Vickie

Is it OK if I cross post the dates?

I use Tunnel for tunnel & chute, Tip for seesaw, Contact for DW & AF, Table and I don't have a command for jumps & tyre. I don't say a lot on course, just when I need to. I try to let my shoulders & the projection of my running to tell my dogs where to go. Directionals are Go On, Out, name, Cross for changing sides.

Another tip I find helps is to actually run the courses...especially the bigger ones. If you can't run it without your dog, running it with your dog will be very hard. Problem is that it can be hard to do if there are a lot of people in the way walking it. There is a thread on it here with lots of advice from various people: http://www.dogsporttalk.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=117

just saw your message, have sent you a pm

What a cute looking pup, he sounds like a dream for someone looking to start dog sports. You may want to list him here as well: http://www.dogsporttalk.com.au/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=22 listings are only for dogs & pups with dog sports potential & he sounds like he fits the bill perfectly

Just sent you a pm. I am happy to meet up & go for a walk with Shine. I'm sure someone qualified will come along, but in this situation I would use a non reactive dog, let them meet & go for an on lead walk.

How does he go at shows SAS? I must say reading this brings back memories of a dane that used to frequent our park. He did have bad body language & was completely unsocialised. Problem with him though was that he didn't have much regard for his owner & so things sometimes became dangerous, especially since she physically couldn't stop him. I much prefer to socialise pups with people I know & dogs I know, so have avoided puppy preschools.

I've used the "you don't bring it, I don't throw it for 2 of mine" and it worked very well. For Noah, I tried that & also the 2 ball & also the food substitution. I ended up being successful by teaching a formal retrieve in a small room inside & then taking that outside. Just another option & something that is also useful to have anyway.

20? I don't thik 20 would actually fit in my yard . I think our PB is about 11 or 12. I keep thinking of new options. The last one is particularly appropriate for my girls...stuff the dog...a new person to love me!

Just out of curiosity, how do/would your dogs react? Of course I realise that a lot depends on the dog you are bringing in as well, so for the poll, let's assume a well mannered dog coming in, who is happy & not out to create problems. I'm pretty proud of my lot. Lately we have had a lot of strange dogs coming over, puppies, adolescents & older dogs. 5 or 6 years ago, this would have been something I had to manage carefully and now it just seems like an everyday thing for them. Having 4 dogs, I generally try to introduce 2 at a time, since 4 curious dogs can be a bit much for newcomers.

Great to know it's not torsion. Hope she gets better soon Vickie

Pheebs, give Helen Nicholson a call. She has a Masters in Canine Physiotherapy. I have found her to be excellent, both for diagnosis & treatment. I have recommended her to a heap of people & they have all been happy with the results. Her website: http://www.k9physio.com/ she is also a very nice person. I hope Tess is OK,it must be very distressing for both of you. ETA to add her website.

I think you're right. A couple of years ago I would have said that the teams that were fast enough were not consistent enough...but I think that has changed & we now have a few teams who are managing to get both. Pity about quarantine, I would love to be cheering some Aussies on!

Yeah! C'mon we want to see!

Thanks Janba, sorry, I meant who is actually teaching at the clinic? Save me finding the relevant posts on HA

Who is running the clinics?

Hi, this is Chloe, using my Mum's login. I am 9 and I love doing agility. I would like to enter trials but I am not old enough yet and I don't have my own dog. Here is a video my Mum just took of me running her Trim. Mum does not let me run her very much so it was exciting. I love Trim very much, sometimes she sleeps on my bed. Hope you like it. from Chloe

I've just spent a very enjoyable half an hour looking at all your clips on Youtube. You are one very talented young lady, both as a trainer, handler and videographer (is that a word?). Well done to you & Nina You are a great team! Where do you train? My daughter is 9 & would love to do agility but I won't let her run my dogs (what a mean Mum I am ) Not really, it's just that the older 2 are retired, one is trialling & one is just starting training, so it's all a bit hard. Here she is at 6YO running Trim in the backyard: I better not introduce her to you...she will drive me crazy!

MM, I just read your other thread. You will definitely need to get her chasing under control before you start any kind of agility. Most clubs will provide plenty of opportunity for a dog who is obsessed with chasing other dogs to do so & the results will be very unpleasant. IMO, it is better that foundation agility be done offlead, so this would be impractical for you right now. Great incentive to get it under control .

I'm serious! It only gets harder as they get older. Ben attended his 3 day first seminar when he was about 6 weeks old. Perfect! I figure people have been helping me with my kids for years, it's about time I repaid the favour for someone. I don't know any really close to the inner city Deelee, but they are scattered around. Have a look in this thread: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=108588 we started a thread for clubs in each state. Once you go a few times, travel time will seem inconsequential...you will just need your fix like the rest of us

Thanks all I'm glad you like them. So often this forum focusses on problems, it's good to share the good stuff as well. Not sure I can take credit for all the photos, we were handing the camera around so who knows who took what T(ad)pole, I'm sure there is a group, you just haven't found it yet. I know at least one person in Melb I would love to train with, will PM you. Sezy, what a shame! You do have my mobile though Use it girl! Glad to hear Carter is going well, I'll look forward to seeing him. Kavik, we ARE baby friendly ;) , lot's of hands to help out!

There seems to be a number of negative posts lately, so I thought I'd take the time to make a positive one . We had an unplanned training session this morning (I was supposed to be Christmas shopping but they twisted my arm ). As always, we had fun & so did the dogs. Thinking about it some more we all have lots to be very proud of & I wanted to share. The dogs are all young & haven't had a lot of training yet. All three had a good mix of handler & obstacle focus. None were distracted by the other dogs, nor by the enormous space we were training in (full baseball oval with heaps of swallows darting around everywhere). Despite the heat & humidity, and handlers running out of breath ;) , the dogs were keen to keep going. We didn't worry much about leads or need to practice recalls since what we were doing was more fun than anything else on offer. We took the time to notice where we could improve, broke things down where we needed to & kept a positive attitude. Here's some pics...the enjoyment is clear: Sidoney's Xia: Chloe's Dad's Chloe: and my little Shine: Trim was there too...the old hand showing off to the pups I also have some video of Pete & Chloe which I would love to post if he will let me The progress they have made as a team in a pretty short time is phenomenal, especially considering they are both new to agility. They are going to be ones to watch out for! Like a speeding bullet she is

I'm no expert & can't see them but from your description it doesn't sound like much to worry about & I'd just leave them be, unless things got bad. My lot carry on like this sometimes, I just let them work it out & they do. We have the occasional puncture from play or from a similar situation as you describe, but they don't fight & nothing has changed.

Frontline has been working for me Cavandra. I regularly find ticks on (but not in) my dogs when we go to the farm.

Great post Cosmolo! What a shame some people have to get so defensive & ruin an educational thread. What can't people take it for what it is? I never seem to see the invisible "All people" and "all dogs" that everyone else seems to read into threads like this. I read this when it was first posted & certainly agree with the suggestion that not all dogs who have been labelled as having an abusive past actually had one. And that's all it is - a suggestion. I found at least the first page very interesting & informative. Something designed to make us think & be aware of in our own interactions with people & dogs. There is no doubt that this mislabelling does happen & that some of the people involved may be do-gooders. Doesn't mean it's you! The fact is sometimes abuse is clear & sometimes it's not, but we don't always know. I have had all my dogs since pups and obviously none of them have been abused. I reckon you could beat one of them every day for a week & she'd still lick to you death at the end of it, another one would take a week to not flinch if you accidentally stood on his tail. That's just the way they are. If they had led different lives, people would be probably be inaccurate in their diagnosis if they were rehomed. I also have a friend with a rescue dog who tells everyone the dog was abused & gives him special treatment for it. It has occurred to me in the past that it suits my friend to believe this as it excuses her treating him like a baby and that if this dog was not mollycoddled so much he'd be a lot better off. She is exactly the sort of person that this thread is talking about. Doesn't make her a bad person & she loves her dog, but she really could improve his insecurities if she lived in teh futre & not the past. I also know a dog that everyone thinks is being abused by his owner as he is a cringy dog. I don't think he is being abused, I think it's just the way he is. Who knows?