Lablover

I intermittently (actually rarely, as I dry off and/or have cold land blinds so the dogs can warm up a little) use vests in winter, while water training. I use the rubber vests, which can be easily cut to size. Have a story, when my husband went the US for a duck hunting trip, he arrived with Australian waders. The Americans took one look at him and added "sheet what is that you are wearing...Glad Wrap". They offered him proper waders...after all it was winter and snowing!!!! Husband was very grateful.

Good on those who competed in the RATG!!! Congrats. Adderslot Carbo did win All age as well as restricted. Woo hooo. His litter sister Funkie (in my siggy) had my recently imported US semen implanted today. Cross fingers for a successful pregnancy. (Boring health news: My six month CT cancer scan: NORMAL No recurrence) Life is good.

As my interest is working/field labradors, I try to prove their "worth" in various pursuits. Duck hunting for example, last weekend. Retrieving trialling. Various Government and private bomb/drug sniffer programs. When the tail gate goes down.......................

Are you there??? ha ha. I'm not! Funkie in season. Currently having progesterone testing performed. Possibly ready for TCI Monday, using one of my four imported US field collections. Cross fingers for pregnancy. BTW, if you did make it FHRP, Funkie's litter brother and sister are competing at Canberra trial. Is their half sister (Fern)entered?

Why is it only me asking questions? PAX another so sorry!!! Did the teams mingle? Did you talk training methods?

Yeah.....cancer surgery June 2010 slowed up my desire. Recovering nicely though.

Did the team sleep. By crickey, on my first trip to the US to watch their field labradors at prenational training and an amateur national, I was so excited, I could not sleep a wink. Even with a wine or two under my belt. Again, I salute the whole team. What a wonderful effort. Fantastic memories I am sure. Nerves of steel - I serious competing down fall of mine, from time to time. Centre of attention thingo!!! I am visiting Menai - (spelling)Police complex, next month, with my labs. Happy to catch up!!!

Only one judge. Makes you wonder if two...would be more worthwhile, especially at this level. I want PAX's autograph!! I am so thrilled for you. I am sure everyone is.

While visiting my canine eye specialist for a breed check today, I enquired whether dogs like humans can be short or long sighted. The reply was YES. I have an interesting article if you would like me to add.

I thought the same, Ness. Where did the other dogs with poorer scores end up?????? I am the editing queen!! I mean no disrepect to any the trainers, handlers and dogs effort with the above statement. I have failed on multiple occasions at retrieving trials. It all seems so easy, until we are standing next to our dog. Lucky its character building to fail...I must be full of character!!!

Ask away Lablover. When did the team fly over? We left on the 2nd Where did you stay? we stayed at the Hilton NEC Birmingham, right nest to the NEC Did you have any time to be a tourist? No, not with the dogs. It was the first time an Australian team had entered Crufts?Yse correct, first time, first team. How was the team selected?Was posted on the OzObedience list, need to know that style, prepared to train, send dvds if you thought you were up for it. I was asked to go. I love UK heelwork and have been to crufts before. Did you know the standard of the other dogs/teams/countries?Yes, have admired that style for years, even Petra and Tyler her Lab....lol What did you think of Petra's US field labrador? (cannot help myself sorry, being a US field lab lover) I love Petras Lab, not competing with a BC or WS, was awesome to see a diffferent breed, Petra and Tyler are very good competiters, we knew that years ago as we are all Crufts followers/stalkers. Were you sponsored or have money donated. How I wish we could have helped you..that is...if the team needed the money. For all I know, you all may be multizillionaires. I met Petra's dog breeder on my first dedicated US dog trip (had toured for 3 months previously). Lovely man, great bitch. He was a scout to the UK from the US (naturally lol), when the first US field team competed in fun field tests in England. He went onto be the team leader. Petra and her dog by the way, were quite successful in US field trials - derby (under 24 months old). She also ran in six master hunters last year AND PASSED all six. She also ran in a field qualifing event and came 1st!!! (Probably not mean anything to anyone but me but long distances and very difficult to achieve). What a team!!!!

Which exercise caused the most significant loss of points? Send away? Directed retrieve? Edited: I just rechecked score sheet. Not really sure of the abbreviations. Feel free to correct me please.

Ask away Lablover. When did the team fly over? Where did you stay? Did you have any time to be a tourist? It was the first time an Australian team had entered Crufts? How was the team selected? Did you know the standard of the other dogs/teams/countries? What did you think of Petra's US field labrador? (cannot help myself sorry, being a US field lab lover)

Next time you compete overseas you must tell us! It was only by fluke I noticed an Australian team was competing at Crufts and started the thread. So glad I did, as it was wonderful following the score sheet. Tell us more PLEASE.

Hope you all cope until your partner is off work. Young active big dog!

Why pan out to the crowd is beyond me!

Lovely to watch (nice looking Lab :) ) - the handler was great too (great footwork imho). I notice most handlers keep their left hand firmly on their left hip, something I've just started to do lately. Just out of interest, why? I tended to keep my left arm up to keep it out of the way because my dog is tall, but that makes me feel as though I'm walking awkwardly. I actually like and feel better balanced letting my arm swing, although because my dog is tall I swing it out a bit - got that little tip off Mia Skogster :D Erny, have you started competing in obedience trials? Woo hoo. Check out her other arm.

I could Email photos, if you would be send your address via PM. It would take me forever adding to thread, and not appropriate? Working labradors like any other competitive animal, is selected normally for its working potential. This is usually best to best, winner to winner. Field requires a running athletic type dog, for want of a better description. Long legs, balanced body, good fluid movement. The training grounds can have significant cover, long swims and undulating terrain. The repetitive drills and exercises long and strenuous. A friend in the US has been a vet for 30 years. He has not had one case of hip dysplasia in a well bred field labrador EVER!! Edited: Spelling!!

Any youtube of the Australians???????

Sorry, could you clarify....."highlight that there are working derivatives in many breeds"? In the UK and US for example, field and show labradors SPLIT many many years ago. There was not been a DUAL (show/bench - field) champion for decades. That's what I meant, that the show lab's that people see are not the only labs available. I first read about field labs in the book Marley & Me, other than that I would have assumed that the labs I see at shows were the only style of lab available. I use the word 'derivative' as I doubt the field labs are recognised as a seperate breed. Granted, the field lab was the original lab :) Thanks for your understanding and help.

Thanks Ness. Tollersowned Yank my US import is quite tall also, a close relative. Yank's Australian Customs boys have some leg also. His other GET nice and leggy also. I love long legs on labradors.

Secret's barking also. And her poker machine eyes, rolling in excitement. UK labrador field trials require excellent line manners, not even a yawn or other noise. So many other differences. No idea on working cocker spaniel trials. I cannot imagine Secret being obedient or quiet enough. Also every time she heard the stop whistle, she ran in. Very odd really!!

Secret reminds me of one of my labradors. Cannot help themselves. I do enjoy the naughty ones nevertheless - from time to time!!! Space cadets to some!!! On steroids to others!! Washouts too hyper? Plain silly? What do you think???

Sorry, could you clarify....."highlight that there are working derivatives in many breeds"? In the UK and US for example, field and show labradors SPLIT many many years ago. There was not been a DUAL (show/bench - field) champion for decades.

Working sheepdog. A border collie who isn't KC or ISDS registered ETA The UK KC recognizes the ISDS (International Sheepdog Society, the original BC registry) as a registry so ISDS dogs are usually registered on the KCs registry when registered for obedience. Thanks Janba. Is ISDS the organisation who is somewhat against show/bench dogs?