Tassie

Gotta love those good days E+H :-).

I think I first encountered them via Michele Pouliot (?sp). She's been out in Oz a couple of times. Love platforms :-).

:laugh: Elise+Hudson - it is really important to think in terms of small increments. And remember to be a splitter not a lumper - work on small componenets and get them done really well, rather than doing a mediocre job on a whole chain. It fits in better if you're time poor - and Hudson will thank you for it as he will be much clearer about what it is that you really want, and how to get reinforcement. Applies to agility just as much as obedience :D .

Thanks for that explanation AD - well the 50/50 definitely describes me - .. understatement. I'm just not sure about the training aspect - with little access to equipment and little time. But I'll have a look at the vids anyway.

:D Good luck - I think it's well worth being proactive

Hi curly. It would be good to get a referral to Dogs in Motion. Specialis animal physiotherapist - underwater treadmill and all sorts of other therapies. She is now located in Highett at the Southern Animal referral Centre. I haven't seen her personally, but have been to the pool at Doveton where she used to be - and she comes highly recommended by other DOLers

Yep, TSD, consider yourself officially hated. I still haven't really had an opportunity to process what I learnt at the Kamal Fernandez obedience seminar the year before last, let alone the week with Nancy G in June lst year. Would probably help if I didn't do so many disciplines with the dogs. At least Track & Search is easier for training purposes than paddock tracking.

Go the Wikki Woo :laugh: . I haven't had a chance to look at the SG vids yet - long weekend this weekend - might get a chance. I'm doing courses - more obedience related but also good for training in general - at the Fenzi Dog Sports Academey - one with a working slot - so with being back at work, I'm struggling to keep up. I'm hesitant about trying something really new at my age and stage of life :laugh: - not sure I'd be able to get my head around it and do it justice.

Looking forward to meeting up, piper. :D

Rainy, they're just cut to size to fit your dog from those interlocking camping floor mats you can get in packs of 4 from outdoor and camping stores .. the solid ones obviously, not the ones with holes. :laugh: They're quite often on special. You can cut them with a Stanley knife or scissors, and then I just gaffer tape them together. It's good to have a couple that the dog can stand on .. with only a bit of room at the sides and a bit more in length. You can also have cut down ones as the dog learns what he's doing, do that they just fit a neat tuck sit. Mine could probably do with being a bit higher .. it's good for the dog to be able to feel when he's out of position.

Yes - totally agree. Or if you need the lead - like at club, try to tuck it into your belt so you're not tempted to use it. I try to train if I have to be on lead, as if I didn't have it on IYSWIM. You can hold the lead in either hand or both. And you can give a bit of directional guidance to your dog with your hand - (not touching the dog) - although under the new rules, if you're deemed to be luring a lot of the time (with your hand) you'll be NQd.

Not forgetting the heel back 3 steps along the wall - and the proofing against whatever might be the distractions in the offset Figure 8 . My non-toy feral girl has frequently cost me points going to investigate the toys - mind you, she doesn't really know how to heel properly, given that she's primarily my agility and tracking girl.

So that's information to you that he's not really aware of what his rear end is doing, or that his rear end can drive him. IMHO, not so surprising in an Aussie because of their squarish structure - different length to height ratio to a BC for instance. As well as having a look at some of the Youtube things, you can try 'cheating/short cutting' by moving closer in towards his body - aiming behind his shoulder, while still holding the lure just in front of his nose - but be sure to watch like a hawk for the tiniest movement of a rear foot, and mark and reward that - it will be the foot furthest away from your body. Reward any tiny movement a few times, then see if he'll give you a bit more. And always work both ways - i.e. clockwise and counter-clockwise - the dog should move more freely on one of those directions, depending on his "pawedness". When you're starting off with the disc, you'll be working with the dog facing you if you can - perpendicular to you - until they're really comfortable working rouind the circle. Even with Rory in my clip, the warm up started with him facing just to remind him of his job - then switched to the heel part. Oh - and should we tell you now that Rally can become as addictive as agility almost - and expensive in entries when you get to doing RAE - 10 double Qs - 2 entries for each dog for each trial. Rory got RAE2 at the end of last year - and one towards his 3. The feral one finally got RAE - now do I keep going with her - answer - probably yes - see - I'm addicted

Glad you're having fun - and one of the nice things about Rally is that it's very doable to practise at home. You can download the signs - most of us use a home laminator to laminate them and then some cheapo clipboards as stands - you only need a few at a time. (And of course you can practise without the signs. For a lot of the things you're asking about, a lot of rear-end awareness work using a perch box (or disc/bowl is even better), to teach the dog to use it's rear-end to move its body around - the front feet stay on the disc/perch. Once you have this sort of rear-end stuff happening fluently, you'll find that the dog can maintain position on turns (for obedience as well, obviously - and rear-end awareness and training is also really valuable for agility.) Platforms are also your friends, for getting nice straight fronts and tight finishes - both sides. The quality on this clip is rubbish (I'm so bad at videoing, and it was done in a hurry) and the boy was a bit OTT, as was the nearly 12 year old feral girl - but it will give you an idea of what the finished product looks like. This is a dog who's been trained this way from puppyhood. Obviously when you start, you're only asking for small movements. And on the pivot disc, you'll find that the dog will usually be stickier one way than the other. Oh, and because I'm impatient, I lure, but you can shape it if you have time. Hope that helps. :)

:laugh: Who knew My theory - when you're more relaxed you can focus and be attuned more with the dog - plus your body language is more relaxed and hence more fluent. Now all I have to do is put it into practice - and lose a few years and gain more fitness. Miss Kirra still seems to be having lots of fun - certainly giving lots of cheek. She's entered in our first trial for the year in a couple of weeks, so I'll just see how we go - and pull out of anything that looks like I'll struggle to handle smoothly - so she can just run for fun. She turns 12 at the end of this months, but both her 'normal' vet and her acupuncture vet have cleared her to run as long as she wants to. And the misguided missile seems to be starting to listen a bit more - after one false start, was able to stay in the weavers with a tunnel just waiting to suck him in at training on Sunday .

My guys are the same, TSD - pretty much cast iron stomachs - but we very, very rarely get dog food as prizes down here now. One club does give $10 Bunnings voucher for 1st place - had a nice little spend up before Christmas :laugh: .

A lot depends on the club - there's quite a variety now. :) To the OP - have PMd you.

Don't think I've ever seen you two boys looking so much as though you're having fun! Magic. :)

Can't help with the food CC ... but just wanted to wish you and poor Louis well. The poor lad has really been having such a tough time. Just as well he's a fighter. Apple Isle get well mojo on its way.

Happy anniversary HW :) . You've done well to hang in while biting your tongue. :laugh: Just had to check my profile - Good grief - my 10th is coming up in April . And I'm like Kirislin - boring and no imagination - kept the same username - mainly cos I'm a senior and would forget my name otherwise. You've certainly provided us with lots of entertainment, HW - the shonky Christmas breeds from a couple of years ago was classic. But more importantly, you've been a source of important and helpful information and advice. And I was very pleased to see you become President of Dogs ACT - a thankless task, but important to have knowledgeable and informed and capable people in that role. (Are you blushing yet?)

:-) Has the Kirra stamp of approval too. Our acupuncture/massage vet has this gear.. Kirra blisses out, and this is a dog who normally can't wait to get out of a vet surgery :-). I'm sure it's part of what keeps her as fit and active as she is at nearly 12.

Nice way to start the trialling year for you guys and the dogs!

Several seminar/workshops at Camp Tailwaggers have been great .. Mary Ray from UK, Sue Hogben from WA , and Kamal Fernandez. I couldn't get to Denise Fenzi's seminars last year, but I've been doing several courses offered by Fenzi Dog Sports Academy .. they have been great value. And I loved the week with Nancy Gye in Sydney last year. As Kavik said, even if you're quite experienced as a trainer and handler, there are always new insights to be gained, and tweaking of technique.

There are some Brittany breeders on DOL - you'll probably more likely find them by going over to the Brittany thread in Breed Sub-forum Here's the liink

You don't have to get permission to run with her - it's provided for in the rules . They will usually put runners at one end of the field. so they're not mixed up with the bikes. Be aware that the pace may go up higher - 12-13 kph in sections is not uncommon - some judges like to bank a bit of time. And that the speed may be slower than you're used to running with, so when you're training with the dog, make sure you vary the pace so that both of you are comfortable at diffeent speeds. (Had a runner behind me at one ET - pace was slower than he was used to and he kept letting his dog run up my dog's bum - not happy - eventually he caused me to fall off the bike - no injury - but he did get the message after that, and kept back a bit. )