AboutLabman Expertise I can help you with your new dog. I am experienced in, and trained in techniques the average person can make work with dogs, especially puppies. I strongly believe in obedience training and the need to give your dog proper leadership. I have been raising a new puppy every year since 1991. I know housebreaking and protecting the puppy and the house from each other. I can explain the the feeding regimen you can easily follow to give your dog the same long, active life life as highly valuable dog guides. I try to give answers you can make work.
The mark of a real expert is knowing the limits of his knowledge. I will not try to answer questions on breed standards, AKC registration, etc. PLEASE DON'T SEND ME MEDICAL OR BREEDING QUESTIONS. An internet forum is not the appropriate place for them. Even if I could tell what was wrong from a handful of symptoms, you would still need to get the medications from your local vet.
Breeding should be left to those not needing to ask simple, basic questions. Books have been written about it. Rather than ask me a question, start reading. Those unwilling to do the work it takes to produce quality puppies should spay/neuter their pets at 6 months. I will not answer questions that sound like a poorly prepared breeder.
Experience Like many, I grew up around dogs, but never realized how much I had to learn before my family started socializing puppies for a large dog guide school. The school shares their experience from thousands of dogs with the people they entrust to raise their puppies. Their recommendations on training, feeding, and care come from a large, well documented program. After it is a year old, they X-ray every one of the hundreds of dogs they breed every year. I continue to attend monthly training sessions with trained volunteers and professional staff. I share experiences with others doing the same. The school must have sturdy, healthy, well behaved dogs, that will have a long, active life. If that is what you want too, I can help you. In addition I have done extensive reading, and the 4 years my daughter was in 4-H were a real learning experience for Dad too. That exposed me to more breeds than the Labs, Shepherds, and Goldens in the dog guide program.
Expert: Labman Date: 7/22/2008 Subject: my jack russell
Question Chloe is 2 years old. I don't know what is wrong with her. I've had her since 8 weeks and just recently she is keeping me up all night. She doesn't sleep upstairs with me. Has always stayed downstairs, tell her every night time to go night and no problem. Now she cries and yelps until she either kicks the gate over or moves it from the bottom of the steps and then scratches my bedroom door and yelping until I come out. Then all she wants to do is jump until I pick her up and she is panting very badly through all this. I get up at 3am and it is getting very annoying. What do I do? Please help
Answer I would start with a vet check, explaining the problem. If that doesn't turn up anything, maybe better leadership would help. The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm
