Two Best Dogs!

She chill indoors while I'm at work, we go for a walk when I get home and chill together with a side of training of the box game. its a nice quiet life for her. I don't feel neglectful because our set up works and she's alright. Not keen on leaving her in the backyard, we are working in her separation anxiety (I WAS worried when I returned to work but if she's indoors she's fine) and she frets in the yard. Idk if she can jump the fence to look for me but I'd like to avoid it. She's also not cat friendly and the neighbours have a particularly stupid cat she has roughed up twice now. Would like to avoid it being seriously injured. :/ Never had a puppy

Oh no not homework XD I will reluctantly read those and frown at my camera a lot

Sorry just saw this. It's ah absolutely bucketing down right now and the forecast isn't promising so we may have to hold up on our test run until next Saturday. Doesn't look like our area clears up until evening and I'm not keen on walking in a strange place in the dark! Looks like it's going to rain during our Sunday classes as well. But the minute after I do test run I'll report back. Thanks for being so understanding guys :) Thistle has a great reading on me so I fake relaxed a lot when I'm more stressed than she is!

Thanks....yeah, it's a bit overwhelming when a lot of it is a bit conflicting or completely contrary to what you're doing that seems to be working. We'll keeping hanging around and of course come running for help the minute something really confusing happens or to ask local questions (only moved here 6 months ago, need to know all those great dog friendly camping or hiking or quiet beaches or even quiet meets with fellow forum goers later down the track!) i will try to take better pictures that truly show how gorgeous she is! thanks for the advice given already though, i have read it all and will definately apply some of it later!

...snip PS I stopped reading the reactive dogs thread and posting in it, because the more anxious I was about how she might react to new dogs... the worse she was. Ie reading that thread made us both worse. ...snip i confess i'm beginning to feel that way too, so i probably won't come back to this thread after i post the results for tomorrow's test run (in case other ppl are googling diamond creek like i was and want to know what it is like). i overthink and get really anxious and then she gets really anxious :c so we're going to have a chill night followed by a chill day that ends with a quick scope-it-out walk around the dog park. then on sunday we'll go to behaviour class and report on what we saw to the trainer. no offence to you guys, your experiences and what worked and didn't work for you are valid and you're clearly speaking from lots of experience! but so is my trainer who has been working with us for 6 weeks now, and my other trainer who is in agreement, that it would be okay to start out slowly working on calm behaviour training / greeting practice (yes 3 second rule, ours is 2 seconds) in the vicinity of dogs in addition to weekly classes. also because it is so hard to really show how we're going through the text on the internet, I hope you can take my word for it that we are going to take it slowly and minimise as much risk as possible. but there will always be a bit of risk when we take another step forward and out of the house. a carefully planned step, right down to maps, timing and time of day. so i hope you don't mind if i unsubscribe from this thread, i really just wanted to know from locals if there a dog parks that are really bad or stand out as 5 star amazing places....

That would be awesome! Especially since someone... Have to go find it again... Links to awesome toys.

Hey, just wondering if anyone who uses a similar camera for their dogs can give me the rundown on your basic settings? So I can copy them onto my manual :p idk what any of this stuff means, but sometimes i get nice pictures and sometimes they're grainy **** which dont do Thistle justice. Thank c:

This is a great thread, so many things to try with my girl. Didn't occur to me for targeting to be a find it game... This is a long thread though, is there a master list of ideas in between discussions?

Okay so I've narrowed in down to the Diamond Creek dog park on account of the secure fencing and different sections and what appears to be an active ranger presence. There's even an obedience training area for agility! I do hope in a year or so this is something she can do. When I take her to the You Yangs she parkours all over the place. Very bouncy for such a big dog! ANYWAY I'm thinking Thistle and I will go late in the day when most people have hopefully gone (and also cause she'll already have burnt off energy with her walkies) For our first visit we are just going to go for a walk like normal around the whole dog park...or as much as possible, the paths around the outside of it are kind of unclear... Nothing out of the usual for her because it's a new location. Sniff the daisies type deal so I can scope the park out. Here's the bolded info from the council on the bits I personally found interesting, will report back Saturday night on if this is something we will do again: http://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/files/88d7da5a-e03e-4016-8531-a44b009c354b/Diamond_Creek_dog_park.docx The park has three different zones to accommodate all types of dogs. Zone 1 Play/runabout zone This zone provides a space where dogs can run free and where there are stimulating environments to explore. It includes mounding and climbable features, open run about areas and rock features for climbing. Zone 2 Education/training zone This zone is to support the early stages of dog obedience training and includes built-in agility training equipment. Zone 3 Small dog/Timeout zone This zone creates an area where small or timid dogs can play leash-free away from larger dogs. The space can also act as a time-out area for owners who want to temporarily remove their dogs from the energy of the park to settle them down. So yeah, our first visit will be a nice casual onlead stroll around the dog park without any interactions. Not different from our Darebin creek strolls really. More circular.

! Thanks! I will write that down! So far just day trips, easing her into the idea of hiking but she's been great so far! When it gets warmer we will practice tent behaviour in our backyard then hopefully go on some trips next year. She carries her back pack like a champ. Edit. Argh mobile.

Hi snook! Oh no poor justice! Dog attacks are horrible the bull terrier x grabbing her was the worse most impactful but she has also been harassed by an angry terrier up the road - the owners left it off lead in a fence less front yard and it nipped at her heels so she's really not keen on little yapping dogs. But at training the dog she gets along most is a yappy terrier (prob cause other owner and I are putting special effort in relaxing the two nearby. His dog dislikes large dogs but is ok with thistle so helpful for both...) Yeah, I noticed major improvement when I started rewarding her for looking around then looking at me. It let her relax because she knew it was okay to check things out and dismiss them? Her threshold for both ppl and dogs has really decreased, we can walk past most dogs with minimal worry at a decent speed. And she doesn't start baying at ppl across the road... Yeah better during off peak. I'm thinking sniff maybe one or two dogs if she wants, through fence, then give all the praise and call it a day while it's going good! I will check out that sub! Everything is on lead so far but damnit she loves water I want to let her run around in water without worrying over other dogs or ppl ;)

Thanks :) Yeah I agree with the red part. Early on when I got her we were rushed with some well meaning people and "quick fixes". Nothing too traumatic or impactful, but it left a feeling of failure each time and was disheartening. Ie a couple of days after the attack it was just meant to be a quiet walk in the vicinity of dogs so she didn't ...dunno the correct word, get in a rut from being hidden away in the house, but a lady convinced me to let the two dogs sniffed even after I explained our distance and yup thistle growled like I expected and we moved away and she gave us such a look I'm getting very good at saying No to ppl coming over with their dogs. She's not ready for random hellos outside of controlled. So definitely going to take our steps slow. No rushing in, just test new things out at a distance then get closer but monitor her at all time (and make sure no off lead dog is running up to surprise us! D: hopefully ppl let them off lead once they're actually in the fenced zone... And sometimes disheartened but I've got a log too, and some before pics. And the trainers have been really nice every time I get a little down cause she's having a back sliding day. If she doesn't want to play with dogs, I don't mind. (Although I think she does. We do have a friends dog she met before the attack and is quite interested in other dogs until we are too close) But I do want, for her own safety, to be able to ignore dogs and be able to relax with every day life. Also, camping in a year if she's up to it :D

That sounds right? Sorry I'm still learning all the terms for things. But there is a thing where she gets rewarded for calmly looking at things then looking at me. So she can check things out and go "oh that's alright! Okay I am okay!" . Thanks :D and yeah if Saturday turns out to be one of those things that just doesn't work with her, I'll stop. But she impresses me with her response so far. Only been in classes for 5 weeks and we've gone from personal space circle of 2 metres dogs, 3 metres ppl to okay being near and sometimes sniffing! But practice builds confidence. Figure we will only be there 30 mins for the first time. Praise and treats just for sitting calmly or sniffing or chilling and so much roo if she does politely sniff. And only once a week. Okay I must resist this thread until lunch ;)

Haha! I will do that tonight. We have a semi "before" picture too (none from At her worst, too busy confidence building to take pics then :c)

Thanks blinkblink! Yeah I jumped the gun in my reply haha, I'm fearful reactive for my dog and get a bit defensive ;) A lot is I don't want her to end up like the dog who attacked her (pts) so we really focus on "bad" behaviours and also due to her size. So I'm very serious on her training and behaviour. But I wouldn't put her through it if I didn't see it helping her. She went for a pat from a strange man last night, major milestone The trainer has also mentioned to avoid pushing her or rushing her so we don't undo all her work. He reckons fence greets will be okay just cause we do it already with one on one dog sessions when she was I her growling fear stage (she's more a worried sniffing stage now, nips if they move too fast) That is a lot of resources! I will devour that during lunch, we try many things. She's a star with clicker and positive training. She is really a different dog from 5 months ago But number one rule is to take it slowly and nudge her, but never ever push her. Number two is we will never go INTO to a dog park because we don't know other dogs. Number 3 is I carry a break stick and she has a "flee" Command.... Alas, just arrived at work...

Thanks, but we already go to classes every Sunday! I don't ever EVER intend to put her IN a dog park, but practicing ignoring, greetings and desensitising through a dog park barrier will help :) much better than walking through the streets to find a dog in a fenced front yard to practice on. So this will be additional behaviour greeting practice because she is doing really well, just needs practice! Although can ppl just rent out your off lead area for a one on one dog run and play? She'd like to stretch her legs. I think if it wasn't for her timid nature she probably would have recovered from the attack fine she does like other dogs but the sudden movements surprise her.

I "feel the need" because she is responding well to the behaviour training and does want to play with dogs, but then when she gets up close to them she scares herself! So I'm helping her overcome her fear with the doggie classes and now... Going and standing outside doggie parks so she can get used to fast moving dogs - but on the other side of the fence so it is not a bad experience. I'm not throwing her into the dog park and walking off ;) she IS doing really well with her fear but we lack opportunities to practice outside of classes And I can use it too bit worried about fast moving large dogs myself after the attack, so hanging around on other side of fence can relax both of us We go to dog classes every Sunday (positive k9) and she is doing really well, come a long way. She's not a "poor" dog because we work on her scared issues? sudden movements still surprise her, so we are working on desensitising her to sudden movements because dogs suddenly move a lot. For people we go watch the kids practice footie - she's getting bored of that I think. So now for dogs we are going to go watch dogs zip around. My understanding is the time out section is for one dog at a time and lets them interact with other dogs with the barrier safety. I'm baffled that you all seem to think I shouldn't be working on her fear and leave her as it is? I'm never going to take her IN to a park, but I don't see any harm in gradually getting closer to the fence and letting her practice polite greeting behaviour. This is also for safety, so I can walk her in the local park and not worry about her freaking out over off leads dogs running up to her. If another dog was freaking her out or teaching her scared behaviour, we would move away. I think I would be a very bad owner if I practiced avoidance and didn't work on her issues. And I don't push her, at worse we get her a bit worried and work at that point. So if she doesn't want to be closer than 20 metres to the fence, fine, we will practice relaxing 20 metres away from the fence and next week maybe it will be 15 metres. And yeah, this was a suggestion from positive k9 BECAUSE she is doing so well. No offence, but I trust an accredited trainers advice more ;) So tomorrow I'm going to a dog park to let her practice greetings safely through a fence, and practice general obedience in the vicinity of other dogs and would appreciate suggestions on one with a reasonable amount of dogs and reasonable people please. I understand you're worried because you don't know all the details but I promise you, they're all tiny little steps with as much controlled conditions as I can get outside of classes.

Probably every single one that has a nice solid dog proof fence around it. A scared dog needs to be able to escape... We said we want to be OUTSIDE the park, so the more solid the fence the better ;) We know sometimes ppl put aggro dogs in so we'd prefer they be trapped in the park so we can leave if needed.

Edit: Review on page 3 --------- Hey. We live in thomastown/Bundoora. My dog is a large timid rescue mutt. A few months back another dog attacked her and we've been working on her fear of dogs since. She's progressing well (edit: we go to Sunday positive k9 behaviour classes and the odd one on one. Every Thursday we relax outside puppy classes. Every sat we watch kids practice sports) and I'd like to start taking her to dog parks on Saturdays BUT we will not actually be entering the park, we intend to be on the other side of the fence (proper chain fences not those weird log ones dogs can walk under) Just so she can get used to fast moving dogs again and sniff them through the fence. So would prefer to check out northern and eastern suburbs. I hear diamond creek even has a section for scared dogs? I'm also near mill park and mernda Also wondering which ones you reckon have alright people in them? Have had a couple of annoyances where people with angry little dogs get offended when I ask them to not come closer. And if you know what parks we should avoid forever.