Kavik

Interestingly the top level agility trainers don't use physical corrections

Possibly different types of anaesthetic being used? Different premed and pain relief? When I got Diesel done (he was 9 months don't remember how much he weighed though) he was $150, a few years later when I had Kaos done, same age but smaller dog, was around $250 at a different vet. I know the vet practice where I had Diesel done used the older Halothane anaesthetic while where I had Kaos done used Isoflurane. Also the vet where I got Kaos done is in a more expensive area.

I was walking Diesel at the park a month or so ago. I have had to work hard on his recall, much harder than I have to work with the other dogs. I let him off lead and we were doing some training and a dog comes barelling over full pelt from the other side of the park. Luckily it just wanted to say hi, and Diesel is the only one of my dogs who would cope with such a greeting! The other dog then starts running around like a mad thing and Diesel looks like he wants to join in but I call him and he comes back to me and gives me a good front

rastus froggy So true! It is great for me and my training skills to see if I can break down an exercise to teach it. I did scent detection too for that reason (I used mint )

I have found the clicker invaluable for getting focus with distractions. Diesel is still my most easilly distracted dog (bit of an airhead and social butterfly whereas the Kelpies want to WORK!) and he is more difficult to train around distractions as he also doesn't have as much drive, but waiting him out and marking and rewarding attention has helped a lot. This is still MUCH easier with my other dogs as they will look back at me quicker than Diesel will. As Vickie suggested having small short behaviours or tricks that the dog likes to do also helps to keep their attention or get it back if it wavers. Kaos and Zoe like hand touches and spins, and Diesel likes Come Fore exercises and Finishes.

I agree with the others - I tend to avoid off lead parks. I find quieter parks if I want to let the dogs have a run. I certainly would never take a tiny little dog to a dog park, too much could potentially go wrong. The only one of mine who occasionally goes in if it is quiet is a German Shepherd as he is OK with dogs getting in his face and non-confrontational. Even then I am careful.

You can use positive methods if you do the NDTF course I liked that you found out about different types of training, with guest speakers from fields such as scent detection etc. You were told about different equipment and methods but allowed to choose what to use. I found the course plus further research into methods and equipment (including a seminar specifically on that equipment) allowed me to make an informed choice about what I was and was not comfortable using and why. There is one quadrant I am not comfortable using but I am glad I was given information on it and that it was not ignored as 'wrong' or 'cruel' and that I know the theory behind how to do it properly.

Although dog daycares may not have aggressive dogs, the ARE highly populated by rude, overly boisterous dogs and sometimes have a high volume of dogs per amount of area. If your dog does not like dogs in its face, I would not go to a dog daycare. I avoid dog parks and instead frequent other less populated parks and areas.

Unless the dog is declared dangerous, it does NOT have to be muzzled or on leash. Safer to keep dogs which do not like other dogs on leash yes, but this still does not solve the problem of idiots with dogs off leash or on extendable leads who refuse to listen to you when you are walking on the footpath (where dogs by law have to be on leash) when you tell them your dog is NOT friendly and you are in a driveway or the edge of the footpath giving them as much space as possible to pass. When you are being courteous and giving them the whole footpath and then some and they still proceed to allow their dog up which is pulling and straining on the lead.

You are not allowed to speak in obedience apart from giving commands. I have had to retrain because I liked to have conversations with Diesel when heeling and he enjoyed it too but when I stopped talking he didn't work as well I am now using a marker word and release to reward.

I love how Daisy talks to you - so funny!

Diesel is one handsome boy Thanks :D Unfortunately looks rather moth eaten at the moment due to allergies

My best videoed attempt at heeling is pretty pathetic

Yes he was rude in how he approached the situation. But like others, I have told other people that my dog is not friendly (we were on lead) and are either told oh my dog is fine, or they take no notice of it altogether and I have to resort to being rude/shouting to get them to listen.

I'd be happy with that result Don't see how it encourages new people though - would be so disheartening! I am so glad the system here allows you to gain titles on a qualifying basis and that there are several levels all of which earn you a title after a certain number of qualifies.

Staranais That would be so hard having to come first! How do newbie triallers manage to get a foot in against the seasoned competitors and dogs? In agility I've placed a few times (a second and a couple of thirds) but I've never come first. Considering we are now in a higher level, and are a 600 jumping dog I don't like my chances of coming first unless in a separate heights trial Those 400 and 500 dogs have an advantage of speed and turning ability over the big guys.

This one would certainly get pinged in ANKC obedience but gets 96 in Schutzhund (scores shown in video)

Doesn't look like he has problems with his left turns

Most of the stuff I teach, even 'tricks' serve some purpose in the sport I am training for. Many of the more pointless tricks help a lot with balance/body awareness which is important for agility. Shake paws Beg Bow Backup Spin Crawl Play dead Roll over Balance on objects with all four feet (eg block of wood) Walk through ladder Touch objects and hand with nose or paw Pick objects up Stick head in bucket (as part of picking up object and putting it away/in bucket) They are taught by either luring or shaping with a clicker.

Firstly what is the dog like with the 8 year old? Not sure that the dog sounds very stable to be honest, would worry about the kid. But if the dog is OK with the 8 year old, some clicker training might be the way to go for some trick training.

Instead of using his ball to distract him from other balls, you could use his ball as a reward for obeying his recall command. I would break the exercise down into a few parts, practice these in a low distraction environment first before stringing them together and then adding distractions. 1) Recall with ball reward. Call him, show ball/squeak if necessary, when he gets to you throw the ball so he continues along the same path. You may start by throwing the ball as he is running. Eventually you want to call him wihout needing to show the ball obviously and then throw it when he gets to you. 2) Sit for ball reward (he may already do this?). 3) If you are worried about being able to catch him, maybe do a separate exrcise with a sit and collar grab, with food reward. Then incorporate this into sit for ball reward. Then add recall so it is recall and sit for ball reward, occasionally catching him first. Once he is doing this in low distractions, you can go to where there are some distractions but not balls yet. Once he has the idea with some distractions, go somewhere where there are balls. Might be an idea to have him on a long lead at first so that he can't get to the other ball, and keep a good distance so you have better chance of success.

you could try using your own ball as a reward for your dog coming back to you Make your ball more fun, practice recalls with less distractions with the ball as the reward. Then once this is working, go to where ball games are being played at a distance (and maybe have pup on a long lead at first so he doesn't get the chance to get all the way to the other ball) and recall the pup, with your ball as the reward. Then you are using his desire for the ball to your advantage instead of trying to fight against his desire to get the other ball.

It was great to meet Poppi - she is very cute and so sweet - a great save

How did you teach your send away? Maybe you can modify how you taught that (send away from you) to work for send left and right? I can see what Jules means. One way I taught send was to wait til dog looking forward and throw toy forward while giving send command, then once they get the idea, give send command and only throw toy once they move. You could do the same for left and right by throwing left and right(probably good to decide whether the dog facing you or away from you - I wouldn't think it matters except for consistency in command - I would practice how you think the dog will finish the send away) and gradually increase the distance from you before you send left or right. You could also have a hidden reward (I know some train send aways that way - with a toy reward hidden a certain distance away that they are sent to.)

You can still get a Malinois One of my choices if I think I can handle it!