The Spotted Devil

Meant to add there were 3 runs on Day 1 (3rd run co-judged), 3 runs on Day 2 (3rd run co-judged) and 2 runs (both co-judged) on Day 3. Sudden death - one out of order retrieve or if the judge decided you'd taken too long and you were out. 45 dogs started 31 dogs finished day 1 11 dogs finished day 2 4 dogs finished day 3 (and the trial). Sorry for misunderstanding - Lani is related to one of FHRP's dogs.

Only 4 dogs finished - all Labs, all from Vic. Winner was a lovely dog called Carbo, bred by our very own Lablover, who also bred the 4th placed dog, Chief. Both dogs were from the same litter and are only 3! And for FHRP :D Highest GSP, non-Lab and Lady handler - Di with Lani

Miss Em got the "Judges Award"! He said she wasn't the highest scoring dog but it was about our relationship as a team - and that it was very evident how much I loved her and how much she loves me. Photo to come :D Currently being driven home by Mr TSD who caught the train down. Friends helped load my tent and drove me to station as my headache is still pretty awful and I've taken a LOT of painkillers. Unfortunately I missed the last few days of competition - I suspect pushing through Thursday and Friday didn't help either. Glad you enjoyed the day out whitka! We will convert you yet Thanks RS and Ptolomy! Was lovely to catch up with the WA folk too - what a great community!

Thanks for all your support gals! Went out on the 3rd run - Em picked up the diversionary bird on a rather tight angle to the blind. Long story but I couldn't see much and she thought she'd picked up the correct one by the look on her face :laugh: Told her she was perfect and celebrated as per usual! Absolutely thrilled to bits with today. A few comments on how well she did particularly as she's never seen an AA run. Will post more details of the runs later but I've had a killer of a headache the last few days (nearly kept me home!) that needs some serious wipe out painkillers and an early night.

Holy moly she did it again!!!

Thanks :D Some have, some haven't. Joy in other group is through. Lani got through this run. Seeker is out

WE SURVIVED THE FIRST RUN OF THE 2013 NATIONALS

K9+ crates here too. But only if you're confident your dog won't eat, scratch etc his way out of a soft crate. Otherwise go for a Vebo or similar collapsible wire crate and buy a cheap hand trolley from Bunnings to cart it around.

Ha! Yes, he is brilliant! Absolutely loves helping us train and is happy to plan his day around it. Em's enthusiasm is rather catching, to be honest - she runs so hard and tries her heart out you can't help but be swept up in it. It must take a LOT of impulse control for her to concentrate at training, pick up the correct retrieve etc as every time we get home she flies up to the back block to hunt and quarter HARD for 10 min before she can relax enough to come back inside. I think I've discovered the key to Em's endless energy though.....she's an iSpringer :laugh:

Well so far it seems to be working, rubyroo, but we will see! I am using the State champ runs as concepts on which to base my training this week. Two short sessions again, very similar to yesterday - one on our own in the morning and one in the afternoon with Mr TSD throwing for us. Started with a triple in the morning: a hot blind (dummy) splitting 2 marks (game), picking up the dummy first. She nailed that so I did a walk up memory mark (game), short relocation, send for hot blind (dummy), throw two bird (game), pick up two bird, pick up memory mark. Nailed that so I did a short memory mark (game), pick up first hot blind (dummy), pick up second hot blind (game). She was all over that so I'm thinking that selection is improving! Finished off with a single T.....dummy at the top and game either side. Send back to the dummy. Took the cast no problem so I let her pick up the others. This afternoon was short, sweet and successful. Started with a triple mark: Mr TSD threw to our left (moderately long with game), leave, I threw to our right (short with game) and Mr TSD split them with a throw to our right (moderately long with dummy). I sent for the dummy first, then the first mark down and the second mark down. She was fine with that. I left her in a sit stay so she could watch me walk out a dummy for a long blind. As we walked towards the firing point Mr TSD threw a walk up mark (game) for us. Watch. Leave. Left her in a sit stay, walked to firing point, "fired" at the blind, returned to Em, heeled her to firing point (just to mix it up a little). Sent for long blind, which she got in one hit. Meanwhile Mr TSD was running to the other side so he was in a good position to throw a two bird (game) on her way back. Pick up the two bird, pick up the memory mark. Em just thought that was THE BEST FUN EVER :D

Welcome RallyValley! Hope you enjoy agility! Kavik - I set up a double box and just practice hard running x 3 jumps or hard running x 2 jumps and decel into a turn. If Zig slows down I will do a few more hard running x 3 jumps and if he is taking no notice I will do a few more of the decel into turns. I try not to reward "careful" as he is prone to that.

LOL, but your Dally has spots and your Springer has broken colour. So I think that my girl would get away with it alot easier than your sorry. And the GP keep telling me that she is a lovely BC :) So when are you going to get into DWD? I cant remember if there is a Dally or Springer competing here in Vic yet Something I'd like to try with both of them but retrieving training trumps all at the moment - down the track, for sure - I'm already putting together a repertoire of fun tricks with Em and she works reasonably well on both sides. I have a huge list of songs for both of them :laugh:

Yes, yes and yes The weather turned a bit miserable today. I did two sessions, first one on our own with hand thrown marks and the second one with Mr TSD throwing for us. Similar concept for both sessions - leave the fun marks (game) and get the hot blind (dummy) first. If she picked up the dummy cleanly she was allowed to pick up the marks. The ultimate reward :D Ran a triple with the blind splitting two marks and a double fall (blind with mark). It really seemed to help her understanding so it will be interesting to see what she remembers tomorrow!

Without a doubt one of the toughest dog sports I have trained for - distance and terrain make it even harder. But very rewarding and rather addictive! Look forward to catching up next weekend - stay in touch!

Wonderful afternoon tea and presentations. The dog that won was a lovely GSP bred, owned and handled by a good friend and one of my training partners. He won easily by 35 points as we all suspected he would with some spectacular runs My friend also gained 4th place with her other GSP and won the teams event, highest scoring non-Lab, highest scoring GSP, highest scoring VGC club member, highest scoring lady handler and highest scoring veteran with her 4th place dog. Wow huh! We have spread the prize haul amongst several of us to hang on to until she goes home :laugh: Did a bit of training, left my tent and gear set up and drove home. Can't wait to go back on Thursday :D The social side and cameraderie is fantastic too!

Awesome :D March is a long time away though so I need you to remind me a bit closer too please!!!

Make sure you are clear though and separate the verbal cue from the physical cue. Mash them together and you will have issues.

Kavik if it is any help I teach the verbal for a wrap pretty much from the get go. Just one jump - give the verbal early. decel and reward heavily for wrapping the correct side. It's rare I put the verbal in so quickly but it seems to work.

11 dogs through to final run. Dog in the hide. Fire at the blind. Call the dog. Double mark either side of the blind. Pick up the blind. Pick up the marks in any order. Championship run no doubt! Another redraw for running order. Great sense of anticipation in the gallery who have a fantastic view. First dog up did pretty well. Made it! Second dog went out - picked up the last mark down instead of the blind. Third dog through. Fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh dogs through. Think I have seen the winning run. Eighth dog through but not without some nerve wracking moments. Ninth, tenth and eleventh dogs through. Congratulations all!

Day 2. One scratching. Perfect weather. Water is glassy. Run 5. Mark, double rise, blind. All in great expanses of water. First dog to run is out - called in on the blind. Second dog did a super double rise. Gave us all a heart attack on the blind but got it. Third dog to run also gave us a nervous breakdown on the blind. Long, long swim into great expanses of nothing. Fourth dog through. More nervous moments. Fifth dog through. Bit messy but just impressive to be still in it. Sixth dog through. Line to blind was quite wide. Seventh dog through. Phew!!! Eighth dog in. More PHEWS!!! Ninth dog made it. Tenth dog through. Nice work! Eleventh dog through. Twelfth dog through. Thirteenth dog through. Fourteenth dog out - called in on the mark.

kallistar.....if you can get Splash past the BC folk I'm going to enter my Springer. And the Dally :laugh:

Tassie - please, please, please remind me when you are heading over. Would love to see your lot in action. Perhaps a wine or two also :D

6 from 1st group survived 3rd run. 9 from 2nd group survived other run. Currently on swap runs. All 15 through to tomorrow. ETA: run 3: walk up memory mark with relocation. Leave dog. Move to firing pegs, fire at blind and call dog. Send for long blind. Two bird goes up. Pick up 2 bird. Pick up mark. Several dogs either had trouble finding the 2 bird or wanted the mark instead of the blind. run 4: short memory mark. Then pick up 2 relatively long/tightly angled blinds.

And 10 out of 21 in the 2nd group.

Only 10 out of 22 survived the first 2 runs in the 1st group!!!