[quote]Protein levels are not important when picking out a large breed dog food, it is calcium and phosphorus that need to be looked at. [/quote] good point. There are some so-called "large breed puppy foods" that don't contain enough calcium, and there are many ALS foods that have too much calcium in them for growing puppies. Read the labels carefully.

the Danes know full well that no one can move them if they don't want to so they just stop moving and avoid eye contact. the herding dogs generally are eager to please so they don't ever seem to not-want to cooperate. Except about going home, when they are mysteriously slow to move towards the car and have to stop and smell all sorts of things.

[quote] Dogs, and people are all different in their likes and dislikes. We need to make room in our minds for individuality and not look for a one size fits all solution to everything.[/quote] agreed. but my history is with "purely postive trainers" who insist all dogs must wear head halters, they are so humane, despite the evidence in front of them of dogs bucking wildly, dogs lying depressed, dogs begging silently to have this torture device removed from their nose. Listen to the dogs

[quote] Is a dog's psyche so fragile that they can't even take a verbal correction? [/quote] some yes, some no. That's not the point. The point is that "corrections" are not very effective in training dogs. There are better ways to train dogs and resorting to "corrections", while very human, is very ineffective. It's like using a shovel instead of a snowblower to clear your driveway- it works, but man is it ineffective and slow and hard work in comparison to other

[quote] This makes me think of what I said before - how many pups or dogs who have NEVER worn a collar or lead STRONGLY object to them?! Yet, how many of our dogs here just get ecstatic at the sight of a collar and lead - purely because it means W-A-L-K?![/quote] I've never had a puppy "object" to a collar being put on the first time. Some have scratched at them a bit in puzzlement. Dogs only object to leashes if you mis-use them to drag the dog around instead of working on the loose

IMHO, dogs should NEVER ride loose in a car. Total safety hazard for them and you. If you can't tightly seat-belt or crate consider some kind of barrier to keep the dog safely in the back.

I think it's best to wait 3 to 5 years between additions. The worst thing you can do is get two puppies at once; the second-worst is to get a puppy while your other dog is under age two.

[quote] But while she thinks it is all down to alpha/dominance stuff, it's really just simple R+/P- happening... IMO. [/quote] agree totally. same with "horse whisperers". I've watched a lot of them work horses and their explanations of what they think they are doing are totally bogus. since they don't understand why their methods work they end up going through elaborate rituals and working much harder than they actually have to. They also tend to not-be-able-to-read animal

[quote] I'm actually an advocate of using humane devices, as you know, and these are NOT mentally cruel if the dog is trained correctly to accept the head collar. [/quote] If they are so "humane" why does one have to spend months training the dog to "accept" it? I've seen so many dogs looking so miserable in those things that I cannot agree they are "humane". I wouldn't suggest a prong unless someone has already messed up and taught the dog to pull hard/lunge

are you trying to DRY it? or just cook it?