Podengo

How many can your dogs relate to? http://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/the-best-of-first-world-dog-problems

I started agility with my family dog (a doberman) when I was 12, she was pretty hard to motivate, and taught me SO much about agility and training! We did a lot of trick training too, and a little bit of obedience. I stopped training for a few years, but kept working with dogs through volunteer work and a boarding kennels, then when I moved out of home I was actually living close to the agility club where I had started as a 12 year old, so I volunteered to help out on their training nights (putting gear away etc.) even though I didn't have a dog yet. Through doing this I managed to find myself a few dogs to train and run (they belonged to other people and were particularly difficult dogs to work with) which taught me a lot about handling and working with difficult dogs. Made it all the better when I FINALLY got to get my own puppy, a jack russell x border collie. I was so prepared, having spent a year and a half totally immersed in agility, competing every weekend and learning from some of the best handlers around.

One of my best friends has a goldie, he has been pushed by my much smaller dog since they first met (she was only about 3kg when they first met!). He is just sooo gentle and loving with her, and can take her rough play without getting too rough back. I think a nice golden is really one of the best bigger breeds to pair with a small one

Oh you would laugh if you saw a trial, some of it is pretty appalling! But as long as the dog is moving with the handler, the style of it doesn't matter too much, the important thing is that they are moving with the handler. A bit like field trials I think?? Some of the WT dogs are already OBCH so have really amazing heel work! Quite the mixed bag at a trial! :) Temperament test... just stand and stay while handler walks a couple of metres away, then the judge will approach the dog and do an examination similar to what would be performed on a breed show dog. They must not shy away, growl, jump on judge etc. if they fail the temperament test they aren't allowed to do the rest of the CD test.

Yeah it is quite interesting! I think NZKC/KC agility are more similar, while ANKC is more like AKC too :) In NZ you used to need a CD before starting agility :laugh: You also did need a CD before starting UD, but now you can work in whatever order you like. I know of quite a few dogs that have otherwise finished their WTCh but have not got the CDX yet! Would be so awful! A couple due to failing the temperament test over and over, and a couple due to sloppy heeling (working trials heeling is not at ALL strict!)

I agree with that :)

Haha maybe I need to toughen up! Her tug was so soggy last night at agility (mix of saliva and dew) that I could wring water out of it Ewwwwww! I did find some mouldy what I assume was once mince in my pocket the other day, good look for a vegetarian eh We don't like the sit-stays either, but it's not toooooooo long for Elsie, should stay up! Funny that she stand stays better than she sit stays. Our UD classes are pretty different, ANKC is more like AKC while NZKC is more like KC... Our UD is part of working trials, not obedience. So we go CD > UD > WD > TD... UD/WD/TD all have tracking, while CD/UD/WD all have a different scent exercise... UD & WD have jump and obedience sections, TD is just 3 tracks. In NZ once your dog earns 1 CDX, 2 UDX, 2 WDX and 2 TDX they earn the title WTCh (working trials champion) :)

Yes we are actually entering in a race next weekend :laugh:

Good point, I think it would be the same here, a minor deduction as long as she does sit without an extra command :) We need to pass with at least 90% of points in all exercises to get the CDX (recall to heel, drop on recall, heel off lead, temperament test, retrieve, scent discrimination, sit stay 1 minute, stand stay 1 minute, down stay 5 minutes handler out of sight) I sometimes put a tug in the back of my pants too, but after one go with it Elsie turns it into a horrible dribbly mess blech! Boo about the terracotta bowl!!

Thanks - she is a FUN dog to work with, always wanting more and always wagging her tail :) I've never heard of a magnetic ball, off to look that up now! I have been trying to find a good bait bag that I could fit a ball in that could go behind me, but have had no luck... Magnetic ball sounds awesome though! They are really handy if you have a ball driven dog, I still use a tug as well for heel work sometimes depending on what we are doing. This is how I use the ball with Wiz; This was in the early stages of training heel work, her position is much tidier now, but shows you how you can use the magnetic ball 'hands free'. The dog has to focus on your face because the only cue they will get to release to a reward is from your voice. You should be able to find other videos on YouTube too! Thanks - that looks really good, I will have to get myself a magnetic ball I think, what a fabulous idea! I was trying to work out if I could stick velcro to Elsies chuckit and to my back... Magnet is a much better idea. Thanks RubyStar - we are entered in CD in a few weeks time, hopefully it all goes well! My other concern is her retrieve at the moment, on occasion she is launching at me on the return instead of sitting in front, but its a very random occurrence... Better not bloody happen in the CD trial! The only time she did something similar was on the recall at nationals, she came flying in at a crazy speed and instead of sliding to a front and finish as usual she launched at me from about 3 metres away and almost knocked me over... Little sh*t hahahaha

Thanks - she is a FUN dog to work with, always wanting more and always wagging her tail :) I've never heard of a magnetic ball, off to look that up now! I have been trying to find a good bait bag that I could fit a ball in that could go behind me, but have had no luck... Magnetic ball sounds awesome though!

Tracking only trials have just started up in the south island this year too, so could be a good option!

I agree that the whippets I have met at breed shows have seemed a bit bland, but the ones I have met out lure coursing and through agility have been pretty wild :) I love her pharaoh, such a cool dog! My girl Elsie is obsessed with all of Tina's dogs haha :) Yes a good breeder is very important in Dobes, health is the biggest problem in the breed. Don't really see too many temperament issues among confo/agility people's dobes, but have seen some pretty fearful ones picked up cheap off trademe. There are some lovely breeders in NZ, and Aussie too if you're open to importing.

When a friend of mine applied for her 5 dog license the officer just said "how about I just give you a 6 dog license, save me coming back in 6 months?" (she had just got a 4 dog license a few months prior!) :laugh:

Where in NZ are you? Did you meet Tina's Ibizan and Pharaoh? How about whippets? Sighthound, short coat, medium size, trainable (there are a few doing agility/obedience around) and they're affectionate! They are common though! I would suggest Dobe (they're awesome) but they're an unhealthy breed! Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retriever? They're a bit different, though I don't think there are any breeders in NZ. I think many of the other gundog breeds could work too! Otherwise, get an Azawakh, just so there is one in NZ for me to swoon over :p

I do know what you mean thanks :) I get slack on these things so quickly, must remember correct reward placement... I need to put a sticky note on her ball I think!

Love happy heeling. :D Noticed you had your rewards in your R/H pocket -wondered if that was why her head was slightly across? (Being really, really picky there :)) . Do you mix and match - sometimes get the food from your LH pocket. And I forgot to notice which hand you rewarded her from. Ahhhhh thank you!! Good thought! Go on, be picky! I don't train with anyone, so need internet people to point out what I am ruining :p Will absolutely mix it up more, last thing Elsie needs is any reason to forge LOL. I reward with a ball usually, get it out of my pocket and throw it, or send her back to the training bag to get it and then I throw it :p If I use food I reward from the left hand, but I probably always reward with a toy from my right as I'm right handed hm... Something to think about for sure...

Elsie really has two 'spirits' Outside Elsie Inside Elsie

Working on some heeling in the park today, Elsie is very bouncy at the moment! http://youtu.be/aezKANScIFM

Another awesome night sledding - we're addicted! Elsie is a complete speed demon and goes so quick the whole way around

Dogs that don't shed can still run mud into the house, they can still dribble, they can still have accidents... Dogs can be messy, get over it ETA: but in saying that, I much prefer a dog with a short, single coat. I love stroking a gorgeous sleek dog, I don't like the look or feel of fluffies, don't like the grooming or maintenance either. Elsie drops a bit of hair, but it's not that noticeable... That cat and the rabbit are way worse.

All of the dogs I grew up with were brilliant with kids (GSD, Dobe, Ridgeback x), but they were all raised around children and we were well trained ;)

I think the whiskers are really prickly when they're growing back if they have been clipped off haha, like a beard :laugh:

That is sooo cute! How did you train that? I tried once, and once Elsie realized I was trying to catch her she proceeded to be really good and down and stay LOL