RubyStar

Great video, Tiggy! Dog was lovely to watch. Had to laugh though at the lady's left about turn and her down signal looked like she was going to give the dog a flogging! Ruby goes into "auto-pilot" mode for figure 8's so when we came to the serpentine weave and spiral signs, Ruby tends to continue in a figure 8 motion I need to do some Rally practice before it comes in next year! We had a fantastic time at the seminar last year but subsequent ring run-throughs haven't been as successful for some reason Looking forward to getting out there and competing, though! And just because I was thrilled with how Ruby went, I thought I'd share my videos of our Rally mock trials at the seminar last year (thanks angelsun for the great seminar! I'm saddened to hear you've been messed around and won't be able to judge )

I've been wondering if I should try one on Millie. She is a bit uneasy during storms. She doesn't go into a massive panic or anything, but she paces a bit. She woke me up the other night when we had a small storm here in Perth, but at the time I couldn't hear any storm. I should have known one was coming by her behaviour because my dogs NEVER get out of bed without an ok to do so unless they are dying for the toilet in the middle of the night (extremely rare), or if a storm is coming. She just wanted to keep walking the house between my room and the laundry. When I finally heard the thunder myself, I locked her in the bathroom (no windows) and I didn't hear a peep out of her. But if a jacket helps her settle and stay in bed in the laundry, then I may invest in one....

Yeah I know, that's why I said I'd be worried I'm not very clear with my words

Good luck for your last pass SLLH! and to MG too of course but I will see you tomorrow

Long weekend here, yippee! It's going to be a good one. Even though I'm spending today in the garden (not admiring, working in it!) I have an obedience and agility trial on Sat/Sun. Stewarding obedience on Sat instead of entering for a change, in the UD ring so I can get a closer look at how things go in the ring before taking the plunge myself Then Sunday is an agility and games trial. Yay! Love a good doggy weekend spent with doggy friends :D

Mine's due end of December. How much was renewal last year? I don't remember.

Yes, I think both Ruby and I are enjoying things at the moment. Makes all the difference when the dog tells you she is having fun Millie on the other hand, she has been a little switched off lately. Instead of stressing, I am going to concentrate more training on the one who wants it right now, and going back to playing games with Millie to engage her and ask for little things to get her interest back. I'm not sure what's going on with her but she is normal all the other times so I am not worried it's her health at this stage. Might use this time to teach her to tug and get her interest up in a variety of toys, not just the i-squeak Definitely is a bit strange with Millie, as she's my psycho "I want to train!" one. Me thinks Ruby stole her mojo while she was sleeping ;)

We will start putting some distractions out soon ;) Yay :D We did a signals heelwork over and around a bunch of toys on the ground yesterday And had the same group of toys out for the food pots Was a struggle with the toys with scent, though

Considering it was ran on the 11th September, I'm going to go with "yes". If there were any ET's still to be run this year I'd be worried. Too hot!!

I played that game on Monday night and I stood facing away from the box and was right near a ring rope. Ruby jumped over the rope, got distracted by a moth and started bounding after it, then ran back in the ring and found the box All without second cue from me My worry with the seekback is having Ruby decide she might just go greet everyone instead if she can't find it right away!

Quick question For the Seekback and SD exercises in UD, do you use 2 different commands to distinguish between the both? Or do you use the same command but let the visual of the stewards putting out the SD articles be enough to let the dog know the difference between the both? Made the mistake of putting the SD articles out yesterday prior to getting Ruby out. When I sent her to "find", she raced off thinking it was another seekback exercise because I use "find" for both. I often throw the seekback article out somewhere and then get Ruby out and ask her to go find without any heeling, so no wonder she was confused. So I'm just wondering what other people do? Thanks P.S. Having an absolute ball playing in UD - both me and the dog :D

Time is the big issue, OSS And motivation

Gosh I don't think me and my girls will ever be fit enough for this! We went for a 5.5km walk last night at a reasonable walking pace, and the 3 of us were knackered!

Mine emailed mine to me as a PDF attachment. It's a history of every visit and phone call between you and the vet. So just know that every little thing you say to the vet, WILL go on record and the insurance company will see it :p

Great video!!!

I do the opposite - I'm not a fan of luring unless it is the only way to get the dog to do something - dogs don't think with the lure. I hold the treat away from me (arm extended). The dog looks at the treat. Eventually, they'll be thinking "WTF?" and look at you. The second they look, I click and treat (not the treat being held out, treat with my other hand, food in pocket). After a few times most dogs will focus on you, away from the treat. The dog has learnt to focus on you to get what it wants. To the OP - I'd end the session waaay before my dog got bored, leave them wanting more. I think 10 mins is a long training session! I've done 30 second stints before. I'd add a "we're working" queue and "we're finished!" queue too and move out of the area when we are having a break. Make it super easy for your dog to know when they're training or when they're allowed to goof off. I do my eye contact the same way. Yes same here, I also incoporate that approach. It still makes the dog make it their own choice to look at you, instead of asking for it, and makes the behaviour stronger

I think their prices are pretty much standard across the board, regardless of breed, state you live in, how long you've been a member for, any claims made. My renewal amount and amount I got quoted off the website for a new sign up were identical. I just forked out $500 for my yearly renewal for one dog, ouch As for if it's worth it, very debatable. Some will say definitely, some will say no. I sit on the fence about it, but opt to "play it safe" and keep paying my premiums "just in case"!!!

Ruby was always going to be Bella. For years I dreamt of a yellow female Lab called Bella. Time came to go on the hunt for a puppy, circumstances in the family meant I couldn't use the name anymore, so my mum suggested Ruby. I instantly knew that was it! Millie was never picked out. Came about because her name by her previous owners was Lily but I found that too much of a tongueful to use! I have my next dog's name picked out, call name and registered name if my breeder gives me the choice He will probably be 2 years away :D amypie, you mentioned the name Ebony - if I ever got a black Lab girl her name will probably be Ebony or Lucy. Lucy was reserved for my future Beagle, but I don't think I will ever get a Beagle now. And if I ever get my Aussie, her call name is already picked out, too

Even a non obedience person saw it. Put your glasses on, MG!! Novice is also known as CD :p For Open you might see it listed as Open or CDX

Can we have photos? :D

The 2 best DWD routines that stand out in my mind are the one posted above (Carolyn and Rookie), and Tina Humphrey and Chandi doing the dressage routine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sknEaZHHbhc

With eye contact, you want to make the dog think it's their idea and have them offer it without cue. Focus should be automatic and not on cue (I say should, because even at almost 5 years old, it's not always automatic with my outgoing Labrador! ) Just wait the dog out, if they look at you, Click/Treat. I'm doing this with my mum's 5 month old pup and she is catching on pretty well. Haven't ever given her a "look" command. I used to try and cue "look" for my own dog for many years when I started out and it was never a strong enough behaviour to become a default behaviour to fall back on when she wasn't sure what to do. It is much better these days though with changing the approach

This part stuck out to me. She is highly motivated by food, so losing interest in the clicker sounds like you are probably not doing it right Perhaps we can help you work this clicker business out and then the possibilities for training and mental stimulation are endless A click will ALWAYS = reward. You must always pay out after clicking! Any dog motivated by food should do backflips when you get the clicker out. Chance to earn yummy treats if that is your reward of choice! What are you doing with the clicker that is making her lose interest? Are you clicking and then not always paying out? I've read before about people clicker training and wanting to phase the treats out... but they keep on clicking and don't pay out with every click. This is not how it works! If you want to phase treats out, you use a clicker to teach a new behaviour with a payout for EVERY CLICK, but once the dog knows something you can ditch the clicker if you want. Then you can reward intermittently to phase it out (but I personally believe a reward should never be totally phased out, stop rewarding completely and the behaviour will extinguish).

Unless the sport gets new people, it could possibly eventually die out. This is a great way to encourage new blood into the sport!

If your dog is titled in retrieving you are ineligible to compete in RAT. (Even QND title). I didnt know that and none of them mentioned it, just said as there is no game and no guns they not keen That is entirely fair they would have no interest (even though they aren't eligible), because it appears (to me anyway) it really is aimed at beginners who aren't yet competing in retrieving trials, and as a lead-in to trialling if they enjoy it. Nice intro into the sport And good for Associate dogs who show the potential but because of a piece a paper (or lack thereof) are not eligible to compete. I found out that a lot of retrieving people didn't even know what the QND title is as it had no relevance to them, so an NRA / ORA wouldn't be of much interest Though, I think a dog with an NRD title is actually eligible to take part in the Open Test Can't be bothered checking the rules to confirm....