RubyStar

Well that's exactly right! There's no ignoring nature Plus side, if you can count it as one after losing 10 points in one hit like that, is she did it at after the first turn in the heelwork, so after she relieved herself, she pulled off some nice heelwork! You'd be feeling more like heeling with that load off, right?

If by fouling you mean #1's or #2's, yup, cost us first place that one ;) :D ;) "poo bag in ring 1, please!" :D

I'd love to see this photo

I compete for a feeling of accomplishment, knowing I am capable of working towards something and achieving a goal. I don't compete to win against other people, though that is always nice! My main goal for when I'm in the ring is to do better in one (or more) exercise than the last time we trialled. That is how I measure our success. Scores don't mean everything to me - that is the judges opinion of how they thought we did, and in my very limited experience in obedience trialling, each judge has their own take on how well you do and mark differently. I am the only one who can assess if we improved or went backwards since the last trial as I'm the only one who is there each time, and if I feel we improved somewhere, then I'm a happy camper!

Having had Ruby before Millie has made training Millie seem like a breeze! Ruby learns quicker than Millie, but Millie has the "want-to" that Ruby lacks. True, very true!! But it would be fun to get there in the end with the first dog, it would be very rewarding, and just aim to get there quicker and in more style with each subsequent dog we train! :D I wish I had a dog who knew how to train us, but she's as clueless as I am! Low level desire at times sums up my yellow Lab Her tail wags when we train and she has her "happy face" on, and if I'm working Millie, she whines impatiently waiting for her turn, so I know I'm not asking her to do something she hates. If I was, I would probably just let it be. But I just need to find a way to get her as motivated for work without treats as she is when treats are on hand!

Wow, good on you for not letting them stop you for going after what you wanted! Congrats I've seem some of your video of Gaby and she is fantastic, so it sounds like you've come a LONG way and have so much to show for it! Ruby's least favourite exercise is the heelwork. I reckon she'd enjoy trialling so much more if she could give the heeling a miss! She has so far enjoyed the other exercises I've taught her. But in general, she lacks motivation to work on anything, even fun tricks! I think I'm going to have to organise another lesson. And if I could find a training buddy, I'd be bugging them to train with me already! But sadly, I can't find anyone Well you know the spare room is there, so if you ever decide to bite the bullet and just move over, you're training with me!! :D

Thankyou for the replies, everyone! It was very interesting to read all your stories, and make me feel like my errors are expected! Huge congrats to those of you who got where they wanted with their first obedience dog, and subsequent of course! But there's always something special about that first dog though, at least for me... I guess that's why I get so disheartened when things don't go according to plan with Ruby. But I'm not a quitter, I won't give up. I'm just dividing my time now between the two of them

As much as I would love to go much further in obedience with Ruby, I don't think we'll get much further. She's my first dog I've trained for obedience trialling (well, trained full stop!) so I have done many things wrong that have caused problems for me now for trialling. I just didn't know what I was training to be honest! I would see something, not fully understand the criteria, and set about trying to teach it (all of this pre-DOL days for me!) With Millie, I've taken a different approach after having learnt from my mistakes with Ruby and learning from some great people on here, and even though I still am struggling to sort out certain trialling issues with her too so we can be ready for the ring one day, we've come much further in a shorter time than I did with Ruby. So this shows me that with each dog I own, I will be able to take with me lessons learned and apply them to the next dog, and hope that in however many dogs time, I might have what it takes to make a good go of this obedience trialling thing! I would so love to find that one day I manage to put an Obedience Champion title on Ruby, my first trialling dog, but I am realistic and know that that is a distant dream! (if you knew Ruby, and well, me too, you'd understand why!) So I will have to settle on just aiming towards it for "a" dog in my lifetime (if I don't give up before hand - there's only so much trying and trying I can do before giving in to failure). So that brings me to my actual questions! - Has anyone gotten an Obedience Champion title with their first ever obedience dog? How long did it take you to get there? - If not Ob Ch, how far did you get in obedience trialling with your first ever obedience dog? How long did it take you to get there? - Are you still competing with your first trialling dog? - Did you ever get so disheartened with training and felt like you were going nowhere, that you gave up for a while (or permanently)? I'd be really interested to hear people's views and stories on this topic

I've seen this happen too and one in particular did it to the extreme as well as giving double signals, and they not only qualified but came first! What kind of message is that sending out to those watching from the sidelines looking to start competing themselves? They'll go in there thinking they can do that and get a rude shock when they enter under a judge who won't let that fly... Cleo, here's a tip you might already know but thought it might be useful just in case (as I was caught out myself in my first trial!) You can't handle the dog by the collar in between exercises. ie. to get them into position. I sat my girl up straighter around her neck while getting ready for the sit stays and got pinged for it! I should have known but it's just one of those things I didn't... I had concentrated more on what was allowed during the ringwork, not the stays :D And as luvsdogs has already said, leave your dog when you're told to and go with the group. Oh and if you're not ready when the judge asks if you are, say so!

I could be wrong but I got the impression that that was what Nekhbet was also suggesting?

Congrats smisch and LP!

Thankyou 4 Paws, I might try that then! Nothing like using something that someone has actually had some success with!

No idea what is causing it. She had it when she came to me last year. Vet has said it is nothing to worry about, but will be asking them to check it again in a few weeks when we're due back at the vet. A lot of researching on DOL last night revealed a lot of vets have said the same thing to others as well, and a fair few people haven't found a cure, just a relief aid for it such as vaseline, papaw and vit E. I might ask the vet to do some tests on it though. Vaseline works, even though most gets licked off Distracting with a treat directly after application and getting her to do a few tricks while holding the treat as a distractor lets it sink in for that little bit longer

Thankyou Perhaps I will just try the Papaw for now and see how that goes, as it's cheaper than the capsules and it sounds like it may do the trick! I use vaseline currently and it does make it look better if I keep up the application, but it isn't curing it If that doesn't work, I will then try the Vit E caps, and distract her with some nice treats right after application

I'm looking to buy some Vitamin E capsules to pierce and rub into Millie's nose as it's very dry (one of the things I thought I'd try after searching DOL for a few hours tonight) - but my question is, do I get 1000IU or 500IU? What is the difference and which is better suited for what I want to use it for? I'm thinking of using a combination of the Vitamin E caps and Lucas' Papaw Ointment to help relieve it, does anyone see any issues with me using both? (ie. papaw in the morning, Vit E at night). Thanks!

Not as good today only 75 and I cant blame my very special girl, it was all my fault. I was a bit nervous and a little off as you would have read in teh Lab thread. I tried not to worry but never mind we will see what comes in the morning

Congrats for today's results too!! And yes, where are these videos we are being taunted with?!

Congrats newfsie and mercedes! What was your score today, m?

Yup well you've given me more inspiration to work harder with my 2 rascals and have worked out if I can have a turkey neck sitting in a dinner bowl right outside the ring, then I'll get awesome heeling from Ruby Awesome! Hope the news is shared here soon!

Congrats again mercedes on your first CCD pass And luvsablue, way to go with the UDX title!! Impressive!

Hmmm maybe you can't lure them.. maybe we need to shape them to come to SA... via NSW

Big fat DITTO!! Couldn't have put it better myself. Before I knew you, Sandi, I remember seeing you work your beautiful dogs after my training class and being in complete awe. I would sit in my car about to leave training and just had to watch for a few more minutes I don't think I'll EVER get there, but you are my inspiration! WELL DONE!!!!!

Couldn't have gone to a better trainer!!! Congrats!!!!!!!!! Definitely would love to see this on video

Holy cow Ptolomy!!! WAY TO GO!!!!! Massive congratulations!! Pleeeeeeeeease tell me someone captured this on video, I wanna see this!!

Great vid, caffy, and love the bit of pipe in front, too! He's very handsome to boot!