The Spotted Devil

Crikey! I'd say people see me working my @r$e off running and training the crazy out of my 3 and would much rather I keep them...

I was thinking the same. Few hours vs few days is usually easier and cheaper! Definitely agree. Fly if at all possible. I did drive a pup half way to meet it's new owners but they were friends and it was a quicker way to get him to them on short notice (they couldn't decide which pup!) - 12 hours in total for the pup. I travelled him in a large crate with the pup I was keeping and they played the whole way - but they were VERY used to traveling in the car. I stopped regularly for toilet breaks but never in popular rest stops for reasons already pointed out.

Maybe give a repro specialist a call - I got some great advice on hip x-Rays by speaking with a specialist at Monash.

Fantastic! I concentrate on "focus" as a separate training exercise with all my dogs - it's just fabulous when they ignore all the distractions and engage with you. The rest will flow :)

Please share, maybe I can drown out the licking by singing your songs as I descend into insanity ;) To the tune of "Pennies from Heaven"... "Every night around six o'clock, Dinner for Dog Face. Eats his dinner then licks his ****, Dinner for Dog Face." **** insert whatever rhymes best. :D

We just make up funny songs about it :D

Yes, Jules has a very good point. If the dog is happy and you are happy then that is fine. I was more thinking if you feel frustrated by the dog.

The one thing I've learnt is that they are ALL different and I can make or break the relationship. I had a real love-hate relationship with one of my cats until I sat down and evaluated why. When I change my behaviour, he changed his and I just love him with all my heart now. Different to how I love my other cats but just as fiercely. The dogs are the same. Having an Em daughter that is WILDLY confident and incredibly driven at the same time has been quite the eye opener! Everything I do with my dogs, in terms of high level competition, is geared towards finding the JOY which is ultimately about relationship building - whether it's my soft Dally who will give up on me, my Springer who will go to the ends of the earth to work with me or her daughter who is a gem but too much dog for a lot of people. I do a number of Susan Garrett courses (Puppy Peaks, Recallers) and it has taken my training and relationship with my dogs to a whole new level. But what you put in you get out and every dog requires different inputs and a different emphasis in training.

That's so wonderful DD! What a grand age :)

Yes! Chase is very important! Chase and TUG or TREATS. Tug is awesome because you can sustain it and achieve a high level of arousal = FOCUS!!! I mentioned in my first post that I had a big battle with my pup yesterday to get her to tug at the beach. Today there was very little hesitation. The swimming lake was a whole other story but definitely not as hard going as yesterday. Praise alone might be fine for easy behaviours in a low distraction environment but it will never cut it for agility where you need high arousal, focus and reward value.

Raw, non weight bearing bones, larger than their head and frozen for the most part - that definitely slows them down and teaches puppies to chew properly. My cats get chicken necks and the dogs (Dally and 2 Springers) get frozen chicken frames, occasionally wings/Maryland and lamb necks. My litter stopped getting necks at 5 weeks as the little devils started swallowing them whole - in multiples Switched them up to wings and quarter frames, then to half frames. Em only gets marrow bones when she's in season - helps her restlessness. Never had a problem.

Zig looks lovely in red and black although the coats he won at the Dally Nationals are black with pink writing and look gorgeous. The girls generally wear pink/black or a natural understated leather.

Will he tug? Tug = 100% focus. Put simply you need to build toy and food drive at home and in low distraction environments and then slowly build in the distractions. Today was only the 2nd time my working ESS baby had seen the beach. She was OVER THE TOP beside herself...it took me about 10 mins and continued distance from the water before she would tug but my goodness it was worth the effort. It will be interesting to see her response tomorrow. I also run her Mama in agility and retrieving and my Dally is an agility champion so I've been there, got the t-shirt :laugh: ETA: Also! Find out what your dog loves in his environment and use that as part of your reward system. My Dally loves to pee on everything so when we finish training or trialling (whether it be agility, obedience, ET) he gets a food jackpot and/or plays tug and gets to have a pee fest. At the end of the trialling day I let him flirt with all the girly dogs :D My baby ESS has just discovered swimming so when she recalls beautifully I treat her then send her back to swim. Her Mum is great now - loves retrieving game, dummies, food and tug in that order so I can use any of them as rewards. Very powerful stuff.

I haven't had an issue like that HW - and Zig has a super sensitive tummy. Maybe try introducing it slowly?

So so gorgeous Kirty Great photos!!!

Her "Mohawk" is hilarious - makes her look very comical and it's why she gets called "Muppet" :laugh:

So proud of Em - bounced back from motherhood to be fastest 400 height dog at Vic's State Agility Trial! Meanwhile, Ginny has been coming to Uni to help me deliver tutorials… She's been attending agility and retrieving trials and is enjoying camping! She's met her Grandma Rosie (L-R: Rose, Em, Ginny) And Em's been keeping her in line as best as she can… And now she is experiencing her first proper road trip (see OT).

Thanks jem - they will be in the water a lot (Em's trialling) so is that still effective?

Anyone using Nexgard? I am heading to Taree area next week with my crew….saw Mita's vet suggestion to split the dose in half (think it was Bravecto?) and give it morning and night so if there is a reaction you know about it. I am from zero paralysis tick country so I'm slightly terrified

Working Spaniels are wash and wear. Coat dries quickly and their light ear leathers flap around letting the inner ear dry out. Em has never had an ear issue and I work her in a lot of water. They are nothing like the show ESS as my puppy buyers with both types would attest.

Kiama is a bit far off the track for me - driving Mel-Goulbourn-Taree. Certainly I've seen some working Soringers that have no off switch in the house. However when they are out and about they are incredibly motivated to scent - that is enough of a reward which is why they suit programs searching for particular weeds in bushland or eliminating that last rabbit!

They're in kiama. I keep hearing different opinions of the working spaniels! A few have said that ESS are full on, working dogs only. But I've also heard cockers are more busy and less focussed, so it's hard to know! In terms of size and "look" they're spot on. It's just the high drive and no off switch that worries me. I'd actually quite like one for agility but they aren't interested in doing any of that so 80% of the time the dog wouldn't get much "work". I've also heard working cockers are very intense, they aren't particularly common and the ones that are out there are definitely bred to work so it's a bit different to finding a less intense border collie or kelpie. Is there any reason your parents are against regular grooming? A typical cocker spaniel would fit that environment well and providing it has regular grooms would dry off pretty quickly. I find cockers that have been left entire generally don't have as much coat as the ones that were desexed young as well. Yes, working cockers are quite variable and are funny little pocket rockets. The thing I love about Em is her off switch. Spends a LOT of time snuggled on the couch but is always up for action - I can leave the back of the car open at a retrieving trial and she's so quiet people have asked if she's sick. Then explodes when the leash goes on :laugh: Ginny is pretty full on but her brothers are more easy going. Strong noses though and you do need to work on recalls around birds.

Where are they Aussie? Happy for them to meet my lot - I'm heading to NSW next week as well. All those breeds are energetic - depending on lines of course - but they need brain games. I love how my ESS settle in the house but I do daily training. Working ESS coats are soo easy. Working cockers are small and INTENSE. Different to the ESS. Personally I find the girls a little crazier. Gotta rush - will check in later.

One level tsp (4 grams) contains 835mg Chondroiton and 2500mg Glucosamine. Apparently using green lipped mussel powder in addition is recommended - can't feed to Zig for dietary reasons.

So is it this one you use TSD? http://www.ebay.com....=item233281df7d Thanks for the link WM. I've been using this one too, thanks to TSD's recommendation, Kokoda and Henry are doing super well on it! And their vet and chiro were impressed with its ingredients. They each get 1/4 tsp, so i just keep a little 1/4tsp scoop in there to make it easy! One scoop once per day And no issues with palatability. Yes! That's it! Very happy with how Zig has done on it - really noticed it when I forgot it on the last road trip. Sorry for the late reply - been camping/trialling with the dogs.