Luke W

L: Should my signals all be one handed and can some be two? E: Some can be two (eg. recall .... two arms stretched out) Yep, got that one :-) L: Should I favor a particular hand E: Depends on what you are doing. One hand can become a directional signal (as they do in retrieve training/trialling) OK - So left for 'left', right for 'right'... I can see I'm going to end up unteaching some signals once I start agility. I don't know enough about agility to know what signals I'm going to need. L: How 'different' do the signals have to be - eg...can a single 'karate chop' represent one thing and two 'karate chops' represent another? E: They should be different. What if you trained your dog for speedy responses (which is what I aim for). One karate chop for drop. Two for sit. But he beats you to the second chop and drops instead of sits. Too confusing for the dog and open to misinterpretation IMO. See, you think of things I don't L: Can a left handed chop mean something different than a right handed chop? E: Yes .... although completely different signals are easier to learn and teach if it is completely different behaviours you are after (IMO) But there's only so many signals you can give that are significantly different. Argh. L: Do I only teach hand signals for a subset of commands? Which ones? E: Don't understand your question. E: What hand signals has your private instructor already given you? Do I teach a hand signal for everything I want to have a verbal cue for? I can think of a lot more specific verbal cues than I can think of specific hand signals. My trainer has left it up to me to come up with my own signals. The trainer provided a list of commands I should develop verbal cues and hand signals for: Look at me Sit Drop/Down Stand Walk loose Walk close Come Stay Stop/Freeze Settle down Toilet Well done Free to go Open Mouth Back away Paws on Floor and I've started to add a few of my own: Go into Pen Go into Kennel/Crate Go onto Mat Bark Stop Bark Take it Now that's A LOT of hand signals! My hand signals so far are simply stylized lure signals. Eg. the classic 'raise hand, palm up, bend at elbow' sit signal, the 'palm downward' drop/down signal, the 'policeman stop' stay signal.

Good quality leather ones hard to find hey...I think that's what I want! The link posted by 4 paws above looks good.

Airdogs? http://www.airdogs.com.au/agility/product....=255&page=1 I ordered one last week - should arrive Monday I hope.

The trainer I engaged for some one on one private sessions suggested I create a 'training dictionary' with a list of verbal commands and hand signals... I've got a variety of commands in the list so far...including watch, sit, stand, down/drop, stay, spit it out, walk loose, walk close, come, freeze, toilet, release, back up, get down, go to pen, go to crate, etc I'm starting to plan for my hand signals. I hope to eventually compete in obedience and agility trials so I'd like to start off on the right foot and not have to reteach any particular signals. I'm looking for any accepted lists of hand signals or a reference book or failing that, some advice. It seems there's a lot of commands he's going to eventually learn but I can only come up with a limited number of hand signals. Bearing in mind I'd eventually be involved in trialling how should I go about getting together a list of hand signals. Some questions that come to mind: - Should my signals all be one handed and can some be two? - Should I favor a particular hand - How 'different' do the signals have to be - eg...can a single 'karate chop' represent one thing and two 'karate chops' represent another? Can a left handed chop mean something different than a right handed chop? - Do I only teach hand signals for a subset of commands? Which ones?

Hi all At the moment he's wearing a thin, nylon, clip plastic buckle type collar. Time for something a bit sturdier. From what I've read, either a flat or rolled leather buckle type collar is the way to go. Should I get a flat one or a rolled one? Any recommendations and where to buy online in Australia? Oh...and a matching lead (1.5m??) I don't mind spending a little bit extra for quality. Cheers and thanks.

Awww...he's combining his two favorite things... ;)

It is her crate that she occassionally goes in when i cannot supervise her with my toddler. She normally doesn't mind it. It's closed because if it isnt she will jump all over the car. She can see out of it, but cannot see out the car windows etc, as we have a 4wd & she goes in the back of that on the floor, so the windows are higher than her level. I have tried putting it on the back seat etc so she can see out the windows but it makes no difference what so ever. She is just absolutely petrified! In regards to the food she has the tucker time rolls from the vets with puppy biskuits, but she is just not hungry. Its really weird, ive never know a puppy to not be hungry. She loves pigs ears as treats but thats it. I dont know whats going on, we might have to start looking into a pet behaviourlist like u said. I'm no expert, but I've read a few books... What I'd do: I guess you are going to have to start slowly. Get your dog to be very happy in it's crate, lots of treats everytime it's in there. Then work on the car... Start by playing, feeding, treating just standing next to the car. Start 20 feet away, then 10, then 5. Then next to the open rear door. get closer and closer...gradually, over a period of several days at least. Take it slowly, only go the next step when the dog seems really, really comfortable. Then feed little treats by placing them on the bottom of the car door well, make sure they are not inside the car...only just resting on the lip of the door well. Lure your dog to take treats from there... Greadually move the treat to a few inches inside the car. Sit on the back seat of the car and start offereng treats to your dog who's outsid ethe car, lure the dog closer and closer. Eventually the dog will place it's paws on the door well lip... Keep treating. Eveneutally, try to lure your dogs paws up on to the seat. If you've done this slowly and the dog is happy and calm, try to lure him to jump up on the seat. He'll probably be too small to jump up...keep him really excited for the treat you have in your hand that he just can't reach. Hold the treat in one hand, inside the car, just out of reach. Scoop him up with the other hand and plonk him on the back seat and immediately dump a handful of treats on the back seat. As soon as he's finished the treats, remove him from the car and treat him another handful. Get him used to this then introduce the crate and start the process again, then time getting him closer and closer to the crate that is sitting in the car. Then turn on the car and start from the beginning (it'll progress much quicker this time). Then start closing the car door. Then start going on tiny drives (down the driveway)... Get the idea? Use high value, tasty treats. Chicken liver, boiled chicken breast, devon... When he's more used to the car and the crate, take him to FUN places. Make 99/100 car trips fun...parks, the beach, doggy friends, etc, etc.

Thanks again for taking the time to comment everyone. Cosmolo...Thanks, I think that might be the track I head down...some private training, some work on my own, then join a club once I gain some competency. ...You've prompted me to learn about 'corrections'...I'm reading Leerburg now.. ( http://leerburg.com/corrections.htm )

My GSD has almost destroyed her wubba, nearly ripped off the cove bit its still going after a month or so... Havent heard of a cuz. Must investigate. Big thick ropes bones last her ages and she loves them, perfect for indoor! I bought a great squeeky ball at big W which still makes a noise after 24 hours, thats a record!! My 3 month old cocker spaniel has a standard size Water Wubba. They are covered in neoprene and aren't quite as tough as the standard Wubba. He plays tug and fetch with his for around 10 minutes a day. He's had it for around 1 month and the 'tentacles' are showing little tears. I reckon it'll still last a while though.

I used to have an ist D - couldn't complain - was a nice camera. Took some great shots with it. It's not so much the body but the lenses you put on it in any case. I switched to Canon a while ago, mainly because of lens availablity.

Keep up the discussion guys - lots of useful information here, for me and other readers.I don't mind if we start straying a little OT. In the end, I guess I'm going to have to go along to these clubs and check them out personally. Can I assume they are willing to have visitors come along and watch some classes from the sidelines? I plan on dropping Ermy and Cosmolo a PM. I might also try to check out an ADT session or two. There's only so many days in the week and only 1 Sunday! I want to get started ASAP but there's no shortcut to picking a club/school. Que sera sera :rolleyes:

It really repends on the image. Different techniques are used for different types of subjects and backgrounds. When you have a feel for all the tools at your disposal and how each can be used - you start to develope a feel for what is going to work best under each particular sitation. If you have an example or two, I'd be happy to run through how I would tackle each one. I'll assume we are talking Photoshop. The key for me is the use of masks. Everything is based around masks. How each mask is created depends on the contrast and complexity of the edges. For hard edges and smooth lines, I like to use the pen tool to create a path based mask. Sometimes I'll blur the edges of the mask using either the gaussian blur tool or the blur brush. For softer edges or really complex masks (hair, smoke, fire), it gets trickier. Sometimes I'll check the individual channels, looking for the highest contrast edges and use that channel as a basis for my mask. Then I might use curves adjustments to fine tune the mask. Most complex masks are finished using the brush tools. Often it's simply (simply...haha) a matter of a great deal of patience and working at large magnifications. Sometimes you get lucky and cloning is all that's required. Finally, and critically, I use a Wacom tablet and pen. It so, so, so, so much better for masking, cloning, brushwork etc than a mouse. For a good reference for replacing backgrounds, check out the book by Katrin Eismann: Photoshop Masking & Compositing. Oh - and sometimes it's just not worth the effort

Thanks Tess. Any thoughts on why these 'traditional' method clubs seem to predominate? Is it the same with the private schools? I went to see a private school running some classes at a local park. Not a clicker or any food in sight. Dogs in a line and lots of 'Stay, Stay, Stay, Staaaaaaaay" With my (admittedly limited) experience and reading, clicker training, food luring and reward based positive training methods are currently accepted best practice. At least with animal behaviourists and most professional animal trainers. Am I wrong? It it simpy a matter of new methods not filtering down to clubs and the unwillingness of people to change, coupled with the fact that correction collars and punishment training works??

Thanks for all the information guys. Much appreciated. Looks like I've got some decisions to make. Unfortunately, it seems my ideal club doesn't exist. A predominantly reward based (whatever works for the dog), clicker training club, close to St Kilda It seems the Rotty club is the best fit. It's a shame it'd take me at least an hour to get there. Not to mention I would feel a little strange taking my cocker spaniel to a rotty club though - I'm sure we'd get some strange looks. It's a shame is so far away It's also a big shame that Southern and Moorabbin are refered to as 'traditional'...I assume this means correction collars, leash corrections, no food, no rewards, no clickers...Forgive my ignorance (and my bias against correction collars and leash corrections).

Hi All I'm in St Kilda, (inner bayside Melbourne) and I've got a 3 month old cocker spaniel. I've started training him myself with the aid of books, the internet, DVDs and DOL. I'm using mostly reward based, clicker training. I'm interested in starting obedience training with him at either a club or a private school. I'd like to achieve an advanced level of training/obedience. I also suspect I'll want to compete in obedience trials and compete in agility in the future. I'd like training to be enjoyable for both of us. I'm looking for recommendations for training facilities. I'm not sure whether I should consider a private school (ADT in Hawthorn or Oakleigh for example) or a club (Southern Obedience in Bangholm, Moorabbin Obedience, etc). I'd prefer not to have to travel TOO far. I've heard good things about ADT and Southern Obedience. I've heard less than favorable comments about Moorabbin. So - I'd like as many recommendations as possible, ideally with some commentary on training styles, atmosphere etc. I'm hope I'm not asking too much! Fire away. Many, many thanks.

A search on Google Australia shows a few places you can buy online: http://www.google.com.au/search?q=orbee%20...=cr%3DcountryAU Including: http://www.centralbark.com.au/p/402835/orb...-with-rope.html http://www.airdogs.com.au/agility/product....productid=16180 http://www.petenvy.com.au/pd-orbee-tuff---orbee-ball.cfm http://www.dogbedstore.com.au/prod206.htm I might buy one or two myself!! At the moment, my chase/fetch/tug toy of choice is a Water Wubba.

Good idea. That or a piece of turf that you graudually reduce the size of until it's gone??

?? Gottfried Dildei according to dogwise.com

Hi Indigirl...was it the 'Carry All Bag' ( http://www.blackdog.net.au/index.php?page=...rt&Itemid=5 )?

Thanks for the heads up! I'm going to pop along as a spectator and amateur photographer!

No problem squeak - useful information all around. I'm happy to learn as much as I can too. For what it's worth he's barking less on sits and downs, but barking more than he was before I taught him - I guess it's just another one of the behaviors he's got to offer :-) I reckon in a week I'll have sorted out the barking 'not on command'. I'm not overly concerned - when I put the effort in, he's pretty maleable.

All the moisture is removed by freeze drying. My pups favorites are: Kramar Supa Naturals Slow Roatsed Chicken Liver Bits (100% chicken liver) Boiled chicken breast.

Jean Donaldson in The Culture Clash says: "And, if you are reinforcing established behavior on an intermittant schedule - let's say, one out of five times - you click only on the trials you will be dispensing a tangible reinforcer on. The click-treat relationship is a classical one, where there are no schedules, only partial/weaker conditioning. The intermittant schedule concerns numbers of behaviours per reinforcer (click-treat pair). The click and the treart are an inseperable pair." She goes on to discuss "Low-Grade Reinforcers": "In formal animal traiing such as marine-mammal traiing or conditioning exotics in zoos to facilitate their handling for medical or maintenance purposes, the use of conditioned and primary reinforcers is pretty well all thet is used. In dog training, this is the most important feedback tool but there are others as well. This is where priase comes into it's own. It can function as a signal to the dog that he is on the right track towards getting a click and a primary. It can 'prop up' a long duration behavior in order to increase tolerence of duration between primaries, as well as allowing faster gains in parameters like distance, distraction-proofing and multiple choise behaviors. Dogs learn that praise means they are 'getting warmer'" Good enough for me. So it's Cue Sit He Sits. "Good boy" Cue Down He downs "Good Boy" Cue stand He stands "Good boy" Cue down He downs "Good Boy" Cue bark He barks "Good Boy" Cue Sit He sits Click Treat

Excellent guys - Found some: http://www.hbbb.com.au/estore/home.php?cat=471 Thanks! So it seems everyone uses a box of some kind.

where did you get your 'something similar to this' ?