Kavik

I like my park and i dont like new parks, and maybe it is because i know my park and alot of the dogs or have seen them I know who is a bit snippity or who gets a little to rough (my boy lol) i dont stress about it though. to me it is like kids in a playground. OK you want to do the playground comparison . . . How would you feel if a teenager/group of teenagers were running flat out at you and your young child who had recently started walking? or even if you had a 4 year old? And they only bolted towards you when you appeared in the playground. I know I'd be worried and be calling out for them to stop.

I've had dogs jump fences to get to mine sometimes out of their yard with the owner right there (on the street), or they were on an oval/in park and we were outside. It is hard to think their intentions are friendly when they are that intent on getting to your dog (one of them had a go at my dog). And hard to remain calm.

I agree with Vickie as well. Diesel broke his leg at 6 months, had pins and external fixatur etc. While it doesn't bother him any and he gets around fine, runs and jumps etc, it healed quite well, the movement is a bit looser than the good leg. While it would be alright for obedience, I wouldn't try to do agility with him.

Okay that makes sense, however if I click as their head was in the gap they would pull out as a click is the end of the exercise. I do however use "good" as a "you are on the right track but keep going" type of command could I use that then treat instead?? After the click you can lure the rest of the behaviour at first (around pole 2 and to pole 3) then reward at pole 3.

Well, it's usually pretty obvious, I find. Friendly dogs are loose with tongues flapping around and ears back while they run. Unfriendly charging dogs have ears forward, tail stiff, hackles up, often teeth showing and growling or roaring. I think they carry their heads lower. I don't often see unfriendly dogs charging. I don't agree. In my experience polite dogs dont run up to strange dogs period. I said friendly, not polite. ;) I don't want friendly RUDE dogs rushing me either.

Which agility trials are up near Coffs Harbour?

Exactly my thoughts! Especially the bolded bit.

This is my thought exactly. It is not like I am taking up the whole park, there is plenty of room for all (unfenced park, generally quiet) so there is no need for their dog to bolt the entire length of the park to bounce on mine when we were minding our own business training in one small section of the park - there is a lot of park they could go to that we are not occupying!

I've had dogs hang around when I am training despite me telling the owners to come and get them, dogs that make a beeline for me from the other side of the park when we are training, dogs that the owners can't recall and that follow us when I try to move away to find a spot to do some training

Maybe it's just me but I consider this scenario a great training opportunity. I love when another dog is pawing at Weez to play and he's focussed 100% on me makes me so proud. Then i'll generally release him to greet anyway. Daninbcs it sounds like you're in a bad area that hasn't been my experience of walking dogs at all. It is very difficult to train when another dog won't leave yours alone. And when your dog then does not weant to play with the annoying dog who is getting in its face and tells it so?

Mine does not like rude greetings, running up to someone's face is rude. He is not likely to respond in a friendly manner to a dog that is running full pelt at us, can't blame him really. IME dogs that rush you even if they slow down are going to perform a rude greeting - full on, possibly posturing, head over other dog's shoulders, high head carriage, get in my dog's space.

I am also not OK with dogs rushing my dog, as normally this means they are not under control, friendly or not. A dog that is rushing full speed at you is not likely to then suddenly have manners when it arrives at your dog to greet your dog, but rather likely to be rude at best, or unfriendly at worst. A dog trotting up looking interested in meeting your dog is one thing, a dog bolting towards you full speed as soon as it sees you is quite another. My dog is OK with polite greetings but not OK at being rushed at full speed from a distance.

You c/t (or mark with word) as they stick their head in the correct entry, but reward when their head is even with the third pole (c/t for correct choice for entry). Yes the poles are straight, and do it from all angles. At first you may need to mark movement in the right direction (and lure the rest) until they get the idea (depends on how good they are at shaping)

How and where are you rewarding him? Once you get to about 4 poles I would be throwing your reward.

I'm glad it worked well for you I knew I had put the explanation somewhere on here I'm sure Vickie will be happy to explain further if what I wrote doesn't make sense.

Vickie can probably explain it better than I can I'll see if she drops in first to explain it before trying to explain it myself.

Vickie has a 3 pole exercise that is great for entries

Imagine how he would be if all that energy/focus that you used up beforehand was put into your obedience In regards to exercise - there is a lot you can do even in the yard. Just did a good training session with the dogs :D even if a bit warm (with a baby you take what you can get when they nap ). We did relationship games, shadow handling, drive/tug work, contacts, tight turns groundwork, pivot work, backup, ladder. There is even more you can do for obedience - I do mostly agility. And on lead on walks there is a lot of training you can do to tire them out besides just running. Random recalls, tricks, balancing on logs/rocks, drop on the move (good practice for emergency drop), shadow handling for agility, backup etc.

Independence is there for a reason May make it more challenging to get an obedience champion but useful in sledding from what I remember

I probably wouldn't mind the grooming if he stayed looking half decent for more than a day

Mine is shocking! Get a dog's worth of hair just about every week and he still drops heaps and looks a mess Dosn't help that he has skin problems! Think I will stick to Kelpie length or shorter from now on!

They say not to bathe for 48hrs after application, so maybe there is someone you could call re applying it aggain?

same - 500 has the most dogs here.

There are some separate heights trials, and some trials where all heights compete against each other. I've only seen Open events where all heights are together though.

What do people think of the ABC (anything but collie) class in the UK? Do BCs really dominate that much? Is it due to the difference in the agility system over there (you have to place to progress, not simply qualify/clear round under time)? A good way to showcase other breeds? Kelpies often do quite well :D Nigel Staines with Zico winning events across many years.