Aroura

Oh, I hope I'm not too late!!! (I'm always too late on this sort of thing) :-? But - GOOD LUCK!!!! Yep, those judges better watch their backs if they don't make the right decision - I'll be on the first plane over! :x :lol:

Well in that case I'll take him in on Monday to make an appointment!!! :wink: He needs to see the vet anyway to get some frontline and so I can get him on their data base, so that'll just give me another reason to go 8)

Great to hear you're giving it a go Hazel :D

Here's Montie as a little baby :D [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/Montie/BubbaMontie1.jpg[/img]

If you want a medium sized dog and you like the herding breeds, here's a link to some information on a breed that I've been in love with for years and *hope* to own some day :D [url]http://www.lovemypet.com.au/advice/dogbreeds/canaan.htm[/url]

I hope Jake settles down Daisysmom, at least you have had him desexed at a young age so his behavior hasn't yet turned into habit. I'm also new to owning a male dog, they are so different aren't they?! Montie is a smart boy, very loyal and obedient, but like all intact males he's always after one thing! :lol: My question is, when I get him desexed can I expect him to be more focused on me? At the moment he's a terror at obedience, he wont even take notice of me if there's a female around and when I let him off the lead he's off looking for them! So does desexing take away their need to roam? The breeder crossed off the desexing bit on the contract, so long as I wouldn't let him breed (the no breeding bit is still on there). She told me about the new research that has been done showing cancers related to desexing males, equally likely as testical cancer in non desexed dogs. So aside from the chances of cancer, I've been trying to weigh up the pros and cons of desexing... any one be able to help me?

Awww how sweet!! I've always been a sucker for Yorkies :wink: And I just LOVE the name Mia! :angel: Piccies please! :D

Well, if its free then where's the harm in using it? :wink: Monties clicker is worth its weight in gold, I've never tried Lily on the clicker yet but after observing Monties reaction (he's learning whole new tricks in less than a day!) I'm definatly going to buy Lily one of her own. :D

Can't get enough? Well here's some more photos of him, as a bub!!! As well as his mum and dad! This is his mum: [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/Montie/FarfallaAnnaTrillja.jpg[/img] His Dad: [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/Montie/JoyvntureEncore1.jpg[/img] His dad again: [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/Montie/JoyvntureEncore2.jpg[/img] Montie as a pup: [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/Montie/BubbaMontie2.jpg[/img] And again: [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/Montie/BubbaMontie1.jpg[/img] Aren't they just too cute??? :D

So cute, that second photo of the mutt is just adorable!!! :D

Go read my post on "teach your dog to learn", that kind of learning is easiest taught with a clicker, because the click marks the behavior more solidly than voice praise. You say "Yes!!!" and all your dog is hearing is your voice, which is what it hears for everything you do, the click is ONLY used to mark behavior, that way the dog associates it more strongly with what it is doing being good. I'd never used one until last week, but Montie is jumping in leaps and bounds with it, he is learning so quickly. Just as you don't use food rewards every time your dog obeys, you don't use the clicker every time. You ONLY use the clicker when you are going to treat, what it is marking is the behavior, often in shaping behaviors the dog ends the behavior before you can get the treat to its mouth, thats where the clicker comes in, as a secondary reinforcer. Why don't you have a chat to your trainer about it? I'm sure they'd be able to explain it all to you, you don't have to use it if you don't want to, but please don't let your stubborness get in the way of Coals training.

Oh I love nothing more than to see a Border Collie at work dancing!!! They are great at it and you can see they're having so much fun!!! Well Montie has learnt the bow now quite well, and he has just leart the spin as well, so we are on our way!!! He comes running up to me as I step backwards, bowing and spinning when I ask, full of enthusiasm! Its great to see him coming along so quickly and he is already quite good, and to think I havn't even had him for three weeks and he's gone to one of 15 dogs without much individual attention to a dancing dog! :lol: Next I'm going to teach him to walk sideways to the left, and side ways to the right, he already "dances" on his hind legs, so we'll be able to put it all together in a few weeks... I wish we could put videos up here!

lol Hillside, yeah I realised he couldn't do agility without them! :lol:

LOL, its all fun and games until it actually happens!!!! :lol: When mum was doing TAFE she made a feather garment that Tessa ate, since then we've dogs, birds and even our rats getting into our homework!!! Valuable lesson - if you're going to chose a life of animals, watch your homework!!! :lol:

LOL, Miles is just too cute!!! :lol: And Taurus :o What a handsome boy!!! He could definatly be my super man 8) :lol: Love the pics! :angel:

Training a dog to do a trick is one thing, but how about actually teaching them to learn? Like, so that you can get them to learn almost anything by showing themselves how to do it, rather than you luring them? Well, I saw this at dog training the other day, its called the training game. Its easier if you clicker train because you can mark behavior more immediatly, but you can do it with voice training as well. If you've ever heard of "shaping behavior" it will make more sence, if you havn't I'll quickly go over it. Just for the example I'll pretend you're using a clicker, a simple "yes!" or "good dog!" will also do the trick... Suppose you want your dog to take a hanky out of your pocket and hand it to you when you sneeze. You'll need to use shaping, and a lot of patience to get to the final stage, so here goes: Step one: Stand around with your (clean of course) hanky hanging out of your pocket. You might be standing there for hours, but as soon as Fido (very unimaginative name, but you get that!) puts his nose near your pocket, or in that general direction - click! And give him a treat. Step two: Once he's got that down pat, stop treating when he goes to the point he was at before, you want him to go further, maybe touch the hanky with his nose? He'll wonder why he isn't getting treats anymore for looking in that direction so he'll begin to explore other possibilitys, until wam, he touches it with his nose! Click! Treat... what a clever dog? Step three: Now that he's reliably touching it with his nose, you'll want Fido to learn that he has to do more, so actually wait until he takes the hanky in his mouth, then click, right at the point where he gets it in his mouth, and give him a treat. Step four: By now if he's really clever he'll be working out a pattern - do a little bit more and get a bigger reward, more excitement etc. Stop treating him when he takes it in his mouth, wait until he gives it a little tug. GREAT DOG!!! Click, treat, lots of cuddles!!! You get the picture. Step five: So you've slowly gone through the steps and now he understands what you want him to do, get the hanky out of your pocket and hand it to you. Only now you introduce the cue, a sneeze with your hand over your mouth (verbal and physical). Put the hanky in your pocket and when you know Fido is going to perform his new trick... Ahhh choo!! He gets the hanky and gives it to you. WHAT A BRILLIANT DOG!!! Click, treat, BIG FUSS!!! Your dog has now learnt a new, and very difficult trick!!! Dogs learn better from shaping than luring, as it is like they are teaching themselves and actually have to think about what they are doing and what they are getting rewarded for. Once you've shaped a few behaviors most dogs will learn the idea - they make a movement, you reward them, they make a more elaborate movement, you reward them more. This is where "the training game" comes in to play. Once the dog has the basic idea of shaping you can shape whole new behaviors in just a few sessions! I saw an example at dog training by a dog who knew "the training game" very well. There was a little step ladder that this dog was going to learn to climb up, and without any luring what so ever this dog realised in less than five minutes from standing on the ground that it was supposed to go over to the step ladder and walk up it. It looked so simple!!! So I've been practicing this with Montie, and he is learning very quickly. I've taught him to "bow" on command already and have just started to teach him to "spin", my thoughts are that if I teach him alot of these cute little behaviors that come naturally from him that eventually I can put them all together and even teach him how to dance! Well, thats just an idea so you can have some fun with your doggies, enjoy!!! :angel:

Yukhan was very gorgeous, you must have been proud :wink: Dudek, same conditions as I have if you clone Milva - nothing but the best for my Montie clones!!! If only there were enough of him to go around, seems every one wants to steal him from me - even mum! :o

I hear you loud and clear when you say you want a big dog as a 'childhood' dog, don't we all? :wink: I always wanted a big dog when I was younger, which is when I decided I wanted a boxer or a bull terrier or something of the like. Well I got my Boxer, but can say for sure they wouldn't be the best apartment dogs, BUT they would be better apartment dogs than probably any of the herding breeds.... and personally I don't think a cattle dog would be a better suited apartment dog than a BC, alot of cattle dogs, without plenty of room to run etc, turn their excess energy into aggression and there are more cattle dog attacks here each year than any other breed. Not that I don't like cattle dogs, I love them, Tessa is part cattle dog, but I just don't think they are a great apartment dog. Could you handle alot of slobber? I think a Neopolitin Mastiff would be a great only dog! If you can find one, that is :wink: Might not match your other requirements though, how about a retired grey hound? They usually teach them to be good around small pets before rehoming them. Great Danes are good dogs, and adapt well to apartment life. Springer Spaniels are beautiful dogs, and are good learners.

Thanks everyone :D He's a little angel, I cuddly little fluff ball and he's just too lovable!!! I can't wait until the fur on his ears grows back, he's perfect now, but is it possible to be more perfect than perfect? I think Montie might prove that it is! :angel: :wink: I havn't got him a little carry bag yet, but I think I'll have to design him one!!! Carol, I can assure you if you do you'll never look back!!! I was obsessed with them before I even got one, but didn't realise how precious they were until I got him home and bonded with him. Now he's just so cute I don't know how I ever lived without him!! I've always heard that Paps are contagious, and that you can't just have one... well I'm finding that out for myself now!!! We've got plenty of dogs now, but I can assure you as soon as reasonable I'll be bringing another one into the family! My sister has fallen in love with him and says when I start breeding she'll have two from the first litter! And they are like minature BCs, they are so smart and so quick to pick up on things :D

Border Collies [i]can[/i] be apartment dogs, but are far from ideal. They really do need alot of exercise and mental stimulation and have been known to become neurotic without it, and thats not uncommon either. Even with promises to walk them daily, you'll still have the rainy week where they'll go mental. They really aren't the best apartment dogs, just because it can be done, doesn't mean it should be... :wink:

Alpha, can you give me an email address where I could subscibe to one of those anti barf lists? I'm curious, like any good mummy I like to know my research. HF, maybe you could join one and share your story?

Only the two, my friend took them with his digi and put them on his web page, but here they are!!!! [img]http://www.ozfox.net/photos/montie1.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.ozfox.net/photos/montie2.jpg[/img] You can see what I was saying about the ears, even since those photos were taken though he's been growing hair on his ears and it will more than likely grow back completely in a few months to reveal his true, flowing, fluffy papillon ears! Sorry they're so big, straight off the digi So there you go :angel:

[quote name='nea'] I'm so scared I'd step on a little dog.[/quote] LOL, I know what you mean!!! :lol: I was also worried about the same thing, but Montie is just so quick to get out from under your feet, apparently thats true for all Papillons. I'm always tripping over the big dogs, they just stand there, but not Montie, like I said he's very quick and very agile! [size=2]He's lieing on the lounge winking at me now... I thinks he agrees that you should get a Pap, then he wont be the only one in the forum![/size] :lol:

Pity you don't neccessarilly want a little dog, because a Papillon would be perfect!!! Actually they are like a big dog in a little package, not yippy, very affectionate and are the most trainable and best agility dogs of all the toy breeds! They are also unique, don't need to be clipped ever and only need a quick brush once a week. Don't shed much either as they have no under coat. They are the type of dog you walk down the street with and they turn heads, plus, although they look all upper class they are great bush dogs, they can adapt to almost anything. And I can guarentee you'll fall madly in love with it!!! They are the best cuddlers and are so quick to learn things! Sociable and friendly with strangers, adventurous and not shy to explore new people and places. As far as health goes they are one of the healthiest little breeds also. Great dogs, I am biased but I also know what its like to own one and I can assure you its a pleasure. I've never been a little dog person, but I think it was the temprement of the papillon as well as trainability, intellegence, sociability etc that drew me to them. They are "a big dog persons little dog" if that makes any sence, a big dog in a small package. Most people havn't hear of them so I tell them that they are like a border collie, only smaller - and seeing as thats what you like you might want to check out your options!!! Oh, plus Montie has a few Swedish champions in his bloodlines so you may even find a relative of his! :lol: Otherwise I would probably say a schnauzer :wink:

I think I'm going to have to bite my toungue on this one.... REALLY HARD!!! You all know how I feel about designer dogs, so I'm not even going to start (except to say I wouldn't know who in the world would breed those ugly little things in the page starfox just posted anyway!!! :lol: ) Just to answer something already brought up here about the Pekes, Maltese and Toy Poodle - alot of reputable breeders wont sell small, fragile breeds such as these to families with children as even those who swear their children are "gentle" you never really know, do you? Monties breeder would never sell one of her Paps to a family with children, and nor would I (when I start breeding...). Oh and [quote] had a gorgeous sunset red coat, and who laid in my arms on her back and completely trusted that I would never hurt a hair on her little head.[/quote].... what the???!!! Why would you hurt a dog anyway? Is this saying she abused the other dogs? God, all I can say is DIMWIT! :roll: