Elise+Hudson

What level has everyone signed up for? I am thinking of just doing the basic level if you still can get access to the same game videos as everyone else?

Thanks guys - yes you are supposed to reward between the first and second set of poles 50% of the time when starting, so they don't just skip to the 2nd set for their reward, just like Hudson is doing now. I will take the 2nd set away and work on the entries to the first set again for a little bit before bringing the 2nd set in. He understands going through the poles when there are 2 sets is what is required - but gets stuck going through them any way he can and hes easily demotivated if he isn't getting it right. So yeah, I guess I will go back to the one set for a little. I have ordered a new toy (tug and treat) which may help as he isn't either really food or toy motivated which can be hard! :) Yeah I spent 3-4 weeks on the one set of poles because I didn't have a good setup and it was so hard to move them, now I have the proper equipment I will move along a bit faster once we get it. Thanks for your help guys. Will see how he does tomorrow afternoon.

Oh cool! Will look forward to hearing all the details soon then. :)

Wow $400 is a fair bit. How long does the course go for? I am more than happy to pay it if it will help us. Hudson has a terrible recall and almost everything but me is more exciting to be close to.

Hi guys, You are probably all sick of my weaving and agility questions, but I have finally got some proper steel weave bases made up which is making my 2x2 training so much easier! I had Hudson doing really well with the single 2 pole entry and could hit entries from any angle. Moved to the 15 feet apart at 2/8 and he also did great. I was rewarding just over 50% of the time after the first base. Moved them to 4 feet apart at 2/8 - continued great. Moved them to 4 feet apart at 1/7 - also doing well, but started to ignore my toy in between poles and was completing full sets of poles and coming back for his toy. This afternoon did another session and started with the poles at 2/8 again to make sure I wasn't pushing him to hard. and he was refusing to take the 1st set of poles again, going through the 2nd and looping back the wrong way through the 1st set. Nothing I could do would bring him around away from the poles, he just kept running through them the wrong way. Now I can't seem to get him to take the first set - even if I open them right up and always reward the 1st set only. Did anyone else run into trouble like this? I guess I have to go back to the 1 set of 2 poles again, but he has been doing this now for 3-4 weeks, I thought the single set of poles was pretty solid!

Thanks guys :) I ended up getting a set of 2 - 2x2 and 2 - 4 poles made by the agricultural engineering people in town. They are great and the 2x2 training is going SOO much better with the proper bases!

I'm really looking forward to this - have liked the webinars so far. Does anyone know about how much it will cost to do?

Hey guys :) I promised I would get some video. Unfortunately it was incredibly windy and Hudson was very distracted, so not our best efforts by far. But we have come a long way already!

Oh awesome, might have to look into some from Sydney I would like to try and get him leaning on the right spacings.

Anyone know of anyone in NSW making weaves at the moment? Stuggling teaching 2x2 at the moment with pegs in the ground with PVC pipe over the top! Ground is too hard to keep moving them!

Well I forgot to bring the camera to training this week! (bad trainer!!) He did well though, we ran our first full length jumpers course and on our 2nd attempt (I got lost on the first on, and he did a quick run around the ring all excited...) he only missed 1 jump which was my fault.. so that was pretty great! He also learnt the chute which was great! We have started the 2x2 weaves again at home. Session 1 today and he did great, getting some tough entries. Glad I gave him a break and came back, he really seems to get the 'go between the poles' thing now! So happy with how he is going. First trial on 9/10 March! Excited and nervous all together! We will definitely ready for JD at this stage, see how we go for snooker + AD. Entered, but will take him out if he can't do it in time.

Guys definitely talk to your vets about ears! Ear cleaner will not help if there is infection or a foreign body. Also ear cleaner and most antibiotics can cause serious damage if the tympanic membrane/ear drum is ruptured. If the dog has a head tilt at all, NEVER use ear cleaners or antibiotics - see your vet. Ear cleaners are great for maintence - but I have seen the results of long standing ear infections, and it is not good. Itchy ears and itchy feet is more likely a whole body allergy/atopy issue. Ears are an extension of the skin so itchy dogs often have itchy ears, but it's always worth checking out.

Hudson did some fantastic work this week at training! He is comfortable on the A-frame which I must admit I was a little nervous about, and we are SO close to getting our serpentine!! He is just so fast. We also did a bit more work on sending away and distance and I was SO proud of him! He did it like a little star! Weaves... well, we still have HEAPS to work on! Need to get my butt into gear quickly! Having another training run on tuesday morning, will bring out the video camera! Promise you guys won't laugh too hard at us? :p

I am just borrowing this one at the moment, but does give me some good ideas for training :)

I think this will be extremely harmful to the dog scene here in Australia. My breed is one that often has tails docked prior to importing, and we need to continue importing to increase the gene pool. I would not spend the money to import a dog or bitch only to never be able to set foot in the ring just because it was docked prior to arrival in the country. Yes the genes are still there, but I want to show and compete with my dogs. I very much hope this does not get past this stage!

It's a book with a heap of agility training exercises :) http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=2879

I think I might have to look into getting one of those as well, or just save up for a trolley! I cart my wire crate everywhere!

I can see if I can find a slip lead that will be easy to attach to myself while running and try that. Otherwise those Patentopet collars look great, as he needs to have a collar on while at training and they don't look any more dangerous than a normal flat collar.

I am not talking running whole courses? Just training. Slip lead would be fine, but carrying it while running through would be very difficult, while still having hands free to handle with. It's like saying you shouldn't show jump a horse with a saddle and bridle because it is too dangerous? I have never heard of practice agility equiptment (which all comes apart) causing injury due to a harness?

We did a few from 'a' the other day and had a great time.. they are good at picking up what needs more work, and then give you plenty to practice with!

I won't be taking it off while training, I am trying to assist my training using a harness as I mentioned in my initial post. Hudson is great while running the course but as soon as he is done and gets his reinforcement (food, toy, play, cuddles etc.) he then just wanders off and is hard to get back and get his attention again. So I need something that after the reinforcement I can quietly take him so he can't practice the wandering behaviour. This is already making a HUGE difference so far. I am quite careful with equipment so I don't think a harness will cause training to be any more dangerous then without the harness.

Ooh that comfortflex harness looks quite good! The straps look nice and padded, it is the plain nylon that tends to just cut/rip at his hair. And free shipping, how very tempting!

Hi guys, I am doing more and more agility training with my dog, and need to get a harness with a handle. I am using it to hold onto him between training so that he is not practicing his behavior of running off/sniffing/ignoring me! It is making a huge difference in our training and he is running off less - but it is killing my back to hold him by the collar all the time, and the handle tags are too long and get in the road of him jumping! So I am looking for a harness with a reasonable sized handle, and a harness that won't tear or pull his coat out as he is still going to be showing as well! (I don't ask for much do I?) Anyone know of anything?

Hudson and I just had THE BEST morning training agility, he was so focused and switched on today! Added another pole to our weaves, worked on driving forwards (he was driving down 3 jumps to the table without me!) and we also started serpentines and a little practice on the A frame (which he LOVES.. maybe too much!) Going to start working through the alphabet drills soon with my trainer to practice some rear crosses, he still does a spin around to look at me but getting heaps better!

I bought a bike!! Now to teach Hudson to run alongside without killing us both! Any tips??