Tassie

Decisions, decisions- so looking forward to meeting/catching up with people at Bairnsdale and Morwell. :D

so there's still some years ahead of me . I always say agility (and now Rally) is better than crosswords for keeping the brain active and staving off dementia -

How very sad. Especially such a youngster. Do they know what sort of spider? I worry about the necrotising fasciitis that can follow a spider bite. A friend's lab had 3 bites along his side - lost a huge amount of skin and tissue around each site - you couild see the underlying structures in places before he started to heal. They had to debride the wounds regularly - he was such a good patient boy - and did eventually heal and nearly all the fur grew back, but it took about a year. Another friend's Sheltie had a problem with a bite on the face, but luckily that didn't get as bad, or take so long - still a couple of months though. I'm hoping I have some good spider karma, as I rescued a Huntsman from another spider's web on one of my windows this morning - though I must admit I did it with a soft broom. Hope he/she's OK - was moving when I put it on the ground.

Love it. :laugh: I can remember years ago when obedience ruyles review considered a proposal for making the UD scent discrimination articles proprtional to the size of the dog, like the dumbbell can be ... because the standard ones were too big for a chihuau to retrieve properly. They are seriously smart little dogs.

for UD - good boy Brookie. about MR and the Gr Ch - but it will come, I'm sure. So ladies - looks like rule change proposal is make MR and DC into optional alternate exercise in UDX? :) :laugh:

Thanks Ptolomy ... A way to go yet.. but happy with him. Great work by you and yours today...sounds like you might be getting the dreaded MR under control :-)

Nice one kathq and the Cocomonster :laugh: . Finally have an obedience brag of my own .... Mr Rory got his first Novice pass today - 196 and 1st place ... very exciting. That was in fine weather. Story noty so happy int he afternoon - freezing cold, rain - with big drops - very exciting for a boy to try to catch - still managed to be sitting on a pass just - , but had to lift his bottom to catch a high raindrop right at the end of sit stay. On the plus side, I do think the concept of stay has finally arrived - at least among trusted dogs - and one he didn't know - just in time for his 4th birthday next Friday.

Thanks for the update ... and the educational experience lol. Did they say if they were likely to be a problem for dogs? Thought of your thread today when a spider scurried out of the way of my digging :-)

Doesn't really help you much I guess, but my vet suggested 10mg Phenergan for my Border Collies, and I have also used Polaramine. Maybe try doing a search on the forums?? OK - have a look at this thread there's a helpful list in post #9 - it includes Telfast . The thread is about skin allergies, but I guess the same would be true for emergency treatment e.g. for insect bites ... why I got the suggestion from my vet. And another thread ..... which also says that Ingleburn vet website has a helpful chart - ahven't checked that one. :) ETadd info

Well done Everlilly - sounds like you and Teddy are doing really well now. Keep up the socialisation/taking him as many places as you can and introducing him to as many people as you can - one trainer recommends you try for 100 things/people in 100 days - seems like you're well on the way :) . Pups appreciate us being calm and consistent. To them it doesn't matter what the rules are, but they need to be given the chance (in a humane and kind way) to learn the rules - and to be told when they are right, and re-directed if they're not. And as with kids, don't forget to catch them being good. :laugh:

Yay Blink! Naughty Ella - maybe OC stands for Occasionally Compliant in her case :laugh: .

:laugh: From that photo does look more like Vic Funnel Web Victorian Funnel-web

I was thinking Wolf Spider - shouldn't be a problem if so Have a look at the Museum of Victoria site

Nice way to start her ST!

Me too, Ptolomy. It's getting closer I think

Wow, kathq - pity you and Coco have to go through those tracks in between - that's great. So my lil big man had his first experience of tracking in a pretty boggy paddock with standing water in places and clumps of reeds in others - and a swirly wind, so he struggled a bit - but managed to persevere and keep working his way back on track to finish his TDX with a Good on his Test 6. Not up to the standards of the other tracking brags - but I'm proud of my Rory, who will now be known (subject to Dogs Tas approval) as Ch Winpara Soul Dreamer RA TDX ET DWDF.S HTM.S. :D

Just a quick response. As you've noted, you may need to give him a little more time - but having said that, getting him into good habits now is good. I guess the first thing I would be doing is getting a front clip harness - like the Gentle Leader Easywalk, or the sensible, or the Harmonee - and I think Black Dog makes one too. The idea of these is that the leash clips on in front of the dog's chest (some have a double ended arrangemnet with a clip on to the collar as well. The idea of this is that if the dog pulls, he will b pulled around towards you - makes it easier for you to do the change of direction thing - which is a great technique, I think. I don't know if you've had BCs before - but a couple of things to note - they are very motion sensitive - so very oriented to and interested in moving objects - runners, other dogs, cars etc. etc. They can also be frustration barkers. The one thing you've been doing that I would really disagree with is the "yelling" no at him when he's barking - in the first place, he's over threshold at that point, and can't really pay attention to you - and in the second place, you're not really giving him meaningful information or direction - to his mind you're joining in the barking. In that sort of situation, being stationary, or trying to et him to sit, is making it very hard for him - you really need to be keeping him moving - preferaably away from the 'target' - hence the front clip harness to allow that to happen. As far as possible in the next couple of weeks, I'd be aiming for frequent short, successful walks, in areas with minimal triggers for him. Lots of changes of direction while he's under threshold should help him cue in to you, and he should be aable to take treats or respond to a toy at that stage. I would also be doing lots of little bits of trick training, basic obedience - in very short happy sessions with lots of treats and/or toy rewards. This should help him to build a trusting and happy relationship with you. Not sure if all that makes sense - hopefully others will be along soon.

You and your daughter have certainly had a brilliant season - with wonderful results. And how exciting for your daughter

What bedazzledx2 said :D Fantastic work, xena98 and Gabby - what a team.

Way to go Sparty and Bodie - it's a lot of fun, isn't it. :)

Sorry Sue & Waldo - yoiu have to cross Bass Strait for that one - Hobart Dog Training Club has a double Rally trial on Saturday November 3rd - entries close 6th October. Schedule is in the August/September Gazette which is online at Dogs Tasmania - just in case anyone is interested :laugh:

Wow dezzyno.1 - what a great season you've had with your kids. I've still got a T&S trial to go with Kirra - first weekend in October - then it's over till next year.

:laugh: Thanks dezzyno.1 . Not too fussed if he doesn't get it this year - there's always next year. :D

@ Canine Coach - thanks for the address - hadn't noticed that @ tommyspazz - her you go Victorian trials website

xena98 - great UD run - and good luck with the dreaded sit stays. :D