StarLapyz

Fantastic! Well I'll be there :D

The National Dog Trainers Federation run a distance education course (Cert 3) with practical classes held in Sydney - http://ndtf.net.au/ The Delta Society runs a Cert 4 course in Sydney - http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/Programs/Course_Structure

It is :D The dogs absolutely love it! We had lots of people come up and say hi on saturday, unfortunately Zero didn't go today because he's not well but he had a blast yesterday! I hope the Big Z is getting better fast. Had a great run with Izzy. She was doing full sets of jumps off the box. Given the huge amounts of distraction that was awesome.

Don't trust your ordinary vet with your dogs teeth, go see a specialist veterinary dentist. You don't go see your GP about a tooth issue, you go see a Dentist, DO the same things with your dog. They will recommend what to do, but taking them out was pretty quick when we had ours done and it wasn't particularly expensive. When not taking it out runs the risk of leaving the puppy in pain and permanently damaging the adult teeth it seems a no brainer to remove it to me. I recommend you go see Christine Hawke at ARH, she is a specialist and is just generally awesome. http://www.arhvets.com/pet-owners/9-dentistry

I've started training Miss Fable for her ET. She is doing really well so far. Just need to work out which one I am going to do with her.

I'm playing catch up on the last week. January shouldn't be so damn busy 5 Jan - Super lazy camera phone photo. I got whaked in the head by Abby and spent the day lying around with a headache, so it's a topical photo. 5 January 2012 - Pain by BrendanGiles, on Flickr 6 Jan - One of the Red Rumped Parrots that invest the park behind my place. 6 January 2012 by BrendanGiles, on Flickr 7 Jan - I spent the afternoon at a Rally-O trial taking photos. My favorite of the night. 7 January 2012 by BrendanGiles, on Flickr Absolutely awesome photos by everyone on here. I think I need to up my game :p

Day 4. Returning to dogs. My lovely Miss Fable. 4 January 2012 - Fable by BrendanGiles, on Flickr

Day number 3. I was actually organized today. Really happy with the shot 3 January 2012 - Sunset by BrendanGiles, on Flickr

My day two photo. I left it a little late so had to quickly wing it. Franky Taking it Easy by BrendanGiles, on Flickr

Beautiful photos there guys :D My photos for day one. 1 January 2012 by BrendanGiles, on Flickr and a link to the (hopefully) rapidly growing set:

I only made it to day 111 last year. Going to give it another shot this year :D

If you have a mac grab Aperture off the Mac App Store. It is comparable to Lightroom but runs better on Mac. (I personally think it's easier to use as well).

If you want to try street and are worries about people bailing you up, or feel uncomfortable flailing around a big DSLR, use your camera phone. The latest phones have great cameras built in and no one notices you when you just wandering around with your phone out.

Sounds interesting. Can't say I have ever taken photos of food. I have the equipment and I can think how you would do it, just haven't ever tried it. Plus my cooking looks awful so there isn't much point taking photos of it.

Beating other dogs is irrelevant. Your dogs are judged against the standard, if the Judge doesn't consider them worthy of Champion/Grand Champion, they will non-award them and they won't get the points. If dogs that are getting point uncontested shouldn't be getting titles that the issue is with the Judges, not the points system. Getting there with uncontested six pointers is just as valid as getting there by beating a lot of dogs (and arguably shows a lot more dedication and effort).

This!!!!

It's a nice lens for the money. It is really hard to fault given how cheap it is and how well it works. It is also nice and small, and it is always handy to have a nice small lens with good focal range. To sum it up IMO:- Positives - Awesome focal range - Good IS - Reasonably Sharp - Awesome value Negatives - Strong barrel distortion at the short end. - Strong vignetting when wide open. - Poor flare control (you really need to buy the hood for it).

Its been tested several times and contract law says you cant make someone promise something into the future once its their own property and you cannot put punishments on if they breach into the future because its no longer your property - basic contract law. Your knowledge of contract law is flawed.

Akita: Kyojin American Staffordshire Terrier: Tua, Max, Juno Australian Shepherd: Banjo, Archie Australian terrier: Bailey, Brandy, Jasper Australian Kelpie: Revan, Abby, Bluey, Cahill, Franky, Izzy, Spfyre, Milky Belgian Shepherd (Groenendael): Fleming, Ivy Border Collie: Roy, Molly Boxer: Bruno Bull Terrier: Bonnerville Cane Corso: Ali Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: Bree, Ingrid, Jersey, Lacey, Fern, Floyd, Indy, Arnie Chihuahua: Chelsea and Pansy, Heidi, Bertie, Moose, Archi,Pepe, Dally: Appollo English Setter: Spartan, James Finnish Lapphund: Halo, Vienna, Jaana,Magnus,Aurora-Rose,Niina,Paddington,Maximus, Ahsoka, Fable, Demi French Bulldog: Lola German Coolie: FlashBazil, Latte German Shepherd: Java, Odin, Tlaloc, Rebus German Shorthaired Pointer: Pip, Coco, Polo Golden Retriever: Onslow, Matilda-Rose, Chester, Genie, Ella, Rosie Great Dane: Sparkles Greyhound: Harry, Kiff, Sally Griffon Bruxellois: Mocha Hungarian Vizsla: Flynn, Rogan Japanese Spitz: Emmy Keeshond: Jedi Labrador Retriever: Lestat, Bailey, Tia, Mieka, James Miniature Long Haired Dachshund: Mini, Rover Newfoundland dogs: Annabelle, Katy, Lukey Norwegian Elkhound: Odin Papillon: Blaze, Minka, Portia, Tyson, Coco, Tonka Pointer : Kite Audrey Poppin konrad, Badger Pug: Lotus Rhodesian Ridgeback: Meisha, Bakari Rottweiler: Roxy, Feonix, Radar, Neo, Abby Samoyed: Mistral, Alchemy, Yngvie, Dante, Bundy, Kamikaze, Fergus, Kato Siberian Husky: Akira, Tikaani,Romeo,Baby.Riddick,Indie, Esky Staffordshire Bull Terrier: Kiara, Zola SWF: Zoe Rescue Bitsa: Keely, Fred & Ginger, Ozzie, Tess, Maverick, Bosco, Kyah, Charlie, Astrid, Mala, Bella White German Shepherd: Casper White Swiss Shepherd: Rakim, Whippet: Herbie Weimaraner: Ariane, Lulu, Louie West Highland White Terrier: Penny, Mac, Daisy

The ANKC should operate a public, national, searchable pedigree database of all registered dogs. That database should disclose health testing status for each dog (ie carrier/clear/unknown etc). So anyone buying a dog can search the sires etc and see what testing has been done and the results (they could even go back through generations and get that information).

Free stuff (or the chance at free stuff) is always welcome. :D

I have been using Look At That with Fable. Fable was super reactive to almost anything, but especially dogs. I have been at it for about a month and a half and she has shown huge improvement. I started taking her out to some serious testing places this week and she has done REALLY well. She relaxed nicely at Obedience training on Tuesday and was a completely different dog at flyball training than the one I had 2 months ago. She still has a long way to go, but the improvement is dramatic and so obvious. I couldn't be happier with it.

I think you need to trust your breeder more, and if you can't trust them, maybe they aren't the breeder for you. The breeder has spent seven or eight weeks with the puppies, seen them every day in a ton of different situations and has likely done temperament testing etc on them (especially if they are a serious sports breeder). They will also have had an extensive chat with you about what you want and expect. I would trust them to pick the right puppy for you given all their experience and time with the pups over the impression you build (even if you go and see them a few times). To add in my 2 cents worth in here... trusting the breeder is one thing if they have proven that they know what their doing with assessing puppies (like if they compete in some sort of sport) but realistically there are some breeders that really have no idea. I have spoken to soo many breeders who have absolutely no idea on temperment and will place a pup in any old home. My current bitch is from such a breeder, she let me pick what ever I wanted first before she simply gave the rest of the puppy buyers have their pick... thankfully I ended up with Ella and not some pet home who wanted a calm friendly dog who would cope in the backyard with a half hour walk! Picking the right breeder is probably as important as picking the right puppy. To the OP - have you considered looking interstate for a good breeder? The right breeder/puppy isn't always in your state. Agree with this too. Both my dogs breeders have a good number of dogs titled in agility, this is why I trusted them. There were a number of breeders I didn't trust and didn't ask to pick a dog for me........ I suppose it boils down to "If you don't trust them enough to pick the right dog (or dogs) for you, maybe they aren't the right breeder for you".

Have you even read my posts? I just said that I wouldn't buy a pup from a breeder I didn't trust but that doesn't mean I have to be happy taking wahtever puppy the breeder "decides" to give me. There are VERY few breeders who train their dogs with the same methods I do, the breeder I am getting my next pup from has many successful dogs in working and sport homes - if I didn't trust her breeding I would not be getting a pup from her - but I still wouldn't take a pup that she gave me without assessing it first to make sure it is what I want. But of course I am sure you know far more about how to pick a great competitive dog sports puppy than I do Brendan My first two dogs were picked as pets- they did that job really well. My next one was picked for me. The only dog that I have personally selected as a sports dog is 18 weeks old, so the jury is still out on my ability to pick a great competitive sports puppy as she is a little young to tell. I was not the breeder of this pup, but I was involved with raising it, so I got to see how they grew and changed throughout the 12 weeks that we had them all. People that visited would make comments about a pups temperament that were incorrect, because they only saw a snapshot of their personality. I am not telling you that you should blindly accept a dog offered to you, I completely agree with doing your own assessments. But communication is the key. You might be offered two or three pups that are suitable, and none might make your grade. You might be offered one, and it is perfect. You could even be told by the breeder that there is nothing in the litter for you! The other pups in that litter should have been eliminated as the potential dog for you by what you have communicated to your breeder and you should listen to them on that. To say that you would walk away from a breeder that only had one pup avaliable to you might mean that you are walking away from an amazing pup before you even see them. walking away after you have assessed them is quite different to walking away because you were only offered one pup. I am saying you need to trust your breeder to fill in the gaps in what you can see because they have been around the pups every day for their entire lives and seem them grow and develop. Mason is looking for an Obedience dog, and there should be puppies that the breeder already knows will not be suitable, and some she believes will work for her. If there is only one pup offered then she can either take it or walk away- and there is nothing wrong with walking away.

I think you need to trust your breeder more, and if you can't trust them, maybe they aren't the breeder for you. The breeder has spent seven or eight weeks with the puppies, seen them every day in a ton of different situations and has likely done temperament testing etc on them (especially if they are a serious sports breeder). They will also have had an extensive chat with you about what you want and expect. I would trust them to pick the right puppy for you given all their experience and time with the pups over the impression you build (even if you go and see them a few times).