Lablover

My five labradors offered back, while being "trained" (is that a wrong clicker word?) to wave, but they are trained traditionally, lured by bumpers. I do not know guys and gals, Clever Hans and all that, if we looked behind us with the dog in front, could it be considered cheating?

AOK. Best to buy working lines, natural instinct, better drive, memory etc.

Five black labradors here, with cream carpet! ha! I am not educated regarding computer use...so will try and answer questions. My labs are very hand orientated (obedience and retrieving) I wiggle my index finger, for the "waving" cue. They wave up and down. Amazing how all five labradors wave differently. I have definitely trained mostly standing up.

I think my dogs as rather clever, but they ain't no Lassie! ha ha. My word labradors drop coat, all five of them. Two vacuum cleaner home. Talking about not clever, recently had floor coverings redone, but stupid stupid me, still thought carpet in the lounge and dining rooms would be AOK.

I have a simple brain. KISS works for me. Kiss "keep it simple stupid". CM is an expert in avoidance training. Big deal!!!

Been told single paw waving is an easy behavior to train. Distance not a problem, that is..... moved 3 metres away, with no errors. Tried two leg waving then moved to spins. TSD, I lay down and dogs performed well. Need suggestions for difficult tricks.

Showed my husband the dogs waving. Dogs were as cute as could be, husband rolled his eyes and added "that will come in handy". Party popper. Edited: Gosh, aren't I hopeless. Pooper but popper!!!!

MJ, have you seen many successful racing greyhounds with poor nerve? Been years (and years! ha) since I have been around racing greyhounds. Never really saw a nervous one.

I had great reports from a friend who had BB for her pet dog. Leaving no stone unturned in learning, I had them out to watch my training. The guy observed, a few drills and hidden retrievers, stopping to the whistle, casting. He suggested he return when an American trainer flew in next day. Did not charge me and never heard from him again.

Have you trained a certified sniffer/search and rescue dog, police dog, guide dog for the visually disabled, Australian customs dog? There are a lot of poor human teachers, social workers, psychiatrists. (Look at some of their children).

It is easy to keep throwing retrieves, until the dog is nearly exhausted. With a less than ideal reward history some dogs, normally pups or youngsters, stop retrieving, thereby devaluing the retrieve/reward. "Keep em keen, watch especially the youngsters, finish on a good note, and the dogs begging for more". Some pups are slower to mature, physically and mentally. Some trainers have throwers too far away..making the retrieves difficult. Some trainers have the throwers toss in high cover..making the retrieves difficult for pups. Some trainers throw too flat. Some trainers have throwers toss article too high. Some trainers ...........etc etc etc. Have I helped??????

Why it is so? Late this afternoon, when I should have been doing housework, for fun I wanted to teach my labs something new. I thought of teaching waving. I used a clicker. One dog caught on relatively quickly, in two sessions, five minutes apart. Session duration about 6 minutes. When teaching and confused he would offer the drop and back. As I was wearing shorts and sitting down he accidently scratched my legs when dropping. He is fast. I eventually stood up after he waved consistently a few times, and was astounded with his subsequent correct waving. When I sat down again he was not as correct. Why????, was he more correct when I stood up?

What do you mean by this RallyValley? Because the dogs run in pairs they must be well socialised??? I think it's more a test of their temperament, a correctly bred Utility Gundog should not have any issues running with a bracemate. I doubt field dogs are socialised more than the average dog, or even as much quite often. You would be amazed how quickly dogs don't give a stuff about the other dog when it's time to find birds :D Polo has a very good temperament and is well socialised but I still watch him around other entrie males, I don't even give it a thought in the field (unless the other dog is iffy) 'cause he pays no attention to the dog apart from it's work. Polo was interested in romancing the Pointer bitch we've been running with lately, but again once in the paddock it's all about the birds. Hmmm I will try to explain what I meant From what I have heard from field triallers and read ability is trained, instinct is what the dog was born with and by socialization I meant what the dog learns by traning out in the field with a more mature bracemate, i.e imitating them. I hope that makes sense I am totally probably wrong but that was the impession I got. I didn't mean socialization as in meeting a quota of people and dogs ect. For retrieving breeds, what we call field trials, the US call upland tests. US field trials, we call retrieving trials. America also have AKC hunt tests and NAHRA.

My two US field labradors look horrendous? What is your experience observing or handling US field labradors, in any countries field bred lab?

All three have gorgeous body shapes as well. The younger is divine, extremely fast.

As I have the four girls, decided to hold off on pup for the time being. Mind you, with the near equal importing costs of frozen semen might change my mind. Which three boys do I choose...a nice mix of pedigrees. One sire is really young, very unproven but I simply loved his attitude and marking ability. Better be pups at the end of this saga!!! ha.

Goodness I remember all the travelling and time you put into running Yo. You are dedicated. (and mad, no wonder we get along!). I would have to be stark raving, back on the computer all afternoon organising frozen semen from the US. Lordie!!!!

Caught the retrieving illness bad eh? Fun times for all. But is there a cure???? Some find it too hard - after all it is a lot more difficult than hunting. Travelling, accomodation, training grouds, resources, mentors etc etc etc etc etc. A little madness helps!!

Stumbled across this youtube again for a great horse (and his great trainer). Like to compare the horse against a great dog. He has IT all - movement ++++, athletic, strong, well bred, right temperament. Horse not bad either!! What talent!!! Plus a lot of work!!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXSX_7fXvUk -

Caught the retrieving illness bad eh? Fun times for all.

Same here, but I was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma last year. With luck, surgery and chemotherapy, I am doing OK. Please smokers, the best thing you can do for your health is give up!!!! PS My dogs rarely sneeze nowadays.

I want to breed, as I have the resources- money and time. Spending, travelling and debating, towards improvement of my working lines. Currently importing three dog's semen from the US.

How was the get together?

As long as the dog was healthy...yes.

When more and more people suggest my dogs are on steroids.