Topic

2.5 months old. 8kg.




8.5 months old. 33kg.

Absolute beaut!

The dog's coat is so shiny you must polish it, do you use the same stuff as you use on the MG?

Cobber wrote: wrote:

The dog's coat is so shiny you must polish it

Hence their nickname - Lacquer black. Click, click.

Appreciate your advice on harnesses Leigh.I am not up for it i have billy relatively under control except he goes crazy about cats.
Billy is my 3rd Sheperd,the strongest, i am not iron man but physically fit and average strength.
When Billy sees a cat thats it i really struggle just about stop him from dragging me down someones driveway but in the winter i am concerned even more in the frost i will be skating.
My wife and kids spoli him but just this monday night my wife announced she will have to stop walking him temporarily as she cannot contain his strength when he sees a cat.
She wants a harness,will this enhance his pulling power?
I am getting different opinions on harnesses.

I use a product called ' Gentle leader ' available from Pets at home among others.

I walk three Rotties on these and can hold them when cat radar goes off! That's over 150 kilos of Rottweiler and me on the other end.

Thankyou David,i will get one tomorrow and try billy out on it.
Bit off topic but i thought i would share the photos below which are some of the daft outfits one of my daughters as bought during the last week for our jack russell, Daisy aka the squirrel.

GT MG SPARES LTD wrote: wrote:

She wants a harness,will this enhance his pulling power?
I am getting different opinions on harnesses.

I don't know a dog that doesn't like to chase cats 'given the opportunity'. That's the salient bit.

I walk Jet up to the fields nearby and pass 3 local cats sat on their doorsteps. Most days they're there, especially in the morning. Of course he's previously been very keen to get them to take flight and get the prey drive going for a fun run and chase them. So, I put a check / choke chain on him and check him the second he even looks their way. Then I turn around and walk past them again and again and again and again, checking him until he ignores them. The first time it took 15 minutes. But 'ignorance' came in the end. Thankfully.

Mine is the old fashioned way. David's suggestion is a softer option and I hear they're very good (once the dog accepts wearing it). Pulling becomes uncomfortable for them, so they no longer do it. Strength wise, big dogs can out pull most people. Especially when they catch us off guard and take flight.

If Billy won't heel when you walk up the footpath, stop and turn around each and every time he pulls ahead. Head back the other way and turn around until it sinks in that it's 'your walk' and not his. Walk slow and make him comply. Eventually it'll sink in that he must heel. Of course the neighbours will think you're crackers. But it's worth 5 minutes of effort. Although, you may never get to go on that walk on that occasion.

Pack dominance. Jet's not allowed up or down the stairs, when following any family member, until they reach the top or bottom. He has to sit and stay. Then he can come 'when told', 'when allowed', once they're at the top or bottom of the stairs. Same deal with doors or gates or being allowed on beds or chairs. Sometimes you have to go 'back to basics' and teach them to be a dog. It's a little bit of effort for a big return.

When I'm up the fields Jet runs ahead. I let him do that. But I just change direction and randomly walk off the opposite way. I do that every time. He has to pay attention and follow me. It's 'my walk'. Not his. Eventually, he stays closer and pays more attention. I'm the pack leader. He must comply. You can see him paying attention and coming back to me in that backpack video. He won't go too far away now.

As for the backpacks and harness.. One is for carrying my lunch and my coat for when it rains and the other (with the security labels) is for when he's left on guard duty. The wife thinks I'm nuts.

I wouldn't dispute that. Jet barks at strangers and just looks through people he knows. Burglars.. Would you take the chance?







He's yet to fill out. But being black enhances his 'colgate smile'. That'll deter most times. I don't keep a dog to bark myself.

Thanks Leigh i will take that advice on board.I did some basic walk and stop then walk back a few yards a while ago to stop billy pulling he quickly learnt he would get further by walking at my pace.I still have to refresh him on that when we first leave the house.
My Mom tracked and bred first golden retrievers then labradors for decades and always told me similiar to your advice never chase a dog if it wont come to you always walk the other way.
Over fields same again he only bolts for a cat,other than that he his very obedient,stays where he his at the command down when another dog enters within view,enabling me to put his lead back on gets in the work van every morning without even entering off the drive,opens doors he comes to work every day with me and his behaviour is perfect he can see everything going on through the gates he has a very large run down the side of units a ldv maxus minus a engine all to himself for snoozes and shelter and loves guarding,letting us know when someone visits the units,i think when he gets home at night he thinks his pecking order is higher.
The cat issue there are a few in our street personally i like cats but when we walk billy he remembers the drives where they often seem to be and pulls my wife before he gets there the problem is my wife is a bit of a soft touch with him and he knows he can push the boundaries with her.
I am going to give that advice walk past and back again the cats drives tomorrow night the neighbours know i am a bit mad so they will think its normal.

Yep, no point chasing them They have twice as many legs as us.

Mine takes the mickey with my mrs as well. Until recently he was biting her legs as soon as I left for work. Just mouthing her but bruising her. She said he was a different dog when I came home and made a video to show me his unruliness.

Now that she 'asserts' her dominance with him, he's settled down to being the underdog.

Haltis, choke chains, prong collars, ecollars that vibrate and shock are all tools for obedience. It all depends how much you want the job done really. I have a shock collar. It bleeps, vibrates and shocks from 01 to 99 volts. I've used it for livestock worrying. It works. But it's extreme. Then again, so is ragging a sheep around the field just before the farmer blows your brains out the back of your head.

4 months old @ the Pride of Longbridge event, April 2014. Pic provided by my sister, T-Bar member, 'Kazzyb'.



4 months later.

Summit dog backpack training (weight 4kg). 9 months old Czech Shepherd Dog (weight 34kg).

The pack contains a 1 litre flask of water a goretex coat and a mini umbrella. Again, the dog carried it without issue on a 1 mile walk. There's plenty more room to put essential items in. But first, more training and conditioning. The lead is a Kurgo quantum dog leash. It secures around your waist. So, it's heel or tow.




How much weight do you think that this dog can reasonably carry?