Livertreats

It is a requirement for all Flat Coated Retrievers parents to have hip, elbows and eye's tested before any off springs can be registered, been that way for a few years now. I to have had dogs from Joy, my first one I was very lucky with but my second one I could not say the same about. Yes the first one, I did see the parents and his litter mates and the sire - well hopefully it was. However my second dog 3 days after I picked her up she was very sick and I took her to my vets to be told she had Parvo, not been anywhere else and my other dogs were vaccinated, only one place it could have come from. Told by my vets she was the youngest, sickest dog he had known to survive, however that was the first of many of her problems. I was reimbursed $250 which no where near covered the cost of her medical expenses. However to say we thought she was not going to make her 1st birthday in November she will be having her 12th birthday. My first FCR lived to just over 12 years. I loved them both so much but it does break your heart to see them suffering from bad breeding practices. Once a very respected kennel. You really cant call a very large registered kennel a backyard breeder, just a bad breeder. Over the years I have had many people contact me regarding the breed, told them my long story, some took heed and didn't go there for a puppy others did and yes have been told many very sad stories. So do I feel sorry for this elderly lady now, no I don't. Hopefully she wont be able to sell another puppy and go out of business.

Thank you Ptolomy, I was very pleased with Rebel, great work on the first run a double mark, short one to our left and long one over the river to our right, short one the memory bird and remember it very well. Run2, mark double rise, he did a good job on the mark but I was a little late responding when he went over the opposite side of the river and got stuck in the area of a mark from Sunday, so rather than do too much nagging asked if I could call him in which I did. Judge actually said at presentations that he was a bit disappointed with all the work on the double rise, but some still managed it. Judge also let us that were out do run3 a blind and a walk up mark (not done a walk up mark since the first trial last year ) but he did a nice sit to shot and retrieved his mark, however like all the dogs when going for the mark which was up on a high bank followed the path away to the left on it, but I did get him back and got a beautiful sit to the whistle so that the path to the blind was off his left shoulder, gave him and over and did it beautifully and just before he got to the path again, told him "find" so he knew there was something close, got his nose working and realised it was up and started his climb, so I encouraged with a couple more good boys. So while not everything went to plan he sure put in some very nice work, so very pleased.:D Strauss and Nina were very good with the gun doing off close by, and the water retrieves were terrific, a couple of stars in the making I think. :laugh:

Yes we would have lost points, probably 1 every time, but not sure, lot depends on the judge.

I think so RubyStar as their vetting time is 7.45-8.00 so guessing if everyone is there they will get started.

It is usually held at Brookleigh, and I would imagine that is still the go even with only Nov & Rest being run. I will check with Catherine. The ANZAC day Novice and Restricted is being held at a different sight, new to some of us, here are the directions we got, its at Upper Swan Turn off Gt Northern Hwy into Nolan Ave - almost opposite Brookleigh entrance. Turn left nto Noack Ave. At bottom of the road follow the fence line across the paddock. There will be signs at this point.

WOW for Strauss he did extremely well today. All different terrain today, little gully to get over, bit longer cover but not put off by any of it. First run I thought he might have been put off line by the gully, but no nice straight line, little to the right, maybe a metre past but was quick to bring himself back and hunted (a first) as it had landed in some taller grass but used his nose and found his dummy. 2nd run he just nailed it, leaped over the little gully going and came down into it on the way back. Entry to the water was not easy, especially as he has never had to go in reeds to get to the water before (or anything else for that matter), nice swim there and back. 2nd water run he choose to go in the water a different way with very thick reeds, a longer retriever with a nice powerful swim there and back and through the thick stuff to get back to me. Just more work on the delivery from water, but going extremely well. Getting much more confident with the swimming as well. Good boy Strauss, I sure am enjoying playing with my little borrowed red dog. He is coming along very well for the limited amount of training he has had. Rebel said it was ok when I got home, as he could smell his presant I had for him in the bag, and yep had bit of training with his bird.:laugh:

I went along too, decided at the last minute to take Naughty Nina and being a newbie we were put in the "I don't know anything class" At the end of the session she was retrieving bumpers 40m away sitting in front and delivering to hand . Livertreats is also doing a fantastic job with Strauss, who also had his first go outside of our normal training venue. Need to do some more water work with him, but its so nice watching your dog happily work for somebody else and not bother about where you are or what you are doing. Thanks Livertreats We both enjoyed our morning and he is such a nice easy boy, put in some nice work to say we were somewhere completely different and his Mum no where in sight. Also different sort of terrain with bushes to go around and like all the other it was like hitting a brick wall, but helped him get his dummy but did a fabulous job on the second run. Just a case of getting into different areas so hopefully now the weather is cooling off it stays cool. We even practiced our (your Ptolomy) heelwork and a recall which were fabulous. When I got home it was like being run over by two Dyson vac's. I think my back has recovered form all the bending down that I am not use to. Thank you Ptolomy for letting me play with your special red boy.

A question for listers who are interested in RATG and also obedience. If a RATG and a obedience/Rally trial were being held on the same day but at different locations, which would you be more interested in doing.

Where is Fetchindawgs, she has some exciting news to share.

Congratulations, well done and I am sure the other 2 will not be far behind Diamond. Good Luck in SA, will be waiting to hear how you got on.

Was Ian the judge?? Iain's first judging appointment is next Sunday. And yes we did have a good chuckle at Ruby making up her mind which was the best spot to get in the water.

Here I am Ptolomy. As you may have guessed we had a wonderful morning at our first Novice trial of the season, run by the Labrador Club. I was very pleased with Rebel's 3 runs, well except for the pee's but did great line out to the birds and judge the distance very well. I am very proud to say he placed 1st and that was his 3rd win for his NRD title. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would have managed our novice title in a season and a half. Then we were entered in restricted, to say I was nervous would be an understatement. Frist run a mark double rise, and when it came to replacing the shot my hands were shaking so much I took what seamed like forever to get it in the gun.:laugh: Not sure why but Rebel was very distracted even though I had him lined up well for the double rise, and went off in the wrong direction as I dont think he really saw the mark, however he did managed to find his first bird, but he must have just about gone to Albany and back on the double rise. Ended up calling him in and I was about to go find him when he came around the bushes with the bird, given to him by the person on the thrower. Need heaps more practice on our control, ok on the oval with dummies but whole different story when it involves birds, he has a one track mind and thats to get the birds and not come back without one. We were not the only ones to not finish the first run, 8 entered and 1 finished and that dog ended up completing the trial. Off to train some more on control work this week.

Rule 72. No thermal vest shall be worn and nothing whatever may be administered to a dog while it is in the hands of the Judge. So I would assume no vest of any sort would be allowed in a trial?

Are they allowed to wear protective clothing in a trial?

Something easy to do is rub (not hard ) the teeth with a dry facewasher or towel, it will remove plaque.

Maybe would have been better to actually go into the office, bit hard not to give you some sort of reply when your standing there.

I would imagine so, if its the same as retrieving once you take the lead off you are being judged and every time you talk to your dog you loose points.

no sorry Candice not aim at you, or is it aimed at everyone involved the the performance sports, but have heard the complains for a few years about the prizes and that was from some of the performance sports people. If we dont like them why not do something about it is what I am saying. And good on you bedazzledz2 for putting your hand up, I am stewarding on Thursday night, if we all did a bit, then it is not left up to the same people, share it around is all I am saying.

I agree the lady has done a fabulous job at getting all the prizes, and yes her being a showing person I can imagine her first priority is showing, however she has not forgotten the other dog sports and has organised prizes for them as well, not easy when 100+ are needed for just the agility/jumping. I have been involved in all aspects, but I get a little tired of hearing complaints from the non showing side of things. If people dont like what they are given, then why not get off their backsides and help? Western Classic committee are always looking for people to help, isnt it about time people started putting back a little into the sport they love and not only for the Western Classic either, some of the clubs struggle but how often do you see people give up doing things with their dogs to help out, not very often, always left to the same willing helpers. I have been on the WC committee and dont tell me that Dogs West make heaps of money from the agility etc, they dont. So why not put your hands up and start working NOW on making 2013 Western Classic a wonderful event.

WooHoo Congratulations, Scoota looked very happy in the ring. Well done.

Leema, the rules state that "The dog must positively indicate the articles by either sitting, standing, downing, picking up or at least pausing to the satisfaction of the judge to obtain a pas"s". Is a pause not stopping? I think you will find each state slightly different, as one persons understanding of the rules to another person are usually different. One of my dogs also does retrieving and he know for tracking its nose down and retrieving he can air scent or nose down, which ever find the bird the quickest. :laugh: My first dog that I got to TCH really has his nose right down sometimes I wondered how comes his nose was not full of dirt etc. My second dog her head low but not as low as my first one and the one doing retrieving is about half way and has always tracked like that, I did tracking first before retrieving and for his first four test 4/4. Also now a TCH. All dogs are different.

For ANKC the dogs are required to have their noses down, dogs are not allowed to air scent, so I think you would find most judges do expect as the nose is down the head would lower than shoulders. As someone already stated there is no time requirement, but the dog must be deemed to be working, can be laying down resting. Most judges make allowances when it is warm for you to give your dog a drink and a short rest. Must have permission of the judge to take water with you. With most of our judges we show them the container of water and ask at the start and they allow you to give your dog a drink when you think its needed without asking again, however, we have one judge you must ask each time you want to give your dog a drink. A couple of years ago they changed the rules regarding articles, some dogs just gave a flick of the head and kept going and the handle would stop and pick up the article, if the judge was not watching very closely it was hard to know if the dog actually indicated it or not, so now the dog must STOP at the article, it can sit, stand or down at the article. Mine all stop and pick up the article and wait until I catch them up and take it from them. Always a very good idea once you have taken it from your dog to raise your hand with the article. In WA I would say 99% of the time in a trial the dog always finds a person at the end, if not then it must be a larger article that what is normally found on the track (socks) so usually a t/shirt. Articles on the track need to be a dark colour, no white or very light colour items. There are several method of teaching your dog to track, food drops, scent in a bottle (SIAB), motivational ( they start by seeing the person go off), to name a few, so use a method that both you and your dog are comfortable with, but always encourage the nose down. With all the methods you gradually phase out what you started with once the dog is confident and working well. sorry dont have much idea what happens at Schutzhund. Tracking sure is great fun sure you and your dogs will love it Kavik.

Very special, magical treats.

They can use birds as well dont forget, all done with a thrower and one may be a water retrieve.

Your most welcome Ptolomy, Beans was fabulous for her first go, amazing isnt it with the right motivation - good tracklayer armed with her treats and a toy, Now you can understand why I love it so much. Thanks for the training as well, we enjoyed it. Anyone attending the workshop must book in with Lesley first.