hankdog

I've read heaps of conflicting advice and generally most of it is right. It depends on which dog and what you want from them. Have a clear idea of what you want from him and then it gets clearer. With Jake the presumed aim was to make him dog friendly and since that was never going to happen I got the appropriate advice for that aim. Once I realised I needed to clearly assess my dogs potential and moderate my aim then I was able to make a plan. If you want him to be dog neutral ask yourself if that's a likely aim for Ronin abd yourself and set out a plan. If you would rather he was a social butterfly then follow that plan. If I've learned anything it's that there's no absolute ideal dog, different dog and human combinations want to be different things. It's fine to have different expectations, you just have to adjust your actions. There's a lot of dogs that enjoy Ronins play, if you see a dog that doesn't then pop a leash on until that dog isn't around and off you go again.

I thought showing dogs was the same as obedience showing or agility. Something you could do with a dog but I didn't think it was related to being a breeder. Not where I would have thought to start looking for a purebred puppy. I wouldn't care if I got a dog who came from champions. I get recycled dogs because I don't have a specific breed preference. If I like a dog I just like it. OH is a bulldog fan so that's why we have Jake.

I Woukd so love to be rescued by a rottie, what fun.

In SA Rotties were pretty common, I never owned one but miss seeing them around. I always put them in the clown dog category although they were supposed to be watch dogs. I'm proud of Jake for how far he has come and how he has learned to learn without being gifted too much natural talent. This morning I was walking along planning a work project in my head when he swung around and sat down in front of me. We had just walked past a house with a barking dog, he had made no fuss and I hadn't noticed. Just wanted to be paid for his efforts.

Your seals turned into bear cubs. Do rottie babies just go through different identities and pick one they like? They are seriously gorgeous and yes you are shamelessly tempting me too.

You look like I expected but the accent surprised me! Well done!

Jake go clean the rubbish...... Not working my dogs broken. My friends vizslas are crotch height and it's awkward when I visit at that time. Might as well paint a sign on my head announcing it.

Discus the fact that they allowed the dog to be in contact with a prey object and it's a sight hound and if they want to own pets they should find out something about them first.

Aww you have baby seals.

The best management plan just can't take into account other people's actions. As Jake is now half my stress is managing him and half us managing people or dogs trying to bother him. I can imagine Del would bring out the crazies and Stella probably suffers from Lassie stereotyping, she's a collie she must love everyone. I went by the same park today and a lady who I often chat to pointed out the new "leash your dog" sign. Apparently it went up yesterday as there had been complaints to council about that park being a problem area. This lady was annoyed because she walks her dog off leash, it's a lovely spaniel and Jake can be close to it without a problem. It never interferes with any other dog. I do feel for people like that, there are dogs who just happily don't bother others with owners who mind them and pick up after them.

I agree, I think recall should be the biggest priority in training. Obviously Jake is never off lead but I do a lot of long leash training out and about, just in case. I feel mortified when I think of how rubbish Hanks recall was and I used to take him to dog parks and let him off leash.

Well school holidays have bought their normal quota of kids walking uncontrolled dogs setting Jake off. Yesterday was particularly bad. I stopped at an oval toilet block to cool down Jake under the tap and fill up my water bottle. I normally avoid ovals but in the heat I really needed the tap. The house next to the oval has a labxpoodke that is normally on a chain, the owner decided to let the dog and two young children, about 8 and 6 onto the oval. The dog immeadiately ran across to us barking and snarling. Luckily Jake was in the building so I stood in the doorway and started kicking at the dog. The two young children just stood about 100m away watching. I must have landed about 5 kicks. Finally the father came to see what the noise was about, Jake was screaming like a banshee and the acoustics of bare brick walks and tin roof were fantastic. He got the dog and kindly told me he would hold it while I left. I replied I would be doing some training. I found a nice big stick and started doing our drills, heeling, sitting, down and stays. Unbelievably this parent sent his little kids back out with the dog on a flexi leash while he sat on his verandah overlooking the oval. I think the kids were too scared to stay long, the dog was pulling and barking and trying to get across the oval. I know that training is supposed to be under threshold but since Jake doesn't really have a threshold we normally run him through his paces I between explosions at training. I think for him the routine of "drills" is now quite settling. I also find for myself that I just get quite nicely distracted by going into training mode and then I can slow my mind and just suck it up. Looking forward to next week when all the kids go back to school and their dogs go back into their yards.

If you're close to terrigal call pet resorts. My particular trainer is Zoei but they have a few good trainers.

I've been on both sides if this. When Hank was young he wanted to hoon with the other dogs, he would go belting up to potential friends, ears flat back ignoring me in hot pursuit. As an old man he wanted to go out still but couldn't cover much distance so we would go to the park and he could potter around and also loved watching the hoon hounds. There was one dog who would try jump on him, he was a real bully to most other dogs and completely out of control. I would leave if I saw him but would get angry if the owner didn't give us space to leave. I suppose like most resources there isn't enough to go round. He looks like a great dog. I can understand letting a big boy go for a gallop.

I'm over in Turramurra on a bush block. The trees were crashing around and the creek came up quickly. Hope the little guy is all good I'm sure he will get lots of cuddles.

It was a freaky storm. I had most of my walk in sunshine and just scooted in as it was hitting. Poor Bunter, add some vino to that pizza.

Terri you just need to quaranteen the worry. You're doing what you can, try find the good things about your dog. Jake is super photogenic. Every time you "stuff up" is just a chance to practice getting back under control. She's young, you are getting training and hopefully she will improve. Either that or you'll just become a great dog trainer. Rubbish days will happen but you will survive.

Very hard to train those males! I had company today so took Jake to the rose nursery. We had a lovely time looking at plants and the only near disaster was Jake trying to climb into the water feature. It's so sad he is how he is because aside from dogs he is so easy to take around. No pulling or trying to greet people. He's so patient and calm. .... Except for the dog thing.

Jake will pick on some people and just hate them. One lady infrequently visits but as soon as he sees her he barks. She is familiar with dogs and I can't work out why, she does nothing in particular wrong. Some people I understand, they wave their arms or lean over him excitedly. He does consistently hate the same people though. Jake the flake.

Phew, had a look up the chooks clackers today, relieved to report no wrigglies. Slightly startled chooks though.

As of tomorrow I will be inspecting my chickens nether regions. Just know my roosters going to love me. I had to remove a dangling attachment from the south end of my north heading bulldog. He had eaten a piece of thread and so he had a thread with a dingleberry attached after taking a dump within the first ten minutes of setting out for our walk. It was weirdly fascinating watching it bouncing around while we walked. I tried jogging, threw in a few downs but finally I had to manhandle it out of there. Does anyone else get an itchy nose or face shortly after you have responsibly picked up after your dog. I pick up with a bag but I still don't actually want to touch my face after.

Poor Jake. We had a work function at our house last night. Normally he loves a party but when I saw a three year old I was a bit wary. As youngster got more tired she became more intent on patting his face. I kept him with me but a three year old can be as determined as a bulldog. Then of course there was the forty year old, good-with-dogs. Jake will sometimes take a dislike to someone, often people who want to throw their arms up and lean over him and talk loudly. After he barked at her the first time she started stalking him. I put him in the lounge with a pigs ear but caught her sneaking up on him. I had to lock him in a bedroom upstairs poor boy. Later when I took him out on leash to toilet she snuck up on us in the dark. Good lord people are stupid. If a dog clearly doesn't like you why does it become a personal challenge to make the dog like you. Again managing my dog is easy, managing idiot people is the problem.

Yep eventually you get your neighborhood trained, stay away from the crazy dog. I've had some nutbags who believe they or their dog has magical powers and if they walk towards me they will cure Jake. Frequently they have some mystical belief in making a bah sound or they want to alpha roll my dog. I've had someone carrying a magical bottle of dog deodorant that they sprayed in their dogs face when it reacted. Mmmm, I prefer my peanut butter crazy.

Jemmy a couple of woofs aren't the end of the world. I think practice at going from woof to control is a good thing. I make sure I never leave a situation in fear or panic. So if we have a freak out I get him calm, I might need to yell at the other dog but never at Jake. He gets his stern "uh-uh" and a growly "no". Then he gets to sit and look at whatever and then we walk away. If it's an off leash that an owners come to grab I figure they owe me and I ask them to hold their dog while we leave. It's ok to make your dog their problem if their dog stirred him up being off leash in my opinion. I just say something about my dog has social problems and it's important this situation ends well for him otherwise your dog rushing him will make him more fearful next time. Most people are normally obliging or so gob smacked they'll stay for a bit anyway. Once your dog has reacted it's important the other dog doesn't leave otherwise he learns the way to get the other dog to go away is to react. Better he learns that the other dog isn't that awfully scary and that he leaves only when he's calm. Of course if it's all gone to hell in a handbag then just scarper as best you can.

Can't fill out the survey. Jake gives no warning, no growl ever that I can remember. Straight to lunging and barking but as I got him at 5 I don't know exactly what his earlier life was. I really wish be did have an escalating behaviour rather than straight to flat out.