jinkispirit

All expenses paid holiday to the Maldives?

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

My turn.......

Xena got her first Agility card in intermediate on Saturday night. (I'm still not convinced she got her down contact second time over the a-frame, but I still have a card.) Jumping cards are easy, but agility isn't proving quite as simple.

We have a new rule and it is working wonders after just one outing - if you don't come to a dead stop at the bottom of a contact you come back and sit beside me for 10 seconds before you continue. Even with a 10 second break we still made time!

I did it 3 times on Saturday night - by the last run she was pretty good. The same rule, only different applies for weavers - if you pop out of them you get a break, if you do it twice you get another break, if you do it a third time you get to walk off the course in heeling position, past every jump I can find and then go straight back into your crate. We did this once on the night - for the next two runs I had the most AWESOME weaving dog you have ever seen - really hard entries at full speed, but no mistakes and no popping out. It shouldn't take too long for it to sink in on contacts - don't stop at the bottom (regardless of whether you hit the paint or not) and you get to have a nice little rest. I'd never try this with a soft dog that didn't have true value for the game itself, but for a dog that self rewards and understands what is required like Xena does at agility it is truly painful and very effective! (sorry little one).

The yesterday CK achieved his Australian Flyball Champion Title. (He only needed a handful of points so he definitely got that!) Both puppies ran really well over 13 inches all day and didn't make a mistake (unless you count the one brain explosion after I let Xena go too early and both of them freaked out!) The team hadn't run together for about 9 months and never with only 4 dogs all day in 9 races, so we were all really pleased with coming second in div 1. In the last race of the day they were 2 down in the best of five and still managed to pull it out of the fire, although for the first time ever Xena was a tired little doggy at the end of it all.

Congratuls Reddii - that is fantastic news! Well done.

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.

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.

And how about your brags while you're here Jinki.

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!

Thanks, I'm still smiling ear-to-ear - I didn't expect either to pass, as the longest wait we'd trained for was 15 minutes.

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.

hi all.

ive tried putting my new dog on a lead but the second there is any resistance on the lead he either freezes or jumps around going psyco! he does the same thing when you pull or even just hold his collar.

im wondering if anyone could give me some tips or tricks to get him to relax on a lead.

if this has come up before then point me to the right post rather than go through it again.

Thanks

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

This is only a small one, but I'm pretty wrapped none the less.

CK was promoted to level 4 at obedience on Monday night. (Trialling class.)

We've only just gone back to obedience after 18 months doing other stuff and after 2.5 lessons (turned up late for the first one just wanting to make sure all was as it used to be and got told to get into the class! LOL). I just wanted to get him around 'strange' dogs while he is on lead to help build his confidence and all of a sudden we've been tagged as a potential triallist. Not bad for a dog that has done very limited obedience practice and NO formal obedience training for all that time.

The only problem is while he might be ready I'm not!! So many bad habits to undo and things to relearn. At least I have my girl who has to do 4 weeks in level 3 before she is allowed into level 4. (Long story, she is actually better than he is!)

Once we've done just a little more work on his SFE we should be trialling early next year!!

I think I'm really lucky - one great obedience prospect (one that is good, but only does it grudgingly), one constantly improving agility dog (and one who loves it, but needs a bit more time to understand) and two great flyball dogs (both under 5 seconds) and two brilliant frisbee dogs (but I might be biased!)

Now I just can't wait to get my next dog and start training when I actually know something instead of making a billion mistakes!!

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

Is it sad that I've been checking my email hourly all week?

Have you got them yet?

Mr CK got his first agility card on the weekend. It was only elementary agility, but he actually looked like a. he was having fun and b. he might be an agility dog. He also managed to not get eliminated in the starters course for the first time. Contacts were all perfect, just the weave poles and some directional issues we have to sort!

Xena also went really well getting her first Intermediate card. She ran beautifully all day (with one little exception) doing exactly what I told her to LOL. She got just about all her contacts (which has been an issue for us lately) and didn't miss any of her weavers! WOO HOO!

All in all I think I had the biggest smile I've had since starting to run the two dogs. I have to say I am looking forward to getting them both in the same ring - 2 rings and two levels is a lot of work and stretches my brain.

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!!!!!!!

:D Thanks for the info.

I don't do obedience with the beagles although that's not to say they don't need it

Although it is the end of the season I will contact the secretary Margaret about what I need to do to prepare for next year - cause I don't have a clue. One of my dogs is food obsessed and the other is cat and other animals sniffing mad. So I don't know how they would go at tracking human scent if there are other smells about that that are more interesting...but we'll give it a 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!!

Wow - good luck!!!!

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.

I train with jinkispirit (though I've been REALLY slack lately) so they'll give you all the info you need hilaryo.

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 would love to try tracking with my beagles.

Any information about what is involved and where in Brisbane it is held would be great.

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'm looking for a tracking harness for my Weimaraner and was wondering what you're using? I had a look at the Black Dog one - does anybody have experience with that one?

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.

If you get in contact with Evergreen Tracking Club they should be able to point you in the direction of some training..

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.

Hi

Just trying to get a hold of anybody who knows anybody in the sledding club in QLD - I think it's Northern Exposure. I've emailed the contact on their website, and their secretary but no reply. It is school holidays so they may be away, but the email to the club addy was a few weeks ago.

Just would like to know if they'd share details of how they got their permits to sled in the Glasshouse Mountains forestry areas - I'm looking at organising a doggy event in that area next year, and don't want to necessarily reinvent the wheel. There won't be any competition with them at all, but chatting to them may just save us some time.

As an aside, if any other sledding clubs use any areas in S E Qld, I'd love to hear from you - I believe there's an area near Stanthorpe that is state forest and could be used for dog events.

Thanks

Audrey

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!