The Spotted Devil

Phew! What a big weekend - we were both exhausted last night! Yesterday's first run was a better start for us with a land mark through heavy cover but landing in open ground. I was really pleased with Em - she marked the fall really well, was rock solid steady and took a nice line straight out (the lay of the land pulled a lot of dogs to the right). Then she saw the unfamiliar person on the thrower and just STOPPED and STARED - not unsurprising really as she only saw the thrower for the first time 2 weeks ago and is used to familiar people working on it. I had a feeling that she hadn't lost the plot so resisted the urge to open my mouth. I think the gallery were holding their collective breaths too as it was dead quiet :laugh: In the end it was a fabulous learning curve as she recovered from the novelty of it all, quickly hunted up the game and bounded back through the heavy cover to deliver it beautifully I get so excited by little wins like that and you just could not wipe the smile of my face :D Her work between the pegs was good too and she showed more self control than I expected. When I saw the 2nd run I realised straight away that it would be too much for Em - a water retrieve with the mark landing behind heavy reeds. It was like putting a brick wall between her and the retrieve so I wasn't all that surprised when she got to the water and then messed around, looking completely confused. Wouldn't cast back so I called her in. I haven't done anything like that with her in training so it is something I will work on - it is a bit hard to train with reeds at the moment as they are way too snake friendly for my liking. However, I also realised that she has always been able to see the water mark clearly - it's great for motivation - but she needs to learn that it's still out there even if she can't see it. I opted not to do the 3rd run as there were several elements that I would have preferred to break down in training. Once it was run and won, I just threw some dummies for Em in the water - she learnt to tackle the reeds with a lot more confidence but I suspect she was pretty tired (not that you would know it!) so called it quits after not too long. We had a really fun time camping and my set up adapted really well to running with no power. My drinks were still icy cold when I unpacked last night which was fabulous. Em is used to camping and I think that helped her relax. I got lots of good-natured ribbing about running a Springer - and a spoilt one at that.....sleeping in the tent and asleep on my camp chair. The judge from Saturday (who gave us a whistle as an encouragement award) drove past at 6.30am on Sunday morning as I was breaking camp and yelled out: "Get that bloody Springer out of bed"

Wahoo! Go LP and Leo

Hey all - quick update whilst I'm charging my phone with the car running. Went out on the first run but it was bloody hard - she marked the fall really well but, like many of the dogs, was put off by the very heavy reeds and weeds in the water. By the time she got through the water she had lost her bearings. She handled really well (when she could see me through the cover :laugh:) but just was the wrong side of the wind. Called her in and she came straight back. The judge was lovely and let us run the 2nd and 3rd marks later. The 2nd run was a land mark and I was really pleased with Em's effort and success on that one. Only 9 dogs from 20 got through to the 3rd run - a number of dogs running restricted also went out on the first run so I didn't feel too bad. The 3rd run was also tough for a first timer....water - land - water. She has never trained on that so was quite confused when she hit the land so the thrower helped her out. A big swim for a little dog. I'm thrilled with her actually. She nailed everything we have been working on, heeling was good, steady as a rock, water entries were much more confident, handling not too bad and marked well. I am really relaxed and focussed on her and didn't fumble the gun. Typical Em, she has tried her heart out all day. A few nice comments about her work ethic and one or two people have fallen for her cute ways - she is getting away with murder :laugh: I've also spent a fair bit of time on the thrower - a bit warm today but great to watch the dogs work from that angle. I am officially hooked :D Time for a beer Thanks for all the good wishes

Thanks gals - you just put a big smile on my face. Settled in my tent and looking forward to having a fun day tomorrow. Very relaxed with no expectations!

I'm glad you managed to see Deb with him :) The difference in Zig has been wonderful and we had seen a very good chiro, a massage specialist and another Bowen therapist - they either couldn't see what I could see or the effects were only very short term. He has loosened up so much, especially the day after a trial/big training session and is rearing to go again. I take him back to see Deb maybe 2 or 3 times a year.

Add to all those variables, a dog's body language! When my Dalmatian needs to go outside he just stands quietly looking dreadfully pathetic. Occasionally he will sigh :laugh: You have to really know him to understand that he needs to go out - this made toilet training a little harder when he was younger and I would just take him outside routinely. My young ESS has been much easier as she goes straight to the door, scrapes it with her paw, trots around the room and repeats that until you let her out.

I've noticed this a lot on DOL. People tend to think that problem dogs, hyper dogs, dog aggressive dogs, escapees etc etc all belong on a farm. I think there's more temptation to do wrong in rural areas than there are in the burbs. I don't think it's just DOL, I think it's a pretty wide spread idea that there is some magical farm where all problem dogs can go and live. There's no farm. What farmers want problems dogs any more than people in the suburbs do? Dogs with behaviourial issues need training. Not acreage. Funnily enough, I know of several people who's childhood dogs went to the magical farm. They later found out that the dog was PTS for one or several of those behavioural issues you mentioned. Clearly the parents didn't want to tell them the truth. I wonder how common that is???

Re tugging in new environments, a couple of things worked for me. I worked out what Zig's favourite tug toy was and then once he was tugging like a lunatic with that one at home I introduced a second tug. Only tugged with the 2nd favourite toy at home and hid the favourite toy in my training bag. I didn't ask him to tug outside the house but let him see it "accidentally" in the bag. Built his frustration until he was sticking his head in the bag trying to "steal" it. Then we would have a quick tug and revert to food training. This way, if he was stressed by something I wasn't poisoning the tug cue. Hope that makes sense :)

Yay wuffles It's raining titles this week! Long may it continue for 2012

Whoo hoo Way to go Shandy

Things are very busy at Uni at the moment but I headed out to train at around 6.30pm tonight. Went to a familiar training ground and just consolidated what we have done the past few weeks. Hot blinds across water plus marks (thrown by me with Em on a stay) into heavy cover and water plus longer runs into water. She was having an absolute hoot, was trusting my line, hunting like a thing possessed in the heavy cover and took my handles in water pretty well. Was most pleased when she took a left over into the water when she went off her line. She just kept swimming left until I stopped her and sent her back. Ziggy had a good time in the water too although he's not quite as graceful :laugh: When we arrived home it was nearly 9pm - I went to lock up the chooks but noticed one missing. Called and called to no avail then finally listened to my dog who was intently wagging and staring through the fence. Followed her gaze to find my chook hidden in heavy cover and sitting on no less than 17 eggs!!!!! I wondered why we weren't getting many eggs lately

Thanks RS :) Nah, that's a great pic RV - isn't it wonderful watching their instinct develop! It's such a pain training when it's hot. Although it's great to practice water work as the water is nice and inviting! After training yesterday Em was hunting like a possessed thing in the paddock near where we were staying - apparently there are hare in the area which send the dogs completely nuts! Must be the strong smell or something. That's what she does in her down time :laugh:

Thanks Kavik and Erny - she's a very funny little thing - I will have to teach her to stand on her hind legs in heavy cover so I can see her :laugh: LL - just don't keep me awake talking all bloody night at next weekend's trial or I'll short sheet your bed For raineth and anyone else who is interested there is a simplified description of retrieving trialling here. Snippets quoted below:

A big weekend of learning for both of us.... Saturday - met up with LL at one of our watering holes and did some really good concept work. Started off with a mark over water with the thrower - decent water swim with a pick up not too far on the other side and an easy entry. Em marked well, swam very straight, picked up the mark but I did have to handle her back into the water - but she took that very well. Then did a mark running the other way (left to right) but landing in heavy cover and up an incline. I didn't think she was ready to add water to the mix so walked her in to hold it to a land run. She didn't quite get the concept of running from bare ground into heavy cover so LL helped her out with a hand throw. Em picked that up nicely and brought it back. Then I took Em up to the region we knew the mark had landed in and I gave her the command to hunt for it. She was not really sure what she was doing so LL brought her older girl out to find it. As soon as she started hunting, Em got the idea and started hunting intently up the incline until she found it!!! Huge win!!! Then I ran her across the water to the same mark twice more for confidence - by the last run Em really attacked the incline and flew straight to the top through all the prickles and cover - fortunately she got on the right side of the wind and hunted down the incline until she found it. PHEW!!! Sunday - ran Ziggy at a jumping trial Sunday morning (4th place, Q and JDO title ) then travelled 2.5 hours with LL to a retrieving training session with another friend. I could have easily taken the rest of the day off but Em really needed to be exposed to novel grounds and people on the thrower. We had an early dinner and went out training as the day cooled down. Had a great dam to work on (one of several) within a large, flattish paddock. I could also practice handling the gun (with blanks of course!) which was really good. The cover was very different from what we are used to. After several tongue in cheek jokes about Springers doing retrieving :laugh: we set to work. Ran Em on 3 consecutive marks, each at further and further distance. She marked the fall beautifully, ran very hard and straight and delivered to hand nicely too. She wasn't very impressed with the unfamiliar dokken though - I could just about see her rolling her eyes at it :D After a rest we exposed her to another concept exercise in order to build confidence on water entries. I felt like I was a mile away from the dam but the thrower had the mark land not too far in the water so as soon as Em hit the edge, she caught sight of the mark and attacked the entry. We did 3 of those in total with increasingly longer swims. On the first one she tried to cheat coming out but we managed that ok. On the second one I whistled her in just before she picked up the mark to catch her before she thought about cheating - my obedient one promptly turned around and started coming back but without the mark!!! So the thrower helped her out and we got through the next couple ok. To finish off the evening as the sun went down, I set Em up for a mark from the thrower. Again, the ground was novel, undulating and I made it a little shorter to compensate. I thought she had watched it fall really well and she just attacked the run like she had done it a dozen times before. But then she over-ran the mark and kept hunting, hunting, hunting, hunting, returning to the area of the fall, hunting, hunting, hunting......eventually the thrower cottoned on that she didn't appreciate his selection of game for her which was very novel :laugh: He told her to fetch it up - she eventually did but dropped it about a metre out from me and wouldn't have a bar of it. It was actually very funny but I kept my laughter under control and followed the suggestion of having her heel with it in her mouth. Did a couple of recalls, razzed her up and used it as a reward. She did get the hang of it but clearly was unimpressed. All in all a very successful weekend. Em is entered in Novice next weekend - I was really worried about having entered her too early but am MUCH more relaxed after running Zig yesterday and doing some more training with Em. If she bombs out I'm cool and I don't think she will be phased at all (which is what I was most concerned about) - she has enough wins in the bank to fix it if it all falls apart!

I suggested she did :D As you did to me!

Great work kathq! That really belonged in the brags thread!!!

Can you recommend anyone? Megan - talk to Deb (Bowen). She only treats clients' dogs and has been fabulous with Ziggy.

Ooooh, I had cuddles with these pups yesterday! Must be one and the same ;)

Go Ella - young ones are soooo exciting Zig and I got back into trialling yesterday at Croydon's mini jumping trial....2 rings with one run in Masters and Open Jumping (plus Novice and Excellent). The idea is to start at 8am (or 6.30am for us helpers :D ) and be done before the worst of the heat. No presentations or ribbons with pass cards given out ring side as soon as the class is finished. Ziggy was in fine fettle and feeling very fresh after a few months of swimming, running and minimal training. His Masters Jumping run started promisingly but, like many of the dogs, that went out the window as his holiday brain took over (what's a threadle arm again???) Even the judge commented on how good a time he had on course as he flew down the home straight :laugh: A drink and a rest and then it was time for Open Jumping - one of the last dogs to run for the day and his Spotted head was seriously engaged. He ran so nicely and took a hard angle into the weavers with absolute ease (thanks Clean Run poles!), a slight slip up on the distance challenge but I sent him out without me crossing the line or him crossing the plane of the jump. I actually wasn't sure if we had incurred a fault so just ran him hard home. As it turned out the judge called "clear" and he ended up with 4th place. Only 4 dogs out of 56 in the class ran clear so I was very chuffed! We were all packed up by 11am and then I flew home, swapped dogs and travelled 2.5 hours to go retrieving training. In amongst all that I suddenly realised that the pass gives Zig his JDO title Talk about a chalk and cheese day! Special thanks to the very talented Sal Robinson for her pics of Zig yesterday. This is my favourite...

When I train my dogs - agility at club, obedience (ring run throughs only at club) and retrieving at the oval or in the field - on lead walk to toilet (they know the drill!), then crated or staked out as required. Warm up games and tug for agility/obedience but retrieving she is just on fire from the get go. I love to give them a good gallop after training or trialling and they really look forward to it...just together or with known dogs. I find they have a bit of pent up energy and it becomes a real reward for concentrating. ETA: I should add that for my working ESS, THE MOST REWARDING THING IN THE WORLD is chasing birdies. With the "regime" I have in place she perfectly understands that live birds do not exist when we are working (even if they dive bomb her!) but she will get the opportunity to self-reward when we are done.

I agree with dasha and kc despite having a dog a fair bit different from the kelpies ;) I have been letting my dog tell me how he likes to play tug, when to use it and when to throw food (with the latter he is chasing food so a good dose of prey drive in there I suspect). Anyway last night he took the tug as a reward for flying through 12 weavers. Repeatedly. I nearly fainted :laugh:

Agree with Ptolomy. Also, with the more complex behaviours I like to give them a few days to mull over it. For example I was working on weaves for a week but then had to concentrate on retrieving training for an upcoming trial. Gave her a rest day yesterday from retrieving but she went mental when Zig was doing weavers so I put her through and she did 12 (progressively) very quickly. She's never done 12 before.

What Ptolomy said but also make sure he understands your hand and voice command. It looks very different for the dog in front of you.

Meant to say that I generally don't let Zig "win" but have built value other ways eg I ask him to give only when he is tugging with real commitment, then he gets food. I slowly increased my expectations in terms of strength, time and number of repetitions then added obstacles and then he gets food.

Kavik, Ziggy tugs like a fiend now but I only use it as a focus tool for agility. I throw cheese cubes for weavers and the like. I think that continues to build value for tugging by backchaining - so a sequence might go (with a hand full of food)....tug, give, tug, give, tug, give, weave, throw cheese! I have similar issues to you in that Zig would rather play "bucking broncos" :laugh: but I'm not bothered. 2 dogs, 3 sports, I'm just happy that he now swims (or is that drowns lol), retrieves and tugs with absolute joy. I used to get that insistence from some agility people that I use tug/toy as a reward but anyone who actually watches him train or trial understands that I know my dog best :)