Two Best Dogs!

Yup! I've got the 101 book on the off chance I ever feel like attempting to get the titles :P I've already worked out we could ATD and possibly get the ETD... Currently I am teaching her to rebound off me. As she does everything with enthusiasm and power...it's hurting me a lot more than her lol. Trying to get her to aim for my hips, NOT my stomach.

Hello all. Radio silence means we're into a good routine. A recent study has come out that's interesting! “Reactive Dogs and Exercise: Can modifying the daily exercise regime improve behaviour?” LINK Simple summary of the key findings by "Wheres your Sit" a dog training blog I've noticed dog classes where she gets an opportunity to practice calm sniffing, she is much calmer and better able to focus. I wonder if breeds inclined to sniff are more likely to be calmer overall because of such an instinct for a calming activity like sniffing? She getting better at noseworks We have a practical class coming up soon.

“Reactive Dogs and Exercise: Can modifying the daily exercise regime improve behaviour?” LINK Simple summary of the key findings by "Wheres your Sit" a dog training blog

Sylvie is a lovely person and helped guide our interactions last year when I started taking my fearful dog to social locations like the pets market. She's very calm and patient with both you and your dog (I was very nervous). I've heard good things about Amanda Murcutt from some dog trainers I trust, but have not personally used her services.

I got a bunch of wooden planks and piled them up/lined them up for a very long and straight raised platform. (her butt likes to creep behind me and sometimes she swings around in front). Just high enough for her to remember "all 4 feet go on the platform" and wide enough to allow for movement and a natural stand. Then I walk backwards/forwards/backwards/forwards as a "this is your position" refresher...

We are trying to enroll in another workshop, the next beginners level isn't until March so Thistle and I been trying to go it alone at home. We did find someone on instagram who is local to us who also does noseworks, with the same club but further along, so been asking them for advice and showing them videos. They also know all the best secret waterholes lol. Thistle gets SO excited about the smell of birch now that she hits my little metal container about and I fear I have shaped "lick the container" as the indicator. Not ideal, so just trying to shape a more calm indicator that doesn't involve punching, hitting, licking or spinning in circles on top of it. Ridiculous dog.

Oh I don't mind the rules at all! I love that they're there and enforced I don't have to worry about strange unapproved unknown dogs joining us in the fenced areas, just buddy dogs or friends-of-buddy dogs who-have-asked-to-join. It was good natured joke complaining, that I needed "people sitters" :laugh: but also sometimes our schedules do not align so well, currently i can only go if they are going yknow? Nothing better than not being ambushed by other dogs AND the fields are much bigger than kepalas! I have tried using the website but....the events not calendar always up to date and a real pain to navigate. I got the impression the newsletter was clearer about upcoming events? (and I'm curious about what else might be in there) Figure if I don't like it I can just...not renew my membership the following year? stick to the one where not an associate, just facility using? It's that or I join the slip track near us but idk, it doesn't have much going on for it beyond nice big private running area.

This whole wondering m came out of me complaining that any time I wanted to use kcc facilities for dog dates (those parks others cannot let their dogs in while I am!) I needed a member present and the offhand comment about how I can get my own membership lol In retrospect I could have just asked them what they meant but then what could I complain about? ;) I might be doing it backwards, but I want facilities and news letter first to find out when things are even happen then joining in other things with dog later (figure visit events without dog to watch and assess then talk to ppl about any clubs as stuff appeal) Right now the only way I know about stuff is word of mouth or being invited along :s said the newsletter tells me what's up?

Okay, think I got it: So I can get the normal membership for me so can use the facilities and get the events newsletter. Then after I get the membership I can register thistle on the associate rego if i decide we want to join in on events from the newsletter? ( Why couldn't the email in response to me asking how to register myself and my mixed breed spayed dog say any of this? :laugh: ) This section: Is that saying we can or can not do tracking? Cause I was kinda planning that longterm after noseworks...(not that competitions would dictate if we do it or not, but it'd be nice to test ourselves on occasion if she's ready)

Oh okay so even though I would like to participate for "fun" I would need trial capabilities? I really like their coursing setup Is an associate register seperate to the dogs vic normal/general membership? Does it say what else you get for membership? I'm on mobile but that site is always confuse me and so do the emails ???? I want to: - use facilities without being babysat by member friends (incl the bathroom!) - get the event newsletter of secrecy - maybe dabble in some events?

Could someone interpret for me. Agility friends said I could become a dogsvic member so can use KCC facilities without registered friends around and also there's a news letter of when events happen like lure coursing? I went to dogs vic website to read over conditions but the only form I could find talked about being breeder membership responsibilities. I couldn't find like general membership details? I sent an email asking how to sign up for general membership and also to check that it's okay as the owner of a spayed mix to join. They replied with the response below. I am not a member so cannot go to forms they are talking about? It says I need a membership email to sign up? --- Hello Name We acknowledge receipt of your enquiry and will reply forthwith. Thank you for contacting DOGS Victoria. To download application forms logon to www.dogsvictoria.org.au / Members Area / Member forms / (Select the required form). Should you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned. Kind Regards, Name ----- How do I find out if I can even be a member and what the yearly fees and allowances are? I think there is a companion with newsletter option but cannot find details on what else is included? For $70 I am getting what? Is companion mix ok??? Help ????

The aussie dog groups I'm on tend to recommend https://www.windchill.com.au/Skijoring.html for joring and canicross type activities Bit pricey but all made to measure and most people seem chuffed with what they get (weightpullers seem a bit more divided on the harnesses but it comes down to personal preferences). The Buy Swap Sell Trade Australian Dog Gear facebook group tends to have gear popping in and out if you don't mind secondhand. Australian Sled Dog Supplies on facebook regularly has joring and canicross gear for sale, similar to yours with the bungee cord and padded bands. Fido Fitness Australia is a facebook add I get a lot. Edit: on one of my groups, couple of swedish people talked about the gear on this site for running cross country with your dog: http://www.baggen.se/en/neewa-sport-and-utility-dog-gear/

Me? No I had a broken link which I realised and fixed a minute later. I didn't paste it properly.

Wasn't really sure where to put this so sharing in general! Happy to have it moved, it seems really cool so thought I'd share it around. https://breedarchive.com/home/index This is a worldwide breed archive website, using newish software data, that is like a pedigree builder and tracker? It can do rough analytics of COI and show how many times a same dog may be present but is mostly a sort of digital archive? I really like clicking on random dogs then viewing the pedigree by photos so can see how they change over time and by location and colours etc! When I first found it a few weeks ago it only had a couple of breeds and then I looked at it today and now it's got 8 breeds having pedigrees input! Hope you all find interesting and maybe contribute your breed knowledge!

I forgot to get the final comparison video. I was just so tired and I think so was thistle because she walked right past cookie to her bed ???? But by last day morning she's doing more token licks and a lot less body blocking. Will be something to work on, hopefully it's a cookie specific thing. We were tired because yesterday she had a play date down at kcc with a few agility people. It was going pretty well, she was a bit in the face of the others dogs but not AS in the face as usual. Lots of curves, appropriate butt sniffing etc. a good girl. She's finally pulling up as she runs over instead of slamming into them or their personal space! At one moment she got a bit something(?) with the pug, trying to make him run I think but we interrupted that. She was having a great time playing chasies with a big BC. I think it's the first full game of chasies she's had, most dogs can't keep up or go all out. Anyway, turns out she's a nipper so that tipped into a fight about 30 mins in to the chasies. The bc is okay looks like she just got fur. Thistle has a karma graze on her chin. I'm awfully embarrassed and bummed out but probably the safest way to find out that tidbit about her - at the kcc surrounded by experienced trainers. They were all very nice and I've got some ideas to manage and prevent in the future so she can have safe slightly calmer chasies. Just glad it wasn't the pug! But they all seemed to think not that big a deal so thinking I'm just fretting needlessly over it She raced a couple of greys along the fence line too. Going to get a muzzle like theirs to prevent over excited chase nips in the future. The people were super nice though. and their dogs were cool

It is very odd behaviour and I agree, it's coming across as a very nervous insecure action where she doesn't actually want to cause conflict and I'm the "trigger". She is getting better though. I'm doing lots of calm behaviour rewarding. Trying to avoid commands except where she's super excited and can't think. Rest of time I do something with cookie she gets attention too so cookie attention = attention for her. Easier when I approach cookie but she's getting the hang of staying calm and not shouldering in between when cookie approaches me. Most rewards have been attention and pats. Tomorrow's cookies last day with us so I'll take a comparison video. Good thing cookie is a super calm and chill dog Thistle has been offering so many great heels ???? But it's the kind of attention seeking for wrong reason so I'm ignoring them in favour of calm sits. They have had some tentative wrestling. I think she's just out of practice sharing me and needs time to adjust. Shame cookie goes home soon.

How darling ☺️

Woooo!

Want to get more into noseworks and eventually tracking And improve as an owner and her dog ☺️ Forever improving! (Maybe even make it to advanced class! ) More bush adventures!!! More mud!

I think I pushed things and cookie getting worked up got her worked up I will stick to walks and off lead sniffs, and hopefully miss passive aggressive worrywort will feel better about the visitor (and sharing me) in time. (Worse comes to worse it's only until Monday evening, i took the time off)

She's uh, calmer. I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't some kind of passive aggressive body block thing as she only does it when I'm present or patting cookie :laugh: I let them outside together then went inside to watch through the curtain. It was all lovely calm sniffing with a round of tentative wrestling until I came back out then it's the licking cookie away from me :laugh: i'm on to you thistle, calm down Been prempting it as much as I can. She gets attention/treats for walking away from cookie, sitting, dropping, chilling. Everytime I pat cookie, she gets a attention/treat for staying out of the way. Everytime cookie gets a treat, she gets one too. Seems to be working, her tail is less frantic and I can actually walk about without her being a little frantic whirlwind around me. She's knocking into cookie less (I don't believe for an instant that many butt flying into cookie's face is an accident, not with the booty awareness she's got). It's interesting, that's for sure. Edit: spoke to early! She had a go at cookie over the ball (or cookie being excited in close proximity to me). Stopped in less than a second. My bad too much too fast. Keeping everything calm for now. Treats for letting cookie play with the ball. I'm sitting and supervising and they're just standing in the grass thinking.

Overly excited ones it seems :D I'll stick to my many pairs of tits as long as I can lol Tummy > chest lol

They get in the way! Like, I get you're happy mate but pack it away come on! :laugh: Future dogs if boys get the tummy rub test, if I can rub the tummy without anything getting in the way then they're okay with me ;)

I'm dog sitting, and Thistle's pretty excited about it. Too excited even, she's being the most obnoxiously submissive I have ever seen her. Which was good when the owners were over for dinner (the first time she has been EXCITED over seeing a man in the house! Went the doggie grin, full wags and hand licks). However now that they're gone she's really bothering poor old cookie with her sheer obnoxiousness. Mostly licking her face over and over while Cookie turns her head away or moves away. Not a big issue, yet. They get mandatory breaks from each other and keeping separate when i'm not around. Sometimes I crate her if she's too excited until she calms (yup that far in our crate training!). I have been walking between the two and shoving thistle away when she starts the obnoxious face licks up and she'll calm down after a few minutes of it. Rewarding good calm behaviour but don't think it's clicked I want her calm with cookie. The dog walks are fine, this seems to be purely an "in and around the house with cookie" thing. It really is just plain obnoxious and cookie, while tolerating, plainly does not appreciate it. Suggestions? ( . Apologies I thought I recorded more but must have knocked the button or something. I interrupted two more times and she backed off to sniff the grass which was good)PS a good walk and park run has stopped it a bit and I am hoping it's a bit of a "new dog in house" thing.

I better help even this thread out ;) Girls are better for me, although boys have their place. Can't say I find their personalities too different, except girls have a bit more of an edge and focus, which I like, while boys are a bit... dopey. Haven't noticed a difference in either being "more loving" than the other. Unfortunately likely to go a boy with future second dog purely for the mixed gender pair and because of the whole "dopey boy" thing. (Would honestly prefer another girl, but in the end a dog is a dog and they're not that different. Just find dicks get in the way of some good tummy rubbing :laugh: ).