RubyBlue

My dog has to have his bum on something soft. He will back across the room so he can sit and have his bum perched on the very corner of his bed.

Hmm. Based on what you have said I'd have interpreted that differently. Your adolescent dog got into the space of a puppy who was clearly intimidated. Continued to eyeball him (you didn't mention if she was doing any calming signals) then proceeded to flatten him. This was all despite the other dog in the puppys household also warning her to back off.

Looks good. Just noticed a few small mistakes. on your trick page first "bad" game - he can out runt you. Should that be out run? Home page - you refer to the black dog haltie and black dog halter - are they one and the same? Also - Vaccination requirements? Are they C3 or C5?

your unedited post made me lol

No one else has answered this yet so Ill have a go until someone more knowledgeable comes along. Gundogs are mouthy much in the same way that herding breeds like to 'eye' things and move in circles around them and terriers like to chase small fast moving things. When retrieving breeds were used for their original purpose they were selected for their propensity to pick things up and carry them - preferably with out doing any damage to it (hence having a softmouth). Dogs also tend to play with each other using their mouths. Mine are constantly mouthing each other - from all different angles and positions. It sounds to me like your dog is pretty good. It is only occasionally when you revv him up that he loses some self-control. I would guess that this is primarily because he is young. I have a young lab and for the most part now he doesn't feel the need to mouth me unless - like you - I rev him up in a game. Even my 6yo dog will still mouth when I initiate rough and tumble games with her. I basically manage it. Like you have been doing - I immediately end the game if it gets firmer than I think is acceptable. With a young boisterous male it very quickly escalates so I tend to just shove a toy in my pups gob. Hes more than happy to hang on to that whilst I rough house him and it saves my arms - wins all round :) Or alternatively - just don't initiate behaviour you know will lead to something you don't like. With the coming in and slobbering all over you - I would reward a different behaviour (drop, nose touch, whatever you want really) he'll soon twig that your chosen behaviour is more valuable than chomping on your hand and will start offering it when he comes up to you. I should add that photos are mandatory on dol.

All my labs do it. As espinay said it seems to be a speed thing. It seems they prefer a fast walk rather than a slow trot. If I go faster they trot if I go slower they walk.

This sounds like a fantastic idea - a really good compromise

Whoops

There was a rather aggressive dog at our park a few months ago. He didn't actually bite any other dogs but the owners of it were quite abusive of us when we stopped it getting near our dogs. We called the council and police (cause they were getting aggro) and they spent a good 20min trying to catch their dogs before they could get out of there. We all filed a report with the council as it had gone out of its way to go for 3 dogs 2 of which were puppies. As none of the dogs had any physical injuries they ended up with well over $1k worth of fines for 'not having effective control' over either dog, dogs wernt registered either. I would say that not having 100% recall is an exaggeration by someone disgruntled with the council. If you asked the owners of the dog I described before they would say that the dog was only playing and we were trying to hurt it or some such. You need to be able to acknowledge and prevent your dog from doing anything listed on the rules on the entrance to the park. My puppy will race over to a group of dogs when first entering a park. This can be perceived as rushing so I keep him on lead or now he's better undervoice control whilst walking him calmly up to the group. Once he's met them then usually it's fine for him to run around like an idiot. I also prevent him running up to the gate to meet new people/dogs. It's just about being polite.

The dog may have been hassling someone else and a complaint made about them. I see huge value in dog parks but don't use that particular one cause there seems to be a larger than normal proportion of people who are completely blase about their dogs behaviour. When I was last in there some time ago I had an argument with a guy who dropped his acd off and headed off to get a coffee. The dog was trying to get through the fence to get to him. It ended up with me saying that if he left the dog there I'd take it to the rspca as being abandoned. He just didn't get it. And then there is the overwhelming number of people who believe their dog is friendly....there are a few nuts at the dog park I go to too but they are fewer and further between.

To the best of my knowledge ChuckandSteve the dog park is still closed. The gate was padlocked and someone keeps cutting the chain. The council will fine for not having effective control - you have to encounter a pretty nasty ranger to accept nothing by 100% recall. My dogs both have a really really good recall, but it is not 100% - thats simply not realistic. I suspect that the person who told you said it with a bit of a bias towards their side.

This wasn't in glen waverley was it? We were rushed by a bulldog there. Definitely call the ranger. It's not your responsibility to follow up with owners about restraining their dogs. If it turns out they are not so nice people and live close by its best to let someone else (who can clock off) deal with them rather than draw attention to yourself and your puppy.

I think it's Sirius (not 100% sure) That's right. Once I saw it written, I knew it was correct. Thanks :) Dont you guys read Harry Potter? Bit like calling a pet Bella these days - everyone will assume you are a twihard :laugh: I like Radar, Captain, Chief and Major. I also like the idea of naming a pair Mork and Mindy. I tend to have a list and pick the one that suits the personality.

+1

She might end up in a better home.... So - is your dog reactive? Mine have been rushed by little fluffies and terriers. They usually change their mind when they get closer and realise that the odds are against them. I'm sure most dogs have some self preservation instincts. How has Cougar been with the other neighbours dogs? That might give you an idea on how she is likely to react.

Im a bit confused in trying to figure out what your situation is. Is it just when he is walking the dog or does the dog roam all over your property? Is your dog reactive - or are you just playing it safe? If his dog is roaming I'd be inclined to just pick her up and take her to the pound or RSPCA or call them to collect her. It sounds like you are a bit frustrated over the whole situation. Time to take a step back and see what your options are. You can't control his behaviour, and whilst it would be nice if everyone is considerate that wont ever be the case. In my opinion, reporting him to the council for a minor offense is just going to aggravate the situation, and the response so far has been that he has in turn reported you for your dog and I imagine he will now step up his behaviour towards you and your dog rather than backing off and falling into line. The way I see it is to turn it on its head and make it positive. Him mucking about with his dog presents a really good training opportunity for your dog. You can start indoors and slowly build up to where you and your dog are doing some high quality work on your doorstep whilst he is playing with his dog in your yard. Good practice for the other times where other strange dogs may come running up to you whilst you are out walking. You may even inspire him to train his dog ;).

Zebedee - I used to watch it as a kid. There are two whippets around here called 'Speedy' and 'Gonzales'. The guys timing is not very good and both his dogs think they are called 'Yes'. For a fast dog what about Veight or some variation of spelling of? You could have 3 named: 'V8' 'Turbo' and 'Charge' :D

I've tried a lot of different brands but find they are either too rich or I have to feed too much to keep condition on or too expensive or often unavailable. In the end I just keep going back to hills. It seems to and always has seemed to work well for my dogs.

Video cameras are a good idea. In this situation, where he is deliberately trying to stir your dogs (and we are assuming his motivation is to get rid of them) then you will really need evidence of him doing this so if it comes to it it won't just be dismissed as hearsay and you still have the issues of his evidence that your dog is aggro. Probably worth forking out for a good system - you may loose the money anyway on vet bills and being dragged through the courts. Also what about getting enclosed kennels/runs for the dogs? Can you hire some for a few weeks? Not a nice solution for the dogs but may prevent them getting to any bait he throws over the fences - if your yard is anything like mine and pens in the middle of the yard would still be able to be reached with a decent throw then maybe peg some shadecloth around them too. Pens would also prevent any possibility of them getting to him to bite him. Are his dogs yappy and irritating? Maybe report him to the council for that so he has his own issues to contend with too. What do your other neighbours say? Do they know hes doing this? Any chance they can record some or make a formal statement too? Id also confirm with the council/police/courts about exactly what a dog is allowed to do to defend itself and property. I was under the understanding that dogs were allowed to protect themselves, their property and their family (I think I found this on my council website). You need to know exactly where you stand if he stuck his arm over the fence and was bitten. Good time to start building a good working relationship with the people in your local laws dept.

Im on my phone so can't multiquote but I got the dragon last year and was very happy with it. The dogs literally had it for less than 5minutes. I'll post a picture of it after work.The stitching around the foot has failed - very cleanly. Otherwise it looks like brand new - cardboard tags and all. Thanks for the info bout the DVD. I might just get the book.

I think it was discussed in OT. Has anyone had any problems with the GoDog toys with the chew guard. My donkey lost its foot within minutes Its all come apart at the stitching. The labels still attached and nothing else is damaged so I dont think it was treated excessively roughly.... I tried writing an email to them but the email on the back is apparently no longer valid. Also has anyone got either of the control unleashed dvd sets? Are they better than the book? Different to the book? Interesting to watch - I tend to find dvds where someone talks boring, I want to see doing. I only ask cause they're so expensive and Im trying to decide which is better to get.

Mine too. They put on quite a show. On the one occasion she did actually get to a dog walking down the street the moment she crossed the threshold she was back to her usual submissive self and literally threw herself from running to slide the rest of the distance belly up under this dogs nose. I was lucky it was my neighbour who thought the whole thing was hilarious but needless to say learned my lesson. The dogs are now tethered if they are going to be with me when Im gardening in the front yard. I know the front yards that are likely to contain dogs on my usual walks and just cross over to avoid antagonising them and winding up my dogs.

I think that counts more as neglect than not meeting potential. I often have a hard time trying to figure out how to word things that are in my head when putting them on paper. So.. I kinda had a hunch that that was what you were trying to get at....?

What a cute little bundle of shredding teeth and claws. I take it that Mr TSD took photos whilst you cleaned up :p

If my dogs were in a professional situation I have no doubt that they would be very successful. But I don't think it is fair to say that I am only offering them a low potential home. I dabble in competition with them but just because they are not what they could be in the hands of another trainer I don't think they are left unsatisfied - or at least that is my assumption. My last dog too would have been great in a professional situation but he was only a family pet. As kids we kept him physically and mentally engaged and when I became interested in training he became my guineapig. I think he died having had a long and engaging life. I think people often neglect to consider the mental challenges required for learning how to co-exist in a mixed species household/pack. There are a lot of different social cues to be learned and a lot of self restraint required of the puppy. Just think how old the dog was before you stopped having to manage their behaviour in certain situations. I have spent a lot of time around dogs raised in a kennel situation recently and its really making me appreciate the little things that my dogs have picked up which are conducive to us all living comfortably specifically in my household. So to answer your question - I don't think I chose the wrong dogs for my situation. Part of what appeals to me about my breed is their adaptability, resilience and intelligence. I don't think they should be prevented from going to pet homes because they make brilliant working dogs.