MrsD

Geeeeez, Eddie must be a ball of muscle to be able to jump that high from sitting! Molly looks so cute with her white paw waving - well done .

Mooper, I think this comment is the exact answer to someone's question above as to why you cant use food in the ring. The idea of the competition is obedience - not the dog getting a treat for doing something because he's taught the owner to give it to him :D .

No problems Hesapanda, got it sorted now . Dougie, unfortunately it wasn't clear to me. Some other nice people helped by clarifying it for me, thanx anyway!

Ceilidh, thanx for clearing that up, thats why I was getting confused (cos my dogs have had 3 in the past I think) & I didnt read Hesapandabear's response correctly, hence the mix up. Dougie, your comment came across as rude, if it wasn't meant to be, my apologies. I wasnt ignoring anyone's advice, just asking for a clarification on "last" injection.

Thanx for all your replies, I was completely confused there for a minute cos I misunderstood Hesapandabear's post & thought they had to have 3 shots (did they used to have 3 lots of shots & now its only 2? ) & couldnt work out how shows had a baby puppy class for 3-6 month olds. Ceilidh's reply sorted it - I was sure it was 2 weeks after shots but someone told me 1 week after first shots which sure didnt sound right . Shoemonster & Rexy, I think the public places thing is just plain scary , Im even worried about taking him (& my previous dogs when they were puppies) out if I carry them, I lost a puppy once to parvo (not because of anything I did) & its not nice. Dougie - the only thing I am ignoring is your rudeness . Edited cos I spelt Ceilidh's name wrong ;)

Hi Hesapandabear, thanx for that, but if I have to wait until around 2 weeks after his last shot he'll be around 16+2 =18 = 4.5 months old - so how does he start Baby Puppy at 3 months? Or did you mean first or Ive misunderstood?

What's the time frame between a puppy's 1st vaccination & being able to take them out in public safely? I always thought it was 2 weeks but someone said 1?

The words "brick wall" spring to mind with some dogs in open. The worst ones were always the ones who left it until after they got their novice title to even introduce the dog to a dumbell - definitely not a good move Edited to fix something

Well I've got another 2 breeder responses tonight - 1 no & 1 saying that she has a litter due any day but there are 10 (yes TEN ) other people on her waiting list in front of me . Im trying to convince myself that I should get a dog, Im about half way there . Might have to ask everyone elses opinion as well .

Arghhhhhh, yes like that you cruel cruel person .

I agree with Gusgem, have you thought about agility? He's old enough to start training, especially if you start with the non jumping sort of obstacles (I dont even know what they have in agility now! but things like the seesaw, dog walk, weaving poles etc that they used to have). He will have a ball. Other than that I would suggest tracking, sorry I dont know of anywhere in your area but Im sure someone may be able to help. I guess there are some dogs that dont take to it, but my old GSD boy always loved it . Don't know much about flyball, so can't help there, sorry! Edited cos I can't type for s*** LOL

LOL no to the poodle - although show me a puppy & anything is possible . I only know of 2 breeders on here, 1 has nothing & the other I only found out about today & have told her what Im after . The Sheltie club up here knows of none, only boys . I was absolutely adamant I wasn't having another dog - now Im saying to myself "It wasn't *that* bad having a dog last time, was it?"

What breed/sort of pup are you looking for Mrs D?? Decided to go with a Sheltie PF (gotta get away from the big dogs ) but I cant find a bitch for love nor money . Had found a litter that had just been born a couple of weeks ago & blow me down but the breeder decided that shes going to keep the 2 bitches so I either have to change my mind & get a dog or wait. .

Hey Alpha, hows this for coincidence?? Last time I trialled I was 5 months pregnant with bubs 1&2 (I had twins ) & it would have been Sept/Oct 1997 :p . I'm still trying to find a puppy, not having much luck , til I get one I'll just have to annoy the hell out of hubby when he starts taking our GSD to obedience ;) .

Hey Helen - is that cos you don't think Bella has enough letters after her name?

Hi Lab & Poodle, I trialled in both NSW & Qld, I dont remember any encouragement back then, we had (& still do as far as I know) sweepstakes in Qld where you have to earn 150 points in a class (same run out as a normal class, just fewer points) & once you "passed" your sweepstakes you were eligible to trial at a "real" trial. NSW - hmmmmm, I dont really remember, pretty sure we just went straight into trialling down there, I think from memory there were registered dogs from our club that came over the border with us because then they didnt have to do a sweepstakes in Qld. Straining my brain here but Im pretty sure thats how it went - geeez that was along time ago! So did the encouragement thing come in everywhere after I last trialled or was it in other states other than Qld & NSW I wonder? You're right, there are lots of people who really struggled with Open & didn't go any further. You can teach a dog to retrieve without it having much prey drive - but it's much harder & most people can't do it.

Just added the question about why to the post above, looks like it must be a state thing. 2001!!! Just shows how long I have been out of competition, doesnt it? Sounds like those 5 classes will be heaps of fun, boy, a heap better than just the old agility we used to have ;) .

Thanx for that Poodlefan, so if you want to go straight into novice you can, that's interesting! Congrats on he Jumpers title too, I never got any agilty legs with my dogs, although I did train them on all the obstacles - but those were the old rules back in 1997, I think they have probably changed at least twice since then . My boy was too off the planet to let loose in a ring, no wonder I never got a qualie. The choice between the retrieve on the flat or the distance command is interesting, I presume that the stand to down is done wth both signal & voice, just from 4m in front of the dog? Sort of like a basic single version of the old UD signals where you walked away from your dog then had to make it drop, sit, come & finish but with no voice commands. So after it drops do you just return to your dog like it is a down stay? I'll have to look up those new rules! Putting the retrieve in novice has obviously made it harder for some people, by giving the choice of exercise it takes the pressure off those who have trouble teaching the retrieve I guess. Like FHR has mentioned, I presume you mean that they dog doesnt have to return to heel or finish - heck if they don't have to return I have a dog right now that will do it perfectly . ETA - how come some have started earlier than the July 1 start date? Is it to do with different states?

Thanx for the info! So I guess that means that you have to do the CCD before the novice class? From what I can see they have made it easier at the bottom end & stretched it out at the top end so there are more exercises & more interesting things once you get to UD level. Great stuff . Tassie - link worked perfectly, thanx! Congrats on the title Poodlefan, I presume Lily's JD is a Jumpers title? Gonna go have a read of all the new rules - now I just have to find a puppy so I can get back into it again. Edited to fix all the typos!

So what are the new CCD & UDX classes that I have seen mentioned? ;) When I last trialled (more than 9 years ago , too long ) there was only CD CDX & UD plus the tracking ones TD & TDX. There seems to be a heck of alot more now, including jumpers (there was only agility back in the olden days ;) ) & others I probably havent even noticed! One of my friends who is still trialling mentioned that she had retired her bitch until the new UDX class started in July, but what exactly is it (& CCD)? Does anyone have any links to decent info about it or a quick explanation?

I've never used spitting food for training or attention, my dogs have always been very attentive but I havent had to use food to get it :D . Is it a newish training method? Interesting training concept though, I dont have any adversity to putting food in my mouth, I'll see how I go with my new puppy when I get it .