kirst_goldens

Ok I'm coming lol I'll be late because I just for home and it's 20 to 2 in the morning hahaha I am Kirsten and I will be bringing Bastian my golden retriever! I think I will bring a leafy green salad..??? But will have a squish at the shops in the am and find something suitable!!

Sorry for the delay in reply!! I do try to keep her doing fun stuff when we arnt actively working but as a first time obedience person I also really need to listen to what the instructor is saying, I have taken two weeks off seeing as they arnt letting us progress in classes until testing day it's not an issue so hopeful she will be happy and keen again after a break Want her to get up into the next class so I can start training my boy, he actually NEEDS to be trained lol Thanks for all the help I appreciate it

Not really sure how to describe how I train? Positive reinforcement and tug games etc at home I use class basically as a way to have the trainers see what we have worked on and see if they suggest improvements etc it learn a new exercise all the work is done at home, she is ace at home but the issue is more at training, even on her own at training she is better then in the group, she did really great one minute drop and sit stays tonight, the trainer decided to put extra pressure on and walk behind the dogs during the sit and she got up but I just put her back in place seeing as this is not done etc

an update! we have been to four classes since i posted and she is doing so much better i have found that she is great if i stay out on the grass, the club room is too much for her which sucks because thats where the water trough is lol so i have to take a bowl for her but thats fine! she is doing much better in class now with the other dogs she still gets a bit over excited and tries to drag me but i am working on her focus, in the show ring i say 'whats this?' and she looks at my hand and shows expression etc so for obedience i say 'watch' and reward her for looking me in the eye. I have found she is dropping off interest and enthusiasm in class now her heeling is a bit slow and she is moving further and further away from me as a result we are now stuck in our class and she is getting bored doing the same stuff over and over. she is great at home and if she is lacking i just let my boy out while we train and the competition seems to get her moving as she wants to do better them him even though i totally ignore him lol not sure how to handle this in class though? i am doing lots of high happy talking and praise etc... her main motivator is food - she will tug like a mad woman at home or away from the group when its just me and her but she wont play when we are with the class even if a distance away, now the instructors are telling me to feed her less but im worried if i do she will drift off into no mans land and ill never get her back any ideas? am i doing something wrong or is there pressure im not seeing that i need to relieve? i used to say her name and she would react like ok im ready, now she is staring off into the distance... she does love to work so i really hope i can get her past all this, thanks everyone :):)

an update! we have been to four classes since i posted and she is doing so much better i have found that she is great if i stay out on the grass, the club room is too much for her which sucks because thats where the water trough is lol so i have to take a bowl for her but thats fine! she is doing much better in class now with the other dogs she still gets a bit over excited and tries to drag me but i am working on her focus, in the show ring i say 'whats this?' and she looks at my hand and shows expression etc so for obedience i say 'watch' and reward her for looking me in the eye. I have found she is dropping off interest and enthusiasm in class now her heeling is a bit slow and she is moving further and further away from me as a result we are now stuck in our class and she is getting bored doing the same stuff over and over. she is great at home and if she is lacking i just let my boy out while we train and the competition seems to get her moving as she wants to do better them him even though i totally ignore him lol not sure how to handle this in class though? i am doing lots of high happy talking and praise etc... her main motivator is food - she will tug like a mad woman at home or away from the group when its just me and her but she wont play when we are with the class even if a distance away, now the instructors are telling me to feed her less but im worried if i do she will drift off into no mans land and ill never get her back any ideas? am i doing something wrong or is there pressure im not seeing that i need to relieve? i used to say her name and she would react like ok im ready, now she is staring off into the distance... she does love to work so i really hope i can get her past all this, thanks everyone :):)

an update! we have been to four classes since i posted and she is doing so much better i have found that she is great if i stay out on the grass, the club room is too much for her which sucks because thats where the water trough is lol so i have to take a bowl for her but thats fine! she is doing much better in class now with the other dogs she still gets a bit over excited and tries to drag me but i am working on her focus, in the show ring i say 'whats this?' and she looks at my hand and shows expression etc so for obedience i say 'watch' and reward her for looking me in the eye. I have found she is dropping off interest and enthusiasm in class now her heeling is a bit slow and she is moving further and further away from me as a result we are now stuck in our class and she is getting bored doing the same stuff over and over. she is great at home and if she is lacking i just let my boy out while we train and the competition seems to get her moving as she wants to do better them him even though i totally ignore him lol not sure how to handle this in class though? i am doing lots of high happy talking and praise etc... her main motivator is food - she will tug like a mad woman at home or away from the group when its just me and her but she wont play when we are with the class even if a distance away, now the instructors are telling me to feed her less but im worried if i do she will drift off into no mans land and ill never get her back any ideas? am i doing something wrong or is there pressure im not seeing that i need to relieve? i used to say her name and she would react like ok im ready, now she is staring off into the distance... she does love to work so i really hope i can get her past all this, thanks everyone :):)

thanks guys :) I dont let her drag me over, but she tries! i pretty much just avoid it all at the moment but want to know that i was doing the right thing! i get annoyed when i ask people to give her some space and say she has been attacked and needs some room etc and they say 'oh but ralph is really friendly!' sigh!!!! i found Black dog have a harness looking vesty thing that is yellow and says please give me space i might look into that as u can clearly see what it says, i always bring her soft crate if i will need to leave her to avoid tying her up and leaving her unprotected and out in the open. she has only done four weeks at dog club but is advancing at a really fast pace, should i maybe stay on the one level longer and work on her confidence? i dont want her to get bored is all... so hard to keep her interested as it is!

It's funny Erny, she acts like she really wants to play she will drag me over to the other dogs and happy and overly excitable and then freak out when we get there so should I allow this or just keep her away for a while?? It's almost like she has forgotten how to meet friends and play? She is fine with my boy and several other dogs she has grown up with and also doesn't have this reaction to goldens she seems to be a bit breedist lol I have thought about the yellow bandana I'll ask them on Wednesday night :) I need to work on proximity for the sit stay group exercise at CCD level, she has started a bit of this already but I have to really watch the class and pick the dogs to sit between or I can see her shutting down as she sits there and she will drop and refuse to recall - should I put more of a distance to start and build up to the correct distance?

hello!! My golden has been attacked 3-4 times while at training, twice as a baby and once or twice as an adult as a result now i arrive at dog club (different club) it take her a good 15-20 minutes to relax enough that she will respond and accept a treat. Visibly she looks ok people wonder what im talking about... but i can tell her tiny little signs(ears back, that anxious smile, tail wagging low, panting) that say 'i hate it and if a dog comes close she will have a go at it. she has an attitude of ill get u before u get me, and often the other dog wont have done anything wrong and she will wag her tail etc but if they touch her it will set her off. Because of this i know i am part of the problem and i am working on it, i have sussed out a few nice doggies and owners with good manners etc and i always keep her near these dogs and let her have a quick friendly sniff and reward her very fast with food, pats and a game etc... however i can only do this at the end after training. She also hates the loud dogs who bark non stop at everything we had one in our class and everytime he barked i would spend 5 minutes getting her back in training mode as she would start to stress again. 45 mintues later at the end of the class she is perfectly fine she will lay on the grass and jump in the bath (they have a bath there to cool the dogs off)say hi to a few dogs and wont pull on the lead she is so relaxed. she was such a happy go lucky girl and i really hate seeing her so scared and worried how can i work on her confidence?

my goldens never get smelly, i groom and bath them regularly - i ahvent bathed my bitch for over 3 months and she doesnt smell at all but is dirty to touch lol my boy gets smelly around the head as he often has ear trouble other then that they are not smelly at all

i would love to do these shows one day!

we thought we could have it made and send it off to an embroiderer for the writing and logo etc..

hey thanks Kelpie, i think i have found a coat maker to make one up for us - but ill keep u in mind though if it doesnt work out - isnt needed until october next year for a national :)

i used stackers on both mine and they got it very quickly free standing however is different i let the dogs walk into their front then use luring to get them to place their feet, to build the length of time practise at home start with very short periods and then a reward.. then a bit longer and reward and build and build until the dog will stay standing

that looks amazing!i love it! i know a few people who make coats are they easy to make could i just get them to make it?