Erny

Hi Ellz ... now, I still have this head cold thing (worse than ever!), so perhaps I'm not catching on as well as I might, but what does the plastic in the plastic bowls do to influence the colour of the nose? My dog's food and water are not in plastic bowls (and her nose is black!) - I'm just curious.

Cheeky ellz .... Spent today giving instruction. Well, coughing and spluttering through half of it! Thanks for the well wishes. If my ears will unblock, that'll be the half of it!

I can just imagine your tough little staffy boy, Amhailte, astride his steed with his RM William (riding) boots on! Probably would have spurs on as well! Sorry ... maybe this medication for my head cold, blocked ears, sore throat and congested chest has made me go funny ETA: Hope his paw heals quickly.

Seems you'll be spending a bit of time down at builders' sites, huh Amhailte? Good luck with the construction of your own personalised agility course, and hope you and your dog have loads of fun working over (and through) it!

Another option, Amhailte, are off cuts of plastic guttering. Once you've got the off cuts at the lengths you need, there's nothing else to be done ..... just lay them out (upside down) in front of each other. In the initial stages of training over the Broad Jump, it is helpful if you:- 1. Give a verbal cue something like "Biiiiiiiiggggg over" - use appropriate tone of voice. This can help gee your dog up and get ready for a longer jump. 2. Put a bar jump in the middle of the Broad Jump to get him use to jumping over, rather than running across, the obstacle. Wean off once he's got the idea.

Only if I see Hugh Wirthless there Sorry Kelpie-i ..... I was only joking (sorry .. sic humour). I knew it was only practice at home to get it all started, stuff. HW? I think I'll start practicing my spitting too!!!

Could you let me know what your local builders are like, when you do? Maybe I should visit? ETA: Sorry .... just realised I spelt your name wrong in the last post.

Let's hope the handlers can "wean off" the use of the table faster than they might try to wean off things such as head collars! Don't get me wrong, Kelpie-i - good suggestion ... I just get this vision of dog handlers bringing their tables with them to class for their heeling and spitting exercises! You're not going to practice your spitting aim in October, are you??? ETA: Sorry for the temporarily hi-jacking the thread!

Oooh, aaahh, ummm .... not sure. Perhaps try ringing a local builder in your area, or maybe ducted heating installers, to see if they have off cuts?????? Check them out, though. (The ducts, not the builders/installers .... although if they have cute butts ??? ) I'm not sure what sizes they come in (the duct, not the builders:) ) nor whether they'd be safe (the duct OR the builders ) (eg. if the material they're made of is not strong enough to hold the wire inside them with the wear and tear of dog going through). Another possibility: I've seen them around - tunnels made of nylon (they're brightly coloured and fold up almost flat, and can be tucked into the nylon bag they come with). I think they're designed for little children. Come to think of it, I've used one, once or twice, in puppy classes. They're a bit flimsy, though, and could blow around if it's a bit windy (need to secure it) .... and I'm not sure if it'd last long with your boy, who sounds pretty tough indeed! A friend of mine (avid agility trialler/judge) purchased a proper flexi tunnel. Think it cost her a few hundred dollars. If I remember rightly, I think she bought it through e-bay auctions, and she believes she got it for a good price. So it sounds like the real maccoy is fairly expensive. If you want me to check this out further for you, Amheilte, feel free to PM me.

Without looking it up, I'm not sure about the distance between the weavers. If no one else on Dol can help (I'm sure there are some that can), let me know and I'll check up for you. In regards to placement of the poles when starting out, some do it that way. Others claim more success by creating a barrier with lightweight plastic trellace type stuff (avail from bunnings) so the dog has no choice other than to weave through. Of course, motivation is a must in training and the dog is highly rewarded for completing the exercise, even though it had no opportunity to make a mistake. The dog is then weaned off using the barriers. Another way, although I don't think it's most people's favourite, is to have the poles off set, one on an angle like \ and the next on the opposite angle like /. Kind of like a V shape. Bit by bit the poles are straightened (so the principle goes) as the dog gets better and better at it.

Hi Amhailte - I prefer dogs jumping over a piece of PVC pipe rather than garden stakes. The garden stakes, if the thicker wooden ones) can hurt the dog if he crashes through, or, if too thin, can break and splinter (maybe not likely, but possible). IMO, best to colour them using violet, blue or indigo, as I presume they'd be placed out on your back lawn (green, assuming it's not died off like mine has!). Dogs can see green, red and yellow at one end of the colour spectrum and violet, blue or indigo at the other. But they can't differentiate between red, green or yellow, or between violet, blue and indigo. Hence, violet will show up to a dog more clearly against a green background. (With all of this in mind, makes you wonder why dog toy manufacturers make so many red toys/balls .... perhaps because they sell better to the humans, who, after all, are the ones paying the bill?) Are you talking about a flexible tunnel? If so, not so sure I can help you, other than to perhaps look at some ducted heating type off cuts. Check them out - I'm not sure what they're made of and whether they'd be safe. If you're talking about a fixed tunnel .... these are usually old 44 gallon drums (they used to be a dime a dozen, but I don't see that many of them around these days, not to say impossible to get though).

I thought there was a thread here on DOL which made reference to Rimadyl and pointed to a link where action has been taken against Phizer (I'm not sure of spelling either) as a result of negative reactions caused by the administration of Rimadyl. Try doing a search here on DOL, or a google search.

The ingredients list won't give you the weights. The heating process may destroy a few of the nutrients, but most will remain. The nutritional information panel on a can of food is based on what is in the can after cooking. This comment is not directed at you Erny, but I have to say that I find it ridiculous that a lot of people will regard a can of tuna or sardines as a healthy and nutritious food item for human consumption, yet will regard any can of dog food with disdain. I'm not sure if they realise that the canning process is the same for all food, human or pet food. It is far safer and more nutritious to give a dog a good brand of canned food than it is to feed them one of the poorer quality fresh 'pet minces' that are available from some butchers. It gives you % of nutrients/additives etc. I did a (limited) study on dog (canned) food comparison. Eg. on Brand A : Can revealed minimum 8% fat content. When calculated to dry weight basis, fat content actually 25%. You work out the wet to dry ratio based on the % of water, which most labels reveal (unless they've changed - I haven't touched a can of dog food for quite a while, other than to do this study, which was about 1 or 1.5 years ago!) Studying a different food value, Brand A revealed on its label that the sale content was 0.1%. The optimum percentage intake for dogs is 0.4% on a dry-matter basis. When the 0.1% is calculated to dry weight basis, it works out to be 0.31%. So, Brand A was fairly close to optimum percentage intake. However, Brand B, which showed 1% on wet-weight basis, actually calculates out to be 4.54% on dry weight basis, an amount far exceeding optimum. I guess I've read too much and heard too much about what is and isn't in canned food, and the long term affects on dogs it can have, to bear risking feeding it to my dog. She is fed human grade roo meat. Earlier, I used human grade beef mince. In fact, I pulled down a meal I'd frozen some time ago. Thought it was Cheow Min (spelling?) .... given the absence of curry powder and the like, I think I actually ended up eating one of the dog's meals I'd prepared and kept!! Doesn't worry me - her meals are as good as mine! (Except I wouldn't like to eat roo mince ... yick! ) I hear what you're saying about most nutrients being retained even after the high heating process canned food is put through, but most of what I've read negates that. If I eat any form of canned food, I tend to regard it as a "fast food" with minimal nutritional value. I can't comment on tuna etc...... I'm allergic to fish!

Not me, Kelpie-i .... sorry! (I'm such a computer clutz!)

One other thing, Roquen, you say how the Vet says your dog is overweight but how people often comment on how "small" she is .... but "small" doesn't necessarily relate to weight. Perhaps she is a small 'type' lab ???

Yeah - but be careful to calculate what the labels give you, as this is based on "wet weight" and not "dry weight". In addition, the heating process of the canned food often destroys the nutrients that might have been put there in the first place. I found that dry food is often the culprit that puts weight on. After all, it's often sprayed with fat to help make it palatable to the dogs. IMO, a fresh food (meat & vegies, supplements as required, bones etc.) diet is best. I actually use "Vets All Natural" product, mixed with human grade roo meat, plus Omega Special Blend (also a Vets All Natural product). I've recommended this diet to many a number of people, who have all (except one, whose dog wouldn't eat it) reported back happily the improvement in their dogs, whether that be their skin, weight, coat .... or even behaviour. Nice looking lab - agree it's hard to tell, but admit it doesn't look, from the photo, as if it's got big weight issues. Looking from overhead, you should be able to see a wasteline, and whilst you don't really want the ribs showing very obviously, you should be able to run the flat of your hand over them and feel them fairly easily. Generally, you should be able to see perhaps the first, or maybe even the second rib. This is all, of course, generalised, and there is variation from breed to breed and individuals within breeds, but it is a 'rule of thumb' to give you an idea. I know of many people with completely overweight, obese to the point of downright sad, dogs (many of them labradors - seems many unknowing people think that's the way labs are supposed to be) ... and when you mention it, they ignore you (if you're lucky) or hurl abuse. So good on you for at least taking the Vet's comment on board (whether he is right or wrong!) and checking it out.

"cop" away! You're welcome, Sardog.

Hi Sardog. Mine was a practical "test" having completed the theory side of a scent detection course run by National Dog Training Federation. Having done the course, I had to train a dog to successfully conduct a scent search.

;) I promised my girl I'd buy her a "day bed" (huge soft cushiony sort of bed) if she passed. Given she is a lover of all things soft and warm that she can sleep on, perhaps this incentive was what got us over the line. Hope you have the opportunity to make and pass the test, Kavik. In the meantime, continue to have fun with it! ETA: She got her day bed as promised!!!!

In my (inexperienced) opinion, that would be because your dog hadn't (at that stage) recognised what stimulus it was that it should indicate at to ultimately receive its reward. My girl did the same. It was difficult not to crack up at her very proud sit at a non-target box .... with a big grin on her face! I worked on this problem on the basis that it was trainer error, and went back in her training by reducing the box numbers (even right down to only two ... one target odour and one non-target). Rightly or wrongly, if she sat at a non-target, I stood "poker faced", not moving, until she made the decision herself to keep looking. Naturally, she'd go to the other (target) box and sit. She got her reward. She began getting it right 100% of the time, even when I changed the boxes to another position. THEN I gradually started increasing the non-target boxes again. I also did the same as you, Kavik, by changing the boxes to some other type of container to get the idea that "it's about the box" out of her mind. Admittedly, my girl is really not a good candidate for scent work and, given all the factors against us, I had to invent some rather radical/unusual methods in the training to overcome some of the obstacles we encountered along the way. In all, it was a good learning experience for me! We passed our 'test' and I now throw in the occasional "scent work" practice as a game. She quite enjoys it! It's a good one for when it's too wet/cold to go out for a walk!

Kavik .... is this really a problem? Or is it that your dog is indicating correctly as the scent of the search item is still there? One of the difficulties in training in scent detection is ensuring that the areas you use and the non-target scent containers you use, are not contaminated by earlier training sessions. This can upset training and confuse the dog when WE assume the dog is giving a false indication, but when, in actuallity, the dog is trying to tell us he knows his job and should actually receive his reward.

I'd suggest he's either REALLY relaxed ..... or just a bit nervous about being groomed. My girl farts (oops .... she's a lady - should say "lets wind") when I'm filing her nails - she hates it! I guess if it is your pooch's way of expressing objection, it's better than using his teeth!

Dogs' ability to scent definately varies from breed to breed. For example, in an experiment conducted by Scott & Fuller where a mouse was put in a one acre field:- 1. Beagles only took a minute to find it; 2. Fox terriers took fifteen minutes; and 3. Soctties were never successful - one found it only because it stepped on the mouse and it squeaked! I guess this example/experiment would relate on the dogs' sighting abilities too, though. In my (limited) experience in scent work, I've found that dogs can be 'taught' to use their noses more than perhaps they would do naturally, but that IMO isn't necessarily going to increase their scenting abilities, just increase how well they use what is available to them. My girl - a R.Ridgeback, when left to her own resources, relies on sight first, then air scenting - that relates to her genetic background. However I have worked her in ground tracking but had to teach her how. Not being a competitor in the field of tracking, though, I'm not fussed on HOW she tracks/scents, but simply that she does.

My girl (rising 12yo) I think is "too" trained in politeness! She lets the food treat even land on her nose - if it stops there, she tilts her head down so it rolls off onto the ground. In addition to that, her owner can't spit straight!

Oh ... still do that, do they? (does he?). My friend's friend, who were house mates at the time, had a poodle who exhibited one incidence of aggressive behaviour towards a man at a park. The dog was a rescue and the owner was alarmed and concerned the behaviour would escalate, so engaged the services of John Richardson himself. He used tactics such as you described (above) then. No attention to the dog was permitted for 2 weeks, save enough to feed and care. No toys in the yard to allow her to amuse herself during the day when the owner was at work. My friend also had a very young labradoodle (mini poodle x lab to anyone that name offends) - actually, still has him. At the time, he was, I think, only 1 year old ... or less, and did exhibit separation related anxiety symptoms. She was told by John Richardson she might as well apply the same treatment to her dog, even though aggression was not an issue. The treatment included taking the dogs out for a walk, tying them up somewhere and going out of sight. Also involved bringing them inside but when inside, had to be tied up to a chair. The only behaviour change throughout for both of them was (a) increased clinginess and (b) digging and destructive behaviour. When these behaviours were reported, they were informed that was to be expected. Fortunately, non-dog savvy though she was at the time, my friend saw fit to abandon the treatment. She is now well versed in the ways of dogs and both dogs are now fine.