Kavik

I called about the Pets Australia one, sounds really good

This is Nitro learning backup when he was a puppy

This is how I've taught back up: Use a corridor. Make one if you don't have one - you can use a wall and a coffee table or chair on its side, or a crate, anything to make a corridor. This gives them less options about where to go and how to move. I kneel or sit down and shape the behaviour, so if you are using a marker you can mark and reward for any foot movement, then any foot movement backwards, build it up so they are walking backwards. Throw your rewards between their front feet rather than have them come forward to get it from your hand. You have to be careful of your timing and placement of reinforcement so that you don't reward a sit or drop.

There is a huge price difference in the RSPCA one and the Pets Australia one! $350 and $160. RSPCA one sounds properly certified, not sure if the other one is?

Thanks, I'll look into those :)

Does anyone know where I could do an animal first aid course in Sydney?

Amazing work!

Do you remember what they were given?

DOGSNSW grounds - 44 Luddenham Rd, Orchard Hills (prev Erskine Park)

I'll put my hand up and say I prefer feeding dry food. Much easier, takes up less time, less space, no worrying about whether I got the balance right, and I can use them (or dog rolls) as training treats as well. Diesel gets fed a homemade diet after he bloated a couple of years ago and had his spleen removed. He also can't have bones for the same reason (stomach tacked to abdominal wall). While I am now in a good routine for him, occasionally I forget to make the vege mix or rice at the right time (2 little kids don't help!) or we run out of his supplement and the pet shop can take ages ordering it in for me. I can't even start to imagine how to do training treats while feeding raw!

Here is Nitro working on Crate Games and tug. This is an old video - I tug somewhat differently with him now though - shorter tug toy, much shorter duration, with other things in between such as letting it go and having him retrieve the tug back to me, outing the tug and cuing him to get it, outing the tug and cuing behaviours and then presenting the tug. I need to get a more recent video of our work! He really likes to shake his head and the tug.

Tug and retrieve and fetch activities here :)

That is a very sad piece The first 6 months, maybe the first year after you have a baby is life changing, for some it is hell on earth. I can understand people who are not truly dog fanatics struggling with a dog after they have a baby. Those scenarios do happen - in the short amount of time it took me to do my morning dog training, the kids managed to put toys over every floor surface in the whole house this morning! And when you are sleep deprived and cleaning up poo and spew from a baby, it is hard to then have to clean up after dog accidents. But for me, the dogs are what get me through every day, they helped me get through PND, I look forward to and cherish my evening dog walks, dog training nights and competition days, as these are my time off from looking after the kids. They are the time to be me. And now that the kids are getting older, they like to help. Amy loves to help me brush the dogs, and sometimes helps with training. Let's just say I am planning my next dog, but don't plan on having more kids :laugh:

Have you had him checked at the vet - may be a UTI?

Are you sure you aren't thinking about the GoDaddy ad? That one shows a puppy that falls off a truck, gets back to the breeder which turns out to be a puppy mill . . .

That is great! :)

OK I have some ideas for you that might help! H360 would of course be brilliant, but I think registration has closed. SG did have an ebook on tight turns that we could download for expressing interest in H360 - but not sure if that is still available. Sylvia Trkman has a DVD on teaching turns, available on Clean Run, also using going around poles etc http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=3170&ParentCat=103 From what I understand it is very similar to H360 and the other one I am going to suggest Shape Up Agility. I did the Shape Up Agility seminar last year and it was brilliant! Lots of information on tight turns. They also have online classes which you can audit or get a working spot. While the lessons have started, I think you can still purchase auditing spots http://shapeupagility.com/online-lessons Also Stacy Richards in Sydney is now running online classes as well, which cover tight turns https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cutedogs-Coaching/1389063491396614?pnref=story

Could be a number of things, a vet visit is a good idea. UTI maybe?

I second Clean Run - lots and lots of stuff there! Lots of options from relationship building through to pretty much all aspects of agility.

How awful to lose them to snake bites

Having gone through reporting a dog attacking mine I would suggest: * stat dec of what occurred, including witnesses giving one as well if she can find some willing to do so. Full details of what occurred, where, when, what the other owner said, action taken etc * detailed, itemised vet bill * the vet took photos of the wounds as well (required surgery)

So far these guys look like they may produce nice working and sports dogs, one of the few kennels I have been tempted by http://www.kovacsshepherds.com.au/ On another note: My sister's husband is keen on getting a dog for the family - either GSD or Lab. 3 kids aged 7 to 3 1/2 Anybody know anything about these kennels for family pets http://www.freundhund.net/index.htm

My Cooper is from Raennik :) Looking on the Raennik site, and the life span of two of the bitches was rather poor with one passing away at 9 years of age and another at 6 years of age. My Diesel has had a score of health issues and is nearly 11 years old.

I've heard that there are some working line Groenendaels coming into Australia. I'm keeping an eye on that, some people at training are interested and are keeping me informed. I will let people know when I hear more.

My GSD broke a leg at 6 months (doing zoomies in the yard and collided with my other dog), ongoing skin issues, aural haematoma, twisted spleen and stomach which required spleen removal. He turns 11 years old next month and considering all that he is actually doing pretty well A bit slower now but still happy to go on walks. At this point I don't plan on getting another GSD.