The Spotted Devil

My Dally went through a VERY LONG teenage phase The End :D Now I have a Spotted Devil and a Springer Devil

She's beautiful SK Congratulations! I have no experience with your type of working dog but I think a good dog is a good dog. A youngster that has an innate working ability and temperament will have instinctive value for that job. From what I understand you have such a dog. Obviously being in the hands of a good trainer helps. My Em greets everybody she meets with a softly wagging, submissive pose but it only takes one word to flick the switch to INTENSE working mode. I hope that makes sense

I use as many different things as possible so the dogs don't get wise Little soft esky with an ice brick for a hot day, tug toy stuffed with treats, training bag around my waist, pockets, game bag (for retrieving), back pack with all the other gear, plastic containers etc etc.

RV - also look at the body language, not just colour. I imagine a Britt would be a bit like an ESS in terms of "soft" body language. Ziggy's normal stance is very straight and upright (head high) even when he is just standing quietly - I suspect the combination is what triggers the intense dislike. He is only bouncy towards pretty girly dogs (tart!) who just love him but he would rather ignore most dogs and just do his own thing.

Great work capanash - congratulations

I know!!!

Isn't it a fascinating journey! Good on you for persisting too. I think it's a great lesson as a trainer - when to push and ask for more, when to back off etc. And when you take it on the road - training and trialling - it's a WHOLE different ball game I am just at the point with Zig that he tugs all day and before every run (usually around 7) - unless we run several in a very short time frame and he is hot/tired. I don't use it as a reward, though, as he would be horrified but it's a great way to get him revved up and focussed. I tried not treating him just before we go in the ring but it hasn't worked - it's like he is so anxious for his food reward that he can't focus. A few tiny pieces of cheese etc as we are heeling towards the ring (lots of tight circle work) works best. I use a lot of "running to the bait plate" in obedience and have added it to agility. Sometimes Zig self-rewards but it just adds to the craziness and excitement of the training session. ETA: From what I have seen of Em so far I am going to be spoilt rotten.....I imagine it will go something like this: "Hey Em! Ready? OK!"

My Dally thought tug was some sort of obscure, 18th century punishment It has taken literally years to pair it with food but it was really worth it.

megan - a couple of other things...I keep food rewards HIGH and really concentrate on being consistent with my timing. Plus I keep the fun factor high prior to running with a big tug game and food rewards. In some training sessions I only play tug and send to a reward bait plate, which increases the value of tug and this all relates to his enthusiasm to run. Kind of back chaining to the final reward at the end of the run. I try not to ever look disappointed if we can't get something as he just turns into a misery guts if I drop my shoulders. I also pull him from the group training session as soon as I think he has had enough. ETA: I find that dogs at the extreme end of the spectrum in terms of drive are not very forgiving when you make a mistake. My timing and "pressure" has to be perfect with Zig but I have a greater margin of error with Em, although I try desperately not to use it.

How old megan? I have a less is more dog too - with the weather we often miss our main training session on Monday nights so I just work him during the week for 5 minutes here and there with 2 jumps, weaving poles and flat work. Two weeks in a row of trialling is a rarity and I NEVER EVER trial him 2 days in a row. At nearly 5 his enthusiasm has gone through the roof and he is delightfully feral at agility training/trialling now - so much more confidence and he is having a hoot. Lots of daily walking and free running to keep him fit and keen and I will start running him next to the bike when the weather fines up. Oh and some pics from a few of the more recent trials...check out the ears

No trialling for us this weekend....just a brag from the Canberra Chronicle that Ziggy's breeders picked up fortunately!

Terrific weekend everyone! Congratulations

Eco is very likely a relative of my Em I would imagine ETA: Looking at that video I would say she's definitely related! Mad bugger

My Dally is a HUGE target - coincidentally he's a big white dog with black spots ;) Yes, he's entire and has quite an upright stance but he does not try to make eye contact or growl or pick fights. Quite happy to ignore other dogs until he is set upon - and yes, it has happened in the middle of some beautiful focused heel work! Most males (entire or desexed) take an instant dislike to him but even "grumpy" females (as described by their owners) just adore him. I don't think it's that they don't recognise them as a dog. Perhaps the colouring doesn't help? I know in retrieving we always wear white so our dogs can see us from a few hundred metres away so I wonder if the colouring accentuates the size?? Zig developed an unholy fear of the harlequin Great Danes as a 9 month old in show training - probably a result of a fear period but it came out of absolutely nowhere. It wasn't the size as his best mate was a 96kg Mastiff who used to dump him on the ground good-naturedly when he'd had enough of his silly Spotty puppy antics.

One day I'd love a challenge like this - I'm a sucker for beautiful "impossible" dogs (see current Dalmatian ) Unfortunately I have cats, soft fencing and no room at the inn

We have an Oztent RV5 with annex/walks etc for camping - takes 30s to put up and I can set it up on my own. For one person I would look at the RV1 or RV2. Not cheap but brilliant. A few agility people are using them ringside. I have an Oztrail compact gazebo (with walls) for ringside - probably wouldn't camp in it though.

I was just thinking how fortunate I am to have found a good local vet (10 min away). He seems to take the great condition of my cats and dogs on face value - never questions me having entire dogs (cats are desexed), never markets food products, happy to discuss vax issues and always takes my observations and concerns seriously. He accommodates my (sooky) Dalmatian by examining/vax'ing him in the waiting room and takes his time with each animal. My Dally was unwell last Friday and I took him to my vet - very sudden shock reaction to an insect bite/sting was the final diagnosis - vet went over him so thoroughly as the symptoms were quite odd. He then said that he believed Zig would recover just as quickly without treatment although he was happy to give him something if I preferred. So I took Zig home, right as rain in 2 hours and ran in agility the next day. I arrived home from dog training on Sunday to find a message from the vet "just checking to see how Ziggy is"

I posted in your other thread Happy to answer any other specific questions though.

Took the words right out of my mouth. My working ESS has just turned one and goes retrieving/obedience/foundation agility training at least once every single day. More commonly twice. Plus an hour controlled walking with the Dally and a couple of water retrieves. She works for every scrap of food and loves it. If I'm home she is asleep on my feet or playing quietly with Dally/cats/toys/deer antler. If I'm out she is asleep in her crate. I know someone who has a relative of my puppy - at 7 months the dog is only doing basic obedience and is quite the little terror! They are super smart and need all that energy channelled into something constructive - free running and swimming just doesn't cut it unfortunately.

I have a working English Springer Spaniel - very human oriented but they really must have a job and they are INCREDIBLY birdy. No problems if we are training (obedience/agility/retrieving) as I have rewarded focus heavily but Em's idea of relaxing is chasing birdies into the sunset. Not a dog that would just hang around with you in the paddock if you weren't paying attention - although of course it always depends on their breeding. Would be fine outside in a pack but definitely not as a single dog - Em loves to snuggle and is asleep on my feet as I type after a good training session. I also have a Dally - tend to be very laid back around other animals but I'm not sure if they are the temperament you are looking for. With their short coat they certainly feel the cold too - my lad wears a couple of coats when we camp. ETA: Both my dogs are brilliant with my 3 cats - but I have strict ground rules from the day pups come home.

Thanks DSO! My vet rang to see how Zig was after the insect bite/sting on Friday - I think he was pretty delighted with his recovery! Didn't you have a great weekend too - well done I'd love to make it to Mt Gambier for an agility trial - one day!!! Don't knock the "feral baby dog" runs - they're the most entertaining for us onlookers

Thanks Tassie - I'm absolutely delighted with him :D Congratulations krustie22 Great results but more importantly you are keeping it light and FUN for your girl.

'Tis fun with a natural retriever isn't it :D I teach down stays using the principles of the steady feet game - very handy trick!!!

Well I feel a bit greedy The weather at today's agility trial was just awful. Very wet and slippery underfoot (as I found out when I landed on my @r$e once or twice ) and it didn't start well with some very slippery contact equipment putting a number of the dogs off. Zig wouldn't have a bar of the seesaw and could barely get up the dogwalk (with my arms around him!!!) Judge and competitors pulled together and replaced all the contacts with rubberized equipment for the next class. He also let those of us who wanted to, run our dogs over the new seesaw and as soon as Zig's paws touched the surface he regained his confidence No luck in the morning (no thanks to me slipping over either) but he ran really well. The rain cleared up in the afternoon and my Spotted lad came away with 1st place, Q in ADX, 2nd place, Q in JDO and a Q in JDM. Yesterday Zig had a shock response to what we think was an insect bite/sting so I was just thrilled at his rapid recovery - to be able to compete today was brilliant and the rest simply a bonus Very happy to be now home, warm and dry.