Two Best Dogs!

I'm going to go lurk on those facebook pages thanks! Worse comes to worse, I guess I would end up owning a book all about dog tricks? Can't see a downside to that :laugh: Thank you for sharing this! Nice to have something to assess ourselves against. I might join either "Discover Pet Training Spark Team!" or "Novice Tricks with Sketch Spark Team!" I think

Pardon my ignorance, but it's not confined to just kennel clubs is it? Would my mutt be allowed to participate? You mentioned you can send videos to instructors online? It looks like a lot of fun...can't find anything on the website that says one way or another. A certificate and patch/medal would be a nice thing to work towards and those tricks you linked look fun/great for when you run out of ideas (if a bit vague so guess I'd need this book to explain...but if instructions are clear, I don't mind buying the book) Are people likely to...uh...look down on a mutt dog if I join the facebook, assuming she's allowed to participate? I've been a little burned and turned off some activities by less welcoming people :/

I stumbled across this today (trying to find the shih tzu project similar to the retro mop pugs but unfortunately i cannot remember the name, it was swedish or german program if anyone knows it), which seems to mirror this report (they could be linked? I can't find the original petition. Probably because it's in Swedish...) swedish_vets_call_for_radical_health_plan_for_brachycephalic_breeds But here's the Norsk Kennel Club's response(it's been run through google translate, sorry if it looks funny) Be interesting to see what works, what doesn't work, the changes that occur in the breeds.

What kind of things do they teach you?

My rabbit vet provides this service (and others such as checkups, vaccinations etc), I appreciate it a lot and it's the same cost. Manhandling them all out to the vet is always a stressful affair, even for the laidback ones. I've no doubt, when the time comes, I can probably ask her to do the same with any other animals around. I wish more city vets would offer the same service and options.

Oh good!

They are not trying to improve the health and soundness of greyhounds, they are only trying to improve the health and soundness of a breed of mastiff and chose the greyhound to cross them with. There were other breeds of mastiff's they could have used. Breeding 80 plus kilo dogs to 30 -35 kilos dogs is not what I call sound practice. I didn't say that they are improving the greyhound? I gave the names so people can look up the specifics themselves and a short description on the type of project going on. I'll reword my description for you: they are crossing mastiffs to greyhound then backcrossing the resulting crosses into mastiffs to improve on health and soundness in mastiffs. As for them using the greyhound, you can read into their decision summaries here: http://www.gammonwood.net/2015/html/breeding.html Here's a snippet: I'm simply sharing current ongoing backcross projects as I figured people might be interested in knowing about them so they can also follow and see what results may happen as they happen.

How is it frightening jed? It'd be lovely to have some answers or eliminations on the cause. At the very least, the f3 back crosses have larger skulls and bring in new blood, so to speak. Mobile don't let me cut out bits of your quote sorry. I can't link directly to the studies but the names will hopefully make them easier to find.

Poor old man. I hope he is not too sore! Hoping Malcolm is going on well :) We are chugging along. I keep feeling frustrated that she is still so anti ppl and my trainers keep reminding me to give it time ;) She's stopped barking and growling at ppl at my door at least! New trainer in upcoming lesson. I will take them to side and ask if we can do exercises they reinforce thistle being calm about strangers without dogs moving towards her (at an angle to start with). She can do it in stores, hopefully generalise to outside!

It's a shame to say it but the Pug X dogs do not suffer the same horrendous brachy-headed issues that many of the purebred pugs do. I love pugs, they're such fun, funky little dogs. And it breaks my heart when I see them living compromised, difficult lives because they simply cannot breathe properly. Not entirely true. SOME Pug crosses have better breathing and better eyes than purebreds, some are just as bad. Absolutely, it's a generalised statement and obviously depends on what they were crossed with - but on the whole they tend to gain a whole lot of face and with it lose a whole lot of brachy head problems. Obviously there may be other health aspects to consider but personally I'd love to see a considered and well thought out outcross and back-cross to correct what has clearly gone much too far. Without a complete change in the culture within the KC and showing scene in general we'd just end up back in the same spot, though. Have you heard of the Retro Mop project? It's a outcross and back cross breeding project in Germany to make for healthier sturdier pugs. There's also the Graussie project for CMSM etc in brussels griffin and the Olde Englishe Bulldogge as a healthier working bulldog... Big dog problems too, there's the modern molasser project - back crossing mastiffs and greyhound to improve health and soundness. So there are some breeders out there working towards healthier dogs. It's a shame there's so much backlash from other breeders for them doing this. Results speak for themselves in the dogs and the studies coming out of them.

Thanks all. Mostly I was wondering in terms of them being used to teach a dog not to pull - but have been having slight confusion as "positively only" people using it in this method and I'm not seeing it as any more or less aversive than prongs, martingales etc (the dogs reaction depending as you guys say) But yes most is the confusion around terminology and meanings etc Sorry to detract, it's been something I ponder about sometimes!

Wouldn't head halters and front clip no pull harnesses fall under aversive? Aside from looking friendlier, am not sure the difference between those and a properly fitted prong and the like.

Its a similar ongoing problem in rabbit show world - the focus on cute dwarves is sometimes at the detriment of their health. Over sized eyes, over rounded heads, lots of peanuts. Nethies in particular are a favourite of mine so it breaks my heart. There has been some movement against it. (Then similar with the larger breeds bred for size but at detriment of health. Careful selection for stronger hearts and limbs and a balanced body isn't always considered... ) So am glad for even media articles on studies that get the discussion started instead of constant head in the sand and no true Scotsman fallacies as the issues continue. Makes it much harder to ignore.

Don't think your link is working? I dislike that graph. The terminology is confusing and difficult to keep straight in your head. I've seen punishment switched out with aversive in some - makes a bit more sense to me. Reinforcement confuses me too, because they're all reinforcing the presence or absence of a behaviour? Mostly I wonder why it isn't straight up positive/negative encouragement and positive/negative discouragement? But then, maybe I just dislike that the word punishment is associated with a "stern no" in some training groups ;)

Sorry for the wait in them discussing. Sorry, they're not sure he will fit right now. thought it was worth a try. good luck!

I was coming here to post this news article, which I would guess is based of your original post! Am glad to see attention being put on the health issues that can affect them. I also like the bit about the research helping vets prepare for a jump in these kinds of issues. http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/pets/the-rise-of-pugs-and-bulldogs-australians-favour-small-dogs-with-wide-short-faces/news-story/a28777a1472f81bbfb5a63bc9d430794

Another update - the D&D people have finished making a custom one for me! Can't wait. Unexpected bonus, a friend with a lurcher who gave me the raincoat Thistle wears is also giving me a rug/coat. So we'll have 2 to rotate between! It's also a nice shade of blue :)

Why not both? Secret Inky or Inky Secret ;)

I like inky because she looks like a little black dab of ink, makes me think of calligraphy But you should go with the one you prefer in your heart :)

Sorry I meant I know someone looking for a dog, not that the dog would be hunting :) they recently lost their dally and grey within a few months of each other from what I've seen they are pretty dog savvy Edit. The people I mentioned will discuss it :)

It's hard to get things 100% right all the time and it's good to realise when something is out of your grasp. I wish them all the luck! ...and will pass on to a dog hunting friend ;)

Thistle is the first dog I've lived with who religiously buries her food/toys. She has a pale dot on the top of her nose - it's a little callous/scar from how often she buries and reburies things. All past housemate or family dogs, irrespective of gender and if intact/or not just kind of...left bones laying around and would rarely dig/bury. Luck of the draw I expect.

Yes! Dididog has mentioned to me, definitely a next pit stop for glamour. I was mostly checking out Annie's cause I could skip the whole postage thing but not much can be done about some size limitations. Mailorder is next! Another update: Have ordered a custom coat from D & D. Look forward to getting it! Between rugged up kennel and this, winter will hopefully be kind to her sooky cold bottom.

Bad news update, Thistle's inconvenient body won't fit the really really cozy snuggly hipster allsorts ones like rebanne has Her neck is simply too thick. I will still get a normal cosy I think - going to try to catch annie at her pop up stall next week. But am a bit sad she wont' be getting one of those covered velcro ones but i'm sure we'll find an alternative somewhere. I'll try terms like bull lurcher and stuff, the UK has a thriving dog knicknacks business.

These 3 articles are around training - rewards and duration Comparison of 3 different reinforcements of learning in dogs (Canis familiaris) Megumi Fukuzawa, Naomi Hayashi Department of Animal Resource and Sciences, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Kameino, Kanagawa, Japan The effect of frequency and duration of training sessions on acquisition and long-term memory in dogs Helle Demanta, Jan Ladewigb, Thorsten J.S. Balsbya, Torben Dabelsteena University of Copenhagen The relationship between number of training sessions per week and learning in dogs - this article is behind a paywall Iben Meyer, Jan Ladewigcorrespondenceemail Department of Large Animal Science, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 8, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark