The Spotted Devil

The VGC's training day on 23rd November will be held in the Knowsley area commencing at 9.00am. This training day is for: - Dogs that can do a basic retrieve up to approximately 50 meters (Novice) - Dogs that have enough skill to commence developing basic handling and lining skills and doubles (Restricted) - People who are already running in Restricted will have experienced All Age handlers ready to provide coaching. Participants will be required to help each other with placing dummies, operating throwers, etc when required. The day is free for VGC Members and $15 for those who are not. The Club will comply with Dogs Victoria Heat Policy. Please register your intention to attend with Prue Winkfield at [email protected] by Sunday 16th November. An indication of your dog/s experience would be helpful so we can ensure that appropriate trainers are available. The VGC will hold a special retrieving training day for beginners on Sunday 7th December in the Myrniong area commencing at 11am. Before you come it is expected that you will have your dog/s under control. He/she should be able to do a reliable off lead recall from a remote sit positon. If it likes to pick things up and even better bring them to you that is great. What you will need: water, lead, tie down peg if you have it, chair and anything else you normally have for the comfort of yourself and dogs. If you have a particular 'toy' your dog likes to play with bring that plus ‘treats’. If you have already started to teach the dog to retrieve, please bring the articles. Everything else will be provided on the day. This event will comply with Dogs Victoria Heat Policy The day is free for VGC Members and $10 for those who are not. Please register your intention to attend with Prue Winkfield at: [email protected] by Thursday 27th November PLEASE NOTE THAT PLACES ARE LIMITED AND REGISTRATION IS ESSENTIAL!

Great to watch! It's ok for you youngsters DD :laugh: but I will stick with H360 as I can send the dog and get out of the way rather than trying to keep up. Ziggy is getting FASTER at age 8 - ran 10 seconds under time on a Masters Jumping course which is unheard of for him - last run of a long weekend of trialling too. I was gobsmacked :laugh: Loving blind crosses on weaves, tunnels and winged jumps now

Yes but if Zig caught something tasty he would do zoomies and cracker dog until it was torn into a thousand pieces :laugh: And he'd complain about the heat. And the cold. And the abscence of thick, soft bedding heh heh. At least Em would deliver to hand anything she caught and sleep on a bed of nails if necessary :D

I thought Zig might mark in the new house as the carpets were pretty disgusting and the previous owners had dogs (we ripped the carpet up as soon as humanly possible!!!) So I only let him loose in the house when 100% supervised and took him outside to mark every few minutes with buckets of praise. When I couldn't supervise he was crated. LOTS of exercise and training as an outlet and he was perfectly fine within a few days. It was worth being over cautious initially.

Yep that's why I run an ESS in retrieving and a Dally and ESS in agility/obedience. I get so many people telling me I should get a Lab for retrieving or a BC for agility but I just LOVE living with my dogs. And every dog comes with challenges - whilst my Dally was really hard work to begin with and is not the fastest dog on course he is incredibly consistent and has picked up thirds/seconds in Masters Agility with 70 plus dogs entered and has won Open Jumping/Agility from decent fields as well. He's also made me a MUCH better trainer :D

We are lucky in Vic - us agility folk buy treats etc from Aussie Agility - she is a trialler so brings stuff to trials for pick up

Yes, I like the Vizsla too - beautiful!

Ha! Who can resist a Spaniel face eh! She was actually quite determined to bring it inside (mess!) so I stood at the door until she put it on the ground (old puppy lesson). As soon as I opened the door she grabbed it and made a dash inside :laugh: Then we did some training and she was content.

Mum can we go training please?

I hear you :) I train a LOT in public areas - puppy stuff, obedience, agility, retrieving - and I cannot afford to have dogs get in my dogs' faces when I want them 100% focussed on me. I tend to go when others won't - early in the morning (did 5am at the beach with my Dally when he was young which was awesome!), late in the evening (yay for daylight savings), lunchtime (if possible), during school hours. I love it when the weather is crappy - a bit of rain and we get the whole place to ourselves :) I have a dozen different grounds not too far apart so that if I drive to one that is busy I can go elsewhere. Take half a day, look at google maps and go for a drive. You will be surprised at what is hidden away sometimes!

But you are on the right track with H360! Independence, send and disappear OT but it's changed up my dogs' understanding, speed and fun so much :) I'd love to see an Em puppy in an agility home! Talk about an off-switch...with all her energy she spent the vast majority of Wed-Sun in bed with me (migraine ). Mr TSD took her up the back block for a couple of sprints and she was perfectly content. I really, really hope she passes that trait on as I want a pup too :laugh:

Hopefully! All things crossed next time she comes into season....

Em puppy perhaps? :D

SPRINGERS :laugh:

First questions… Is he overweight? If so, cut his food right back - it can be a real chicken or egg scenario at times. Is he sore? I would get him checked out by a vet or good dog physio as that can make a huge difference. Both my dogs run like idiots when we are out but sleep like logs at home. My Dally really doesn't like walking/trotting next to the bike all that much - very dull. He will do fun retrieves for a bit but the novelty wears off quickly. We go for lots of off-leash runs where he can stop and sniff and pee then sprint like crazy to catch up. A lot of my obedience/agility/retrieving training involves throwing a reward (food/toy) which keeps them up and running. My Dally only swims since Em joined us - she is a retrieving machine (and competes in gundog trials) BUT I never, ever ask her to retrieve competitively with another dog - it really knocks the confidence of the softer dogs.

Glad to hear things have improved! I tend to work on LOTS of behaviours but each one separately (if in the teaching phase) and separated by a fun play session. The teaching part lasts a few minutes at the most with puppies - try during the TV ad breaks…not that I have TV reception but I find that stops my students from doing too much at once. It is quite normal for dogs to be more sensitive to body language than verbal cues - that's what being a dog is all about! To ensure you are teaching a verbal cue properly…..give the verbal cue first (unknown cue), followed by the physical cue (known cue), mark the correct behaviour (e.g. verbal "yes") and treat. The mistake most people make is to say the verbal cue at the same time as they give the physical cue - the dog does not hear the verbal cue because it is so focussed on your hand. Do it the way I've suggested and they will quickly learn to predict that the unknown cue means that the known cue (and reward!) will follow. DON'T teach a verbal cue until your pup has absolutely nailed the behaviour (either shaping or in response to physical cue). With pups now I reward a LOT of offered sits before I ever introduce the verbal cue. Hope that helps :)

I can't but try emailing customer service at Clean Run - they are really great :)

Hope you are having fun with her! They will get fed up with Kongs if they are not immediately rewarding. I stuff them very loosely to begin with - even just dry food. Chicken necks are for my cats! Puppies have several frozen wings stuck together or frozen Turkey wings or whole chicken frames - I just cut most of the fat out. Personally I get rid of any wet mix pretty quickly unless I use it in a Kong - I'm not a fan of soaked kibble for pups. Would rather scatter it outside or use something out of recycling as a dispenser. I rarely feed out of bowls past the first few weeks at home.

I mostly have them at trials where I vary how I use them - either dry or damp or dripping wet whilst pouring water over the dogs - I want the dogs to hit the ring in peak condition. The chilly buddies are very, very light (especially compared with Cool Champions) which makes a huge difference. I know some people with coated dogs who swear by the CC but i find they can get too cold OR humid. I use it at home (damp) indoors on stinking hot days or overnight when I can't sleep because of Em's panting!

Silver Shade how I love thee... Let me count the ways

Have a look at Clean Run. I have Chilly Buddies for my dogs and love them - generally use them wet but will use them dry if it's not quite warm enough but they have to stand in the sun waiting to go in the agility ring. There's another brand (Seratoga?) but I don't know what they are like. Oh and wait and see if they do free shipping for Christmas :D http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2909&ParentCat=256

I imagine chicken is relatively cheap compared to other meats. I'm just going through all the exclusion/allergy diet stuff with one of my kits. Thank goodness she tolerates chicken ok!!!

Hell yeah :laugh:

I love lots of breeds - certainly dominated by Gundogs - but there seems to be similar personality traits that draw me in....I've wanted a working line Irish Setter for years and finally met a breeder when I was in NZ. I could have walked away with several of her adults easily - her male was SO much like my Dally in temperament when relaxed - an absolute gentleman, very handsome but with a silly streak (unlike Zig he was very high drive when working) - and his granddaughter was JUST like Em in work mode - very intense but very soft. Her old retired girl was just divine. I was really drawn to a mother/daughter pair of Vizslas in the USA (bred for field trials) and was hooked after I handled the mother at an agility training night - she was quick but so sweet and really worked with me. I've already lined the breeder up should I ever move to the States :D I know some fully UK import working English Pointers and they are divine - would consider one of those also. I have friends with working Labs and GSPs and I love many of them as individuals but they are not for me despite the fact that they excel in my sport of choice. I also like the Welshies and working Cocker but they are not dogs I would own - not really sure why to be honest!