Jigsaw

You could also change the dog's name for a few months and work on teaching the dog to respond to that name. He may be actually conditioned not to respond to his name given his lack of response to it. Training a response with his current name may take some time even if using high value treats. By using a different name or even just calling him "puppy" for a few months you may get a response much quicker than using his current name. When you have a surefire whiplash turn of the head to "puppy" and a reliable response even under distraction then you could reintroduce his name, new cue then old cue. I can't remember which trainer has used this method, Patricia McConnell comes to mind but I'm not definite on that.

Link to BAT "Behavior Adjustment Training, or BAT, uses environmental consequences to reward socially acceptable choices. In a nutshell, BAT gives the dogs a chance to learn to control their environment through peaceful means. It’s very empowering to the dog, in a good way." from website. Read the info, the Q&A's and watch the videos. BAT is a very interesting method of training reactive dogs.

That is quite cool. I played it to my dogs. Erik came rushing over to see what the deal was, but Kivi laughed back at me! At least I think it was a laugh. Maybe it was a breathy whiney almost-bark thing. You always have the coolest links. You must spend more time researching the literature than I do! For those unable to watch the video, Panksepp made the point that it wasn't enough or even accurate to say an animal's response is fear. Fear is the emotion, not the response, and the behavioural response is the result of the emotion. He then went on to talk about how basic emotions can be considered "ancestral memories" in that they are tools an animal is born with to help them learn and survive. Parts of the brain that are associated with instinctual emotional actions also mediate punishment and reward systems, and can therefore be punishments or rewards in learning. I got Panksepp's textbook on affective neuroscience for Christmas. It rocks! It is cool isn't it (laughing dogs)!! I spend far too much time on the computer although I read about it originally in Patricia McConnell's book For the Love of a Dog, there is a very brief mention. I bought Panksepp's book as a Christmas pressie for myself but have only dipped into it. Ill need a book to take notes with i think. I'm reading three books at the moment all non-fiction and my brain is rebelling! Yet to watch all the video.

When we first start training our dogs we are usually facing the dog. When we start heeling we have changed the picture by standing next to the dog. It's possible the dog does not understand the command in the context of the position you are now in, as sit to the dog is usually in front of you and that may be what he's trying to do . You may have to do further training in static positions to help your dog understand what you want. Using a barrier may help give the dog more of an idea of what you want if you continue to have problems.

Tickling rats would be a fun job! But realising they're laughing and then thinking of using the transducer so humans could hear the sounds made, that's amazing. I wonder how many other responses/signals we miss out on because we don't hear them, or rather listen for them? Patricia Simonet has researched dogs laughing and the effect of a recorded laugh on shelter dogs. http://www.petalk.org/DogLaughSpect.html http://www.petalk.org/LaughingDog.pdf

Much better than out of sight stays round the back of the nearby shed!

I've just been looking on his website. http://www.johnrogerson.com/index.html He has some interesting articles on there. I'm interested to hear what he continues on with in that clip. Will put it on the wish list perhaps!

If you put a dominant dog over a bitch it will calm him down!! Can't feed my dog a pig's ear as this will blood him! Um sorry what about the lizards and possums he kills? Don't teach your dog agility as it will jump over the fences. And of course the food one: sure the dog will work for you, you've got food. We have to keep the check chain on all the time, we can't control him otherwise, he'll just run out the door. If you teach your dog to tug he'll get savage. The dog's barking at you because you're doing something unhealthy, like smoking. He's just trying to protect you. We lock the dog ouside every time the grandchildren come over. Me: does he get a bone or something nice for being outside? A: no, he likes to watch through the window and make sure the kids are safe. He barks if anyone cuddles them. And yes, as mentioned before the "locked jaws" of bull breeds. Clenched jaw on my part to stop me saying anything most of the time. It's amazing how long some people have been around dogs yet how ignorant they remain.

Congratulations Lisa!

Double post - sorry.

I'd also be considering getting her used to the ladder being set up and taken down. Some ladders are a bit clunky with noise as they're set up. Being for S&R you probably might encounter both wooden and metal ladders so you might need both types or at least a mock up of both. Some metal ladders have round steps instead of flat steps too but I'd be thinking they'd use flat steps for dogs.

:p Love it!!!

I've just googled maremma images and most look fairly typical of maremmas until this one. This dog looks very similar to the one pictured in the Herald Sun story.

I like dipping into Lindsay's books!! Although I usually find I am lead far away from where I started as I become further intrigued by something else on the page and keep reading and suddenly much more time than I thought has past. I'm not sure sometimes how much actually sticks in the brain though! Maybe Aiden could provide a translation on the facing page - like Chaucer's english into modern english! @ m-j - relax and listen to the mellifluous tones of Aiden extrapolating on Lindsay's tomes in an audio book!

Just coming at this from a different angle in thinking that he may actually be showing some stress by chewing the sticks. As it only happens when at the beach or dog park he may be a slightly anxious in these areas and relieves the stress by tearing a stick apart. Or he may just really enjoy the rip, tear and crunch that a stick can give. Some dogs also explore with their mouths and if your dog is a youngster this may also be the case. Stick fragments can irritate the bowel and cause irritation leading to diarrhoea. Teach your dog to swap the stick for another toy or a treat. Don't let him sit down and stop with the stick, encourage him to keep moving and keep interacting with you.

I'm pretty sure Port Stephens Club trains at Raymond Terrace (I've been to their grounds!). Found it!! Club details

HW has been around in the RSPCA for years. I remember him coming out with quite impractical statements 20 years ago when I lived in Vic about dogs and dog training. Why hasn't someone kicked him out of there?

Would it not also depend on the type of stress and innate and learned responses to stress of the individual? Like if you're out walking in the bush and seeing a snake like object you have that momentary freeze while your brain processes what it is. If you are interested in snakes you may pursue it to learn what type of snake it is and only be mildly aroused with no obvious physical stress. If you're phobic of snakes you may run before your brain even acknowledges whether it is or not a snake and stay alert and "stressed" for some time or even days. If your brain has processed that it is no threat ie just a stick you may walk on but with an elevated heartbeat and hypervigilant senses for a short while until you achieve homeostasis. And then there's this study if that is any help. Oxytocin can also induce bradycardia. But I'm not a scientist so I might be on the wrong track! ETA: change produce to induce

Just take him to the dr. My son has just been in hospital for a week with an infected finger which needed surgery and continues to need ongoing care for the next few weeks and has caused him to have to resign from his job. And he's only 19!

I'm not sure she's actually published them yet. Have you checked her website? www.dragonflyllama.com

Details would be good!! Tell us all!!

Some great posts from Kelpie-i and others!!

That is pricey!! Last time I looked at the KP course (I'm going from memory here, it was a little while back) you had to have a mentor that you had to work with and the only approved mentor in Australia was in SA (?) at that time. I don't think it's a franchise. This quote from the website: "Alumni support: Graduates of the program become Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partners, joining a network of expert trainers with a common local and national marketing infrastructure and ongoing opportunities for learning". It would be pretty good though I'm sure! But maybe not at the moment for me.

A year! That's gone fast! So glad that you found each other and she's helped heal your hearts. She's a gorgeous looking goldie!