TerraNik

The Parramatta club that we were just discussing above is on Friday nights: http://picsi.org.au/agility.htm Oh the broomstick jumping was something I did just for fun because I was sweeping the floor! The broom was flat on the ground, so he basically just had to step over it. I have been doing a lot of other stuff with him that is more foundation work - back end awareness, "ready, set, go" he knows to run as fast as he can from a 'wait' and following my hand signals in terms of directions. So hopefully in the next 4 months we can build on that and it will make it easier for us. Most of my training with him is with the tug toy. He's not food motivated at all!!

Excellent! Well it looks like we'll be going to Parramatta... In another 4 months... I've started doing some agility at home (tunnel and jumping over a broomstick!) - he loves it! I can't wait!!!

What about Parramatta International Canine Sports Inc? Does anyone have experience with them?

Jed can't do agility for a little while longer as he's only 5 months... But I am starting to have a look around! So I will definitely let you know!! I would love to meet Zero!

That is amazing...!! This was one of the 'related' videos.. I was pretty shocked by this one!!

I was considering taking Jedi to Agility Dog Club NSW, but I don't know that I like the sound of it being really crowded! Are there any other Sydney options?

Did you have a contract with the breeder in the event that something this might happen? Any health guarantee?

Cute stories!!! Jedi sleeps in our bedroom upstairs so each morning I carry him down the stairs. As he has grown bigger I am no longer able to hold him with one arm and open the baby gate. I carry him like a baby with him sitting on my hip but usually have my other hand under his chest. When we get to the door, I put his paws around my neck so I have a hand free. Jedi has picked up on this routine now and when I get to the gate he automatically sits up and puts his paws around my neck! It is sooo cute! And very convenient! As soon as we're through the gate he goes back to his original position.

Yeah I think that's the biggest issue. I haven't done any shaping for bow, as I was hoping I would be able to fade my hand signal out. He bows every morning when stretching, so there are opportunities. Do you think that would be worth a shot? I tried just using the voice command too, but he's more of a visual dog.

I usually use the clicker with him but I didn't for the video, hence the bad timing with the treat! But you make a very good point!!! I'll remember that for next time we train without the clicker. How would I integrate a target stick into it? (I haven't used one before)

I've been having a bit of trouble with Jedi's "Bow" trick. He is fine if I am right up close, but I just can't seem to get him to do it away from me. I'll do the hand signal and he'll run up to me and then bow!!!! This was him a few weeks ago - Any suggestions???

OMG! Ruby is *GORGEOUS*!!!!!!! :D

Haha! That last photo of him is funny... "Where's the puppy?!"

Awwwww all the beautiful puppers!!! They are all gorgeous!! RIP Bailey

And much better too, that you don't have to watch your step!! Jedi has made a habit of using one end of our yard so we always know where to look!!

I can second that. It is almost down to the letter of what I used with Jedi, except I got up every 2 hours to start with (boy was I exhausted!). You can try and wear him out before you put him to bed the first time just by playing. It doesn't take much to wear out an 8 week old puppy! 10 minutes or so and the lights are out! But there's no guarantee that he will settle in his crate to sleep straight away. It's all about routine.

I'm sure he will be perfectly motivated to do it after Tayza peed on the doona!

That is great news!!! An 8 week old puppy does not have much control over his bladder. At this age you should be watching him like a hawk and if you cannot, then you need to crate him. The more accidents he's allowed to have in the house, the harder it will be for him to learn *not* to do it later on. Whether it's normal or not depends on your time definition of "just taken out" and whether your partner actually saw him pee (he may not have). At that age the pup might need to toilet every 30 minutes... I would suggest you develop a routine so that after feeding, playing, sleeping he is taken out to toilet to the same place in the yard. Between these times, watch his every move and if he looks like he's going to pee (circling, sniffing) pick him up and take him outside. Try and use a command for toileting as well ("go wees", "hurry up", "pee pee" or whatever floats your boat - remember that you will need to use it in public!). He will start to associate the command with the action... Very useful later on! Puppies hump things... Practice, I guess! Don't let him hump any part of you... As funny as it might be now, you don't want a 20kg dog doing it later on!

How did Mr Pupper go last night?

Jedi attempted to poo on the tiles in our backyard once but I was standing right there watching and so I just picked him up and put him on the grass where I wanted him to go. He never did it again! Might be worth a shot?

If he's not crying to let you know he needs to toilet, I would set an alarm and get him up. For Jedi when he was 8 weeks, we would take him out every 2-3 hours throughout the night. By 10-11 weeks old he was sleeping the whole night, so it's not forever! The other problem might be that the crate is too large. Have you sectioned it off so that he only has enough room to turn around and stretch out comfortably? You can do that easily with either a crate barrier that might have come with your crate, or using a cardboard box or bit of perspex cut to size. You just move it so that he gets more room as he grows.

I think it depends on the dog... I let my 18 week old pup off lead and he recalls every time when playing with other dogs. But we have been working very hard on it. I am a firm believer that until your dog has a rock solid recall you should never use the command to come. That way the dog never learns that he/she could just ignore you. I would try out the long line and see if that helps.

That reminds me of my Aunt as a child/teen -- she had a bassett hound when she was growing up who NEVER lifted his leg. My Aunt was so upset that her dog was not 'being a boy' that she would try and lift his leg for him! He passed away having never lifted his leg...

I agree with the others - it seems a to be excessive.

Just make sure, as with a puppy, you ignore any behaviour that you don't want to encourage. If she's scratching and snorting to be let in and you go get her, it teaches her to keep doing it to get what she wants... It sucks in the beginning, but they learn pretty quickly what works and what doesn't.