Kavik

I go to Asquith Vet (on Pacific Highway) and have found them to be helpful.

I feed separately. Zoe can be a resource guarder. I can give them treats for training together no problems though.

I use the same command for both tunnels. I don't use a command for jumps - if they are there I want the dog to do it but have used "Over" in the past Through - open and closed tunnel Table - Table Weave - weave poles Walk It - Dogwalk Up - A-Frame Seesaw - Seesaw Tyre - tyre Break - release from start and from contact obstacles Go - Take obstacles ahead (normally jumps to the finish) Out - for lateral distance name/here - attention/come to me - mainly to prevent off course/discriminations/directional

Went to the Easter Show today to cheer on my agility friends Lots of different people handling, young and not so young, men and women, and lots of different breeds involved as well Though the top three places in the event I watched was a clean sweep for the BCs Good for getting the sport out there!

Certainly Schutzhund and sheepdog work is well represented by men. I guess they are more 'blokey' sports We have a few men at agility, most of whom also do flyball. I find agility very friendly and helpful, while there is some division, not as much as obedience.

Same here, I also know how to use positive punishment and negative reinforcement. I take exception to being tarnished (and this is not aimed at you Kavik ) with the 'Delta' brush here on dol that means I know how to use food bribes and that's about it.... I don't have a problem with individual trainers, obviously it is about how you use your training and how you have furthered your training. I have learned HEAPS and gone to a lot of seminars after the NDTF course and those have shaped how I like to train. My focus is mainly agility based at the moment, mostly shaping, bit of luring, lots of restrained sends etc, VERY positive. My issue is more that they are quite blinkered in what they teach. I thought that maybe they give an argument why not to use such and such a method or such and such equipment, but the lady I talked to said they don't even acknowledge that they exist, they don't talk about them at all. I don't see how that can give you enough information to decide whether it is a good method or type of equipment to use. Eg. I was shown how to use -R and later an ecollar using -R. I am not comfortable using it and don't personally like the idea of stimming the dog before I have given the dog a command or a chance to do the right thing. But this is after I have been shown how it works and the ideology/methodology behind it, so I am informed about its use and have decided it is not for me.

Apparently someone asked Delta to post details of the conference on the Delta "forum" (which is for instructors and students) and they apparently refused... though this information is 2nd hand to me - unclear as to the reason. However, there were several people in attendance on the second or third day wearing bright yellow Delta t-shirts. I think that would be because Delta has nothing to do with NDTF and vice versa. I doubt it would have anything to do with Lindsay's methods or reputation. Whilst they both run courses within the NQF, they are still private providers, private businesses don't advertise for other private businesses, just not the way the world works. Some posters are misinformed about what is actually taught i.e. methods and the referral to Veterinary Behaviourists but I am wholeheartedly sick of posting the same replies every time. There are certainly some trainers who go through the Cert IV and perhaps don't have the practical expertise to back themselves up, but that is not entirely Delta's fault. NDTF will find they have the same issues in coming years, now that their course is via distance. Delta has been running the course since 1996 and NDTF are very new to the correspondence scene. It's a constant source of worry for the course co-ordinators and as Black Bronson said, anyone can set up a business. Dog handling is actually assessed in the Cert IV and people who show a total ineptitude for it are asked to defer their course whilst they gain more practical experience and decide whether it is really what they want to do. There are plenty of fantastic Cert IV trainers out there and I find it quite offensive that the same people here love to 'jump on the bandwagon' every single time one of these threads come up. I spent 4 years at ADT training my own dog to advanced obedience and protection, I then spent another 6 years gaining experience in class taking and working 200+ B & T dogs and undertaking a course not unlike NDTF's (it's just not nationally recognised). Then I went to study the course provided by Delta as I felt that in the future people would be looking for trainers with a real piece of paper. I train using positive motivational methods, it's a CHOICE I made. I know how to fade food rewards, and my clients get plenty of information and encouragment about how to do it, if they choose not to follow the program then so be it. If clients don't want to use food then that's fine, we'll find something else. Sometimes I do refer to Veterinary Behavourists if I feel that the client will get faster results with one-on-one classes or that setup will work better for them and their dogs. It's all about the client frustration index. I can deal with aggression issues but geez...liability is a bitch these days! If you think you can work with problem dogs that's great, but don't think you won't ever be in court one day with a Veterinary Behaviourist on the stand testifying against you and your methods if it all goes pear shaped down the track. Best of luck. Mel. It is someone currently doing the course who told me about the referrals - she actually said they had to refer a certain number of people to pass the course. I wouldn't have known otherwise. I have no reason to think she is lying. She was excited about doing the the RSPCA and getting some practical experience teaching dogs to loose lead walk etc and was disappointed they were only allowed to watch them through the wire. I also train using positive motivational methods, also my choice I don't use the guide, show, place system that is taught at NDTF/ADT to teach obedience but I do know how to use it.

NDTF teaches about ALL training methods and then leaves it up to you to decide which one suits best Delta only teaches one way and does not even tell you about anything else. Actually from what I heard does not even teach that one way all that well.

Well done Luke and Barkly!

You want to borrow mine? 10 year old Kelpie X - enough of a challenge for you

Not to sound down on Delta, but I was talking to someone at my club who is currently doing it and it is NOTHING like the NDTF one. No comparison, no competition. It's not just that they use positive methods only, they don't teach you how to solve behaviour problems, you are just supposed to send everything to a veterinary behaviourist. It is a course in companion animal services, NOT dog training and behaviour. They don't even try to hide that.

My GSD must be broken then - he does actively try to avoid conflict

I've said it before but one of the main reasons I like using a clicker in these cases is how it changed my mindset (which the dog can tell). Instead of going Oh no, there is a dog coming! I better be ready to correct in case she gets aggro! I can go Awesome! A chance to practice focus games! And give her the chance to give the right response of looking at me instead of the other dog. I find I am much less nervous and stressed and so is my dog.

I was thinking they looked like the plastic ones too.

If you mean bothered by the lead dragging? I'd certainly recommend you NOT purchasing any long-line that is porous and that will soak up water. Eg. Webbing material. I don't like working with these in training no matter the size dog - the line becomes very weighty when wet and this makes it cumbersome to handle, and yes, dogs who are slight or sensitive to the sensation of a lead are affected by them. You would do well to find out the weight of the long-lines, bearing in mind that the longer the line the more weight it contains. For a little dog as yours obviously is, I'd be inclined to go for a long-line that is not likely to be of a material that 'catches' on things such as grasses and so forth. For the littlies, this in itself can mimick the effect/affect of a correction even when one wasn't necessary and have them reluctant to run around with it dragging. I'm getting some new-style long lines in, made of a synthetic leather (synteck). They are 7 metres in length but I think these too are likely to be a bit too weighty if your main use is to have your dog be able to run around dragging it, with your dog being so small and light of build. I'm not sure how the "grippy" long lines go that Steve sells - he would be the best person to ask about those (as far as weight is concerned). I saw some at one of the trade-stalls at the NDTF Conference in Sydney recently and they were very light, if they are the same as Steve's. These are a possibility. I have some fibre-tek long-lines as well (7m length). These are "fake leather" if you will. Made of the same material that the buckle/strap fittings are made of in horse blankets (if you happen to be familiar with them). But of course no where near the width. They don't absorb water and are, in the terms of long-lines, reasonably light. But how much it does or doesn't affect your dog depends on leash sensitivity. Feel free to contact me if you want to enquire further, but perhaps check out Steve's (K9 Force's) "grippy" long lines first as they might well be your better option. I have a fibre-tek one from NDTF

With Diesel I chose the cortisone and antibiotic option that needs to be done seasonally/when it flares up. I also use Malaseb so picked the shampoo option with cortisone/antibiotics as well. Skin conditions, especially ongoing ones, are VERY frustrating I wish I could go to the vet, he could give Diesel some pills or an injection and it would be fixed! So I certainly understand what those owners are like - just give me something to fix it! If the dermatologist and desensitising was guaranteed to work I would do it, but after the amount of money we have spent on this dog (and I can't even compete with him which was why I got him), I can't justify spending that amount of money when the outcome may be the same. Nothing seems to work for very long, he will even scratch and chew on cortisone after a little while, tried antihistimines too with limited success and then he was scratching again. At the moment he is actuallly not too bad (cross fingers!). Not on any medication, not too miserable or scratching/chewing overlyl much, some hair seems to have grown back over a small part of the section of his flank he chews. I am only washing in Malaseb once a month now (he gets Aloveen conditioner once a week though or he really stinks!).

Really good point Give them a chance to choose what to do. Give them enough space to choose correctly. Reward the correct choice.

What I find helps is to really do your best to stay far enough away so that you are not past their threshold. I know it is a PITA, Zoe is dog aggro so I walk where either I can cross the road or pull into a driveway to get enough space. It really makes a big difference. Especially as other people are not always accomodating, and let their dog walk up to yours on an extender lead when you tell them yours is not friendly . The odd time that it is not possible to get enough space I actually find not delivering the treat until after they have left works better for me than to continually give more treats, as Zoe will likely refocus on the dog after getting the treat, not a problem if we have space but it is a problem if the dog is close (or owner of other dog is silly).

Glad she gets to jump 500

What I like about "Click to Calm" is that you allow the dog to look at the dog/person and then click/treat when the dog looks back at you. So you are giving the dog a choice and helping them to deal with the thing they are distracted by, and not just distracting them/luring them with a treat

Another good one is "Click to Calm: Healing the Aggressive Dog" by Emma Parsons. Great for getting focus on you and off of other dogs and people (works for excitement as well! ) Pretty much does what Mason's Mum suggested - clicker training them to look at you instead of the dog or person. To get enough distance at the start being on the other side of the road is a good idea. Later you can move to driveways so you can still get distance but be on the same side of the road.

NDTF also do long lines.

I'm interested in the temp testing one - just let me check I'm not competing that day.

You are not going to get results like this with praise and correction alone! Having watched the DVD - WOW! Amazing weave pole entries and performance! Nor are you going to get a seesaw performance like this!

I have seen SchH dogs tugging with their lead with their handler after their obedience routine in a trial