Gamby

Hi Enjoy the day, don't be too worried, the dog can do it. Most of all Have lots of fun I won't be taking Gambit herding until he has finished tracking.

Hi I attended Ian Dunbar's talk last night in Preston. What a treat it was. He is so into helping the puppies get it right that his whole class do off lead training. Can you imagine 6 - 8 puppies in a room off lead and all doing recalls, sits, go play, sit, recall. What a sight that would be. Do any other clubs train that way? His explanation of teaching those who speak in a gruff or low tone is something I will use tonight in class. His explanation of the importance of the Sit and Stay exercise and how to teach it was excellent. I had tears flowing in laughter a number of times during the night. He was so good at telling stories. What were your thoughts on the night? How about the books that were on sale, I over heard one man say to another, "you can't believe that there are that many books on dogs, can you?" I smiled to myself and thought Oh if only I had the time and the money to read them all. Wendy

Sorry YB did get the names mixed up. I must not sckip things, I must read from the first thread not halfway down. The sight you had was the one I was thinking about and I'm sure there is one on the clicker site. Not Karen Pryor's one but another girl. I'll see if I can find it for you GSD_crazy

Hi yogibear Maybe the trick is to go back to square one and teach him how to play with a toy. Tease the living daylights out of him with something he has looked at but not played with. Don't give it to the dog, put it away in a place that is going to be special for the item. Do it often, make a fuss of the item by being silly and going to the place where it is, take it out, play with it, toss it, do anything so that eventually the dog will understand that it is a fun thing. After that then you can get down on the floor with the item, have the dog near and toss it away from the dog. Then you go and grab it and make a fuss of it. If the dog eventually goes to it Praise. then put it away. Get the picture? Somewhere on the internet is an item of getting the dog motivated with a toy but I can't remember where. I'm sure members of DOL will let you know. Happy training

Hi I need information on the herding clinic that is being held (I think) next weekend at Mooreholme Park. I need to know what day Helen and I are booked in for. (I think we are booked in) Also how much are we up for?

Hi Sparty & Wagalot Now I know who you are Sparty! Your with the Ballarat Flyball Team. I'm with the Bellarine Flyball Team. I used to run Annabell and Mister Scotty a long time ago. Wagalot, Gambit is very good with the sheep. He isn't afraid to go in on the fence and move them out. When Dave is in there with him he works really well. I am just so unco-ordinated. when Dave was the dog and I was the handler I could cope with the sheep really well as I was watching the sheep only, not Dave. When I'm in with Gambit I normally use the rake in the worst way. So I'm changing over to the whistle.

Hi Wagalot, I was getting photocopying done then buying stamps, folding Renewal Forms for 160 BDAG Members plus putting the stamps on the envelopes. I'm off to post them shortly. Then have to think of some games for the Geelong DOLERS who are coming to play tomorrow If your not doing anything come on down. We start at 2.00pm and finish about 7.00pm at 57 Coppards Road, Newcomb. Will be at Mooreholm Park next week. I think I'm down on the list. (Am I Dave or Geoff? Is Helen down on the list too?). Wendy & Gambit (Aussie Shepherd)

So glad you finally went to see Dave, Geoff and the gang at Mooreholm Park. They are all wonderful people. Bye the way to everyone at Mooreholm Park, Happy New Year to you all Dave is so easy going making him a great instructor. Did you see their dogs working? Wow I don't think Gambit will ever work as good as them. Looking forward to seeing the photos

Wagalot Are you referring to the Geelong DOL get together on Sunday 8th January? If so it will be held between 2.00pm-7.00pm at 57 Coppards Road, Newcomb Bring lits of mozzie repellant Wendy

Congratulations to all who passed at Lancefield. I did miss going to see if Gambit had any chance of passing. Gambit also missed ut on seeing his mother and siblings who did extremely well. It also would have been good to put the faces to the names. Gambit won't be doing a lot of herding this year. I'm going to do tracking with him. Dave suggested it was better to wait until after Gambit had done tracking and then bring him back to herding. We shall still attend the herding clinics etc. I will work on his stop and come, go around, come fore or whatever words we are supposed to use. Does anyone use the whistle? I have found Gambit responds well to the whistle so would like to work him on that. Any suggestins Herding Guy?

Hi I just saw the weather forcast for Friday and Saturday - 35 & 31. I won't be there on either day. My car doesn't have air conditioning. Gambit is hot at any time, and he will be even hotter in the car for a couple of hours and in the heat when we get there. I can't put Gambit through that. To those who are still going, good luck. Wendy & Gambit

Whoops, forgot to add definatley happens. Gamby

Hi Cactus Have you heard of the Delta Society? You can find them if you go to the Delta site and search for a Delta trainer at http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/ I belong to a club that has mainly Delta Instructors and I have found them very knowledgable. Gamby

Sorry but I can't answer all your questions. I was told if it is too hot on 30th then it will be held on the 31st The following is what was in the Vic Herding Ass Newsletter Nov 2005 "Lancefield Kennel Club Holding Instinct and herding tests enter on the day on December 30th commencing at 8.30am at lancefield park in conjunction with their Championship show. Judges R Sutcliffe & W McMillan"

Hi Herding Friends I spoke to Dennis and Di Haywood this morning and it is still on. If it is too hot on the 30th then they will hold it on the 31st. I'm looking forward to seeing if my baby can pass his HIT. His mum and a couple of his siblings will be there also.

Hi I have tried all the halti types and I found the new Black Dog Ifin-8 brilliant. It is a different version of the figure eight and much more adaptable. I don't think a halti would suit your dog at all at this present time. Is there any chance of you having a Vet come to you? That swounds like it would be a much better option for you. I found the Ezy Walker that goes around the dogs front legs and does up at the back very good for a dog that was so pushy. It quietened her down really well. That dog was a short haired dog and the Ezy walker wouldn't work on a long haired dog. I wish you luck in finding something to help you get control of the dog. It sounds like you have an uphill battle on your hands.

I'm envious of those going to the Herding Workshop on 11 Dec Dave I'd definatley be there with Gambit if I could. I hope you all have a great day. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy and Safe New Year.

[if he is now 12 and has only had one more siezure in the last 10 years I would be cutting him off his meds. QUOTE] Thanks for that information. Scotty had a blood test earlier on this year. The test indicated that he needed his med changed from 1 to 2 tables twice a day. I have recently changed vet's and have given him Scotty's history. I will be taking Scotty there next week.

Hello All My dog, Mister Scotty, Aust Terrier X had a wonderful day at agility when he was 2 years of age. He is now 12. He got two passes in agility in the morning and the afternoon sessions. Before that he would decide himself what he wanted to do. I took him home and within an hour he had two massive epileptic episodes. I was home by myself and I watched him until they passed. He threw his head up in the air and then his head would come crashing down on the concrete. The noise whas horrendace. I was expecting him to have a broken jaw, his teeth knocked out etc. The fits was so strong. I took him to the Vet and was told it sounded like epilepsy bought on by the excitement of the day. He had blood test and was put on a course of (can't think of the name of them)....... When he was younger that he would sit and stare of into space. He wasn't on this planet, goodness knows where he went. I've been told that they were the start of his epilepsy and it built up over time. He has had only one more episode since that day, but still stares every now and again. Before the tablets Scotty was an over the top type of dog. His recalls were so fast. He was very happy, enjoyed life to the full with his tail never stopping. Once he started on the tablets he slowed right down. He was lethargic , definately not my Mister Scotty. The vet told me if Scotty was happy doing agility then continue on with it. Scotty got his AD title. He was so slow compared to what he used to do and he didn't seem to be enjoying it. It was the same with him doing Flyball. Scotty has been retired now for a number of years, is still going strong and enjoying life just in a slower mode. He is on higher medication now still goes off into his own little world now and again but he's happy and so am I except when he gets a bee in his bonnet and wants to catch mice. There's no mice around but he still wants to get them.

Now I know how most of you found out about the Herding Workshop I don't go to Dogz Online very often but today I was thrilled to see your thoughts and some photos on the day. (I'll be checking more often now.) I then went down the list a little more and saw David's query. This herding thing has been a meant-to-be for me. I rescued my nieces kelpie/border as it kept jumping the fence. The next time she did it she was going to the pound and would have been put down. I rang around a few places and got her entered in a Herding Instinct Test at St Salie????. Tess did very well but I was told by the Judge that both Tess and I needed to get hold of a trainer. In the meantime I re-homed Tess only to have to go back and bring her home as she was supposed to have killed a sheep. This I will never believe. She never showed any agression with sheep at all. I even took her to a friends place to have a lesson and Tess was fine. Sadly I had to give her up to the Geelong Animal Welfare as my "little black bitch" wouldn't have anything to do with her. Hubby was nearly tearing his hair out. He couldn't cope with the constant bickering between the two of them. I miss Tess so much and pray that she found a home where some one could love and care for her the way she cared for me for that short time. Now I have Gambit and he will be having a go. It's me that needs the training not him. How do I go about training myself by myself. Wendy Mister Scotty Miss Annabell Mister Gambit (Poruse Diamond Dealer) :D :shakehead:

The Aussie Shepherd's name is Gambit. He is seven months old and enjoying life. Thank you for the photo. It was good to be able to let Hubby and son see what I was talking about (any chance of seeing the one of Gambit looking over the top of me in the big paddock?) Gambit had a lesson the week before with David and it showed up at the Workshop. Shame about the handler To see the dogs first time with sheep was wonderful. Each dog had it's own way of coping. To those who organised the Herding Workshop, Thank You :D