Two Best Dogs!

I'm so glad her dog is okay! But ouch, that's a lot of stitches. Glad it missed her eyes eek, the 150 is only for her face! She's got more on her arms

I really hope rabies or something similar hasn't made it here. Brain issues? I hope it gets found fast and the cause discovered :/

The bane of thick necks Or I could try making outfits like you :p But first I really want a reindeer dog! 5 year old me from the past will be delighted to fulfill this "dream" XD

Aww they are absolute angels! I forgot to update, I did eventually find an "outfit"...a bandana! Still sad that absolutely nowhere sold "reindeer" collars for big dogs, everything was cats and tiny dogs Ebay next time, in november. Plenty of advance time!

Thanks SG The dog is pretty steady and calm, completely flipped my views on labs and gorgeous to boot. She's had no issues with any dogs that I've noticed and seems the patient sort. She's not desexed if that affects any. Part of the customs breeding program. Only a year old. Dunno about thistles dog interpreting skills but unsure definately fits the bill! I'm hoping with time and confidence her overly stiff and tense sniffs will loosen up. I can see how smaller dogs might find the looming intimidating! Dog behaviour is baffling XD

Ah well, we'll take what we get and just try to manage social things when they happen (aka manage the people around us hahah)

Ooh could you pm then to me Jules? We do things like "walking in the street past other dogs waking/dropping/pretend cafe situations" and I think advanced even switches amendable dogs between trainers. But BBQ with the yummy smells and different noises was new so we were encouraged to hang around I feel a bit obsessive analysing every new dog reaction to see if i should encourage or discourage X-X glad no one seems to think it's a bad thing

Ah this must be the article my coworker warned me about. And a customs lab too!

I kind of wish they'd do BBQ more often, can practice social situations safely with the knowledge that some 5 or 6 trainers are walking around supervising/letting ppl know when a dog is needing attention. Cause we get sloppy outside of class? And I can't keep an eye on every person and dog :/ A few ppl have suggested appeasement and that sounds likely I guess. A "please don't hurt me and maybe we can play?" lick maybe? I'll try to make note of it next time we practice with Didi (who will hopefully get her into good doggie habits! Like not jumping on little ones!)

Thistle sniffed many dogs today, it was pretty intense but she was pretty good (if very stiff/tense with the two "strange" dogs who started last week and tried to jump on the tiny JRT...). She even refused to sniff and walked right past a couple of dogs in a "yeah whatever" kind of way XD My query is, she gave one of the labs muzzle licks? Then I think she tried to do a socially-awkward play bow but I was mid walking away so it was aborted. But why does she lick the muzzle? This was one lick, DOL's very own Didi gets graced with lots of licks (and I redirect as I can see how annoying that can get for the dogs...) But pretty happy, there was a bbq afterwards and she chilled under a table at only slightly more distance than the other dogs (and also all the other shade spots were taken...) - and one of the offlead dogs from last week walked through the bbq and past us but Thistle just stayed in her drop and it thankfully didn't approach us (may have been giving the lady the dirty eye the entire time though) No classes for 4 weeks now I really hope we don't back slide. And I'm trying not to overload her with socialising as she's still quite a bit worried about ppl and dogs. Bayed at a lot of ppl today but I was lenient on account of the BBQ and just appreciated her not trying to bolt.

Once a mum, always a mum, I would think :)

Denali, that bit read to me more as the media's dramatic twist and borderline scifi. Not completely discountable in the far future but not an immediate likelihood.

Didi! Special place for being such an awesome, calm, patient, SOFT dog. Justice is an inspiration with gorgeous eyes I'm incredibly taken with kirty's bindi, so tiny Don. XD

Still learning myself but as you're scoping him out, letting him settle - reward all calm behaviour to develop the habits! Even the simple things like chilling on his bed or not barking at someone at the door or after an anxious moment shakes it off etc. let him know he's doing the right thing when calm and don't wait for the anxiety to show itself in order for you to react.

How horrible

The standing on the wet bench and the frisbee one are my favourites! I'm always taken away by how dark and shiny she is with such gorgeous eyes!

I love my Best Friends, the staff have gone above and beyond for us. I wouldn't use their vet for emergencies as there's a big 24/7 near us but they've been great for check ups, urine analysts, eye checks, nail clips, vaccinations. Absolutely amazing customer service, they give us free things and they've been a major part of getting the dog to trust people. I've written to the customer service department a couple of times because of how blown away I am. Other things I've been tickled pink over is: Ordering in stuff I've mentioned off hand (we have antlers! Various sizes and cut up!) Personal reference to a dog behaviouralist Managing other customers and staff to enable my dog to "succeed" Moving other customers on who are disturbing us (young men who won't take "leave my dog alone" seriously) Their never ending patience with the dog and letting us use them as people and dog rehab multiple times a week Organising in advance to bring their dog in so my dog can meet it Offering to meet us outside of work hours for dog greets / socialising The vet letting me take the dog in and around examination rooms and equipment without making an appointment to accustom her to stuff Meet and greets and general socialisation with vet and groomers (so going to vet isn't anymore stressful than any other place) Such a huge variety in dog stuff! Rabbit stuff is less varied but pretty good. Bought my Blackhawk and got $30 of duck treats There's more but my break ends soon. I can't speak for other best friends store but I absolutely treasure mine, they have been one of the largest corner stones of support with the dog. Although the one in northcote (?i think) were also hugely accomodating in letting us sneak through the back to the vet in a busy day to do the breed DNA test for funsies. Obviouslym I too am in the bandwagon of "not discounting a vet just because theyre attached to a groomer and pet warehouse". If anything, I prefer my pet stuff to be attached to a vet for any questions etc.

Suziwong I appreciate these outfits and your budget mindedness!

So festive, all of them! XD Someone may be booked to see Santa this week. I'll consider it a win if they sit 1m apart (Then each year hopefully a bit closer for amusing time progression of Santa trust...)

Thanks SG, hard choices

I've been angry-cleaning all day, this house will be spotless and all the dog stuff i've been meaning to install for months installed. I know it's all minor but Thistle went way over threshold and kept pulling/lunging or freezing, and I had my dog bag and it was hot and just all around unpleasant! Just after one of the new girls had done complimenting us It's just so upsetting when we've gone nearly a month without problems! Then I can't even vent at the owners because I'm too busy redircting/rewarding and it makes us look bad when she was being really good right up until then! Unfortunately Tassie, the club has permission (or rents out???) the local park from the council so it's not club land. Most people were gone by then, just me and the trainers and a couple of others who left just before the minis got me caught in their recall Bermuda triangle of stress I think if it was just one we'd have been right, but 3!

She would XD But easing into it! We'll start with a collar and maybe bells...next year a full reindeer outfit oh no tikira XD that's a long suffering face there! Scott wouldnt appreciate bells :) he wears jumpers so an xmas tshirt wouldn't be too much of an ask ;) My last dog did antlers well. He "cousin" not so much. Will poat photos when im back online properly :) You'll have to! So I can get inspiration :p Hahah I found some collars in petbarn but they were just normal collars with reindeer on them, not red ones with bells...so I got her a bandana to wear to obedience next week...says "Naughty is the new Nice" I hope my trainers appreciate it ! Still hoping to find some quiet jinglebells for the class christmas bbq...

She would XD But easing into it! We'll start with a collar and maybe bells...next year a full reindeer outfit oh no tikira XD that's a long suffering face there!

Argh I'm so cranky, we were doing FINE in class - in close quarters with other dogs, accidentally bumped into one but brushed it off with a wag, some driveby distance sniffs at the new dogs while walking, all a-ok! Dropping in close quarters, minimal startling, not breaking when dogs recalled past... And after class we're hanging around as organised to practice some more intense sniff-greetings between Thistle and a young kelpie, the trainer-being-trained is having explained to her what to do about a person-reactive dog (that's us, we're being used as the example. all good stuff about no eye contact, no directly approaching etc etc) when we're blindsided by offlead mini Schnauzer types! THREE OF THEM! They were spread across two owners - two ran past Thistle, about 1.5-2 m distance and had her break her sit/pull a bit. She fixated while those dogs were having a sniff session but I got her into a sit and was working her attention back to me because the third one was wandering 1m behind us, so we had no way to just walk off! Well Thistle noticed the third one and stood tensely again and my trainer was telling the people off and to recall their dogs. THE OWNER POSITIONED THEMSELVES IN LINE BEHIND US WHEN RECALLING THEIR DOGS SO THE DOGS WOULD RUN OUR WAY. Thankfully the dogs had shit recall and ignored them, and I think it was because owners kid at a different angle was also calling them and then third owner was calling their dog and we were trapped in the middle of this horrible triangle of shitty recalls with offlead dogs and Thistle was just getting more and more worked up Eventually did a "f*** this" because there's no way I could get Thistle's attention and broke out of the triangle and through kid's recall because figured one dog is better than the other two. I had to drag thistle a bit then she'd come along (praise!) then she'd freeze again so I'd have to drag then she'd come along and about 4-5 metres we were back to safe distance and she somewhat focussed on me and we went to the middle of the field where lady with DA GSD was hanging next to the kelpie. One of the owners finally recalled their 2 minis and leashed them, other one remained unleashed. Then! while waiting (since not going to do sniffs while kelpie is crated!) the offlead mini started meandering towards us again and the owner is doing nothing! After the trainer had told her to get her dog to leave us along! Mini nearly made it half the field to us before our trainer told miss f***ing inconsiderate that her dog is approaching us again, which made her recall but again, no lead. Which is, what the f***, have some goddamn respect and leave us alone. We moved half the field away, that's more than enough. Thistle was being so great and good and chill until she got worked up because some person is f***ing lazy and lets their dog with shit recall off lead. Stop being inconsiderate f***s and either teach your dog recall or f***ing LEASH IT. We deserve to be here too, we're obeying the rules and considerate of the other dogs. We decided to go for the kelpie sniffs since thistle was calmer when the stupid lady finally f***ing recalled her mini. We did 3 "pretend walking past in the street" where the dogs sniffed noses/sides of head then moved on. They were great, although thistle was tense during the act of sniffing, her tail gave a tiny wag and she was relaxed when moving away. But i'm still so f***ing pissed at the inconsiderate off lead owners. Especially the one who wouldn't f***ing leash her dog, I suspect it may be the one that has interrupted class before because "we thought we were far enough away". selfish, inconsiderate person. and I hate how THEM breaking laws and having an uncontrolled dog makes us somehow out to be the bad guy because their offlead dog is running around my dog and ignoring recalls and upsetting my dog so much she can't listen. Ruined a perfectly good day otherwise.

I'm getting ready to ease myself into it, I have been hunting in vain for a decorative jingle bell collar to humiliate the pup in front of her few doggie friends Kind of annoyed that I've only found them for cats and small dogs in the reject shop, so far. Everything else is outfits! Not sure I'm ready for the outfit step just yet XD Who has been embarassing their dog around christmas time? Tastefully or not? Where do you find things? Obviously it's a bit late for ebay, as I am wanting her jinglebells collar in time for the last obedience class of year bbq next week Which I will go off to now.