Tassie

We have 12 pole weaving happening Still a lot of proofing to do, and speed and footwork to work on - and not 100% yet - but it's happening. It's so funny to watch, as Rory goes fairly slowly and thoughtfully at first, and then speeds up as he gets to the last 6 or 4 - his head gets really low and he works so hard to make sure he gets through them to get his reward. It's little red engine stuff - I think I can, I think I can - I know I can. This 2x2 is a truly amazing method. Just amazing to see the dog learning what his job is, and that he can do it by himself.

RS - judges have been known to duck when I was t;hrowing a dumbbell

Of course it doesn't really matter what you use as a marker word as long as it's short and sharp and consistent. The reason I like the excited 'yes' for me is that it's a very natural thing for me to say when something is nailed - and for that reason, it comes naturally and I don't have a pause while I think of the word - but that's me - old people forget things you know.

Sounds like it was a good day, Kynan - next year for you?

Jess. as far as I know, down here at least, the dog may be coated for the stays, even if it hasn't been for indicidual exercises. You can't take off/put on a coat during the individual exercises, or between the 2 stays, but down here anyway, the individuals and the groups are considered separate parts. And hey - let them laugh

+1 And be prepared for the fact that (pretty much like humans) all the training and great foundation could go out the window for a while . Just hang in there, keep up the training - even if it feels like you're starting again from the beginning - and there is light at the end of the tunnel. I don't know that there are particular breed differences so much as individual dog personality differences.

I'm unco as well. I do use a clicker - but usually for simple trick things as others have said. I use a marker word for most things - I would just suggest that your "Well done" is a bit too long and drawn out as a substitute for a click. Many of us just use an excited "yes" - easy to say - conveys the message quickly - very important for a pup. Agree with bedazzledx2 about the difficulty of teaching LLW with a clicker. Also, with my dogs, if they have pulled, I will stop, or change direction, without giving the dog any prompt, and when the dog makes the choice to either slacken the leash, or to turn the head towards me to see what's going on - that is the "clickable/markable" moment for me - the dog will then come back for the treat - or you can throw a treat if you like - the important thing is the moment of marking. The reasons I wait for the dog to make the choice, is that then you're quite clear about what you're marking - that is, the dog choosing to slacken the leash/pay attention to you. Otherwise, it's not clear whether what you're marking is response to your voice, or slackening the lead or ......... JUst some thoughts - and to let you know you're by no means the only unco one :D

:D I stayed there with 2 Border Collies a few years ago, and yes, it was lovely. The dogs were mosst intrigued by the big goanna that would wander around outside the screened porch.

I've been supplied with the papers for the LR pups I have bought - the LR Certificate of Registration (dog's official paper) is red, while the Main Register one is blue. Both have the dog's registered number (Canine Control in your State) and the Microchip Number and record of the details of the breeder and the registered owner, as well as the pup's sire and dam and grandsires and granddams. And as Sparky Tansy says, that means that you can compete in any of the disciplines open to your dog's breed as a pure bred dog of that breed, with the exception of conformation (showing). LR also means the dog is not to be bred from. AFAIK, breeders should offer a full explanation of what the Limited Register registration means, and I think in some States at least, have to get the buyer's agreement that they are aware of what the LR means.

;) Happy birthday little Cider. Good grief, that time has gone quickly!!! Here was me thinking you were still only a little baby dog (hence the comments about the 2x2 weaving - had no idea she was a grown-up baby now ) And a pig's trotter AND a new iSqueak - what more could a little girl want :p

Yes - great livestock guardians. There was a fellow down here with angora goats - nearly went out of business because of wild/stray dog attacks - until he got a Maremma. No more trouble.

I find what I tend to do is kind of 'act' one of the gurus - in my case, I'll be 'acting' Susan Garrett (or Greg Derrett, or Mary Ray) - so sort of copying what they do - if that makes sense. It sounds a bit corny, but it can help to deal with the self-consciousness thing if you're 'being' someone else. One of the things I try to teach people in my puppy classes at club is to act and sound like a crazy person without caring what other people think when they're doing stuff with their pup. If it floats your dog's boat, then it's good.

Brains and sardines in pockets . I use the plastic zip top snack bags - fit in pockets nicely, and when you leave the top open - easy to get treats out. (But then my guys don't get such exotic treats )

Did you have to tell me that, amypie???? Yep - see what you mean about the "wombat" - I hadn't noticed that.

My little big man BC Rory has a 'stash' in the family room - on one end of the sofa and on the floor next to it. He'll choose a toy sometimes to run rouind with in his mouth - but usually puts it back in his stash eventually. He'll also stash non-toy items, like the draught stopped, or the sticks he collects from outside. I do keep separate a couple of 'special' tugs for training.

Hey - we're OK - it says coming soon - so we don't have to decide now - which is really good cos I really like those pentas ones ;)

And that is unfair too, RS - don't rub it in You guys are so lucky to live in the home of great dog training in Oz.

Ah yes, but then Cider has a super trainer (you can blush now ) and she is a super smart little cookie ) - but actually, it's amazing how quickly they learn what it's about. I'm seeing it - but I still can't believe it. Tassie I think I would have to be doing it a little more often than once a week. 20 more days and I can have weavers/Aframe/jumps/obedience ring permanently set up in the backyard training area Oh that is sooooo not fair. I have an acre and a quarter - but most of it is sloping - so only a small flat area. So I'm getting to the stage that I need to pack the weavers into the car and take them somewhere else to get enough distance off them - and room for handler movement. And I'm struggling to get a 5 jump grid in. Duration heelwork is on the menu again for tonight Hmmm - I should have been doing boring stays (as distinct from ones where I/m moving. Any tips for developing these??

This is Millie. I started 2x2 with her the other night and she would just sit there looking at me I can tell she's going to be a challenge to teach weaving to! I haven't progressed any further than 6 with Ruby because I only own 8 poles She's still only about 50% with her 6 poles though so more work to be done! In relation to Millie - Susan G says to do what essentially what Ptolomy did with Cider - take the dog elsewhere, and do some trick training - something you don't particularly care about - just to get the dog offering behaviours going away from you and getting rewarded - so the 101 things to do with a box or something like that. Just to get the ball rolling, so to speak. I was lucky in that I was able to get Rory offering fairly soon - but I did mark and reward for just looking at the poles at first, then for moving towards them, and then once he was moving through, that was all that got rewarded. Hey Ptolomy - are you ready for the Cider Bear to be weaving properly pretty soon - cos that's what happens - why I left starting Rory for so long (well, one reason). In about 12 or 14 very short sessions, he's giving me a rolling 4 + 4 - I haven't got proper 2s, so I cheated. Once I got the 4 happening nicely - put another 4 away a bit but in line. Tonight will see if that happens again, and bring them closer. And yes - I need to do more proofing for handler movement too.

I'd definitely agree with Vickie. The more nutso and hyper you go, the more the dog gets into it. Or that's what I've found with Rory. As far as getting tug when there's food or whatever around - that takes training - and also a good value in the tug toy. I was really pleased with my Kirra yesterday - had her out as a demo dog for a couple things in puppy class (and also to reinforce "don't let your pup go near the dog in the crate" ). I'd been using food for a couple things we were doing - and then used her nice soft WA tuggy lead to demonstrate tugging - was so pleased with her that I was able to switch to tug, even when she knew I had food on me, and even though there were people and puppies (on lead!) all round her - mind you, again, I had to go a bit nutso to switch her on, and make the tuggy move a bit. Kirra loves it when I play growl at her. I had success with switching a GSD I had in a foundation agility class (and her owner) on to tugging with a plastic drink bottle in a sock. The dog already loved playing with the drink bottles - and I referred the student to Susan Garrett's article here's the link. To her credit, the student worked through the steps in the article, and within a week had her dog tugging really nicely in the vicinity of other dogs (instead of the lunging and reaction that had been going on before.)

I was playing with this in puppy class yesterday -- using a corridor set up with metal play pen panels - just to give people the idea. Basically - what Kavik says. Mark and reward a single lift of a back foot if that's all you can get. Try to place your reward (or lure if you're luring) in such a way as the dog's head is kept more or less level, so that you're encouraging the standing/walking position.

Seita and Huski - sounds like there were a lot of positives there to take away.

Vickie - another interesting question. Rory met his mum while he was over in Perth. He was in a run, and she came over to the fence and they did lovely gentle "kissy, kissy" through the fence - very sweet. Don't know if they recognized each other though. They definitely recognize breeds - Rory thinks every Golden Retriever he sees just might be his very good friend, a now 13 month old GR boy.

Sounds great, Jules. And yes - there's nothing quite like real work to give human and dog confidence .

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