ness

I am sitting here clock watching and beside myself - Kenz is in surgery and I won't hear for at least another hour. The wait is killing me.

The other thing I have done once we have some duration is hand the dog the object and then work on heeling around. It might not help but it helped Ness understand the concept of moving and actually holding the object at the same time. Otherwise you can also do a bit of the 2 toy game - initially all the dog has to do is pick up the first toy before you present the second toy. Then you build up so they start taking steps with the toy in there mouth. If they are chase motivated then you might be able to build more distance that way. Kenz has metal issues - she is 100% retrieve obsessed apart from her metal article. She will hold it kind of if I hand it to her but tends to not want to move with it in her mouth. So I'll rev her up and do something like a restrained recall - toss out the article make sure she is really keen let her race after it if she pounces on it then I'll click and reward that. Eventually building up so she takes a couple of steps towards me before being rewarded. A combination of playing this and using extra high value rewards while still having both hands on it seems to be working slowly. We still have days when she races out and won't grab it but she has improved.

Yeah you can use a marker word. The other thing I have done (if you don't have a dog with a huge person space issue) is sit on a chair and wedge the dowel between my legs. But if you have a dog who doesn't like to come in close it might not work for you. You don't necessarily need 2 hands on the object you might be able to just have one hand on it.

What about shaping duration holds while you have both hands on the article. I would try using something like a bit of dowel or something that is somewhat rigid.

Kenz will shut down if walked by herself yet is happy to train by herself - go work that one out . Having said that she will shut down when I take them both out as well for a walk so its not that different.

BC Crazy - don't beat yourself up over it. I can't take mine our separately because my 11.5 year old will jump the fence to come and find us. We all make mistakes :).

There are some really nice GSP's around doing agility. I would worry about some of the labs as they seem a little to solid - some aren't but a lot are.

There is SA's first Rally-O trial on the Sunday the 20th of May at Dover Gardens if you want to check it out. I think possibly Gawler might offer Rally-O training as well but you would have to confirm that.

You still could do heel work to music. Nothing stopping you sheena. Lots of people are "self-taught". The internet is a great tool for helping track down training information and its just about having fun with your dog in the end.

Sorry to hear about Buster Tiggy - fingers crossed for some positive news soon.

everybody must be busy trialling or out partying. I have spent the weekend preparing fort knox for Kenz next week - fingers crossed.

Hmmm not sure what about the sealskin ones???

Here you go a couple of examples: Kenz doing CCD - (although you now don't have to return around after the recall you just finish the dog from in front). Kenz doing Novice - (we do change of position rather than a retrieve)And sure Ptolomy won't mind here are a couple of Cider: Cider doing CCD - Cider doing Novice -

CCD is heelwork on-lead, stand for exam on-lead, recall, 1 min sit stay 2 min drop stay.

No CD is all off-leash these days the old CD had both heel on-lead and heel off-lead now CD is just heel off-lead, stand for exam, recall, change of position drop or dumbbell retrieve plus 1 min sit stay and 3 min drop stay.

I did one CCD trial to test the waters - dog passed well so I moved her into Novice from then on. ETA. I hate having a leash so really didn't want to do CCD at all.

BC Crazy I worked through K9Pro's TID distance package with my young BC who sounds a little similar to Stella. Its been 2 years since she started and within only a few weeks she was doing absolutely brilliantly and has gone from strength to strength. Dare I say it but she is about as 100% reliable as a performance dog as you can get now. She is almost unflappable in those environments these days and has come a long way in her normal life as well. We have had a lot of time out of action over the in the last 16 months but I took her back into the trial ring at a mock trial just last weekend and she was every bit the pushy confident dog I always wanted out of her.

Roxy its amazing what they manage to hide that is for sure.

very cute - love the Ginger Ninja's thanks for the puppy fix Ptolomy .

Thanks for putting them back up sas .

Had that happen at times to RosieFT . Most recently at easter and it wasn't even the hind leg I know has a bloody issue it was the other one and I thought I was going to lose it. I am not sure I have much sanity left . Sunday evening she was really sore and I thought we had some serious damage. By Monday morning she is bouncing around as though nothing is the matter . It so starts to mess with you it really does. I did have to wonder though I sent some video through to the specialist and he said it was nothing to get excited over unless she was constantly lame or it was limping on more then one occasion in a 3 min routine .

Yep that has been what I have kind of reached for the last 2 months since the patella issue. There was no way on the planet I was putting her through surgery then she needed a life back so we have been back to normal walks for a while (I even stopped recording exactly what she has been doing last week - before that I had noted every days activities and any soreness issues). She has been to a sheep herding clinic, performed a DWD demo at the expo and done a mock obedience trial. She would have been back to doing more agility if she hadn't also torn the muscle in her right hind sometime in the last few weeks . Today we have been on 2 walks and I have had endless toys tossed in my lap most of the evening and she has otherwise looked sound so its really messing with me. Specialist has been marvellous though. I am sure I am starting to sound like an overprotective and worried owner. I guess when you have been living with lame dog for as long as I have you start to get a little worried it might all come apart again. I don't think the shoulder is fully recovered and I see signs it could go back to where it was. Hard when your dealing with chronic conditions. At least I am slowly learning when not to overreact .

Sorry about your news CC . @RosieFT I took Kenz out to agility training the other week - the specialist said I could and OMG from the moment I got out the car there was this deafening high pitch squeal. Its insane. Having one of those nights - nothing is adding up about Kenz she has been fine today and I don't get why the chiro vet is so adamant on surgery . Oh well a few more sleepless nights this week.

Yep I know all about the doubting business - its constantly on my mind when I train her. Ah well back to the specialist this week and will see what the latest verdict is. He hasn't had hands on her in nearly 2 months I am just hoping the situation is a little more favorable then the one the chiro vet is painting.

Sorry to hear about Rosie RosieFT. I keep asking myself the same with Kenz - what should I let her do and when should I call it a day. Problem is I think she would run herself in to the ground regardless of how sore she is or isn't. Just not sure what the answer is at this stage .