jinkispirit

Or Fiji - I'd go for that !!!

Congratuls Reddii - that is fantastic news! Well done.

Only just saw this - WELL DONE. Thanks Reddii

Yesterday, my girl, Ember achieved her 'Tracking Champion'. She has to work hard for it but found the tracklayer. I am so proud of her. I'd like to thank everyone who helped me along the way.

My girl Ember got a Very Good on her TD6 track so now has her TDX title. I was very proud of her. My new pups also tried their very first comp and although I was not very confident in them, they surprised me and passed. Keria got a ranking of Good and Gemma got a Very Good on their TD1 - thanks to ML for the lovely tracks! My handling was shot to pieces but the dogs knew what they were doing.

My little brag ... On Saturday, my girl Ember, got her TD6 - track with a grade of Very Good. So she now has her TDX title. She did a lovely tracks and some corners were just fantastic. On sunday, my two pups, Keira and Gemma did their first ever tracking competition and passed their TD1 - Keira getting a Good and Gemma getting a Very Good. I was truly amazed at this result as I didn't have too much confidence in them as it was their first time on a cattle property so I thought cows and those lovely droppings would entice them too much. But needless to say, they are great and I should trust them more!

You should be really proud. Jazz did a lovely track! So did Logan - he knows what he is doing and will get it no problem!! It was a tough track for him and he did really well - I think you should be proud of him, because he did so well on a hard track!!

http://www.bsdc.sportdogaustralia.com/ - check out this website - they do IPO - "IPO Dogsport has an entry level called a BH which involves entry level obedience and environment type testing. Once you pass your BH you may compete in IPO I, II and III. These competitions have three (3) components, tracking, obedience and character assessment." I think that is what you are looking for.

I saw a trainer in the states, put a lead on his pupy and then ran around and played with her. The lead just trailed behind her. But they felt that this was the best way for a puppy to get use to having the lead there, and they associate 'fun' when the lead goes on. My puppy also did the jump up and down when the lead went tight. It took a lot of treats and fun time, to associate the lead. Just have lots of treats, when she/he is walking properly - reward with treats and lots of praise. they'll learn but it will take time.

On Sunday, at the end of year break up for Frisbee, The Australian Canine Disc Association (http://www.frisbeed ogs.asn.au/) awarded Ember and I with Australian Canine New Freestyle Frisbee Team of the Year Award I'm very excited to win this perpetual trophy. This is the first year, this trophy has been awarded so it's a huge privilege. Canine Disc (Frisbee) is a relatively new sport in Australia, although huge in the US, Europe and Japan. Also my niece, Zoe who competed with Ember, won the Australian Canine Frisbee Junior Team of the Year Award A big year for Ember considering she was out for most of the competition year, due to having a beautiful litter of 5 girls. But the two competitions she was at, she won the Pro Freestyle event. This is even more exciting, as we only started learning freestyle this year. (Freestyle is a challenging format for dogs and their handlers where the teams attempt different tricks during routines of up to 2 minutes choreographed to music). Anyway, thanks for letting me brag. Kind regards Liz

congratulations - fantastic news and yes great frisbee and agility dogs.

Have you got them yet?

Well done Reddii - you've got two great dogs there - I can't wait to see your freestyle routine on the 12 October with Xena!!!!!!!

You start by you or your partner - someone the dog knows really well, goes out for about 20 metres. Another person has the dog (dog has a harness - requirement is a 10 metre lead but to start with a short lead). The allow the dog to watch you walk away and at the last minute they turn the dog away. The then (immediately after you hide), let the dog follow your track. Everytime, the dog puts his nose to the ground is when they reward the dog. Teh first couple of tracks are doing to be slow until the dog works out what he is doing. some people also train, with you going out putting food on every footstep - to get the dog to keep to the actual track. And each track, you remove the food - every couple of steps etc. I haven't trained that way, but have watched tracking videos where they do it that way. Article training - in the track, the dog has to acknowledge articles - these are the size of working socks but can be old jeans or material cut up in squares. Dark colours to blend in to the ground. Anyway, you can start playing fetch with these articles, to get the dogs interested in them. Or drop them, with a bit of food in them and get the dog to find them. They soon learn to love them! In a competition, the dog has to acknowledge them and the more they do it the better marks. So picking the article up, sitting or dropping are the best ways. So slowly getting your dog to do this is something you can start on. Hope that helps and thanks for the well wishes.

It's Molassessless's year next year! Her pups will be ready and raring to go! I've got one more competition this year - which is the last one anyhow. Competitions run in the winter months - last one is last weekend in September - going for TD5 - so with fingers crossed TDX title - but we'll see!! hilaryo, Secretary for All Breeds Tracking Club is Margaret Hobbs, you can contact her on - [email protected] The past secretary (and a tracking judge) is Deb Summers, and you can contact her on - [email protected] I know there is also a large number of people who do tracking in the Redlands Dog Obedience Club - Grant, the president does tracking with his GSD and Lorraine Edwards, trainer, does tracking with her Aussies, and the Butlers who are involved with the club, track with their GSD. - so they could also help if you are in that obedience club?

I track with All Breeds Tracking Club - their main competition venue is at Tamborine. There is also Evergreen Tracking Club - whose main competition groups are at Tansey - to compete you need to go to a large property so it's not in Brisbane as such. There are a few places or people that do training in and around the Brisbane area. Normally you find a judge, and join them in training sessions. I don't know anywhere that has set training sessions like an obedience club. Where abouts are you in Brisbane - north or south?

I love it! I had my first Novice ever obedience trial on Saturday and I could not believe the humiliation. So I'm really glad I'm not alone. My little border collie, Ember, well we did a little practice before we went in and she was healing nicely. When we went into the ring - well it appeared I had a new dog. Healing what was that?? - 5 metres behind me. When she was in a drop, I gave the 'heal command', she decided to stay there and eat duck poo!!! On recall - I called and she just sat there, then decided again to eat the duck poo around her, eventually stood up, ate some more duck poo, and then slowly, oh ever so slowly came to me. At least I didn't have to call her again. For stand for exam, she moved one foot (doesn't normally move any feet). By change of position, I was so stressed, I forgot to listen to the judge, so when the judge told me to halt, I had already halted and so I gave the command for drop instead (surprisingly Ember listened to me and dropped instantly) - the judge just looked at me - I could nearly cry - in fact I did. It was a shocking moment! I did stay for groups (well thought I needed the practice) and surprisingly, she didn't move! We went home straight after groups - I did a little practice in the back yard and guess what - she healed perfectly and recall was great. Oh what a night!

I think I tried 3 harness before I was happy with my final one. I know people use flyball harnesses. I'm pretty sure they one I have now is the Black Dog one. You just have to make sure it's a nice fit and doesn't slide around on the dog's back. Have fun tracking.

You can also try 'All Breeds Tracking Club' as that is the club that molasseslass, Powderpuff and I train under. Evergreen is a great club but it is based about 3 hours north west of Brisbane. All Breeds is based at Tamborine. molasseslass, I just found out there are 2 particular judges in Qld - who also the senior judges, and they do measure, especially if they think the lead is too small.

molasseslass, like Powderpuff, I have a Rogz for Ember. It moves a little but I do like the support around the chest area. But it did take me about 3 harnesses before I found one I was happy with. Also the legal requirement is a 10 metre lead. At competitior's meeting's the judges do check equipment - I've never seen them measure any leads but they would have a good idea on what it should be like. My lead is about 11metres. It's better to be safe than sorry, I always thought. But you can talk to Deb about it.

Audrey, Try the Northern Exposure Gig Racing Club Inc. website is http://www.negrc.org.au/negrc_home.html Postal Address: The Secretary NEGRC Inc. 25 Cavalli Crs Burpengary QLD 4505 Email: [email protected]

Hi, I have a border collie - she is now 2 1/2 years old but she has tried herding, obedience, showing, frisbee, tracking, agility and luring. Some people say you should only try one sport, but my feeling is try them all and she which one that are naturally good at and which ones they just do for fun. Herding we have stopped, due to the cost and travel. Luring - all dogs just love I have witnessed and we just do it for fun. It gets them to do some great exercise. Check out http://www.qldlurecoursing.com/ frisbee - the dog just has a ball with and is also good at. check out http://www.bark.asn.au/ Tracking - this is my dog's favourite sport and she is just a natural. We do train weekly but we have got to Level 5 in 4 months and it usually takes at least a year. There are tracking clubs all over the place. Where are you - in which state? You can start by going to a park, keep your dog in the car, then go about 10-20 metres, leaving a treat every few steps (if you have a training partner - they can leave the treats and then hide behind a tree, if it's you, you have to take a long way back to the car) - then take your dog out, put a harness and lead on, and she is they will keep their nose down. This is a start. Obedience - a lot of dogs do obedience and tracking and they don't seem to have a problem. I've been training in obedience since she was very young, but haven't really competed, we only have CCD Agility - due to time schedules, I haven't done a lot of training on this one, but my dog just loves it and doing the other sports hasn't affected her at all. I know other dogs who do tracking, obedience and agility and are doing very well. Have fun, trying out the different sports, and see which one you and your dog enjoy more. Fun is the aim of the game!