RubyStar

What kind of puppy?

I haven't had to yet, but I won't trial (obedience) in strong rain. A light shower, yes, but if the rain is heavy enough to cause a bit of grief, I won't trial in it. My dogs hate the rain so I don't want them to associate the feelings they have towards rain to trialling! Not sure if that sounds like a load of pooh but that's the way I see it ;)

I treck out 95% of the time regardless of the weather, and find that if it starts raining while we're out on the grounds, most of the class go running for shelter! When it comes to obedience training I think a little bit of rain while training is a good thing! But if it's pouring down quite hard I will get out of it, Ruby looks up at me squinting in the mildest of rain so I don't think it's fair on her to have hard rain gushing in her eyes - I'm already having enough trouble getting her to maintain her focus on me without ruining it with rain! I have defect Labs in that they aren't too keen on the rain

I've come from using Advance for 2 years to trying Supercoat - waaay too many poos, and they were larger than normal and sloppier. Now I'm trying Bonnie Complete, haven't come to a conclusion for myself yet about that one, but after reading AnnaW's comments on Bonnie Working Dog, I might try that next. I prefer to use Advance, but having 2 dogs now means more strain on the purse so happy to try out the cheaper brands for myself to see if there is a noticeable difference for my 2!

I think I'd prefer a dog that shows me up in style! When Ruby doesn't want to work and that's usually at trials cos she can't be rewarded, she just looks bored as anything and I get embarrassed cos it looks like I have a dog who knows jack about obedience! But when we train, she's a psycho little devil and that embarrasses me a LOT! :p Aww thanks ozjen, very kind, but I'm thinking not! Would be a dream, though!! Don't say that! I am thinking about an Aussie for dog #3 in many, many years to come Jenna is a great little worker, and loving her trick repertoire! Have you entered anymore obedience trials lately?

Oh that's really nice! If they had that option in WA I would have used it (at least I didn't see the option!) because only last night, I emailed Ruby's breeder to let her know our CCD title was printed in the latest Canine News and she replied all happy for us and saying she will be boasting to all her friends and puppy buyers that one of her breeding is excelling in another field! Though I wouldn't call it excelling, I'd more call is scraping through by the skin of our teeth with not much of a bright future of getting much further

That pose sounds cute, someone get photos for us!!!

Sure. Cos our SFE's pretty much suck so you're definitely welcome to ours I honestly don't know how we bluffed our way through 3 passes with the quality of ours

Then Ruby doesn't belong in WA if WA dogs are meant to be good I guess she'll have to do, though! Millie is a NSW/ACT dog, but the jury is still out on that one whether she will do WA proud or not I'm hoping to have my girls ready (Ruby for Novice, Millie for CCD) by October, but I haven't trained properly in months. So it's looking doubtful. I don't want to push them, either.

Sounds like you're the one with the excuses now, ness

So I expect to see you here, then eh? What about the State obedience trials, though? Anyone shed any light on this for me please?

Definitely give it a go!! I'm a complete newbie with a newbie dog, scared absolutely sh*tless everytime I step into the ring as I have a dog who is unpredictable with her efforts, but I keep going back Sucker for punishment perhaps, but it's fun!

Is the State and Nationals open for anybody to enter, or are they invite only for the best of the best?

Yep, me! Oh, I'm already here. Well, I hope to be ready for it in that case.... You know you wanna come

Didn't mean to offend! But this dog is CONSTANT. Sounds like you're making progress! I reckon my Millie is gonna be a barker!!! She hates when I'm not in sight! So I will probably not progress far with her if I ever get to Open if that's the case cos I wouldn't have a clue how to fix it

Way to go Kenzie!! Did you get video of today, ness? If you didn't I'll be very surprised

Congrats superminty on the CDX and the ET's!!!!!

Oh I feel for you! I agree, there are some people who really don't think of others at trials. I try to be mindful but as I'm also a newbie, I would hope that if I did something I shouldn't that I wasn't aware of that someone would whisper in my ear so I don't make the same mistake in the future! I've been outside the ring during stays and remember being frozen still as I don't want to distract the dogs I've had people run their dogs up and down the edge of the ring while I've been in the CCD ring and it was distracting for Ruby. Yep, I know I need to proof for more distractions, but I still think it's very inconsiderate to do so. And the 2 judgs I've had also thought so, as they both told the offending people to move off in a not so nice way as the judges must realise CCD dogs in general aren't going to be as proofed and focused as the higher class dogs. One person ran with their dog right next to the ring when we were sitting on our final pass needed for our title during the recall. As Ruby came towards me, the other dog flew past distracted her to what she was doing and she ended up coming back to me in a very crooked front, almost at heel! Lucky the judge didn't fail us cos she said the major part of the exercise wad complied with, the actual coming to me But she did tell that person off for being inconsiderate next to the ring. Turned out, both times, the offenders were a CCD dog who were in the ring right after me! They didn't cause us to fail but we lost a few points. Another time I've been about 30 secs from entering the ring trying to get Ruby focused on me and ready, when this moron in the ring after me brings his dog right up to mine to ask me if I'm in next I had a dog next to me in the lineup one time who is known to bark and whine in a distressed manner throughout the entire stays. I was dreading the stays. And I know it sounds horrible, but I was glad the dog/handler decided not to stick around for the stays in the end!

Congratulations, TSD and Ziggy on your outstanding CCD passes! You guys would be on cloud 9!! Way to go, you deserve the bubbly!!! Now, when's your first Novice trial?! By the way, have you got any videos of your work and is any up online? I'd LOVE to see you guys working together!!

Thanks! Getting food gradually off me and using jackpot treat pots I will most certainly work harder with from now on! I've tried the jackpot treat pots before and it worked with Millie, but with Ruby, as she had no idea I had treats hidden and saw no payment up front, she didn't work for me at all! But I will do this gradually starting with them on me or on the ground in sight and hopefully she'll get the idea that treats are going to come from different places. Just hope she will work for the possibility, as so far she will only work if she sees her payment up front - which I know is a big no-no Sorry to hijack the thread

Yes, that reason is I am a boring, boring mother... apparently - and she's been spoiled rotten since day 1 :p If I work Millie first while she watches she seems keen for it to be her turn, but only cos she thinks she's missing out on treats She just looooooooves strangers and takes comfort in the fact that I'm there, but if I disappear on her and she notices, she goes into panic mode!

Thanks for the tips, I admit I haven't done a lot of the 2 food game myself, just bits and bobs of it. I will increase this some more and see how we go! Getting your friend to hold Ness wouldn't work for Ruby. She likes strangers more than me So she wouldn't pull to get to me... little cow...

Thankyou I think the key to me bettering our training is gradually getting those treats off me and rewarding from a different source!

Best of luck with Novice NC if you decide to give it another go! I'm too chicken to give it a go yet I am seriously doubting if I'll be back in the ring at all this year!

Yep thanks I'm working on duration heelwork (in big circles, not adding any turns or positions) so she won't look away, using variable reinforcement (different count of steps each time) so will chucking the food and getting her to find heel position again help with maintaining her focus? Cos that's the part I need help with. I've tried hiding food, but unless she sees food before we start working, she gives me the big middle finger. I think that's by biggest grievance, if she doesn't know there's food to earn, she is the dullest dog you've ever seen!!