Stressmagnet

Wanted to thank you for all perspectives brought into this thread. Especially those who posted as groomers for sticking their heads up above the parapet and risking being shot at! The love and concern for the dog's well being shines through in every post. As a first time lab owner in a tropical climate, I wanted to ask because honest to god - I don't know. I'm grateful for the differing opinions and I certainly won't be judging ANYONE for clipping their dog. I'm not a perfect dog owner; I have my idiosyncrasies and my slip ups and my weird preferences. I sincerely asked because all my Labradors in the past have lived through 9 months of MINUS 20-30 C and had 3 months of (maybe) 30 degrees C in the summer. Here, the hot weather has the bigger chunk of the year, and I wasn't sure if there were reasons to clip your Lab of which I was ignorant. Do you clip your lab in summer? Great, you are doing what you think is best. Are you a groomer clipping that dog? Again, sounds like those of you who groom do a damn fine job when asked to do so and take care of your charges. Don't clip your lab? That's great too - because you've told me why and how I need to keep Ernie happy and cool. This summer, I won't. Should I become infirm or unable to brush him - I may clip him. Or not. But at least I'm now informed. It's all good.

I'm starting her puppy school at Point Clare 30/10. I took my AmStaff to Gail and she was great. And the Amstaff was hard work! She runs ongoing classes and more advanced classes so hopefully Ernie will be going for a while yet. It's good for him; it's great for me.

The 'you MUST LOVE MEEE NOW' behaviour with everyone he meets. Trying to get him to sit and leave people ALONE. Not all my friends like dogs. Not all my friends want to be constantly pestered for pats. And the licky licks. We will get there. Would help a lot if people who DO like dogs would stop winding him up when I'm trying to teach him to take people in his stride. Just shut up and calm down people - what's cute at 6 months and 20 kgs won't be cute another 12 kilos and 6 cms from now.

Ok. I've bought an undercoat rake and a slicker brush and a zoom groom. That should do it, right? I got scared offf the fancy whizzy appliances since I do NOT know what I'm doing. I steel myself to trim The Big E's nails (next week). Bathe once a fortnight when he's stinky and leave the rest to a good groom and Mother Nature. And hope the summer is reasonable!

This woman poses as a breeder? If the RSPCA won't do anything, where do we go from here? How many others are out there? My sister breeds Westies. She doesn't make much of a profit, she breeds to better the breed. But she's in Canada, and she had to jump through a lot of hoops to get registered. Are there no such safeguards here?

Thank you. Means a lot, given you have Vizla in your username. I've loved Vizlas but oh Maude, there's no way I could handle all that energy. A labrador doofus is my absolute limit. I had a Weimaraner growing up and I remember my mother weeping at the kitchen sink after he re plumbed the sewage system.

Downloading it and will check it out. Thanks!

He has the makings of a fantastic dog. He's just frustrated at not being allowed to do much and he's a teenager. It's just been 6 years (pre-cancer) since I owned a pup and while the rewards for putting the time in are tremendous, I do have my cranky days. Cancer HASNT made me any better as a human being or mother, I fear! I'm so looking forward to him getting his stitches out and really getting to know him. He's not been with us long enough for me to see his true personality, but what I have seen, I'm liking. I've taken the advice here and watched the video and the quiet non-clicking approach to settling down appears to have more success than clicking. I was obviously doing it wrong. I'm the old dog here! I cannot thank everyone enough - esp those of you who thought I was being cranky and were nice anyway.

It's a real issue here in the Central Cosst NSW. The idiots whose dog charges right up to you while they grin moronically and flap their arms 'oh he's friendly'. Um, if your dog charges at mine - that's canine bad manners. I've a pup right now who does this so - he's NEVER off leash till he learns some respect. I DONT think its cute or endearing that you don't read your dog or signs for that matter. And as for the odd slip up mentioned above? We ALL have them -- it's the habitual offenders that chap my hide. And ensure that off leash areas get smaller and smaller. I so wish there was another fenced off leash area other than Tuggerah as well - fences ensure that its obvious what's on and off leash. Wow. That was disjointed posting. Sorry, great pain meds.

My AmStaff girl was killed by a brown snake this past Feb. Stupid Ex hub couldn't be bothered to mow the lawn (and we have kids). She got the snake - over 1 metre long. I shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn't taken the girls away for the weekend and they'd been outside with her. I miss that dog. I don't miss the f-ex.

I had a purebred AmStaff girl. Best dog with kids and people in general. As far as her size compared to an English - think taller and rangier but muscular. Very powerful dog. She was medium sized with a head in proportion. Have you seen the freaks that are being bred with oversized heads and short blocky bodies? She looked nothing like that - she was athletic and solid.

These are the folks who wreck it for the rest of us.

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate the varied points of view. For now,?ill brush him and make sure he's got refuge from the heat.

Enforced rest - my bad. I meant he gets a measley amble up and down the street for 15 mins 2x a day as opposed to his ranging 30 minute walk plus recall work in the morning and a 40 minute brisk walk/run/walk in the afternoon. I'm just a bit cranky with my kids who are inundating me with homework, it's a bad chemo day and Ernie peed on the carpet because my 11 year old would rather text. Sorry I came across like a snot. Ps. My vet wants me to crate him most of the day. Argh.

Um. I AM walking him on lead for short walks according to the vet's recommendations. It's not enough, he needs to run but that's not happening for another four days. Argue all you want. I ignored a vets advice with my last dog and ended up with burst stitches, and an incontinent dog. I'll practice the video technique and the excellent advice given here, and count the days till he can burn off more energy.

That's sort of what I figured. I have a clamshell pooll for him all ready to go, a kennel in a shady spot and of course, he's welcome inside -- but we don't have air conditioning. I could see if he was an arctic breed then sure - clip him. But I reckon his coat will protect him from sunburn and the kiddy wading pool should to the rest. Thank you!

Hi I've owned labs before but in Canada where the temperature is vastly different. In a few internet groups I've read of lab owners getting their dogs coats clipped for summer. Is this something that will make Ernie's life better in the scorching heat? Or is this propaganda?

I'm in this position. Ernie has had 10 days of indoor enforced rest and minimal walks. He's going crazy. I'm counting the days till his stitches come out because I am going mad and so is he. But I made a mistake with a previous dog and let them exercise too soon - burst stitches and an incontinent dog for life.

Yup. I'm clicker training. He will settle and calm down in his crate - but getting him to calm or settle outside a crate is proving challenging. He settles, I click/reward, he bounces up for a repeat. On occasion, he barks when the clicker comes out - and he gets a time out. I'm thinking IM reinforcing the excited 'I get a treat' behaviour rather than the calm behaviour. We also ignore him in an excited state -- sit for a pat, or all 4 on the ground. Where am I messing up? It's not his fault, I'm not reading him right, I know.

I use a slow feeder bowl for my 6 month old lab pup - he still scoffs it back in under 3 minutes but at least I can measure the time now. He also waits for his food, and I will take it away mid way thru if he's really bolting it down. I do think the slow feeder has helped - as well as soaking his kibble.

PS. I DO ignore him when he's yapping or barking and behaving like a pork chop but as soon as he gets the reward - no matter how 'settled' or calm he appears -- BOING!! Back up we go for a repeat command and a treat for complying. This dog makes me laugh.

Yup. I'm thinking calm is the operative word here. It's a bit tough right now as he's just been neutered and going a bit stir crazy from enforced rest. I AM. TRYING THOUGH FOLKS - I don't want a regimented dog, just a polite one. Any tips on teaching 'calm'? I've been rewarding the 'down' but 'down' doesn't equal 'settled' - and he just bounces back up so he can go back down for a treat. Lab puppies - incorrigible LOL.

Thank you. No frustration here - just trying to wirk him out -- as I'm sure he is trying to do with us. What do you consider regimented? Is it the insistence on sitting rather than remaining calm? The reason I chose the 'sit' was due to smaller children who visit, he's still pretty bouncy, and a sit gives me that few extra seconds to refocus him on something other than lunging for kisses. I'm getting great advice here, thanks.

Hi The video on Monika's Rescues got me thinking. I've a degree in graphic design, and in one of my pat lives, ran my own website and marketing company. About me: Not working anymore as I have incurable Stage IV breast cancer. Two young teen girls and a 6 month old lab boy. I may have 18 months before the chemo stops working, I may have 5 years. The offer: Free website design for rescue organisations who have simple needs (I AM doing chemo daily after all!). 5-7 pages on your organisation, your adoptable dogs and anything else. NO shopping cart stuff or online ordering please - that's pretty involved stuff and I hate the programming involved. Thinking about a page for details, some pages on who's looking for a home, contact details and. Enquiry about a specific dog and a page or two for extras. All easy to navigate, clean and crisp design, professional l I'll do logo redesign/design, flyers and letterhead. 3 choices of design - 3 re workings of your final choice. Cost is NOTHING. Nix. Nada. As long as you are a rescue organisation. You are responsible for registering your domain name and choosing a domain provider (if you don't have one already). I can help you upload your new design and help you learn to update it yourself. The catch? Well I AM doing chemo so I once I commit to you, I will work for you every day unless I'm throwing my guts up or am hospitalised - so please, no urgent gotta be done this weekend jobs. Questions? Interested? Post here.

Thank you so much. I guess I am so pleased he has picked up so much so quickly that I'm expecting too much too soon. He didn't even know what a toy was when we got him so I knew I had a lot of work ahead. I've had him exactly 2 weeks, and he picked up these commands in minutes, so I know he wants to learn. It's good to be reminded that he's come such a long way in such a short time. I'll ensure he has the 'sit' on the way back in - reinforced with treats. It's critical for me that he doesn't Rush the door as I've got cancer; doing chemo and my leg can buckle if he shoves me. You'd think I'd have more patience, as I have two young teen girls so I practice every day, but great to be reminded. He is eager to please but I reckon there's a touch of teenage testing in there as well. Thank you for the kind advice. K