The Spotted Devil

Kayla - understanding causation is very difficult. Also remember that consistency and predictability is different to routine. I would say the former two are critical and will help build confidence. The problem with routine comes when you change it - suddenly the dog goes from having daily walks at 6am and 6pm to nothing. What I try to teach my dogs is to go with the flow - yesterday all 3 went to the oval at about 3pm (plus errands) - pup pottered with me, Em did lots of running (retrieving training) and Zig did mostly low key obedience. I had a long day today so it's 7pm and I'm probably going to walk the dogs in the pouring rain. Pup will stay home alone for the first time. I might do some training indoors for their dinner. Anticipation of an event occurring can lead to further anxiety with a chain of environmental cues exacerbating it. Hope that is clear. On my phone and having a cheeky single malt :laugh: ETA: If I decided I couldn't be bothered tonight they'd all just settle in. These are fit, active dogs too. Thanks. When you say consistency and predictability, do you mean specifically in terms of training when the dog knows that a certain behaviour leads to a particular outcome, or is it more about how we interact with the dog in general or something else? I guess I mean learning - which means training and how we interact with the dog in general. Animals are better able to cope with stressors when the environment is predictable - that includes social, inanimate and predatory contexts. To put it another way, Nature may be cruel but she's bloody predictable! Thanks Aiden. For the record, I did put down the scotch glass and gave the older dogs a gallop!

Kayla - understanding causation is very difficult. Also remember that consistency and predictability is different to routine. I would say the former two are critical and will help build confidence. The problem with routine comes when you change it - suddenly the dog goes from having daily walks at 6am and 6pm to nothing. What I try to teach my dogs is to go with the flow - yesterday all 3 went to the oval at about 3pm (plus errands) - pup pottered with me, Em did lots of running (retrieving training) and Zig did mostly low key obedience. I had a long day today so it's 7pm and I'm probably going to walk the dogs in the pouring rain. Pup will stay home alone for the first time. I might do some training indoors for their dinner. Anticipation of an event occurring can lead to further anxiety with a chain of environmental cues exacerbating it. Hope that is clear. On my phone and having a cheeky single malt :laugh: ETA: If I decided I couldn't be bothered tonight they'd all just settle in. These are fit, active dogs too.

I think the genetic aspect of the off switch is fascinating. As a puppy Zig's was average and much of it has been trained. Em is amazing and has been since 8 weeks - the perfect working dog in that regard. Asleep in the car at a retrieving trial. Explodes at the start peg :laugh: Young ESS currently visiting is showing a good off switch already. Will be interesting to see his on switch develop. I would say that Zig is confident but anxious and Em is shy but relaxed. Pup appears to be confident and quite relaxed for his age. All the dogs have daily training/exercise but the nature and amount vary daily and is always dependent on how they are coping with the learning. The routine is: there is no routine!

Package shipped

My dogs are always separated for feeding - different diets, different amounts and saves squabbles. Plus the cats try to pinch their food so one dog in laundry or outside and other in the crate. Once the younger one was mature enough to roam the lounge room she didn't need entertaining with Kongs.

Surely they'd be used to us by now! Sorry to go OT but RM - try to be patient for your pup. I know how hard it is, having waited 2 years for my Dally! And it's been truly worth it :)

I think they're on back order :D

I'll book Flick's flight down now :D Please retrun her fully trained :laugh: That would be Zig's order for "free shipping" I reckon - he'd be in HEAVEN!

As in for the next 13 years? :laugh: After all, you can never say a dog is 100% fully trained! They can always learn something new... Good point Megan! Love the way your mind works

Pup is just coming for a very extended training holiday :laugh:

:laugh: Last night's conversation: Me: Oh, I put the Clean Run order in today Mr TSD: Good work! Me: I ended up getting 2 of the Kong Wobblers Mr TSD: And that was MY idea in the first place! You kept saying "but we only really need one" Me: Puppy is coming Wednesday Mr TSD: OK

I'm trying to think of the brand I've used previously - has got red wine out and the consequences of a pig's ear not agreeing with my Dally. Will have a look when I get home. I can see how red wine and a pigs ear would not go down very well :laugh: Yeh, he's a terrible drunk. Gets tired and emotional lol

I'm trying to think of the brand I've used previously - has got red wine out and the consequences of a pig's ear not agreeing with my Dally. Will have a look when I get home. thanks I'm pretty sure it was Preen carpet spray - don't rub the 5h!t out of it (pardon the pun!) Use a clean damp sponge and work from the outside of the stain inwards. The Dally was also responsible for the red wine stain - bloody lush :laugh:

I'm trying to think of the brand I've used previously - has got red wine out and the consequences of a pig's ear not agreeing with my Dally. Will have a look when I get home.

Not at all - unless you're ordering $1000 worth!

Yeh, I thought about justifying the toys for the new puppy. But that would mean I'd have to tell him about the new puppy

I don't need to go to creative lengths - they beg for them just because they come out of a packet in the cupboard :laugh: lol - mine too. In fact, I use them as jackpots for training :laugh:

:laugh: I did this just the other week when visiting Em's breeder. Consequently I have a pup coming on Wednesday.....just on loan of course :D

Conversation held last night: Me: Clean Run have those Kong Wobblers on free shipping again - I thought another one might be handy... Mr TSD: Really? Still cheap? Buy 2. Me: And they've got these cool pop up bowls for the wire crates. Mr TSD: Sounds handy - maybe 2 of those. Me: And Zig really like the Water Wubba I bought back from the US Mr TSD: Oh definitely pick up a couple of those. Gee, free shipping is great isn't it!

LizT, I certainly understand your point and there has to be some learning involved - like all things including basic stuff like socialization. At the end of the day it's up to breeders and buyers and the degree of variation and definition of 'working' is huge. Some people want a high drive working Lab to excel at retrieving trials but prefer the field bred ESS for hunting. I met a lady in the US who was trying to breed dual purpose ESS. Her best example at the hunt test was not a patch on the working ESS and Cockers in my opinion but she clearly likes that style of dog and has a market for them. Not everyone likes the same style of dog. I don't put much stock in performance titles unless I've seen the dog in action anyway.

There are some things you can teach to an extent - my Dalmatian is a case in point. With my field-bred ESS I can teach her to retrieve to hand, to not run the bank, to run straight, to pick up game in order but I can't teach her to have an insatiable desire to hunt, quarter and find the game under any conditions. It doesn't make her an easy dog to take for leisurely walk though! Whilst I can refine her marking ability nothing replaces that which comes naturally to her. I've never had to teach her to go from hyperdrive to asleep in 30 seconds either thank goodness! And I know her breeder puts a lot of thought into structure, easy coat, tight eyes etc. I should add that I have no issue with split lines as long as there is no assumption that a pretty, deceptively sweet field bred ESS will make a lap-only dog any more than a show ESS can cut it in a field/retrieving trial. If they demonstrate they can do both then fine!

I bought one of these as well: http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=213&ParentCat=449 Not as exciting as the Kong Wobbler but much more practical in the crate and for travel.

That much self control can't be healthy :laugh:

Wishful thinking huski! I've been out with guide dog instructors (and been led blindfolded by a dog in training) and the idiots who think it's fun to whistle, call and generally try to distract the guide dog is rather horrifying. Oooh what puppy do you have?!!!!

My Springer brought me back a dead rabbit in a retrieving trial - definitely calici according to those in the know. Big, healthy looking and fairly freshly dead. She was SOOOOO pleased with herself :laugh: