superminty

Yup, Dave is now in Diggers Rest (across the road from Kepala, if that helps), running workshops under the Four Paws banner. Check the Four Paws website for upcoming dates or give them a call. Highly recommended

Why bother? You made your views perfectly clear the first time around. *yawn*

Here's a pic of my boy looking handsome with the famous kelpie statue in the main street of Casterton. Look, we're even colour co-ordinated!

And you call him all those nasty names . He always seems to behave really well!! He keeps making a liar out of me not that I mind in the least

WELL The weekend was fantastic! Beautiful weather, heaps of people, kelpies galore! BUT Minty retains her title as fastest hill climb dog, but she didn't win :D We won the heats with 29 seconds (didn't go through the gates for that 5 second deduction but was still the fastest) but there was a handler miscommunication down the bottom of the hill in the final and she blew it Still came fourth. Oh well, there's always next year My boy behaved himself beautifully but then I had a few people asking whether I was selling him in the auction, so he may have been scared I would take them up on it!

I'll be there. Hopefully with the dog that wins the hill climb :rolleyes: again :cool: No pressure

Don't be fooled, kelpie-i isn't the sweet and innocent you think she is!

Ahem I have to go this year, Minty has a title to defend! You don't even need a "real" kelpie to compete in events

Yeah, that'd be right, take over my thread why don't ya

They have the same date of amendment but I'd go with Indi Dog's as they are effective from 2005.

http://www.arktulu.net/documents/ANKC_Herding_Rules.pdf These are as amended in 2004, not sure if there is a more current set - I can't find it if there is.

Oh I certainly have the bug - went out and got myself a working kelpie, didn't I I love the sport but will be concentrating on working and trialling my kelpie from now on - he was bred for this after all. I'd like to get into yard and utility trials with him to get more experience - I think it's working dogs for me from now on As for Minty, she's really not that interested in working, she performs well on the day but switches off with too much training - training that would be needed to get her to the next level. The HSA for her was an amazing achievement and I am content with that

Thanks guys. Minty can now retire from sheep trialling as the HSA was the goal for her. Back to agility for us! As for Cash - well, I'm not sure ANKC herding is his thing but we'll see how he goes. Him I may video - he is mighty pretty after all Kelpiechick - go the 600 dogs! Cash put so much effort into growing tall that he forgot to grow a brain as well Hopfully that will come later. Kelpie-i: Port Albert next year with our boys I reckon. Bring it on!

Just a little brag for me. On Saturday Cash got his HT title and today, Minty got her HSA! I was stunned as in one run we lost the sheep at the pen and had to pick them up again and have another go. I thought it would've been a fail but the judge said you can have two tries at each obstacle and because I closed the gate and started again, we were ok. Yahoo! We all had a few dramas with the sheep today, they were quite light but also stubborn and took a few dogs on. It made for some interesting runs.

Do it, do it! Poor old Minty thought her obedience days were behind her but I still have plans for her to get her open title

I go down to Northern on Wednesday nights too. We're in class 2 and will be for a while I think! I'm the one with the reactive kelpie. You'll usually see me wandering around the edges trying to stay away from everyone. I also have a dog in class 6 but haven't taken her down for a while. Might bring her down and join class 5 on Wednesday just for a laugh!

I'll be there both days, got the pup in the herding test on Saturday and Minty is doing started A on sheep on Sunday. Neither of them have seen sheep for weeks Could be interesting.

Can't remember how long it took for our CD but I started training for agility seriously (as in regular classes once a week and not much in between) in February last year and we had our AD and JD titles by September - this is a dog with fairly extensive obedience training but no agility foundations at all. She was 4 yrs old at the time.

You must be so excited! I was in much the same situation as you when I brought my kelpie home but managed to convince the parents that crating inside at night initially was an acceptable option. Another option for making the transition to the outside is a coat - I knocked one up out of an old polar fleece jumper, pup loved having it on and it kept him nice and warm during those cold Melbourne nights. He was sleeping outside (in a kennel with a couple of wool blankets and a comfy bed) from 12 weeks of age.

Missed this point So are we putting our dogs at risk by working them on the ducks? Be assured, our dogs eat the poo too! Anyhoo - KCC is there for everyone and conditions can't be perfect for everyone all the time. I still don't know why ducks would be near the rings - they use the small offlead area for the herding and crate the remainder. Back to the topic - I don't think I'll make it to this day but maybe the next one. Keep posting details! Cheerio

How long have you been going to KCC? My last obedience trial was the state one last August and there was poo all over. How do they stop the geese coming up the front?

Oh dear, poor things Well then, there goes duck herding I guess Sorry, can't get rid of the giggles. Not sure why the ducks needed to be penned where the rings are though, seems odd. Every time I've been to KCC there has been goose poo everywhere.

Um, as far as I know, there are ducks (or are they geese?) that live at KCC Park. The very reason why I don't obedience trial there. Too many yummy smells to bother about heeling Mum!

Yup, for independant weaves, no guides (barriers) so the dog really has to work out what is required, no crutches! IMO, same goes for angling - just something else to wean off. Start with four poles - far apart, getting dog to run through at top speed. Then just bring 'em in gradually, an inch at a time. Obviously it gets harder as you get them closer together and you may need a couple of sessions for the dog to work out what they need to do (ie. weave). But before you progress to the next level, make sure the dog is doing them flat out at that level. If Leo won't do the weaves without the barriers, get rid of the barriers asap! Go back to poles way apart. Really, it doesn't take that long, 5 mins here and there. The "aha" moment will come. It never hurts to take a step back, even if it is a big one. As for driving through, get the accuracy, then chuck a toy out in front (or whatever is his motivator) and build the drive (don't stress about missing a few), than only reward for both accuracy and drive. Remember your rules of shaping! Gosh, I do ramble a bit! Sorry.