BC4ME

Hi and Happy New Year I have costumes made and spent the week-end making my props. Tonight I finally put my ideas down on paper, so now to see if what I wanted to do will actually work :laugh: fingers crossed they do Everyone up here is excited to start another year of competition. We come from all over Bribane, Sunshine and Gold Coast so it will be nice catchup for us all. It is about 1-2 hour drive for most of us. Toowoomba is held at a beautiful private school and out performance area is the undercover sport arena, the surface is rubberised concrete and it is just perfect for DWD. The facilties are lovely and handy to everything, there are some lovely shady trees to set up under. Toowoomba Dog Obedience Club run the comp and it is always a good fun one. If only more schools would let us use the facilities it would be awesome, but QLD Govt say NO to dogs on their grounds. I Don't understand why, our dogs are better behaved than some of their students.

Definitely!! Dogs need to be kept inside your yard, if your dog barks he is reported to the council, if your dog bites it's classed as a dangerous dog if not PTS. Cats roam the streets killing wildlife and causing cat fights (often passing on the FIV virus) or annoying dogs at night, very few councils will come out an investigate a noisy cat complaint and if your cat bites someone nothing happens. Both species can inflict terrible wounds or possibly kill, so why shouldn't they be treated any differently.

We are laughing because it sounds funny that a cat can send 2 police officers (& I picture 2 very strong manly men) being sent to hospital after an attack by a cat (I picture a not so happy domestic cat that is a little hissy). I've had quite a few cats try and attack me at work (I'm a vet nurse) and I agree an angry cat is something you don't want to deal with and I do feel for the officers in charge. But like I said if this was a dog attack they would have a picture of some big dog bearing its teeth with saliva running out of its mouth, but this being a cat story there was no picture of a snarling cat was there. If it has attacked a person then it should be PTS the same as they put dogs to sleep if they attack people. I have to keep my dogs in a secure yard and not let them roam the streets, I have to pay registration for them yearly and I am restricted as to how many dogs I am allowed. How come cat owners can let their cats roam free, many do not pay registration and their are no restrictions on how many cats one can have. Why should cats be treated differently to dogs?

Love it persephone. :rofl: :clap:

What no picture of a snarling, spitting, hissing, growling cat????????? Where is the equality.:laugh:

My dogs travel quite happily in their crates, they are safer their if I was to have an accident and they usually fall asleep when I am travelling. Although I did have to put a small mat under the tray in the bottom of the crate to quieten the noise when they moved around at night. I only have 2 bucket seats in the front part of the cabin so I can walk from the drivers seat into the back quite easy. It is important that nothing can move while you are driving. So things like my port-a-loo, car fridge and 15ltr water container are tied down with Occy straps or small ratchet straps. I have latch hooks on the draws and velcro on the cupboard doors to keep them closed. I also have small handles on either side of the bed so I can Occy strap anything down that I put on the bed for travelling. If you wanted to, you could lengthen the bed further into the cabin for you length but think about how you sleep, how often do you actually lay flat out in bed most people curl up their legs. You could also lay diagonally if you wanted to. I also have the magnetic screens on the sliding door side and I made screens for the sliding windows as well. These are great for keeping the bugs out at night that are attracted to the lights. Until I get save up for an annexe for the side I use a gazebo and put 2 puppy fences up around that to create a fenced off area so the dogs have a place to walk around in, this is only when I am there. If I leave the van for any reason they go into their crates or they are with me. :)

Thanks I have put a lot of planning into it, I love it :D

This van has been a dream of mine for many years, I have designed it for me and my dogs and my wonderful hubby helped me fit it out. The van is a 2003 mercedes Benz sprinter, mid wheel base, high roof. It has a turbo diesel engine with a 5 speed manual box. It drives like a dream and I get nearly 900km to a tank of fuel. It fits into most car park spaces, just need to watch the height, it won't fit into underground carparks. All up doing the fitout ourselves including the cost of the van is ..... Van purchased 2nd hand from a dealer - $17000 Window done professionally - $2500 Roof insulated and lined by a friend who is an upholsterer $560 this would normally be $1200 Fitout done by us including bed, kitchen cupboard, draws, port-a-loo $3000 I still need to attach a caravan style annex to the side and put a secondary power system through. So still need to spend approx $3500 to finish is off. So totals around $26500. Much cheaper than buying one already fitted out and it I have designed the way I wanted it. This is standing between the front seats looking towards the back of the van you can see my bed with 2 large crates underneath. I have a port-a-loo to the right and kitchen cupboards to the left. Just out of view is my 15ltr water container and under that is my car fridge. This is looking from the side door, this is before I put my doona on the bed. Each of the crate have large fans that run off the cigarette lighter, I have an attachement for 3 inlets for this purpose. The 3rd pic of looking into the back of the van. Up top in my bed (I can lay across the van I'm 5ft 3in tall) under and to the sides of the crates is storage space for my show trolley, towels, grooming box, extra 20ltr water container etc. Since these photo's were taken I have lined and insulated the roof and walls so nice and cool in summer and warm in winter. I have also made magnetic fly screens to keep the bugs out. Like the bugmesh ones advertised on TV just a larger version. I have my foldup crates in the spaces at the moment but have plans to put permanent crates with duel opening doors (so I can acess the dogs from inside and the back of the van). Everything is a protype to see what works and what needs fixing, so far everything has work so won't need to change anything. Hope this gives you some ideas.

I show, do obedience and DWD with my dogs. They know what to do by what commands I give them ie, 'Close' is for obedience heelwork and 'Off You Go' is for running out front for showing and of course the other million commands for DWD are a great way to keep your dog engaged whilst in the ring. When the other dogs are being judged throw in a twist or twirl and it keeps them animated and focused.

I have a new routine for Styler Novice Freestyle routine on paper, just need to put more work into Styler so he is more accurate with his cues. Cant wait to hear more about your new Novice Freestyle routine for Styler :). When does Qld have their first DWD comp? 2nd February up in Toowoomba. Its a lovely venue, a private school (we use their covered sports area), lots of shady trees, surface is brilliant to for the dogs to work on, facitlities are handy. It is a 2 hours drive for me but it is a lovely trip up the range and a great way to start the DWD season off. :D

I agree it is pretty poor that such a small amount where returned. It would be interesting to know why so many people didn't vote.

Betadine and wrap to stop her licking it off

I have a new routine for Styler Novice Freestyle routine on paper, just need to put more work into Styler so he is more accurate with his cues.

Can you list the names please? Top 12 are...In order of the percentage of the votes cast, the Directors elected are as follows;- 1. Sandra Mundt 2. Ulla Greenwood 3. David Weil 4. Ainslie Carius 5. Norma Zimmerle 6. Lionel Blumel 7. Barbara Murfet 8. Shaneen Bendixen 9. Shane Thomas 10. Carolyn Pearen 11. Helen Acworth 12. Robyn Nicholson

Just received an email from Dogs Qld with the results from the directors elections..... check your emails everyone. Congrats to those who have been elected.

And don't vomit from nerves! Seriously though, I am looking forward to it as well and we will have a ball :) I'm comparing Sat so you don't wanna vomit I'll have to pay you out :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: I have my grandkids christening on Sunday so won't be there Looking forward to catching up with everyone again :thumbsup:

Of course you count

To all the dedicated Vet Nurses out there "HAPPY VET NURSE DAY"

Richard Curtis one of the best Dances with Dogs performers in the world has a Chi named Betty, she does everything his biggers dogs do. There is no reason you cannot train a Chi after all they are still a dog.

Whoo hoo congrats on the progress so far

Cool, we are going to the Qld one :) I was going to get the DVD so I could watch it before we went, but I think I've run out of time on that now We'll see you there

:provoke: don't you read the posts on the DWD yahoo email list Tassie? :p :laugh: Didn't have to...had a secret source rofl....but you need to brag here for those that don't have "the knowledge " ;-) A secret source :laugh: . OK, for those that don't know, Jarrah & I got our first leg & second place in Advanced Freestyle yesterday at the Brisbane Royal ( <-----me doing the happy dance :laugh: ). Thanks to BC4ME for me to do it, it was my first trial in 10 months & our first trial in the advanced class & I nearly pulled out altogether because I didn't have my new advanced routine ready, but in the end I did my intermediate routine (with much ad libing because I forgot most of it :laugh: ) instead. If I missed out before mrsd I will say it again congrats to you:). (im in Hervey bay atm) . Am catching up a little bit on what has been happening here when I go to internet cafe. Can't believe that my hols are nearly over and I get to see my kids soon Thanks Kallistar, I didn't know you were away on holiday, hope you are enjoying yourself! I managed another qualifier in Advanced Freestyle today at our Gold Coast competition, it was most definitely NOT his best performance ever, but I was just happy to qualify. I did my Intermediate routine again, at this rate I will have my Advanced Freetsyle title before my advanced freestyle routine is ready :laugh: . Whoo Hoo congrats getting any qualie on those grounds is an achievment, getting and advanced qualie is something you should be extremely proud of. :thumbsup: Go Jarrah and Robyn :cheer:

Congratulations it was lovely watching you both work

I've been an on-off lurker and this comment has me intrigued, as I've wondered if it is possible to combine both obedience and DWD at a high level. Yes it is possible to combine both. I feel that most Heel work to music dogs are not dogs that have scored 200 in an obedience ring, so I am not sure how many handlers would notice a wide turn or heelwork that was different to what they usually get in an obedience ring. I have entered a DWD comp coming up - so started playing in the lounge room with moves. Forgetting everything I ever learnt - I was rewarding near enough type behaviours as you do when you start something new - so sits that were off, walking backwards that was wide the list goes on and no I wasn't aware of it at the time. I was also getting frantic type behavour. Came out for obedience training a week later and OMG it was ugly by my standards. So here was a dog who has been doing obedience since he was a little tacker and who is now nearly 9 who in less than 2 weeks I had moved the goal posts for. I also have to say that my dog knows no tricks, didn't know how to walk backwards - so he has been on a steep learning curve. I think if you start a dog young in DWD moves and heelwork and lift the bar at the same rate you should have no problems at all Your left side Heel position should be the same in obedience or DWD, don't lower your standards just because your doing DWD Heelwork to music, if your dog is just learning the other Heel positions I can understand why they might be off but your basic left Heel position should be the same. The position of the dog in proportion to the handler are the same in all positions as they are in the left Heel position in obedience.

I've been an on-off lurker and this comment has me intrigued, as I've wondered if it is possible to combine both obedience and DWD at a high level. Doing DWD actually helped my obedience as I now have so much more focus and a much happier dog who is waiting for me to throw him a hand signal (needs to be aware of what my hands are doing at all times) It's also a great way to keep your dog motivated between exercises, just through in the odd hand touch or twist, stops the dogs going flat but don't tell anyone :laugh: DWD dogs are also excelling at Rally O too. As we all ready train for all the exercises.