Ian Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 This lady lost her boxer last March, I am told put her name down on a lab rescue list, expecting it to be a 6 month wait, but was then encouraged to adopt a 7 month old chocolate labrador in early May. She was extremely boisterous, completely untrained and strong on lead. The lady has since moved to Fowey and is therefore unable to go back to the rescue for help, does not drive so can't travel far and hasn't been able to get enrolled to a training class. I believe the pup may have had 5 days worth of 1 hour one to one sessions with someone in June before she moved but don't know who provided that. It doesn't appear to have been sufficient. The lady is now struggling and has been pulled over on at least a couple of occassions, leading to a swollen wrist / bruised hip etc. Her vet has suggested she should "give some serious thought to my suitability for having such a powerful dog, and also that I am not giving her the exercise that she needs" Whilst there are health factors she was quite happily managing with her Boxer until late March and does not really want to see this poor young dog rehomed again if she can avoid it. She can't manage more exercise on lead until the pulling is addressed and can't let her off lead due to lack of recall etc. I haven't met this lady or her pup but feel that training could help them both. If there is anyone in this area who might be willing to volunteer to go along and see whether they could offer some help I'm sure this lady would be most grateful for some support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackie Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 (edited) Hi Ian, do you happen to know what food this lady feeds her dog? I only ask because 90% of behavioural problems I have seen in my class were made worse by feeding crap food (mainly Bakers). Has she ever tried using a Halti or Halti harness? Edited September 11, 2007 by cackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 I think I might know of someone in Cornwall who is involved in training/rescues, will see if she is in that area and get contact details if she is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted September 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 Hi Ian, do you happen to know what food this lady feeds her dog? I only ask because 90% of behavioural problems I have seen in my class were made worse by feeding crap food (mainly Bakers). Has she ever tried using a Halti or Halti harness? I don't know what she's feeding actually but will ask her. She is / was trying a harness but it doesn't seem to have solved her problems - mainly pulling and when off lead running upto / jumping up at people (I believe she's being playfull rather than aggressive - doesn't even bark at the postmen, binmen etc & they now bring her treats - but one lady was far from impressed) hence why she's being kept on lead At one stage in May she'd been said to be getting better and very eager to please so I would have thought should be trainable given the right motivations / rewards. Apparently however she had 10 sessions in June - not just the five I'd thought - but this lady despite being "an excellent trainer" and "seemingly she had never had a dog 'defeat' her before" decided she was "hopeless for training at the moment and to try again later!!!" I think she said in the past she'd briefly tried a halti but she didn't take to wearing that & would be stopping / trying to get it off every 20 seconds. I think I might know of someone in Cornwall who is involved in training/rescues, will see if she is in that area and get contact details if she is. Thanks Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted September 12, 2007 Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 http://www.caninelearningcentre.co.uk/ is quite close to Fowey and they do home visits. Fowey is not that far from me, but not close enough that I could go and help out with walking I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safneo Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 If the dog is a real puller (think truck puller) get her to try a walkezee or halti harness. They are the only ones that I can walk Saffy lab on. Static harnesses are a definate no no. Training is very important, so she needs to persist with trying to find a good trainer. Also, I do remember someone posting a link to 'youtube' showing how to teach your dog heelwork using a 'dummy' (tuggy/fetch toy). It was really impressive. Not sure if anyone can remember the clip I'm on about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted September 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 http://www.caninelearningcentre.co.uk/ is quite close to Fowey and they do home visits. Fowey is not that far from me, but not close enough that I could go and help out with walking I'm afraid. Thanks. Unfortunately I think she may have a limited income but I'll pass that on & see what she says. Have also had one or two offers from people who may be able to travel there. I'm hopeful that if someone could help her establish what motivates & rewards her dog she may make some quick progress. If the dog is a real puller (think truck puller) get her to try a walkezee or halti harness. They are the only ones that I can walk Saffy lab on. Static harnesses are a definate no no. Training is very important, so she needs to persist with trying to find a good trainer. Also, I do remember someone posting a link to 'youtube' showing how to teach your dog heelwork using a 'dummy' (tuggy/fetch toy). It was really impressive. Not sure if anyone can remember the clip I'm on about Thanks. I believe she's been trying some sort of harness but I don't know what. Would be interested in hearing about the clip if anyone knows what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted September 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 Hi Ian, do you happen to know what food this lady feeds her dog? I only ask because 90% of behavioural problems I have seen in my class were made worse by feeding crap food (mainly Bakers). Has she ever tried using a Halti or Halti harness? Thanks for flagging this up. She's been feeding a little meat & complete - either Pedigree or Bakers apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted September 14, 2007 Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 If she could be pointed in the direction of a good quality, additive free dog food that might well help - I seem to remember Claire (ClazUK) might have a sheet about how awful Bakers is, that she gave to potential adopters? I always recommend Naturediet, but there are decent dry foods such as Burns, Arden Grange etc. and CSJ seems to be well recommended and I think is fairly cheap? I have the phone number for another trainer in Cornwall - the one I mentioned above (well her daughter actually) but if money is likely to be a problem, I'm not sure that will be much help Is the dog insured? Some policies will include covering the cost of a behaviourist if it's on vet referral I think. I wonder if there is a decent lab rescue in the area that would be prepared to give her any advice/help, given that she's moved so far from the one she adopted from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted September 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 I have searched for the Bakers thread & found a couple along with a cheaper good quality foods thread & have emailed her links to those tonight. (You started saying Bakers was good there - I assume you meant Burns) I'll ask about the insurance - hadn't thought of them paying for a behaviourist - but she has mentioned insurance before. I was given a labrador rescue trust contact in Cornwall & sent that along with a relatively nearby APDT trainer somebody suggested & Cycas' suggestion too. I don't know her well enough to be aufait with her finances just through another forum but it seemed a possibility to me from what I do know of her that a training class might be more practical. 1/2 hour one to ones from my dog training club weren't massively more expensive than an hours class but I'm guessing that wouldn't be the case if it were a one to one with someone travelling to her too. I am passing on all suggestions & so if you know of someone by all means let me know, if you happen to know a rough costing that might save her any embarrassment later. A couple of people from a couple of other forums have said they will have a chat with her / might be able to go along & see if they can help but she hasn't yet spoken to either & one is 2 hours away so probably wouldn't be able to do it regularly if that proved necessary. Thanks all for your interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted September 15, 2007 Report Share Posted September 15, 2007 I have searched for the Bakers thread & found a couple along with a cheaper good quality foods thread & have emailed her links to those tonight. (You started saying Bakers was good there - I assume you meant Burns) Yes, after having said in the previous sentence how awful Bakers was, I did indeed say Bakers instead of Burns in the next Have edited, so as not to confuse anyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted September 15, 2007 Report Share Posted September 15, 2007 Burns is a good low protein food. My Viz calmed down a lot after feeding them on that. There are all sorts of harnesses you can buy. No good having a normal one. Has to be something that makes them stop. Halti collars are good. Something like a Walkezee. I can't walk my Viz unless I have them on a harness. They can pull me over no problem if they decide they want to go look at something. I got them both a harness from Pets at Home. All good pet shops will sell something suitable. If she isn't sure she can ask in the shop. With the dog being a pup she can work on this to eradicate the problem by going to a good training class. Young labs need lots of stimulation and exercise. So she hasn't made a wise move but if she's willing to persevere and is consistent with training she'll be ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted September 15, 2007 Report Share Posted September 15, 2007 If she lives in Fowey with no transport, she definitely won't have access to a PAH - the nearest one (in fact the only one in cornwall) is Truro. In fact, I'm not sure Fowey even has a pet shop. I don't remember one, and it's not a big place: mostly it just has a fishmonger, some pubs and cafes. The more I think about this, the more I'm thinking she must surely be able to use some sort of transport if she lives in Fowey, even if it's only the bus to St Austell? Fowey is awful small as a place to live and never leave! I checked www.fowey.co.uk and the nearest vets are St Austell and Lostwithiel, so presumably she has some means of getting the dog to one or the other. If the dog is too rumbustious to take on the bus, could she phone that training centre I linked to, which is also in St Austell, just down the road, and ask if anyone attending their sessions is coming from Fowey and could give her a lift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted September 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2007 I'd imagine she does leave the village for shopping, vets etc. If anything like my little village though buses at night are not that frequent & if you're an older lady you probably don't go out alone in the dark. Have already passed on the link you suggested but hadn't thought about the possibility of a lift, will suggest she considers that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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