percyk

I was told that the best game was fetch and also to get them to chase you. I dont like tug of war games. Can get a bit fiesty. I like to be in control and getting them to chase me also helps in teaching them to come to you when theyre still learning perfect recall.

I'm going to throw in a bunch of stuff here. With our last group of dogs, we have allowed them to sleep with us! We have never ever slept with dogs before! However, I was keen to get the toilet training going so what I did was put a leash on the pup and the minute he stirred, Id be up - no matter the time ( and I work full-time). All the dogs are settled and what's more they can sleep anywhere. They are content to sleep with my daughter or with my son. They can sleep in my bed or in the lounge when the kids have a sleep over. They are also content to sleep in the laundry ( mind you I put two of them in there so they can snuggle). One of them slept with us initially but was moved him to his pen because he was displaying some dominance over a bone ( that's been taking care of but we didnt want to put him into a position of power by allowing him to sleep in our bed, as well). This dog never screams - just happily settles into his little bed in the pen. This took about three months to sort out. The dogs remain dry during the night and Im happy that they will be able to come away on holidays with us and hopefully have no issues. Theyre far from perfect dogs but they are young and this method has worked for us. I was the same with all of my children. They slept anywhere that was convenient just so that I could keep an eye on them . I was more paranoid bout cot death than I was about not getting them into a rigid routine.

Doesn' t it ever freak you out! You always think the worst. However, like everyone says here -it's normal for them to be stressed when they move to their new home! Diarrhoea is just a way for the body to rid itself of something and if it's new food or just nerves, they will eventually settle. Only give small quantities of food once hes on the mend - the stomach will be still sensitive for a while after a spate of diarrhoea.

My dog, too, has eaten a grape. It was one of those big red globe variety. That was several months ago. I dont feed them to the dogs and the kids are careful but as that great ad said: "slippery little suckers" lol and I dont mean the grapes!

Yes, I agree! Dont tolerate the violence. Step in and separate and dont pussyfoot around them. Use your body and act assertive. They must give up their bones and treats to you at any time for their own safety. One day they may have something dangerous in their mouths and you dont want to be chasing or wrestling them to get it out. I teach this from when they first arrive. Everything is 'mine' but I am not a tormentor. I am a benevolent mistress ! However, it's all on my terms. So, if theyre fighting over food or treats, separate them and train them separately to give these up upon your command and then train them together. Make them sit or do something before they get food or a treat and do this so they see the other having to comply, as well. Mine are learning to sit like a little row of soldiers ( lol) - sure someone always 'breaks' but hey they're young still. We will get there! Id never leave my dogs with anything that theyd fight over when I'm not home - just in case. Good luck. It is frightening but it's manageable, especially if the dogs get along at other times.

It's annoying as anything, isn't it ! lol However, at 4 months she is still very young. Toilet training can be an ongoing thing - sometimes it takes months and even up to a year. SO take heart and dont give her the opportunity to be away from you. Even when you are taking her outside, make sure you have some control over her because she can squat right behind you as you are opening the door to let her out. It's all very common. Make sure you see that she has gone to the toilet - dont just assume that she has even though she has been outside for a while. The pee on absorbent surfaces because that way the scent remains 'ingrained' and thats just behaviour thats been passed down from their genes of the wild. No use leaving a scent if the rain is going to promptly wash it away! As others have suggeste, do clean the spot well ( I use Biozet the laundry powder because it supposedly breaks down all the components of the urine - even the one that we cant detect with our comparatively pathetic noses!) Good luck... she is a dog and she will fail many times but never in the way we fail each other, hey!

Hi Austen! I had to clarify this one time too because I had a littlie in the midst of small dogs ( but who were decidedly bigger than he was) I was told that if the going gets rough, step in .If the pup is in the corner, being bashed, dont let it go on. On the otherhand if he himself retaliates and gives as good as he gets then it's ok . This is our case, and now, the little one is confident and holds his own. He plays when he wants to and happily sits out if the others' play is too rough ( like when theyre zooming 'round the garden and hurtling into each other) If the dogs are puppy pouncing and airbiting it's ok, too. I think it's the sparring ( when they get up and fight on their two hind legs, that's when it might spill out into aggression). We have such a hoot watching them play. The cacophony is incredible! However, not once have we had to really be concerned. There's nipping and snapping but theyre equals so we dont worry. Lots of hair pulling- ouch - but no grudges. They sleep together like two great pals. Enjoy the spectacle!

Hi Sticks About the mounting thing - it's a dominance thing I think. Even desexed females do it so I dont think it's about 'not getting any" lol. My young ones do it and I simply step in but the desexed bitch promptly tried to put every one of the young males in his place by doing this. She does not play aggressively but there is a tension about her sometimes when the younger dogs want to play with her. They play on her terms only.If she refuses, they submit - go down on their haunches , do the deference thing ( lol) with their paws and pull their ears right back. When she is in the mood, she will happily mess with them!

Oh this brings back some great memories! Newfies! I, too, was working in a remote part of Oz ( NT) and was so close to getting a newfie but swung instead to the German shepherd. I had an Aussie terrier too so my dog did socialise a little but really I dont think there was really a time for him to meet other dogs ( there was certainly no doggy school and most of the homes were rentals so not a big doggy population) Did he suffer? Possibly. He was startled by a dally that rushed him as pup and I didnt know better. I didnt address this and I dont think he met with another dog even when I moved back to Sydney. I used to walk him every day through the shopping strips and he was fine with people but I dont think he liked other dogs. He lived with my dachsie and my aussie terrier so I thought he was fine). Good on you for taking the work on in a remote area. May you enjoy the memories for the rest of your life. I certainly loved every minute of my time in NT! Do keep us posted as to the meet and greet coming up!

Hi Lucys mummy! I saw a doco where they showed foxes supervising their cubs ( they didnt call them cubs actually; i dont remember what term they used) The vixen would give the kill to the pups and allow the dominant one to feast but then would toss the carcass to her other cub. The narrator commented that it wasn't entirely clear why she stepped in but it may have been to teach the submissive cub how to hunt or it just may have been her way of ensuring that he survives). I step in when my dogs are feeding. If one is stealing from another I will remove him and allow the other to eat. I know there is a hierarchy but then Im also assuming that I, as alpha, can be in charge of food distribution. I feed many meals by hand sitting on the back porch, I will feed them their dry food by hand or give them their chicken necks. They have to sit - all of them - as I hand out the tucker. This way I can be sure who is eating what and how much they're consuming. I tolerate no violence and practise taking away the food ( the smallest used to growl when his bone was taken but he doesnt do this anymore, even when the other dogs are around him - he really seems to have accepted that the kids and I can take his food and of course we dont tease him). Good luck with it. It's hard to know what to do sometimes -that's for sure!

OH my my!! HANDSOME! I had a great boofhead of a goldie some years ago but he was a gold not that cream ( I love the creamy whites!) I have always trained my doggies from the word go - not necessarily on day one ( have to let them settle in a bit !) Keep the training short. I usually feed breakfast to them by hand and do a bit of training ( sit and come and later drop) and I found that with a goldie it's easy work because they are so food motivated and as long as there are no other dogs to distract them, they do very well. As for socialisation. I'd expose him to puppy school or somewhere that the pups are training/ playing on concrete ( some clubs offer this) because you do want him to experience as much as possible in these early days. I did read here and it may have been ERNY of TONYmc who advised not to do too much training during there period when they go into the fear phase. I didnt know about this so it was interesting to know. Asfar as I have experienced, I haven't noted my dogs coming into a 'fear phase' but then I'm no trainer! ( They may have progressed through a shocker of a 'fear phase' without bothering to leave me a post-it note on the fridge lol). I have taken my littlies to outdoor cafes ( and yes there is some risk even after their 2nd vaccination but my vet said it was only small and that in our area the risk of picking up something was very small). With a big pup like th goldie you may have trouble having him on your lap but some playdates with other vaccinated pups and some interaction with lots of visitors ( not all at once!) might help. Serious training doesn't really start til much later but within the first year he can certainly learn the basics. Always end a session on a note of success i.e go back to a command that he knows. Work on the basis that he may have to learn by approximation. so you gradually hone his skills. Never give up! If he doesnt do what expect, then coax him into it so that there is success - even if it's aided! Good luck...I had a wonderful experience training a goldie and he was the most lovable boof - not a mean bone in his body!

its ur decision always but im kinda glad uv decided to leave Toby alone its just a personal preference ..i know..doesnt mean ur a good owner or a bad owner or somewhere in b tw i just like dog fur and so glorious is a bc coat when its full and lustrous i have always believed thru talking to breeders reading etc that the coat insulates them from heat i know its tempting to get my dogs clipped for the summer cos we are going for a beach holiday down the south coast and im dreading all that sand in the car not to mention the twice daily search for ticks!!!! we considered it for two minutes yesterday but the resounding vote was NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

good to hear that it wont be that hard to operate itll still be one of those days when one of the pack is copping it at the vet...thank goodness my work keeps me occupied..id find it hard at home watching the clock the other teste is down Greytmate ..looks normal k big breaths ...ill set a date! thanks again for all ur posts folks!

ok thanks for ur answers peoples the vet said it will only cos about 50 dollars more..she looked at him the other week and said she could feel it but it probably wasnt going to come down at this stage i just read in the breeders forum that the cryptos were not virile so i figured theyd be tame lil pussycats no i dont show no i dont breed the dog is coming onto 6 and a bit months the cancer thing is scary so if thats the case..hes gonne get done re the cocking leg i dont really care but squatting is neater...they can spray a lot higher when they cock their leg..cant they? i dont find it offensive ...but its nice when they just do their business and get on with life without having to bounce around each pole when its cold at night and ur waiting for everyone to pee and get to bed inside...thats when i wish i had females lol but i do love my boys ...temperament wise i think theyre the ones for me

hopen fox i have read that ice can cause bloat so if u have deep chested dog...id not do it i dont think a little bit would harm but i sense that meals should be served at room temperature i might be wrong maybe dogs ate frozen carcasses in the wild and may have some provision for digesting this foo to my way of thinking ...frozen food going down to the stomach may be a bit traumatic for the lining ( u know when u are not meant to put an ice pack directly on a sprain for eg...cos the ice can cause damage..always wrap in a towel first) see what others think and talk to a few vets...many wouldnt really know about nutrition etc

im sorry to hear ur news Hortfurball i had a german shepherd from good lines went to a lot of trouble getting him cos i lived in NT and he was in brissy he was diagnosed with hip dys when he was about 12 months although i suspected it...bunny hopping from a young pup but couldnt get to sydney til xmas every case is a bit different and i know urs sounds severe my dog was put on these little red pills..he didnt have to take them all the time...only on and off im sorry i dont know what they were ...this was over 20 years ago he lived on acreage with my dad in the end...he was no athlete but he lived til 13 and he still had quality of life rounding up geese and just hanging out with my dad who was an avid gardener and at 75 plus wouldnt have been into flyball anyway so im not giving u false hope maybe this is just for others who read ur thread and think the worst we did keep his weight down ...he was a fine looking shepherd... thanks for posting...from this we learn all the best...please keep updating

yeah my dachsie used to get pimpy rash under his armpits ..that was years ago now when i was a teen but pug hugger just triggered a memory

My Valkyrie ..i have read with interest ur post and feel acutely for u i cant advise...but thanks for posting..its these posts that really stimulate the learning...i do so hope u make the decision either way and all ends well so sorry to hear of ur other dog being pts cos of mange Puggles....wow ..what a story and must give heart to all...what a great job u have done with bubbles...and thanks for telling us about the 'bubbles' forming round the face...ive learned a lot! had an aussie terrier with a skin condition ...but that was so many years ago as a young girl so i dont even remember what it was....so hard to treat..just kept coming back

try a nit comb and white tissue run it over ur shorthaired dog see if u gather any of the flea dirt...black specks even if u dont see the fleas themselves u may see their past activity

ooooh xiaorose what a terrible experience for u so good of u to spend that money on ur dog i know many who wouldnt spend anything..just let the dog deteriorate to have so much go wrong and still not have any idea of why it happened is frustrating and heartbreaking my dog has cataracts.....not just the cloudiness but i was told that its better to wait ...i suspect that its easier to operate when it gets bigger or whatever she is nearly 8 dont know what ill do keep talking to different surgeons...many wont discuss without a consultation tho... phhhhhhhhhhhh ...oh well....never had a problem with any other dog so i guess its my turn to fork out Mizzi thanks for the tip about bilberry and vitamin E drops...will look into it

i know my pup is a 'crypto' not a 'mono' dog ( crypt as in hidden/ entombed ...the teste is not descended and is not likely to and 'mono' meaning 'one'...where the other testicle hasnt formed)...sorry about the etymology lesson but i cant help myself lol lol lol the teste is there and kinda 'twangs' when the vet palpates...its attached and when u pull it, it snaps back into place so do i desex? if cryptos arent virile will they still 'appear' to be entire dogs to other dogs? i obviously dont want the dog to mate with any undesexed bitch when we go out but also i dont want him to develop any possible dog aggression...ive had enough of dog fights ....!!!! so im asking if anyone knows if the male hormones are really active in cryptos?? this fellow is very docile but i know that can change...also he is living with other desexed males and i dont want them talking about him ( u know when lil boys get done..theres always one kid in the changeroom who goes home puzzled lol) i dont want other male dogs to sense him as an 'entire' dog and start threatening him either id prefer that he doesnt cock his leg but i know that desexing does not stop cocking...my other dog cocked v ery early in life and has continued to do so even tho hes been done too excuse my ignorance...im eager to learn and im not sure if vets will just say yeah go ahead and desex cos its money in their pockets....ooooooh dripping with cynicism here...lol ill talk to my vet about it but id like ur cumulative knowledge too...i cant post in the breeders forum unfortunately thanks in advance folks!

i know they love it because ive had people give them cabanossi ... but im loathe to give dogs anything so high in salt and goodness knows what if i dont give it to my kids i wont give it to the dogs...( as far as manufactured foods go) so my preference is for cooked chicken..plain (not bbq from the shop) small bits of cheese they love too..but not the sliced rubber cheese...i doubt its even related to cow the way they process it!!

hey my smooth coated pup also had lumps...like ..let me see...flattened smarties ...not quite so big but they disappeared wonder if it was something in the garden left quickly otherwise i wouda taken him to the vet its always something lol let us know anyway

four or five hours to get a puli looking its best??? whoah!! never will i ever complain about our dogs' grooming needs !!!!!!

only know about eggs as far as humans are concerned the albumin is the most nutritious ..its what feeds the chick as its being formed inside the shell ..right? and this egg white is what dieticians recommend for the overweight..not the fatty egg yolk so im guessing itd be the same for dogs...whites would be ok but yolks should be restricted to one a week? wondering which part of the egg is good for the fur...the yolk with the fat content or the rich base of protein in the white someone will know someone will google and we will all benefit! nothing like cracking an egg over a lovingly prepared doggy meal ...at least mine dont turn up their noses the way the kids do at my cooking lol