Dylan the super hero!
March 31, 2010
A handsome and clever standard Poodle!
I thought you might all like to share this email I received from Linda about her Standard Poodle Dylan, we have been working together and this is what happened:
“The main reason I’m emailing is to tell you what happened last evening. I’d started putting the dinner on in the fan oven. It had been on for about 5 minutes and I was just sorting out to put the chips in when Dylan started to bark. I thought he wanted the toilet so told him to hang on a minute while I put the chip packet back in the freezer. He then went to Mum and started barking at her. Then I heard what sounded like a hissing or spitting noise and looked in the oven to find that the fan had stopped working and the wiring inside the oven had started to burn, fortunately with just a small flame. Dylan barked 4 more times when I opened the oven but stopped immediately when I turned the power off and then he went and laid down. We’re convinced he was trying to warn us as he must have smelt something or heard the sparking noise of a fire beginning to start.
So now Dylan is our little superhero and we’ve had to go out and buy a new cooker!
Also, this morning at breakfast we popped Dylan back in his pen but he wouldn’t settle and kept barking at Dad who was making coffee. Dad then had a dizzy turn and we had to sit him down until it passed. As soon he sat down Dylan stopped barking and settled down. Now this could have been coincidence but who knows?”
I found a new product last summer to help with those brown patches on the lawn and bushes, it is called “dog rocks” and is a rock mined in Australia. You put the rocks in the dogs drinking bowl and this naturally occurring rock does the rest. It takes about six weeks to kick in so get some now to get the process working for you!
Visit the site for more information or go to my links page for link.
What is okay for puppies to eat?
March 11, 2010
For first time dog owners the world can seem a dangerous place for their precious puppies! But I have to tell you puppies have remarkable constitutions, this is a born scavenger and nature equipped them with a stomach that can withstand most natural materials and decomposed matter!
If you allow your human squeamishness to interrupt your puppy eating rubbish every time, and this will be frequent while the puppy is young, you will be giving out this message: I want what you have, it is something I am interested in and I am competing with you to have “it” first! Young dogs learn from older dogs in the pack what is valuable in this world, if the other dogs are interested then it must be good! You or the humans in the puppy’s life play this part in a human home.
If you don’t want your puppy to keep showing interest in stuff then you must not either! If you are too disgusted use some tasty food to distract your puppy from the thing, do not let your puppy see you remove “it” or you will be back to encouraging again. By using something tasty to distract you will be actively demonstrating that there is something better to eat as well as demonstrating your lack of interest which over time will teach your puppy not to go for inappropriate things to eat.
Stones are one of the commonest problem that I come across especially in new dog owners, though some more experienced owners do make the same mistake. The reality is that puppies will pass small stones easily, and they are bound to consume a few in discovering that stones are not food, by distracting the puppy over and over with a tasty tit bit you will soon persuade them to leave stones alone! If not this problem can soon escalate to eating larger and larger stones that could block the bowel and endanger your pets life or incur large vet bills.
The other downside of not addressing this issue is that the puppy can become possessive over something as simple as tissue if you constantly remove them from her.
here is a list of stuff that puppies can and should be allowed to explore that are harmless and will if ignored soon be forgotten:
- Tissue, including kitchen roll, toilet paper
- Paper in any form
- Cardboard
- Wood pieces (do not throw or play with sticks)
- Tea towels (leave old ones lying around until they get bored or old bits of cloth)
- Ash, bits of coal
- animal excrement!
Dogs will take food that is left out, if I leave my kitchen with food on the side I don’t expect it to be there when I return! It is the nature of the dog to scavenge, and fighting this natural behaviour will just give you a headache and spoil your relationship with your dog.
If your dog is already possessive about any or all of these items please contact me, this is curable!
What to look for if you think your puppy has eaten something dangerous
- Lethargy
- Sickness
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
call your Vet immediately!
New dangerous dog legislation
March 9, 2010
From what I have read so far the new legislation will make third party insurence compulsory for all dog owners, now this sounds like a great idea to me! Why would any dog owner object to insuring their dog to protect other people and dogs, the reality is that any of our dogs are capable of injuring others, even if not deliberately, and it is a responsible action to have insurence so that anyone affected can claim compensation.
I can only hope the legislation will cover dog to dog attacks and other animals!
Currently dog wardens can only suggest that a dog wears a muzzle, unless the dog is taken to court. Dog wardens to ask people to muzzle their dogs for no reason, and it is only right that this becomes enforcable.
I have already read comments from dog owners objecting to insuring their pets third party, how can it be responsible not to?
I look forward to hearing your views?
Insurence why would I need insurence?
Pictures of another chihuahua!
March 4, 2010
Little and large
Vicky and Kezia Bulldogs have a Chihuahua friend!
Preventing or curing food possession in your dog!
March 4, 2010
Let the training begin! Here is the first step of preventing or curing food possession in any dog, any age!
Follow the steps on the clip and repeat every day for 2 weeks, if your dog is already food possessive you may need to continue for a month, it will work, if you have any questions or comments please post them?
Dry food is ideal for this process, wet food can be used, but if you have a food possessive dog please consider changing to a good quality dry food. Contact me if you want more guidance.
Please show tell all the dog owners you know about this simple method of preventing food possession, it will save lives and injury to people!
More information coming on upcoming posts, watch this space!
How I want my dog to behave around food!
March 4, 2010
When we want or don’t want a dog to behave a certain way we have to consider the outcome that we are seeking. With food possession by being clear about this result could never be more important. There are still people that believe that if we take a dogs food away from it we are proving he is seeing us as the boss, this is not so. Even the most submissive animal in a wolf pack will not give up food to a superior wolf, even the pack leader! Animals respect ownership of food, it is too dangerous not to. So must we, I would not tolerate anyone repeatedly taking food from my plate, let alone my plate of food, you might get away with it once or twice but with repetition I would become guarded and dangerous! 🙂
The reality is that when a dog is eating it is necessary that we can move near the dog without him feeling threatened or on guard, the worst case scenario is that someone trips up and lands in thd dogs bowl, and what we want is for the dog to not react negatively.
The video in this post demonstates the out come that is required, over the next posts I will teach you how to achieve this behaviour!
Please give your comments and questions!
Great Quote!
March 2, 2010
“We only preserve what we love,
we only love what we understand,
we only understand what we study.”
I don’t know the author of the above quote, and the context was for learning about ecology, but I guess it applies to anything:)
Dogs and Australia!
March 1, 2010
I am home from lovely sunny Sydney, I miss the sun already, though it is so good to see my dog and be in my own home again! Not to mention catching up with friends, family and clients!
Red, a very good friend in Sydney!
I must say a big thank you to Peter Jefferson and Kay Smith and the members and instructors of Sydney All Breeds Dog Training Club, who welcomed me so kindly on my last Sunday in Sydney! They allowed me to watch their classes which was great to see, how having gone half way round the world, they are training their dogs with similar methods to us and doing a great job. The instructors all give their time for free, and give a really professional service, making everyone feel welcome. The dogs demonstrated what a great job they are doing, they were relaxed and performed so well, as did the handlers!
I especially liked the structure, something that I have often felt missing in many similar english dog clubs, giving clear guidelines about suitable equipment, colour coding the different levels to help split the handlers into groups and keeping to about 6 or 7 in a group, a great number to ensure attention for everyone and success. They do have the advantage of always being able to train outside, a luxury that we often miss out on with our climate!
When the teaching was finished I was treated to a chat with the instructors and chocolates! How lovely it was to feel so welcome and at home so far from the UK! I gained a great insight into dog ownership in Australia.
My other top dog experience was that my son Matthew’s good friend Ryan loaned me his little Chihuahua, Red. I so appreciated having a dog with me, it made me feel much more at home! Red was delightful companion and satisfied a great desire I have had to live with a hand bag size dog! At 9 years of age, Ryan has done a great job of training Red, from retrieve to stays and coming to call Red is so good! He had taught him to hide in a shopping bag so that I could take him anywhere without anyone knowing I had a dog, he completely understood that he must keep his head down and keep still so that no one knew he was there, most useful when using the bus and taxi’s as they aren’t keen on dogs using public transport in Sydney!
Red and I shared some great walks, we both got fitter on our favourite walk from Bronte beach to Bondi along the clifftops, with views like that walking becomes so much easier, especially with the sunshining!
Ryan wanted me to teach Red how to roll over, one trick he didn’t know. What I learnt in teaching this to Red is just how bright he is, I have taught quite a few dogs to roll over, a great exercise for increasing a dog’s physical confidence, and Red learnt so quickly, in just a few sessions he was nearly doing this on command, he just needed the slightest physical signal to get him rolling! And he so loved learning, this is the first experience I have had of trianing a Chihuahua and I have to say if they are all like Red they are nearly Collie like in their desire to learn and practice!
My thanks to Ryan and Naomi for lending Red to me, he has a permanent place in my heart!
oh did I say how warm the water was?
New dog products, a short review!
January 28, 2010
I have been reading a dog magazine published in the USA today, what a good read, I just love the adverts for doggy products! From “fart free” tame the flatulence biscuits to a ridiculous Louis XVI replica of the façade of la Place Verdome, fitted with 24 carat gilded handles and feet and lined with velvet, featuring dog sleeping quarters on the lower floor and drawers on the second level. (from www.puppydeparis.fr in case you have the odd $7300 to spend on a dog bed!
And the Sonex hat, at least more affordable $18 is a polar fleece with ear pockets to keep your dogs ears warm on cold winter walks from caniswear.com
There are several great products that I would buy if I saw them in a shop! Let me know if you feel the same way and I will look into importing some?
Here are a few:
Poochie bells, a puppy toilet training aid, they look great and are a fast way to teach your puppy to make a noise when they want to go out, dogs are often more mature before they will bark or whine to go out, so this is a short cut. www.poochiebells.com
Dog print passport holder, it is really pretty! www.fluffshop.com
Brake-fast dog bowls, claim to slow down fast eaters, I would suggest feeding the dog more, fast eating equals very hungry! But in the case of rescue dogs or those prone to gastric problems go to www.brake-fast.net!
This is my favourite the Pro-collar, the answer to the lampshade collar used for post operative care in dogs. This collar is in the shape of a thick tyre, it prevents the dog turning round on operation sites, without the sharp edges of the lampshade, leaving the dog’s head free for eating and drinking and our legs free of the bruises from the lampshade! www.gandbmarketing.com
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