bedazzledx2

Huge congratulations Zug Zug Woo Hoo!!!!! ;)

I use hand targetting as a setting up behaviour in the obedience ring. Its a rewarding exercise that gets him ready and engaged. I pair it with food in training but not often as its become self rewarding. I hold my hand high so he has to jump a little to touch and in training I am only rewarding a full on hard nose touch to the middle of my hand. I want him slamming my hand

C'mon Caffy!!!!! You can't have gone to bed already!!!! Well done to Ptolomy....your kids worked lovely tonight and I reckon Beans is the star of the future...her heeling is just awesome! I'm drinking pink bubbles ;) We just got back from holidays with an 8 hour drive yesterday so I didn't have any great hopes but Brookie pulled something out of his bag of tricks to win Open on 198 and UD on 196 Good boy....Jackpot!!!!

That's exactly what I do Kavik. Jasper is a slower eater so his bowl goes into a separate corner of the kitchen while Brooklyn is on a sit stay. Brook will inhale his food so he gets fed a minute or so later so that hopefully they finish around the same time and I will pick their empty bowls up so dinner's over and there is nothing to potentially squabble over. They also know to take any special treats such as carrots or bones to their own beds and eat there. I also don't buy into the alpha eats first or bother to maintain that sort of pack order....I simply do what is most convenient to me. (I guess I am the alpha bitch though so I do maintain my rules

Thats a good plan RubyStar. As you go up the classes (yes you will ) you'll need both verbal and signals separately for UD and UDX so its good to train both.

I cue "catch" They learn that one pretty quick

Woo Hoo!!!!! Someone now has a directed retrieve :p Lalalalalalalalalalala lalalalala lalalalala We will see what happens tonight ;)

Wow!!! Just got home from holidays to find 9 pages of i-squeaks!!! If not too late can I order 1 large and 3 medium please?

I have always named toys and behaviours I like so they already understand what Teddy means. They also understand 'go find' which is early foundation training for obedience so it was just natuaral to say "Where's your Teddy? "Go find Teddy" everytime someone came. It became self rewarding and I will alway praise in a really genuine way...'good boy...you got your Teddy.....what a lucky boy etc etc'

I cheated and taught them to go get their teddy bears when someone comes to the front door. They can't bark or jump up while they have a teddy in their mouth and I reckon we can cope with getting bashed in the knees with a soft toy Its now a conditioned response and they instantly go hunting for their teddy's if someone drives up or comes to the door.

Yep...remember those days well. We had separate classes for registered dogs, registered bitches, associate dogs and associate bitches...and the classes were big! Oh well...showing my age me thinks Obedience Trials can go for over 4 hours depending on the entries and I remember the days when they used to go all day!!! This is when they used to get entries that numbered as many as 130 - 140.

Leopuppy I feel your pain!.....been there!!! It's called boy brains and theres no cure...just an occasional reprieve ;) Probably the worst was when we had a big anniversary trial with eastern states judges and he decided to leave his brains....um still not sure where . He had recently served a bitch and there was also a champ show on the same night so I am sure there had been a bitch in season on the grounds. He was horrible and when it came to scent he decided to skip that bit and pee on a nearby tree.....we left the ring at that stage

Looking forward to catching up Barb I'll be there and entered in Masters and Open everything!!!! Lots of WA's are offering shelter and chairs. I have a few extra chairs but one of the el cheapo chairs I bought in Tassie was nicked from our grounds earlier this year...bumma

I'm pretty sure she had tears in her eyes!!!!

I got a free i-click when I bought Karen Priors "Understanding the Animal Mind" (great read BTW) I prefer the old fashioned box clicker though.

Well some of us have to buy them in job lots!!!!! I buy heaps.....lose them....buy more....and then find them again....Jackpot!!!! ;)

Saving his strength hee hee

i would be more inclined to take it off her and put it behind your back with a quiet NRM such as too bad or oops. Try again and be prepared to mark before she starts chomping. You will have to be quick and if you are using a clicker be prepared for her to drop the dumbbell in order to get the treat....thats ok as you're only marking the good hold. Do this while sitting in a chair and don't throw the dumbbell until you get a good hold.

Well and truly If you go to any dog shows you will see some lovely Aussies in Group 5. Aren't they just precious! Are they recognized breed yet?

Sorry, Australian Shepherd. As you can see by my signature photo they are happy to be couch potatoes as well as do stuff!

The Caddies are very popular with dog people. They are economical and have a huge back area for crates and gear. I do a lot of country driving and I also needed back seats so opted for the Hyundai Santa Fe. Love it!!! Particularly the rear window can be opened without having to open the tail gate. Very convenient for the dogs.

No you are not alone! I too have had animals all my life and when I moved house they came with me wherever I went. FWITW I think Aussies make wonderful pets if you're prepared to treat them like one of the family and put in some early training. They are clowns though What a bullshit generalisation Not every young adult or even teenager feels 'tied down' by the dog they love and have waited years for. I have had dogs of my own (either gifts or purchased myself) consistently since I was 11 & I'm now 25 and have not once felt burdoned or tied down by them. I know I am not alone in this.

Oh Yeah!!! and they don't head for a corner either.....right smack bang in the middle of the lounge room floor!!!!!

I taught my BC to go back on DC and he ended up going more than one body length backwards!!! I found I had more control by teaching him on a agility table. Actually I must pull my finger out and start teaching Brook proper UDX DC. I've never bothered to teach the stand (my bad) in DC so have a bit of a teach ahead of me :D

Geesh!!!! I hope you changed clubs!!! What a terrible attitude Agreed! Not the same as tracking, but I get all sorts of comments doing obedience with my beagle. Some people think it's a bit of a joke and don't think you'll do well at it or ever be much competition. Proving them wrong is the best revenge Same doing Obedience with a Great Dane, Breeds should never be used as an excuse not to train ones dog I think. Not tracking...but I was told at my first dog club that i would always "struggle" with my dog and its not the type of dog she would like to have representing her club.