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Tassie - I am seriously thinking about going to Warrnambool this year. It conflicts with the gundog club and Brittany show but now I have a couple of dogs running I would love to go as everyone I train with goes there for the weekend and I always miss out. Anyway if anyone is interested the schedule has been put on the internet, there is a link on top of this page - http://www.geocities.com/vicagility/

Will see you there feralpup. Not sure about camping on the grounds, you would have to phone Tina and ask, but there are no showers on the grounds.

LOL. The agility people from the club only got an email about it on Friday morning, a mail out was done to other clubs about the same time so you found out pretty quickly. Tassie - are you coming? I will be there on the agility day and the Friday for the instructors training. It is great she is coming, as Ness will testify she has to be the top trainer around. I did competition heeling and open obedience and sat in on UD last time she was here and I can say you will not be disappointed. I know some people who did agility and instructors course last time and they all say they were just as good.

I like running contacts but if I had a working dog I would definately consider 2on2off. Bella was taught the old fashioned way. We started training Tilly using a target and we allowed to do either method but had to decide what our objective was. I started training her 2 on 2 off but when running she just did perfect running contacts and has continued to do so. Funny thing about her too though is that you could never put food at the bottom of a contact or she would take a flying leap from the top. Once I took the food away she just went straight to the bottom of the contact, just goes to show different things for different dogs.

Here are some links you might like to read, about feeding bones and the benefits and the nutritional value of different meats http://www.vetsallnatural.com.au/WORDDOCS/...0and%20dogs.doc http://www.vetsallnatural.com.au/WORDDOCS/...to%20choose.doc The main site is http://www.vetsallnatural.com.au

Your post seems to suggest to me that veterinary behaviourists have no practical experience which I would disagree with. I have personally met 2 veterinary behaviourists. Trust me, their experience is not just years of theory learning - they work full time helping dogs with extreme problems and have the best of both worlds.

If I had a truely serious problem I would choose the veterinary behaviourist, they have higher qualifications and can dispense medications if necessary. They may also have some insight to any health problems. If I had a less of a problem, personally, I would be looking for a Delta qualified person. Any behaviourist should know when they are out of their depth and refer to a veterinary behaviourist anyway

Hi. The dog of the year competition is at 12 noon and definately worth watching There is also a trial in conjunction with this event. The morning trial starts at 9 am, the PM trial is at the conclusion of the agility/jumping dog of the year but not before 1.30 pm Thanks for the info Alanglen

I haven't heard anything, surely they would phone everyone if it was cancelled

I have fed my dogs advance and they thrive on it, it is a great food. They used to sponsor a few agility trials in Victoria so it was fantastic but not so much now. I also raised pups on the puppy rehydratable and it is great.

with any luck they might be able to find suitable grounds rather than cancelling.

Thanks, I have entered but hadn't heard. I hope clears up because my pairs partner needs 1 more pass and I can't enter novice with them again as Tilly already had 2 passes before we paired together.

Rakaaz, I am entered at Ballarat and am now wondering how dogs go tracking in the snow LOL. I am just going to follow and enjoy this as it may be well be our last

Congratulations, you are both going so well

Congratulations to you too Rakaaz, knew I would be hearing that news very soon (her girl just became a tracking champion - woohoo) Chazer did a trial recently and stopped and went hunting 30-50m from the tracklayer, there were tonnes of rabbit holes at the end. We had a judge who happens to have gundogs and paid an article indication on that track that most judges would have waited for. The track went through bush then on to paddock, the article was in the paddock about 50m away from us. Chazer pointed the article then charged forward to flush it. I hadn't seen the article until he pointed then charged for it, I wandered what on earth he was doing LOL. He also stopped at the article so did a proper indication but the judge paid the point - it was funny once I realised it was actually the article he had found.

Hi. If you decide to do both I would do tracking first as it may prevent problems of the dog wanting to go chase wildlife instead of the person. Have a search for Longweis kennels, their dogs are great workers and they have a few dual champions

Congratulations

woohoo, congratulations!!

Sounds very tempting

Is she the lady with the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers that Deb Kelly has been trying to get out here? BTW - I just looked at the link and realised who you are, what a small world LOL

It is a shame for all those entered. I went over the bridge yesterday and the water was rising fast. The grass was just starting get back to good condition after all the drought too.

I agree. A lot of vets have people with qualifications from Delta Society so you can be pretty sure they are going to be very good instructors - http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/cg...ctors_index.htm - I have done classes with my own dogs with Delta qualified instructors who have been brilliant. There is also ndtf course qualifications but I have never attended an agility class with an instructor who has done this course - I have been in a class where a fellow student has done this course and her dogs are great.

Thanks Ellz. Unfortunately in my case our track was last for the day so he had been in the car for some time and I have no idea how long ago he had eaten them, he was fast asleep when I went to take him out for a toilet break, if he ever gets into any again I will definately make him vomit. Will make sure any chocolate rewards are kept outside of the car from now on.

My dog got into some chocolates in a zipped up bag before a tracking trial and ate them, luckily with no ill effects Someone did say to me though that the toxins from chocolates stay in their system forever and build up every time they have more chocolates.

What a great entry. I know someone who I saw at a trial recently getting her dog measured especially so she could compete in agility, think it will be a great day with all those beautiful collies running around