FalconRange

Okay, I have bitten the bullet! I'm FalconRange on there too. Not that I'm very familiar to most here, but free to follow if you'd like. I hope nobody thinks I'm a creeper for following them (and if you'd prefer not, I can unfollow)!

Congratulations on surviving your first trial together! :)

Thanks RubyStar and megan_. That's a pity. I might have to have a think over the weekend and see if I can justify the extra. Otherwise, basic it will be!

I'm thinking of taking up the course as well. Have DVDs been offered in the past as part of a package? Just wondering if this is something new (and later on might be sold separately on the website like Crate Games is), or whether they stay members only. It'd be nice to have a separate DVD for later training (or for future dogs!), but I'm not sure I can stretch for the extra money needed at this point.

Maybe talking to some breeders and asking if they have a mature BC that might be suitable might be one option? As soon as mine hit two, he became very settled and stopped acting like a destructive cyclone! Like most Borders I've known, he's happy enough to have a rest day or two without tearing the place apart, but equally happy to spend afternoons hanging out with the family and tear around after a ball. A mature BC might meet your needs, especially one with a known stable temperament and good around kids. Be careful with training and children though - they can undo your training very easily in the early stages by shouting a thousand commands at the dog within seconds, and expecting the dog to follow each command simultaneously! :)

These two. So many times.

A guard of GSDs. A bridle of BCs. A crook of Collies.

Could he be a little bit slower on the sits and drops because of the footwork? You use the same footwork for both the sit and the drop, which, although you're giving the hand and voice, could be part of the issue? I was taught to teach the drop by slowing down and then stopping with the right foot extended forward as you give the command and hand signal. This is used to differentiate the sit from the drop, especially when it comes to using silent signals or voice signals only and no hand signals. Once the drop is completed, the left foot comes up to join the right. Whilst teaching, the time between the right going out and the left coming up is extended, far too long for a trial situation, but after repetition, it does get much faster and becomes more natural, and many dogs learn this cue means drop to the point where the hand and voice signals become unnecessary. It does depend on where you expect his head to be though. Dogs that watch the owners head/upper body probably don't catch a lot of footwork signals though. On the plus side though, I love how close he heels to your side. Not always an easy thing to teach, so well done!

I've got one from K9Pro. Never had any issues with the hinges or it staying open/closed. Our club sells the Premier ones, which look okay as well, if a little bigger and maybe more cumbersome than mine.

By 'responding', you're simply looking for the dog to make a reaction to you blowing the whistle - looking up, turning their head etc. Once you have a response, then you have to start the conditioning process; praising them for responding by treat or toy, and in the early stages, every single time they respond. You can start to teach them to come at the whistle this way.

The whistles I've used pull out, twist to change frequency, and then push back up to lock again. Keep testing which frequency they respond to best by pulling it out, twisting slightly and locking it back in (and blowing it, hehe!).

Thank you all for the references! I'll definitely check them out. If you're sure you're happy to borrow them ness, that would be excellent! I'm down South, but am happy to travel. I'm sorry about your girl though. Hopefully you'll get some more information and solutions for her soon. Let me know if you want/need anything in return!

Are there any books/DVDs/Websites/Online Programs for agility foundations anyone would recommend? I'd like to get into agility eventually, but while we're doing other things and focusing on obedience, I'm wondering if there are any materials I can draw foundation activities from, just to change things up every now and then and play some games with. Any recommendations?

Rally's certainly a future ambition! We haven't got the focus yet for anything formal, and are still working through some precursor behaviour issues, but I'm seeing some possible improvement from him in interest and enthusiasm. Grade 4 is the big goal, and by then I'm hoping we'll be at the stage where we have the skills for beginning novice OB, Rally, Agility, etc. but just have to practice it. Getting over past training mistakes is key. Someday we'll get there. :)

Training goals for Reilly. Finish Grade 4 Club Obedience Enter a CCD trial It's not exactly a title checklist to rival the others posted, but I'm going to try not to expect much (and definitely not expect a pass!), keep it fun and casual, and hope some of the hard work we've been doing pays off.

What area are they in?

If you have an Odin, you must have an Isis. ;)

I'm quite aware that I have a reasonably high potential dog in my less than capable beginner hands. I've been told by people I highly respect that he's got great potential for obedience, agility, tracking & S&R, rally, and/or flyball, and in the right hands he would be trial ready in weeks. As a result, it's a huge frustration to me that despite lots of effort, I'm having problems with basic obedience and engagement, and it's completely my fault. I'm just going to have to use that frustration as a motivator to get better. To borrow a phrase, 'Ambitious but Rubbish'!

It depends on the club. Mine allows use of check chain, flat collar, martingale, head halters (Halti, infin8 etc.), and harnesses, including the Sporn. Generally harnesses (car harnesses) are recommended against, as they aren't conducive to loose lead walking. However, some dogs work better on one, and in the case of the Sporn etc., they may be more effective than a head halter depending on the dog and its morphology. Braccy breeds certainly are safer on them if flat collars and check chains aren't considered an option by the handler. They can also help the handler become more confident in handling their dog before graduating up to a flat collar or check chain. Realistically, if would be sad if a club scolded a handler for preferring a harness over a collar, especially in the beginning stages. Most of our handlers are average pet owners, and if they feel alienated, they are likely to leave and not find another club. Better to either gently suggest a more preferred option and/or teach them slowly with equipment they're more comfortable with than lose them altogether for being strict.

Give Dogtainers a call. Like I said, $50 for a BC sized-crate, so unless the airport factors in (Sunshine Coast may not have a lot of crates pass through there), you should hopefully find them a lot cheaper!

Perhaps they thought you wanted to organise his flight through them too? $215 sounds very excessive for just crate hire!

You can hire crates at the airport from Dogtainers and JetPets etc. if that's an easier option. I hired one from Dogtainers one way and one directly from Toll Freight (emergency crate) the other. Both cost $50 to hire, and I knew they were airline approved and sturdy.

Well done.

This one.

Pungsan.