Poppy's mum

Amazing! Thanks for posting :)

I've just started the Delta course (May). I'm enjoying it immensely - as are my dogs. Everyone is taking a turn getting trained for my Basic Skills video (apart from old blind Pansy). Learning lots of interesting stuff - it is pretty intensive though with quite a lot of reading and some big assignments. The lecturers are very accessible - you have all their contact details. To some extent it duplicates some of the content of my Animal Studies Cert II TAFE course, but in much more depth. It all seesm very professionally run to me. I'd recommend it but I can't comment on the other course suggested. Delta does an intro weekend - I think there's another one in September. Try before you buy (the whole course. I think the weekend is $350). It's not cheap! All the details are on the Delta Society website.

Sounds like my well-trained mob. Ginger invites herself on the bed but only when feeling sick or in the aftermath of a dental. She knows the rules. And no-one on the bed before 5.30am. It used to be no-one on the bed but Ginger offered herself as a footwarmer. Who could refuse at 5.30 on a freezing morning? She's shaped me to perfection. I've learnt the value of flexibility, particularly when you're sick! :)

So clever! I love the sleeve and bedsock ideas. I have trouble getting decent fitting coats for my littlies, even when custom - made. Brilliant. Isn't this "buy nothing new month"? Great start. There should be a recycling, upcycling thread somewhere!

More than one instance = time to report in my books. EVERYONE knows you can't let dogs roam out of your property. Must be on lead in the street. These are serial offenders - the owner/s I mean. OP, you have gone above and beyond in the interests of neighborliness. But now it is a safety issue, as you predicted. I grew up when dogs sat out the front of their places on the footpath. As a child, I was bitten two or three times by unfriendly dogs I was trying hard to avoid eg by crossing the road and trying to act calm. Those days have gone. Long gone. Recently the local newspaper had a report of a foster carer charged with an offence by Council when her (over friendly) off-lead foster charged another dog at the off-lead park. That is an offence. This is far worse.

Oops, always a risk I guess. I put in a 'large' which works fine for both the greyhound and the chis (plastic clear flap). At the time I was looking, I read some reviews of dog doors somewhere which considered things like: would they be noisy at night (for example); did the flap blow up in strong wind? how heavy is the door - some have more heavy, metal doors. Might be worth a search (or go with the installer person's recommendation. He wouldn't put them in if they didn't work OK). I ended up with a common brand you can get at Petbarn but I'm very happy with it. Got locked out once and considered crawling through the dog door - figured my hips wouldn't fit through - it wouldn't be that easy to do but kids and skinnies no doubt could. At my place they'd be faced with four unhappy dogs though. Love the dog door - great invention.

There are those absorbent wee pads for puppies - probably better than newspaper. Some come with an "attractant" too. I've seen them at Petbarn. Mum's poodle goes under the garden table out of the rain. One of my chis has a rubber doormat outside under cover because I have a big back awning. Not sure how she got 'trained' to a rubber doormat but it's easy to hose off etc She uses it in all weathers because she has a grass allergy. She most definitely wouldn't go out in the rain. The others don't care a jot, including the old blind chi. Lots of towel drying the last two days! Just as well I was home, not at work. Edit to add: you need only use it in the really bad weather, not all the time. That rain was pretty violent. Alternatively, think about the "shelter" idea as one of the other posters said.

That is interesting! I never saw myself as the owner of a large breed until Tielle the greyhound came along...now I want to try more. I guess if you've never owned a small breed, the unfamilar is always less appealing. Also, they are relatively easily damaged so not ideal for dog parks these days. That is a bit of a con in many people's eyes. Maybe it's a bit like the people in my TAFE class who say "I hate cats" - none of them have ever owned a cat so they don't know what a special experience that can be - and not all that different from dog ownership despite the "cats have slaves" thing. Mmmm, interesting. I'm currently fostering an iggy and a greyhound. The grey is adorable. Can give you more info if you may be interested!! The ark is full at my place, I can assure you! My dogs are mostly old now - but if past experience is anything to go by, they will be long-lived. (Chi is 15 and 14 respectively; terriers 14 and 9; grey is 6). Always good to keep your eye out for a home though :)

"Are you a dog walker?" "That sure is a mixture you have there". "One of each colour!" Usually only walk the grey and the two terrier mixes (a black grey, a tan short-legged long-backer and a blond fluffy). Or one chocolate coloured chi and the two terriers. Generally, they seem to think it strange that anyone walks three dogs and isn't a dog walker :laugh: Edit for sp.

That is interesting! I never saw myself as the owner of a large breed until Tielle the greyhound came along...now I want to try more. I guess if you've never owned a small breed, the unfamilar is always less appealing. Also, they are relatively easily damaged so not ideal for dog parks these days. That is a bit of a con in many people's eyes. Maybe it's a bit like the people in my TAFE class who say "I hate cats" - none of them have ever owned a cat so they don't know what a special experience that can be - and not all that different from dog ownership despite the "cats have slaves" thing.

Favourites: Chihuahuas, Poodles, English Setters, Silken Windhounds, Greyhounds, assorted cross-breeds... Breeds I am unlikely to own: big hairy breeds (too lazy to groom eg OESD, Afghan) Giant breeds (too short lifespan/too small car), dribbly breeds with those long lip flaps like Bloodhounds (I have an issue with speckled walls and drool generally). I'm surprised that chis get such a bad rap and so many people generalise their bad experiences. We have had three chis from the rspca, two old ex-breeders from breeders and one from a woman in the street (who said we'd give it a better home than she could - she'd rescued it off the Anzac Bridge years before) and all were exceptionally smart, not yappy, not snappy and they really wove their paws around your heart, so much so that I couldn't picture life without one. Pretty much the same experience with and number of poodles...also an unpopular breed. Is it just the way you keep them/train them, do you think? We've had a wide variety of ages in that lot.

Loved the pics! gorgeous brood - they grew up so handsome!

This is the link for the paper - I couldn't find it on the website but a friend sent it to me. Doesn't matter if you agree or disagree, let them have your views. The PTS statistics and imponding rates etc are in the appendices - very interesting appendices. http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/documents/Information/Companion%20Animals%20Taskforce%20Discussion%20Paper%20May%202012.pdf edit to correct number error!

Colour Tone Colour Contrast Colour Code Colour Shade Colour Tint Colour Card Colour-me-pink (red, grey, blue, black, gold etc) or just read the Dulux colour card for exotic colour names :laugh: Edit to add: congrats on the babies - pictures??

Sorry. Shameless bump for a good cause.

Great for teaching self-control and release. Poppy even cottoned on to the principles eventually (6yo rescue grey with no prior training at all). DVD shows you her training an adult dog, too. Like the others, I'd recommmend it. Don't think you can get discount copies anywhere unfortunately

No, that wasn't all you were saying. You referred to a trainer and made an incorrect statement about the advice they supposedly gave you. I made a joke (I was certainly not trying to ridicule you LOL) because not only did I find what you said a bit absurd but I also don't understand what is that bad about a trainer recommending a bark collar anyway. I also get a bit tired of the assumption made by people that we aren't "positive" in the training methods we use. I not only find it incorrect but a bit insulting. Besides, the old positive vs negative debate is pretty tired. I know what I was saying. I prefer R + Not sure why that is a problem for you. As for "Advice supposedly given" I am speechless at you inferring that I might be lying! When it is clear you have no issue with using aversive devices - "bark collars" if you prefer to call them that. My post was information. I had no intention of attracting this kind of personal attack by exercising my right of free speech. You have to let other views be heard in a public forum occasionally.

Yes, Stan's Mum (and Weasels) I was a little shocked that I should be ridiculed for a comment about the use of aversives by a trainer - when all I was pointing out was that some trainers (Delta) work on a positive model. I'm happy for this to be the end of it. I think it would be unproductive to comment further.

Just talking from my experience years ago - I had a wee silky cross who was a bit of a barker. He wanted to sell me one of those electric shock collars for her. I didn't buy it and didn't go back.

I think if someone gave the "Honours Student" the useful feedback from this forum, it would imporove the standard of her work immensely and save her from submitting such a flawed piece of work at University level. I can't see a student at that level being crushed by honest (if sometimes outspoken) criticism. That's certainly not the way lecturers look at it. It's not like primary school where it's sometimes thought every child must win a prize and never be criticised for poor work or they will be blighted for life.

I can't help but agree that many of the questions were loaded, starting with the "choose your favorite dog". "Choose one dog" would have been adequate. Then there were the illogical bits - do you walk/jog with your dog? Yes. Does it run faster than you/same speed etc? Actually, my dog and I do not run together. Ever. She's a greyhound - I'd guess, at a stretch, that I probably can't run 70km per hour. (Just kidding on that one!) No survey is perfect but a little more thought to the questions would have made it less irritating. Seemed the underlying mindset was that owners overfeed their favorite dogs and feed them when they beg etc Perhaps it was assumed the raw feeders didn't and so it wasn't relevant to them? As for characterising dogs as "Gourmets" "Beggars" or "Good Dogs" etc oh dear! None of those categories was relevant but there was no other choice.

Anyone know of any training happening in Sydney? Terry Ryan or any of the others. Missed Bob Bailey unfortunately. Saw Ian Dunbar though.

I have used and wholeheartedly recommend Natalie Watson... http://www.whatadogneeds.com.au/contact.htm I tried her recently - she was booked up till July. You could check out the Delta Society website for an accredited trainer in your area. She referred me to another Delta trainer. They are all positive training - no shock collars etc

A friend has asked me to put a submission in - after speaking with Clover Moore's office. I gather they are desperate to show that there is some support for the various views (sorry, haven't read it yet). Given the slow gestation period and this probably being the only chance, it's time to put in (individual or group) submissions, canvas your local member and publicise it with your vet. Everyone makes a difference. Closing date 1 July.

Never had a problem! They refunded instantly when I wasn't happy.try for another customer rep maybe?