I only responded to your initial posts about "troubles" and smashing the tv. Once I saw you were okay with it, I excused myself. You asked for discussion, so I told you what I do with my dog when she starts tossing.

YOU elected to participate in a forum that is on a website which promotes dog sport, then YOU post in another thread that we should rethink involving our dogs in sport. Yet YOU seem to be perturbed because you are not well received? Did you show your buddies only this thread, or did you let them see all of the other stuff you post?

Feel free to show them this post.

ETA: FWIW, I agree in theory with your buddies... why come here and get bashed? This is a dog training forum. Excuse us if we offer advice on how to deal with a dog that has "troubles"?

More ETA: I once confronted an acquaintance at a wedding reception because he was complaining about his wife. I asked him straight up, "So why did you choose to live with her?"

Sounds more like a group of friends, that may or may not own dogs, getting together, than an organized dog sport club or training group where the focus is on working & training the dogs rather then just hanging out together for walks or drinks.

Maybe my perception of a dog club or training groups is a lot different then yours based on the SchH clubs & training groups that I have been a member of over the years.

Just for you info .... my female just turned 11 & had a back injury a few years ago (totally unrelated to her SchH work..she & another pack member crashed while running around out on a field)...but she still follows the rules set forth in the house. When you have a pack of dogs....the rules are for everyone. Making exceptions for 1 particular dog can cause problems within the pack. Believe me the others notice those exceptions.

 Quote: Duane Hull

I only responded to your initial posts about "troubles" and smashing the tv. Once I saw you were okay with it, I excused myself. You asked for discussion, so I told you what I do with my dog when she starts tossing.

YOU elected to participate in a forum that is on a website which promotes dog sport, then YOU post in another thread that we should rethink involving our dogs in sport. Yet YOU seem to be perturbed because you are not well received? Did you show your buddies only this thread, or did you let them see all of the other stuff you post?

Feel free to show them this post.

ETA: FWIW, I agree in theory with your buddies... why come here and get bashed? This is a dog training forum. Excuse us if we offer advice on how to deal with a dog that has "troubles"?

More ETA: I once confronted an acquaintance at a wedding reception because he was complaining about his wife. I asked him straight up, "So why did you choose to live with her?"

Ps-s-s-st: LOL, anyone who walks into a bar & starts a BRAWL should expect to end up on the Receiving End of a few BULL'S-EYES (just sayin'...)

Everybody manages their dog or pack differently based on the personalities involved- those of the dog/s and the owner.

I do things with my dogs that others may not agree with because it won't work for their dogs. I have 4 females - 3 with very strong personalities - and they live together in harmony. Because of the way I manage them.

When I first started working for Leerburg (1999) I had 5 female dogs. Ed could NOT believe that I let those dogs sleep on the bed. He could not believe that we all lived in harmony, without fights or squabbles.

In the years since, he's seen how I manage my dogs and has given me more than one compliment about it. I have 2 Kaiserhaus Mals and a Leerburg GSD living in my home, so I think that means that Ed and Cindy think I can handle them... It may not be the way THEY would handle them or manage them, but it works for me and the dogs.

As pack dynamics change, sometimes management changes. Losing Shyner in March was an upset to the pack so some small changes were implemented and the pack is harmonious and strong.

As I said in a different thread- my dogs are welcome to sleep on the bed. They have earned bed privs. Does that mean that I am not the boss? No. It means that I like them to be near me, and they are trustworthy enough to let them have some special privs.

I have some toys that are left out all the time. Drift likes to have a toy in her mouth, and she sleeps with her toys, so I accommodate that - it makes her happy. The other dogs will occasionally play with one of them, but not too often. Many others would criticize this practice, but it works for us.

My point here being - rather than bash someone's management practices, take into account that the dogs are not in danger, well cared for, loved, and whatever is being done WORKS for that particular dog or pack. If, however I stated that my dogs were always fighting and hurting each other, then my management practices may be questionable, dogs may be in danger, so criticism would be prudent.

In a situation where I find someone complaining that their dog tosses toys and "trashes" things in the house, I may point out that if it was going on in my pack, I might change management a little bit. The dog would still get chews- they would be in the crate though. Outside the crate there would be soft toys that the dog can toss all she wants without danger of breaking things. If my dog was tossing around the water dish, I might consider buying a weighted dish that she can't pick up and throw. But that is what I would do.

I also think that after the initial complaints, and my suggestions of what I might do within my own pack - if the complainer then starts to say that it's not a problem and how dare I even suggest ANY changes.. well I might get a little torqued off and take my toys and leave the sandbox.

On a discussion board, when you complain about something, you are going to hear about what other people do to AVOID such problems. You can refuse to change anything. But in that case, you need to also STOP BITCHING about the problem.

Saying that outside people are telling you to post replies that are not fit to print- well that's a bit like middle school and I have no time for it. If that's the kind of person you want to be, go ahead. But drop the attitude at the login page.

Most of the folks that have posted what they do with their dogs have been members of "real" training clubs and have titled several dogs in multiple sports. They are worth listening to, without attitude. You don't have to implement what they are saying, but someday, with a different dog, what they are saying might make sense and actually work.

I would also like to point out that there are many people out there that read these posts and might use the methods mentioned to solve problems with their own dogs. Just because you start a thread, you are not the only person being addressed when posts are made.

Thank you Kelly. You said many things that I wanted to but couldn't figure out how to word.

Excellent post Kelly.

I go against a lot of things that most folks would say "You'll cause problems if you let them do that".

Management being the key!

Well said, Kelly. I normally don't believe in contributing to posts that deteriorate such as this one but everything you said needed to be said and I appreciate it. I just don't carry the credentials or seniority. Coming from you, it got the message across very effectively. Thanks!

 Quote: Kelly

Everybody manages their dog or pack differently based on the personalities involved- those of the dog/s and the owner.

I do things with my dogs that others may not agree with because it won't work for their dogs. I have 4 females - 3 with very strong personalities - and they live together in harmony. Because of the way I manage them.

When I first started working for Leerburg (1999) I had 5 female dogs. Ed could NOT believe that I let those dogs sleep on the bed. He could not believe that we all lived in harmony, without fights or squabbles.

In the years since, he's seen how I manage my dogs and has given me more than one compliment about it. I have 2 Kaiserhaus Mals and a Leerburg GSD living in my home, so I think that means that Ed and Cindy think I can handle them... It may not be the way THEY would handle them or manage them, but it works for me and the dogs.

As pack dynamics change, sometimes management changes. Losing Shyner in March was an upset to the pack so some small changes were implemented and the pack is harmonious and strong.

As I said in a different thread- my dogs are welcome to sleep on the bed. They have earned bed privs. Does that mean that I am not the boss? No. It means that I like them to be near me, and they are trustworthy enough to let them have some special privs.

I have some toys that are left out all the time. Drift likes to have a toy in her mouth, and she sleeps with her toys, so I accommodate that - it makes her happy. The other dogs will occasionally play with one of them, but not too often. Many others would criticize this practice, but it works for us.

My point here being - rather than bash someone's management practices, take into account that the dogs are not in danger, well cared for, loved, and whatever is being done WORKS for that particular dog or pack. If, however I stated that my dogs were always fighting and hurting each other, then my management practices may be questionable, dogs may be in danger, so criticism would be prudent.

In a situation where I find someone complaining that their dog tosses toys and "trashes" things in the house, I may point out that if it was going on in my pack, I might change management a little bit. The dog would still get chews- they would be in the crate though. Outside the crate there would be soft toys that the dog can toss all she wants without danger of breaking things. If my dog was tossing around the water dish, I might consider buying a weighted dish that she can't pick up and throw. But that is what I would do.

I also think that after the initial complaints, and my suggestions of what I might do within my own pack - if the complainer then starts to say that it's not a problem and how dare I even suggest ANY changes.. well I might get a little torqued off and take my toys and leave the sandbox.

On a discussion board, when you complain about something, you are going to hear about what other people do to AVOID such problems. You can refuse to change anything. But in that case, you need to also STOP BITCHING about the problem.

Saying that outside people are telling you to post replies that are not fit to print- well that's a bit like middle school and I have no time for it. If that's the kind of person you want to be, go ahead. But drop the attitude at the login page.

Most of the folks that have posted what they do with their dogs have been members of "real" training clubs and have titled several dogs in multiple sports. They are worth listening to, without attitude. You don't have to implement what they are saying, but someday, with a different dog, what they are saying might make sense and actually work.

I would also like to point out that there are many people out there that read these posts and might use the methods mentioned to solve problems with their own dogs. Just because you start a thread, you are not the only person being addressed when posts are made.

THANK YOU, Kelly, for saying it all a 1000 times Better than I could !!! And also "WITH AUTHORITY"