Kavik

Manly and Districts trains on the North Shore Tuesday evenings at Allan Border Oval, Mosman Sunday and Thursday mornings at Deep Creek Reserve, Narrabeen http://www.northernbeachesdogtraining.com.au/index.htm

I will wash and dry your dog if you can train my Stafford to heel (seriously!) Watch out I may take you up on that!

I don't know what is in that area sorry. What sort of thing are you interested in? There is a lot of choice. Obedience, agility, flyball, canine freestyle

I wash them monthly. I should wash Diesel more due to his skin problem, but the weather has been so wet lately!

I say go for it! I am competing with my Kaos - he is the first dog I have competed with (after wanting to trial with previous two dogs but didn't work out for one reason reason or another - Zoe is dog aggro and Diesel isn't interested and health problems). I am finding some differences in our trialling and training performances which I am trying to address, but I am sure things improve with experience. I am happy to be giving it a go!

Why not have him sleep inside in a crate?

The tryouts for agility were earlier this month at Macksville. Not sure about the other activities.

If you are planning on doing agility competitions later on down the track, there is a lot of foundation work you can do with a puppy that doesn't require equipment and doesn't stress joints. You shouldn't do jumping or twisting (like weaving) until the dog is at least 12 months (longer for larger breeds). One of the most important is actually building value for the reward (whether tug, ball, food, whatever) which is common across all disciplines. There are some threads on foundation work you can do for agility in this section of the forum.

Do you think she is having problems adjusting to the steepness of the full size A-Frame? The half size one, was that an actual smaller A-Frame or the big one but at a lower height?

I'm going to look into the tea next time I am at the shops. mikelli I haven't heard of that before, will look it up to see what it is.

Found out more information on this! http://www.worlddoggames.com/

Don't beat yourself up about it

I also think Crate Games may be a solution to this I have watched it. Seemed a bit full on for what I want to do in terms of crating (though the responses of the dogs for agility was amazing!) but definitely looked good for self control and the dogs did LOVE their crates!

I'm honestly more worried about the creeping/sliding OK probably due to not properly backchaining before I tried to run him over the A-Frame and expect 2o2o, he wanted to do it, but would slide into it or be really slow once he hit the apex. I have only seen a few good 2o2o performances, most of the dogs I have seen have been slow to get there. May well be due to poor technique rather than anything else. ETA: he is fine when I run with him or go ahead but will slide into position, if I am behind him or stationary he will go slow from apex. Not only A-Frame, it is an issue I am trying to fix in general, getting better with our work on the stairs, he will go ahead there now.

My idea on what to do with Chopper is not a quick fix (sorry!). Maybe find his threshold - where he will exhibit the behaviour but only mildly not manic. Could be if OH in the other room with the dogs, or outside the house etc. Ignore if he throws a tantie but reward if he is quiet (maybe throw some food in there or something).

It doesn't have to be a long one-on-one to teach a new complex behaviour. I am going to teach running contacts to Kaos by first shaping him to jump into and out of a pvc box. I don't have the correct components yet, so have not started the proper training with him. However, I am practicing my technique by shaping Diesel into a pvc box I have made with existing components that is approximately the right size. Only takes a couple of minutes (much more than that and Diesel gets bored anyway ).

I haven't tried Calendula Tea. What is it and how is it beneficial? I am sure the licking/scratching he does makes it a lot worse. If necessary I could keep them separate as I have some separate yards.

I am guessing the target would be for independent contacts so you don't have to be right there? Feel free to correct me if I am wrong DeltaCharlie Jules, why won't they let you do running if you wanted to?

No advice to give you but I will give you a hug! I actually think laffi's idea is a good one.

Hi sas That is an interesting idea and one I haven't thought of. I'd worry about leaving him alone in it though if I had to go out, and he and Kaos like to wrestle.

Thanks for the well wishes It is very frustrating and poor Diesel is still itchy We are not doing much training - I run him over some jumps or through the tunnel when I have it set up for the others, and am doing some clicker training heel position on walks, which he enjoys. Nothing serious though.

Update: He is still scratching and chewing himself, even on the antihistamines he was on before So back to square one as I can't justify getting another lot of these when he is still scratching so much.

I think he missed the boat on this one . . . don't think he understood at all.

A lot of foundation work is sending and then self control added before the sending (start line stays, sending to toys/treats). Some of your obedience work is important here - a good recall and good sit stay. http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...p;hl=foundation

I did sin bin when Kaos was a pup and it was getting too rough between Kaos and Diesel when playing - to give them a chance to calm down. Both crated for a while until they settled. Don't need to do that anymore now Kaos is older.