leopuppy04

haha WMR - love the magpie one! As to Pax - what can I say - that DOR 'just hit the spot'..... ok so should I be looking forward to trialling in the higher classes

LOL - Jesomil - hands off Eddie - I get first dibs

LOL - yep thats her - we tried to go walking once a week with the mutts and get some training in there also WHAT a small world

I know the one from Sarah's talk - she has the same name as me . 'nother online buddy - although I do see her a lot in person also . don't know the one at westernport. LOL - I love my aussies - actually I think i'm obsessed..... if ya listen really carefully you would probably hear most of DOL saying ..... "ummm.... DUH"

LOL - yep - but I wanna hear them anyway - a nice light hearted thread about excuses people have made/heard . Not to mention the fact of who is training who since we go to the ends of the earth to find out 'just' what makes our dogs tick..... think the 'bumblebee in best in show'.

Yep - that Sarah - ok - i'm losing who I have and haven't met - so have I met you before WMR? LOL. No fair that Sarah has gone to NZ I need my training buddy back

Interesting conundrum for us all. We all say that we train our dogs.... but do we really??? Most of us search for ages to find the right thing that motivates our dogs to work for us - sometimes to the point of saying "my dog won't work unless I have....." We like to make excuses such as "my dog won't work in the heat/humidity/rain etc etc' or perhaps we like so say for general disobedience "My dog knows how to do it, he just chooses not to" A lot of people are apt to say "my dog is smart, they just don't like doing repetitive behaviours". LOL - so really.... who is trainning who Personally - I use a lot of excuses. I wouldn't be training unless both myself and my dog are having fun (sometimes it is harder than we think... lol).... If Leo were to lose interest in obedience/agility/herding and NOTHING could make him motivated, I simply wouldn't do it anymore - it is afterall 'for the love of the game'. I use the excuse "it is too hot/humid/wet" to train my dog - I am sure I could 'train' him to work in those conditions but I don't want to work in them, so won't make him . I'd love to hear other peoples analogies on 'who's training who' and some 'excuses' they have heard

Ok - lets get you right back down then.... NESS YOU SUCK - just kidding..... ok - now i'm going back to work

LOL - yes cut-to-the-chase is good Ness... but some can be too brutal! And there is always a nice way to go about it too . At the same time though - I *do* like to be told what i'm doing right

Jesomil - it is only about 1hr away from you - It takes me 45mins and I think it would only take you at most a fraction longer *tut tut* not knowing where KCC is

WMR - Can I just say that I think it is really nice of you the compliments you are giving to Ness and Shoey . I think that a lot of instructors fail to remember to give POSITIVE feedback to their 'trainees' which they really need if they lack confidence (haha - like me, ness and shoey). By the way - I completely agree with you! Ness I see your vids and Shoey's and i'm no expert, but I watch your dogs with envy too . Jules - Unfortunately I don't know any private instructors.... but I CAN say that the CDODC trial ring has helped me in much the same way as WA has helped Ness. They have provided me with +ve feedback and haven't been too hard on a complete newbie . I have learned heaps from them and I think they have a lot more faith in Leo and myself that I do! Can I also suggest that joining an email group such as here or Ozobedience trialling can help - there are many knowledgable people on ozobedience that can help you online - I started private emails with one of them and she has been brilliant with offering advice and feedback after seeng my vids. How about posting vids on here. The other thing that has helped me is my training partner - who has since moved to NZ - She is a 'behavioural trainer' but very presice in her training and I think 90% of my success has to go to her too!!! LOL! Man I miss those training sessions. So I think these training days that we are trying to organise will help. Sorry but thats the only advice I can offer

I'm always willing to offer what little advice I can because that is how I started - gaining tips and advice from others! If they beat me - I don't care -i'll be immensely proud of them and maybe think to myself - wow my advice did help

LOL - yes i'm going to 'wait and see' how she goes - but she is probably used to males giving her the good 'ol sniff as Leo is permanently stuck to her! - whether she smells 'nice' or not - he always has to check!!! If I think she'll be too stressed i'll obviously leave her at home as like you say - I don't want to make a bad experience of it. Also if she starts earlier than I expect and she is between days 7-10 she'll be staying home

;) COOL! I finally get to meet you! Well if you and Ness need a place to stay...... Of course there are great trainers in Melbourne..... um HELLO - I live there oops - hang on read that wrong.... did someone say good trainers? Nope that rules me out :p

I'm coming both days. I have not trained pass CCD I am happy to help where I can but also looking for some help with my two - my CD boy - some specific stuff (dumbell work, distance work etc) and my younger girl - where to go next . I have a feeling my girl may be coming into season - she will definately be there on the 14th as i'll be showing her (you can show bitches in season can't you?), and will be crated - if anyone is concerned about this - PM me and we'll see if we can sort something out . She is my first 'entire' girl so i'm not sure how long it will be until she is 'in' but i've noticed 'slight' swelling today

Private training partners are great Jules. I don't actually have one myself, but like the 'training partners' we are trying to organise - I find the 1:1 very useful! I also love CDODC's trial ring - you get 1:1 feedback and constant support at trials

LOL Cosmo - I still don't know how we did it - I still think the Judge was watching the wrong dog ! I'll be taking both Leo and Kinta - I want to try and get Leo ready for Novice and would love tips for d/b retrieves. Kinta is like Georgie - not very advanced but i'm a little stuck as to what to teach next! I want precision first before I start on heeling etc

Is there a particular reason you are wanting to switch onto food? Have you tried REALLY high value food such as raw meat or devon and cheese? If yes - how about pairing food rewards to the toy? My dog is not big on pats as a REWARD - so I have paired pats = food/toy which has helped him stay motivated in the trial ring... he knows the 'target bag' is outside the ring. Perhaps you can try this with the food - food = toy..... I have also found that *sometimes* a clicker can increase the dogs motivation to food

Anybody can come/ watch/ bring their dogs. Cosmo - you're idea sounds good - yes, please RSVP which dates you can come to for my benefit plz ;). If it is pelting rain (ie: saturdays weather) we won't go ahead rhaps78 - I don't train at Southern but I was at their trial - I could possibly have met you T(ad)Pole - GOOD LUCK for your agility trial ;) ;) ;) can't remember anything else I needed to reply to! Oooh and rather than start a new thread - my boy Leo got 97/100 and FIRST PLACE in his last CCD trial at Knox yesterday :D

Ok - I have checked my calendar and came up with a few dates. I think an RSVP will be a good idea so that we get a rough idea of who is coming and what equipment is being brought . For those of us that want to train something specific - please write down and have a think about it before coming so that you are able to tell us what level you are at and what your aim is - where your weaknesses are and what you want to improve etc,etc.. I think this is the best way for us to help each other. 1st date - 14th April 2007 - KCC Park - Afternoon - probably around 2ish? I am at the Show there in the morning so I figured we can do some training after that since so many of you are near KCC. 28th April 2007 - Knox ODC? - Morning - Say 9ish? This gives those that can't come in the arvos a possibility of coming!

at the moment knox seems to be most convenient Wagalot

I averaged 0.3 secs

I just read the article! Very interesting indeed!

LOL - so does anyone know of any grounds yet - JulesP the one you are mentioning sounds good! I can't do mid-week afternoons which is why I said weekends only. Since there seem to be a few of us saying 'afternoons only' or 'mornings only' - how about we can either meet once a month alternating between afternoons & mornings OR we could meet 2x a month - once in the morning and once in the arvo??? Tadpole - Agility is fine - I was thinking that over easter I might go over to bunnings and see if I can design some jumps and stuff as I need to practice some handling skills! So bring some of that stuff along too (that is if you can fit it in your car ). So far it seems we have Knox/ Lysterfield as the best option although Box Hill area *does* have fantastic training grounds

hmm... I was thinking of doing training Sat arvo - time depending on each month. If you like we can try and do mornings? I'm not sure of date yet, I'll have to go home and check out my calander!!!