sas

Your dog doesn't need a bark collar as it doesn't have a barking problem, it needs a Leader.

Cruel? What specifically is cruel? With your above method, how would you control the dog when you're not home? Making load noises only makes the dog thinks you're joining in and is certainly not reccomended for weak nerved dogs, more harm than good done. You wouldn't want to do this to any puppy due to the factor they may be a fear period.

Barking for dinner is a whole other reason....doggie is back chatting you You can try a number of different no-bark collars for when the dog is excessively barking, there is a new one called JetCare, you can see it on the K9 website Kumuzz mentioned. You could try using Sound when he is barking such as a Fog Horn or a high pitched noise (ultra sonic). You'd need to read up more on these methods though. The best method is to first find out why the dog is barking and then address the issue.

She is probably scared of these things not neccessarly testing the water, learning more about pack leadership allows the dog to trust you. Sounds like you're doing the right things, these things don't cure themselves overnight, keep working on it

Have you heard of Crate Training at all? Side note: It's not a puppy thing to dig a hole in the wall, that's a destructive unacceptable behaviour that could have been prevented if the dog was crated or was being supervised.

Sounds like the dog is expressing frustration with the barking and growling. Becoming a leader isn't just about eating first you have to be 100% consistent in all the other areas as well.

I would provide positive associations with the aspects that she doesn't like. i.e. giving her treats when she gives you the behaviour that you are looking for and never give attention pat or anything else when she is nervious or playing up. Also learning about leadership will allow your dog to trust you and the decisions you make.

Just incase it's been misinterpreted, I'm not saying don't play with your pup or have fun....that's what's having a puppy is all about! It's more about setting boundaries and rules and being 100% consistent about it so you develop a well balanced dog that can grow into a fairly well behaved adult.

You're rolling around on the floor with him aren't you?

Definately play with your Puppy! And definately enjoy the time your puppy is a puppy. But right now you need to be setting boundaries for your puppy, teaching it you're the leader, puppies understand leadership. It's really hard as humans not to humanize their dogs, if you have any spare cash, I reccomend reading either 'The other end of the leash' or 'Ceasers Way' to give you an insight into the doggy mind. I wouldn't be encouraging any rough play with your dog. It's interesting that when you're being all excited with your dog and being all cute with it, it actually sees you as unstable and not leadership material....therefore heading for trouble down the track. That's not to say you can't be happy when puppy does something right, but do it in a calm, relaxed manner i.e. you don't want to be jumping up and down when your dog learns a new command etc. even though it's bloody tempting. One thing that Ceaser says is always give calm assertive energy. Provide exercise, dicipline(Boundaries & rules), affection IN THAT ORDER......kinda makes sense doesn't it, considering that's how dogs treat each other. You may like to look into 'drive training' with your puppy, a great way to create a bond & leadership and get great results from your puppy.

First thing I would say is 100% ignore the puppy whilst it is doing this or anything else that you don't find acceptable or don't want it to do as an adult. If the dog is running at you full boar, then turn side on or turn your back, whichever gives your more balance. I find dogs have too much energy if they don't have ways to release it such as going for long walks before leaving the house, you have a puppy so you'll need to check with your breeder how long you are allowed to walk a puppy of this breed at this age. Also interactive things to do at home whilst you're not there such as big bones, clam shell paddling pools, clam shell sandpits, interactive treat balls etc. (you need to teach the dog how to use the paddling pool and sandpit as some don't understand them straight away). If your dog just dug his first hole, this is your first sign your puppy needs more to do mentally & physically. Puppies will be puppies but I don't think we're being the best owners we can be if they're running a muck. This is what I have at home:

I yelp OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, puppies don't want to hurt you, they just get carried away.

Chemical Sterilization a New Option for Male Puppies Printer-Friendly Version Pet Column for the week of February 16, 2004 Office of Public Engagement 2001 S. Lincoln Ave. Urbana, Illinois 61802 Phone: 217/333-2907 Ann Marie Falk Information Specialist University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Sterilization helps combat the pet overpopulation problem and also curbs unwanted behaviors in dogs not selected for breeding. In the past the only way to stop a dog from fathering litter after litter of unwanted puppies was surgical castration. Now a new option exists: Neutersol, an injected chemical sterilization product. Neutersol is currently labeled for use only in male dogs between the ages of 3 and 10 months with an appropriate testicle size. It is available by prescription from a veterinarian and should be given only by a veterinarian or other person trained in giving these injections. "One advantage of using Neutersol is avoiding the hassle of surgery," says Dr. Cliff Shipley, a veterinary theriogenologist (reproduction specialist) at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana. "Dogs do not need to be anesthetized or to stay at the clinic afterward for observation. They do not face the risks, such as bleeding, that accompany anesthesia and surgery. Giving an injection is easier than surgery any day!" As with any medication there are possible side effects, however. Testicular swelling is a common reaction to the injection. Some dogs will experience a short painful period and may vomit. Other possible reactions include biting or licking the scrotum, swelling of surrounding tissue, skin irritation, and rarely infection. "The complication rate is very, very low, and most problems are due to inappropriate injection," says Dr. Shipley. It is important that the person administering the injection be trained. Studies show that Neutersol gets an "A+" in effectiveness for birth control: in a study 99.6 percent of dogs became sterile after an injection. It takes at least 60 days for the product to work, however. Neutersol does not kill sperm already in the body at the time of injection. "Owners' No. 1 reason for neutering their male dogs is behavior, and the close second is unwanted puppies," says Dr. Shipley. "Testosterone, which may trigger these negative behaviors, is not completely eliminated by Neutersol in all dogs. Testosterone levels were decreased an average of 41 to 52% in the treated versus control subjects in the company's clinical trials." "If Neutersol does not bring about the desired behavioral changes, owners can decide to have the testicles taken out," he says. "But even with surgical castration, when the source of testosterone is removed, behavior is not always altered. There is no guarantee that any form of castration will always change behavior." Neutersol may be a good choice for dog owners who do not want the testicles removed. Some owners view castration as taking their dog's "manhood," while others like male dogs to look like male dogs. Dogs sterilized with Neutersol are no longer able to have puppies yet still have testicles and look like intact dogs. "Neutersol is still a very new product and may not be the best choice in every situation," says Dr. Shipley. "It may have a more prominent role in animal shelters than in private practice. It will allow shelter veterinarians to sterilize more dogs is a much shorter period." At this time Neutersol is still expensive, costing about the same as a surgical neuter. Your veterinarian can help you decide whether this product is best for you and your dog. For now there is no product comparable to Neutersol for female dogs; the surgical spay procedure is the best option for female pets not being bred. Nor has Neutersol been approved in cats; similar doses to those given in dogs do not cause sterilization in cats. Studies are looking at the use of this product in large animals. For more information on Neutersol or castration, contact your local veterinarian.

I'm personaly not a fan of head collars as I find them a band aid to a problem....i.e. as soon as you take them off the dog reverts back. Also they are so readily available that many people don't seek training on how to use them correctly i.e. the type of correction you give and also how to handle a dog that lunges on one. I find them dangerous in the sense that if you have a dog lunging on them or quick head movements this can more cause issues due to the position of the halter. I find the hardest thing to get my head around is that some people/trainers say that horses are fine with them so why wouldn't a dog? Perhaps because a dog is a dog and a horse is a horse. I also don't like to see people walking their dogs on head halters letting to dog walk way out in front, to bring that dog under control you're going to have to tug the head sidewards. I have worked with different types of dogs on halters so the above is from the experience I have had. I certainly do not feel that physical correction is worse than a dog being pts. I love the thought of positive training, it has its' place just like every other method and not all dogs are suited to all different types of methods.

*covers eyes*

100% agree with you, prongs are not suitable for every dog. And no they are not illegal in Australia as a whole, each state has different laws/restrictions.

Leila repremands our foster dogs, we have a 6 month in care at the moment and puts him in his place and teaches him manners, she's never hurt him though and I think this is completely acceptable. She actually teaches them much more than we can in the short amount of time.

Put your shirt back on your show off.....you'll make my OH feel less of a man lol

oh no i meant to do that, i do think they're "bad" for lots of reasons, but i never said anyone in particular was cruel, as some people have taken the time to explain they use them for particular instances and get particular results. you were the one who started off by calling me uneducated, when you know nothing about me or where i was coming from. you made assumptions that i have never experienced these things and so was not qualified to comment. first of all thats an assumption, secondly do you carry that philosophy to all your interactions? of course not, that would be ridiculous. not that i really want an answer to that question. im just not going to shut up about something that i think is important because some people on an online forum think they know more than someone else and thinks that that gives them the right to shout them down. I'm still confused, so you said they were bad and that the prongs were sharp.....so that would mean you think we're doing bad things to our dogs, that you think we're hurting our dogs which means you think we're being cruel to our dogs? I'm certainly not jumping on, I'm just trying to understand your point of view.

a pleasant walk with a dog is completely attainable using positive reward based methods as well, of course. i dont think its one or the other. but i dont get how "if it doesnt hurt them" it still makes them walk properly? if it doesnt hurt, why bother with it because you would get the same result from a flat collar no? a gentle reminder is possible with any kind of collar. no one can seem to answer that part of my question, which is a genuine training question, but all i am getting are polemical attacks that tell me how i dont know anything, when ive never declared what i do or dont know. that IS hostile, regardless of how i want to take it - and i never called anyone cruel either, interesting that its been made out that i did (re sas's post). is that because we all agree that any kind of training that hurts a dog is cruel? eh? *goes back and reads your posts* *still confused* Maybe you you came across like you thought prongs and e-collars were bad and you didn't mean too?

How about using Sound Aversion? Get yourself a Fog Horn, you can get them at Rebel Sports etc. Pretend you're going out and pop pooch in the backyard.....position yourself by a window with it slightly open and have the fog horn positioned.....when the dog starts to do something it shouldn't let off the fog horn....usually just doing this once is enough.....but keep watching, the smart ones tend to go back and try again.

Damn you're in Perth, if you were in Sydney, I would have been more than happy to take the dog for you to show you that with consistency and leadership (rules & boundaries) the dog can do a complete 180 in just a couple of weeks (granted the exception of typical puppy behaviour that's not over the top). I reccomend you implement NILIF methods asap and also TOT as per the K9 Force website. I haven't read all the thread so I don't know why you're keeping the dog in the laundary whilst you're out....what a boring lonely place for the dog, no wonder he has become destructive.....backyards with interactive toys and activities are best. I would also suggest you take the dog for a walk before you leave the house and an afernoon/evening walk as well. Excercise = a tired and calm dog.

I have a 6 month old puppy right now, he's a foster dog and I picked him up a week ago. We're 80% toilet trained, I predict this time next week we'll be 100%. We haven't had an accident in 2 days but I don't want to get too excited just yet. The older they are the faster they train up in my opinion as they can hold their bladders longer and they have a better understanding of what you're trying to achieve. 100% consistency is the key. By yelling at a dog, smacking it or rubbing its' nose in it all you have taught it is not to do it in front of you. I have a toilet training e-book if you would like a gander. You can use 'cue' guides if you just want the dog to toilet in one area and you can do that with different methods but remember you must keep this area clean, cleaning up at least twice a day if you area is only small.

I have tried the rubber comfort tips for prongs, didn't work with the pooch I was working it, may work for others *shrugs*