the bed waiting for the treat. it's just another training game but works very well. Other ideas, some off lead runs with other friendly dogs would be helpful and reduce some of the extreme excitement but he also needs to be trained near distractions to get him to be able to continue to respond when really excited. The way to do this is train at an area within site of another dog but not close enough that he goes silly. Where are you based? Perhaps you could try your state labrador club and see if there are any other members living nerby that might like to meet up for a play date? Enjoy him whilst the youthful energy is about! Soon he will discover the couch and then he quiet times start! Regards Alanglen

Just my experience but... I only have 1 pup who has tried this and she only does it when they have eaten raw meaty bones. If I avoid them we have no issues at all.

really good even post from Big Daz, It might be easier to get one pup and then another 12 months later, that way you can work out how you want to raise the pups and devote enough time to each. Personally I will not adopt out siblings to the same family, no questions asked. It can work and does but frequently their are issues which are not needed, getting a pup is hard enough!

We don't have Proheart 6 here in Australia, we have proheart SR 12, yes more drug but slow release, it has its advantages and disadvantages.

Photo please!!?? It's so nice to have an issue with happiness and excitement in a new dog! Congrat's for giving her a new chance, I'm sure you will have lots of fun! Did I mention time for a photo!! ha ha

From personal experience I love the halti type, with padded nosebands for my labradors and those that I have fostered in rescue. I find it makes things much easier for general lead walking down the street. We work with different collars for different types of training but just for general leadwalking the halti's work sensationally. I have always found larbadors to be way to good at ignoring collars to use a check chain or any of the more forceful collars! And yes training will definately help but you will find life a lot easier with some miles under her belt and I find halti's are a great angle/shape for their noses! Size 3 for most labradors from memory!

How old is the book? Perhaps there is the answer? Definately on a high risk list.

Thanks Rappie, I hadn't clicked about the spelling, saw a brochure for it the other day from Parnell! Be interested to hear about people's experiences soon!

I have never heard of it, what is it?

In my personal opinion I see more and better muscled desexed dogs in the agility ring or the herding fields, than in the showring with entire dogs. There is definately a difference between entire versus desexed but it's not true muscle but more in the bulk and often fat present.

Any chance some-one can PM those details for buying gear in victoria too please! looking for 2 tunnels, few jumps, contact trainer and am presently making new weavers! thanks.

"In my opinion a vet isn't always interested in the best foods for a dog, they are paid commissions to sell the dog foods they "recommend" and at the end of the day they really do not want dogs to be healthy. They are in the business of treating dogs that are unhealthy and therefore benefit from dogs on a bad diet." Pretty offensive really, not helpful and just plain rude, no doubt your vet awaits an ear bashing every time you come in. Please do not defame an entire industry with your judgemental opinions that are certainly radical. None of this will actually help the original poster.

I understand your sentiments exactly (although I must admit having not read the entire posting), but I do have to say that none of my dogs would survive in any kind of "wild" environment and that they are so domesticated that I have no doubt there stomach's are too. These are the dogs that lick mice if they enter our yard, and are quite happy to leave bunnies alone despite no correction from us! I have no doubt tha all of my dogs would starve in the wild, and so I am really kind of over this whole "in the wild" argument!

What I mean is, just because it might be raw or a natural food, it doesn't mean that it covers the nutritional requirements of that breed, age group or pets's nutritional requirements. I am not saying this is true of all raw and natural diet but many are unbalanced and not formulated to provide for all vitamin and mineral needs. And yes, ask any vet about rickets in pups or thiamine deficiency in meat fed cats and most will shudder. The days of commercial foods has made a significant contribution to pets lives. Anyway really keen not to hijack the thread but didn't want another person out there thinking Hills was evil or anything because a great deal of dogs do fantastically on it!

Just so that you do know, Hills large breed puppy is Australian made, no chinese ingredients in any Hills Science Diet foods. Be careful to find some actual research on the food that you are choosing rather than just, "this is what I feed my dog" details. Whilst personal references are good, dogs are different and it's good to have some factual info behind why you feed what you do. Then I think you'll find that Hills is the biggest researcher in dog food at present. PS I have no linking at all with Hills! I just find the internet way too biased towards unbalanced natural diets that I see lots of complications with down the track.

I'm not sure I would bother eating dry food either if I was offered sausage, chicken and cheese during the day....

Unless they had a crystal ball, then no! It's pretty uncommon labradors have problems with their dew claws, in my opinion.

She is beautiful, mind if I ask where she came from? She looks so similar to a little boy that I foster cared for about a year ago, really almost identical shaped face and sit! Same eyes too. He had less white but same colouring etc, a ripper little pup that certainly grew!

Lots of great advice to increase stimulation has been given and lots of this will help this little girl but I have met two Labradors of about the same age with compulsive Pica and it can be devastating. The first labbie I met with it was amazing, she had 3 surgeries by 12 months of age, lost half her bowel and yet would still try and eat your watch and stethoscope whilst checking her post surgery. Absolutely compulsive. That being said, I personally would never feed these dogs bones as they will often gulp them and then foreign body again. The extra stimulation and handling helps, as does teaching the leave command for a treat. Consider doggy daycare to relieve some bordem as well. Will be thinking of you!

Not that I am defending Kramar in any way, because I fed them as well, and am as mad as can be, but the only cases reported to kramar or the autralian veterinary assosciation have all recovered and apparently quickly. If any other cases exist, please report them asap for all dog owners peace of mind!