JimmyTheHuman

Got back yesterday after 6 weeks away. Took the dog and he was fine. Only things to watch out for are dingo and 1080. There is bait everywhere. Even National Parks have them in SA. We saw and heard lots of dingoes. On the nights we thought dingoes were nearby we kept him inside. Otherwise he slept on his bed outside. On 2 nights we had dingos creeping up on the dog while we were sitting around the campfire and he was chasing mice nearby. Went to the loo and shined the light out and would catch dingos up very close and very quiet, sometimes working together...50-75m from our camp. Not sure what to expect if he met a dingo, i assume it would kill him pretty easily. Also saw a few wild dogs but not so close to camp. Hope this is useful to some one else travelling.

Nah he been fixed...he is a transexual now? We spend so much time in the high country i am always cautious of the bait signs. I have heard some horrible stories...i thought there was nothing you could do for 1080, slow horrible death? Not a big dog, just kelpie. He is 5 but only pic online i have is at 6months

Thanks for all of the replies...i appreciate the caution. We are a very experienced camping family and i know my dog doesnt leave the annex at night at all..it has sides and a roof...we have had others campers dogs come in and he barks and growls and stuff but stays close to us...i honestly think he is scared of the dark He is booked into the vet for annual vacs and the wife will make sure they give us everything we need for heartworm and kennel cough. Never heard of leptosprirosis so will ask about that too thank you. I will be cautious about him getting belted by local dogs. Gas and Mining aren't the big concerns, its the WA gov kicking people off their long leases and giving these small outback business to thier rich mates to build 'eco' resorts and other crap...google Mt Hart for a horrifying example. Happy to post up some details, but only after we get back

He would normally sleep in the annex at night...but not tied up and no we dont put him in a crate. Either tied up or told to stay close...he is pretty reliable. I will take the water serious, not my first time up there and i know its a real risk. We are going into NT, Kimberly, Central Oz and SA deserts. Its all mid year, no worries with heat. I will get heart worm tablets as well.

We have an awesome kelpie, rescued via the super friendly people on this forum nearly 5 years ago. We are off to NT, Kimberley, Central Oz. Aside from trying to prevent him from being bitten by snakes and crocs, applying the anti tick stuff often...I have built a rear storage shelf in 4x4 so he has a palatial space in the back with own window and bedding. We will feed him in the arvo/evening only to avoid travelling accidents. We wont tie him up at night cos he is a afraid of the dark when we are out camping and wont go too far. Couple fo places arent dog friendly and we havent quite taught him how to hide under blanket so we will have him baby sat once or twice. What else do people consider when taking the dog up north? PS if he did get bit by a snake is it the same procedure for dogs as for people?

So is this recommended over nail clippers? I am not sure my dog will stay still enough with a grinder right near him...

Rather than having a crack and trying to work it out from tips, i am going to go to obed school - will book in this week. Hastings is pretty far, probably do something a little closer to home. The kennel is awesome thanks, had some comments on it tonight actually. He has only just started to use it this week, i think the nice weather has home sleeping outside. 5km is a bit of exaggeration. Probably more like 3 or 4 and its off the lead and in bush tracks, he LOVES it. He's hardly even worn out. Its all at walking pace, my 4yo son can do it. We do it once a week at most, rest of the week is just around the block. He is very good at sit, and will stay if food is involved for ages until released. He is goo at leave it, and on yer bed, but come varies depending on distractions. Its the pulling that is the only big problem. As discussed i get straight off to obed school this week.

I have done this, almost exactly, 5 days a week for 2 weeks. I walk, he pulls i stop, he sits, as we take off i say good boy and then he starts to pull really hard and we repeat. At first it worked, now it doesnt. I have read a book that says issue "corrections" a short sharp yank of the lead - but this doesnt feel right, its hard to imagine it having a postive effect. How old should he be before starting obed school?

Hi there, we have a 5 months old Kelpie called Jax - woohoo He is ace, we can walk in the reserve nearvy for 5kms and he will walk near us exploring, come when called 85% of the time, generally just perfect behaviour, although he always walks in front of us (myself, wife and 2 kids). If he is on the lead he pulls on the lead, like pulling me along (i am 100kgs hence all the walking) and pulls as hard as possibly can, clawing the ground if you slow down. If i stop walking as he pulls he will sit, then immedietely take off pulling as hard as he can again. He started off fine when we first got him - if he pulled i would stop when he sat we would take off again walk niceley for a while and then start pulling again. Now its almost impossible to walk him on the lead. I have read books that suggest all kinds of different things but nothing has helped so far. All of this pulling is infinitely worse if we have the kids on thier bikes riding in front, but it happens when they are all behind me as well. We have a regular collar and lead - no choker or anything. We are going to start odedience school, but probably not for a couple of months, after we move house. Whats the secret to getting him to walk nicely on the lead?

I am no expert but surely like kids, the earlier the better. This way the only thing he knows is walking on the lead, rather than a developing a habit you will ahve to change later?

No one has suggested a bone? Our dog loves to chew on bones, brisket bones, cos its tough enought o slow him down, but soft enough he can actually chew through it. He will chew it for an hour, sleep for an hour, chew it for an hour then hide it We could get him to chew anything like a dog toy until we got him the rope with the knots in the end, the end bits are all frayed. He LOVES this toy, in fact its the only thing he will play fetch with.

I went to the butcher to buy some bones for our new puppy and she is a breeder of some kind and said to use brisket- well its been awesome. They but one big bone into 4 pretty big bits and over 3 days or so he will eat the whole thing. You can see him using his laws and stuff - he will sit for what seems like hours chewing on it. He is getting all the good bits inside - and to keep it fresh when he aint using it, he stashes is deep in a garden in our back yard.

ours is about 13 weeks and he has brisque bones - he loves them - cant see why there would be any age limit?

Ahh We have worked out the couch ting now. As you suggested, we showed him what we wanted him to be and praised him, and never let him up, when he jumps up we say "no, Down" and he now he does. I have shortened his daily walk, by half. Now its just a few hundred metres. For the first half is cocky and confident. Seems like each noise chips away at his confidence - i have just been encouraging and distracting and now he walks this route very happily. Sorry if i was clear, he didnt growl. His kinda slinked down and his heckles came up - aside from that day it has only happened onece since when he was obviously frightened of a dog barking that he couldnt see. I think now that he was pulling on the lead out of fear - because the last time he was scared and his heckles came up he pulled on the lead, he just wanted to get home i think. Either way, whever he does it i stop and wait for him to relax then we walk - now i trots along with us nicely I was probably a little bit to eager with some of this stuff an shoudl ahve let him settle in more - he doesnt sleeps as much as he did on the first weekend - probably exhausted and a litrtle scared after his big journey. I will call at end of the week with a few questions - thanks vry much for the offer Rexy - thnks for the offer re the school - hastings is a litle far, i am going to Karingal which i very close - am booked in for next thursday - cant wait

Thanks - at the moment i will just take it easy, join puppy school talk to the carer (who knows him well) and go from there. Porbably no big deal - he has had a really big fea days going on a plane, meeting new folks, new place, new sounds and smells etc. I am Mornington way.

Whats a better alternative to that cheap pet chicken mince? I cant stand the smell it almost makes me throw up - i dont like chicken products normally, but this is really gross. I can handle giving him the necks an wings, but not the pet mince. Is beef mince just as good? Or is tere something else good for the puppy that is not as disgusting smlling as this stuff?

Sounds great - am located in vic. Will fin a puppy school tomorrow and start that and talk to all the folks there before picking obed school.

Pics here in post #279 of the Kelpie thread. http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?...425&st=270# I will follow that advice. What is it a warning sign of? that he about to bite, or that he is really scared?

Thanks for the tips, i will investigate all of them.

We have adopted a 12wekk old Kelpie on Friday. He had lots of doggie friends at his foster carers, he has been great with my 4yo and 5yo kids. Today on the way to the park he heard a dog barking behind a fence an woulodnt go any futher, his tail ucked under his bum breaking his neck to go back he way we came. At the park we saw another dog on a lead and he was old and grumpy, gave a bit of a growl and we stayed clear. When he started growling our Kelpie (Jax) all the hair between his shoulder raised right up an he was kinda 'lurching' towards the dog, i just called him and kept walking trying to find something more interesting to look at. About 30min later he saw a small boy play tennis with his dad and made some effort to go over for a sniff, and when the kid stood still the hair on Jax back all raised up a again. He is a bit of a timid dog normally, so i kind figured is was fear? I know fear can be dangerous, if ge gets too scared he may bite? Anyway, we are going to puppy school soon and ten obedience schol - i guess wait until he is 12 months for this? I am going to get some advice from his foster carer and the puppy school folk on the timing of obedience training - but i figured as much socialisation as possible for the time being? Appreciated any suggestions EDIT, PS: Some brags On the lead he was really pulling, so i spent 15min with him walking up the street. Whever he pulled i stopped, waiting for him to stop pulling and then let the lead go slack and staret walking again - in this 15min he now walks on the lead wkithout lurching/strangling. The carer taught to him to sit and wait for food and he still does that and waits/goes calm to be let inside. We let him sleep inside the first 1.5nights, second night he came ina dn woke us up with some sooking noises, i put him out side and he emptied both systems and climbed in his new kennel These little thing are very satisfying The one thing he does do we havent been able to get him to stop is jumping ont he couch - i think he really just wants to be up tere with us hvaing a cuddle, whats the best procedure for telling him to get down - currently he wont get off without a little bit of an encouraging push.

either of this little beauties stil need a home?