Weasels

For a WSS??! Damn that'd be impressive.

Supa - only the comments above the dashes were directed at your post, everything else was just my general musings. Sorry it was ambiguous I thought your post raised perfectly valid questions.

+ 1 G'day mate, throw another shrimp on the barbie, and so forth. :D

My boy dog is extremely suspicious of any food he doesn't have to work for, because it's almost always a vegetable :laugh:

It could be that she was not allowed to ask these sorts of questions under her ethics approval conditions. -- A couple of things I think it would be helpful to remember: - We don't know if this survey is the extent or even the main part of her study. It could be just an extra part of her work and her core conclusions are coming from elsewhere. - an Honours year is very much a TRAINING position. The students are generally 21 year-olds with NO research experience. The primary objective is to provide these students with experience in designing and running a small project, and if the results turn out to be something that is publishable that is just a bonus. If the research turn out to be flawed or inadequate, it won't make it out into the peer-reviewed literature anyway. - From what I've seen, many uni's are making students do more and more peripheral work in addition to their thesis (other essays, group projects etc.). It's a tough year. Suggesting helpful advice and constructive criticism is fair and hopefully will be received in the spirit it's intended, but let's cut the kid a break, huh?

OT but I'm still chuckling about kermit flailing :p

*tiptoe dance* How exciting!!!!! Congrats :)

Mine are about 6 months different in age, plus I only got them 2 months apart so I did everthing wrong! :laugh: But I knew I only had a limited window where I was working from home and wanted to get my dogs then so I could settle them in and make sure they learnt their house manners under constant supervision. Having 2 dogs old at the same time doesn't worry me so much, we'll probably get another dog in 5 years or so, and I've never been one to live life based on problems which may or may not occur a decade or more down the track. They are both just over 2years now and they get along well, have similar energy levels etc. and I wouldn't have it any other way :)

I can't quite picture the approach your describing, but I've observed that a lot of dogs don't 'get' or appreciate boxer greetings (mine included). Do you know any other boxers he can play with?

I think i'll have a look at the full article for that one, a lot of what he's said in the interview sounds pretty unscientific :/

It suits him! :D

I have dogs of unknown provenance, but it matters very much to be to be able to guess at their lineage. At the most practical level, because they must be at least an "apparent mix of herding breeds" to be permitted to enter ANKC herding trials. But more fundamentally, it helps me provide them with appropriate stimulation, activities and training for their temperament which I interpret through the assumption of "sheepdog". Personally, I think that me making that assumption is in the best interests of my dogs, although admittedly mine are more obviously at least majority one breed than a lot of the mixes that come through rescue. No, That is wrong. If you breed for specific temperament, you are more likely to get that temperament. Brain tumours are quite rare. While mistreatment will harm any dog, not all respond to that by becoming a menace. Some will, some won't, it depends on the basic temperament they inherited. Some breeds/lines have traits that others don't. That is what purebreeding is. Randomly cross breed dogs have an average chance of becoming a menace if mistreated. After all the effort put in to obtaining a certain temperament in a purebreed, if others are allowed to claim that 'brand' for their own cross breed dog, the good reputation of the breed can suffer. If you think mislabeling doesn't matter, you are saying that the differences between breeds don't matter and good breeding doesn't matter either. That is harsh on all breeders that strive to improve their breed in temperament and conformation. People buying dogs should be aware that breed does matter and that different breeds have different tendencies. They are still animals though, with 78 chromosomes and almost 20,000 genes and god-knows-how-many variations of each gene which are shuffled randomly and possibly mutated at each generation. And a fuzzy thing like temperament could have so many genetic, epigenetic and environmental influences that the permutations, even in a fairly linebred animal, are incalculable. Not to mention that not every breeder even worries about temperament Yes limiting dogs to reproducing within their own breed increases predictability, but I'm not sure over-selling them as completely predictable is a necessary part of promoting purebreds. As a side note, I'd hate to think of a situation where we had to breed dogs to be tolerant of mistreatment

Also, potentially dangerous Some otherwise perfectly normal dogs can get quite nasty if humped and could turn on your boy. I suspect my girl would be one such dog if I was ever not there to call her back

I wouldn't automatically assume the DNA testing was more correct though. I had the brown dog in my sig DNA tested last year, for laffs. The results came back as only 1/3 kelpie. I have my doubts.

I'm just in it for the adorable photos :cool:

:laugh: fair enuff :D

We've got a trial every month until October (I think) here in WA - surely you could pop over, it's not too far!

Woohoo Perth! Will be watching with interest!

Excellent news Ness! So glad to hear :) There was another Winpara owner at our last herding trial on Sunday, it made me think of poor little Kenz :)

Also, CASI - http://www.casinstitute.com/behaviordep.html And I think there is a cert. course based out of Murdoch Uni here too. Not sure about over east.

I alternate between periods of high activity and periods of supreme laziness, often within each day. Just like my kelpies :p

MrStompy's thread reminded me I've been meaning to update this one :) I ended up getting a Sense-ation harness, since a friend was buying one too so we split the shipping cost. And now I'm working with a podiatrist so I am back to jogging on the streets for the last few weeks so I have been giving it a good work-out. As far as pulling goes, it's gold. It works as well on my boy as the Sporn harness works on my girl. I even got him walking on a loose lead toward sheeps with it once! For his reactivity it's also a good little tool. I took him out on his sporn harness one morning and when he decided to bark at something he just leaned into the harness and I had a lot more trouble turning him around. With the Senseation I can quickly turn him around to get his focus so we can play LAT or just feed treats to stop him practicing the behaviour. It's also proved easier to put on than the Sporn for my leggy fella, but it can be a little awkward to use. I should add the disclaimer that I do need to adjust it because he's lost a bit of weight so it's currenly loose under his chest, but I did have a bit of trouble with the leash position; I prefer my dogs to walk in front of me so they can get in quick sniffs without me having to stop and so I am less likely to trip over them if one of us changes direction suddenly. But if I have the leash hanging normally from the front-attachment it bounces off his shoulder every time he takes a step which is annoying for both of us. If I have it going under his chest and back out behind his front leg he runs kind of diagonally which doesn't look like a healthy gait. It seems like it is designed specifically for a heel position. In the end I've settled on looping it over the shoulder furthest from me and resting across his back, which works well as long as he doesn't change sides on me :p On the plus side he's gotten better at lifting his paw on cue if the leash falls under him :) So those are my thoughts after a few weeks of use anyway, hope they are helpful to somebody out there. Thanks everyone for your help in this thread!

OH was pouring me a glass of wine last night, and I gave him a release cue when he'd poured enough

Would this fit RS? - http://www.ozpetshop.com.au/product_info.php/products_id/1964 We have one for our wagon, works nicely :) Edit - I also have something like this in my sedan - http://www.d4dogz.com.au/catalog/kurgo-back-seat-barrier-black-medium-p-6231.html?utm_source=myshopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Pet+Supplies&utm_term=Kurgo+Back+Seat+Barrier+Black - plus a backseat buddy. Both our cars are pimped out for dogs :laugh:

She should do this. And be honest with the breeder. /problem