The Spotted Devil

I love watching dogs moderate their playing style! I was training with a friend on Friday and we let the dogs have a run. Her Lab bitch was fantastic - one minute she was on her hind legs with my Dalmatian who was flirting like crazy and the next she was on the ground with my Spaniel who plays very low down with other dogs. When Zig and Em are together they incorporate both their playing styles. Zig is excellent at moderating his playing style with puppies. Em's low down submissive playing can really freak out the herding breed puppies who are used to the rough and tumble - but other Spaniels are drawn to her like nothing else. Ziggy playing with the very sexy Dharma... Moderating his play for Em as a puppy...even the smackdown at the end is super gentle...

Yes, kitties can be like that! I have one of my cats recovering from major surgery and getting her to eat (she is normally a little piggie) has required a bit of creativity. When her Mama came to live with us she would only eat 2-3 pieces of dry food at a time. Now she has 3 meals a day - eats chicken necks, raw, tinned, dry and basically anything you throw at her - it can be quite challenging but it's something I work on with both my dogs and cats.

One thing about cats is that they form food preferences very early in life (i.e. 6-8 weeks as well as in utero and maternal influences) so I feed a real mix - if my fosters are from a shelter they give me the dry food (usually Hills kitten) plus some Hills wet/Whiskas kitten pouches (surprisingly the latter are quite good - a lot better than Whiskas adult cat food), a bit of raw beef/lamb/chicken (minced to start with and then moving onto chunks) and chicken wing tips. By the time they leave they can demolish a larger chicken wing joint and have tasted (and often it's just a taste not part of their diet) cheese, kitten milk, raw egg, sardines....whatever I have on hand. I feed Mum the same as the kittens (and let her clean up their leftovers) - all my Mums arrive hating raw and leave demanding chicken wings. Raw is not for everyone though - but the more variety you can introduce earlier, the more it can help protect against finicky eating down the track.

I've only had fosters - some born at my home and others a week old with Mum - I have a very sensitive sense of smell and I've never known a problem. As jem said change litter regularly and feed good quality food and I can't see it being a problem - also a little fresh air through the window doesn't hurt either.

My bold - this is what I was trying to get across. Obviously I have a different relationship with clients as an instructor but that point is still very, very relevant.

I agree. Last week someone told me (jokingly) that my Dally was too skinny. I really jumped on the defensive before realising it was actually a joke And people have commented that I'm too skinny in the past so I am definitely over sensitive. Any comments on a dog's weight (in class) that could be taken as criticisms are always done one-on-one but I will praise their efforts in front of the class. In addition I try to say something positive, positive, negative comments on weight, positive.

I will always comment on the weight of dogs coming through my classes - I will acknowledge when the pups/dogs are ideal weight and also suggest when they need to lighten them off a bit - and I always explain how to determine body condition score and the health benefits of keeping their pup/dog at an ideal weight. I usually wait until the 2nd lesson so we have established a good relationship - by that time they know I'm a hard @r$e when it comes to training (the handler!) but they see the results quickly and trust me. It's never an attack on how they care for their dogs, nor do I use loaded words such as "obese" which can actually turn people away from changing feeding habits. I will talk about a little too much coverage over the ribs or the dog needing to be a little lighter. A lot of the time they are either feeding to package instructions or equate food with love. If it's the former I explain how I adjust my dogs meals weekly if not nightly depending on how they look and feel and how to incorporate training treats as part of their meal. If it's the latter I encourage them to train with the dog's meals instead of feeding out of a bowl. Then I monitor them for the next 4-6 weeks in class (longer if they do another class with me) and make sure they keep on track - lots of praise for the owner where it is due. If the dog always "looks hungry" I'll discuss food foraging, training with their dinner or substituting mashed pumpkin for half their meal. However, it's much more difficult with friends/family and I probably wouldn't go there.....

All the best to you and your girl, Dave. Nothing wrong with a bloke who cries :) I understand what you're going though. My darling cat is recuperating on my lap after unexpected major surgery for suspected lymphoma. No symptoms and we were lucky it was picked up during a routine dental. Still waiting on lab results but I'm just concentrating on getting her through this recovery from surgery.

Happy Vet Nurse Day, in particular, to the team at Dandenong Ranges

They're really quite different Vickie! I can well imagine Fly taking off on you in a trial with all that excitement. I've started taking private lessons with Em again because she runs just that bit faster at every trial and I really need to learn to handle her better. I find it's hard to predict her level of commitment to an obstacle sometimes too! Whip looks like a sweetie pie DC - he's super confident at his job! :)

Thanks - I reckon he's a bit awesome too Vickie, that's really nice of you to comment on my handling - it's still not quite there but I know it's improved a lot since the early days. I think Zig's recovered from the initial "handling trauma" rather well actually :laugh:

Definitely up the food value and stick to your criteria - positive reinforcement does not equal permissive! Set him up in a low distraction environment - call once (only!!!), reward if he comes, go and get him if he doesn't. Add distractions slowly. It's NORMAL for them to be distracted so don't get disheartened :)

Thanks to a friend for getting this footage of Ziggy's Open Jumping run!

I agree it's probably the smell - cutting up rock melon reminds me of Summer. Mine get excited when they hear me changing into training clothes - not sure what cues they are using - but I hear them start whining from the lounge room.

Another option for you katied: http://www.australianworkingretrievercentral.org.au/bb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3167

Nice to meet you from afar megan and see you there TO. I missed the first half of the lesson as one of my cats had major surgery at short notice and I was visiting her and getting an update from my vet. I nearly went straight home but I'm glad I ran around with Em for a few minutes - it was good to concentrate on something else :)

I'm a self-confessed breed tart :laugh: There's a number of breeds I love but I will probably stick with the working gundogs due to my love for the sports specific to them. I've been so spoilt by the individual dogs I have lived with that I like the next dog to be completely different.....my first agility/obedience dog was an amazing ACD girl. I could not match her so I looked for something different, before finding a breeder whose philosophy I liked so much that I ended up with a never before considered Dalmatian. I've always adored spaniels (especially those ears) but a series of events landed one in my lap - discovered retrieving through a DOLer, found out about field bred ESS and met the breeder through the same DOLer and the rest is history. I would love another ESS, maybe from Em if I can ever make up my mind whether to breed her or not (!!!) but would also like a field bred Irish Setter one day. Also fell in love with a mother/daughter pair of working line Vizsla that I met and handled in agility in the USA - simply wow. And I'd have another Dally one day but only an LUA.

Stan - meet Dizzy. Nothing is left out here. Ever. Little $h!t can even open cupboards... Stan & Dizzy But seriously, your cat is broken!! Raw pumpkin???? :laugh: Believe me when I say that's not even the half of it :laugh: A few weeks ago he pinched an 8 pack of toilet paper as I was unpacking the shopping. Dragged it into the laundry and fiercely guarded it from the other cats and dogs who were curious about what he had. I had to lock everyone out and draw on some previous training I'd done with him to "give". It took him a little bit to realise it wasn't really worth growling and hissing over.

Thanks Tassie - just a lovely day out with both of them :) Have fun at the Royal and look forward to hearing how you go! Yes, it's Awesome Paws - I'm doing it with Em as she is a very different dog to run than Zig. Not just speed but style, gait and temperament. See you there!

Stan - meet Dizzy. Nothing is left out here. Ever. Little $h!t can even open cupboards...

Good on you! I hope you have a fun day. I'm not going, sorry - just a bit travelled out at the moment (3 weekends in Sale in a row!), have a retrieving trial next weekend in Pittong and then off to NZ for a conference/brief holiday for a week.

I agree. Any combination of motivation and impulse control games will assist in understanding.

I'm back on my laptop now and have had several requests for more details of the "Steady Feet Game" - I did not invent it but these are my notes...obviously you need to have a food motivated dog (trust me, this can be taught!) but if this does not work for your dog I can just about guarantee it is a handler timing issue. I have used it successfully with many different breeds and with dogs the owners swore black and blue that they could not do a sit stay. You must teach it in a sit first and make sure the dog really understands how to control the reward. Only then should you translate it to a stand stay before adding distractions such as the 'judge' approaching and finally making contact with the dog. Don't forget to video your training so you can see what you are doing right and wrong!

Well done on your qually TO Masters courses today were an interesting combination of tight with lots of "choices", run hard, then tight again. I liked them but it's not hard to get lost! It does get easier I promise :D I think I swore every time I sent Em into the tunnel on her 2nd JDX run....I had to quickly relocate to give the next positional cue and I could see madly flapping Springer ears bearing down on me :laugh: So glad I have some private group lessons starting on Tuesday - I need all the help I can get!!!

I am a huge advocate of the "steady feet" game although I always teach it in a sit first (easier for you and the dog). Translates really well for stand for exam which, in my opinion, is a more complex exercise than we give it credit for. PM me your email address and I can hunt up some notes from the puppy games class I run if you like.