wuffles

Yay, I'm glad it was helpful! :D On the day of the trial make sure you make time to watch other competitors. I've picked up heaps of tips on body language just from watching other people.

Ummmmm... everyone? My girl was sick for 2 weeks before our first trial. I was fully prepared to pull her out, but a few days before the trial she perked up so I went along. We got an awesome pass, but I pulled her out of the afternoon trial as I felt it was too big an ask. I think we probably had one or two actual training sessions in those two weeks. I don't usually do much training at all in the week leading up to the trial. I do a quick run through of things like fronts, finishes, lining up at the start peg etc. a day or two beforehand (probably 5 minutes worth) but that is just for my own reassurance! She's more enthusiastic about training the longer she hasn't done it, and I would prefer enthusiasm over precision (although both together would be nice ). It will take a few trials to work out what the best routine is for you and your dog

Sorry, not much help but... there's a dog just down the road that will run forever if you ever want to borrow her. She does try to drag you the whole way though so you'd build up arm strength too

Doesn't bother me at all as long as they're not standing outside the ring squealing and flailing their arms

I wanted a dog that I could do obedience and agility with. Medium sized. Fun loving and not too serious. After researching I had a few breeds on my list, contacted some breeders and met some of their dogs. In the meantime I saw some puppy photos of a different breed on DOL and fell in love. Got talking to the breeder who turned out to be just brilliant, friendly and open and helpful. So that's how we ended up with our Australian Shepherd (who has turned out to be absolutely the perfect dog for us)

Also one thing that I do is that I reward for recalls every single time (with food). The only time I don't give food rewards for a recall is in a trial and I want my girl to think that I accidentally forgot :p Recalls need to be the best things in the world to the dog.

One of mine is very sensitive to body language and thinks the world is ending if she gets in trouble. I'd probably try upping the rules in the house, possibly even restrict her access to couches etc so she cannot sit as close to you. Or, make her stay on her bed instead and invite her for pats/cuddles on your terms. Just ignore the whining which may get worse before it gets better! I'd get a vet check first just to be sure, though. And I'd possibly go get yourself a checkup by your doctor. Dogs can be very good judges of when something is 'not quite right'. Edit: Sorry, you posted while I was typing My girl doesn't get clingy, she does the opposite - goes and hides!

And mine have? Because they mix with strange dogs? They get traumatised? My previous dog got traumatised walking up her own driveway. There was no controlling that interaction. Recently a dog tried to traumatise the boys when they were walking on leash with me down the street. There was no controlling that interaction, either. I have to agree, my dogs have been more traumatised by random interactions such as aggressive off leash dogs on our walks or even at obedience trials. When with either known or unknown dogs I intervene VERY quickly if something is not right. The other day I was practicing some agility at the local oval. An owner arrived with his two dogs and we let them have a play. His younger dog was a bit timid and would play bow at my girl but run away and squeal if she tried to chase him or paw him. So she started throwing herself on the ground in front of him and rolling around on her back - he loved this and they had a good play. After a while they were happily playing chasies. The only way she has been able to develop this 'skill' is to regularly meet and play with different dogs. Sure, it may not be a skill some people are interested but I like it. She makes friends wherever she goes. If she gets told off in the process she accepts it and adapts her body language appropriately. I am more careful with my older dog because of his personality but he still regularly gets to interact with both known and unknown dogs.

I don't really care about marking, I just make sure he doesn't do it on letterboxes or other items placed in front yards

Have you tried big cardboard boxes? They can rip them into a zillion tiny pieces and neither of mine seem to feel the need to eat the pieces. Mine also love tough plastic bottles like large juice bottles. I put food in them and screw the lid on tight. I think they like it because it makes a lot of noise You just have to be careful if they puncture them though as they can get pretty sharp. The juice bottles seem pretty hardy.

Yes, my dogs both regularly get to play and interact with other dogs (and each other). They love it. I do obedience and agility with one of my dogs and have not yet experienced any issues, she is fully focused on me.

Is he only lagging on the outside bend or the whole way around? At the start I encouraged her to be fast around the outside bends by a blend of luring, exaggerated body language, moving faster, making noises like a high pitched "quick, quick, quick!" and throwing food forwards. Then I would C&T when she was in the right position and gradually faded all that over time. Also make sure your shoulders are facing the right way and you are not dropping them to look at him when he is lagging

Agreed Vickie - loved the drive and focus of these dogs!

A lot of people are saying that a good dog doesn't come in a bad colour... what about mismarks?

IMO exercise is not the be all and end all. Some dogs will still go and go and go no matter how much exercise they get. We don't have outdoor furniture. I can guarantee it wouldn't last long if we did We fence off things that can be chewed and we don't want chewed, and just ignore the rest. We've fenced off the hot water system and its associated insulation, plus the area where the hose lives. In our house when we leave I throw a cup of kibble all over the yard - she loves searching for it and it keeps her entertained for quite a while. Both dogs get a frozen Kong. The troublemaker gets an activity toy rotated each day so a Buster Cube, Squirrel Dude or something similar. I also often raid the recycle bin to redirect towards cardboard or plastic bottles - be warned though, this can encourage the destruction If my girl is inside with me she is an angel. She's happy to sleep and has never actually destroyed something in the house that is not her own toy. So maybe more inside time would help? Yes the hair is a pain but I deal with it She is nearly 20 months old now and she is getting better but I suspect she will always be a chewer, just like my other dog will always be a digger. Edit: Just saw your other thread, I see everything I said has already been covered, so ignore me :p

Thanks Nekhbet. I've found all those links on previous searches but haven't been able to find actual scientific evidence yet!

Have PM'd you Lots (most?) of the major brands list it as an ingredient.

Just thought I'd update this. I changed my dog's food to one without rosemary and she hasn't yet had any more episodes or causes for concern. Of course we can't be sure what caused it in the first place, but who knows.

I love love love that part of Australia so we might make the trek from Canberra for Rally O at least!

Thanks Ptolomy, I am sitting somewhere between the 'doing it for fun' and 'doing it to compete' mentality. I think I would like to be competitive (and we currently are) but am finding it hard enough to squeeze in 5 minutes of training a day at the moment so not feeling terribly motivated. Thankfully she doesn't break her stays (touch wood) so I guess I am starting out a bit ahead there if I try fix the fidgeting @ willy licking. My other dog seems to get a case of the itchy doodle every time we have guests over. Bonus points if the visitors are a bit thingy about having the dogs inside the house.

I started a thread a while back about her fidgeting but most people seemed to tell me not to worry! I'll have a think about what I should do. Does training them to watch you affect out of sight stays?

I wanted a blue merle Aussie and ended up with a mismarked black tricolour (her genetic colour is still under debate but she LOOKS like a black tri). Blue merles are still my favourite, and I have favourite markings too. I wouldn't turn down the perfect pup for me because of its colour but I would like to at least have some say in my preferences. If I'm happy with the health of one pup from a litter, I'm generally going to be happy with the others as well. And if there are similar temperaments why shouldn't it come down to colour preferences? I also prefer to get the opposite sex to my current dog which I think is valid.

Neither of mine are natural retrievers. I shaped a formal retrieve with my girl and she doesn't particularly enjoy that, so I am pretty sure she'll never really enjoy a game of fetch ;) The thing that has helped us most is letting her run with other dogs that DO fetch. She loves having a 'treasure' that the other dogs don't so will actually make the effort to go get the item and bring it back (as long as another dog is hot on her heels). And at least that way she gets exercise and she doesn't even have to bring it back if she doesn't want to (someone else's dog will). I have one of the Kong Donut Squeaker toys and from my experience most dogs go nutty over them, especially herding breeds as they continue rolling when they land. Ava will bring it back once or twice (after learning from other dogs) then gets bored.

You obviously don't live in my area, lots of dedicated souls and their dogs out walking every morning :D I've come across other dog walkers in sleet before! One of mine LOVES the rain and puddles and the other doesn't mind it if we're going for a walk.

And after rereading your question Wuffles, Can you please tell us what Ava does in the insight stays? Have you taught her to be calm in stays? Does she paddle her feet, ect? Why do you think that she is a sticky beak and what have you done to ease her from being clingy to you? It is only when you have a solid in sight stay that you should even try to walk around a tree or an obstacle (cars and people are good) to be out of her sight for a second. Remember to break it down into small baby steps that she can be successful every time. And when she is comfortable with a second, then progress to a longer time. Hope that this makes sense Remember the three D's (Duration, Distraction and Distance) She has a very solid in sight stay but she watches EVERYTHING and seems slightly on edge. She keeps her feet still in the sit stay but will crane her neck. In the down stay she tends to switch from one hip to the other at least once. She hasn't lost any points over it in trials (yet). If there is a dog doing retrieves in the next ring, she will watch it (even if it is behind her). If there is a bird walking along the ground, she will watch it. If one of the other dogs breaks its stay, she will watch it (but keep her own position). If I make eye contact with her she stares at me as though I am going to ask her to do something - yes I do have consistent body language for stays - I try to look just over her head I try to only go back and reward her when she is calm but I don't think she understands that yet! I have started going behind trees for a few seconds and she has no problems with that. It's possible that it's me with more clingyness issues than her Thanks for the advice everyone