Positively | Victoria Stilwell | Forum

I agree.. Nothing to gain and a lot to loose in pressuring the dog into doing what he doesn't enjoy just because we think that it ought to be fun. But unfortunately sometimes this cannot be avoided. Like, for example, going to the vet. Under the best of circumstances, just a routine check up, Ari di...

My job is to take the stress away, not add to it. True, indeed. Perhaps the job is also to teach the dog. To teach different things - how to listen, how to focus, how to interact with dogs and people... and how to handle unfamiliar environment and trust his/her humans. And like anything else, this ...

Good example with steps to the ferry... Ari had trouble with crossing anything (a small stream, for example) over a narrow wooden bridge... And we have plenty of those around here. We never tried to force him in any way, but tried to encourage him on many occasions, and eventually he got over his fe...

Hello, there! Experts will be here shortly and will advise.. In the meantime - I would keep them separate until some sort of a plan is developed on how to move forward. Our dog once was attacked by a neighbor dog. We would have loved to somehow turn them into friends so they could play with each oth...

When it's time to get the second dog, we'll probably have have the name ready well in advance, as part of anticipation of a new puppy, along with the crate, food bowl, toys, etc.. We know exactly what the dog will be (a Rhodesian ridgeback girl), so it will be a fun family thing to do - picking the ...

:lol: :lol: :lol: Flyby, great picture. Ari thinks that guarding the sofa is his honorable duty, him being on the sofa is like changing the guard at buckingham palace, this just simply cannot change :lol: So now we need to decide on the new sofa - perhaps leather surface is a better fit for a sofa u...

I watched those YouTube videos.. I have to say that a dog walking up the staircase on 2 hind legs, as if being a small hairy human, looked as disturbing as a person trying to run up the street on all four, as if being a dog.. This proves, I guess, that one can make or train a dog to do almost anythi...

We noticed with Ari that he reacts when he is startled by a human. Perhaps sometimes he get too deep in thought or too deep in smells, doesn't notice someone until the last moment, which leaves him no time to assess the person, and then he puts on the show (barking, growling, snarling, lunging towar...

We wanted something really big, from the working group.. Black Russian Terrier was the first choice, but there was only 1 breeder within driving distance, whom we weren't totally thrilled with once the time came to discuss legal aspects of getting a puppy... Then one day we saw a Ridgeback at a frie...

Ari was attacked a few weeks ago by an angry off leash Shar Pei.. It happened outside, so we couldn't unfortunately avoid the fight, best we could do was to pull them apart after 20 seconds or so. Ari ended up with cuts and bites on his legs, poor Shar Pei needed multiple visits to the vet before he...

Check with the B/F too, I would think he is as much a part of this as you and his parents . In the end, you are all in this together, dogs and humans of all kinds and ages. The decision that everyone agrees to or at least accepts may be beneficial for all involved.

Hmm... Deaf dogs aside, my initial reaction was that this sounds like technology instead of good old fashion training.. But then, with vibration only kind of collar, which helps to get dog's attention, I can't find any solid reasons why this is bad or harmful if the dog doesn't get frightened by vib...

By accident we ran into a gentleman who had some sort of an electric collar on his dog.. There is a remote control in the hand of the dog handler, and when a button is pressed on the remote - the collar vibrates (no shock, just vibration.. or so he said). The way I understood - with proper training ...

Thanks! He is 90 lbs... Will probably end up being around 100 lbs when he grows up.

Those are two cool dogs...