piper

I was back to work this week and after a couple of longer than usual days at work, came home too tired to even remember the challenge and with dogs being very demanding of my time after having had near constant company for 3 weeks. And with OH away for work for the week (on te Gold Coast the lucky bugger!) they were feeling particularly needy of attention. So my first effort for the week is Jazz saying "Come play with me Mum". I was trying for a sepia but no idea how to get a good sepia in PS. The moon. I was happy with this - first time I have tried to shoot the moon. Played with levels a little in PS and cropped. And Jessi enjoying dinner - I don't often take photos of the beagle. She ends up being jokingly called "the forgotten 1" or "the middle child" Today I aim to get someone to throw the frisbee so I can try and get pictures of Jazz catching it...

Try stock feed places, that is where I have seen it before. Petstock have Bonnie as well I think. Not a food I use so I don't go looking for it but I am fairly sure that I have seen it at Petstock and a couple of Sotckfeed places in Gawler.

Of course after posting my pic of the day I went back outside to find the birds think the peaches are ready too. Not the greatest shots as I didn't have the right lens on and these are faily heavily cropped. Anyone know what type of bird? We see them around fairly often and sometimes in quite large groups. I am guesing by their beaks they are a type of honeyeater.

I like the first 1. Great depth of field and Darcy is well focused. Good job! JAG - I decided they looked ripe enough after all, they are YUM!!

I guess I missed that memo too, lol. Our peaches are nearly ready to pick (if the dogs and birds don't get them first!)

Interesting and very effective. What exactly is the picture of? It looks as though you have applied a mirror image?

Todays photo. What happens when Jazz steals a Christmas toy... He used to sing Jingle Bells.

My Jan 2 shot: Forgot to mention before camera is a Konika Minolta 5D Sigma 24 - 135 ISO 200 (thought I had turned that up actually) f 4.5 Shutter speed: 1/10 sec Cropped slightly in PS

My "January 1" photo that was actually taken first thing this morning cos when I went to do it yesterday the camera battery was flat. The typical poses seen when waiting for an item to be thrown. Took several attempts as holding ball up and camera is not easy especially with Jazz every so often lunging forward ready to pounce. Lens: sigma 24 -135mm ISO 400 1/1000 f/10

Mine was Jazz getting her PT back in October. I have done very little work with her for herding and did not think she knew her side comands. We got to the pen and were having a few hassles (stupid handler!) and I gave her a command and then thought darn she doesn't know them properly as she moved the "wrong" way only to realise she had actually moved exactly where I had told her to and I had said the wrong thing. After that I gave her a few more commands and she took the correct direction every time. They do make you proud at times, even though the penning looked disastrous I was thrilled as she did exactly what I asked of her (after I had already put myself in a stupid spot)

I keep checking the IGAs ere whenever I am in 1 but still no luck If anyone in SA has managed to find them I would love to hear about it.

Great to see you back and sharing your skills again Luke! I am hoping that I get a wacom tablet for my birthday in March, I have heard that they are much easier to use when doing things like extracting on photoshop than a mouse.

I used to use the same method and foind the same thing. It was okay for the smooth coat beagle but not for the border collies. I now use a layer mask and find I can get a better result that way. The pen tool and I don't get along, I find it no good for long coat dogs but that could be a user issue! LOL. Maybe try a search for tutorials on layer masking? Or someone on here may have a much better way and then we can both learn

Dawn dishwashing liquid would be my first choice too - a friend was told by a vet to use that on her dog when it got covered in old sump oil. Apparently they use it on birds that get caught in oil slicks so it must be mild.

Neither our Lenards or our local butcher had them and both thought I was strange for asking

Newbie to the forum hi everyone! Could i ask for a bit more info about the herding at Erskine Park? I have a BC who herds anything that moves and thought i might bring him down for a go . I couldnt find the times/costs/classes etc through google or anything and would love some more info Thanks heaps in advance! I'm not in NSW but I believe from reading on a list that there is no training over summer. I think the clubs that hold training at Erskine Park are the Stockdog Club and Border Collie Club so maybe you could contact DogsNSW for a contact number for those 2 clubs? Or maybe PM Janba on DOL as she is involved in the herding there.

That sounds like the best Christmas present you could have asked for. Go Hef!! Any new pictures???

For Piper: a pass or 2 to her intermediate cuck title and the chance to attempt a B course title on sheep or ducks. She is plenty capable of CDX, ADX and JDX but I just need to find the motivation to train again! For Jazz: to gain at least a pass in started A sheep, maybe ducks as well. Get some more points to her show title and maybe (a BIG maybe - again depends on me deciding to get around to it) trial in CCD. Most of my dogs trial related problems relate to me being too slack to actually train

See times like this I wish I had a deep freezer!

Yep that sounds like it. Mine was about that and came in a hard case with a heap of attachments in it. I just use the sanding drum. It came with a few spare sandpaper bands as well. So far I have not had to buy any new 1s but when you do need them Bunnings sell them in packs of 10.

Bunnings Although I bought a cheapie $40 Ozito rotary tool kit - same thing and more than powerful enough for the dog's nails.

You will need to be a member of Dogs Victoria to participate in ANKC herding tests and trials. If you are just interested in having a go then maybe try and find out where there is training near you ,and then if you get hooked you can join Dogs Vic and compete. Joining Dogs Vic just to do an Instinct Cert would be expensive IMO, unless you are also going to be trialling in obedience, agility etc.

Just a quick correction to this: All dogs must go through Instinct Certificate. They only need 1 pass. Insticnt Certificate involves the dog demonstrating basic control of a wait on a long line and recall to the handler and then showing an interest in moving the stock. Usually only takes a couple of minutes maximum per dog. 10 minutes is allowed though, which gives time for a slow to turn on dog to warm up and show interest. When I have judged though I don't think I have ever had to go over 5 mintures per dog. They are there to show instinct, not do a training session. The Herding Test level is then optional or you can move up to Pre-Trial. 2 passes at Pre-trial and you can go through to the trial classes.

Riverside vet clinic Auricht (I think that is how you spell the last name) It is there or Gawler South Small Animal Hospital (which Rob used to co-own) to see Chris Arnold for me.

I love my vet in Gawler but I would say that is too far for you. Can't help with anything closer, sorry.