Clyde

Yes yes and yes - we live on the beach and this morning I was walking my daughters Old English Sheepdog for her - and there was an IDENTICAL boy to our girl - all black and fluffy and healthy, swimming, running, barking - had a huge chat to the owner who imported him in from NZ because he had heard so many stories of Newfies in AUS and problems - very interesting gentleman and said he recently knew of at least two other cases similar to ours???????? What is going on out there????? So came home to my girl as she lay there so far from what she was - it just disgusts me. Our Local Vet has been wonderful and very understanding and agrees her time may well be up - devastating. I know someone who has imported three Newfies from NZ and all have died young from health complications. They now have Labs.

I'm sincerely sorry, I'm sure I contributed to that Looking forward to seeing photos of Vader - Dogue puppies are pretty irresistible! I bought a cheap run recently from Ebay. It was a Horse Supplies place and the cheapest I could find. Will see if I can dig it out for you. I had a Border Collie eat her way out of it when it was only a week old :laugh: but other than that it is generally pretty good. Not too much fun putting it together though! eta: Found it: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DOG-RUN-KENNEL-RUN-OR-CHOOK-CAGE-2-3m-x-2-3m-x-1-8m-/360478307114?pt=AU_Pet_Supplies&hash=item53ee2e732a

Is it a green area anyway? Ive never had a problem with giant breeds and lawn. Although it did tend to wear near the door where they congregate. Although Saints love to dig holes and lie in them. But thankfully it was just the one hole down the corner of the yard, not minefields everywhere :laugh: My biggest gripe at the moment is my senior Maremma no longer walks way out on the lawn to pee and now just pees right at the back door, off the verandah stairs. It's burning the grass. I've found watering it each night is helping though.

I also want to apologise to you Aso for my use of the word 'abhorrent'. It was too harsh a word and probably best used for physical abuse situations etc. I still don't agree with so much crating for any puppy, but reading back my reaction was over the top in the heat of the moment. I can see that you are trying your best to find other workable solutions, I still strongly urge you to look at outdoor type containments. Your boyfriend sounds like a keeper

Two hours is fine being crated home alone. If anything it will be good for pup to get used to 'alone time' :)

Yes it does give Vader more space but I imagine the damage a pup can do in a rental. I have dogs here who would have eaten the kitchen cupboards if left alone in there . Never underestimate the size of the damage from a large breed puppy!

Me neither! I guess I more veered towards the dilemma of getting a new dog after one passes IYKWIM.

Whenever you are ready :) I dont believe there is a time frame. It could be 24 hours or two years just so long as you are aware that it is a different dog and dont compare (which you realise). Do whichever feels right to you, not other people.

Well said Tdierikx. Either way the dog is safe!

Hi Haredown Whippets, I am taking a week off to get him used to this arrangement and supervise his crate traning closely. I am only 15 mins up the road so will work with the amount of time slowly. I will have a camera on him as well to help with this assessment and will work out more frequent toilet breaks to start off with. We have a tiered backyard and crating him when he's not supervised will be better for him than anything else. I don't want him jumping around anything. He has a full size XXXL crate that will be partitioned for crate training and he will definitely have enough room to sit, stand, lie down and stretch in any way he likes :) . He will not be confined inside at all times, he just won't be left outside to his own devices. I can't wait for the little man to get here! Why even ask the question when you clearly are going to do it anyway? Personally, I think it's abhorrent and dont see the point of getting the pup if it's going to be crated for so many hours. Sort out your yard FIRST, then get a dog.

I didn't 'pull her up on it'. I asked a question. I was genuinely curious if a lot of the dogs had pedigree papers. If they were indeed 'pedigree' then the dogs have more a chance by tracing them back to their breeders. Don't try to make something out of what wasn't there.

You mean pure breds? Or were they all surrendered with pedigree papers? Whats with the nit picking? :laugh: It was a simple question - relax! But thanks for clarifying that you made a mistake :)

You mean pure breds? Or were they all surrendered with pedigree papers?

Quite the opposite IMO. I've had a lot of different breeds and Maremma are by far the easiest I've had. Very low maintenance provided you get their way of thinking and work with it, rather than against it. Rottweilers are far more challenging in my experience.

:laugh: My Pug fancies himself as a high drive working dog. If he's on the couch I know where he is, he's safe, not chewing something and not lifting his leg in the house! He has me well trained.

Visitors rarely sleep when they stay here because of the dogs barking. My daughter and I sleep like the proverbial babies. :laugh:

I don't see it as 'bad behaviour though', not with LGD's anyway. It's simply what they do. When I say good boy to mine barking, the way I see it, is that Ive acknowledged that they're on to something and I take over from here. It hasn't heightened their barking, it really does work. I've been using this method now after advice from other LGD people and it has really helped over the past year or so. Before, it was excessive and now a quick Good boy stops them and they usually just stand and watch the 'threat' from their initial position or come close to me and watch still. For the SBT and Pug though, I yell out the window STFU and that works pretty darn quick for them :laugh: The SBT is good and comes back straight away but the Pug was raised with MAremmas and fancies himself as a LGD.

Just last month, my neighbour went down and opened his front gate as his wife was on her way home. Their gorgeous 8 month old Lab heard a car and went running out and got killed. He died in his owners arms and is now buried in their garden

Maybe she is sore? It seems to only be when you pick her up or 'shove' her. I have a dog who would bite me if I 'shoved' her. Heck, I would bite if someone shoved me. I'd be straight to the vet before anything else.

Clyde which ebay cheapie did you get? I got it about 6 yrs ago but similar to this: http://www.ebay.com....=item5ae4206fe6 The basket thing underneath was a pain though so I turfed that pretty quickly.

Espinay taught me this trick. It confuses the heck out of my dogs so they stop :laugh: I dont have any helpful hints about Maya but I think whatever you choose to do to prevent it, you'll have your work cut out for you. All my dogs go nuts at my neighbour who drives up and down his driveway numerous times a day. They have met the neighbour and accept him when he visits, but when he drives past our property they all tell him off. I am lucky as the only person who hears it is me, but I dont think I'd have a hope in hell in getting them to stop anyway. Does she sleep inside at night? Could you introduce your neighbours to your dog? Fonz's bark is much more half hearted at the girl next door walking down her driveway, as he knows her well, but her older brother he really goes off at as he never visits here.

I have three Liberty tables all various sizes but my fave table is an Ebay cheapie!

I have a 'high potential' dog in my low potential home :D My SBT is the smartest dog I've ever owned. Gets everything so quickly and has taught me a lot about training. She would be awesome at formal obedience, agility and/or flyball. I've dabbled in agility with her and the instructor was amazed and very enthusiastic about how quickly she picked it up. I've never followed through on anything due to time constraints and often feel as though she is 'wasted' with me. She is a much loved pet though and a very special girl!!

He was just trying to be friendly

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