Kavik

That Chi had me in a fit of laughter How could you forget my favourite: JRT Rocks!

There were some separate height stuff - but except for the small dogs, and a few international dogs, they were pretty much all BCs (except Zico, go the Kelpies!). While I have a 600 Kelpie, and love my rocket Kelpies, I do really enjoy watching the little dogs run. It must be frustrating for those with other breeds to see the sport so dominated by one breed. Not that I don't like BCs, lovely dogs, bit hairy for me

I've been watching Crufts agility, obedience and flyball on YouTube. Thought cool! I can see some great dogs of all breeds competing! Well, you could really be forgiven for thinking that Border Collies are the only breeds that exist or the only ones that do these sports! 90% of dogs were BCs! Now I know they are good sports dogs and even in Aus are probably the most popular competition breed, but really I was hoping to see some other breeds too! At least there was a Kelpie appearance in agility! I was really hoping to see some good little JRT or Staffy action in flyball,as I have seen heaps of those in competition here.

I prefer martingales for the reason that Erny mentioned (more even correction pressure).The ones with some chain are good for dogs which don't pay enough attention to all fabric ones, but the annoying part is having to get the size right every time you put them on. So for that I like the black dog ones with the buckle (as well as one I had made in leather by someone else with a buckle).

Looks like this Ø

My dogs are desexed but don't have tattoos. The vets I used don't routinely tattoo for desexing, some clinics do.

Agility, flyball or weight pull?

I need to learn this too. Problem is I am hopeless spatially, especially when things are explained in words only :rolleyes: I think I'll have to get someone to show me at training sometime. I think I get what you're saying skip, but I would probably mess it up without a demo :D

Will there be other people there? I've managed to coerce OH to take me, will it be worth going?

We'll see you there this Monday Ruthless Though mine is a legitimate breed - don't worry, you'll wipe the floor with us in drive work though!

Don't worry, you're not the only one I have a long way to go with drive training, I think of my current dogs as practice Actually Kaos is getting quite good in the yard (drive building) but haven't tried out of the yard for a while, he didn't do it out of the yard last time I tried. Diesel is strangely more consistent in this outside of the yard than Kaos, he is consistently not all that interested though he may do it for one or two tugs. Kaos goes great guns in the yard, but just looks at me funny in the park. Mine prefer squeaky toys that you throw than tugs when out and about, so I tend to use these in training more. At the moment I am only doing drive work in the yard to work on their drive building and my technique. Edit to make more sense!

Do you have a command for them to go into drive? This is the bit I sometimes forget

I have been talking to a few GSD people at obedience, most think they are too big and heavy to do well in agility and don't want to put the stress on their joints. Diesel loves the tunnel and open channel weaves we have been doing, jumps he can take or leave it at the moment, but I am not doing it seriously with him, he is accident prone and um not the most coordinated of my doggies but I don't want him to feel he misses out on the fun! However, I have seen some youtube vids of GSDs that were really good, so they can do it.

Interesting on the stand. May have to try that - Diesel's stand for exam could use some improvement He will lean and mooch all over the examiner, and of course move his feet. I am currently getting people just to walk around him, he is ok with that, it seems to be when he knows they are going to approach him, he gets all excited

Unless I am doing formal heel work I don't care where they walk as long as they are not pulling. I generally have them on my left out of habit.

Yeah, he wanted us to get the dog to go around us to heel position from heel position (you could probably use a hand signal, he didn't say). Diesel also knows heel means go to heel position (we do lots of stationary work on finding heel position), but he was already there, and I haven't taught the go around finish, so he wouldn't have been able to do it. I have never been asked to do that before.

You can teach both but I would probably just teach one. Though at obedience on the weekend this instructor wanted us to finish them from heel position - I was like so I assumed he wanted us to step in front and do a finish, but he wanted us to get them to do the around finish from heel position. Apparently in case they automatically go to heel after the recall, anticipating the finish. I told him I hadn't taught that finish style and he said you'd fail the exercise I think for me since Diesel really likes the swing finish, and I sometimes do voice only, I am not going to teach the other style. If he finishes through anticipation in a trial, I will just wear it. Never been to another club that trains assuming your dog will make a mistake in the ring and what to do ;) Don't think I'm going back there, I do some things differently and it seems to be causing problems.

I think some collars have a vibration setting? Other than that I will let the experts answer

Adding to the others - what is your feeding regime? Do you leave the food out all the time or have set feeding times? How often a day are you feeding Cookie? If you want to stick to dry food but want to change, there are several good brands you could try.

The baby gate idea would work. I just did some training with my guys. Am teaching Kaos the table for agility (with a makeshift something at home). Told him to drop on the table and Diesel who was behind a gate, dropped as well .

You can do either finish in trials. I taught the going around finish to my other dogs, but decided to teach the flip finish to Diesel, to be different. Excuse the camera angle! I taught by first teaching him to find heel position from different positions, by luring. Then gradually made the angle greater and greater til I started in the front position. Drop at a distance, do you have a good voice only drop? I have good voice only drop then randomly throw in drops on walks when they aren't expecting it, starting on lead then progressing to off lead. I use either toys or food. Throw toys or walk up to them with food. ETA: You could also try tying the dog up to teach distance commands, so they can't creep forward. I haven't tried it though.

I am not coordinated enough to give signals with my left hand I tried and just found it clumsy. I can hold lead with right (had to when training with security people - but they use guide, show, place and with my dogs I tend to lure) but find it easier in left.

I dunno Buck - I was taught to give stand command with left hand, and it is easier to do that with my lead in my right hand. I am doing the signals the way I was taught at my first obedience club (Manly and Districts) when I was training Zoe about 8 years ago, and possibly when training Belle (though it is hard to remember as that was 15 years ago).

Ah, OK, maybe the surface being so hard is what is making her limp? Does she drop fast? If she does, she may be slamming her elbows on the ground, which hurts. Could you maybe do it on a soft surface for a while and see if it makes a difference?

Although they prefer the relaxed one for down stays - or at least the clubs I have been to like them for that. I remember when training Zoe they said you should get them to tuck one paw under when in the drop stay so they will be less likely to break I was like, I have a Kelpie X! Zoe never did the relaxed drop in training. Diesel will sometimes.