Cosmolo

How did you use it with diesel kavik?

Let me give a few examples- Dog one- Kelpie x, very timid and lacking in confidence but high levels of reactivity/ aggression with dogs. This dog surprised even me with how she responded as i did expect her to be a little more 'crumbly' initially. She is now a much more confident dog than she ever was before and extremely relaxed- even with dogs in her face because she knows just what she needs to do. Her confidence with people has also improved dramatically- simply because things are now clear for her and she feels that she has control. I am pleasantly suprised every time i see this dog now as she consistently appears happier than she ever was before Dog two- Weimaraner, highly anxious temperament, more confident with people than above dog. Noticable difference in the dogs state of relaxation after collar training, improvement in all exercises but no other temperament difference. Dog Three- Mal x Shih Tsu, highly intelligent, slightly dominant personality type- very high level reactivity to other dogs. Improvements across the board including being more relaxed around the home as well as out and about. Dog never lacked confidence in the first place but actually had more initial tantrums than either of the above dogs. While i still believe the stress level was low i think this dogs initial stress was higherthan the 2 weak nerved dogs above They are just a few examples- the others i have are similar. Most clients are apprehensive when an e collar is first suggested and i think this is totally understandable- but they trust us and try (which is a responsibility we take VERY seriously) and not one has ever regretted their decision. To be honest- its more the owners of the dog that would cause me to say a dog is unsuitable. I won't give/ suggest an e collar to someone who has not made some effort in training in other areas, to someone who does not listen to instruction etc. I am yet to meet a dog that i felt would be unsuitable to have an e collar used on them in this way- low level stimulation in steps- not high level corrections used instantly. I never hand over a remote until i am confident both dog and owner are ready- this usually only takes a few sessions but we will continue for longer if the owner is uncomfortable of course. I have used an e collar on my Georgie who has the worst fear based issues (panic and avoidance- not aggression) we have ever seen and it has improved her confidence, freedom and quality of life significantly. I won't do anything with someone else's dog that i would not do with my own.

I will probably get flamed for this and thats okay- i am not suggesting you do this, it may not be suitable or appropriate for you or your dog and should only be done with the supervision of a qualified trainer experienced with this method in a state where it is legal to do so. We have had significant success in the last 2 years working with dog aggressive dogs (fear aggressive, critical period lack of socialisation, dominance aggression and territorial/ guarding type aggression) using remote training collars. Over a period of 1-2 months for the initial training the dogs we have used this technique on have gone from reactive at great distance, to coping with dogs walking by, touching noses and running up to them in the street, beach or park. Now, the owners use the remote correction maybe once a week at a low level and enjoy things with their dogs they never thought possible. These dogs/ owners lived in areas highly populated with dogs where critical distance training simply was not possible- staying away from other dogs meant not leaving the yard and all of the dogs were active dogs where a lack of exercise then increased the reactivity as well. Are the dogs cured? No. But the thresholds have increased to the point that the dogs can cope with every practical situation they would be placed in- with owners who understand how to read body language and manage the situation- for example moving away from the bouncy dog who 'just came to play' rather than leaving them there for excessive periods of time. The dogs do not react and give the owners time to remove them/ continue walking so their is no issue. We start with teaching the dogs how to respond to the collar with no distractions to obedience commands- we generally start with heel. The level of stimulation is the lowest possible level the dog can feel. We then start to introduce distractions- starting with distractions the dog is responsive NOT reactive to and progressing to the triggers that produce the reactivity. By the time the dog gets to this point, they clearly understand the stimulation is NOT about the dog but about their behaviour/ responses. We continue to train increasing the distractions. All of the initial handling of the remote is done by the trainer until the dog 'gets it' and the owner is educated in the use of the collar. In my experience, owners find this very easy to pick up on when explained and done correctly. By the time we hand over the remote, the owners are no longer novice handlers and we are yet to have an issue caused by poor timing/ incorrect use of the collars. The technique allows owners to control behaviour without frustration, and obvious body language or cues to the dog such as moving hands/ feet etc. I don't know if this is at all a suitable option for you and your dog. But it can be helpful to hear stoies of other owners who felt the same way you do with regards to their dogs problems who have achieved more than they ever thought possible.

What Vickie said OMG TSD- thats a great way to drum up business! I believe dogs can be dominant but i also believe there are very few truly dominant dogs in the world. My dogs are allowed on couch and beds and i am pretty sure they're not conjuring ideas of world domination when they do this.

APBT- that is potentially dangerous advise that may make the problem much much worse. I have seen many resource guarding situations that have been made worse because someone has corrected innappropriately- ESPECIALLY a puppy. Is there a good training club near to you that might be able to help? A private trainer to come out to you may not be 100s of dollars- miht be $70-$90 well spent though.

My dogs get to sniff and be out in front provided they don't pull on the lead so i don't think you have a problem

Most behaviourists will travel- templestowe is not far from us What anita said too- but you may need some help to determine what is going to be the most effective way to train and build the dogs confidence. What kind of dog is Bambi, where did you get her from and how long have you had her?

Sounds like i missed a great weekend

Will their be a workshop report or anything similar? Can i ask what techniques Brenda uses? So wish i could have made it- hopefully next year!

Thats right PF. I had a friend who had 7 Mals and 2 other dogs- all lovely but quite different- the lines matter as well.

Very OT.. But we've decided we want a male Malamute in the next few years They are not the dog for everyone

I only wish i had the opportunity to talk some people out of getting a particular dog.. When i see them they already have and love the dog but if they had known then what they knew now- many would have selected a different dog.

There's no reason to jump on Midol for suggesting an e collar as a possibility, same as he wouldn't jump on someone for suggesting a long line. I do use e collars, some of my clients are trained to use e collars (and they most certainly do NOT just keep pressing buttons when they should not be) and can do things with their dogs they never thought possible- 2 recent dogs are much more confident and relaxed than they ever were before the use of an e collar so i guess i will continue to 'inflict' these things on dogs while it continues to improve the dogs lives and welfare. The the OP- definitely keep the dog on a long line and perhaps start attending a good training club or have a trainer come to assist you. They can let you know what options would best suit you

How long will it be until you can take him out?

Is there anywhere to go where you can get all of the equipment rather than having to go to lots of different places? Am looking for equipment suitable for an indoor venue in the next few months

Are you going to training/ puppy school?

Would strongly suggest a behaviourist to help if the problem persists in another week or so- but i would consider trying PETark Calm and/ or Tranquil paste in the short term- may assist if it is just moving house nerves rather than full blown separation anxiety. Has the dog ever shown any even remotely similar behaviours before?

I have a retired working cattle dog here atmy fet who has never in her life shown any aggression ever- and she was a great working dog too. They need leadership and boundaries and training = amazing ACD's

Wouln't do any more to someone else's dog than whats been mentioned- while there are other effective training technqiues to use, they vary from dog to dog AND the owner might not mind the jumping up. I would simply make a light hearted comment about it upontheir return to try and decipher if they think its a problem and if they do- you can recommend they see a trainer as the problem can be stopped in adult dogs- they just might not realise it!

Beautiful dog! Have you been to group training or ever had a trainer come out to help you- its not the equipment you use, its the techniqe that accompanies it, which is often best demonstrated rather than explained. What treats have you tried? Have you tried teaching heel at home when you are stationery?

Not all private sessions cost $330. Did you not get anything out of the session? Or did they suggest you join an obedience class? I'm sure Tina can suggest the best options for you

I do use corrections of some kind for mouthy pups- extinction training/ ignoring can be the worst thing for owners to try with persistent pups for the reasons i mentioned in the other biting thread and redirecting onto a toy without correcting/ ceasing the behaviour first can teach the pup that mouthing results in a game. The type and level of correction depends on the puppy.

Links with flyers below for the Canberra weekend in May and Sydney weekend in June. The weekends will include a Behaviour and Psychology seminar, Temperament Testing workshop, Practical Handling workshop, Private lessons, When Freddy Meets Fido Seminar and Perfect Match Seminar. Bookings can be made by phone or email- details in flyers Sydney Link http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=159221 Canberra Link http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...157278&st=0

How have you been told to deal with the mouthing exactly? Ignore? Correct? Redirect?

Cut up chicken necks? He is really good looking