bedazzledx2

Nice to have a reward system like that Good boy Strauss! Maybe I need to bring some sheepies for Zac

Don't forget your puppy is learning every waking moment even if you are not actively training! That's why you need to teach and manage so much when they are babies. I would try to get in the habit of having some treats in your pockets or in a dish next to you so that you can randomly call your puppies name and treat...she will soon associate that particular sound (her name) to good things. I just use kibble for that sort of incidental training as its dry and easy to have a few bits here and there.

Just to the left of any thread...lets take the Western Australian thread...theres a little grey box with an arrow pointing to the right. Hover your mouse over it and it says go to the first unread. Click on it and presto!!! Saves a lot of time figuring out just where you are in the conversation.

Nice one OsoSwift Who said sighthounds could do obedience???? Lovely lovely work :D

Yay! Its all working now!!! I must have been in a bit early before all the resets were working. Whew!!!! Thanks amypie :D

I have The Focused Puppy if you want...I bought it and skimmed through... now its in the bookcase doing nothing... How does $20 sound?

Thanks amypie but...not quite... sometimes I don't follow a thread all the way through but come back to it later. What used to happen was that I could pick up where I left off. Now I seem to have the choice of either first post or last post. What happened to go to first unread? I must be doing something wrong or I've missed something. Did I say I don't like change?!!!

Help! The format has changed overnight and when I go to first unread it takes me to the first page of the topic!!! I had to troll through 3 pages of um... well 3 pages before I got to the last place I read Its ok for small topics but for very active ones like the WA thread...we can talk can't we its a nightmare Someone please tell how to fix it.

Same here...I feed goat bones that they can entirely consume. Puppy in the crate and the two older dogs on their mat until finished. I also supervise and would never leave them alone with unconsumed bones.

Woo Hoo!!! Mount Scoota!!! I'll drink to that! Raising a glass to Zeus too! Great news

I think you have answered a lot of your own questions!!! Firstly teach a reliable recall...first time every time. I don't mean a formal club or trial type recall, I mean the full distraction bit. This will help the bond between you and create instant compliance so your dog never gets self rewarded for nicking off. You will create a conditioned response where the dog will turn and recall before his brain kicks in to think. There are a few methods around but this is the one I used and its free http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/Lesson6.html (note that at the end there is talk of using a shock collar for a very few dogs. I don't beleive you will need to go to that extreme and I don't personally think they have any place in obedience trial training) I am training my 6 month old boy who has the attention span of a gnat... he is getting pretty good with the recall..in distracting situations he is on a long line. Heelwork he can give me...hmmm maybe 6 steps now. Thats it and thats all I will ask of him. I try to stop and release before he does so that I rule the game. If he stops giving me attention to have a gander at other dogs etc I will step out of heel position and either walk backwards until he is in nice position and turn and go forward for 3 steps and reward, or wait until he finds heel again. He is just a baby so I'm helping him out a great deal. For an older dog who knows what to do but loses attention I will step out of heel position with a NRM...Ooops! He will then have to work pretty hard to regain MY attention in order to earn a reward. Yes its frustrating but when it all comes together its wonderfull... and then something else goes wrong

Yay! The voice of reason!!! People don't seem to realise that dogs don't understand what not to do but they do very well if they are taught what to do! I would certainly not get strangers to tell my dog off...I will, however, ask them to be neutral or turn their back. The problem always arises when you have well meaning strangers who sabotage your training and say "oh its ok I don't mind" while giving your dog the attention its demanding! grrr. Thats when you have to go into management mode and not allow it. What exactly do you think "don't jump" or "no" means to a dog? Don't you think its easier for an animal to understand what's required of it rather than what isn't? If you tell your dog to sit before allowing people to approach and get them to back away if it breaks the sit, dogs learn very quickly that no bum on ground means no greeting. I've said before, I've seen a talented trainer get a dog doing this with 5 minutes of consistent reward for the right behaviour and withdrawal of the person for the wrong behaviour. No, the behaviour wasn't likely to have been completely extinguished but the fact is that the dog knew what behaviour was required, rather than what behaviour wasn't. I really don't think its a good idea to be getting people to tell your dog off for a behaviour that as a handler it is completely within your power to control and correct. Why frighten a dog when you can give it a very clear picture of what is required of it. You'll never see me support any program of training that requires strangers to behave aversively or frighten dogs, ESPECIALLY for breeds with guarding instincts.

Sorry you cannot do it in the time if you walk. You can do the obedience bit at either end and get someone else to either jog (they'd have to be very fit) or bike it. You put me to shame! I wanted to do the ET, but haven't found the time (or motivation) to train for it I guess it's a bit too late to train for this year's now, isn't it? Bedazzled, you're judging it, does that mean you have to ride it all too? Ouch Don't worry you are not alone ruby i planned i doing it with chandra, but i have done no training and i keep using being pregnant as an excuse oh and i sold my bike rofl. how fast would i have to walk it?? if i walked wondering if i can do that. Thankyou cc, thankfully he still seems to light up at the thought of a car ride and gets a spring as he gets in. will know more about 5pm today that is his appt. Everything crossed and a bit clearer after having a bit of a cry to myself last night. Now ican go in witha clear head and heart.

Feeling for you emery and poor Zeus. Take care

Nooooo!!!! Last time we walked around the course a couple of times observing everyone. Its pretty easy nowadays. I did the ET in the dark old days when you had to do a full Novice round (2 lots of heelwork in those days, on lead and off lead) plus a retrieve over the jump and a full distance recall...both before the trial and after!!! It was down at Gleneagles Pine plantation complete with massive puddles to ride through or dismount and go around. My dog had never been so filthy!!!! (I went through the puddle/lake ) You put me to shame! I wanted to do the ET, but haven't found the time (or motivation) to train for it I guess it's a bit too late to train for this year's now, isn't it? Bedazzled, you're judging it, does that mean you have to ride it all too? Ouch

He's 6 months today! :D Hopefully he'll stop growing soon...he's 51 cm and weighs 18 kg :dancingelephant: How old is young Zac now Bedazzled???? I hope he settles down a bit sooner than my mad ridgy Shes coming up 5 years old next month and still behaves like a 6 month old!! It will be very interesting to see how she is when she is an old lady :thumbsup: Good luck with your search for a pup Mas, having broken both my dogs, Im a bit reluctant to get a third

I agree with this. If a dog came into my ring with a flat collar fitted that tight and high I would ask the competitor to adjust it. Your collar cannot be adjusted (or doesn't appear to be able to be by the photo) so can be interpreted as giving additional head control. The rules don't state halti or gentle leader. Question... why do you use this collar in the ring? If it doesn't matter why not use a flat collar fitted correctly and avoid any confrontation? The above is what I think too. I also don't think any slip collar should be tight on the dogs neck. IMO when they are tight they are in play. In a trial ring they should be in a neutral position. Ie a chain collar should be loose enough that the 2 end round bits should be together. Not having a go either, just trying to explain.

OMG! I really don't think Mason's family could cope with my Zac!!! I came home from work today and said to Mum "I think he's settling down" She rolled her eyes and said "you think? " I gather he's been a pain...oh well..he'll settle down soon...maybe!

Tricky subject that! ;) If you start with a good stable temperament you can build drive, particularly for obedience. If you want to compete in retrieving trials you need to speak to people involved in that. If you want dynamite speed and drive for agility you need to choose very carefully and that sort of pup will probably drive you and Mason mad! So you need to be very aware of what you want (as I know you are ) Do you have a breed preference?

You got it in one George Huber??? ;)

My favourite vet has the bedside manner of a sledgehammer!!! He is an old fashioned, no nonsense vet who really knows his stuff and I've seen him in emergencies and there is no one I would rather have working on my pet. He will sleep over at the surgery and get up every few hours to check on a dog. He is worth his weight in gold but he is not the vet for everyone!

I say go for it...with caution! You need to have a good relationship with the breeder of your potential puppy so that you are likely to get the best fit for your family. A bitch is a good idea in my opinion but whilst you may want an easy going girl you don't want a pup who has no drive either! Remember to ask me next time I see you and I'll ask a couple of people I know who could point you in the right direction.

Need a bit more information...do you have a photo of your collar? I'm guessing its a choke chain?

See my earlier post! The cortisone protocol my original vet (changed now) advised was for life ;) Thats what got me into researching alternatives and for my dog it works fine. At the time we didn't have the variety or alternatives in dry food that is now available so raw suited us. If you are using Pred then it is usually a course that you reduce the dosage as per vet instructions as it finishes. I wouldn't think a month is too bad but wouldn't want it to be the only course of action in the long term.

I think nearly every State has a Hills district LOL Where are you???