piper

Dova, Look up the South Australian Working Sheepdog Association, they should be able to help. I know there is a trial each year in Karoonda that does yard and utility as well as 3 sheep. Strathalbyn has a field trial which is MUCH longer casts than normal 3 sheep, a bit more like the ISDS stuff in terms of distance and it is interesting seeing how many dogs turn in short at about the length of a footbal field from their handler. Both of those trials are aorund March though. I remembre from going to Clare to show at their ag show that they have a yard trial held in conunction with it and that is normally September/October sometime. The other thing with the SAWSDA is they usually have training days every so often as well. SPeaking of which, will we see you at ours in a fortnight?

With the dog on B and if you walk up to A, you are about 5m away from the sheep so the cast is not long at all and you are in a good position to prevent the dog crossing and provide a draw for the sheep.

Yes our last trial I think there was 1 border besides my 2. Otherwise it was mostly Aussies and GSDs. We even had a Giant Schnauzer entered in HT.

There will be a herding training day held at DogsSA Park, Cromwell Rd Kilburn on August 8 2009. The training day will be held on ducks. For full information please email [email protected]

Hey DOva, Glad you enjoyed it. How did they cope having an Aussie there? I was more curious their reaction to Pebbles than to Izzi. I was going to find uot about costs to get them down for a clinic but wasn't sure what they would say to some of the less traditional breeds that we have coming out.

There we go, I didn't think about the legs and beard. I LOVE schnauzers, I just know I don't have the patience to cope with keeping 1 in good condition. The border collies are easy - a quick brush through once every week or so, or two or three times a week for a week or 2 when losing coat.

With me depends on the dog. It is mostly Piper that I condition - she has a coat that tangles easily and conditioning it helps with detangling and preventing more tnagles while blow drying. You have a schnauzer and I would have thought they were supposed to have a harsh coat so you would not condition??? Hopefully a knowledgable schnauzer person will chime in and correct me on this if I am wrong

I have suggested this to people in my puppy classes and it has worked for them. Watching closely and saying it as the dog is doing it. Don't say it too soon or they stop and come over as you spoke, needs to be just as they are laying down. As you have been working for several months on it I would probably use a new cue for this as she already associates drop with waiting for the food to be present. So maybe use down or settle for it. Do you clicker train? You could have food on you, click as she drops then run off to get reward from a container on a bench or something so the reward does not come from you where you are. If doing this I would have low value treats like kibble on you and high value treats away from you and gradually fade havign treats on you as she learns that rewards can come from anywhere. Does she like toys or anything? Ask fo a drop then have a game of tug or throw a toy for her to play with when she listens. Have you tried having the food near you (eg on the coffee table), but not on you and picking it up to reward if she drops. And if she doesn't listen taking yourself and the food and going away. Usually the scenario you are describing occurs when the lure was kept in place too long and it can be overcome but it takes more work to do so. You mention cold tiles - this will prevent some dogs dropping happily. You could try on a low table or grooming table, I have had some people with little smooth haired dogs have success on the bed or the lounge and then able to get the drop once the dog understood what was required. I would definitely be making sure though that you do not bribe her into drops by showing her you have food before asking for it.on

That is amazing progress in just over 2 weks. Fantastic news.

I would guess they are a local thing Seita. In SA we have a Golden Dumbbell award for the torp trialling dog or bitch over a calendar year. Not sure exactly how it is calculated over her. I think it has something to do with passing open and UD at a single trial.

I know, I was very disappointed. I walked in hoping it was another petstock type place but was sad to see the wall down the end. Didn't venture right down there.

I was out checking out the newhomemaker centre at Gepps Cross today and discovered they ahve a pet store in there called Pets Domain. As you walk in the door they have large bags of Proplan on sale. All large bags reduced by $20. For the normal adult variety this comes to $90 per bag, Sensitive skin and stomach is $100. I am not sure on prices of the other varieties. Where the rest of their dog food is theyhave a sign up for Proplan, Advance and I think Eukanuba that if you spend $200 or more there is 10% off the price. I am not sure with the proplan sale if this is on top of the already reduced price should you want to stock up. There is also a Pets Domain at Gawler, not sure if the same sale is on there or if it is just an opening special.

Wow, what an improvement over the last photo you attached. It still has a long way to go I know, but compared to previous photos it is looking good now. I have been through similar about 13 or 14 years ago. My boy was attacked by anotehr dog and got some flesh eating bug during the course of his treatment. What started as a small clean up an debride gradually turned into this enormous wound with necrotic tissue. It was over his hips, so a similar area to your boy and I still remember the joy of looking at a clean healthy wound after going through the awful necrotic stage and in our case multiplie operations to try and get back to healthy margins. My first tri back to obedience traning with him some 6 weeks later I remember being so pleased with how it was looking while others were saying "oh how awful". So I agree with GreyGirlQLD - it is all realtive, and your boy is looking good now.

Spectators are welcome but asked to stand back from the fence, probably a good idea to find the trial manger/sec or someone competing and ask whree a good spot to stand and watch is. But yes like Jules said, probably best not to have your dog with you if you want to stand reasonably close to watch.

A follow up brag. 2 intermediate duck passes with Piper, 1 was Runner Up high in trial and the otehr was High in Trial. A pretty good weekend!

Thanks, it was fairly surreal. Don't expect to ever match it again. I thought the judge was joking when she said "sorry I had to take half a point off" - I took about 10 off myself!

Yeah, there is a pretty happy breeder over your way too Just disappointed that didn't get video or photos. Went to take the video camera and found it was flat Piper gets her turn tomorrow, first intermediate duck run in SA - not holding my breath, no idea how to get them out of the hold exam pen and around it. I keep picturing them going back in the thing. She hasn't worked ducks since last year and never tried the hold on them so it will be a wait and see. Doubt she can surprise me as much as Jazz did.

There is 1 brag in the brag thread, both judges were lovely :p and there should be a few more brags appearing as well. Duck trial tomorrow, Piper's turn to impress.

Ok, I rarely post in here as I rarely compete in anything. but.... My BIG brag for the weekend (or year cos I don't think I can top it) is Jazz had her first ever herding trials today, we had never even put sheep through an obstacle, and came away with 2 High IN Trials with scores of 99.5 and 98.5 out of 100!!

Woodville Community Dog Training on a Sunday morning, near the QEH. http://www.woodvillecommunitydogtrainingcentre.com/

Aussie Shepherd. It is mainly on his tummy and legs but even his ruff has a yellow tinge to it By border collie is a filth pot adn we live in an area with clay soil, so red stains are something we see! When she is really bad, as in haven't shown for a while and been out herding as well, I use sard wonder soap followed by Champion Tails Stain Remover then a purple shampoo. If she is not really really bad I just use the Champion Tails.

It makes more sense when you are in the paddock and can see it. Putting it into words is hard work I discovered! Watching different dogs and their ffect on the sheep and what differnt handlers do will also help. IMO it is worth watching the trial runs even though check in for tests is later.

Yes there is HEAPS of time for PT and you can walk through the gates so with a dog that maintains balance it is not difficult. I remember telling someone a few years ago that IMO a dog that will keep the sheep to the handler can get though PT with little to no training and I was shouted down that it was impossible. I proved that wrong with Jazz last year, and know of several other dogs that have done the same. So long as you can stop them. Janba is right - if it gets out of control, stop your dog. Wait, let everything calm down. The sheep will probably run back to the fence. That's fine. Wait until they have settled and then calmly go back, recollect and take them back to where you were and continue on. Janba, the corner you mentioned is never the problem here in SA. The problem we have is the corner down past 4. At about the 4 marker the sheep try and make a bolt as their pen is in the corner with the gate right in front of them. For the trial dogs the hardest part of the course is the turn at 4, especially in intermediate and advanced when you are away from dog and sheep so sheep quickly try and make a break. Dova, what I normally do for the change of direction is walk down the fence towards that corner, then at about the halfway mark turn and walk a few steps back up the fenceline, a balancing dog will swing around when you change directions and now be on the other side of the sheep, between them and the fence preventing them from bolting at that point. Unfortuantely the PT runs of Jazz's I have on video were at someone elses property so you can't see what I mean. The judges will take you out there for a walk and talk beforehand and all of the interstate judges in the past have already seen the draw and problem area of our setup by PT so have had good suggestions on ways to handle it.

Leave me alone I'm very sensitive & what's wrong with reading bedtime stories to the sheep, doesn't everyone . Piper I'm doing PT, if the sheep jam up in a corner how can I help my dog without touching her, I think that's a big no no, I'll be asking questions on the day but I'm a big planner aheader, not a real word I know but you get the idea. Depends on your dog. And it is my concern with Jazz - Ill trade you 2 your concerns, Jazz is in started and never done an obstacle . Seriously - if they get in the corner they will flock to the person if put under pressure, so put the dog in as close behind them as you can get it then walk yourself in front of the sheep. And be prepared to wait a few seconds - if the dog will hold their ground and apply some pressure then the sheep wll usually move off of the dog if you provide a draw. The main time in PT that they will go into that corner is when they are released from the holding pen. PT you go in on lead and can set up where you want, so the way I handle it is walk my dog into that corner on lead, ask them to sit/drop, remove the lead there and then walk out. Sheep usually have moved halfway along the fence line by then. I ask the dog to hold that spot and walk myself away from the corner so the sheep can see me and then ask the dog to walk in.

We place panels across the corners but in the past we have been known to have recalcitrant sheep that will push hard into the fence and be buggers to move. It is actually less of an issue for instinct IMO than HT as in HT you need to show controlled movement - instinct is just looking for that sustained interest without intent to eat Ness the judges are there to help for the test levels and if need be you can ask for help to move the sheep if they stick on the fence and don't want to move. As the rules state the test levels do not require the stock handling skills to be able to move recalcitrant sheep or peel them off of fences so you can ask, or in many cases the judge will just get in there and offer.