dogdayz

Look on a map where craigie road intersects nepean highway. On that corner there is The Briars (big green patch). The dog area is as you follow the nepean down at the end of the green patch on the map. Its new or at least only just signposted with big offlead dog park blue sign. All fenced. I think the horse are there second sunday of each month, but they have their own area at one end which you dont need to go near if you enter at the tennis courts end. baxter that is - no horses at The Briars forest.

I go there for Tracking training, but will certainly use it for general walking too. It is off lead, not fully fenced but huge. Best avoid the one day a month when the pony club are running around the paddock and cross country course. Oh and obviously the archery section can be a touch unsafe at times . But plenty of open space. Plenty of dogs get out there - they all seem to keep to themselves, never seen any trouble ones, though one or two maybe not fully under control. Nat have you seen the offlead forest over Mt Martha way, right on the Nepean highway. All forest, great change form the usual open grass areas, fully fenced. Only problem is parking. I parked off the road on the grass area and got bogged - needed 4WD to tow my ute out. You can i guess park on the side of the highway, but need to take care getting dogs in and out.

i was at Baxter park yesterday morning and there was a dog the image of banjo there for a walk.

A brave comment for someone yet to try her own dog out ;) I will be the one one with the not so spotless collie rough, a weim who insists on scent marking while chasing the lure, and a foster who will be barking madly in my direction as i will have abandoned him

We will be there, hopefully Beck will build on his vast improvement last time (toe has healed nicely), Skye will get another go, and Charlie (foster) well he can do no worse than last time

In victoria quite a large number have passed their instinct tests. Going on from there is harder if you dont have regular access to sheep. We are trying - though her attempt at PT the other day was quite appalling :p . But there are a few collies with passes at the higher levels in the VCA trials. There are some pics on the collie club of victoria site and the herding association of victoria site of collies and sheep.

It is addictive. I personally like to see the first timers, where a dog has the sudden moment of realisation of what it is all about. I know my collie first time stood and looked bemused, then once out the ring she suddenly got what it was all about and was desperate to get back in there with the sheep.

Im hoping to get down and watch a bit on both days - anyone from here competing?

No best left open apparently - not that he would keep anything on it if it needed dressing. Desperately hoping these new antibiotics work as he is meant to be attempting his tracking dog title in a couple of weeks time.

thats right No he is unconcerned by his toe, except when i try washing his feet in saltwater - he hates to get even the tiniest bit wet. As for chubby, he is definitely that - i am wondering if i will be able to get his tracking harness around him. On the plus side Skye looks to be moving better today, and Charlie of course is bouncing

will be there on the 28th if i can find a fit dog among mine by then

Thanks Chezzyr - i will pretend he was staring at the lure inthose pics not an unmarked patch of grass in the distance Wil PM you later in the day. He has an infection in the bon of the toe he pulled the nail out of. So is now on some mega antibiotics to try and avoid having to have the end of the toe removed. Also found he has gained 6kg in two weeks so a strict diet will be put in place during this period of inactivity or he will turn into a silver labrador

Chezzyr dont keep me in suspense....i need a reason to like Beck having just paid tonights vet bill

at work, go right ahead. Is he chasing the lure or marking every post and blade of grass I only gave him the one go but vast improvement on last time. Unfortunately his toe he lost his nail from two weeks ago started bleeding about 30mins late - result of me treading on it rather than the coursing i think. I think Charlie the foster dog was the worst there - you would never believe it from the way he chased the seagulls along the beach later in the day - dont think anyone with lure coursing ambitions will be adopting him. :D Most embarassing of all, charlie came back to me, while my own trained dog wouldnt - preferred to go to a stranger

i was going to, but now not sure. beck pulled out a toe nail last week, and though he appears not sore, i am sure it must be.

I am definitely not running the course with my dogs this time - its exhausting - will have to find an experienced dog if all else fails.

May try my two again - they were hopeless individually so maybe running together they will get it.

There is a few each year at KCC, with Southern Obedience now having it as an activity.

Nat: maybe you should consider giving it a go.

http://www.geocities.com/vicherding/ the vic herding website lists events/workshops throughout the country if you go to the events page.

Like fifi i was going to ask about pancreatic insufficiency, collies being a susceptible breed depending on their breedlines. Aside from that i was going to say that i had a collie who had what the vet called colitis but symptoms sound much the same as you describe, she did best on a basic diet - actually the cheapest dog food available in england called chappie but i dont think it comes over here unfortunately. Aside from that my current weim has pancreatic insufficiency so we have done all the i/d, z/d, limited protein diets. The food i have found the absolute best without a doubt is Vets-all-natural, he gets that plus mashed steamed yellow vegetables (pumpkin is the best) and raw meat, plus enzymes (he has a stronger version of enzyplex). I get really dry poos from him just twice a day, no gurgles or flatulence, compared to previously where 8 yellow runny poos a day are not unusual.

Nat I had a similar issue with Skye, although she would sit o command she would almost instantly drop, even when doing a recall she would sit in front but you would then see her relax back from the upright sit, ready to drop if you moved from in front of her. We just lured her a little forward and up to keep her upright in the sit, and hold her there. She has stopped dropping in sit, and now if she relaxes back a small hand signal makes her sit straight up, so it seems to have helped.

Head south on Moorooduc highway, turn right into Two bays road, then an almost immediate left leads to the carpark for the railway (not sure what weekends that operates on). As you go to the car park you pass the sign for entry to the offleash dog park. If you use www.street-directory.com.au the map reference is 106 A8

Im going to see how busy the offlead at Mt Eliza is on weekends. On weekday mornings it is empty. It is fenced. Otherwise i will only be going to the beach on weekends for a while.

We will and yes you can use it, but obviously there are many dogs wanting to on a show day, some more freindly than others. Obviously if herding or lure coursing are on then you cannot use it, it is their area after all, everyone just likes to call it the off-lead area.