Ptolomy

Sorry but vets aren't sterile - my god where does everybody take their sick animals to. Yep it is a fine line between getting your puppy out for socialisation and keeping it safe from parvo, and what was fine this time - might not be next time! Good luck

I use a leather seekback for all my kids and to the best of my knowledge it hasn't affected them. ;) In fact, I may be wrong but I think that most people trialling in WA use leather for their seekback. But then we are a bit different in the West! :D

So Arya - perhaps you should have said that YOU can do as well in the trial ring as you do at training :D Good news that the post games have helped. It wasn't that long ago that the start post was the worst place in the world for her. Good luck in achiveing all you set out to in 2008

Oops pushed send too quickly. I then faded the food. I also use the same command "dog in the box" that I use for UD. The other exercise you can start ASAP without affecting UD training is the change of positions - going from the sit or down to the stand is the hardest - without the dog moving forwards or backwards.

No I don't use a mark for the dog to run to in the sendaway. I trained the dog I am currently trialling in UDX by placing food in the middle of the prescribed area - this was after we went through the stage of her thinking the exercise was to sit next to the witches hats :D and is why I have changed the way I train the other kids. You can also tell the dog to sit in UDX without a deduction.

Leopuppy........something to ponder - why stop at UD you should be thinking about UDX NOW! I have 3 UD dogs and one trialling in UDX - what have I done differently with my young dog who is about to hit the open ring and knows a few of the UD exercises. I have started teaching dog in the box - using both a box and a hula hoop - sometimes around the box or the hula hoop I have 4 cones - this is in readiness for the sendaway in UDX. Eventually I will fade the hoop and just have the cones out. Seekback I originally taught it to my first dog as there is something out there, go and find it. Now in UDX she has the most problems with the seekback with decoy. For my new dog - I will be doing it as a long distance scent discrimination - there will be more than one article out there - originally they will be started close together and I will gradually move them further and further apart and will later introduce somebody elses scent to the decoy articles. Gloves - argh - make sure you train them at more than 12m - the number of UDX dogs that run out 12m to find the blind retrieve article and cant. Also use things other than gloves for the dog to retrieve. We actually teach this exercise using food bowls (have a look in the oz obedience training file) And I would take Ness's advice and go and have a lesson with somebody you admire and agree with their training style. It will get you heading in the right direction..... Good luck PS - I play a lot with 2 of my UD dogs in the ring. Lara between each exercise throws herself on the ground and rubs her back on the grass and does a complete roll, I usually ras her up by telling her I am going to get her, we also do spins, play touch and weaving between the legs. Scoota doesn't do tricks he has taken to me pushing him away, rubbing his chest patting his backside, pushing him again. It makes him go all goofy and is something you can also do between exercises.

Gees from your results this year I thought you had already overcome that hurdle......... So what are the problems now........what are the differences between training and trialling?

I had to take one of my dogs to the vet unexpectedly on Xmas Eve - and they needed to take blood to check kidney and liver function - so I asked them to take more for titres. Because it was after 5pm - they said the bloods wouldn't be sent off until the 27th. The vet lab advises that results could take up to 2 weeks to get back, but I have found it is usually a lot quicker than that. You may want to try calling the vet lab to see if there is anybody in the Eastern States that does titres. The lab we use in WA is VetPath which is in Belmont. Ph 92778429 or Fax 92776453.

I had blood drawn for parvo and distemper titres on Monday lunch time and got the results back Tuesday afternoon.

Welcome to my world Crusader. Have to say Mandy Burrows is brilliant - can email her any time and she will respond within 24 hours. The next problem will be your dog not tollerating the injections as they increase in strength and intervals. I have to inject my dog every 3rd day and all she can tollerate is 0.1ml. Just for the record my dog was 2 in October and has had 2 x C3 injections. One at 8 weeks and one at 16 weeks.

Yes she does still have some immunity 1:5 (which is in the revaccinating range). Parvo is > 80 and for this reason I will not do a C3 Yes I know the incidence of distemper is low in WA - madly researching that at the moment. As a kid our lab died of distemper and I still remember it now - so need to gather as much info as possible to make the informed decision. Also we run a boarding kennel so need to make sure my dogs and boarding dogs are not at risk. Thanks peigirl for your input I understand your dog has allergy issues as well - so you can understand the problems.

Distemper titre levels have come back low, parvo levels are still very high. The breed has auto-immune problems due to over vaccinating and the dog in question is allergic to everything under the sun....... So madly trying to find out what my options are so I can make an informed decision. It isn't a case of things being black and white.

So if they are available in the US - is it possible to import a single shot into Australia - or would customs not allow it and the cost be huge? I was sure they were available in the US since most toller owners do their baby parvo and distemper vaccinations 2 weeks apart. I have my vet checking it out for me - but trying to beat him to it and hoping for a positive answer. Maybe it is wishful thinking......

Does anybody know if you can get a single distemper vaccination in Australia and if so which drug company produces it. I know you can get single parvo vaccines

Are you intenting on doing obedience trials with you dog - or are you after a club just for basic obedience?

Just a little brag of my own...... Sexy Lexi - my baby got her CCD title tonight - winning the ring with 97 out of 100. Newly crowned Ch Beans won novice with 196/200 Bag features Blaize would have won open but got up to scratch as I returned to her in the down stay Scoota Moota - failed the second scnet article in UD - but as everybody else failed was the highest scoring dog in the ring. His work was lovely. Lara failed seekback in UDX - but her work was lovely too. Lara turned 11 last week.

Have to take my hat off to Sally and Ness. You should be mightly proud of your black and white girl Sal - she did a tremendous job tonight in UD You have sent me lots of video clips of previous trials but this one was by far the best effort you have both ever done. I didn't even have to get my stick out - have to tell everybody your handling has improved out of site. You praised your dog between every exercise, You walked in a straight line, your turns were lovely, wow you should be tickled pink. It isn't easy coming interstate, living with 11 dogs in a house, fitting into a strange routine, eating different food, having somebody beat you over the head with a stick everytime you get it wrong, and still being able to lift the bar to a new level. I hope you have enjoyed your stay and take back lots of happy memories and new trainning ideas. PS - will make sure I check your bags for any red dogs just in case

You know we all wish you good luck for Friday Sally. You have done all the ground work and in the two weeks you have been in Perth Ness has gone up another level. However - just remember I will be the one outside the ring waiting with a big stick if...... You don't make it a pleasant experience If you don't tell your dog how wonderful she is between exercises If you walk too fast If you take a huge step before you halt If you don't tell your dog how wonderful she is between exercises If you rush your signals If you don't walk in a straight line If you don't tell your dog how wonderful she is between exercises If you do dodgy right and left about turns I think that just about covers it and now you should be suitable nervous Good luck and enjoy the ride.........

The only place you can get Calafornia Natural from is Pets Paradise. It isn't cheap $26 for a 2.5kg? bag but so far it is the only dry food I have found that she can eat that doesn't contain wheat, corn, beef or lamb. I am at work - so sorry can't check the bag for pork or other protein - but I will have another look tonight.

I have just found a dry food my girl can eat - Calafornia Natural Herring and Sweet Potato and she loves it.

Argh trailling goals for 2008. Hmm let me see....................... For me to have less blonde moments - or at least for my blonde moments to coincide with my dogs blonde moments so that I only fail half as many trials For the toller tree to stay empty for the year - ha - fat chance of that For me not to get lost on a masters agility or jumping course - ha fat chance of that For me not to forget my dumbbell, scent articles or seekback when I go to a country trial so that I have to beg borrow or steal somebody elses. For me to put the lid back on my jackpot containers so that I don't end up with sardine juice and steak blood all through my bag. For my dogs to stay fit, healthy and uninjured so that I don't get to fund three overseas holidays for my specialist vet again this year - ha fat chance of that So now if I pray to the right gods, the wind is blowing in the right direction, the planets are aligned and I can manage all of the above then I hope for CH CCD CD JD and AD titles for Lexi, OC for Scoota, two more UDX legs for Lara, CD CDX and maybe a UD leg, ADM and JDM for Beans and Blaize well see number two above may the toller tree stay empty

Foods she is allergic to - beef, lamb, wheat, corn, milk and any foods containing any of these. Also fleas, dust mites, black ants, cockroaches, pollens, grasses....... the list goes on and on and on..... Treated with antihistamine, liquid fish oil, capstar, frequent bathing, immunotherapy and feeding her food she is not allergic to.

Aw shucks now I am embarrassed Glad you are enjoying your stay and as I said to you last night in 4 days you have already raised the bar so much higher. Ness can do it - you just have to believe it Now off to get that big stick out........

You should be proud Sal Ness did very well at training today and what you forgot to mention was that she had come from the vet where she had been needled and pummelled and put into positions she never dreamed of reaching. You have only been here 3 days and already you have lifted the bar and are aiming higher that you ever would have dreamed 12 months ago. Well done mate! PS - Sal actually has another brag Ness is whinging only half as much as when she arrived. We are aiming for a 100% improvement over the next 2 weeks

Well done everybody - a great way to finish the year. Leopuppy its a bit of a blob that you have to now wait until 2008 for your third pass - have to say a great effort on being able to trial successfully and be trial secretary on the same day - big click and treat!