Erny

Interested in the answer to that one, LizT. Didn't know a thing about tartar causing heart disease . ETA: But if that's the case, then it is dangerous to allow your dog to chew a bone to remove the tartar ?? I wouldn't have thought so ???

Not to mention that you want dogs that IF they do bark, they bark for a reason and that people will take notice of it. Otherwise, what's the point? A bit like having a house alarm that goes off so often that nobody will take any notice of it when indeed there IS something to take notice of.

Boronia - is it their front teeth or back? I've not done the teeth scraping before, but I've managed enough with teeth brushing. I can imagine me holding my boy's mouth gently closed with one hand, using the little finger of the other hand to pull back his lip far enough and simultaneously doing the 'pick and flick' technique with the scaler, in that same hand. My boy's problem teeth are the very back molars. Holding the mouth closed stops the tongue :).

Also - what do you feed him?

Desexing doesn't remove all the hormones - just reduces the testosterone a tad. A desexed dog can go through developmental phases as well. Maybe the desexing will take an edge off, but I wouldn't hang my hat on that being a guarantee.

Check with your Vet regarding what the hormone levels are doing pre-season and what the hormones will do post-desexing. I researched this when I was working on my Avoidance Motivated Aggression thesis and I know there is a period where the progesterone hormone is dominant. Sudden drops of progesterone, which occurs when a bitch is desexed, can result in the female dog experiencing emotional disturbances such as depression, irritability, nervousness and aggression which in turn can become learnt behaviours. So the theory is that it is best to avoid the period when progesterone production is peaking when thinking of desexing. I'm not a Vet. Just something I have read.

It's not just about there being mozzies, it's about the conditions being right for the heart worm to develop to infectious stage.

That's the absolute beauty of it, Steve.

It sounds to me as though your boy is testing the waters for a re-adjustment of hierarchy order, but he's not yet mature enough to be confident about it. I'd tighten the reins a bit to remind him of his boundaries and your expectations of him and that includes manners and you 'owning' the walk. Stop for a pee at the beginning of the walk and depending on how long the walk is for, then part way into the walk. That's a good time for sniffing around and letting him be a dog. Then off you go again. If you want him to be desexed, then have him desexed. If you would prefer to wait a bit longer, then wait a bit longer. My boy has an absolutely bestest favourite pee point along the way on one of our walks. I use this as a point where we click into training mode - practice nice tight heel, turns, backs, sits and anything else I want to work on. He usually busts his little bubble to exhibit the best he can, and focus is so strong (he knows he doesn't get anything unless he gives me focus). He's then released to "have a sniff" (his command). I just have to be careful that we're close enough to the pee point as if we're not I just about get pulled off my feet in his eagerness to get there.

I didn't think you needed to begin heart worm medication until a dog was 6 months old? I queried this with a Vet who was encouraging me to administer treatment when my boy was a real youngster but when I queried, he agreed it didn't matter to do it until the pup was 6mo. Having said that, I don't medicate for heart worm where I live. I do continue to ask Vets in and around the vicinity about incidents of heart worm and so far there haven't been any. I also keep a note of our over night temperatures.

Ordered a scaler via Sway :D. Will see how I go with it. And Boronia :D. It was great to meet you at the MDBA Awards evening - was a lot of fun. :laugh: at "Erny" being known synonymous with "Calendula". But not surprising. I too would like a blunt scaler Boronia. For similar reasons that I feel it would be safer for those who've not done it before. Sway - Is it possible to scratch the tooth enamel with scalers (either the blunt or the hooked)? Is there a knack or special way they should be used?

And if the board says yes, then perhaps emailing something to all the Councils alerting them to the MDBA Choice Award category would be helpful ?? Maybe something for publication on their own individual websites? Wonder if that goes outside their policies??

Bloody hell its no wonder its taking him so long then I asked him to do that for me too. ..... me too !! ETA: Of me, I mean, Julie .... not of you .

Actually, one of the Councils was nominated for an MDBA Award and I thought that was fantastic :). The idea struck me as very forward thinking and something that would be well-worthwhile being made known amongst and throughout the Councils in Victoria .... and everywhere else, for that matter. Wonder if there can be a special Council only category ..... . Hhhmmmm..... I'll have a word with Julie when the dust from this last awards has settled.

Thanks Sway - that would at least be a start (if not do the job nicely :) ). I'll come back to your shop tomorrow :D. Rather purchase off someone I 'know' and can trust . Cheers Erny

"Would have" and "should have" .... not "would of" or "should of". :D. Glad it was an uneventful visit and hope the Dane found its way home safe and sound.

No it's not. Nominations for 2012 are now open :).

My thoughts too, PS. The only one where Stevie looks a little 'lost' is in the 3rd photo from the top - in that one, she's poised, you can tell she's off as far as orientation is concerned, but you can see she's using her ears. I would suggest the Pug helped her out a bit. Good work Kirty.

Sorry WinterPaws - I should have come back to let people know as I've begun to receive a few emails about it, but the answer is no. The jar I had I sold on (at cost) within 24 hours of putting it up here. Oakway - thanks for the clues/hints of perhaps being able to source a tooth scraper thingy. Unfortunately I'm in a bit of an uncomfortable predicament regarding personal dentists. Left one and not sure I like the other. I did ring my Vet's about where to get one but they couldn't help me. It's ok - I'll source one out. I'm probably being too cautious over nothing. In the meantime, I continue to hope the Plaque Off will do something.

Glad to hear it, BD. Good luck with him. It would be good for your people to have a fall-back trainer, but by the sounds of it they're on the very right track and with your support may do very well. :)

Thanks Goldchow - I appreciate that. But I would like to add congratulations from myself also to everyone who won a category. Each and every one category is important and to be nominated is an honour. To win it is a milestone and you all deserve a hearty and .

To Finn, being in the laundry might be no different than being in his kennel pen and it may be that he's been left to learn that he can soil in such an environment. If that's the case, I think you need to start toilet-training from scratch, as though he were a pup who was completely new to the concept.

I am glad your training is working and that you are achieving the results you are. A testament to your good application, Michelleva :). When you've said the word "enough" and she's stopped, call her over to you and then treat her. Personally, I'd keep up the treat rewards for longer yet. I like a good strong long history of reward before weaning down too much. But by calling her to you and rewarding, you're supporting the 'call-back' and/or the dog coming to find you. I've found this somewhat handy .... my dog came to get me when I was in the back-yard mowing the lawn. Sound of the mower and the fact that I had ear-muffs on, I really didn't hear or take notice of my dog when he must have barked to announce a visitor. That my boy came to me (and he was bouncing to return back out towards the front yard) alerted me to someone potentially being there, and he was right :D. Karen Pryor - "Click to Calm" is one book of a good number. I admit that I tend to use a verbal marker word, but do agree that there are circumstances where clicker training a dog can achieve very good results especially where the dog's behaviour relates to emotional responses. Keep up the good work, Michelleva