RubyStar

RATG is over and we had a great time! I managed to draw #1 and #2 in the running order, just my luck Millie ran first, and if that girl could learn some patience and not break with eagerness to retrieve, we would have done quite well :laugh: Very lovely retrieves - marked well, was straight there and back with no nonsense and gorgeous speed, and delivered to hand nicely. But yep, on the first retrieve, she broke and wouldn't listen to me to call her back She was tuned out to everything but picking that dummy up! I can work on that, so considering the rest was lovely, breaking is the least of my worries at the moment. Would rather her keen :) Ruby was second, but they let us go third in the order because it was such a time waster switching dogs, not to mention put me under added pressure. Ruby's first retrieve was good, except on the way back she dropped the dummy to have a smell/eat of something on the ground. It must have been good because quite a few dogs that followed her did the same thing. I encouraged her to pick it up again and told her she was a good girl when she did and came back to deliver nicely. The second run there was a gully between us and the dummy which I thought would put her off. She got to it, went down and up the other side, and then she paused for a bit and I was thinking oh noooo in my head! But she carried on and sniffed it out and brought it back without dropping it on her way back this time! She did however pick an easier route to bring it back, she followed a pathway down the side that led straight to the flags. All I wanted to do what shout GOOD GIIIIIIRL!!!! when my dogs picked the dummies up!! It's so hard leaving them to it and not tell them how good they are. Ruby especially needs this confidence boost. I think when I enter the real thing, I will be giving her good girls anyway. She really needs it, bless her! Anyway, the result in Novice was my Ruby Roo came 1st! :D Sadly the only qualifier in Novice. Such nice work from all the dogs, but small things put them all out (ie. a full break like Miss Moo, not bringing the dummy back after marking it very nicely and picking it straight up, and then there was this unknown distraction to the left of the flags in the second run that saw a lot of dogs go out because they either didn't see the mark due to being distracted, or ran in the direction of the distraction). Well done to fetchindawgs who was the only qualifier in the Open stake with her goldie bitch! And thanks for the donation of the gorgeous leather lead for the novice prize!! :D I thoroughly enjoyed the RATG, and can't wait for the next one!!

It's lovely, CC!!!! See you tomorrow then ST, nice of you to come support all the dogs :) Shame you can't put Ari in! I don't know if we're ready either but we are just going to give it a shot My parents are coming along to watch.

Millie was pretty easy to teach as an adult. She was at least 2 when I got her. She surprises me sometimes where I will try teach something new to both girls and Millie will pick it up quicker :)

Just checked emails and have been given the great news that Millie's associate gundog application has been approved and she's now eligible to compete in the RATG!! :D

Just checked emails and have been given the great news that Millie's associate gundog application has been approved and she's now eligible to compete in the RATG!! I do find it odd though that even after being assessed with photos and deemed a purebred Lab, they still can't/won't put her breed down on catalogues. Her breed is still just recognized as Associate. For obedience and agility entries I put down Lab as the breed, most clubs print it but others still insist on only writing Associate! Having the breed helps stewards find the right dog! She's the only associate entered on Sunday, so we need to spread the word that non-papered gundogs can take part, too :)

Thanks. i have watched an obedience trial but i can't remember what class i was watching lol i think it was CD. hmmm now do i want to teach an auto sit better go get a different collar and lead lol last thing i need is her to auto sit in the conformation ring rofl. will keep practicing her training and i better phase out my drop hand signal Thanks Fading the drop signal to something higher won't be hard. I am currently teaching Pippa to drop and what started as me bending a bit, didn't take long to fade and now her drop signal is me standing upright. Remember, this is a little dog, so having a higher signal for a rotti won't be hard :D Speaking of obedience, I have Millie going cheap if anyone wants her! She blew her score of 195 in Open (and first place I think??) because she dropped in her sit stay! Again! Looks like I actually need to do some training afterall :laugh: I've been rather slack

Well I haven't heard from DogsWest RE my Associate Gundog application so I am guessing that means Millie has to run as NFC Ruby and I have just come home from her first desensitization jab. They said she didn't have a reaction and was all good Good start :) As I was waiting, some people came out with their male yellow Lab with a shaved patch on his side and LOADS of red dots. I had a chat to them about what he was tested for and he is basically allergic to everything, including cockroaches! Poor bugger. As I was chatting, they brought Ruby out, they were like two peas in a pod. Same breed, same colour, same shaved patch and bandages on their leg Must have been Labs day out as just before this, people walked out with their black Lab in a cast on his front leg. He had been hit by a car But he was all good so happy ending!

Can anyone explain this contest of winners? Are the dogs present? Not that I want to go, you just have me intrigued as to what it is! Thanks :)

Nice, CC!! I've been wanting a small tattoo on my hip (or similar area where it isn't seen to the public) but I can't decide on the size, exact location or final design. I want to do the cliche thing and get a pawprint, but maybe with black outline coloured in red, as a tribute to "Ruby". I'm too chicken and the world's most indecisive person (it takes me ages to decide what to eat at a restaurant!) so it will probably never happen for me!

Maybe :p will post photos once healed enough ;) What?! What have we missed? Please fill us in! :D mirawee, Jive is gorgeous!! Looks like a lot of fun ;)

I love Cafepress, too! Got a cap from them and love it. But I ordered a small ladies polo from them and its yuuuuuge, I can't wear it. Never thought to contact them. It's been almost a year now since I bought it, so I guess I left it too late :laugh: I'm after another shirt from there to replace it (just need to pick my design) and will definitely contact them if the fit once again is awful!

The Dog Scout method is popular

I'd say it isn't so much the hand signal that is causing the confusion, but she isn't understanding the context of the exercise. You've removed her cue to go and sit on the step, and that is having the lead out. No lead for her cue, she has no idea you want her to sit on the step. To teach her to sendaway to the step, I would backchain, starting close to the step then coming further away. If you then went away and used the hand signal you use to send her to the step, to send her to someplace new, like the box for example, she likely wouldn't understand. The step would have become her visual cue for the sendaway exercise, not the hand command alone. If you tried sending her to a box with the step closeby after teaching her the step sendaway, chances are she'd race to the step instead ;)

So she comes home tomorrow, mirawee? Oops I thought it was Thursday! Best of luck with her, and please report in once she's home with some photos! :D

It was a great run, AP! Trixie is brilliant! :D Millie also got a JDX pass (same course as Trixie's), she just needs 1 more for her title Well done Tassie with your kids!!!

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! On both accounts!!!! Congrats!! I can't wait to have Toller baby cuddles! Pretty please! :D

Thanks! I got a video but its really terrible quality, wil have to get a friend to record us I think! Sent away her obedience register paperwork... she is now "do it or Elsie" hehehe Love it!!

Happy Birthday, Rosie!!!!

Wow well done, murve! Gotta be happy with that!!! :D

They CAN be a waste of money, but for some unlucky ones whose dogs require more vet attention, it can be the best thing we ever did. About to submit a claim for $5k+ worth of specialist treatment this year. I certainly can't afford that!

Both were covered with petplan but I'm not impressed with their claims process and extensive delays. Switched Ruby over to Medibank and submitted a claim and had the cheque in 9 working days. Submitted a claim for Millie to Petplan on the same day and STILL waiting. Millie will stay with Petplan because if I switch her elsewhere, any further cancer issues won't be covered. Besides Medibank dropping cover to 80% when my renewal comes through in a few months, I highly recommend them so far! About to put in a pricey claim related to the first payout so if I get that back then I'll be sticking with them, even when they drop me to 80% coverage.

A suggestion, maybe allow for more than 1 selection for who you are insured with. I have 2 dogs that have a different insurer each :)

Best wishes for the gorgeous Gibbs!

Just over an hour until I can pick Ruby up from the dermatologists. She is having her bee/wasp allergy testing done today. She'll be coming home with a nice shaved patch on her side, and pretty red bumps, probably

After what seems like an eternity battling with DogsWest to get Millie recognition as an Associate Gundog so she can compete in the retrieving ability tests, the forms have finally come through! I must accompany the form with 2 photographs to prove she's a purebred (which are ready to go), aaaaand, 32 bucks for the trouble. I also have to hand back her original Associate papers as new Associate Gundog ones will be issued. Bummer this doesn't mean she can also compete in regular retrieving trials, but I can accept that I suppose The RATG will be good for her! She loves to retrieve, but isn't keen on the birdies or the loud gun ;) Kudos to the Retrieving Club of WA, wonderful bunch they are!!