Gamby

I am at ease now after the death of Mister Buster. :rolleyes: I had a reading done and was told that "I can see Buster twitching the very tip of his tail and watching you intently" That is what Buster did whenever I went near him so I know he is here beside me. They never leave us do they, they are always there in one way or the other by way of a quick passing shadow, getting the food bowl ready etc.

Tracking Club of Victoria's Yahoo Group address is at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oztracking/

Yesterday I had to pts my 16 yo Lilac Burmese Mister Buster (Wyndene Cashmier Cloud. Sire - Tysley Tiny Tornado; Dam - Wyndene Blue Lady). He was diagnosed with diabetes in November 2005. He had insulin twice a day and was so good about it. He would even let me know it was time for his "shots" He became very thin, wouldn't eat so I thought that his insulin needed adjusting. A visit to the vet yesterday confirmed that he had cancer and it was the size of the vets fits and so hard. There was nothing more to do so I held him, told him I loved him and asked him to go to sleep. Buster was the typical burmese cat who played ball, gave you cuddles, yelled at you when he wanted something in particular or just strutted around the place knowing that he was King of the Castle. Bye Buster Baby, enjoy your freedom. Say Hello to Kiera for me. I'm sure she'll be pleased to see you after all this time.

Don't give up. Contact Hastings Club, Denise Burriss or Kim Houlden. Kim lives at 131 Tyabb/Tooradin Road, Somerville or even try Andrea Sciberras on 03 9877 1528 ASAP You never know if you don't ask.

Please know that you did the right thing. I had to put my 16 yo Lilac Burmese, Mister Buster, down yesterday. This illness came out of the blue. I never dreamed that yesterday was going to be his last day with me.

Where abouts in South Eastern Victoria? give me some towns that are surrounding your area?

Here are some more sights to visit http://www.grcv.org.au/training/tracking.htm http://www.trackingclubvic.org.au/about.html http://www.finographics.com/schutzhund/tra...g/tracking.html FOLLOWING GHOSTS: DEVELOPING THE TRACKING RELATIONSHIP by Suzanne Clothier & John Rice (See other books by author) Publisher: Flying Dog Press Edition: 1996 Booklet, 54 pages ISBN: 0964652986 Item: DGT200 Will Ship on: 08/04/06 Summary: Try this common sense approach to tracking/search and rescue based on respect for the dog's natural abilities, positive reinforcement and observation skills! All training is done on variable surfaces. Price: $6.50 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Expanded Description: A commonsense approach to tracking/search & rescue based on respect for the dog's natural abilities, positive reinforcement, and keen observation skills. To be successful with this approach, all you need is a good relationship with your dog! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dig In Introduction About the Authors See all 3 Pages. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dogwise Thinks You Might Enjoy: ENTHUSIASTIC TRACKING: A STEP BY STEP TRAINING HANDBOOK TRACKING FROM THE GROUND UP -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customers who bought this product also bought: UNDERSTANDING & TEACHING SELF CONTROL TRACKING FROM THE GROUND UP FUN NOSEWORK FOR DOGS, 2ND EDITION TRACKING DOG - THEORY AND METHODS, 5TH EDITION TRY TRACKING! THE PUPPY TRACKING PRIMER -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Customer Reviews Average Customer Ranking: Write a review for this product! A must have!, March 20, 2006 Reviewer: Claudia Clifton This booklet is a must have for everyone, beginner to advanced tracker, for sport or practical tracking like SAR or trailing. Not a how-to-book, but a book that will give one fresh ideas on how things work and how the dog tracks.... Takes the complicated thinking of humans out of the tracking equation!!!! I need more of those books for everybody I am training with!

I found some web addresses for you http://www.basset.net/track.html http://home.ntelos.net/~dtratnac/ Good Luck

Hi Why not join the Tracking Club of Victoria's Yahoo Group. They will have heaps of ideas, books etc to help you learn to track. It is very hard to do it by yourself. You need people to watch how you handle the dog as well as watching what signals the dog is giving. There are some wonderful books and videos on the market for tracking as well as tracking Web Pages that provide heaps of help. Tracker Dog Training (German) translated by E. Weinand (Video) The tracker dog by Eddie Weiner Tracking Dog Theory and Methods by Glen R Johnson The Koehler Method of training a tracking dogs by William R Koehler Scent Training to Track, Search and Rescue by Milo D Pearsall, Hugo Verbruggen MD Following Ghosts (can't think of the authors, try a search on the internet for it.) I love tracking. To me it is the most wonderful thing to do with your dog. You enter their world and to watch them work their little butts off searching for that Thing (whatever it is) at the end of the track is amazing. I can give you one hint and that is not to step forward at all until your dog has got it's head down and is working the scent. I see many people who's dogs could track but have given up doing their own thing and just allowed the handler to indicate where the track is. I hope I have been of some help becasue it would be a shame if you couldn't go out and enjoy the world of tracking. Miss Annabell is my Tracking Champion. She is amazing. The other two dogs, Mister Scotty can do it but would rather chase mice and Gambit is in the learning stage.

Hi Sparthy No it was Saturday between the AM & PM Trials. Gambit's biggest problem was the marker that Frank Valestro used in the Sunday PM trial. Gambit was doing a lovely recall but veered off to my side because he saw the marker and went to it. He's done target training so it looks like I need to get him to understand that he goes to markers only when I send him. I also need to take more notice of what is on the ground and make sure his recall is done the end where nothing has been put on the ground. Wendy

Gambit hasn't any passes yet. He was truamatised at Geelong's Obed Trial a few weeks ago. After that he's really worried about black & tan dogs. He will even walk on the other side of me if we come to a dog/s when we are walking. He's doesn't show fear it is his actions that let me know he's not too sure of any situation. It is so sad, as he loves the intereaction with dogs and humans He passed his Merit assessment at GODC on Sunday with 123/130 so I'm hoping he is understaning what is expected of him in the obedience ring.

Thanks for the suggestions Will start on them from tomorrow. Have entered Gambit in CCD at the VCA Obedience Trial to be held at KCC Park on 5 August. Will let you know how he went. Wendy

Congratulations Cooper Baby Gambit still isn't ready yet. Well, it's not him it's me, ho ho ho.

Yes he does. I need to continually get him to look at me. He does but he's still checks on things around him. He was attacked a few weeks ago from behind. He never knew what hit him but he knows is was a black and tan dog. I feel this could be another reason why he is sticky-beaking and looses focus. What else can I do as a fun exercise to get him to follow me around without worrying about what is happening in the area. He is such a sticky beak when doing his sit/downs also. He checks out any movement. He's only got up one during his sit/downs and that was because he could smell the lady who owned the dog that attacked him. Do I go back to basics and start the heeling on a big arc and bring him in slowly? Wendy

Hi I've searched for topics on Figure 8 training and can't find any. Gambit is heeling wide when doing the figure 8 exercise. He's not too wide but as he's a working dog he's checking out what is happening in the area around him. How do I get him to come around quickly when I'm closer to the pole and he's on the outside? Looking forward to reading the suggestions

Hi It was so good to put the face to Sparty today. I knew Jules and Moses and it was wonderful knowing the dogs going into the rings. Gambit did so well and I'm so lucky that all I need to work on is his attention on me. Once I have fixed that then I'm sure he will get a pass along the way. He was brilliant in the PM drops. He air scented, sat up, checked that he wasn't going to get attacked again and then dropped. Wow what a baby boy. To Moses and Sparty, congratulations. I'm sure I'll see more of you around the obedience trials. Wendy

Hi Gambit is now entered in the AM & PM trials for Saturday and Sunday in CCD. Ohhhhhhh, It is so long since I did any trialling I get the tummy flutters when I think about it. I had only entered Gambit once on each day as I thought Janelle might have been short of Stewards, but it looks like she has plenty of them so Gambit gets to do two and two. I love the new rules for obedience. They make better sense than the Heel on and Heel off lead in the one class. Gambit is the first dog I've had that actually stays (sort of ) with me in the heeling pattern. Mister Scotty did it only once at Warrnambool and Miss Annabell wouldn't dream of walking near me. She only wants to make sure everyone is doing what she wants them to do. So we'll see what happens Say Hi to me and Gambit when you see us, tell me your DOL name so I can put the face to the name. See Yah Wendy

Hi Yep I've entered Gambit in the Geelong Obedience Trial. It will be his first ever trial and I'm getting nervous even now. He cottons on to the heeling, and everything else and then I make a mistake and don't use the correct hand signal or the voice control. Ah, well, if I don't give it a go I'll never know. I have no idea what trial he will be in as I'm stewarding on both days. I will leave it up to Janelle to decide so she can cover the stewards that she'll nedd on the day.

Hi Lab Lover He's a fine looking Lab It's not very often I see a lab that is in good nick without having toooo much weight on him/her. Can you tell me why so many labs are over weight Wendy

Sorry you had to put up with that Jefe's owner. Next time take a spare prong collar and a correction chain with you when out and about with your dog. When people complain ask them to try the correction chain around the top of their arm and then with the prong collar on. I'm sure those who try both of them will be amazed how different the feeling is from the correction chain to the prong collar. The correction chain grabs the arm at one point where as the prong collar puts pressure evenly around the arm. Once trying the correction chain you can imagine what damage it does to a dogs neck when too much pressure is applied like pulling the dog in the other direction. The prong collar is a wonderful piece of training equipment.

Hi Blacklabrador Is there anyway you can avoid walking past those dogs that are rushing the fence? I would first try and break the behaviour. Your dog is probably waiting for the chance to have fun by meeting those dogs each day you take it for a walk. I have the same problem and now I walk on the other side of the road and reward reward reward my dog when he takes no notice of the dog at the fence. He is getting to the stage now that he is slowly forgetting about the dog across the road. I would be interested in why the dog shows the bahaviour too. Good Luck

Yep, Mister Gambit Burps too. My grandchildren think it is very funny. I try to let them no I'm not amused but what can you do.

The tracking workshop run by the Victorian Tracking Club of Victoria is the best place to go if you want to learn tracking. The knowledge amongst those who give their time over the weekend is pure gold. Don't forget to take some $2.00's as you will be hassled by the bestest raffle ticket seller I have ever known The people are so into tracking training that you will be more than happy with what you learn over that weekend. The new area at the Moira Scout Camp is up market as it has hot water for the showers, a lovely big open fire, a river as most importantly a huge bush area. I can't wait for the Workshop weekend each year. Not only to meet up with the fellow trackers but to watch the new dogs enter into their world and track like they have been doing it for year. It's the handlers that need the instruction but isn't that always the way. Wendy

I love Tracking. It is a wonderful feeling being out with your dog early in the morning when the sun has just risen. Laying a track, remembering to put down the rewards, taking note of the land and the things around it, lining up your straight lines, knowing where the track is and where it is going to go etc. Then take the dog for a walk or go home for an hour or so, come back, get the dog out of the car, with the harness and lead and see the dog eager to go get it. Wait dog, you need your harness on first, stand still, OK. Go Track. The dog has its head down and bum up and off we go. Oh the joy of watching Miss Annabell or any other dog track, I'm in awe of the way the different dogs track. Some go straight out, some go from side to side, some fiddle around, go behind the handler, then all of sudden take off. The look on handlers faces who try tracking with their dog for the first time when the dog actually puts it head down, bum up and goes. To have a dog give you kisses all over after it has found you lying on the wet ground for up to a couple of hours reading a book, listening to the radio or just watching the clouds in the sky, listening to the sounds of the farm, bush or wherever you might be. Sometimes you need to set up various tracks just in case the dog doesn't understand that particular set out. I know of one dog who wouldn't track it's owner. I tried a couple of different things only to find the dog was too smart, it wanted to take the direct route to its handler. Then I send the husband out. Boy what a joy to see that dog go. It hasn't looked back. This year it should get it's tracking title. My Miss Annabell TCh just did tracking. We did train over a couple of years, but it wasn't for entering tracking trials is was just another dog sport for her to do. With tracking trials once the dog has passed its Test 6 then that's it. No more trials. I have a young Aussie Shepherd who I'm going to take tracking this year. I'm looking forward to putting the tracking gear, dogs, sleeping bags etc in the car and traveling around the country side to meet up with all the other tracking people for a great weekend. Maybe by writing this piece of nonesense will let you know that Tracking is addictive. The dogs will thank you for getting them involved in the sport, and you and your dog will enjoy the company of a man and his dog doing what comes naturally. Wendy