whatevah

Does anyone know if they are using the new you beaut Victorian timing lights which gives readout of dogs speeds or the old fashioned ones?

When I did my recall at the trial, I actually went to the other side of the starting post, away from the dog crap, because I knew that would cause him to veer away.

I recon they should have moved the figure of 8, my dog won't walk over where a dog has crapped and shied away from it.

Forgot to add 'Clover" Josh brings the ball right back to your hand and like to play tug with the ball that he has retrieved to hand.

I also would not be in a rush to trial Gambit, get him to the stage where you are 200% sure he is going to pass, you don't want the dog stressed out this early. I would be spending a couple of months working at the problems, before trialling again. I didn't trial Moses till he was 3 years old!!! But did a few club comps and club tests before hand.

How many passes have you got to get for the title? We are going to enter Novice for the Gorder Setter club trial.

I agree with Herr Rottie, I would work on just normal heeling, and once I got good focus with that, I would then working on figure of 8 with witches hats, then go onto working with people, lots of reinforcement with food, then gradually phase the food out.

Clover your on, he is very easy to race, no pulling, no barking, may give you licky licks if your not watching. Another bad habit he has is that he likes to walk in between peoples legs, so if he nudges you in the crotch mean he just wants to walk through, he usually stops and does a little dance in the middle while I pat him on the sides.

Hastings is sending one team up, we will be in the slowest division. Have a slight problem my dogs make a 1/3 of the team and may need someone to help race Josh, as Moses may be in the same race. Josh is very easy dog to run, you just have him at the 30ft mark, and say "Ready, Setttttt, Go", you say go as the returning dog is over the second jump. Josh doesn't bark or pull. His teeth may rattle sometimes in anticipation, you stand up with just one hand on his hip. Someone else is the team also has 2 dogs, and the ball shagger is racing a dog as well. Will be interesting. Anyone else going to this?

Good - off lead training from beginning - off lead socialisation - puppy classes one on one with an instructor - life skills taught before obedience, such as getting out of car under control, tie up without dog barking, entering through a gate, not chasing joggers and bikes - retrieving taught at puppy school and classes - river to take dogs swimming - positive methods - testing once a month but not compulsory (don't like where you are locked in for weeks on end) Bad - outdoors can get very wet, - club room too small, and people who insist on bringing their dog in when I have just mopped the floor (( - need more interesting classes such as tricks, agility, flyball -

People who have had more than one breed so are able to trouble shoot problems with the different breeds. People who have good people skills. People whose own dog is pretty good, in life skills and obedience. People who are fun, and willing to take on new ideas and new training techniques and make the class fun.

Moses was a chronic mouther of the dumbell. I used to have a wooden dumbell, and bits of wood went everywhere. I changed to plastic. What I did was when he brought it in and sat in front, I waited for the mouthing to stop, as soon as it stopped I clicked and treated. I think I also only did tiny retrieves of a couple of feet, as I was mainly focusing on the sit hold and give. The first time I did this, he was mouthing it for ages, I just waited him out, until the mouthing stopped. The second time went quicker as did the third.

Another hint is to make sure your dog has a night straight sit, as it is very hard to hold a puppy sit for a length of time. But Moses used to slide down on the sit as well. So I just went back to basics. I walked about 3 feet away and got him to sit for varying lengths of times. If he flopped down then that was my fault for making it to hard. I would then go back to an easier step. Once he could do the time I then extended the distance. I only practice about one sit stay at a time, and don't practice drop stays at all as he does that well. Another hint is in the trial ring, while the judges and stewards are getting themselves ready don't have your dog in a sit, sometimes they like to waffle on. Also once you have finished the sit stay, get your dog into a stand and walk a couple of steps before putting into a down, to get rid of the anticipation. Worked for me.

My dog is a perpetual puppy sitter in everything and we didn't lose that many points over it. I think we lost 2 points in the recall. Would be interested in the board technique and where you put it. My dog had a habit of heeling sideways so I did most of my training against a wall, and did the drops etc along the wall. When I taught Moses drop on verbal alone, I used to show him the toy and said drop and as soon as he dropped I threw the toy and the drops got quicker and straighter. He also learnt to drop a distance away from me without creeping forward. But then when I was teaching drop on recall, he started anticipating and did a bow on recall in anticipation of the toy, quite funny as it had taken me 3 months to teach him a bow!!!!

How many dogs in CCD on Sunday? What was the standard like? Any dogs from the previous day? I was supposed to be in on Sunday but scratched, as we got our title on Saturday. I would advise anybody to give it a go as it is a lot of fun and the judges were okay too with my stuff ups such as not being able to find the figure 8 and leading out the wrong way. etc.

Moses got his CCD title today. He passed both trials. In the morning trial he got 88 and the afternoon trial he got 93. One dog shit in the ring right near the figure of 8, so Moses shied away from it, he doesn't like to walk near that stuff. It was fun and very cold. There were over 30 dogs entered in CCD and some very high scores. The highest being 99!!! Onto Novice now, so I can throw away the lead!!!!!

What is helicopetering? Is there where a dog grips onto a toy and then you swing them around you while they have hold of the toy in their mouth? Just curious have seen this done at flyball, and sometimes my dog will grip a toy and hang on even though he is a little off the ground, but I haven't swung him around. Can doing this hurt their neck or their back? Just curious. Do the dogs enjoy it?

We competed today at the Golden Retriever comp in CCD and won the ring with 95/100. There were 3 tollers there. Ghillie from Sale, Finlay from Keilor. Finlay won the Novice Ring.

Uses Fun trick, and you can get your dog to take someones smelly socks off and perhaps put them in the wash. Equipment Needed Dog, thick sock, willing volunteer, Clicker, Food, Prerequisite Dog must know how to retrieve, and be happy to retrieve socks. If the dog knows how to move backwards this may help as he will need this move to pull the sock off. To learn backing go here http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=7634 Method Step 1Go to http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/retrieve.html and follow all steps, take your time and don't rush the dog, make sure you meet the criteria for a step before moving to the next step. Instead of a dumbell you are going to use a sock. Now if you have done this before with a dumbell, it should go a lot quicker. If your dog is like mine, where I simply just looked at the sock and he went and picked it up and brought it to my hand then you may be able to cut out some of the steps in the clicker retrieve. Step 2 You now are going to place the lead on the ground, when he brings it back and places it into your hand you click and treat. Do this for about 5 repetitions placing the lead at various distances. Step 3 You are now going to place the sock near a person who is sitting down. Do about 5 reps. Step 4 Now you are going to get your "volunteer" to place the sock on just slightly on their foot, so that most of the sock is hanging off. Then send your dog from different angles, and different distances. When the dog is confident at this step get your volunteer to gradually move the sock further onto the foot, about 5cm after every 5 repetitions. Trouble Shooting Dog doesn't want to pull the sock off? Reward c/t for the dog mouthing the sock, then c/t for stronger and harder pulls. This trick took us one session, then a couple of sessions to polish off, and then I took it outside. Here is the video link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNSbZqCDIFw

So sorry to hear this, he had such a fantastic home with you. How is Connor dealing with it?

I will see you there, say hi, to me if you see me, but not right before I go into the ring as I will be stressed. Our dogs will probably be doing stays together.

Moses is entered in am and pm trials on Saturday and Sunday at Geelong. I am camping on the grounds over night.

Yep Josh ran in a really slow team, and got more points than our faster team, at a recent comp, and I wasn't really aiming for points, he just came along for the ride. Just had a look and the points have been updated to June. Moses only has 6 points to go until he gets his AFCh, then we are finished!!!! Don't expect FM for either dog in their lifetime.

Hi I am also entering my first trial this Sunday in CCD, and will also be at the Geelong comp, so will see you there depending how I go this Sunday (not tomorrow) but Golden Retriever comp. We have been trying to polish up.

Use a dumbell and follow the plan, and just wait the dog out and if it offers the tiniest mouth or lick or nose nudge, c/t that.