Greytmate

Your friend should ask for the dogs back. It was probably a bad idea to transfer the dogs into the ownership of a syndicate and then sign the chips over into somebody else's name, but I don't think we really know the whole story there. The friendship might already be ruined and there's nothing you can do.

If you think a good quality GSD pup can be bought for a $300, why do you think registered breeders are selling them for $1500? You say you support registered breeders, but your actions show that you don't put much value on what they do. Most dogs end up in the pound because they didn't meet owner expectations, not because of their breed. Your friend already has quite unreasonable expectations on what a GSD pup should cost and that doesn't auger well.

You don't need to approach the dog. But you should inform council or the owners, and ask that it be contained. How bad will you feel if this dog gets hit by a car or bites a child or somebody else's pet? That would be worse than it being pts in the pound. If my dog ever gets out I hope people don't think they are doing it a favour by allowing it to roam the streets.

Just wanted to add - With negative reinforcemnt and correction you would use the minimum correction necessary to achieve your aim. This varies greatly with individual dogs, so you have to determine what is appropriate for the sensitivity of your own dog before doing this. Or you could get somebody experienced to help you to determine that. With many dogs, a verbal correction is enough.

You are doing ok so far, it does take time and it will be easier in the weeks after the operation. The only good long term solution to this is to tackle both dogs, because as long as the older one does this, the younger is likely to continue. You have chosen to use a positive method so far, I would suggest that this problem would be better dealt with negative reinforcement. Slow down your walk through the house and give a correction if the dog sniffs and goes to take the position on the way out. Don't wait for the leg lift, you will be half a second too late. Luckily kelpies are large enough dog that you will get time to put in the correction before it's too late. Dogs always sniff and shuffle before leg lifting, so you need to watch very closely so you don't miss it. Use white vinegar to clean up any old smells, as it breaks down the enzymes.

That is a really good point. There are only a small number of qualified canine chiropractors in Brisbane. There are some qualified canine physiotherapists that work slightly differently. Rowan is a qualified chiro as well as his other veterinary qualifications and is also known for his acupuncture and his holistic style. I've never seen him, but over the years there have been so many good reports. At the very least, people should check the qualifications of who they are using. Personally I would always take a conformation or movement problem to an orthopedic surgeon for their opinion before starting chiropractic treatment, if it was something my own vet couldn't deal with. I'm not sure why your breeder recommended a chiro if you have not yet seen a vet about it. Not all leg problems can be fixed with chiropody.

except Corvus actually thanked everyone and told them their input was valuable I think it goes more like... Dog people: we chuck tantrums when we're told stuff we don't like We can decide for ourselves whether ultimately the research is valuable or damaging or ineffective. We've been told our dogs tend to be timid. We have been told timid, oops, shy is the opposite of bold. We have been told that a group of guardian breeds (not one or two in particular) tend to be bold. We have also been told that toy dogs tend to be timid because their size means they are under more pressure? It isn't making any sense, and instead of explaining further, Corvus has decided to spit the dummy, not us. We are still discussing it. Love the variety of words and subtle differences of expression in those breed standards. It shows thought, study and and appreciation for the various behavioural traits and mannerisms. Some breeds of dog might be bold. Some breeds are dignified and laid back and their tendency to behave in this very desirable manner deserves a better label than timid or shy.

You said guardian breeds. I'm not sure how you group your dogs. There is no obligation to entertain us, but there is no obligation for you to start a provocative topic either. You give no justification for your use of 'bold' or 'timid', and have given us no confidence that you are putting any effort into clearly communicating your ideas. 'Oops' doesn't cut it. So we will have to wait and see whether the work you are doing is valuable, or if it is counter-productive to some of our aims. I have no idea why you have turned so hostile, people have been very polite in discussing the topic.

EBay is a marketplace, not a seller. You might get a good product, one that is out of date or one that has been stored in bad conditions. It all depends on which seller you buy from. I tend to buy those things from Priceless Pets because they are a vet/retailer buying through the normal supply chain from Bayer. Some eBay sellers would be buying in this way too, but some eBay retailers are dodgy operations that can disappear overnight. It isn't just the money that is a concern, it is having the right product for the dog. I don't know if there is counterfeit products around, but I would not be surprised if there was as there is a lot of money in those products.

I think it is naive to suggest that boldness is not a complimentary quality and timidity is. So what are we here for again? Are you going to answer my question, which is '"which particular breeds scored highly as being bold?" I have refrained from saying a lot because I'm still waiting for an answer on that. Then I will have more of an idea of what your perception of boldness is, in order to discuss what this thing is that you are talking about. Yes oops. Its sad that scientists get no training on how to avoid problems with their communication style alienating/boring/confusing people. I am interested in yoru research Corvus, but this sort of thing is just getting annoying. Do you really need our opinions at all?

Huge topic Fifi. I believe the dogs are selected for the traits that allow them to thrive in a kennel environment. Those that don't are culled. But behaviorists have argued that I am wrong and it is only the socialisation (institutionalisation) of race reared greys that makes them different from other breeds in the way they engage with their environment.

Corvus, imagine doing a study on canine nutrition and coming in here and starting a topic "Why are gun dogs so fat?" All of your research will be wasted if people don't want to hear it.

You could do that. I will put it down to scientists being quite ok at research but generally quite poor at communicating ideas effectively.

Another excellent post Aloysha Corvus, I guess if the question had been worded "Do sighthound owners find their breeds have a tendency to timidity" It would not have felt like you had reached a forgone conclusion based on a generalition. fifi well not really... because it was an exploratory question taht was based on research she had done that showed sighthounds to be lower on the scale of "boldness" having found that, why would she come on here and ask that question? She wanted to see if anyone had ideas on why they might be lower on the boldness scale - not people opinions on whether they were or not. She didn't do a very good job of communicating that intent. I value Corvus's research highly, I'm just trying to get my head around it all. Alternative ways to describe concepts like boldness, timidity and sensitivity should be discussed, as the words are loaded with a deeper meaning and carry a clear value judgement.

Corvus, what are the guardian or other breeds that scored highly in boldness? There are certain behaviours in dogs that greyhounds don't tend to have for various reasons. Protecting territory isn't usually a high priority for instance. I think whenever we talk dog behaviour, terminology is sometimes a massive obstacle that is not always overcome.

I don't think the opposite of boldness is timidity. What are the breeds that scored highly in boldness?

That can mean he isn't hungry enough to eat them. You really want to avoid this happenning. Give him a bone to eat at the start of his meal when he is more inclined to want to eat it, and remove any leftovers before he is allowed to leave the crate or room you have him in. Feeding this way not only helps to avoid fights, it allows you to properly monitor what the dog is eating. When dogs get access to each other's food, one of two things usually happens. Either one dog is happy to give up the food to avoid a conflict and the other dog gets fat, or they decide to challenge each other to it. Over the dog's lives there will be subtle changes that mean that a challenge could happen one day, even between dogs that are mates. That is why we hear of sad stories like the ACD. But mostly dogs that are kept in a way where they can eat in peace will not develop the defensive food guarding habits that a dog might have if it feels anxious about food.

It is about you more than the dog. You train the dog, you control (or fail to control) the dog's environment. Is this thread so you can brag you trained your dog to piss on people you hate? You have told us quite enough about your personal life that we can see it is probably contributing to the behaviours you describe, many of which show an unhealthy level of anxiety. It's your choice as to whether to take the advice and get help, it's your dog at risk. If the dog's behaviour escalates, it will become a liability.

That is a bit dangerous. I would just keep dog and children well apart and see the behaviourist. How else do you teach a dog that it mustn't react to children taking food away? Obviously it needs to be a very controlled situation but i don't see any other way. I'm not a professional dog trainer but thats the way i've always done it - of course if the dog is so reactive that you not 100% sure you can control the situation then it wouldn't be the way to do it(and if you've let it get to that stage well you need education on owning dogs), but a 7 yr old can easily step back if the dog starts to show aggressive body language(the owner needs to be telling their daughter to stop and move away and be close enough to step in between the child and dog if need be). The owner needs to decide whether such measures are possible or not. As i say, i'm not a professional dog trainer so my comments are for entertainment purposes only LOL Don't let children near a dog that is eating. As others have said, you can teach a dog not to react to adults taking food away, by swapping for high value treats. However, this advice is not for anyone who is not getting proper guidance tailored to their dog and their family. It is extremely dangerous to do something that is both annoying for the dog and the cause of many dog bites in homes. It is not a good idea to post advice about dealing with dangerous dogs for your own entertainment. Dog aggression towards children is not something that can be solved with online advice. The advice to see a professional is the only responsible advice you can give in situations where a dog is behaving aggressively towards people.

That is a bit dangerous. I would just keep dog and children well apart and see the behaviourist.

That all sounds a bit normal. I would give a warning growl too if somebody pulled my ears while I was asleep, wouldn't you? I put mine in their kennels to have their bones and remove any leftovers.

Reece Fry appears to think the misconception is that Staffies are as dangerous as Pit bulls, as opposed to the misconception being that specific breeds are dangerous and subsequently all animals of a specific breed should be treated universally. No he doesn't. He criticises the government and the misconception he speaks about is one where people think 'bull' in the name is a bad thing. Yes, other breeds could be included. It is up to the people behind those breeds to let people know that the dogs they breed are not a danger to the community. Mr Fry is doing the only sensible thing he can do. It is no use being angry at the Staffy club, the Amstaff club, the ANKC or even the RSPCA. This isn't their fault.

It's still school holidays isn't it.

Who denigrated another breed? The only quote on this page refers to a pitbull's head being larger than a staffy head. That isn't denigration, it is fact. This really has nothing to do with the ANKC. There has been other laws regarding other breeds in the past, and it is the people that own the breed that have got laws changed. The ANKC is a registering body for purebreeds, and that is about it.

When will the ANKC breed clubs get their heads out of the sand and start protecting all dogs regardless of their preferred breed?????? It's a shame that pitbull owners didn't have their breed recognised by the ANKC. You can't expect the ANKC to involve itself with things that don't concern its members.