piper

I might have just enabled a few more people - let them know at agility training tonight that the offer is on. Some of them had never heard of Clean Run I also suggested the club do an order for some books and DVDs for the instructors library. Here's hoping they take the suggestion up

i am installing Lightroom right now and can't wait to play with it. I had the beta version of it when it was available and really liked it, looking forward to exploring it more now. We got it for a bargain price. Hubby is studying and taking an elective in photoshop so was getting CS5.5 extended for uni and it was only $30 extra to get lightroom as well. Unfortunately 5.5 is for Mac only but the Lightroom disc is suitable for Macs and PCs so I can install it on my computer

I covered the carpet in the room I had my litter of pups in with a tarp and then cheap lino on top. It was down for about 10 weeks or so and the carpet was fine when I took it up. The lino I had was from Go-lo and was was something like $6 per linear metre. It did the job and survived 9 puppies for 2 months.

I try to run with minimal verbals and save them for when needed. Piper used to run much better like that. Jazz has only recently got to a stage in training where I have started dropping out more verbals and she is much more responsive to my body language anyway so I'm not sure it will make as much difference for her.

Sheena, if using it for agility training I wouldn't see you would need a second person to reload. Dog gets rewarded for performing at the end of the sequence, you reload and reposition it if needed then go back and start again.

I think the Manners minder and the other 1 on clean run have 2 very different uses. I think of a Manners Minder for things like nail clipping and grooming, desensitising to the lawn mower, teaching a dog to stay on a mat when someone comes to the door, tethering quietly while another dog is being worked - things where i want to be able to give multiple rewards but may not be able to return to the dog for each treat. The other 1 I would consider more like a target - great for teaching a go on in agility or an independent contact position. for those I would not want something big and bulky and it would also not be an issue only having a single treat in there. I would really like to have both of them and might look into the single treat one while it has free shipping

Thrilled to see Animalia on the list, only about 5km from me Shame that I only bought more proplan about a week ago. (And I drove past Animalia to get that!! lol)

Yep. I remember going to a NSW trial (first festival of agility in 2000) as part of a nice size SA contingent. We all had taken club shirts, complete with title badges on them and were shocked and surprised that we were told they are not to be worn. Created an issue for some as it was basically all they had, in the end it was allowed if the title badges were not on display. Most people only had those on jumpers but had club t-shirts underneath so just had to take jumpers off for their runs. NSW is the only place I have encountered the rule so I figure it is either a "local rule" that is unwritten but everyone just knows or it is actually in the state regs somewhere.

I got it from the local health food shop but only get the tea. So I just made that and added some to her meals. I didn't use it constantly - I gave it for the first few days until her milk came in and then again for a week when they were 3 or 4 weeks old as 9 greedy pups were a bit much for her supply at that stage and I didn't want to increase the solids too rapidly.

Not anal - I loved my vet, hated some of the idiots he had working for him but loved mine. Then he sold the clinic and retired. 1 of the new vets was not bad but after a run in over something I'm not happy. Went somewhere else that was highly recommended and had hassles there. The practice manager was quite good at dealing with it but I'm still not happy about it and have lost faith in the vet and vet nurses ability. Also had times where I rang and asked for an appointment with vet x to get there and be told once I am already there vet x is not there so you will need to see y (the 1 I have lost faith with). There is a brand new clinic open 500m from home so next I will try them. What I really want i my old vet back

LOL!!!! What did he do when they went off screen? We were watching something once and the sheep walked off to the side of the screen, Jazz tried to flank behind the TV!!

After a sleepless night due to shoulder pain I decided against the long drive as that only makes it worse and I ended up sleeping in after being up from 3am to 5am. Certainly sounds like it was a challenging day for them, how frustrating for everyone.

Ok, at this stage I am planning on taking the drive. Any idea though if it is a full day of competition or just a few final runs? If there will only be a half day then it probably wont be worth me taking the drive. Hopefully it is a full day planned.

Ah but sheepies that are not used to people and dogs wont run to them and like good flock animals they stayed together IT even made the news down here. I will have herding 1 way or another this weekend - will either go train Jazz or if I can't do that will take a drive to Barmera and she can go insane watching but not doing, lol. Shame it wasn't on the long weekend. I thought it always used to be the long weekend and I was already at Waikerie 1 day of that so would have been easy to keep going.

I'm contemplating taking a drive, will see how the weekend pans out.

Ph yes the Diggingest dog was great. and the Hiary Maclarey series

Jon Katz actually has quite a few about his various dogs and his little farm. I have read A Good Dog, A Dog's Year and the Dogs of Bedlam Farm. There is also of course Marley and Me. A fictional story that I read about an Aussie Shepherd is Down From the Mountain. I bought it from Amazon for my kindle, not sure if it is available locally as a paperback.

Gorgeous Vickie!! The distance off the stock is beautiful. I bet you had shivers doing that

I have just started reading the book about Sarbi and recently read Thunderdog - a guide dog working in the world trade centre on September 11 and how he helps his handler survive that day.

Well done smoothiegirl! I found my recall off stock improved when I started helping out in the yards and doing "real work", I guess because she worked out that coming didn't end things and often just meant we went to a different group of sheep.

Oh and depending on breed it could be worth looking at a drier as well - I would not be without mine.

I was going to suggest checking out the poor mans hydro thread as well. Definitely a much cheaper option in the long run.

Day 59 or 60 from ovulation, 9 puppies whelped naturally, fresh AI. Only have the 1 litter to go by. Good luck!! It is an exciting and scary time.

Sway - I couldn't find Karo and with the help of google found that glucose syrup can be used as an alternative. I also found several recipes for making your own.

What sort of dogs? There is a beautiful place at Mt Pleasant but it is for small dogs only. Also there is Don't Fret Pet who arrange for Pets to be cared for in someone's house.