Gamby

Congratulations Can you remember the track at all or just some of it. Isn't tracking the most wonderful thing you can do with your dog? I think the early morning tracks are the best because it is just you and your dog going for a walk.

You will have the best time now you have a clicker. Just make sure the clicker is used to indicate that you liked what the dog just did and reward. I love using the clicker and a cardboard box with Gambit. Annabell she doesn't care she just tries anything and everything. I'm clicker training my 15 week old kitten to come. She is getting target training down pat. You could use the clicker with your children. Sit down and think about what you would like them to do. Instead of the clicker you could use a word that indicates YES. Let us know how you go. Anyone else use the Clicker type training to train their children. Szimms - Have you read Don't Shoot the Dog's by Karen Pryor? great book on how to handle children, husband, dogs, cats, flat mates, friends etc. Let us know your progress.

Way to go Noels, so glad you are up and running

I have Registration Forms and a Flyer for those interested in finding out a bit more about the upcoming Geelong Rally Obedience Seminar. Email me privately if you wish to receive a copy. Registration closes on the 20th April 2009 The more people who attend the cheaper it will be, so come on let me know if you want to loearn more about Rally Obedience SATURDAY Instruction is without dogs. This day has been developed to help participants through every step of understanding Rally, organising a trial, understanding equipment and preparing an area for a trial with an outside Judge. A Power point presentation is included in the cost. SUNDAY—this is designed to be an active part of the seminar, requiring the dogs to be in attendance. It is recommended that crates be used to hold dogs between sessions. Wendy

Hi For those interested in attending the Geelong Rally-O Workshop I now have the Registration form that can be emailed to you. Registration closes on the 20th April. The Workshop is being run over 2 days, Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April. PART 1 Saturday Is a Powerpoint presentation that has been developed to help participants every step in understanding Rally, organising a trial, understanding equipment and preparing an area for a trial with an outside Judge. No Dogs present on this day. PART 2 Sunday This is designed to be an active part of the seminar, requiring dogs to be in attendance. Dogs are to be in an appropriate working collar, six foot lead, rewards for the dog, crates, water etc. No There are a few things that need to be confirmed before I put out a flyer. It should be ready by the end of the week. The more participants the cheaper it gets Any questions send my an email and If I can't answer your question I'll pass it on to Anglesun. Wendy

Hi Molassaslass How big do you want the flags? Small ones can be Scewers with coloured ribbons tied to the top or Yellow plastic Tent Pegs from any camping store or KMart Electric fence poles. Garden Bamboo stakes Plastic poles with something stuck in the end so they can be pushed into the ground. If you are just starting out then the scewers or yellow tent pegs will do so long as you tie some coloured ribbon, builders tape (from bunnings) on the top of them so they stand out on the ground. The coloured ribbons or Flags made out of some bright material canb e added to the electric fence poles or Garden bamboo stakes. Maybe the Garden stakes are not the right things in this terrible drought season, they work well when the ground is soft. The dowel with a nail in one end is very good also. Personal choice situation. Happy Tracking

Can I add any DOL names to the Geelong Rally-O Workshop? Also what days are you thinking about attending Helen Staff n Toller Shoemonster (how many more shores have you bought?) The Spotted Devil Wolfgirl Jen Any more? Getting really excited now only a month to go. Might have the class try Rally Jacks tommorow night for the last night of BDAG's Block 1. It does sound like fun. Thanks to all who helped me with the Halt Call Front Finish Right.

OK...don't think of RIGHT as heeling on the right side..what this station means is the following: You are heeling with the dog on your left as usual. Come to the sign, and halt (dog sits in heel position) In the novice stage, you can take a couple of steps backwards and call your dog to the 'front' position. Dog SITS in the front position. Finish right means, the dog must go AROUND you on YOUR right, back into heel position. If there is a halt, the dog sits in heel position on the left..if it is just a finish right/forward, the dog must NOT stop and sit, which means as soon as the dog comes around the back of your legs, step foward and heel to the next station. Make sense? (where the heck is the webcam when I need it and my trained dog!) Thank you Thank you Thank you to Anglesun. Thanks also to Squeak and Kavik Does that mean that "Finish Left" is where the dog either flips back to heel position or the hamdler guides the dog into heel position? My group will be very pleased when I tell them on Thursday night Wendy

Helen I know, the 270 one gets me all the time as I can only cut the circle into 90, 180, 360. What did you think of the rest of the course? You will have to join us one Thurday night and run through the course with the other class members (don't tell Helen though will you) Wendy

Help Anglesun Is my understanding of the station "Halt-Call Front-Finish Right" correct? When the dog has to go to heel at the right hand side of handler without sitting as handler moved forward, does the dog then need to heel on the right hand side of the handler until the next station? If not, how do you get the dog back to the left heel position? Ohhhhhh Hurry Hurry 25 April, I need instructions on the exercises so that I don't confuse my class members any more than they already are Looking forward to reading your reply Thanks Wendy

Hi Rally_O's I have just realised that it is the 16th of March (or was yesterday) and thought I'd better get the news out and about that: BELLARINE DOG ACTIVITIES GROUP INC are holding a 1 1/2 day workshop to be held on 25-26th April 2009 at the Geelong Obedience Dog Club grounds, Belmont Common, Breakwater Road, Breakwater, Victoria The Workshop will commence after 12 noon as the 25th is ANZAC Day, a special day in the Australian Calendar. If you would like more information then contact me. Angelsun will be sending me an update on the arrangements very soon (won't you Angelsun?) I would like to have some idea of numbers so I can organise the eats for the weekend. If possible I would like you to forward this onto your particular Club as a way of letting Victorian's know of the upcoming Rally Obedience event. Wendy

Hi I'm looking forward to the Geelong Rally-O workshop. My group have just finished 6 weeks of Rally-O. We have gone through the exercises as well as doing a full course. I'm so proud of my class members. they have been wonderful as far as setting out the courses for the day and packing the equipment away. The dogs tails are wagging which is a bonus of Rally-O. The handlers work the courses with intent and purpose. They have all improved out of site. Our main problem is the halt 1, 2, 3 Step. We went though it and through it last night. Then I had two handlers at a time doing it together but not bothering about the person beside them. We all did it exactly the same by adding another step to the 1,2,3 steps. Can you explaine the steps that are taken for me please. Two of us are obedience trialing and we don't wont to lead off with our right foot and saying heel at the same time. Last night was our first timed event although the girls don't know what their times were as this class isn't about trying to beat the clock. This class is for handlers to work with their dogs and become a unit. They have all booked in for the next term which makes me sort of pleased with myself as I didn't know a lot about Rally-O beofe I started this class. Who else's Rally-O class is doing well? I'd love to hear from you. Wendy BDAG Rally-O's

Hi Wolfgirl I just know that BDAG's date of 25 & 26th April are a definate. I've been running the Rally-O classes for 5 weeks now and I'm thrilled with the results the handlers are getting from their dogs. The dogs enjoy it. They and the handlers are starting to work as a team. My class members are all into setting out the courses (we now know why the signs are numbered, we had two courses side by side last week and it was a horrible mix up) as well as packing the signs away. that in it self is so helpful especially when I have a class following immediately after. The girls and the guy are now understanding what they are to do coming up to a sign eg., turns, understanding that the Halt means a Sit and sometimes it doesn't. The Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3 got them all completly bamboozled after I have been reminding them to lead off wtih the left foot and finish on the left foot. But we are all having fun and the group want to continue next term. Wendy Hi BDAG, Geelong, Vic would be interested in the weekend of 25-26 April. March 28-29 is the BDAG Flyballl Competition (Bellarine Dog Activities Group) I commence my Rally-O classes on Thursday. Have sort of set out the class structure as far as getting the members to learn the Rally-O signs and learn how to do the exercises. Have you any suggestions for me that you feel should be added to the class structure? Looking forward to the workshop Wendy BDAG Rally-O contact Just wondering if the date is definitely set for us Melbourne people???? Wendy have you started Rally O already???

Today I said Goodbye to my 14 yo Australian Terrier cross Mister Scotty AD FD or as he was known the one and only Bollinger Terrier, Champagne Tipsy Man. Its possible that he might have had a stroke during the night and was unable to decide what to do with himself this morning. it was so sad to see him unable to coordinate himself after being such a happy chappy, ready to run. He was a typical Terrier, full of beans and wanting to do his own thing. I will always be thankful for him being responsible for me getting into Dog Activities. Mister Scotty loved doing Agility, Flyball and would go quite nutty when the clicker appeared in my hand. Through him I was introduced to Obedience, Flyball, Flygility, Rally-O, Tracking, Doggy Freestyle and attending seminars to learn all I could about how to make his and my other dogs life more fulfilling. Bye Big Boy

Hi BDAG, Geelong, Vic would be interested in the weekend of 25-26 April. March 28-29 is the BDAG Flyballl Competition (Bellarine Dog Activities Group) I commence my Rally-O classes on Thursday. Have sort of set out the class structure as far as getting the members to learn the Rally-O signs and learn how to do the exercises. Have you any suggestions for me that you feel should be added to the class structure? Looking forward to the workshop Wendy BDAG Rally-O contact

I prefer the Bowen Therepy as is is gentle and does work on my two older dogs and Gambit. As long as I rest them for a day they are new puppies after treatment. I was so lucky with Gambit who was attacked from behind when he was about 6 months old. The next day when I was checking him I found that where he had been bitten the area was so hot. Not touching it but holding the hand up over the area. My Bowen Therapist, John happened to be there the next day and worked on Gambit. He was a new dog, the heat had gone out of the area. the only thing that it left Gambit with was a fear of Obedience Trialing. Have a talk to Pia, she'll be able to put you in the picture as to how, when & why. Wendy

Dremel and Ozito are just brand names for the rotary tool. All Bunnings across Australia will sell them. :D Found an Ozito in the Bunnings catalogue, $42 something, I'm off to Bunnings in the morning. Thanks everyone for your help.

Thanks for the reply but what Bunnings store and in what state did you purchase your Dremel or Ozito from? and what is the name of your rotary tools Please Please

Hi all If you have a Dremel Cordless Dog Nail Grooming tool Where did you buy it from. I've spent most of the afternoon trying to find a shop that sells them Please Please let me know where you go yours from Wendy

Here is what I would like to do with Gambit during 2009. No. 1 - Get his last pass in CD so he can have fun in Open. He loves Open training with the exception of the heel work, Oh well, that will get better as I work with him over the holidays. No. 2 - For him to achieve his TDX or TCH during the 2009 Tracking Season. I was supposed to enter him in 2008 for his TDX trialing but missed out as I though he got his TD in 2008 when in fact he got it in 2007. I have a number of members from GODC and BDAG who are looking to trialing next year, so I might be a busy girl during the Tracking Season No. 3 - For Gambit to actually do some agility through 2009. He has one pass in Jumpers, so that would be the next thing to get his Jumpers Cert. Since I have had Gambit I have been unable to enter him in Agility trials at all because of other commitments. I know I have to decide which ones I would rather do, but to start with when Gambit could have done it he was too young, then he succeeded in Obedience and Tracking and the trial dates clashed. I wish you all a very successful 2009. Wendy

Wow, I can't believe it's actually going to happen, a Rally-O Workshop . Looking forward to hearing more about the event when it is available :p

I use sausages, devon, cheese, liver cooked in either the microwave of in a pot on the stove, goodo's etc., tug toys, squeaky toys. Socks, I could go on and on. Today I made a batch of Dr Harry's dog biscuits. My dogs loved them. they consist of Parsley, Carrot, Wholemeal Flour, Unprocessed Bran, Mozerrela cheese, Olive oil and water. I took a lot down to dog training tonight and handed them out to a lot of people asking them to see what their dogs thought of them. "Dog Loved them" was the response. One person said it was great as you could break them up into small pieces and the biscuits didn't crumble. They are supposed to last for at least two months stored in an air tight container. I'm going out tomorrow to buy some doggy type cutters and make some more. So I need to add Dr Harry's biscuits to my list

I'd be very interested in you coming to Victoria, Geelong preferably, but, then again I would make the trip to Sydney. I love Rally-O, it is a great way for handlers to be able to think about what they have to do for the upcoming sign. They aren't rushed like they are if someone is yelling out instructions. The handlers can get into a rythm therefore making it easier for the dog to understand what is required of them. this makes the handlers happy as the dog is successful. That is before they are capable of doing a timed Rally-O. Slow and steady is the way? Great for handler's who are new to obedience training. Once they understand the sit, drop, stand, turns, come etc there is No walking up and down in lines, handler does their own thing with an Instructor there to help if they are getting themselves into the wrong position etc. As Helen said, our club has been holding Rally-O classes on and off for a number of years. One is starting in the New Year. The first few weeks will be getting to know what Rally-O is, then the fun can begin. I'm looking forward to the class. So Please think about coming to us Down Under Wendy and members of the Block 1 Rally-O Class of 2009

Hey send him to me. Gambit would have the bestest fun. Maybe they could get the funny things out of them so that next year they will blitz the trials

Thank you so much Hazel for positing the above query. I got my dog pen today at Bunnings, Corio for about $27. Mr Scotty, 14 years young has been rolled over by Gambit and he needs complete rest to allow the pain and swelling to subside. I did a search on Google for a puppy pen, found some and then your message was listed. I walked up and down the aisles that I thought the compost mesh would then had to ask some staff. A girl knew exactly what I was looking for as she uses one of them for her puppy. She said not to worry they have them in stock all the time. l to r - Miss Annabell, Mister Scotty and Gambit