Dova

I need to go to her for the "rock Steady Stand For Exam" with Pebbles, we could have had a pass last weekend but Pebbles shot to the side as soon as the judge walked towards her, will we ever get out of CCD, I'm feeling a little, read LOT, unconfident at the moment :D. Ok enough sooky la la crap when is Sue coming here & how do I book me & Pebbles into her seminar.

Is anyone going to the earthdog training day at SACA in Adelaide on the 15th of August, a friend of mine is going & it'll be her first time out with her Min Pin, I'm hoping to finish at the obedience trial & meet her before she goes home, she's probably going to be a bit nervous, especially if she can't find someone to go with her.

Here's a question for you all, more in fun than serious though I think, I've just started obedience & herding trials with Izzi & Pebbles & really enjoying it. This morning I did some heel work with them, then decided to give the old girl a go, she's 12 & hasn't done any for about 10yrs, well her eyes lit up, tail wagged & she worked pretty well . Now for the question, does it sound like a dumb idea putting her in an obedience trial, CCD, she's only ever been a working dog now I've got no work for her, can't use her in herding trials the yards aren't big enough. JC's a very healthy active 12yo , she comes everywhere with me & just sits around at the trials so I thought doing some thing with her might keep her mentally active as well, I wouldn't be expecting perfection just fun, ok oppinions every one .

I've been teaching my two to do a figure of 8 & going over a jump in the middle, to go out more I use "off" & tap my stick on the ground, then lots of praise for any movement out, does that make sense . Another thing I've been told is don't look at the front of your dog, look & point the stick/hand behind to encourage them to go forward, If they're going clockwise I'll say "away" & move the stick behind & "off" to get them out more. Well don't know if that's any use at all , but keep trying it will only get better, we don't do agility the jump is just for fun.

yeah, so I've been told, but you just cant believe every thing you hear , are you going to the obedience trial Sunday, see you there.

I've turned into a herding tragic & the dogs looooove it, my instructor is back & we're off for a lesson tomorow "I'm so excited, I just can't hide it" & you know the rest of the song . We also had a good run in obedience Sunday & I felt pretty damn good, so I think I've learned competing can be fun as long as the dogs are enjoying it too .

I think we all need T shirts that say "I'm not crazy, I'm training my dog" , could also add "or dangerous" .

Well Ruby Pebbles & Izzi are my first trial dogs, only started this year & Izzi is a challenge. I'm wondering if I'm getting a little long in the tooth to starting something new but hell if I don't try I won't know so I'll have to get back to you on the "how far will we go" question .

I like doing things with my dogs mostly, getting their titles will be good because it'll show if I've been putting the RIGHT work in or not. I gotta say when Pebbles passed her CCD & won at Gawler I felt pretty damn proud so for me it's probably a combination of things.

I've been thinking about using sardines & dried fish for training too, can't use cat kibble because they're not allowed to touch the cat food so don't want to confuse them. Now my questions been answered, thanks Jules . I've been using fritz, sausage, cheese & sav's, so they get a pretty good mixture already but I want to keep it interesting.

Thanks noneybur, I'll grab a stock Journal & see if I can find some local trials.

I've got a question, I saw a farm & utility trial advertised starting from encourage upwards, what do the dogs/ handlers do in these trials. Now I'm an absolute beginner in herding trials just got our PT so we've been to one trial, that's how new I am. I know you cast the dog, does the handler stand at a peg & work the dog or is it like herding where the handler walks & the dog brings the sheep behind. Please feel free to roll your eyes & shrug at my ignorance but if I don't ask I will never know, can't just go & watch because it's an 8hr drive each way & I don't know of any in SA, this one is being run by the working Koolie association.

When I took Pebbles out I heard him say I better pay attention & I was about half way through my turn so I wasn't game to ask & only took her out once more after that. You could contact Pages about doing a clinic, just going on what was said over the weekend, so it's just my oppinion, don't think anything other than Kelpies & Border Collies would be smiled uppon.

I don't need a really strong dog all I'm doing is herding trials for fun & Izzi & Pebbles are my best friends, I wasn't worried about the comment Ben made I respect his oppinion. Nooooooo I'm not addicted, just because I break out in sweat every time I see a trial coming up doesn't mean a thing & I'm only looking forward to my instructor coming home, the next trial & the next school just a teensy weensy bit .

We did the working dog school on the weekend, enjoyed it learned plenty & would recomend it to anyone because Ben & Lyn are really nice. Unfortunately there was a down side to the weekend, the first thing I was told when I brought Izzi out was, if anyone says they're bringing a Coolie I cringe, but later he said that he'd never seen a Coollie that balances & she's the best one he's seen. I'm still glad I went & really did have a good time, everyone was friendly, Ben is a good teacher & Lyn feeds everyone soooooo well . Next is the Millicent school, if I can't get to this one I'll do the one in November, am I herding tragic .

Hidey Ho peoples, OH of Dova here as she has rang to say she has arrived at Melrose, Flinders Ranges, for the Herding school with Ben Page around 3:15 pm after leaving at 11:10am, around 311 kms from home, no phone coverage so she had to find a place to get a phone card and rang on a land line so I will update you if that don't bore you to tears, :D The school she was going to go to at Millicent Sth East has been postponed due to lamb marking and they have moved it to the same weekend in August when we need to take the sheep to our next Herding trial, decisions, decisions. Stay tuned same bat time same bat channel :cool:

Ben Page is the instructor at Pages Working Dog Centre and must be good as people are coming from Qld to attend his school

Thanks Ness I will, good luck for the agility I'll expect a full run down Monday. Got a question for you, what is after CCD in obedience, I thought it was CD, is it Novice ?

I'm feeling a bit like this today because tomorrow me & the 3 hounds leave for Melrose for the two day working dog school. I'm looking forward to it but of course I'm scared as well, you understand the whole, don't know anyone there or what to expect deal & I'm thinking will I be the in class. Anyway I am excited, sure I'll love it & learn heaps, of course I'll be sleeping in the back of the car with the three dogs so will probably get sleep deprivation , now I've got rid of a bit of nervous energy better start packing the car, let you all know what happened Monday .

Hope you have fun & have titles to brag about on Monday . I'm going to a 2 day working dog school in Melrose next weekend, will be sleeping in the back of the car with the 3 dog's, aren't ya all just to to jealouse , still itchin to go though.

I'm going to do the CGC course with Pebbles & maybe Izzi, just waiting for the nearest instructor to organize the time & venue for the course.

Better add my brag, Saturday Izzi & Pebbles got their PT titles in herding then Sunday Pebbles not only passed her CCD she won with 96 points, so it was pigs ears all round when we got home . Even my old dog JC played a part in the herding, Saturday morning, the sheep were being painful to load so I let JC go & the sheep decided the trailer wasn't such a bad place after all, I just love my dogs ;) .

Still pretty good, enough for a bit of celebrating I think .

;) , Ok I think that should do it, Yeah I had a pretty good day Saturday, actually we had THE BEST WEEKEND EVER , Pebbles & Izzi worked so well & both now have their PT's, I was sooooooo proud of them, if that wasn't good enough we did an obedience trial Sunday & Pebbles not only passed she won it , Pebbles ended the weekend with 3 certificates, 2 trophies & a ribbon. I love my dog's & will be celebrating this one for at least another week. Izzi loves the herding, if I can get it right I hope she can do really well in that but obedience trials bore her witless, so started here we come. Both judges were really nice, one even said on Pebbles sheet "Lively dog good controll, very entertaining" yep had to think about that one, but it was all good & Izzi had "lovely controlled work, well done" & " great run, enthusiastic dog with plenty of tallent" bring on the next trial. Think I better nick off now that everyone has been bored to death, let someone else have a go . Ness hope I got the camera work right for you Saturday & how did you do Sunday ?

Thanks Ness, see you there. It's amazing what nervous tension makes you do .