Lablover

I think you are off to a good start, with a nice dog......but a couple of suggestions which have worked for me. (1) Some say technique, is not that important, but...........I would initially spin in a circle. I find the motivator moves smoother. (2) I would have a start word. Your free was inconsistent. (3) I would stroke the dog, and hold the string shorter. (4) The jumping before the reward would not be acceptable. Timing is important. (5) I would not ask for any obedience until working on the above. Hope you do not mind the above suggestions, I have more!!!!! but to shy to add.

Good for you. Keep your dog under control, until at least the recall is well conditioned.

The training day has created a lot of interest. Thankyou. To confirm your booking, could you please send payment to: Search and Rescue Dogs Australia, C/- 170 Beaconsfield-Emerald Road Beaconsfield Victoria 3807. As many training topics, will be included in ONE DAY!!!!, it would be appreciated if you could give a short (or long LOL), description of your dreams with your dog and the level the dog has currently achieved training, trial or pet wise. An awesome day is planned.

Hi everyone. Sorry I have not had the chance replying to your PMs and Emails yet. Been busy the last few days, training. Mainly driving around Victoria. Looking much greener LOL. Everyone who has contacted me has been booked in. It will be a terrific day. Also, I forgot to ad/, pet owners are also encouraged to attend. Have a great Easter everyone. I will be back.

As a fundraiser for SARDA (Search and Rescue Dogs Australia), a completely self funded group, a training day for you and your dogs enjoyment and education has been organised for Sunday 29th April 2007, at Beaconsfield, Victoria. I would like to sincerely thank, the DOL moderators for allowing this day to be advertised. I have taken the liberty of adding this topic in both the training and general sections. The day will consist of training for obedience, tracking and retrieving. All welcome, including beginners. Dogs must not have serious aggression issues to dogs or humans. Vaccinated dogs please. Various high level trainers, judges and handlers will be passing on their long years of knowledge. Including: Top obedience dog of year titles Tracking dog of year titles The only two privately owned internationally (world) qualified Search and Rescue dogs in Australia. Demonstrations!!!!!!!!! Training advice!!!!!!!!!!!!! If time permits show your dog's problems. Morning tea, lunch (sausage sizzle) and afternoon tea are provided. Tea and coffee all day. BYO cold drinks. $40.00 for day. Raffle and lucky door prizes ALL PROCEEDS TO SARDA. Time: 9.30am to 4pm. Please contact me by Saturday 14.4.07 via PM or Email to book in, for this wonderful opportunity. Thankyou.

eH??? Did I miss a mid north coast holiday?????????? Confused now. A normal feeling. Actually I was going to enter a retrieving trial in mid NSW on the weekend of 28th/29th April, but SARDA is more important, and saves me driving for HOURS!!!!!!!

What an excellent thread. Many awesome trainers, who have been leaders in their field, have all said to me, - my greatest strength is looking outside my square. And having a very supportive husband. LOL. I love love love debating, even though not necessarily agreeing with trainers I have a high opinion of. I might not think they are right but will spend many DAYS trying to marry their views with mine. Language barriers aside. As well as DESCRIPTIONS, as many are "meaning" the same style but .................. I can talk about training for hours, and hours and hours. Even in my sleep. Every trainer who has helped me, hovers on my right shoulder. I remember them all, and their advice.

Why thankyou, I think :D I am mad though, especially since giving up work 6 years ago. A perfect example, today. I drove to a friend's farm in Gippsland. Awesome place. So GREEN. Anyway, it started to rain, after I had set up my remote throwers. Did I run to the car? No. I was focused and as the dogs could not care less about being wet, I continued. I have just driven home soaked. Have I changed my clothes. No. Checking out DOL instead. See mad.

I teach heel by rewarding as the dog learns the correct position. In time rewards are dropped. Mind you, by this time, the dogs know retrieving fun is in front, so they never learn to lag LOL. Rarely do I use a lead. I saw someone mentioned prancing. Now that is YANK. He does not require another verbal reminder, does not break, but does prance. A US friend suggested for another interest I return to obedience competition, but ...........I am scared to return to my local club, as I did not take up their offer to become a trainer. Retrieving games......is my focus.

Hard one to answer as genetics, fitness, mental (attitude) and physical health, vet care etc, diet and training requirements and standards play a part. I regard retrieving trialling as the most difficult. Not only because multiple wins are required. It also depends on the numbers competing. Victoria being in my humble opinion and most difficult to win or place. As the dogs get better, the tests become harder!!!!!

The training day will be confirmed in a couple of days, but it looks as though it will be on Sunday 29th April. Search and Rescue, retrieving, tracking, obedience!!!!!!!!!!!! Experts in S & R, obedience and tracking judge, including trainer and owner of top obedience dog of the year. A new thread will be instigated in the next couple of days.

Can you cook sausages Shoemaster? Only joking, I can cook A LITTLE. It looks as if the (first of many?????????LOL- you will want to come again TRUST me!!!). The training day looks as though it will be Sunday 29TH APRIL. Will be confirmed in a couple of days. Great cause. SARDA FOREVER. What an unselfish group!!!!!!!!!

Wagalot, Thankyou for your vote of confidence. I PROMISE you will not be disappointed. I have nagged Sardog (more correctly SARDA), and they have agreed. For country visitors, I can relocate my husband for the weekend (at the very least one day), and you are more than welcome to stay at my house (plenty of dog runs, crates, ground stakes, or house trained dogs allowed inside to sleep), where the training day will be held (Beaconsfield - 7 kms from Berwick. Virtually straight off the Monash Freeway.

JulesP, BTW, just as with, ie 3 day eventing, most trainers concentrate on individual event requirements, at least in my horse riding days. Just as you would probably not ask a race horse trainer to train an eventer, I would look at trainers who focus on the particular interests you and your dog have. Of course, many ideas are interchangable, nevertheless I thought worthwhile adding. Good luck. Nothing like observing a happy dog.

Having no idea of the standards required, and trainers already in the group, it may be an idea.......to ask SARDOG who had a very successful obedience, and tracking career before she became focused on Search and Rescue training. SARDOG is a completely self funded group, and it would be nice if a small amount of money could be contributed to such a worthy cause. As well as being an excellent trainer, SARDOG has people skills and is a very humble, easy going person. What do you all think? Sausage sizzle and training day. Mind you, we have to check SARDOG's calendar and I may have to nag her. My husband says I am a very good nagger.

Good for you Ness. My dogs have only ever been trained or handled (well......except one who returned to Australia), but I allow trusted friends, from time to time to practice with mine. The dogs take a while to become adjusted (distance casting being a problem as I tend to hand signal while others may vocal cue as well - as cast) but it has been interesting all the same. I will never forget years ago, after a retrieving trial, and my first dedicated "games" dog, saw a fellow walking past with a gun. My dog did not give me a backward glance, while she heeled beside him. Fickle dogs. There have been other funny instances also.

Smiling, at the memories of having riding lessons as well. Dressage, show jumping, and cross country. Riding after work at indoor arenas, especially during winter, and waiting waiting waiting till the horse (or horses) I owned, dried enough to place a rug on again. After a few good falls!!!! Dogs are much easier and certainly cheaper. That being said, I think it is easier and quicker, to have private lessons with a trainer, or in a small group, which will allow rest time between drills/exercises. Choose the best expert you can, or travel or beg overseas trainers to visit. Regarding the horse lessons often a novice was loaned a well educated horse, and learning was easier. Maybe the same would be applicable with a well trained dog, so the handler can concentrate on themselves and learn how to "dance" or as I think when observing great dogs, ballet.

The two I hear most often are............ (1) but............................ (2) she/he never does IT at home. But LOL, then again no one knows EVERYTHING.

Sorry another typo. Excuse this time, accidently nipped finger.

duplicate

OK. I agree. 7 P's, it is. :D

Tony, that may of course, as you are well aware genetic (as on topic with dogs). After all brumbies with broken legs tend not be breed. Athletic dogs - great!!!!

Fun topic on this mild sunny day. One day I will learn how to Youtube and post a few videos. You can all pick on me. I think my dogs are great. They do as good, as they are trained. Saw a good line the other day. PPPPPP. Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

Interesting simple question. There should be a simple reply. Sometimes I wonder, if we are making our lives more difficult by the seemingly endless newish, dog training methods. Just like computers, once we have them down pat, a better model comes out. Oh the confusion of it all. We use motivators/rewards to help our dogs learn and remain focused. Some say, by not rewarding at the perfect time, we can frustrate the dog. How can a novice trainer, know they are frustrating their dog or simply extending the delay of rewards, for the dog's (and our) training benefit. THEN some say, teach behaviour with food, then use toys/other motivators to gain higher standards. Some say throw the reward. Others say you are throwing away the reward. Some say kick the object to show no value - HUH? - aren't they creating movement (drive) by kicking? Oh its so much fun. Then you have poor me, and my dogs. Labradors who are trained for retrieving trials, who must be high drive, and who are birdy. I personally cannot see how a high level retrieving prospect could value anything more than birds. But they do.......as I condition them to. Stupid dogs. :D

Sue is very nice. Educates herself, outside the square. Have a great time.