Tassie

I was good last night - made the couple of Kirra size platforms so I can do some neatening work with her. :D But on the down side, I dropped and of course broke, the nice heavy straight sided terracotta drinking bowl that I had been using as a disc. Now I'll have to figure out/find something else.

DD - don't know how your scoring system works over there - but here it's a minor deduction - so about 0-4 points off - assuming the dog - a) doesn't drop the DB, and b) bounces off you and back into a sit :laugh: Don't know if huski has already told you, but you can read about the magnetic reward system here. I haven't tried it personally - if I'm using anything other than food, I have a small tuggy, or a ball on a rope that I can stick in a pocket , or tuck into the back of my pants/trousers.

Good luck with the lad.

@ DiscoDobe - that could surprise her!

Thinking I won't go - BC Nationals are in Melbourne in March - higher priority I think. ETA - because I can do a variety of disciplines there Agility, Rally, Obedience, DWD (if I get busy with some training) and conformation for Rory - and because I'm not sure that I'll have a Nationals worthy dog - Kirra will almost certainly be retired - realistically - though she's showing no signs of it at the moment :laugh: , and who knows what Rory will be doing by then - I'll probalby still be trying to get his steering software operational .

I think you should be really happy with her (and you). It is hard on your own. If she tends to forge, then I'd try rewarding with the ball thrown behind you and probably slightly to the side with your left hand - doesn't have to be big throw - releasing her to get it with your release word. and see if you can put the ball somewhere other than your right pocket. Food rewards I'd be giving in position - with left hand - making sure that as you feed, your hand is in such a position that her head is exactly where you want it to be - if you see what I mean.

Rory practised his sit stay Monday evening, while I did a bit of disc and platform work with Kirra - she so needs more. But it was good for him - and he didn't drop out of the sit! I need to make smaller platforms now, especially for Kirra, so that she has to be straight - so just enough room for her - and think I'll make them 4 layers high. I was thinking of you RS at a Rally workshop we had here on Saturday. I was showing people how we use platforms especially for the call front/finish signs - and borrowed my friend's little Mini Sachnauzer. She was OTT, but settled down after a while (good opportunity to demonstrate waiting the dog out to reduce food mugging :D .) They're certainly different, aren't they.

Love happy heeling. :D Noticed you had your rewards in your R/H pocket -wondered if that was why her head was slightly across? (Being really, really picky there :)) . Do you mix and match - sometimes get the food from your LH pocket. And I forgot to notice which hand you rewarded her from.

Wow dessyno - that's great sstart to the year. Lovely to read about all these doggies being right up there - seems no time since they started.

Congratulations to both RubyBlue and kathq on the successes. And commiserations on the 7, RB - next time. My boy will have his first go at 7 in July, I think. Need to ramp up the training (in between working on his other disciplines LOL.)

Zig needs to join the "dog needs better handler" club that Kirra is a founder member of :laugh: . Sounds like you're seeing some nice stuff with Em (well until the hormones got involved.) Tiny bit of training with the Rory man today - courtesy of our temporary resident from Canberra. He was OTT at the start, but then settled down nicely, and responded well to some decel, for a turn in - was supposed to be a take off side front cross, but snowball's chance in hell of getting there. Decel, rear crosses and veral directionals and going to be high on out list me thinks. Thank goodness he has a good SLS, and my friend comented on his ability to explode off the start. He was a good boy not doing tunnel sucks today - was sucking to weaves intead :laugh: . Followed itup with a reasonable training track. Kirra did a nice little bit of training, and then ran a really nice TSD track - over 3 hours old, and included crossing a fair stretch of bitumen. Love my feral. :D

:) That's a good idea!

+1 to this. And in this day and age - first lesson for younger kids especially - ask the grownup in charge of you whether you can ask the owner. As we explain to kids, some people may be busy, or grumpy, or maybe not a nice person - your own grown up will be able to tell (and furthermore the 'responsible' adult will then know where the child is!)

The only ET in Tasmania for 2013 will be held at Longford (near Launceston) on Sunday July 14th. Very pleasant course through the outskirts of the town. Schedule is ET Schedule - in the April May Dogs Tas Gazette - available online atGazette link. Entries close 15th June.

That was good to see, mantis. In Tasmania we have a Delta DogSafe program in schools which aims at preventing dog bites by giving children skills in being safe around dogs - and when and how it is appropriate to interact with a dog (and hopefully through the children, their parents and adult relatives). They also learn when it is important to stay away from a dog. The aim is to have every school child up to Grade 3 go through the program, and sessions can also be run in child care centres, and for parents and children as a holiday activity. The same program runs in South Australia AFAIK, and Victoria and NSW have different programs with similar aims. We're finding increasing numbers of children know, and usually remember, polite and safe ways to approach owners and dogs. The real problem we see is the parents who have no idea - including no idea of where their children are or what they're doing.

Vickie - you could be right. My DQ percentage seems to be going down a bit - maybe because my handling is getting a bit better :) - but more likely because although Kirra is still feral, she might have slowed down a fraction. :)

Hope Dexter is feeling better this morning (and you).

Being asked to leave the ring after a DQ will sometimes happen in huge busy trials like Nationals - but even then, handlers are usually instructed (at the beginning of the event) to just leave the ring as quickly as possible, via any combination of jumps that will let the dog have fun, but still get the show moving. (I can remember a Masters course in Adelaide where one of my cinsiderations when I walked the course, was which was going to be my way out after we DQd :laugh: . (In fact, we didn't DQ - went clear but slightly over time - and won an award for the best run by a non-titled dog on that course :D ) To the OP - in some ways, you can really use a DQ as a training opportunity - by running the rest of the course as fast and hard as you can - maybe taking less conservative handling options. For example, trusting the dog to weave independently instead of baby-sitting. So you can turn the negative of a DQ - or even an NQ, into a big positive for you and the dog.

Kavik ... and don't you hate it when it's one you hadn't even factored in - but your dog spots it immediately :laugh: .

That sounds promising. I always think if they're interested in eating, it's a good sign. The ones I've heard of who survived were certainly treated aggressively with Imuran and/or similar immune supressing drugs - and I think were transfused too. At least you have access to transfusion there. What's her mdr1 gene status - does that limit your range of options at all?

I usually describe it as being a bit like a cross between show jumping and obstacle course for dogs, with the handlers running with them instead of risding. That should work OK in your area, sheena - then maybe put a couple of specky pics in.

So sorry to hear about your girl, Austerra. It's a horrible condition - and very hard to treat successfully. I lost my first BC to it - he went from apparently fit to death within just a few days. So it's good that your girl is holding. If you do a search on "IMHA" in the forums - using the Search button on the top right of the page (as it displays on PC - it wouldn't show on my phone) - you'll find a number of threads on it. From what I've read, transfusions are often required as well as the immune suppression. I hope you and your girl will be among the lucky ones.

What sheena said - you'll find that some of your most enjoyable runs might end up being NQ or even DQ - but apart from the particular fault, you and the dog worked really well as a team. And sometimes you'll get a Q, but it won't have been a nice run. For me, it's about always trying to improve the teamwork the dog and I are doing. The Qs if they come are a bonus. :laugh:

ROFL Ptolomy. It's so important to have the colour theme going - of course, it's easier when you have black and whites - knew there was a good reason for sticking with BCs . xena98 - Here's the basic Youtube I used to get started. And this is a preview of one of Michele Pouliot's dvds She's using an aerobics step, but the home made ones with the dense foam tiles. You can start with ones that are slightly bigger than the space the dog takes up standing - but then as the dog progresses, you can go to smaller ones, so that the dog is required to really be precise in placement of sits etc. The height of the platform is not super critical - needs to be enough to give feedback to the dog when s/he's off it. Seems to me the principles of the training are to allow the dog to train its muscle memory for getting into accurate positions. (It's also really good to sharpen up handlers, who've been "near enough is good enough" about straight sits, stands etc. :laugh: ) I use 2 platforms - both lengthwise - one in front of me, one at the left side - just touching in the corner immediately in front of my left foot - to train the stationary call front Rally exercise, and sharpen up finishes - both left and right. I also use a platform for the COP. Have fun.

Great brags from Canberra - super with Shandy, CC .. and from the West - make sure there is plenty of flowing - you've earned it. Need pics of Bedazzled with her little red handbag. Rally and obedience for us today - the feral one managed to keep her act together (well sort of) for another leg towards RAE - half way now - hard work with Miss Kirra. Rory worked quite nicely for his second RAE2 leg - would have done better if handler had noticed that he hadn't quite got his bum down in the 90 pivot right second sit - need to work on working when plovers and white cockies are screeching around the place. He was sitting on a reasonable pass in Open, but I pulled him from stays - partly because of the neighbouring dogs, but mainly because we've been having drop out of sit stay troubles, and he was a bit sore in lower back I thought, so I didn't want to set him up for another drop out of the sit. He was happy enough in his work - but we still need distraction proofing. :)