Brennan's Mum

I am shocked that people would have the nerve to have a go at someone who didn't put a response to a topic after reading it!

Rather surprised me, too. There's a difference between just reading a post or topic....& making a decision to reply.

People can read posts or topics to their hearts content. That doesn't place some obligation on them to respond.

I quite often read threads but don't feel confident in my knowledge/ or don't have all the knowledge to supply an answer so will read the thread as it grows to build my own knowledge.

Or if I have an answer to add and it has been said by some one else then I feel no need to reply only to repeat what has already been said

Because I can :)

Nice- I may have to get onto sending away for some of them. Hmm I want 3 of the 4 so will need 2 envelopes. They will be perfect to add to my car when I get it

He's gorgeous. Congratulations on your beautiful new family member and special thanks for rescuing a senior

I think they are a little bit excited :laugh:. They are all so adorable :)

Most people seem to know German Shepherds, though the reactions can vary. With kids I get a lot of ''That's a police dog'' (usually said in awe) to which I reply ''Yes the Police and Military do use German Shepherds but my dog is just my friend and not a police dog''.

Ohh yeah- definitely have caught the addiction :D. We had our first lesson in Learners today and did really well. Have to change Down to Drop as our instructor prefers it. She says that if she says ''Down your dog'' then the dogs having been taught to respond to drop won't accidentally respond to her 'Down'. I've always taught down- but luckily it's pretty easy to fix- hardest part will be training me to say drop :laugh:. Today we had a lady watch our class with her aggressive dog- and I kept seeing her standing there all nervous, thinking ''That's no longer my dog :D''.

What if your next instructor says 'drop your dog'? I've never seen this become a problem - don't feel you have to change for that reason! If you prefer down say down. Besides in a trial your dog will have to learn not to respond to commands that the judge calls out, or that the person in the next ring is giving their dog. I like to train my dogs to ignore commands they here from other handlers anyway.

Glad to hear you are enjoying obed!

Yeah that's always been my thought/ experience is that it is what suits the handlers. Most instructors I've known have said you can say anything so long as the dog complies. I did ask her if it really mattered but she said that it does and my dog is a 'smart dog'. I'm kinda wary of her- apparently she is of the belief that the only 'trainable' dog is a Cavalier KCS and not so fond of bigger dogs. Though I spoke to her after as I wanted her to check my R-A-T and she said that Brennan and I did well today.. :).

Goodonya Brennans Mum - better watch out - Obedience can be addictive!

Ohh yeah- definitely have caught the addiction :D. We had our first lesson in Learners today and did really well. Have to change Down to Drop as our instructor prefers it. She says that if she says ''Down your dog'' then the dogs having been taught to respond to drop won't accidentally respond to her 'Down'. I've always taught down- but luckily it's pretty easy to fix- hardest part will be training me to say drop :laugh:. Today we had a lady watch our class with her aggressive dog- and I kept seeing her standing there all nervous, thinking ''That's no longer my dog :D''.

Got to work on R-About turns and 'drop' this week. Also need to work on keeping Brennan sitting. She sometimes will do into a drop when doing a sit or a sit/stay, or when doing a stay she will slightly move. She doesn't do it when we practise at home, but in the class situation she does so really need to work on it.

Was really proud of her today- I caught her looking to me/ giving me eye contact as we were working- and so was praising her.

Hi guys,

I think I can officially join this thread now :laugh:. I began Obedience training (yes at an actual school) on the 25th of March and both me and Brennan are LOVING IT . Because I don't have a car I get a lift with a kind DOLer who has her own dogs in the same Obedience club. I was a bit nervous given Brennan's past fear reactivity but she did great. Our first ever time trying Obedience (when she was 6 months old) she was so reactive that we had to work in a one-on-one setting away from other dogs, and she just had very little interest in working, despite how hard I tried. However, older, wiser, and having been helped by an awesome behaviourist has seen a real change in her. We are actually working in class (that alone makes me proud). On our first day the Instructor said to us that she was looking to me a fair bit, and when I mentioned Brennan was/ had been fear reactive she was in disbelief . She said you couldn't tell :D. The first 2 weeks we were in the 'Puppies/ 6 months and over' class, but at the end of our last lesson we got the all-clear to move up to 'Learners' (which starts at a later time).

I'm sure I'll pop in with some questions. At the moment we use what we learn in class to dictate what we practise the following week. We practise on our walk, at a park on our walk and at home daily.

We've just added 'Stand' to her list of skills, and are currently working on Stay as taught in class and Right-about turns.

No,I don't like anyone feeding my dog treats or food without my permission so would not do it to some one else's dog.

Ooh, forgot to add Nina Ottosson toys are a favourite here :).

Anything squeaky- from Cuz's to Reject Shop cheap squeaks is popular here.

Anything you can fetch is also popular (Wubba/ balls/ Frisbee).

Anything you can tug.

Finally, pets are the new children. And I avoided using the word earlier because this is my most important point. My new child is smarter, happier and more fulfilled than the average pet because he is given every opportunity to be human. He is also completely calm and not anxious because he has been brought up so well. No insecurities at all. Laugh all you want, this subject renews my view that breeders and vets treat animals as stupid lower life forms because they are easier to manage that way. Breeds like Maltese cannot live without people (just the hair trimming alone!). It is our duty to give them the best possible life. Our new child has a very large vocabulary (no, not tone of voice and behavioural habit, but instant memory of the sounds of many words), the ability to plan and play complex tricks on us, and share a joke or emotion which is much more than fitting into a pack or learned response for rewards. The new cruelty is to treat an animal as stupid and inconvenient – I think many posters fit this description without realising it.''

How insulting .

Whilst I sympathise with how hard it is to lose a beloved family member, I do believe the above quote is incredibly insulting to members of this forum.

You do not know what any one else on this forum has been through for their pets. How can you see right to assume just because you are not being supported in your 'Vets= evil' mindset that the members of this forum do not care for or love their dogs, or think their dogs 'stupid'. From time to time members of this forum may fight or disagree- but the one thing you can't deny is that we all love and care for our dogs. If you care to read more of the forum you will see the many different ways people here include their pets into their daily lives.

I'm not a vet, nor am I a breeder, but your insinuation that they treat animals like 'stupid lower life forms' is just rude and insulting to both the vets/ breeders and to their animals.

I hope you find some peace, and I hope that you can take some of the sound advice you have been given here, and will not put your new dog at risk because of some personal vendetta against one vet clinic.

Very scary . I agree with others who have said to be careful, keep a close watch on your dogs and look into security precautions. Take care and I will keep my fingers crossed that it was only a one off and the creep got scared away.

Beautiful :)

Is it too early to nominate for MDBA?

Kirty you are doing such a fantastic job with Stevie. It really is heart-warming to see and read all the work you are putting into her, and how you are going about training her.

The pictures are gorgeous :)

Hi Jules

News of your beautiful clan? Does Holly have a forever home yet? :)

Hi

Just bumping this up. Holly does have a new home, my Mum adopted her in early January :). Mum was looking for a small female dog to join her ten year old Maltese x Shih Tzu Cleo ( the black dog in photo) and her ten year old cat Patra. I saw Holly on Jules FB page, messaged Mum, Jules and Heather at Adelaide All Breed Dog Rescue and had Mum fill out an application form.

Holly is a very well loved little girl. She has been with Mum for just under 2 months and is well and truly spoiled. She and Cleo get along really well, the cat is not fussed at all by her presence. She comes down to stay at my place here in Adelaide quite a bit. I suggested Mum friend Jules on FB so that Jules could stay up to date with Holly pictures. Holly is a bossy little sook- if you stop patting her she will nudge your hand, or sigh and drop her head on you as if to say ''Pat me please'' . We love her- Mum is very pleased with how she has fitted into the family, she loves her girls. I know that Mum would like to try and find some time to meet Jules and her Cav's so that Holly can see Jules. We ( Mum and I) consider Holly to be very lucky because not only is she so loved by us, but she is also so dearly loved by Jules .

ETA- For Christmas Mum gave Cleo and my girl Brennan a 'Princess crown' collar jewel ''Because they are princesses'', the day after she got Holly she went out looking for a Princess crown for Holly but couldn't find one. So she got the star instead because Holly is ''a shining star''.

I paid $40 in metropolitan Adelaide, although could have paid $25 a month later at a ''Desexing Day''

Good luck to all nominated :)

They look fantastic :).

Read this elsewhere and shared it on FB before deciding to share here.

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.

He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble.

At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.

When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.

When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"

"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.

"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.

"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."

The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveller asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence.

As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

"Excuse me!" he called to the man. "Do you have any water?"

"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in."

"How about my friend here?" the traveller gestured to the dog.

"There should be a bowl by the pump."

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.

The traveller filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

"What do you call this place?" the traveller asked.

"This is Heaven," he answered.

"Well, that's confusing," the traveller said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."

"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell."

"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"

"No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind."

Michael Ellis

Ahh yes Michael Ellis is amazing :D.

I hope Nelson continues to improve :)

She is gorgeous

Hmm agree with other posters.

As for Crate training- I never deprive my dog of water whilst she is in the crate. She always has a bowl of fresh water as well as her bedding. If she goes toilet whilst crated I simply wash the bedding/ mat and air out the crate/room.

Royal Canin- Just because it may be well publicised/ well regarded does not mean it is the best food for each and every dog. There are many threads on DOL where DOLers share what they feed their dogs and their opinion on certain foods. Thankfully nowadays we do have such a wide range of dog food available to feed our dogs.

There is no rule that says you have to follow any of these 'fads'.