ness

I just wish Kenzie could give a fraction of her attention and enthusiasm for heeling to Ness. We had an agility trial last night and I had Kenzie out doing a small amount - really wanted to do more but know I can't flog her while she is broken. I had to chuckle there were a few BC pups around and they were soo distracted whereas Kenzie has been the same as she has been all along. 100% committed to me and what we are tackling regardless of dogs barking, running, screaming etc Not bad considering she is a timid girl. Her hoop sendaways are absolutely stunning . She can find the hoop regardless of where its placed in the yard and regardless of the number of toys and agility equipment I have sprawled out all over the yard.

Nah I think the UDX rules should contain a bread roll retrieve . So you guys have been off hogging Sue guru all day have yah - naughty naughty. So Rubystar does this mean I can borrow some of it for Ness cos hers is shitty. At least though she has rediscovered she can actually play scent and into the bargain I had 3 lovely strong article holds with no mouthing and one she dropped at my feet she then immediately picked up without an additional command - guess thats what you call progress .

Bugger them Rubiton - they only ever seem to take photos of club members so its always the same dogs. You should come back out and take some. I would be happy to pay for some nice ones of my girls.

Just looking at the photo with Shine - and it occurred to me most of the SA tyres would be the lolly pop sort rather than the box sort. Not sure if they are any safer mind you.

Actually somebody did tell me to be careful with reintroducing raw after my girl had a tummy upset and these were people who would normally feed raw. Just can't remember what the advice was.

BCs are buggers when they think something is a game (and that game can be seriously one sided and they still think its fun ). Bit of lateral thinking happening here - what about placing something at the top of the stairs so that she can't lay there but obviously something they are still happy to walk on. Not sure what you might use and whether it would work and for how long. Not sure that that object might be but it might break the habit or it may not. She might just lay in front of whatever you place there and it still might have the desired effect of preventing the boys up the stairs. Not sure how wide the stairs are either but could you split it in two with a barrier so they can get up one side even if she tried to lay in front of it. If you extended the barrier far enough past the top of the stairs so that it made it impossible for her to block both sides at once. Again not sure on the feasbility but it was just a wild suggestion.

So I wasn't to far off Ptolomy . Ness was a disaster when I tried the other night so much so we won't even go there .

Ok here is Kenzie's results. Back in November at the age of 7 months I was able to get 29 seconds in correct position with no visible rewards and without "warming up". Not done any with her since though .

Awww poor Noah. Sorry no real advice Vickie. Kenzie does it to Ness over door steps but we are fortunate enough that there are other ways in to the house. I think you can probably only keep doing as your doing and manage the situation.

I would still consider taking him to a chiro especially if you can find a good one. My older girl would have sudden episodes of lameness like your observed which would resolve but then the chiro would still find major spots which needed sorting. The guy I take them to uses acupuncture. I would also strongly suggest just because the dog no longer looks lame doesn't mean there still may not be something more to the problem. Muscle strains/sprains in humans don't recover super quickly. Like I said in the other thread in general (or was it this one can't remember) my younger girl injured herself 3 weeks ago. Went back yesterday as I was convinced something wasn't quite right - she hasn't been obviously lame but just wasn't moving perfectly. Well yep there was a problem which needed treatment and now its another fortnight of restricted activity (well no ball playing) or things of that nature. My thought is he is only young so better to be safe then sorry (like my girl) and act now rather than let them return to doing what they were doing before and risk permanent injury.

Ptolomy's average duration was embarassing and I was so jealous - think she said it was about 1 min 30 or up to that the other week but I think she would like to take a trick at the moment and have a couple of uninjured dogs to train.

Yep Rubystar that is correct and my UD trialling dog is woeful Kenzie who hasn't even seen the inside of a trial ring yet and won't for some time is bloody brilliant at it .

I was watching an advanced clicker training dvd that recommended you teach more active behaviors prior to teaching a stay. For the simple reason its actually easier to define criteria on a more active behavior (eg teaching dog to lay on a mat) the trainer can clearly see when the dog is moving towards the mat, laying on the mat whereas with a stay its much harder to train the dog to hold position. An active behavior was anything a dead dog can't do. Not to be said that a 10-16 week old dog can't learn a stay. Actually my 10 month old didn't have a stay on for ages as it just wasn't as important as everything else.

Yep tried some last night and it was a disaster NEXT question. Actually interesting experiment her circle work was dreadful (she kept dropping head position at precisely the same point in the circle - wasn't time dependent as it didn't matter how long we had been going before we hit that sport in the circle she would lose position. We had a huge oval and thought I would try duration heelwork slightly differently. I mainly did straight lines with a few turns thrown in and that was much more successful. Never lost the head position and it was really nice work. It was a bugger I broke small fry as she has the most gorgeous duration circle work - means Ness is allowed to get away with nothing as I know how nicely Kenzie can do it . ETA. And my training buddy didn't fair much better although she wasn't quite as tough on her dog as I was on mine and was happy to accept the dropped head position so long as he remained roughly in heel - NAUGHTY .

Hmm rugerfly - I can't remember whatever my older girl got but she went from completely non-weight bearing to walking fine within a couple of hours when she was given them.

Yep the anti-inflams sure do work so quickly. Usually kick in after about an hour and then the dog will think they can run around like a lunatic. I know what your going through as my 9 month old BC strained something about a fortnight ago so it was off to the chiro (happened to be taking my older girl anyway) 5 days of leash walking only of which she did not approve of in the slightest. Have to say though the bugger looked like she was walking funny again on Mon night so I ran around making another chiro appointment (which is this afternoon) and she was running like a lunatic this morning. The joys of having a high drive dog and a puppy at that. God knows if there is anything the matter.

LP why can't you fail at both.

So where are all your notes JulesP I wanna know what was covered at the GD seminar - pretty please .

Since when is UD fun LP - I am not so sure - I think UD is SCARY .

In answer to your question RubyStar I found in WA (not over sits but with drops), the judges half expected you to give a second drop command if the dog missed it whereas in SA is a big no no. I am not sure if thats the case with all judges or not but Ness missed the first drop under Amanda Bowan at the WA States back in 2006 and I said nothing. I think second time she missed again and the judge asked me if I wanted to give her another command to drop. I am not sure if thats exactly what happened as it was a while ago and testing my memory but something like that. We did just scrape through with enough points to pass that trial too . First CDX pass. I know in SA its frowned upon if you give a second command in the ring.

RubyStar - will have to watch the video tonight when I am at home as my work computer doesn't like youtube. Think it tries to suggest I should work at the office . ETA. Yes you may use both a verbal and hand signal in COP down.

Wait until you get to UD LP - so many one little things going pearshaped that can cost you that important pass .

Nah RubyStar Kenzie just thinks the only way to do a drop from a sit is to shuffle backwards and then fold into a down . I will say a certain little miss did get promoted into the top class at training last night after one class (not a trial club) but not to shabby considering I never train her .

Not so sure I can see Ness getting her UD unless we start paying some judges big dollars . Her little sis Kenzie will probably get there one day though.

awwww thanks PoW - my older girl does lots of rotten things . Have to say though without Ptolomy I would be seriously screwed so you have her to thank for having me to look up to .