skip

Mrs Rusty Bucket Thanks, I didn't think it was like starting again but that is a good idea. You know I can't remember ever having to teach her not to pull, she has always just walked with me. I did arm my friend with treats to encourage my dogs to focus on her. Worked great with the boy but then again he also runs agility for others as well. Very easy to buy I think Worked with the chi x except at times.; So we can work on stopping those "times" and maybe it'll be OK. I might give my friend a few more instructions (without her dog present) to help this. I think she could manage that, she thinks mine are cute. Thanks

Instead of waiting to you move I would start now. Moving is a big thing without changing stuff as well. I rented and my dogs have been moved round sleepwise. Laundry first then on the floor in bedroom. I used a puppy pen to keep them on floor and eventually took it away all together. Moved again and dogs allowed on bed as room too small for beds on floor. And they are still there..

And Aussielover - to actually answer your questions, IMHO the bond with a older dog can be just as strong or even stronger. And to your other question - maybe different breeds would act differently as puppies but then again individual dogs of a certain breed might differ again. Good luck with getting another dog. How exciting

I'm undecided too. I have never had a puppy! My 2 were 18 and 8 months. My two are great but getting older ( 8 and 7yrs) . I have learnt heaps with them and am still learning in agility. But i am thinking about dog number 3. I want this time a dog more suitable for dog sports who hopefully will enjoy running more. I love rescue dogs and saving them appeals to me. But if I get the puppy I can shape it more and do so much in those growing years before he can compet. I am a bit unsure about having the pup as I work fulltime. Bit of planning needed there. And if I rescue one you can see what type of dog he is already. Will he want to run and enjoy agility. I also want a dog who will get on with my dogs that are fairly small and very laid back. A pup might be better for them rather than bringing a rescue dog home with much more energy than them. Decisions decisions.

Hi thanks for your replies. Aidan2 - I had thought about tools for her. Sadly even that is a bit far off as she has a neck brace on for weeks so far and still counting. She can take it off now however all the neck muscles have gone. II don't think her neck could even handle any pulls at all on leash. Eventually I think she will go back to walking the dog in a place nearby where she can avoid other dogs. A tool such as you put forward may help then. Not ideal. HugL - I know its hard to see the whole picture. I was more concerned about having the chi x pulling to get to me. She only pulls as she is not used to walking with anyone else. With me she is light as a feather on lead. When I walk mine they are on normal collars and then off lead alot of time. The boy has flat and I only own the limited slip as its a club collar. I put him in the slip for my friend to make sure she didn't feel any pulling. But next time he'll be in flat collar as my friend doesn't use the slip collar as I would. The chi doesn't really need a lead, only to be legal. Unless in obedience class or running agility I don't really see her next to me. She follows just behind me. I do work on getting her next to me and sending her ahead but that is something I have to ask her to do. Her neck is so little I avoid collars, I think the harness stops me from accidently putting pressure on her neck. But I know what you mean - I too wonder why people walk dogs in a harness. That is why sled dogs wear them - to get the most effective power from the dog pulling. Thanks

Better keep those neighbours calm. I used to train at a local dog park. With a couple of other people so we all helped set up. Need to find a quiet park that is big althou you do get loose dogs joining in. Used Figtree dog park too. Weaved at the beach. At Port Kembla on top of the hill - great view. Now I brought a place backing onto empty land. And miles of playing fields. And the lake bike tracks. It is a pain but they do say to take it on the road. My instructor always used to encourage us to get out.

Just some thoughts please. Sorry it is an essay. My neighbour has 2 dogs. She has had a neck injury and can't walk one of her dogs. Both dogs are older and pretty undisciplined as I found out having coffee there one day. I offered to walk her 10yr old boxer cause she can't manage and the dog loves to go for a walk. But she tells me the dog is DA and feral on a lead. But I do walk it and it's not that bad. Not that good either thou. She is reactive to dogs behind fences etc and does bounce around and carry on. As its been a few weeks now she is much better with me already and walks loose on a longer lead. I have some treats if we go near another dog barking and she comes to me if I call as long as she hasn't already started the behaviour of lunging. I met her out walking mine today and we spoke about walking her dog. I was thinking its only temp but now I can't see her getting well enough to handle the dog. I wondered about the sister but she is too timid of dogs. What I have been doing is walking mine for a hr , then hers for a little while. But agility training time has to be done as well now. Today after I had done mine, we got the boxer as well. We walked everyone together. I left first and she followed with my 2 small ones. The boxer thought this a bit weird but she came with me and the neighbour followed a few houses back. I gave my neighbour some treats to encourage mine as nobody much else walks them. My boy was great and focus's on her althou next time he better go in a flat collar not his limited slip one. But my real question after this ramble is my chi x foxy. She was in a harness and she pulled a fair bit to get to me. Specially if I spoke to my neighbour. With the treats she did listen sometimes to my neighbour and stopped pulling. She walks normally at my heels, just behind. And here she is pulling out front sometimes. She is normally pretty timid in the streets but today she was too worried about where I was going. She doesn't seem to worry about the boxer which is interesting as she is scared of many other dogs. I think if she got loose she would fly to me. Not something we can let happen. I was hoping the boxer wouldn't be a problem so I can kill 2 birds with one stone? But it seems the chi is. So is doing this bad for the chi? Or good for her to get used to? I just don't want to make her worse. It has taken ages to get her comfy enough round other dogs so that she compets in agility (needless to say her distance work is a struggle). A bigger dog near her is enough to get her to freeze. I'm sure dog parks would be her nightmare ( we don't go now). My other concern was if we get attacked by loose dogs. Not worried about the boxer honestly but mine. The chi can be picked up by my friend but I see myself stopping any attacking dog from getting near my small boy. Even at the risk of the boxer. Harsh but true. Undecided what to do? Better to do all seperate but maybe the boxer not as often. Drag the sister out and train her ( my fave option). Just do all three together for a while till the two dogs get over themselves? Regardless of if I walk the boxer or not - do you think having somebody else walking my dog is harmful, not necessary or good for her? Thanks for any advice.

I lived on a property once and ended up having the property rottie adopting me. He wasn't well socialised (or at all) but due to being on a big property he did meet many different people and animals. It was just if I took him out to town etc. I went to one of these boarding kennels/training places that was suposed to be OK. We had a one on one lesson and he was a pussycat with this American trainer in about 4 mins. I knew nothing about dogs besides my family lab and was amazed. I thought it was magic. But there was no way I would leave him there for the required 2 weeks. Just would not trust them. And of course the problem would be the fact that his owners and me knew nothing about dog training as such. Any experienced dog person would be able to handle him at once. So my opinion is one on one training by a reccommended trainer/behaviourist would be better. Good luck.

I lived in that area for over 10 years - I really loved the place and had to move due to work. Should be OK finding a place. Easier than getting somewhere closer to Parramatta/Sydney anyway. I rented with 2 dogs and luckily had such great references never had much trouble thou it is SO... stressfull if you are in a hurry. My dogs had a letter similar to a resume with details of their training etc. When I applied I asked for dogs allowed inside. I was honest as the agents just say no to the dog inside anyway. I stated in my letter attached to my application forms that I would rather be honest and say dogs will be allowed in than lie about it. I said I understood if dogs inside are not allowed and thanks for your time. I agreed in my last rental to sign a pet clause. I agreed to spray before and after for fleas ( as thou mine would tolerate fleas). I would pay for any damage my dogs did. Which is fair enough as dogs could cause damage and if it was your home you'd fix it. I did always rent cheaper homes as I was saving and mostly landlords who owned the cheaper homes seemed keen to have me. Good Luck! Hope you find a nice place with good fences and dogs allowed in. You know how your life stands when your most important rental consideration is " Is the fence good?"

I didn't realise when I started to read this thread that it was started last AUG 2010? Thou the topic is always current as things don't change much. I own a small dog and a small kelpie x. I find this topic interesting but am moved to reply more because of Dash's post. It is hard to gauge what is going on from a post. Posts can be misunderstood or taken in the wrong way. I have 2 dogs who have low ( to non exsistent in the kelpie x's case) energy levels. They may be well socialised with other well mannered social dogs. But both hate dogs who are too playfull, boisterous or get in their face. Neither would be considered high drive or even energetic dogs. I do agility and have learnt heaps with them in terms of handling and also motivation . I am thinking of a third dog soon and I would love a border collie or a dog really keen on running. But I am concerned about how the new dog will interact with mine. I can't imagine mine being happy with a high energy dog. And that is my biggest worry. It isn't size that matters sometimes but energy levels. How to get a high energy dog to get on with a low energy dog? Even the nicest energetic dog could be a hassle for my dogs. My point is, Dash - is that your post made it sound like your dogs get to hassle your smaller dog. To the point that she has to make a fuss to get peace? Most people here are just concerned about a dogs welfare. Doesn't hurt to listen and to look things again from another point of view. Your youngest dog is only a pup now but dynamics could change as he gets older. Worth considering to keep an eye on things. But if you are confident that your little dog is always entirely happy with his dog family, that's fine then.

Congradulations. He looks fantastic.

Sure he could do many things. I see a fair few doing agility here and doing it very well. The basics for agility would keep you busy till he is old enough to actually jump. Better get cracking thou.

I live in Wollongong now and it has a few beaches that are dog allowed but maybe not deserted enough. I holiday near Urunga (Coffs ) and some beaches there like the 4wd at 3rd headland go for miles and are deserted. Boambee ( half hr away)near Coffs is a dog beach and again goes for miles. The forest (state) in this area is also OK and we found some lovely areas off the beaten track. Bellingen (which is called God's Country) is hippie land and lovely but never go there in summer. When I lived in Orange we stopped once for the day in the State Forest area between Orange and Bathurst. Heaps of camp areas and we walked about 10 dogs - we had a ball. Also in Orange we rode horses all thru miles and miles of State Forest land. Not sure about dogs now as they opened the area for hunting. Good luck finding a place.

I also second the 2 x 2 method. Our club trains this although we also watched the dvd with our trainer as a club get together. Get the DVD and understand the way it works before starting. There are some small rules or finer details which are vital to know. I tried a few other methods previuosly at another club but nothing worked like the 2x2 did. This was with my fairly laid back kelpie x ? (something smaller). Took a while as he isn't that drivey. He had to weave for his dinner nearly every night for ages. But now he can get in them unaided, from lots of places even sending from about 6 poles past the entry back to the entry. Sometimes he even softly barks waiting to be sent to weave. If someone had of said he could do this, I would never have beleived it. Sometimes we just use more sets of 4 or 6 poles and make it faster and entries more difficult. I think with a kelpie it would be a good method. I must admit I used the 2x2 with my fairly timid velcro foxy x chi too but drive for anything wasn't happening. I tried for ages but then in desperation I changed to a 3 pole method I found in CleanRun which she liked better. Once she got one set of 3 poles , basically we just kept adding 3 poles. Easy and now she can zoom thru as well. However with this method, the entry is not so independant and the dog has more sideways motion. But she goes in both sides and is accurate. Over time she is getting faster and straighter. So all methods can work, it is just picking what suits. For a normal enthusiastic dog I wouldn't go past the 2x2. And as Agility Dogs says - it is all about reward placement. Our trainer nearly smacked us all till we got it right.

Yes, Cricket is one of the dogs I was talking about. He is a great dog but then again his handler is as well. I found it interesting as they come from Tassie , yet I've never heard of them. I didn't get the jump from Smithfield to ACD but now I remember when I googled them I got similar. It was suggested I take a Smithfield puppy but not quite ready yet. Althou after meeting them I did google the breed as I found them an interesting option. Too many dogs, too many nice dogs

I had another idea for an interesting breed of dog that does agility well - a Smithfield. Never really noticed them besides knowing a lady with some very sucessful agility ones. But I went to a clinic at her place and another student had one. Her dog really impressed me. Really well behaved and quiet thou friendly waiting in the crate, then really enthusiastic and responsive over obstacles. I don't do hairy myself but a lovely dog. Her dog also had much less coat than some other ones I have seen. Not everybodies cup of tea but a bit uncommon? Interesting breed history too.

Welcome to the forum Not good that you are having trouble with your dog but at least you can get some advice. I can't help training wise because he sounds like more dog than I have handled. He looks a lovely boy thou. I suggest a rescue dog to people who ask me ( I have one rescue dog people comment on a lot) as I like that if there is a problem straight away you have a option to return the dog if needed. Not ideal of course but in your case it would be worth considering. In your description of the dog at home sounds like there are some really good things going for him too. My rescue dog had seperation anxiety which I was told about but I didn't know much about it. Told I must have two dogs which I was going to do anyway. I loved this dog and his type, basically he was perfect every other way. First day I had to work and I found out all about Seperation anxiety. WoW I consulted with a behaviourist and worked out a plan of attack. All good (mostly ) now. But I will confess that straight after I got the first dog I rang the rescue and I looked at another dog. Rushed into this and without going into details I knew straight away that I didn't like this second dog. I didn't think I could bond with her or give her the life she deserved as it wasn't the dog for me. I felt so guilty returning her and I was pressured to keep her. I was told the foster carer had already gotten another dog and wouldn't want her back now. I did call the same day to tell the rescue that there was a problem. The rescue lady has forgiven me now. I understand better now how frustrating recue must be. So despite feeling like a uncaring self centred bad dog owner , she was returned and hopefull re-homed to somebody who appreciated her. But I don't regret making this decision. I did find another dog soon after, all happy and 6 years on will look at another rescue for my third agility dog. Sorry for the long story. But don't feel too bad if you decide to return the boy. If you really like him consult with a GOOD behaviourist and get their advice on how suitable the dog is for you. Maybe that way even if you return the dog ,the foster carer may also get some advice for the dog? Good luck, let us know what happens?

Must admit I've been reading your thread Huski as I was shopping for a third agility dog too. Decided now to wait a little as both current dogs have finally come to life and maybe in a year or 2 ? Too many lovely dogs to choose from. If I can't find a breed I would go rescue for me but you are faced with such a choice! I was looking at Brittany's as a choice, the ones I have met are social happy dogs with a big grin! And also a bench kelpie probably from Callicoma lines as I have a x bred kelpie now but he is really laid back. I would have said a swedish Valhund as they fit your description but you thought not. So I second the Brittany or the ESS. I Love the Musterlander but maybe harder to get hold of. Too many dogs, too little time!

Instead of Breeds101 try the breed Subforums. Much better with lots of owners chatting. My neighbours have a rescue Shih Tzu and it is one of the nicest Shih tzu dogs I have seen - personality wise and looks.

What a silly women not to warn you they might bite. But I must admit sometimes I have done silly things with strange dosg as I just forget that not all dogs are as pleased to see me as I am them. I have a chi cross foxy who is the colour of a gold lab. When I first got her (long story) she had been locked up in a cage as an unsold puppy for 8 months and seemed pretty feral. Went to her first ever vet visit and she had a few needles and what seemed like a big needle to microchip her. She never made a move and even the vet commented on what a sweet nature she had. And over the road, new neighbours have turned up with a similar coloured pure bred golden chi male called Dime. The other night putting garbage out, Dime couldn't stand the suspense of watching us out the window. He did the bolt and came over to say hello. Without even thinking I picked him up. Lucky for me all I got was lots of licks and big cuddles. I think I need to steal Dime as he is just a doll. I think the temptation is for some owners to make babies out of small dogs. And also some small dogs are often put in situations where they feel they must defend themselves. Leads to some unstable behaviour. Don't worry too much. Hope you're there to pat the next dog as well, my lot love a pat from a stranger.

I voted GSP as I like the breed and I see a few competing when I do agility. I love GSD as I lived on horse properties that always had them but I am not really sure about their agility ability.

Sorry for your loss. You have done everything you could do for him. I think the best gift you can give your pets is a loving and caring end after a life shared full of love. Grief is normal and I remember crying nearly all weekend as I neared the end for my dear rottie. I was glad to have that time where you can say goodbye even thou it was heart breaking. My only consolation is that all his life he was loved and cared for. Not all dogs have that joy. Be proud of the life you provided as I am sure you earned his devotion as well.

Great news. You might be the only one suffering, sounds like he will have a great home.

OMG! I have 2 dogs for agility. Rescued and not purebred. I do ADAA and now am rocking along in ANKC as well. But as both my dogs are a bit older now a third dog has been a thought. I am stunned that in QLD you can only register 2. Does that mean you can register more but have to pay more? I am in NSW and have to call to see about paying for some titles so I can ask then. From what "Agility Dogs" says about mistakes does that mean they are limiting the number of dogs to discourage people from having too many dogs not PB and wanting to do sports with them? So what about those who have 3 rescue dogs? I hope NSW is different. I have just discovered agility and thought it was about training with your dog to achieve a special bond - didn't think it was about the breeding side of it at all. Very dissappointed in ANKC rules if that is the case.

THanks guys. He left me a present walking today and is so far oK. I am just a stresshead.