Kalevi

The letter came via email but was on letterhead. Yes they are still supposed to be with NDTF, they are (were) also with Wellington Park Kennels. You just wonder how this can happen - we paid $900 for our two less than 12 months ago. Guess you've got to also feel for the folks that signed up and paid their $595 for Platinum last week, not to mention the instructors who no doubt are finding out in such an awful way. Poo...I loved the Berwick guys, very sad.

Just got this via email - does anyone know anything about this!!!!! Dear Member, Over the past two years the recession has hit many companies, especially those non essential services. For those who may not be aware the pet industry is one area which has been significantly affected. Due to the current economic climate, families have chosen one aspect of their lives to save a few pennies, and ultimately in many cases it is their pets. After 24 years in business it is with great sadness that Australian Dog Training have regrettably been forced to cease trading and close the business, effective immediately. Every endeavour has been made to try to keep the business open for the benefit of our staff and members, however this has been in vain. Not only has this unfortunately affected our members, but also our staff who will lose their employment. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this will cause, however under the circumstances we have found ourselves with no alternative. The entire business will be closing immediately as we cannot fund the payment of our instructors, rental and other costs with running the centre, for even one more week. As stated, the reason for our closure is the financial collapse of our organisation and as such we are not in a position to offer any refunds or financial reimbursements, etc. In addition to our centres closing, our office will also no longer be operational. Unfortunately we will be unable to field any enquiries whatsoever. As such and regrettably, this will be the final communication from our organisation. We would like to take this final opportunity to thank our valued clients for their loyalty and support over the years. We wish you and your dogs all the best in the future. Good luck

Well done - my 14 week is dropping on command. I'm working on stay, but I'm still too much of a draw card!!! Toilet training is hard - how are you going? We still have about one or two number 1's inside each day, however, I've not seen a number 2 for weeks (inside that is). Fun stuff eh!! haha yea he is still weeing inside about twice a day, but hasnt pooed inside for about a week (only had him for 11days) i havnt started with the drop or stay yet, will prob start that in next week or so, i was expecting him to be hard to train as he is a american bulldog x aussie bulldog and they are usually both stuborn breeds but i think he is as easy if not easier to train than my lab was he just wants to please. what breed is ur puppy? Drop is pretty easy - Miia (Finnish Lapphund) was doing it at 12 weeks, but its much improved at 14 weeks. Good luck with it all! hey, i taught conan to drop this morning, it was so easy! i only had to show him once what i wanted him to do and now he does it (only one session and for treats lol), i am looking forward to teatching him crawl and shake! Fabulous! What a good puppy!! I just had to clean up a poo - and after bragging about not seeing one for weeks. Bloomin' heck!!

Well done - my 14 week is dropping on command. I'm working on stay, but I'm still too much of a draw card!!! Toilet training is hard - how are you going? We still have about one or two number 1's inside each day, however, I've not seen a number 2 for weeks (inside that is). Fun stuff eh!! haha yea he is still weeing inside about twice a day, but hasnt pooed inside for about a week (only had him for 11days) i havnt started with the drop or stay yet, will prob start that in next week or so, i was expecting him to be hard to train as he is a american bulldog x aussie bulldog and they are usually both stuborn breeds but i think he is as easy if not easier to train than my lab was he just wants to please. what breed is ur puppy? Drop is pretty easy - Miia (Finnish Lapphund) was doing it at 12 weeks, but its much improved at 14 weeks. Good luck with it all!

Your Vet is following very old protocols that have been proven to be wrong by the experts in the field along time ago. The reason drug companies have brought out the "new" 3 yearly vaccine is stop everyone from having a hernia over finally realising just how "ripped off" most pet owners have been for a very long time LOL Vaccinations last a lifetime in a dog in most cases. There is absolutley no reason whatsoever to vaccinate a dog annually!!!! They only end up causing your dog harm in one way or another. Dr Jean Dodds is now recommending that after a puppy has had correctly admisnistered puppy shots 8-10 weeks being the first one,followed by another 2, then she recommends the dog never has another vaccine again, Titer tests will prove the dog is immune, and she recommends you titer every other year if you feel inclined not to believe, and re vaccinate only if it ever happens the dogs levels drop for some reason....Some dogs can never get immunity no matter if you jabbed it every month, and many people falsely get around in public thinking their dogs are covered due to having every vaccine under the sun, yet they are not, and never will be immune as the vaccines dont work on some dogs at all. Titer Tests are the only way to prove your dog is immune, and means a thousand times more than your vaccination card, all Training Clubs, Boarding kennels etc have to accept a Titer test result instead of a vaccination card. I cant tell you how much Titers are as Vets can charge whatever they like, as they do for everything now, but it is a simple blood test that goes to pathology in WA, and should not cost more than a vaccination in theory. The more people do this the cheaper they will become also....Most Vets will just look at you blankly if you ask for titers to be done, and really it is a worry that so many Aussie Vets are so behind the rest of the world , I think it is more because they make so much $$$$ in vaccines, it is a HUGE mark up, and they dont want to lose that revenue, as I said that is what the 3 yearly one has been brought out for, so Vets can charge 3 times the amount for it & not be out of pocket LOL.........It is a compromise, far better than annual ones, but still unneccessary for your dog! Cavandra - I can't thank you enough for this reply. I will def be requesting at titer test in a year and go from there. If we were on facebook I'd send you a martini!! Thanks, S.

Well done - my 14 week is dropping on command. I'm working on stay, but I'm still too much of a draw card!!! Toilet training is hard - how are you going? We still have about one or two number 1's inside each day, however, I've not seen a number 2 for weeks (inside that is). Fun stuff eh!!

Not sure why you would complain about the pup being vaccinated at 8 weeks, pups are meant to be done at 8-10 weeks, NOT 6 weeks. You cant avoid Parvo it is potentially everywhere, car tyres, flies, clothing etc etc etc.........Usually it will start at the local "pound/shelters" or sometimes boarding kennels , some kennels are also the local "pound" for eg......... If your dog has been vaccinated correctly & it has immunity there is not a problem, however the only way to know if your dog has immunity is to do a Titer test (blood test), just because a dog has injections, doesnt mean it worked! Usually they dont work as people vaccinate too young for a start. Then over vaccinate by giving it every year unneccessarily making their dog less immune & their immune system stressed & compromised. Question - if a pup is vaccinated at 8 weeks, then 12 and 16 weeks, what is the recommended schedule after that as my vet says once a year from then on.

I'm with you missmaddy. There are too many different varients to the raw meat diet. Maybe if there was a weekly structure you could follow until you became familiar with it. I know that would make me feel a bit more confident that i was feeding correctly. Until then I guess i will just continue with dry and the varied meats and bones they are getting now. By the way, they certainly appear in good health, good coat shine and muscle development. I have a 14 week old girl and I'm fairly new to this as well. But I've been doing heaps of reading and from what I can tell this diet is all about making life easy - and it really is! I've only been doing it a few weeks and its no harder than opening a tin! My average week is: Day 1 AM: chick mince (in Kong) Day 1 PM: 1/2 chic frame Day 2 AM: beef mince (in Kong) Day 2 PM: turkey neck, 1/2 cup table scraps (ie potato peelings, apple peelings, old brocolli blended up) Day 3 AM: chick mince (in Kong) Day 3 PM: 1/2 chic frame Day 4 AM: sardines in oil Day 4 PM: turkey neck Day 5 AM: whole raw egg (uncracked) Day 5 PM: meaty (not fatty) lamb bones Day 6 AM: beef mince (in Kong) Day 6 AM: 1/2 chic frame Day 7 AM: chick mince (in Kong) Day 7 PM: 1 chicken drumstick I am also supplementing with Advance puppy kibble. I will continue to do this whilst she is growing, but expect to not continue as an adult. I will also reduce the twice day feeding and the amount of mince as well - I've detailed below how I think this diet will evolve when she is an adult. Day 1: whole chick frame Day 2: whole fish head / whole fish Day 3: lamb shank Day 4: fast Day 5 AM:chick / beef mince in kong Day 5 PM: whole egg, natural yoghurt, table scraps, olive oil Day 6: whole chick frame Day 7: offal (liver, kidney etc) Good luck with it though. Really its not too hard, but rather quite a lot of fun when you start scouting at the supermarket / butcher. I know I still have a lot to learn, but it really feels good to be doing it right for my dog - rather than the 'easy' option. Oh - if anyone wishes to add suggestions / thoughts / comments it is always appreciated.

Folks - this was just my opinion and what is working for us - take it or leave it. I found this advice on this site, and can't thank those posters enough for giving out other techniques, when the standard ones for us were not working. We've been using the holding the muzzle technique now for 3 days - I have not had any biting at all today, little mouthings occassionaly, but the big nips have totally stopped. The roll onto her back we've done about five/six times in the past three days, and only when she has been really going silly. Infact, we've not had to do this today at all, she is def getting the hang of things.

I should add that my girl spends most of her time on her back, so this is her calm place - we just do a nice quite settle after the muzzle hold and you can just see the bounce reduce in her. Different dog, different breed, different techniques - this one is the only thing that's worked for me. Good luck Jim!

Hey Jim, Our new puppy is now 10 weeks and she was/is biting everyone. I did a bit of research here and found the following in terms of how to stop it: 1/ try howl, high pitch, growl, say no etc - so vocal (if that stops working, which it did for us - then try) 2/ ignore, and move away (ha - she just kept chasing us and biting along the way) 3/ hold her muzzle for 20 sec or so and say no - bad dog etc (this is working great, have only had a very few nips since using this two days ago) 4/ if she is really badly biting we also do the number 3 but roll her onto her back, hold her muzzle and dominate her as well - a little eye contact seems to work also. Also, we've had to reestablish where we are in the pack. So no one is lying on the ground watching tv (at dogs level) until we've got this sorted. We also praise her when she chooses toys over biting us. These techniques combined are working really well, she now comes up mostly for licks, very cute. I'm hoping I've got my lovely little puppy back (and the satan doggie is well gone - for now, ha!) Good luck S.

Hi folks, I'm getting a puppy on Dec 8 and really want to start a puppy pre-school before the new year. I'm near Berwick but happy to travel where ever necessary. Does anyone know of any classes that may be running in December? Thanks, Sarah