The Spotted Devil

Sounds like you had a ball How norty was giant girl? :D

Not that I'm aware of - just that tracking is a low impact option for an older dog when I decide to retire him from agility. He's only 6.5 and in his prime. Two dogs and 3 sports is plenty for now.

I only use 4 Legs - no artificial colours etc - but for training only not regular meals. My dogs go nuts for it :)

Em does retrieving and agility, Zig does agility and obedience :) Zig will do tracking when he gets older hopefully. A couple of his rellies did pretty wll I believe.

I went along too, decided at the last minute to take Naughty Nina and being a newbie we were put in the "I don't know anything class" At the end of the session she was retrieving bumpers 40m away sitting in front and delivering to hand . Ha! We'll have you hooked yet :D

Fantastic! Welcome Where are you based? You have just missed the training days unfortunately but there is a 3 day trial at Easter - you would be most welcome :) Our retrieving forum is here: http://www.australianworkingretrievercentral.org.au/bb/viewforum.php?f=6 2013 trials: http://www.australianworkingretrievercentral.org.au/bb/viewforum.php?f=25 ETA: Our trialling system is different to the US. All Gundogs are eligible to compete in retrieving trials (hence my little ESS!) - Novice, Restricted and All Age are the 3 levels. No hunt tests. Retrieving ability tests on dummies at Novice and Open levels. Field trials suitable for you are Spaniel and Retriever trials. Hope that helps :)

I would be trying a whole lot of training and mental stimulation as well......intelligent, high energy dogs but not always the easiest to motivate. Bloody good fun when you work them out :)

Red eh? Sounds interesting! Have entered Easter trial, fetchin' - just Novice as we haven't trialled for about 6 months with all my overseas gallivanting and I didn't want to put pressure on myself :) Plus, I'm not keen on rushing from stake to stake....it's nice to watch other dogs run, help out on the thrower etc. So looking forward to it though - what with camping and the like it will be really fun

Good on you RS Even the experienced dogs will have a drop off in marking skills if they don't practice! Any video of your stack? Owwwwwwww! Hope you don't pull up too stiff tomorrow. I caught up with RubyBlue last night and worked on some marking with her dogs. Much improved so we ran a couple of across water marks - heaps of enthusiasm from her girl. With Em, I reviewed the last few days of training....warm blinds, marking, two-bird and anti-cheating exercises were SO much better........but she's convinced that she's never done a memory mark in her life! Back to the drawing board tomorrow :laugh: Still hot today. Waiting for the sun to go down so I can do agility flat work as I really don't feel like doing the 1.5 hour round trip to water.

Is he neutered? Zig used to eat 5 cups of Artemis a day and still look thin. It's only the last few years he's gone down to 2.5 - 3. I feed 1/4 chicken with joint removed if he's on the thinner side rather than frames. ETA: More pica type behaviour can be boredom or stress. For those not aware Dallies can't have high purine foods so beef, liver etc are out.

Can't help you with the electric fence but suspect sheena might be right. I would suggest a cat flap that will only open for your cat and keep the food inside. Your cat will need to wear a special collar that will allow the cat flap to open for her. I'm not sure of brands but I know they're out there. As to feeding, it's different with an old cat that is used to it but I have 3 cats and cannot leave food out as 2 are absolute pigs (have to lock them out when the dogs are eating!) They are fed breakfast, dinner and supper. All fed in separate rooms so they can eat in peace and quiet and they polish it off in no time. Even my fussy Lilly who came to me as a "free feeder" and would eat no more than 3 pieces of dry food at a time.

Had a fine training session on Friday morning with a friend. A bit of a drive but really great to catch up with a few people plus an opportunity to train on different grounds. Still hot so we worked on water, water, water! Em hadn't done a two bird in water so we started with a fairly short one. She had a good look but didn't veer off and came in without a whistle. Picked up the two bird no problem. Ran it again but with longer (and thus more tempting!) swims. No problem. I did praise her for swimming past the two bird, at which point she veered off and needed a come in whistle but no other issues. We had taken the gun with us so I could practice steadiness in the hide. Using the same dam, I put Em on a sit stay near the water whilst I walked over the bank. Waited, walked back and rewarded. Walked back over the bank. Waited. Fired gun. Waited. Fired gun. Walked back and rewarded. Rinse and repeat with longer periods of waiting. No problem, although apparently her tail nearly fell off with wagging :D Heeled her over the bank whilst my friend quietly dropped a dummy in the water. Lined Em up as a blind and sent her. Ran after her up the bank so I could watch what she did...hit the water and caught sight of the dummy no problem so I ran back to the starting point to receive it. Not a difficult retrieve but a useful concept of running up and over the bank and attacking the water. Drove to another dam but changed our training ideas when we noticed the bull protecting his herd Set up the 4-shot for a very cheaty across water mark. Started Em close to the water - she took the entry very well, needed one handle to keep her in the water, but wanted to cheat like crazy coming back. It took some handling but she stayed in the water. Set her up in the same place and walked over to the exit point and called her through. Rewarded with a hand thrown dummy. Set her up on that side (holding the dummy), ran back to the start point and called her through. Needed less handling so lots of improvement but it really showed up what we haven't been training lately. More than anything I was very pleased with her attitude throughout. Took the stopping and casting really well - was listening, thinking (a little too much!) and just very pleased to be there. A couple of easy water retrieves to cool down and we called it a day. I had planned to work on agility on Saturday but it was just too hot so Mr TSD joined me for some more water training in the early evening. He had Ziggy playing in the water so I could concentrate on Em. Dropped some game as an across water warm blind. Threw a mark at 90 degrees in another body of water. Pick up the blind. Pick up the mark. Threw a two bird (with the game :D) Using game was very tempting and she ended up being horribly confused so I took it right back to basics. At the very end of the session I repeated that same exercise and she nailed it so hopefully she has a better understanding. Meanwhile it was time to work on cheating....or rather NOT cheating :laugh: Did some call throughs with game across a very small body of water and she was quite dreadful! It was a very good exercise though as, by the end of it, she knew she COULD cheat but chose NOT to. Moved to another body of water and repeated the exercise on a fairly tight angle and she picked it up straight away. Going out is fine but coming back still needs work. A few 'straight backs' into water and finding Zig's toys in the reeds to finish off. Before we walked back to the car I placed the well worn game next to a tree in the middle of the park. Just before we got to the car, I sent her across a small creek to pick it up. A good, long, straight run there and back. Very productive session.....as was the stop at the pub for dinner and beer on the way home The Spotted Devil was happy to sleep quietly under our chairs but The Springer Devil doesn't know the meaning of 'tired' and kept jumping on his head until he wrestled with her. Little turd :laugh:

I want those ice creams!!! It's hot here :laugh: Have you had a chance to look at the stalls yet Jo? I've told Mr TSD that when we get around to doing our UK trip it MUST be during Crufts....and that he must be prepared for me to buy lots and lots and lots :D

Thanks Megz :) I loved the Dally (again!) - a bit of a ratbag too Wanted to play with his sister during BOB run off - she was also in the ring, having won Bitch Challenge. Much prefer the type I've seen at Crufts the last few years than the ones I've seen in the US.

If the stars and planets align we will see you there!

Busy few days for me but so far Int/Isl/Swed CH Wellingley Whats The Game at Beanara JW ShCM returned to the UK today and won his class Beanara Jo March was 3rd in her two classes. Back again on sunday with my giant import puppy who is very naughty! Congratulations Jo Look forward to norty giant pics :D

Bloody hot tonight! Even at 6.30pm so a short session for Miss E. Around 6 dummies in a pile. Send to back pile. Throw two bird to the right. So much better - she had a good look but didn't need a whistle. Deliver. Pick up two bird. Send to back pile. Stop. Back. Throw 2 bird to the left. Deliver. Pick up two bird. Set up single T. Send to back pile. Deliver. Send to back pile. Stop. Cast right. Oops what's that again??? :laugh: Handle and deliver. Send to back pile. Send to left pile. No way! I want the back pile!!!! lol. Handle and deliver. Send to left pile. Ohhhh why didn't you say so??? Send to back pile. Send to back pile. Stop. Cast right. Send to back pile. I think that adds up!!!

Not much pavement here - generally grass or forest tracks which vary from well maintained tracks or dirt (slippery clay in Winter!).

There's very little science specific to dogs unfortunately. I plan fitness work around what they like doing, strengths, weaknesses and competition plans. I also try to do something different with them every day - cross training if you would! I think it helps with attitude and avoids overtraining particular joints/muscles. So if we work on jumps/weaving on one day, the next day I'll stretch them out with a run or a swim. When I'm away Mr TSD walks them and runs Em on the very steep back block. Ziggy - 6.5 year old, entire male Dalmatian. Competes in agility mainly with obedience on the side. Plans for endurance test this year if the planets align. Moderate drive Training sessions need to be short and sharp to maintain focus Loves long walks, runs and fun swim sessions Definitely a natural "front wheel drive" so lots of perch work, tugging and swimming with a life jacket on Em - 2.5 year old, entire female field bred ESS. Competes in retrieving mainly with agility on the side. Trains for obedience and could put together a DWD routine if we had the time. High drive Has 2 speeds: Couch or Fast. Can maintain either speed for several hours straight. Loves training and ignores all other game. Would train all day if I let her. Can't stand walking on leash as she's constantly distracted by hunting options. Similarly, needs to be watched when free running. Her training sessions are her exercise. We both enjoy it and it keeps her and other critters safe. The beauty of retrieving training is she gets to run fast and hard but without the twisting and turning you get when throwing a tennis ball for a dog at the park. Has always had amazing rear end awareness and drives from the rear even around the house. Typical week....it's been warm so not fitting in as much training as usual. Usually there's random weave pole work, rear end work for their dinner etc. Sunday: Em at a retrieving training day - probably 9 land retrieves during the session across very tough terrain. Some play in the water/mud followed by 3 water retrieves to cool down. 3 shorter land retrieves to practice a concept. Then 2 reasonable swims as pick up dog. Zig had a long walk with Mr TSD in the forest. Monday: Zig and Em returned to agility after several months away. Limited runs although they were both keen. Associated tugging and warm up tricks. Tuesday: Both had a day off Wednesday: Water training session. Zig got to run and swim as he pleased but it was work time for Em. Land, across water and in water retrieves. Quite a lot. She could have gone for another hour but I'd had it! Thursday: Took Zig out with the bike - just a training session to trot and not sniff - so reasonably slow for about 45 min. Em will run retrieving drills tonight and then act as demo dog for a games class so lots of rear end work. Friday: Em will spend the morning retrieving training. Zig will probably get a long walk/run with Mr TSD Saturday: Probably agility first thing in the morning while it's cool.

Finally had time to practice cycling with The Spotted Devil himself again.....seeing as last time he stopped for a sniff and dumped me unceremoniously on my @r$e I'd call this morning a resounding success :laugh: We also made some new friends....Ziggy meets Nemo :)

Oh yes, TSD - Ptolomy and bedazzled have lots of news ... they may still be surfacing . And RV - you have a brag too :laugh: . Is that WA speak for "sobering up?"

Thanks fetchin' - the water retrieve is a beautiful shot....you should have seen the size of the camera lens!!! Good luck with your training days also - retrieving is not something I would ever have known about had not people like LL taken the time to introduce me to the sport so the more opportunities there are for beginners the better! Yesterday I had quite a few things to get done so the dogs had a lazy day at home after their first night back at agility for several months. This morning I took them to the water as it's a bit warm at the moment and I'm working tonight. Zig just had fun retrieving his toys in the water when I wanted to give Em a break - I must say how great it is to have Em on hand when I throw one too far out for him and he decides he'd rather not thank you! :laugh: I thought it might be nice to follow up what we did on Sunday and build a run. Also took a few items of game with me to give her a buzz on the blinds, although "buzz" is a bit of an understatement! I let her see me drop the game on one side of a small creek then walked to another pond and did a couple of water retrieves on dummies. Of course, I then realised I'd left my whistle in the car so it was a nice traipse back in the sun to get it! Worked on a few more straight water entries through reeds (with clear space either side) and that was going really well - sending from heel and also setting her up to face me and take a "back". Then I lined her up to the aforementioned across water blind and she was all over it. Replaced the game. Added a hand thrown water mark (dummy), pick that up, then get the blind. Easy. Hand thrown dummy, pick that up, throw a two bird (dummy), leave that, pick up the blind (game), pick up the two bird. All good although I'm still whistling her off the two bird. Gave that run a rest, walked down to another wider body of water that was a dry creek before the rain last week and tossed a couple of items of game over onto the bank (got my new Muck Boots wet ). Ran it as a drill. Send. Stop. Back. Deliver. Then send for the 2nd one. All good - just super enthusiastic to go back so a good reminder for me to slow down my handling. Walked back to my original send point for the previous run after setting up 2 across water blinds (game) at 90 degrees to each other so both were familiar. For the finale, I threw an in water mark. Walked back to her. Leave. Pick up the 2nd blind we worked on (at 180 degrees from the mark). Picked up the 1st blind we worked on (splitting the previous blind and the mark. Send for the in water mark. It had floated quite a bit but I was impressed with the line she took - just kept swimming to the other side of the pond. Stop whistle. Come in whistle. She got a whiff on the breeze and picked it up no problem. As she came running back I threw a two bird (game) - as I had intended that was very tempting but she just had a good look before delivering the dummy. Lined her straight up and that was an easy pick up to finish off with. Phew! Tomorrow morning I think it will be drills :)

stans mum that is such a lovely thing to say. Thank you :) Ziggy said to tell you he is more than happy to stalked by Maddie in particular :D

Congratulations WX - what a huge buzz Any other results from the WC? Obedience? Agility?

Thank you - I was pretty thrilled with that one actually. I hadn't seen a copy until Zig's breeder spotted it in the paper (if you'll pardon the pun!) Mr TSD nearly fell off his chair at work when he later saw it in the Green Guide :laugh: I do think they are lovely looking dogs - can't take any credit for that though...both bred by LONG time breeders. That's a pretty fine compliment coming from the mum of DOL's favourite dog