**Super_Dogs**

One of my girls is not interested in my boy. She gets very cranky at him and shows no interest. Last time she was mated the very day of the first mating she was with my boy and did not flag, but when taken to her mating partner was a willing participant. I have no plans on mating with my boy so this is no problem for me. Maybe you are ready to mate you are going to have to take you boy away (to a kennel or willing friend) and bring him back when she is ready?

Is that these guys? link

Very good point!!

This is a hard balance. Some say teach it right then focus on speed, but it does not always happen!! My first agility dog can be very slow at getting into position. I also think it is because I did not do as much foundation work with her, more specifically drive work. I think what helps is alot of shaping work, like 100 things with a box, to get them to offer and reoffer quickly.

It does. Which is very sad. In Qld we are lucky to have alot of ADAA clubs which opens up the options.

This was a mistake I made when I first started training in agility. Now having learnt from this if my dog seems disinterested and it had only been 5 minutes, I do something really fun to engage her, then I stop training. I always want to end on a high. Whereas other days I would train for 15 minutes. I think it depend also what you are doing. For example weaves poles I keep the session short. That is great you have crate games - I highly recommend it When you get going it is really not too hard. When one of my dogs was only 11 weeks she hurt her leg and had to be contained. I had not done any crate training with her yet so I had to do a speed version of crate games. I trained with her for 1 hour using Susan's method and she was/is amazing. She loves her crate so much that sometimes when we are out it is hard to pack the crate up and she keeps runnung back it :laugh:

That was me who recommended them as I have several crates from here. I did alot of research and these crates as an good, if not better, than other crates for double the prices. I think they are as tough as a crate is going to get. They have 2 latches on each door so it would be pretty hard to a dog to escape. Also I noticed they now come standard with a divider - which is perfect when you have a pup.

yip. Not quit the same but I read Susan's blog the other day and she had a really good article about being weary of increasing the criteria for any type of game/stay etc so that the dog doesn't become disengaged or distracted. Of course looking at you doesn't mean they're distracted, but it is easy to land up rewarding the dog for relaxing when you push the criteria more and more. You don't want a relaxed dog, you want them to be focusing on that treat, body stiff, ready to go for it but just holding themselves back. I realised I have pushed to far with my boy's sit/stay. I practice it and push and push and I land up rewarding himfor being relaxed, rather than rearing to go/just teetering on the edge. Greg Derret said something very similar: get into position and go go go, don't paff around adjusting your hair etc. I have done puppy peaks and in this she changed it from what is in Shaping Success. However I can't remember which way she changed it, from looking at the food to looking at your, or the other way around?? To be honest I do not play this game for long. I use it to introduce shaping - then I stop - as I find my dogs disengage once they have got it. For control nothing beats crate games.

As Megan said. While this game teaches self control I find it most useful to introduce a dog or pup to shaping. So as with any shaping with Yer Choice you keep increasing the criteria. First your dog just needs to not mouth your hand, then look away, then look at you. You can keep increasing criteria until you get to the treats on the ground in front of their nose.

I don't but have seen some fantastic set ups on utes. Maybe you could go to an agility of obedience comp and check out the vehicles :D

I want this job!!

Good luck You will enjoy this book. I wish I had this book when I was training my first agility dog. This foundation work makes a HUGE difference when you start on equipment. Beware though......agility is addictive. :laugh:

Totally Agree. In saying that know, you still want the right pup from the litter. Think about the people in agility whose dog wont go on a conact because they have come off at one time. However, this is common sense for example you are not going to pick the fearful pup. I like the simple test where you drop the dog bowel. All the pups will scatter.....but then some will come back to check out what it saw Even better if you find a young dog you like and the breeder had a planned repeat mating.

Yes researching the parents is extremely important. IMO it is also important to get to know the variations within the litter by talking to the breeder and/or spending some time with the pups. I have had litters where temperatment wise the whole litter was very similar and other litter with vast difference. It can be difficult to determine these difference when you visit the puppies. I have had people visit and say "that puppy is quiet" when in fact that puppy is anything but quiet. They just happen to be visiting when that puppy is tired. The breeder is the greater assistance to get to know the variations within the litter. They spend ALOT of time with the babies!! I know of working dogs from agility parents that are not suited to agility. So the parents should not be your only criteria.

BC Crazy - I only train for 10-15 minutes at home. I purposely keep my sessions short as i always end when the dog wants more so next time they are eager to work for me. The only time I train longer is when I go to class. If you want some more training ideas the Shaping Success book I mentioned will help with this :) The main foundation exercises I work on before using equipment are: - clicker and shaping The book Shaping Success has a good game "you choose" which introduces shaping to you dog - Games: Chase, drive, Tugging The chasing games I start before the shadowing handling. I have realised with my 18 month old dog I have not done enough drive work. She is too focused on me and not the obstacle in front of her. These are in the Shaping Success book - Crate training I use Susan Garrett's method which she has a DVD. This teaches control, which you need for start line stays, and drive - Shadow handling Just google this and you find utube clips - nose targets eventually moving onto plant work This is to teach the end behavior for contacts. The Shaping Success book has how to do this. Forgot to mention, I have listed these in the order I would teach them. But even when I get to nose target work, I am still doing all the others. Also this is on top if basic obedience such as sit, down and stay. And lastly.....must be fun, fun, fun for your dog.

Link This is where I buy my agility books and DVDs.

I would get some advice from your vet what is recommended for your area. Up here in sunny Qld my vet recommends commencing heartworming at 12 weeks.

I found the book "Shaping Success" by Susan Garrett an excellent book for foundation work. When training a new dog this book is my bible!! I highly receommend getting this asap so you can start training at home. FYI - by foundation work we mean exercises done without equipment that will assist you greatly when you start on equipment.

You definitely have not missed the boat. Check out the dog clubs listed with dogs Qld. Here is the Link The Gladstone Dog Obedience Club says they do agility. Most agility clubs have a beginner course. I think this is the best starting point. Good luck. You will love agility :D

I look for at: Responsiveness How keen they are to work for me How quickly they learn With my last litter from 6 weeks iI played chasing games and taught the pups to sit. Some pups were just not interested and 2 pups had all of the above. I then made my final choice of these 2 by gut.

I love this idea This is when I wish I had sewing skills :D I use to give first worming tablet but no longer do. I think most people like to choose there own brand.

I copy ALL the photos and some videos of the buyers pup onto a CD. My last litter I brought 5 meters of a dog printed fleece from spot light, which I cut up. I put the pieces with the pups a few days before they left me so it had familiar smellls for their first night away. Also gave each pup a toy which they had been been playing with.

I train and compete in agility with my labs. So I choose my labs for their working ability and do not want my labs too big. My girls are about 27kg. If you PM me I can give you some breeder suggestions.

I recently had a similar issue. Clear runny nose is ok, but green discharge means a respiratory infection. Because you pup is still very young I would recommend going to the vet I am sure they will give you an antibiotic. Do not panic, it is really just a cold and your pup is fine, but I would definitely go to the vet as the risk of leaving something like this is a secondary infection which is when your pup could get very sick.

I think this sounds pretty normal. Unless there is more than a drop all the time, I would not bother going to the vet. Love the names.