Two Best Dogs!

Achievement post! (in the right thread this time) Guests are gone, it went well. Minimal barking, minimal cowering, LOTS of scared dog sneaking closer on her tummy to guests for pats. Kid friendly! Even when kid dropped her tablet on thistle's head *wince* We're graduating to level 2 in obedience, finally. Was getting a bit embarrassed there. Positive sniffing has continued with a nice 1yo kelpie who is happy to meet everyone and has the softest fur, one sniff Thistle even initiated! But redirected her after a second as she was still pretty tense and looming over the pup. Looking forward to us meeting the gorgeous Didi next week maybe ;) How's everyone else going? Big or small? I need my dog update fix ;)

Woops wrong thread wrong thread! I don't know why it's called a flirt pole, I just think of it as a giant cat toy for dogs XD I called it a flick pole for the longest time.

Awww look at the greys go! I keep forgetting how big they are

woops wrong thread! got soe xcited i'm reading things wrong

Well if everyone else is taking it as an invitation to scratch the butt I can't be too wrong! Was just a bit mystified.

I wasn't sure what else to do! If it was an invite to play welp sorry girl I've missed the clue ;) She seems to be a pro butt wiggle.

Maybe I'm not using the right phrases or words but...why does my dog turn around and wiggle her butt at me? Not her tail (granted it is also wagging) but her butt? It seems very specific, usually when I've come home from something without her. Go to say hello, she turns around and presents that butt - wiggles it a bit - turns around for a pat/nosing me then turns around again for another butt wiggle. I've taken to scratching it but am not sure if that's what she's actually wanting here. Doesn't seem to be upset. (sorry I'm failing on interpreting you Thistle ) What probably obvious thing is the butt wiggler communicating? I'm at a loss!

I love the one of the tree from overhead! Very simple, but lovely colours. Really stands out.

Same thing I think ;) Had her on her bed while I eat dinner in peace like I do every night, but for some reason the rules don't apply when guests are over ;) I'd sit down and she'd immediately be moving the minute I was looking at my plate. Seems to think she won't be told off just cause guests are around! Nope! Started whining and throwing her toys around but still on her bed, silly duffer.

@Snook and Justice, oh no his beautiful face! But I'm so glad on his progress and how awesome it is that your journey with Justice can be used in such an educational way! I hope it helps many behaviourists, vets and owners/dogs in the future All quiet here Balance is exercise! @lisaspence, welcome! I posted in your thread about our obedience/behavioural classes with Chris from positive k9 training in melbourne. They've been very helpful for one on ones and group training. Come and scope us out sometime! I hope your dog progresses soon

I live in the Dandenong Ranges - there are bush ticks but definitely no paralysis ticks. We have forest on our block and are one house away from National Park. We have lots of echidnas, possums, wallabies etc and no tick incidents since we have been here. I don't use tick protection up here. That's reassuring! Thanks Spending all that time watching for snakes and didn't even think of ticks!

I have been using Positive K9 in Kew ($17 a lesson I think, or 5 for $80) and have been incredibly pleased (and relieved and grateful and so very supported) for all the help I've been getting with a scared dog. They can do a one-on-one assessment or at classes. If you do come to classes, feel free to say hi from whatever distance you prefer! You can't miss us, we're the big dog in the yellow scared jacket. There are 2 other yellow jacket scared dogs, they are both very small and in advanced classes. I was doing lots of exercises prior to the class after a one on one session with Ernie the dog bloke who came out to assess her after she was attacked and she was getting less twitchy but I felt we'd progress more in a controlled class environment with other people and dogs around. But everything controlled, unlike the street. I contacted them after I read about Bella (a DA GSD) then went and watched one of their classes and on the recommendation of Ernie. I sent an email to chris first to explain what was up, and he called me and we chatted. He also calls me if I seem a bit down in facebook social group (private for customers) to give advice and encourage. Our first class Thistle was a frozen crouching wreck behind me, jumping and barking at anyone (people and dog) who moved. She's scared of people and scared of dogs, we border very closely to dog aggression I think but haven't crossed that path and are moving away from it. I had her on two leads - 1 on the hand and one attached to my belt so she couldn't bolt :/ We are coming up on our 21st lesson and yesterday I walked her past a bouncy intact bull arab boy and today she recalled on a long line when we were surprised by two off lead dogs in the mountains (after having it to ourselves the whole day). The sunday we just had she politely sniffed a bouncy kelpie, twice! She was still tense and worried, but it is a milestone improvement. So long and short of it, positive k9 training is really helping my scared reactive be less scared and reactive! For triggers and desensitisation with dogs/people - I go to Petbarn and Bestfriends during the quiet hours! I play the Look at That game mentioned up thread and reward her for any positive behaviour and redirect her from any negative behaviour (that includes pulling me towards dogs, even to say hello. It's calmly and politely or not at all). I also go watch kids play footie. Nothing says impulse control more than teaching a dog to stay calm with lots of screaming children chasing a ball in the distance :p Oh! Also, a flirt pole with rules is awesome, to again teach impulse control. For when she is TOO focussed and staring at something, I draw her away and redirect. We move further away and I try to discourage prolonged eye contact with other dogs as they get into stare competitions. So distract BEFORE pup gets focussed. Not after. That took me awhile to work out

Can I do a small hijack to ask if anyone knows about the Dandenongs and southern parts of great dividing range? i.e. I was at Mt Dissapointment today. Have done a run over for burrs and thorns and leeches and things-that-should-not-be-attached-to-the-dog but ticks is not something I know anything about.

Now that is something that appeals to me, in our on-lead zones and walking down the street it's the ones breaking the rules with their dogs off lead that are the cause of most of our stress. It takes time to get this dog bomb proof!

I change the dry around a bit - same as you, switching between the black hawk different black hawks. Fish and potato is her favourite but she'll gobble them all. Planning the lamb next time. This week + next few weeks mixing in some special diet food to see if it affects her urine issues. Night time she gets raw, which I vary up a lot. Last night was kangaroo bits n bobs, chicken and kidneys with a bit of rice. I try to keep things varied so her stomach doesn't get stuck on "one food".

Bumping this topic so I can find it again :) I took the dog to the vet last week cause she's sprung a leak. Am ashamed it took me a week to realise I thought she was licking the couch. Her urine was normal although her ph slightly high so we are trialling some new food to lower ph to see if that is the cause. Otherwise vet reckons spay incontinence she's only been spayed 9 months. So if in 3 weeks when we go back the dog is still leaking, think I will try this corn silk stuff! Do not want to use the meds with side effects of irritability. We border quite close to DA as it is and don't want to cross that fence Wish us luck I guess!

I can handle her feet fine ;) Especially in the case of a thorn (had to do that recently, she stood politely and waited) and inspection type things. I make sure to poke and prod random bits of her all the time. Alas she gets the excited wiggles when it comes to nail clipping time and has black nails, so I really don't want to risk cutting the quick again. This new trick doesn't mean we'll cut back on desensitisation, just that she'll have appropriate length nails.

We sniffed the one dog twice and a half before class today. Yay! We go pass out from tired and heat now.

Hey guys an update on this! So for $15 I bought a long board (decided I wanted doggie size so it's not mixed up with her pivot), 8 bits of 80 grit sandpaper and some glue. Ended up only need 6 bits, but I imagine spares will be need and I think I'll put one on the ramp in the rabbits cage. It files FAST. We got it right up close to the quick before I finished even shaping the behaviour and haven't even put in a verbal command yet. Surprise bonus: Even her offering circles on the board wore down her back nails a bit. Between them growing slower and that, I may not need to try to capture the rear digging. I'm thinking a couple of scratches once a week to start off with will keep them in order. They're filing a bit unevenly right now (she's right pawed) but it seems it will even itself out as she gets better at it. All around, pleasant experience, fast, cheap, her paws are fine and no stress. I think hypothetically one could place the board in a frequent walking place, i.e. the back door, ramps, and not even bother shaping the behaviour and just keep a close eye on the claws. But since we've started the behaviour we'll continue with it.

In a twist of irony, I've discovered I'm going to be deployed for both her birthday and her gotchya day XD At least I will be able to enjoy a late dinner with her (as I can only be deployed locally due to her being unsuitable to board. Am NOT having all our work undone)

Twice. One, after a long battle with mange, tumour and then it turned out some sort of bone cancer. He was a Guinea pig sure but I'd had him 8 years, he was so social and people friendly. I just couldn't handle it and I couldn't go into the room with him. I have regretted it since but I completely understand why someone might not be able to take the last steps into the room. I hate the sight of my pets dead because that's just an empty shell, not my pet. I'm getting choked up remembering that little guy. The second time was an 11 year old rabbit. I was interstate and she was with pet sitters. They found her unable to walk (E.C to the brain) and even though I was due to fly back the next morning I asked them to PTS now as it was clearly the end and I didn't want her forced to wait in pain surrounded by strangers. She would hop up into bed and sit on my shoulder I did want to be there for her last moments. Same again for the DA I had to surrender, but they didn't notify me of the evaluations so I couldn't be there. I've made that decision again to be there in the last moments but who knows if I'll be able to follow through. Hopefully a long way off.

Thanks Raineth. I hope so! Thursdays is people rehab night at Best Friends (unless I'm lazy then it is friday or saturday...) It was a full house so she was a bit twitchier than usual so we did some LAT and then loads of Look at Me and a couple of heels/sits/drops. The usual start of session jitters after being home alone. We got increasingly closer to big-man-with-beard-who-is-usually-in-aquarium-section-on-other-side-of-caged-birds-so-we-rarely-go-there (big man for short). Big man was doing lots of worker things like building a kennel with loud noises and sudden movements (Thistle alarm level (TAL): frozen and intent), sneezing (TAL: flinch!), walking towards us (TAL: hide behind owner), driving a mini forklift (TAL: Curious and following). Loads of rabbits this week. So we walked past them and rewarded for looking away. Didn't do our usual snake training (reward for ignoring/moving away from) as the snake wasn't in the cage that has the air holes for her to smell. Too hot I think. We stood at a bigger distance than usual away from one of the senior staff because she JUST ADOPTED THE CUTEST TAN STAFFIE TYPE. Unfortunately Thistle was being twitchy AND all 3 of her "unprovoked" nips of dogs have all been boys so decided not to try for a sniff today. We'll start with gorgeous Didi and other laid back dogs and work our way up to it. Although this dog was a very calm fella, just standing there, walked in our direction a bit but walked back when lead got tight. Seems a darling. Abused in first home Second home gave him back. So third time lucky! We ended the day with a big challenge. Big Man, Senior staff lady + her new dog were packing in the aisle. We had been inching closer and chilling but were almost out of treats! So (with appropriate warning of what Thistle and I were going to do so they could avoid making eye contact and scaring Thistle) - we walked through the Aisle and them :D Much praise. TAL: reluctant but not flinching, didn't drag me in a rush once we passed them. Upon getting home we had to idle in the road a bit because an offlead SWF was walking along with his jogger behind him. I think our car stopping confused the dog but I just didn't want to run over it entering the driveway. Jogger sped up with dog and a wave, thistle got loads of verbal phrase for looking at me when I said her name (TAL: SWF alert) Also she got to see our neighbours/they got to see her! :D They called her pretty. She was sitting politely waiting for front door to be opened (to sweet sweet coolness and water). Yay small victories! /journal post basically. PS. Cooling down but making me wet https://vt.tumblr.com/tumblr_nw7ekjK8XA1qh8fin.mp4

That is so glad to hear! Sounds like the dog is overwhelming her a bit. Perhaps you can suggest an installation for their gate that will get it to swing shut after the kids go through? I am not sure what these are called, but I don't think they're expensive. Will keep her pup out of trouble too.

She's so pretty and shiny, congratulations on enjoying this gorgeous girl's love!

Oh no I hope your kitty is okay. Whether it is that dog who attacked him while gone or a different dog (while does sound likely, a bit harder to prove. I would certainly report to council that they keep letting it roam!) I would be hesitant letting your cat out anymore as what if your cat gets in the yard the dog is in? Even if your cat isn't much for exploring, the next time might be when your cat isn't on your property... Perhaps find a way to confine your cat to house/your back yard.