Erny

I would suggest you are right . Yes - you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. I learnt (the hard way) that people need to want to fix their doggy problems for anyone to be able to help them. At least you've put your hand out with the information so there's no doubt they now know there are people out there who can help. The next step is up to them. Hope it is one that favours both child and dog.

Same. I even carried treats around Actually, I was just venturing in here to say that the sort of treatment described should not be called "old school". "Old School" has its place. It shouldn't be denigrated falsely as being abusive and bad training. But you have beat me to it. And I too use a LOT of positive reinforcement and motivational techniques.

Yes I know, and yes it's a little late for the bringing a baby home course. I'm hoping she called one (or all) of the people I told her to try and managed to get in with someone straight away. We can live in hope. I think you'll find that it's not. Have you seen the content of his course? I haven't, but if it is anything like some of the information that I provide to my clients, it is good for even after baby has come home and even into the toddler phase. But it is ideal to begin before problems arise, as is always the case with anything. That aside, your friend's situation sounds too serious to leave it up to only a "distance course" and like the others, I would highly recommend and urge your friend to arrange a consult with Steve. I don't know of others in NSW to be able to recommend for this type of service. I don't think NSW have as many experienced behaviourists as Melbourne does.

4Paws - it seems to me that you are unable to clarify what your definition of "Behaviourist" is and where that definition comes from. WHO or WHAT is telling you that we are all wrong in calling "behaviourists" "behaviourists" (given that they deal with behaviour). Is this just your opinion, because some of your statements are as though you have some knowledge about the status of "behaviourist" label that the rest of us don't. I don't know why you are 'ing Staranais . I think you did strongly indicate/say that the AVA was somehow involved in the regulated use of the label "behaviourist". If you didn't mean for us to think the AVA had any part or control in the use of the label "behaviourist" then I'm not sure why you brought them into this. I think Staranais really helped to clear up a lot of doubt and confusion in relation to the AVA's stance on the use of the word "behaviourist", confusion that only arose because of what you stated in (at least) one of your posts. If it is just your (unqualified?? ) opinion, then that's fair enough - we can discuss (although I think the posts here, and in particular, Staranais' posts evidencing AVA's stance on it - which seems very contrary to your earlier claims are fairly clear in expressing our own opinions) and if we're going to do this, the first thing I would ask you is what description you would give someone who does more than only "train" but also works with and helps to rehabilitate "behaviour", but doesn't have what you would regard as the 'right' to label themselves as a "behaviourist"? And I agree with Cosmolo. And Aidan.

They can the result of immune mediated issues; allergies; foreign bodies; and yes, bacteria .... to name a few things. I would guess there are more causes, but I'm not familiar with them. For the past 2 years I've been 'battling' allergy symptoms with my boy and at one point, just when I finally seemed to get the hive outbreaks under control, he broke out into cysts. In part it seemed as though he wasn't tolerating the foods he was eating - we (the naturopath and myself) hypothesised that the toxicity build up from what seemed to be an inability to digest properly was causing the skin eruptions, including the cysts. We saw it as just one other means of the body trying to rid itself of the toxins in his body. I've since had a hypothyroid diagnosis confirmed and now that he is on medication to help thyroid function, it would seem (dare I say it?) that his skin outbreaks are desisting. You might like to consider things such as diet - I don't know your dog; how long you've had him; whether he generally has a healthy coat or whether you've had other incidental health issues; how long he's been eating the current diet he is on; etc. (and I'm also not a Vet nor a Canine Nutritionist) so I'm not suggesting this is a cause, but only that you give it some consideration before you rule it out. Also check your dog's nails to make sure that they are not so long (or even so that they are not so short) that they could be digging into his pads to cause the cysts - or even to just make them worse. I had to watch nail length with my boy because of where his cysts were located and for a while it was better for him to have his nails a bit longer than normal so that they weren't digging into the protruding cysts rather than at least just pressing against them. ETA: When I first noticed the cysts on my boy's feet, they appeared as just slight swellings to the side of and along the outside edge of a toe pad. Then they seemed to become blood filled and angry before finally bursting and going down. Sometimes they would almost disappear but then come back up. I continued the Calendula Tea washes (let his foot stand in a bowl of it for a couple of minutes at a time) frequently, but also with a mind that I didn't want his feet to be continuously wet. Calendula Tea has anti-bacterial agents as well as anti-inflammatory agents.

Aside from the possibility of grass seeds (gotta be a bit unlucky to have them affecting more than one foot at the same time), what about the possibility of interdigital cysts? This is a picture of my boy's foot pad who went through a bout of interdigital cysts (affecting each foot, starting with just one). They came, were painful, would burst or go down, then come back up again. I had to ease off exercise when they were at their worst or the pressure of him running around would cause them to burst (and yes, they'd bleed a fair bit). My main concern was infection so I was very careful to apply antiseptic after we'd been out (especially if he'd gotten them mucky), I applied Calendula Tea washes frequently and if it seemed suitable at the time, I used Paw Paw Ointment (in part to provide some lubrication as one or more of his toe nails would be rubbing up against the cyst).

Thanks Staranais.

;) .... only just reading this thread now. Very clever and very . *cough* ..... do I get a matching handbag for carriage purposes, with that?

I have found that the Calendula provides quick relief, so if it is going to work to ease the discomfort, you should know about it fairly quickly (generally inside 24 hours, in my experience).

What does the trigger point therapy involve?

Do you experience any difficulties when your dogs are off lead around a football field when the (eg) juniors are practising?

As Huski has said - purchase from a Health Food Shop. Brew it up like you would tea (I use the toe of a stocking as I would a tea bag). Boiling water - let it steep until the water cools. Then wet the affected area up with it and let it dry on (ie don't rinse off). I use about one heaped tablespoon of the tea to one cup of water.

I would have thought that anyone who charges a fee to help 'treat' a (in this instance) dog (behaviour or otherwise) puts themselves in a position to be sued for negligence, regardless.

I've seen this occur on numerous occasions, with the silver snap hooks. Which is why I don't recommend them. It is the high tensile metal - they can end up with fracture lines through them and then in one moment *poof* and they snap. Can prove quite dangerous to dog and to owner. I only recommend the brass snap hooks.

I wondered why the 2 dogs were to be euth'd? Extremely sad that an innocent dog is to be killed when it has done nothing wrong. If one of mine showed any sign of aggression I'd shoot it. Oh, so were BOTH dogs involved?

A simple box will do it.

The part of your sentence that I've bolded does not make sense. But over all, it seems to me that you're telling us that the AVA have a definition of "Behaviourist" and that's its use is exclusive for those who have completed some sort of degree. Yet then you say this : So on one hand you're trying to tell all of us that our use of the word "behaviourist" to describe our occupational skill level/focus is wrong; is a misrepresentation. You're trying to tell us that for any of us who work beyond obedience training/sport training and actually work to rehabilitate more indepth problematic behaviour are not "behaviourists" but are "trainers". Yet on the other hand you acknowledge that there is no law against anyone labelling themselves a "behaviourist" (and I acknowledge that). I do not know anyone who are Dog Trainers that advertise themselves as Behaviourists (let alone "qualified" behaviourists) unless they are people who work to rehabilitate/remedy problematic dog behaviour. You've definitely implied (if not actually stated) that this is almost an endemic problem. Would you please point out the people who are dog trainers only yet who advertise that they are behaviourists? Or again, is it only yourself, by your very own (obviously preferred) interpretation of "Behaviourist", who make the assumption that they are not behaviourists at all? Which people would you suggest ARE behaviourists, by your definition? And what's your description for those people who DO work on the behaviour of dogs (ie beyond the 'training' level) but don't have degrees, but do have years of hands on experience?

I wondered why the 2 dogs were to be euth'd? Extremely sad that an innocent dog is to be killed when it has done nothing wrong.

I don't think it looks like a wolf. Eyes are too different. Face and muzzle are too broad and round. Just mho. As someone has said, likely as not it is a generic photo anyway. I mean who puts a dog who has bitten a child, in the middle of land with no collar and lead for the sake of a journo photo?

IMO you're wrong. But perhaps I'll re-think that if you are able to provide the evidence that Staranais has been asking for (a few times now, I think - this thread and another). And as for the part I've bolded, where's the evidence of your claim there? ETA: "New age fad of recommendation" ?????

Lol .... I came into this thread wondering if anyone would!! :rolleyes: for Calendula Tea. The more I use it in a variety of situations, the increasingly impressed I become with it. From constantly having wet feet (training in wet grass) that saw no relief until the finish of the day, I developed a case of tinea. Having nothing else available and it being painful, I soaked my foot in Calendula Tea. Problem gone inside 24 hours. Once application. Probably should have done it a few times to be certain, but that's all I did. In the last few days, my Mum broke out in a very nasty angry raised rash which was very rapidly spreading across her forehead and even working its way down to one of her eyes. She paid a visit to the Doctors who, although not completely convinced, was concerned that it might have been shingles. He wanted to give Mum a cortisone shot just in case. Mum reacts badly to cortisone injections so she put that idea off, although there was a very real concern that the rash was indicative of something serious so we weren't prepared to muck around too much for too long. Three applications of Calendula Tea inside that one afternoon saw, by the next morning, the rash on her forehead reduced by at least 20%. Three more applications during the next day saw it 50% reduced. I'm told it is continuing to reduce (haven't seen Mum for a couple of days, so it might even have all but disappeared by now). And of course most people here on DOL know how successful the Calendula Tea applications have been in the treatment of my dog's hive outbreaks and how its use has assisted in it not becoming necessary to use cortisone treatments. Now that I have had him tested and diagnosed as hypothyroidic and that he is on meds for that, the hive outbreaks which have troubled him for the better part of his young life seem to have desisted (*touchwood*). Sorry - not meant to be a hi-jack of the thread, but because Calendula often brings results in such a short period of time, I think it is really worth while trying in many instances. It's not a cure to the underlying cause of the problem, but it often does help with the symptoms. And if it is going to work I find that you will generally see improvement inside 24 hours, so it is not as though you've waisted weeks trying something that is not going to work.

I don't know about there being an absolute "correct" way, but in my experience I think the best way comprises of the following criteria : Quiet/still water An entry that is gradual - like that at the beach where it (generally) is a matter of wading in towards deeper water, rather than one moment having feet on the ground the next moment nothing. Allow the dog to become comfortable with the water depth in his/her own time. Make it lots of fun. Being in the water with the dog is helpful - gives confidence. The problem with the beach are the waves - crashing waves (even small white water) can put some 'first timer' dogs off. I found the best times to go are right on low tide and of course on the most still days you can arrange. Dams/lakes are good for still water - but you need a nice entry point where it is not too much of a sudden drop to nothingness. You also need to be mindful of snakes as dams/lakes are where they often manifest in the warmer months. In my limited experience (ie my own dog) I found introduction to water via doggy swimming pools too much. Too many other dogs and noise. Too enclosed. And one moment you're on hard ground, the next it is gone. I found this order of re-introduction served well for rehabilitation : Clam Shell Pool Dam/lake Beach

A bit like how we might choose a Vet for our dogs, in a way ..... one additional recommended criteria for which I think should be "DOLed" lol

............. that is very funny, Aidan. I tend to use Lindsay's books more as references, rather than reading straight through. Some people do that (ie read straight through) but I find it easier to retain the knowledge from them by reading timely topics of interest. I do find that it is initially hard going, but I begin to get used to his writing and it gets a bit easier the more I go along. Like Jigsaw, I've spent hours researching something only to find that I've gone completely away from topic because of something interesting that I've stumbled upon in the process. I love that.

+1 Merry Christmas, Newfsie and family. Tobias will always be with you, wrapped safely and warmly in your hearts.