Pretty Miss Emma

I think the fake grass ideas are a good option but you'll have to train him to use them. If he's paper trained I wouldn't be putting paper down everywhere as he'll just go where ever there is paper!! If he is actually using the paper to toilet on maybe put a small bit of it on the fake grass so that he starts to associate that area as the toilet. But if you're wanting him to use the pet loo's as the toilet you'll have to use them in exactly the same way as if you were taking him outside when training (ie. after eating/sleeping/playing and probably every 30-60 min while awake) and make sure he doesn't get off the pet loo until he's actually done all his business. So it will probably be worthwhile keeping him on lead to do this at first so he doesn't have an opportunity to wander off elsewhere to toilet!

I wouldn't leave my dog in an unattended vet clinic. However have been lucky enough that I had a couple of vets who used to take Emma home (both to give me a break from the stress of her treatments and so they could monitor her closely during the evening) during the stressful glaucoma times. And obviously more than happy to leave them in a clinic that was manned 24 hrs.

My friends recommend Kepala - but I have a feeling they may be booked out. I had Mornington Lodge as my back-up emergency place when I went away, but I had a dogs with lots of medical issues and they were more than happy to deal with her and knew the specifics of what to look for. So I was looking for somewhere special! I haven't used any though, so this is just word of mouth recommendation.

After my beautiful Emma!! Who is no longer with us, so now I love my DOL name even more! Her name was always Emma, but when I adopted her from RSPCA she got called Miss Emma (because she was a lovely old lady!), and she's soooooooo pretty! therefore... "PrettyMissEmma" :D

To start with I bridged the moment Kenzie had seen something, and after doing it that way for a while I then started to put it on cue. If I saw something I knew she would react to I'd say "look at that dog" and point to it and the moment she looked bridged and rewarded. I'm still trying to get to going through CU (amongst the 8 million other trainign things I need to look at for her!!!). But this system has worked really well for us and now if I say "look at that dog" she looks everywhere to see it so that she can get a treat. I'm not yet to the point of being willing to fade the treats, although frequency is a little less (this is as much about my braveness moreso than her response!!). But yesterday we saw the fruits of our labour!! Had a 1.5hr walk - bikes rode past us, people jogged past us and there were several dogs being walked where we went. We kept our distance (which is much less than it used to be - now we can be within 2m of a bike or jogger, still need about 6-10m for other dogs) but she didn't react to any of them!!! And she wasn't wearing her halti (which she has needed in the past, yesterday was a test run for us!)!! But each time she sat down and watched the thing go past or in the case of the dogs kept glancing at them then looking at me - but she wasn't phased by any of it!!!! Yay!!!! Only dog nerds would get this I'm thinking, oh well!!!

I started training Kenzie the day I brought her home. She got no food in a bowl for months!! All her dry food was "earnt" and she knew sit, drop, stand, come, ta (give), shake (both paws) and hi-5 (both paws) within a couple of weeks! (She did later "unlearn" some of these when she decided to see how far boundaries could be pushed!!!) The only other way she got her food was in a kong or treat ball when she was learning to spend time on her own in a crate or playpen. Oh, and when she met new people and dogs. It was great when we went to puppy school (about 2-3 weeks after I got her) as we kept winning heaps of competitions because we'd done so much practice of lots of the behaviours at home!! So you can't start too early! Think about some easy, basic, foundation behaviours that are important to you and that are ok for puppies to do (I don't like baby puppies doing things like "beg" or lots of jumping as they need to grow a bit more and get more muscle and bone strength for some of those types of things). Start the moment puppy comes home, and enjoy lots!!!!!

I can't remember if I signed up to a particular name of insurance but I know it's through "1300 Insurance" and I think it's about $32 per month but I've chosen $250 (I think!) as the excess. Went up about $1 at the start of this year. Haven't had to claim so can't comment on anything like that. I figure that seeing as though Em wasn't insured (too old when I got her) and I forked out about $10000 in the 6 months before she died, Kenzie will never need her insurance seeing as though I'm paying for it!!! Better safe than sorry!

I would have asked the BC owners to move their pup further out from the group and to get it doing exercises that would get it focussing on them not on the other dogs - so even if it is just lots of simple behaviours in quick succession and "look at me's", etc. It sounds like they could also do with playing Look At That. Like others have said, it's self rewarding so it got what it wanted. Sounds a bit like it may need to do some more connecting with it's owners so that it understands that all good things come from them rather than when it wants - but that is the instructors job to help them with that. I'd just be keeping my distance from it so that you can do your work uninterrupted!!

Yay for no parvo! Kenzie had food poisoning as a pup, and I was convinced that she was going to die. I literally think that for 2 nights I didn't really sleep because I was convinced that she would just stop breathing (don't know why this was my conclusion!) - she had been doing nothing but eliminating everything that went in to her so scary when little babies get sick like this. Hoep your little one comes leaps and bounds now!!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Kenzie munchkin!!! You've had an eventful year of many good and a few sad moments. You've started coming leaps and bounds in your training and are looking to become a super little agility dog! You're going to make a wonderful Education dog one day and I don't think it will be too far away. Maybe there will even be an obedience trial thrown in soon! And you're a loving little soul. You were the eyes and excitement for your beautiful "sister" Emma for some time when she couldn't see anymore and was too unwell to go out for her long walks, and then we both lost her and without you there is no way I would have managed. But I think a little part of her is living inside you! I hope you enjoyed your birthday and that you had a fun walk in the park at lunchtime, and got to spend the whole day with me. And you even got presents from more than just me!!! You must be weasling your way in to the hearts of a few more than just me!!!! Kenzie and her birthday stash!

I would be waiting outside until he goes. At only 8 weeks I would be taking him out every 30-60 min & after eating/playing/sleeping & just wait him out until he goes. And if he also has accidents when you get home ho outside to see him nd don't let him in until he's gone to the toilet. I never used paper with kenz (more to the point, even if it was down she wouldn't use it!) & I've heard some say it can make training slower but I don't really know. They do prefer surfaces that are softer (like grass). Maybe if you can create a small area in your yard that even has fake grass that might help. But I'd definitely be waiting pup out & not letting him in until he's toileted. And do lots of praise & rewards every time he goes outside.

Kenzie will happily catch a tennis ball, but will let treats hit her in the head and then eat them off the floor!!! She can catch the treats - when she wants to!!!

When I had Emma PTS a couple of months ago my vet was in tears when she told me there really was no treatment for her, then with us as she gave Em the injection, she was then in tears again when we finally left the clinic & again when I went to pick up her ashes. It's nice to know my dog was so special to someone else. The other times I've had to go through this there hasn't been the same reaction from the vets at the time. And that's ok. As one of my vets told us she sees it as being a great privilege to be able to help an animal in this way when it's time comes, so it isn't necessarily a sad moment.

Agree with Persephone. Get it looked at asap. Don't mess around with eyes. If you get on to things early they can be fixed but if left too long it can be irreparable. If you're not happy with what the vet says visit a vet opthalmologist - best money you'll pay to be happy with a diagnosis!!!

My old dog Emma it was love at first sight! I saw her in a pen at the RSPCA - went home and apparently spent about 6 hours talking about this beautiful dog I'd seen. next day visited a friend and did the same thing - so she made me go back to actually meet Emma! So I met her and spent about 45 minutes with her in a 'meeting yard" and from that moment knew that she was my dog - she'd chosen me really!!! Literally from the moment I took her from the kennels she never left my side! She was 9 then, and we only had 3.5 years together. But 3.5 years with a dog like that may well be better than a life time!!! Kenzie was chosen for me by her breeder. I loved her from when I brought her home. But I think I fell in love with her when Emma started having health problems (K was probably about 7 months old then) - and it was because she was so tolerant of everything I had to do with Em and that there wasn't all the time in the world for her and she was so caring and loving towards Em. that's when I knew that Kenzie was also a really really special girl!!!!

When Kenzie had a tummy bug as a baby she was on chicken and rice for a week because she just couldn't keep anything in. Maybe she just needs longer on the chicken and rice??? I've also now tried the mashed pumpkin/sw potato with Kenz and it works well. But really I don't know. Good luck and I hope her tummy gets better quickly!

I don't have a "show dog", but I would like to get a dog that I could show. But, getting a dog that I could own outright (not co-own) is so difficult. I'm not really keen on co-own, but most breeders of my breed will only consider co-owns with people who aren't already in "show world". Also, I have to be honest, when I was looking for my current dog I went to shows to try and meet breeders and see their dogs and develop any sort of communication/relationship. It was not a particularly pleasant experience. There were literally 2 that would speak to me and give me any advice about pupppy purchasing. And the shows I have been to since haven't really been particularly positive (mainly due to the comments I hear people making about other dogs - observations based on the breed standard are one thing but downright nastiness is another). A friend of mine is currently showing her puppy, she knows that it isn't going to get a BOB. But I do feel sorry for her when she tells me stories of the other exhibitors coming up to her and telling her everything that is wrong with her pup, and I think 2 judges have pretty much said to why even bother entering. She just wants to have a good time with her pup and would like some good feedback on her - not just everything that is wrong. However, I'm still investigating my options and would like to try my hand at it. But it does come across as a difficult "world" to break in to and you really need to never listen to anything going on around you. I'm sure that it isn't always like this, but my experiences as a "member of the public" have been this way and if this is what other people experience then it does become off putting. I think public perception needs to change to increase the number of show people as well as ease of access to new people - I think a lot this comes down to the image of current exhibitors, attitudes of breeders (esp. regarding sale conditions) and the way feedback is given to people (from both judges and fellow exhibitors). But that's just from my limited experience as an outsider.

Nekhbet's point about dog club vs real world is something to really consider. Kenzie is the perfect good citizen at dog club can meet almost any dog, however out in the real world is often reactive to almost every dog we see out on the street. She's not too bad at off lead parks, but at the moment she just can't meet any dog in the street but if she saw them at dog club it would be a totally different story. So think about environment, maybe that's playing a bigger part than you thought?

My former housemate told me of a dog she knew that was hanged by it's own collar and since then I've been way too paranoid to leave collars on when I'm not around!!! So Kenzie is also a "naked" dog!!! Like you, I figure I'd rather pay the fine for her not having her tag (she's chipped and registered) than come home to find a dead dog. Yes lots of paranoia I know, but it makes me calmer! :D

I'm loving all these LAT moments!!!! We had one last night where Kenzie was able to tell me that a dog she has very very frequently been reactive to (mainly when it is moving/playing) was running over jumps and through a tunnel and was closer to her than she would like!!!! We were obviously at the perfect distance for her to not feel the need to react, but there was lots of "look the dogs running" and she just did so well!!! One of those moments where you realise that it does work and how far along they can come when you give them a way to "talk" to you!!!!! Yay for everyone who's having successes at the moment!!! :thumbsup:

Currently a solo dog owner - we do have another dog living with us be he's moving out next week, so then I'll be a solo dog owner and really only have one dog in the house. He moved in just after my other dog died so I haven't really had the "gap" of the 2nd dog missing yet. I'm sort of enjoying only having to deal with only one dog. I can really focus on her and it is a bit easier to do things. But I really really want another one, I'm just not sure how ready for it I am - one day I'm saying "bring me a new pup now" and the next day I'm glad there's only one! I think when the other dog moves out next week I'm really going to feel the gap, and I think Kenz is also really going to feel it. So that might help me actually make a clearer decision about when the time is right for a new pup. But, if she's happy and I'm happy then we'll be waiting for a bit! Oh and I do have 2 cats that think they are dogs!!

Hmm, I'm liking the sounds of your herding training!!! Maybe I should send my little girl to you to learn a thing or two!!! Or I could prioritise a time and get her somewhere myself!! Where you do your herding training - how far from Melb? Shae just looks so pretty now, such a wonderous coat!!! I see pics like that and do contemplate that one day I could consider an Aussie!!

I've just heard about Rally-O and I REALLY want it to start up in Vic!!!!

I know it's really tiny, but this is the last photo I have of my 2 girls together ... Emma on the left and Kenzie of the right Old Emma was PTS about 2 months after this was taken. But I do love the photo! It's in the RSPCA Pet Tails book (looks much prettier as a large glossy page!!)

Kenzie currently trains in obedience (sort of!!) and agility. I've started running her to look at getting her endurance title next year. Am also considering taking her to do some herding workshops. I'm stopping at that for now so that there is still some time for a human life as well!!!!