RubyStar

OK seriously, if she hasn't got a home, she's got one right here! She is puuurdy!! I hope that she goes to a home that will post photo updates of her as she grows!

I can't believe how smitten I am with Misty! Does she have a home, yet?

Gundog working tests are always ?? held in conjunction with the various gundog breed shows/obedience trials etc. They are more alike obedience standards than retriving trials. If you do not gain a reply I could ask for you when I next speak to a WA friend. Let me know. Or if you a member of the WA body, contact them. Thanks, I'll keep an eye/ear out I'd just be keen to watch one for now!

Congrats everyone on your achievements to date Congrats on the RRD title for Rogan, FHRP!!!

Does anyone know if there are any Gundog Working Tests in WA?

Awesome! I wanna try agility with Millie

BUMP for this thread! Was wondering how everyone is going so far with their 2009 wish list? Has anybody got anything they can tick off the list, yet? Come on, share! We can tick the CCD title off our list now for Ruby, got that today Should I be bold and wish for her CD title before the end of the year? We'll see As for Millie, well she is now ball CrAzY, loves playing with anything that squeaks and is picking up a dumbell!! Getting her to hold it though is the doozy

Ta muchly! I will have to ask her as you have me intrigued as to what that is!

Just to completely flood this thread with posts from me tonight I have a question: Our certificate today had a different owner's name on it! I didn't discover it til I was on the way home. It had Ruby's name, my name as the handler, but then someone else's name as the owner! Is this going to cause issues when submitting for her title? Should I contact the club and get it altered?

Thanks You're right, never gonna have the first again! I'm enjoying it as much as I can - I've been on the lounge all arvo/evening buggered as all hell after being in the sun all day, with a headache Ruby is dead to the world, too, she only moved for dinner!

Really? Glad to hear that cos when you can't look at them you really have no idea how the whole thing is going down, even when you're right there! I know she doesn't look at me much in the ring which is all I've been trying to work with her on lately, but did she pay me any attention and look at me? I wish you could have seen the second round for comparison!

Nope First time I haven't been able to get video. I didn't think it was fair to ask my mum to come along for an all day trial just so I could be filmed. I did ask 2 others but their Novice stays were on around the time I went in, oh well! I actually would love to have compared both her heelwork rounds and see the difference that I felt!

I didn't know we were being watched Her heelwork started off nicely, but then I lost her attention at the left about turn and I stumbled on my stupid sore foot as we went round so it went downhill from there! Her heelwork in the arvo was MUCH better than the morning trial, she only went wide in the figure 8 once and didn't miss any positions and stayed with me, yet our score only improved by 3 - goes to show you just how differently judges judge! I'd say her afternoon heeling was one of the best we've had in the ring, which is surprising being 2 trials in a row and man was it getting HOT out there!! Today was the day for recall problems galore, something she's never had a problem with besides a slightly crooked front which I'm always working on but never seeing any improvement. Back to training that one and adding more distractions! How did you go today? How many of your kids were in?

Oooohhhh I get ya now You were referring to the :cool: I have a hard time not being hard on myself in all aspects of life and expect perfection all the time - but rarely ever get it No wonder I always feel like I'm not doing well enough :p

Thanks My first title in anything with my first obedience dog We had one bomb (in the sit stay), followed by a 3rd place, 2nd place, then 1st place today :cool: Even though she got her title and has placed each time, I'm not all that pleased with the scores and stuff so it's back to the drawing board on how to tackle Novice, which I'm not going to rush as it would be nice to actually get some scores to be proud of! We are already entered in another 2 CCD trials so I think we'll just do them anyway! Could use the practice :p Not sure what that means!

Ruby got her final pass in CCD today for her title

Congrats!

I try not to put my 2 cents worth of advice in too often as I'm still wearing my L plates with my L plates dog too, so don't think I'm overly qualified to give advice! But saying that, I have that problem with Ruby where she just jumps in any old position on my left side and thinks its right I had Sue tell me that when she gets into heel and she's not quite there, over exaggerate her error in judgement by stepping away from her with an "uh oh!" and ask her to try again. The reason she said to move away and get her to try again, as opposed to staying put and trying to help her get into the correct position, is the dog will start thinking "it's ok, mum will just help me if I'm wrong" and won't try harder for the right position first time. I've been doing this with Ruby by getting her to only get into position from my left, she isn't allowed to go around behind me to find the position as that is her way of cheating! If I stop her from going that way, she has to work harder to find the position and also move her backend. She know knows if I step away she has to try again, so I'm asking her a bit less to get into position now, she just does it. Not always right though when going directly to the left, she tries every way possible to take shortcuts :cool: I can also say heel now from wherever she is and she comes to my left side, we're just working on getting the position spot on!

How can we get our hands on some birds or wings to have the dogs practice holding and retrieving?

I'd email the suppliers and ask them about it, RS. And I beat you tehehe Nah, I didn't wanna cause a fuss. Instead, I just ordered a plastic one from elsewhere which we're using. I use the wooden on occasion just to keep Ruby used to both textures, but I prefer the plastic cos it's Lab-proof I've seen some wooden dumbells that are made of a much harder wood, if I can find a place that sells these and they are a decent price, I wouldn't mind trying wood again. But I wouldn't get a soft wood one again! If you've got a mouther, it shows pretty easy with the soft wood ones

Snap, huski!

http://www.obedienceproducts.com/index.html sells different sizes, though the wood is pretty soft. A big chunk of mine broke off the bell bit quite easily not too long after I bought it, the dog wasn't even using it at the time Not sure how it happened, I certainly don't treat my things badly. But it might have been a one off

OK I'm officially in love with Misty!! She is beyoooooootiful!!

Is Sue having another thingymabob here? When? Please let me know when if so! A weekend one would be beaut

I don't think my ball crazy Labs are quite ready for i-squeak distraction methods Something to aspire to, though! I was looking forward to the obedience weekend, now I just hope I can make it! Stupid swollen, bruised toes