luvsdogs

Depends a lot on the Labrador. There are two types in Australia - the "field" or working type and the "bench" or show type. The field dogs tend to be leaner, leggier and more high drive. If I wanted to do agility, that's the type I'd be looking for but it would come with higher exercise and training requirements. I've seen stockier Labs do agility and do it well but you want them very lean and they are required to jump high for their build. Despite what many people think, agility places a lot more strain on the front end of a dog than the rear. It's landing that places the full dogs weight on one leg at a time - I'd be as much if not more concerned with elbows as hips. My advice is to look high and wide for a breeder that has some runs on the board breeding dogs for agility. Asking in the Labrador Retriever thread would be a good start. If I were getting a lab, I'd definitely get a field lab. They look much leaner & healthier than the bench labs imo. My cousin & I used to go to agility training over 10 yrs ago. She at the time had a small lab & was only doing agility as a fun thing & not for competition. She didn't like labs doing agility because she said they land heavily when jumping. At that time we couldn't start agility training until the dog was 2 y/o.

In your 1st post you said you fed your dog raw salmon. I have read on several occasions that raw salmon should not be fed to dogs because of flukes. http://www.merckveterinarymanual.com/mvm/i...tm/bc/57305.htm I don't think this is related to his allergies but thought it worth mentioning.

Someone posted about them before & I was also interested in if they worked but forgot to go back & look. Maybe someone will answer again here.

Took Tilba to the vet's & she thought it would be ok. Didn't know if the hair would grow back, will have to wait a few mths to find out. Fingers crossed it does.

I don't know what happened but Tilba has a 1 cm long gash, shaped like a crescent moon, under her eye about 4mm wide. It's not like a cut, but it's like the hair's been peeled off or scalped. The skin underneath is slightly swollen & pink with a little redness on one side like blood trapped under the skin. I don't think it's been bleeding. What can I put on it. My biggest fear is that the hair won't grow back leaving it open to the sun & skin cancer. This is the 3rd time she's had something similar this being a lot worse. The 1st time was when she was a puppy playing with Sooty, the next was while we were on holidays in Feb. She had a lump under the other eye where the skin & hair came away when I put antiseptic cream on it. I eventually dried it up with an iodine solution. The hair is only just growing back now after a month.

That's wonderful. Wish my training problems would be so easily fixed.

Are there any videos on youtube showing the steady feet method?

She is 9 weeks old as of yesterday, and her name is Terra... accordingly . first night slept really well, we got up to do one wee...then in the morning got up at 7, too cold she didnt wat to do wees so she weed inside, pooed outside then did both inside .. only 5 days for you! not long at all ut seems like it! You know they usually say that a dog lives up to it's name. She's very cute, but look out. :laugh:

Perry's Mum will correct me if I'm wrong, but generally up at Binalong I thought Brad preferred for you and your dog to do the full two days if it's all new. So the first time I went along to a sheepdog school (which was in Bungendore) I went along to 'audit' just to see what the deal was. It's an early start but the mornings are beautiful and it's a grand day out! Everyone is always very friendly and encouraging (even when you have a loud, fairly thick dog like someone I could mention ) Hi Mooper, when was the Bungendore clinic & do you know how often they have them, please. It's a bit closer than going to Binalong & I'm familiar with it. Thanks. I'm a total novice & Tilba hasn't really seen sheep before so don't know how she would be either.

When I 1st got my pup at 12 w/o & gave her her 1st chicken wing she grabbed it off me & ran off to her crate to eat it. I was not having this so went on line for advice & on several sites was given the advice to keep a hold of the bone while the pup ate it. The idea behind it being that if you hold it, you own it, not the dog. I only had to do this once & she is happy to have anyone around while she eats bones. I have even been able to move the bone while she was eating it in the wrong place. Never had a problem with the food bowl, she's happy to have me touch her while she eats. For food bowl manners, do the triangle of temptation. I have been doing this with my dogs long b4 I knew it had a name. Also stay with your dog while he eats at least a few times a week without taking the bowl or food away. When he's happy to have you stand with him you can start adding yummier stuff to the bowl.

Give her her meals in stuffed kongs. If the weather is still warm you can freeze them. If she's a large breed, I put a chicken wing into a kong. I break off the tip & force the other 2 bones, joint 1st into the kong. Lasts longer than kibble. If she's getting into mischief outside, instead of feeding her kibble in a bowl scatter it all over the yard, takes longer to eat & gives her something to do.

I agree with this. My dogs breeder told me when we picked her up to not over feed. And according to Ian Billinhurst author of Give Your Dog a Bone & others, always leave puppies wanting more & grow them slowly.

It's abusive, pure & simple. I would report the incidents that you witnessed to the chief instructor or president. If they do nothing about it or tell you it's nothing to worry about I would report them to the Canine body for SA & the RSPCA. They have to be accountable to someone. Then never go to that club again & if you're ever asked to recommend a club to anyone, you sure know where NOT to recommend.

Thanks Nekhbet, I'll give it a go. Will have to feed outside though to give them the room they need. This morning while I was feeding the bc the cat was under the table about a foot & 1/2 from the bc who was sitting & watching me, waiting to put the bowl down. She didn't move or re-act to the cat only waited for her breakfast.

My 2 yr old border collie has learned to be food aggressive, not really the right word, by our 9 yr old mixed breed dog. She has learned to give the older dog a wide berth if food is being prepared for them. They are mostly fed separately but on odd occasions they are in the same room with their food or food bowl around meal times. If my cat is in the same room while I'm preparing the border's food she will keep watching the cat & lunge at her to stay away. I have had a similar problem at my obedience club when I'm using food for training. She's even been protective of her leather article when practising with this & lunged at some or all dogs around. Previous to the food or article coming out she is perfectly fine & friendly to the other dogs. Tonight I took her to my obedience club for a proper obedience lesson, when I go on Saturdays it's pet dog training, a little agility, scent work etc. Last Sat. she took a dislike to several dogs while we were working with our leather articles. I had to practice the 'watch' with her to keep her mind off the other dogs. She did this really well & we got through the lesson ok. I haven't done formal obedience work with her before & she wasn't too bad tonight, keeping focus on me while doing heeling. I mentioned her problem to the instructor & she suggested I keep her focus on me at all times while using food for a reward. We changed instructors & did a couple of recalls, on lead, which were ok then sit & down stays. This is where her problem surfaced. We were next to a golden retriever & she took a 'dislike' to him & kept lunging at him. It took all of my will to keep her focused on me but she managed to lunge & snap at him on a regular basis. The instructor doing this with us was giving me instructions on what to do during the sit & down stays & I was to keep her next to the golden. I also mentioned to her about Tilba's food problem & she suggested I train her without food. After the lessons she was fine with being next to the golden. So, how do I fix this problem? I haven't done much work with her re: stays & I know I should practice them with her at home in different areas before adding other places & distractions.

Hi Perry's Mum I have been sent the booking forms. Not sure if I can attend, but was wondering what 'audit' means. I'm a total novice & never done sheep herding b4.

Have a look at this website. www.dogstardaily.com You can download the books Before & After You Get Your Puppy by Dr Ian Dunbar. You'll find lots of info on everything dog/puppy. You can also watch videos & listen to Ian's radio programme iWoofs.

I use 'get busy' for Tilba. I used 'go to the toilet' for April & Sooty. A bit embarrasing to use it late at night & they didn't really want to go, hence the change. April & Sooty only ever wee'd on command but Tilba will do either.

Nik, hows Jedi's allergies going? Do you have them under control? Tilba has just had a bad attack of flea allergy dermatitis. Poor girls been scratching & biting at herself for weeks. I couldn't see anything but dandruff at 1st & when we came home from holidays was when I discovered all the bites on her stomach it was off to the vets for treatment.

...Binalong a couple of weekends ago? I was sent an application form but was unable to go. Would like to know if anyone went & how it went?

Can someone tell me what the steady feet game is, have not heard of it b4. Thanks.

Is that the Curash powder in a blue shaker? And do you dilute the betadine or use as is?

I had changed to Interceptor for the winter & the ones I bought were round tablets with a use by date of 10.-2010 which had little round stickers. For the summer I was using Sentinal chews, which were in a really big box, hard to figure how to open & no stickers. Both my dogs didn't mind eating the Interceptor tablets & with the Sentinal chews I break them up into smaller pieces to eat. They were a little reluctant to eat them, but did eventually because the were both competing for "food treats" at the same time. Wasn't happy with the Sentinal re: fleas my dog still had them & will be going back to Interceptor & Advantage.

Ask a friend if you can make the introductions in their yard. I had all intentions of introducing my last pup to resident dog somewhere neutral but it didn't work out that way. The dog came rushing out of the house when my son came home. She went straight to the pup who rolled over onto her back. There were all the usual doggy sniffing, raised hackles on the older dog etc. Although we tried to not leave them alone in the yard until the pup was bigger there were still the occasional scraps & telling off by the older dog. They are now firm friends, love to play & rarely does the older dog tell the young dog off. Are you getting another rotti pup?

I'm wondering the same thing. I've been giving my do Sentinal for the last 3 mths & she has more fleas now than ever.