superminty

Perfect timing LP, I need some help on this too! I trained it initially the way shoemonster did but 99 times out a hundred she would know where I had dropped it. Then all she would do is hare back to the place where she thought it was. And she was usually right. If by some miracle she doesn't see/hear/sense me drop it, she uses her nose and while she eventually finds it, she is all over the place. If I get someone else to place the article (straight lines only), she goes back to where I handed the article over and starts her search there but doesnt really seem to be following the track. She is certainly using her nose, but I think really has no idea about the tracking bit. It's like she can pick up my track but doesn't know what to do with it. So I am going to teach her to track first, then give Staranais's way a go - sounds good to me.

Hi Superminty!! ;) I'd forgotten you were doing UD, I will have to come and pick your brain next time I see you at a trial. Yes, well, Minty has come up limping slightly again ;) so looks like we may be retiring from agility. Got one more trick up my sleeve to try and fix it but otherwise she's out - don't want to risk having to go down the surgery path. So I don't know when I will next be at a trial! On the up side, we are both having a ball training for UD - she lurves the scent work

Hi Jess You could argue it if you like, but you'd be wrong. Darcy absolutely loves to retrieve, she sees it as a huge reward. She learnt to retrieve well before I ever intended to trial her in obedience. Throwing an item (toy or whatever) out in front when she was seated or standing beside me was just one of the proofing exercises I did to work on her waits for agility when she was young. It took very little to add the formal retrieve to that. So therefore the release is actually to something she sees as a reward. I don't see it as being different to using a release command off an agility start line or an agility contact. EFS I use "Go" as a release cue/command for the following: - agility release (sometimes) - formal retrieve on flat - formal retrieve over a jump - seek back - scent discimination Never have a problem with confusion, the situation itself provides the "cue" for what I actually want her to do i.e. if I have just thrown a dumbbell, clearly the exercise is to retrieve it. If there are scent articles out, clearly the exercise is scent discrimination. I could just have easily used my usual release cue, except that as I use "Ok", it is two syllables, and I prefer to use single syllable commands. All the above are self-rewarding for Minty, who loves agility, retrieving and finding stuff with her nose, so same as for Darcy, I am releasing to something that is perceived as a reward. I too insist Minty holds stuff until I take it, be it "work" or "play". I don't see why you would necessarily need individual word cues when you can use the situation itself as a cue. But every dog is different and each to his/her own.

Congrats JulesP :D Nice scores too.

Just another thought on why clubs bring over overseas trainers - if anyone attended/heard about the Lynn Leach clinics back in 07 - she trains a COMPLETELY different way to anyone I have worked with over here, and it was a huge light bulb moment for me. I can't wait for the Aussie Shep clinic. Having said that - I would love to do a Greg Prince clinic one day. Haven't seen one advertised in Vic for a long time i.e accessible to us Melbourne folk. There is certainly some contempt of "herding" (ANKC style) amongst working dog people here in Oz - I think mainly because, as has been mentioned, non-traditional breeds are used much less commonly here to actually work and have only recently started competing, whereas overseas, they've been using all sorts of breeds (work and competition) for a lot longer.

Cash At the beach (awaiting tennis ball) Working

Sorry, OT, but... Pic please I am always on the look out for a more user friendly muzzle (me being the user, of course). the one I have at the moment is plastic and fully enclosed, it's light and has had the bit at the front enlarged for treating but it's still not ideal.

I disagree...I think if your dog reacts aggressively towards all dogs and you could not stop a fight from happening if another dog simply approached, then yes I think they should be muzzled. If either of my dogs consistently showed dog aggression to every dog that approached they would definitely be wearing a muzzle when out. I actually think this is a fair call BUT an idealistic idea. I don't muzzle my DA dog despite the fact that he will react to 98% of dogs if they got in his face (meaning the dog approaches close enough for contact) for the following reasons: * wearing a muzzle affects his demeanour and automatically puts him into avoidance - I don't want a dog that avoids, I want a dog that actively and confidently chooses to exhibit another behaviour. Once in avoidance mode, his attention goes into avoiding the dog instead of into engaging with me, and if the dog passes his threshold, the resulting "fit" is much more pronounced than usual (probably to do with the suppression of emotion going on while he is in avoidance). When he is actively choosing another behaviour, I can work him side by side, almost touching, another dog. When he is avoiding, he will have a go at any dog within the length of the lead (6 ft). * I cannot treat the way I want to with a muzzle on my dog i.e. rapid fire * You cannot run a dog in a muzzle - well, I won't, for health reasons. * I walk my dog for both of our enjoyment and he does not enjoy wearing a muzzle. I'm sure that I could train him to enjoy it, but I don't really see that is necessary. I'm sure I could come up with more, but just wanted to show that there are a myriad of reasons why someone with a DA dog may choose not to muzzle.

Another suggestion that may or may not be practical for you but sure worked for me - do you have a vet that does home visits? My boy is extremely anxious at vet surgeries, no matter how many times we go in and try to get hime comfortable with just being there - and the only thing he has had at a vet's is a check up, so not painful stuff, he just hates the surgery. As he is also nervous with people, I found a vet that was willing to spend some time to get to know him, outside the surgery, and does home visits. In his own home, he is far more manageable - mind you, he still wears a Halti so I can control his head and keep his mouth closed if I need to. Some good advice has also been given re: nail clipping as a separate issue. Good luck, this was a major source of stress for both me and my dog until we discovered home visits.

Well, after a ripper year this year - 9 titles all up (Minty CDX, ADX, JDM, JDO, ET and Cash HSA sheep and ducks, HSB ducks and ET), our training goals are pretty minor. Would like to debut Minty in UD and perhaps get a few passes towards her ADM. She's rising 8 so hopefully she will stay injury free too. Would also love to start trialling Cash in HIA and B on ducks but gotta get some training in first, so I am happy to put that one on the back burner until he starts working for me, rather than himself. My main goal with Cash next year is to spend some more time with him really - he's been a bit neglected this year

Seen plenty break in Novice AND Open - it's how we won most of our classes. Last dog standing (or sitting, or dropping...) Never seen a dog break and approach another dog though. Most just wander over to their owners (Novice) or get stopped by a steward (Open)

Well done everyone, this thread motivates me to go training, lol. To add our brag - Minty FINALLY got her ADX title last weekend - filling out the title application, I realised that her first pass was in August 2007 and the last four have been in the last two months Dunno what was going on there, but we just couldn't seem to get it together between then and this year. Oh well, on to Masters now.

My super high drive kelpie had to be taught to tug and still only tugs coz it gets him food rewards. He has next to no interest in playing with toys so had to taught there was value in the object I wanted him to tug on. He is 3 and a half and has only really started proper tugging (with actual resistance) in the last few months. I used a tug-it starter (mesh tug) filled with a turkey wing to encourage him to bite down and *want* the tug - marked and rewarded with the turkey wing when there was resistance, then faded the food out. I want my dog to enjoy tugging so I have a way in which to reward him that is highly interactive - for me, handing over a food treat is a bit boring. Interesting side note - since starting with this training, he now plays tug of war with my other dog who is a tugging fiend.

Go Zee

Skye had us in stitches on the sidelines - such a show pony Congrats on your title with her - aren't you glad you pulled her out of retirement now? Can't keep an old dog down...

Good stuff A little brag from the ASCV herding trial today for us. Cash came home with 5 passes out of 6 runs and finshed off two titles - started A and B course on ducks. I am very proud of him, however, he was the NAUGHTIEST he was been in a while - so much so that people commented on it - which is saying a lot as he is generally pretty naughty anyway ;) So now we can have a break and hopefully actually get some training in - we're gonna need it for intermediate, that's for sure

Congratulations Piper What a fantastic score! And well done to ness with Kenzie too - hopefully her confidence will grow from here. Warning - herding is addictive

I'll be at Sunbury. Doing both ETs in the same month meant I didn't have a chance to let my fitness slide I thought that was pretty clever on my part

Thanks RubyStar, got an agility trial on Sat and then I am giving the dogs 2 months off to recover from all the hard work I've put them through They are very forgiving creatures.

gremlins

Congrats to everyone on their passes and/or training achievements. I am being greedy with brags lately, the latest is.... Minty got her CDX title at Broadmeadows today After 4 years in Open and a myriad of disappointments, we finally got it together to finish off the title. She actually heeled like she knew how! Which says a lot for how I handled the ring nerves this time - I spent an hour meditating outside the ring as we were last in. Luckily, it worked Funnily enough, all our Open passes have been at Broadmeadows - the first one 4 years ago, then I skipped a year due to other commitments, got a pass in horrendous weather conditions last year and backed it up this year - she really has a thing for Broady And to top it off, first in the ring I said I'd retire her after she got Open, but we've already started training UD exercises. I really am a sucker for punishment. Got any bubbles left TSD?

My Cash got his ET today Little bugger pulled the whole 20ks though, my left hand is all puffy and swollen Heart rate dropped from 124 to 84 first leg, to 64 second leg then back up to 84 after the last leg. Run out of dogs now for ETs, gonna have to start borrowing other peoples

Congrats At the Dally Club? Weren't we lucky with the weather! Thanks Yes at the Dally Club was a great day and great company, the weather was just right (not like now to bloody cold) Might have to see who I can do it with next year got a couple to chose from Did you compete if so how did you go??? Yep, we competed and passed, mine was the little black and tan dog in group 1.

Congrats At the Dally Club? Weren't we lucky with the weather!

I agree, I think you both deserve the ET title See you next Saturday??? Yep, we'll be there on Sat, apparently fitter than ever Thanks all for your congrats - and I agree re:me getting an ET title too, I mean, I was the one who had to get fit after all no fair that the dog gets all the glory