RubyStar

That's the way it's looking for me, MG.

Great news, MG! Still waiting for my cheque for Ruby's allergy testing, and still need to submit my claim for her desensitization jabs. At this rate, its looking like the claim will be rejected and I won't be able to claim for the jabs Taking donations!

Good work emery, I have 2 kiddies for you to bike next if you're keen :D After such a long absence from training due to study commitments, it was sooooooooooooo good to be back out last night and just enjoying the dogs and not worry about study. Had a ball with Pippa in puppy agility class, then got my 2 out for some retrieving with RallyValley. Now I just need to find time to do some obedience training Monday night training doesn't happen often for me anymore due to classes being on Tuesday and the prep I have to do If my mum asks any of you if you've seen Pippa, don't tell her I dognapped her She's too much fun :D I might sway to the dark side myself one day

Sorry to hear that, CC

Sorry to hear that, RosieFT Is she still limping a bit? How is she? I probably should have put Millie back in classes, but eh, I'll just focus on her on Thursday nights when I can make it out to training, and give Pippa a chance to come up through the classes. Probably won't do much agility with Ruby anymore. Shame cos she could probably get her ADX. Masters is another story and I'm not that worried about it. Might just put her in the occasional trial, but I'm not overly concerned. Something tells me she enjoys this retrieving thing, though Which is lovely to see!

Noice! The site is a vast improvement! Though I can't understand why they still haven't got the transfer to associate gundog register form online yet! I've decided that I don't tend to study on Tuesday nights after being at Uni on a Tuesday so may as well do some training. I've re-enrolled Pippa into the Puppy 2 classes at ACWA :) I see RallyValley's name is on the list for that class, so hopefully see you there!

Congrats, mirawee!!!! Agility sucked for me today. Guess that's to be expected when you never train The only time my girls run faster than me in agility, is when I say "jackpot" at the end....

Gosh great brags there, Lablover!!!!!!!!!

Thanks everyone, it means so much :) I want to thank bedazzledx2 for this photo. While it shows my girl about to break, this photo warms my heart and makes me smile because my girl, the one sometimes really hard to motivate, was so eager!! :D She had stood up in a ready to pounce stance (as seen in the photo), paused for a moment, before she took off before I commanded her to Steady until she got a taste of success in the previous two runs! Now I know to use a sturdy "wait" command, instead of the soft one I normally issue her because breaking is usually the least of our issues :)

On my way to pick Ruby up from the vet today I saw a man driving a 4WD with 4 dogs in the car.... 2 in the back seat, 1 in the front passenger seat, and 1 on his lap Crazy, and not to mention illegal?? And just a side note, I am totally in love with my macbook and iphone. I am updating my calendar on my laptop for when trial entries close (because I seem to miss a lot of them ) and seconds later, the reminder appears on my phone, too I know it isn't a new thing, but it's the first time I've really noticed it happen. And vice versa, updated an entry on the phone and voila! Entry on my laptop calendar :D OK, back to studying....

So field trials for retriever breeds? I don't know much (ok, anything) about them, so these are field trials that retrieving and spaniel breeds can do, different to the utility gundogs field trials? Where is it being held? If more info is posted publically about it, the turnout should hopefully be better!

My body is going to love the fact that tomorrow is Friday and it can finally get a sleep in. It isn't too happy about all the early mornings! Can't sleep in too long though, much to do, but at least I can rise when it's light as opposed to still dark!!

How are the new little red babies? Today feels like Monday :laugh: But so great to realise it's in fact Thursday!!

Been a long time since I've had a brag! Today's brag is courtesy of Ruby and her finishing her first novice retrieving trial, successfully finding all 3 birdies and scoring us 2nd place! Yippeeeee!!!! :D

Thanks, guys :D I'm certainly on cloud 9!!! I so wish I had them on video, who knows when it will happen again

What a long day! I'm thrilled to bits with Ruby. The first run was on some flat ground with some shrubs/trees that the dogs had to go through, before reaching the bird that landed in a clear patch on the other side. Couldn't see where it fell from where we stood, but nice sight of it in the air. Ruby nailed this one. I was actually in disbelief when I saw something dark in her mouth and thought no it couldn't be, that was too quick! But nope, it was the birdie, which she ran off to show off to the thrower before heading back. Turns out we top scored on this run! Second run was again on flat ground but this time a clear path, but it landed on the other side of some bushes. I am not sure Ruby really saw this one, as she took off in the opposite direction, but hunted it out and finally made her way over to where it was and found it. We had to go from run to run at this trial instead of all competitors finishing and then heading to the next run together, so I had no time to toilet her properly (she will do a #2 at a certain time of the morning, but refused to go before we started the trial), so on her way back with this bird, she stopped for a poo, bird still in mouth :laugh: The third run was a water run. At this point I would like to eat my previous words about my obedience dog being steady Turns out once you've discovered how truly awesome it is to be able to find 2 birdies on your own in a trial atmosphere, the excitement levels go through the roof and we just couldn't contain ourselves on the last one, having a partial break The bird landed on the bank downstream, but Ruby's had rolled down and into the water. I didn't think she'd get this one as it appeared a bit harder, but she surprised me and hunted it out where it had initially landed until she found it in the water and swam back. I was certain she had just picked up a bit of rubbish in the water and not the bird, but thankfully it was the bird! I'm thrilled to say that today, Ruby not only finished her first trial, but she also scored her first pretty retrieving sash! We walked away with 2nd place Lots of happy tears were shed today :D

Cute!!! I have a feeling she was only kidding

Sitting here waiting for the third run of restricted waiting to gun steward so thought I'd pop in briefly with my news!!! Ruby got ALL THREE BIRDIES in the novice stake - WOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!! :happydance2: I've had some happy tears already. I'm so over the moon!!!! :D :D

This sounds great. Shame I'm not in Sydney! Have fun guys, you lucky things!

Thanks, fetchindawgs :) I got a frozen pigeon out last night and worked on some holds. Stationary, and while heeling next to me holding the bird. The backyard needs a mow and half the yard is in darkness, so I put the pigeon out to get her to sniff it out which she enjoyed (she loves find it games). Not ideal, but it's a start until I can get out to practice in proper cover and get her to hunt it out with her nose if she loses sight of where it landed.

It might be best to socialise her with some known dogs that are friendly. I wouldn't want to put a pup (or dog) in with a bunch of dogs I don't know, especially when I can't be there to supervise personally. What breed is your dog? We have DOL meets here in Perth with some friendly dogs so perhaps you could come along to some of those for socialisation? :)

Congrats Ptolomy, Cider and Strauss on the arrival of 3 beautiful babies! They are devine :love:

But only 5 finishes needed for her QND! You guys will get that in no time Ruby, however.... Congrats wuffles!!

Yes, if you could call it that We just call it "paid training" :p I like to call it a "donation to the club" :laugh: I'm still recovering from "the rabbit incident" :D I like to call it a nice day in the country :D A tiring day in the country! I was placing blinds on the last restricted run and struggled not to nod off as I lay on the hill under a tree

Oooh donation to the club, I like that one, too Next on the training list is, well, everything. So many areas to work on. The only thing this obedience dog has going for her is she is steady Distance and more cover and major priorities. Biggest priority however is more work with birds. While she didn't munch the one she found on her own last week, she took her frustration/excitement/whatever out on the birds I gave her help with yesterday and they went "crunch" She has a soft mouth with everything else, carries soft toys around like they are precious children, but birdies are a different story. She's doing some nice lines to the fall, except for one run yesterday where she majorly cheated the water (as did a few other dogs!) but the other two runs that had a bit of water to cross she did nice lines to. The first she just didn't hunt up the hill far enough, kept looking at the river bank, then decided to swim back the long way to me The other run was meant to include a swim and she took a nice line to it, it was just on the hill outside the water. She was heading towards it when she saw a black log sticking out of the water and thought that was it. Went to grab it with her mouth, realised it was a log, it threw her right off and off she kept swimming Had to call her back or she might have ended up in the ocean Judge was so lovely, let me take her closer to the bird and send her again. Sent her for this one on the opposite side of the bank it landed on, and I gave her some direction, sent her, and she took a lovely line to it, so pleased with that! So it looks like some of my direction work is slowly making progress with her I'm too scared to "test" any directional commands out in the field at the present time, which makes me look really silly as I just stand there like a twat when she's way off. Which of course shows we aren't ready to be trialling if I don't know how she will respond to directions out there, but as I said, paid training rounds to help her experience more cover and distance. Lots to work on so I can bring it altogether in a trial :) We're having fun, though, which is the main thing!