helen

Is there any information available about this person as I have never heard of her

LOL, worked in Melbourne today training people so had an early start

I was looking at thinking they were great judges.

Everlasting treat balls are a great chew toy for puppies, if left with adults they can finish them off very quickly though. Depends on the dog though, Little Reuben loves balls on ropes and rope toys best, as well as a puppy toy that has a soft squeeky middle and a triangle of rope on the outside.

I also found this great free e-book for basic dog training http://www.petexpertise.com/dog-training-ebook.pdf

The one I've read is "The Perfect Puppy - Gwen Bailey" The Perfect Puppy is more comprehensive. Puppy School is a consendensed version which is more like a series of exercises to work through with your puppy with some great photos for each exercise.

Is the book you have Puppy School by Gwen Bailey? I think following through with all the exercises there would be a great start. If you are going to go to training classes with a young gundog I would recommend one that does not do group heeling exercises, ie a place where you are required to all heel in a line together but find a place where you can practice heeling in your own space away from the other pups a bit. I love clicker training and most people who have breeds like spaniels who were previously considered untrainable to stupid are really showing what the dogs are made of with this method that is more suitable to those breeds. I would say never completely phase out rewards but they can of course be gradually reduced.

Check this link and see if there is anyone close, it has positive trainers only - http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/cg..._queensland.htm It shouldn't confuse your dog, I have done both at once with no problems

What a sweetie, hope he does really well

congratulations everyone, lots of great results

although I love clicker training I wouldn't use it for toilet training, just praise and say the word you want the dog to associate with going to the toilet when he is in the act. If I was to use it though I would click while he is eliminating.

woohoo, way to go Boston, congratulations

I agree with Cosmolo, you need to get training help ASAP. The puppy simply needs to be taught the correct way to behave as he doesn't know. This is how he acted with his litter but needs to be taught how to behave in a human world now he is away from this mother and litter mates. There is an author Gwen Bailey that has written some excellent puppy training books, Puppy School and The Perfect Puppy. I would recommend these books but not as a replace for going to some training, just as an extra aid.

Congratulations. I was a nervous wreck when I laid a track for Chazer, the waiting is very hard LOL

Of course you have..... searches for evil grin icon . :D Seriouisly, Helen, he sounds lovely. Thanks Barb. If he stays it will be no hardship on me, that is for sure, he is such a cutie and will be a great little obedience dog. He has a blog now LOL

Are you going to keep him Helen?! Is this the boy that you originally wanted to keep?!?! Well done Ptolomy! 22 runs ! Hi Leopuppy. He is the boy I was going to keep if I was going to keep one. Still waiting for a good home show up but no good so far. Lets just say I have entered him in a show and booked him into Toddler Training at the local vets. He is the cutest little thing, he was well socialised and had heaps of training. He plants his bottom into a sit very quickly if he wants anything. Had him down at the waterfront on Friday, lots of Harleys, a helicopter etc and he didn't even flinch. He went to the local obedience club for some socialisation this morning, met lots of different dogs and people and had a ball. He loves his new friend Gamby (a little bit too much)

Well you will be glad to know that the Vigex competition didn't have any elderly gents smoking cigars or the oriental gents in the portrait winners - http://www.vigex.org/Slideshow.html?SalonY...SalonSection=PP

Also make sure the pups first 8 week vaccination was done at least 10 days before him coming home so you will know it has had time to work.

Congratulations everyone, glad you enjoyed the tracking Silvawillow. This little guy returned to me last week, he went to an excellent home but unfortunately their existing dog doesn't like him at all. New owner has raised him beautifully for the time she had him, he sits and drops at super speed and loves to do some work so is going to be a brilliant obedience dog I think

Congratulations on Shamus's title!!! Good luck with the novice

Way to go Daisy, she is such a cutie too!!!

Our training club just subscribed to an obedience magazine called Front And Finish. They interviewed a lot of people who have left the obedience ring to go to other dogs sports. The main reason people left obedience was due to the possibility of harm being done or having been done to their dog in the stays. The biggest change suggested to the obedience rules was to allow dogs to do stays separately, having 2 rings running next to each other, one for stays one for individual exercises - with the hide being placed in the ring so the owner would have instant control of the dog if it moved. A great suggestion I reckon. The introduction of Rally-O here would be another big bonus for people not wanting to put their dog in these circumstances Tilly had a problem with stays some time ago because of a rough human who treated his dog very badly next to her. It was only after I didn't go to training for about a year that she was confident enough to do a stay and not follow me for her own safety

The club links on this website gives you their contact details and training times http://www.geocities.com/vicagility/

Ignore the licking, try and reward before the dog licks and very gradually increase the length of time the dog targets. You may have more luck starting with a target stick or with a round plastic lid, then transferring the behaviour to your hand - some dogs have more succes to begin with with one item but not the other, so your dog might be brilliant with a plastic lid but not your hand at the beginning, just try different targets

There are many puppy pre schools run by qualified Delta instructors. If you are looking for a good puppy pre school it is probably a good place to start - http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/cg...ctors_index.htm - some would be at vets, some at clubs and some private but all instructors suitably qualified I have had Robyn Jackson as an instructor at Bellarine Dog Activities Group, she was great