helen

Glad you are learning and enjoying so much.

I was over the moon to hear how well you went Barb, congratulations

Don't worry so much about being nervous. The agility is so much fun the nerves quicky fly out the window when you start running and lets face it, even the best dogs make mistakes LOL I have entered both trials, Bella has her Masters debut, she is doing the agility events (masters and open), Tilly is in novice jumping. There is a clash so I will be busy walking 2 courses at the same time as usual

Glad you are going, I have entered too and can't wait to see nova in action

I got Tilly measured in March or April, haven't got mine back yet either, I think there is a big back log. I got Bella done as soon as the heights changed and got hers back very quickly. I have taken it to trials but no one has ever asked to see it.

I would run him anyway, I think he will adjust heights easily if need be. The measurements are taken from the top of the withers. Tilly ran her first trial at 400, was measured at the end of the trial at 500. luckily she didn't qualify, she knocked a bar. She has never knocked a bar at 500 though, in training or trial LOL. Ballarat probably won't be able to withdraw your entry now. I tried to put Bella up a class after gaining titles at Geelong 2 days after the closing date but they had already started on the catalogue so I was too late. Ballarat is usually a fun trial to attend so I would go along anyway This photo was at Geelong and Tilly had not done much work on 500 at all and you can see how easily she has adjusted to the different height, so I think your guys would probably be similar in that respect.

Congratulations I met up with Tassie from DOL at Geelong trial leading up to the Nationals and she was part of the Tasmanian team that won so she will be very happy

Best thing to do is to phone the secretary and ask them if the dog can be measured on the day, they should let the judges know if they are required to measure so they can take the appropriate equipment and forms. The May Vicdog states which judges are qualified to measure and one of them is judging at Ballarat. They normally accept measurements on the day, so easy if you are certain what height you will need to jump. The height cards are actually taking quite a long time to be returned apparently.

Bella did obedience and agility at the same time for a while. Chazer is now learning tracking and agility at the same time with no problems

http://www.clickertraining.com/honorroll

Congratulations ;) She must love the rain LOL Good luck at the nationals

Brittanys can do both well too

Way to go Mai

Having dial up I could only watch a tiny bit and it looked like absolutely beautiful heeling.

That's Bella's pup, what a small world. He is very cute (and I am not biased). I was supposed to go to that trial but missed sending the entries due to a very busy time. Glad you had a good time and did so well a the trial. Bella was always greeting the judges when she started too LOL. You will start making the time before you know it if you are only missing out by 1 second - well done.

Way to go everyone on the great results. Bella is been going for 4 titles in April, so far so good, would be great if she could because she might be having pups some time soon. She got her JDX on 1 April, and now only has 1 pass to go for snooker and agility excellent and 2 more for strategic pairs. She came so close to the ADX 2 weeks ago. She slid off the table because she was going too fast which she hasnt done for ages. She tried so hard to hang on but couldn't and bounced back on like a ping pong ball when she landed.

Murphys Law, Chazer who is not trialling yet is the one who wants to come and learn weave and is doing the best LOL

I tried teaching Bella with barriers, seems to me she was learning to follow the barriers and had absolutely no idea when they were removed. This is however, working very well with Tilly. We started properly 2 days ago LOL - she has a few weeks to learn them before Geelong and her first agility trial LOL. I entered her in novice agility as a warm up for the big event - novice strategic pairs, her partner is going to be the weaver in that one. I think Chazer is definately benefiting from watching Tilly. He sort of wondered his way along until he saw tilly bouncing through and then he copied.

Way to go Shine. Wish I could see the videos but only have dial up. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Congratulations to you all on your passes. Hope to get to Ballarat for the agility trial

There is a great trainer from Geelong who will give private lessons - details copied from this website - http://www.k9events.com/localityguidevictoria.htm - she is very experienced in all levels of competition obedience Clever Canines Helen Read Geelong Victoria Training Positively Puppy classes, show training, tricks, clicker, tracking, carting,competition. Day time classes or one on one training for polite pooches. Delta Canine Good Citizen Trainer Training Member ADPT Head trainer of Bellarine Dog Activities Group a positive Club. Contact details [email protected] or Phone fax 03 52 484889 Re: Sarah - what a small world. Before she got her Aussie she was also considering a Brittany so I met her. They are a great couple and I used to see her a fair bit when her and her husband visited agility trials etc. She is a great trainer, too bad they have moved to NZ, no wonder I haven't seen her for a while.

I would say they start to peak at around 6 or 7. With the benefit of hindsight I didn't start training Chazer for agility until 3.

Another question on this topic. My picture of 2 on 2 off is the dog comes to a complete halt and then waits for another command. Does this disrupt the dog's flow and drive forward when doing distance work for open and gamblers?

Small world. Gina did a few demos using Bella - Bella was eating out of her hands and doesn't work for just anyone LOL. Didn't matter what type of personality different dogs had, she was able to adjust to them without any hesitation. The biggest influence for me though was her whole attitude to trialling - throws the 'boring' right out of the window. Bella had 1 pass towards her CD before she had pups. I wouldn't have returned to the ring if it hadn't have been for her great attitude. I am just waiting for her return LOL. I also know someone who travelled to WA when they had the GSP nationals and met with a lot of the WA triallers and was equally as impressed with a lot of them.

I know what you mean about the WA trainers. Gina O'Keefe came to Melbourne a while back and was brilliant. Sue Hogben is just as good I hear and is doing heaps in NSW as well. The club I did obedience at run trial people through separately. Haven't had private agility lessons but have had tracking lesson with a couple of people and dogs.