Dova

Had a great day Sunday, we all came home totaly buggered , bringing the sheep in was much the same as doing stock work, cattle, at home except we weren't in belly deep water & mud on horses , same principal though, keep em mobbed & moving & don't let them stop & think. I was very pleased with all 3 of my girls, Delta is getting this driving thing & starting to respond to the side & stop cues, then I did fetching with her so she finished on a good/fun note . Did casting with Izzi & Pebbles, trying to get distance without Xing, both doing much better & used Pebbles to bring the sheep in, so all in all I was one very happy & tired camper by the end of the day.

Got a big day herding tomorrow got to bring a mob of sheep in, take a head count for the shearer, mark & tail lambs, then building a B course & then lots of training, we should all come home buggered. After watching an advanced test on Sunday I had 2 thoughts go through my head #1, take up knitting I'll never be able to do that , #2, gotta do some serious practice because I wanna do that , but still think hell could freeze over before I ever will but won't know if I don't try .

LP you & your dogs were great to watch, unfortunately I missed the slide because the tent was in the way but made up for it by going down for a quick prayer in the jumping myself , you deserved to get the MVA. I should have stayed for the presentations, apparently Pebbles won novice, we DQ'd but had the fastest time , Kate has the prize at her place. Congrats again LP .

I'm going to Kates for a training session Friday arvo, Pebbles is entered in the MVA so a run will be very helpfull because she'll be in the car for about 10hrs or so tomorrow . I gotta get off the computer & back to packing the car, leaving before the spoggies even start to stretch in the morning & probably won't a wink tonight , I'm so excited .

That was some very nice work :D & I've just turned a very nasty green colour watching that, might get my lot to watch & learn from it. I've just brought Delta back into training, she's only 1 y/o, & decided to skip teaching fetch & go straight to driving, she naturally fetches & I'll have to change everything once she gets to intermediate anyway. She had her first go on Thursday & I was so pleased, she's a bit unsure about walking up with me behind but did ok, even started to understand 1/2 flanks, so all up I was a pretty happy camper. Izzi will take a lot longer to learn driving, but she's only ever done fetching & I can't start Pebbles till after the MVA next weekend because I don't want to confuse her. Was going to watch your video again superminty but think it will make me , Cash looked great out there :D.

Your dog will love you no matter what you stuff up in the ring, I've stuffed up sooo many times & this is how I know , just remember the judge isn't allowed to shoot you for failing , get out there & just enjoy your wonderful dog, this is why we have them . Yeah I know these experts giving all this stupid advice what would they know anyway ;).

I couldn't watch it all, about 30 seconds was enough for me .

I'm getting my gun out right now ;) I've got 4 of them, sleeping on & under the bed, in the lounge & out under the cloths line just waiting to rip my throat out, now I need a tissue to dry my eyes I'm laughing so much .

So close Bully, but ya still gotta luv em . Our next trial will be in Melbourne at the Most Versitile Aussie show, we'll be doing a conformation class, never done one :D, herding , Agility, never done a trial & open obedience, now we've done one , so do you think we're ready for it .

I'm going to have a little brag but it's about a fail , took Pebbles to her first open trial today & she got 27 in the heel work, 19 in SFE, 26 for DOR, my hand signal was to long, 19 for ret. on flat & 28 ret over the jump, now for the fail bit , did change of position, she dropped beautifully but decided not to sit , ah well lifes like that . But I was soooo proud of my girl for her first time out & mine I'd never even watched one before, I also have to fess up about my D... Head moment ;), yeah what a numnuts, I don't do a lot of trials & am a bit ignorant on some of the rules &, this is sooo embarrasing , I didn't know I had to take my own dumb bell so had to borrow one , ok you lot stop laughing at me now it wasnt that funny , I've learned my lesson now & WILL take it with me to Melbourne in 3 weeks. Now I'll just slink off & wallow in self pitty ;).

Hey Tiggy go for it, enjoy & good luck, Banjo will be fine .

I've just entered my very first open obedience trial :D what was I thinking, haven't even watched an open before because I wasn't planning to go any further than CD. Now if anyone can tell me how I can train myself NOT to do dumb stuff anymore I'd be most grateful :D or at least for me next Sunday pleeeeeze.

Sorry all I got is swear words & so I won't put anything more on here or I might get a warning, but guess you all understand.

I'm actually going to try an open obedience class , never thought I would, yesterday I had a lesson & Pebbles did a retrieve over a jump & on the flat :D then did the broad jump, was ok, & I've been working on the out of sight stays, we'll get there I hope. Need to get it all happening before the end of October, again, what am I thinking .

Thought I'd add my brag about yesterdays trial, Izzi got high in trial with 97 & Pebbles runner up with 91 then in the second run Pebbles got high in trial with 96, Izzi missed out but scored 91, yup the idiot handler set her up all wrong at the Z shoot :D. When we picked the sheep up Saturday we had to load them in the corner of the paddock, no yard no real ramp ;), I used Pebbles & my instructor used one of her dogs, wasn't sure how Pebbles would go she's never done it before, but she worked like a trooper stayed behind & kept pushing & even went after a couple of run aways with out me telling her, hell I didn't know they went I was to busy lifting sheep into the trailer & fighting to keep the others in there, was very proud of my girls this weekend , I had to scratch Delta because she was lame :D but next time she'll be out there :D. Congrats to everyone else, sounds like it was a good weekend all round , lamb flaps as a reward TrinaJ, you'll turn Jett into a sheep killer doing that .

Yep it's even worse now, thanks for the good luck wishes, lucky Bill's coming with me Saturday going to need all the help I can get, oh & a pair of rubber boots .

Thanks Ness, I'll do that

Well just have to practice at the real thing, but still got the problem of measuring, I'm getting an unofficial measure on Sunday but need the real thing to compete, aahh lifes little problems .

I've used a DAP spray when I took the dogs with me to Victoria, just sprayed it on their beds & left it to dry for 10 mins, Izzi went into her crate all the time & seemed quite happy. Although training them to be on their own is a better idea a DAP, if it works, might help in the short term.

Do any of the SA DOLers know if there's a mock trial happening soon, I need to get Pebbles out in open obedience, also need to get her measured for agility & obedience, thinking of doing the MVA in October so need to get all these things done NOW , no pressure .

Good luck grumpette, sounds like you used up all your crap work on the weekend so the only way is up now go get em. Talking about MUD I'm picking the sheep up for this weekends trial in Adelaide it's done nothing but pelt down over the last three days the road up to where the sheep are has a HUGE rut from the water running down & the paddocks are one big swamp :D, so my girls better work thier little hearts out Sunday or I'm going to . If Trudy comes back to Victoria, or better still Adelaide, I'll be booking a spot ASAP I had the best time, learned heaps & am itching to put it all into practice , & double bonus my teacher has been away & learned a few new training tips as well, WOOHOO, on with the learning.

AAAARG I want more lessons, had a great time at the clinic & should have stayed an extra day for a private lesson, Pebbles & Izzi worked soooo well, I'd do the 10hr drive if Trudy came back .

I leave tomorrow for that clinic, really looking forward to it & I've done some Natural Horsemanship clinics so hope that helps me help my girls .

Anyone read about Norm's Coolies attacking the spectators at his show yesterday, it's on page 14 of the Sunday Mail, SA. Doesn't say what went wrong & Norm couldn't be contacted, he's had that show going for years.

Only 5 weeks to go until the herding clinic with Trudy Viklund & I'm excited , yeah I know it's a bit early to be getting this excited but I'll be to busy concentrating while I'm driving over there . If any of you see someone with white knuckles & face looking lost in Melbourne on the 6th of August, just give me a cino & point me in the right direction & I'll be fine .