fetchindawgs

My dogs fly with collars on which have shire registration and microchip database info. I also have tags for their crates with their name, my name and contact details. Sometimes I attach a lead to the outside of the crate for convenience, and I have a water bowl attached to the grate on the inside of the door. Iceblocks in the bowl last longer than water, but will still melt before takeoff. Never had trouble flying the dogs, and always put bedding of some kind in with them. For those that wreck bedding, just a piece of carpet is all I use. Have been flying my dogs east/west for 15 years and only had two loading problems in that time that required a complaint to the airline.

We had a great day of retrieving on Sunday. 9 out of 10 in Novice finished, and the little Toller that won did a fantastic job. Two Goldies were 2nd and 3rd. Saw some very good work from several of the Novice dogs and all owners should be proud. Yes, had a win in restricted with crazy dog. His second win and he worked better than he has for quite a while, but still room for improvement. He hasn't another trial for about 6 weeks so we'll see how he is after the break. TSD congrats on your little dog's performance, you must be chuffed. Wish we had springers competing over here; they are a delight to watch.

I know where there are some beautiful Golden Retriever puppies RS. Only 12 days old ATM. I can just see you with a Goldy !!!

Most pleasures cost money and time I'm afraid. You could spend heaps of money on regularly going out to dinner, nightclubs, clothes, shoes, booze, cigarettes, golf, movies etc etc. Everything is relative, and we choose dog sports. The days of having retrieving trials close to Perth are sadly gone, and yes it takes dedication to the sport to keep at it, but as RS knows,you get hooked and you and the dogs enjoy it so much. I sometimes think, what would I do without retrieving ? Maybe obedience, but I find that boring, agility ? hmm hours and hours of training and no equipment handy to practice with. Tracking, yep can do that, sortof. At least the retrieving has me and the dogs out in the fresh air. We have fun, they love it; I love seeing them work; and most of the people involved in the sport are good mates. BTW Rubystar you did good yesterday !!! Yep it's all relative except I don't smoke, don't go out to dinner, rarely drink, so I don't have much to compare the relative spending with I wouldn't like to think how much money I've spent over the years on training, seminars, trialling, equipment, etc etc!! But I do it cos I love it and the dogs are my fun outlet :D My first time solo on a thrower yesterday so I was a bit scared.... pleased to say I only had one misthrow the entire day.... not so pleased to say that it had to be for your run!!! :o And congrats on your 3rd place!! Ah but you could be, that is the difference. I have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on retrieving, with a trip over east at least once a year since 1998, and all the entries in that time, I don't want to think about it ! But it is my sport and I love it, so I'd rather die happy than rich. Did you have a missthrow ? Oh yes I remember now. Never mind it happens. For a newbie you did really well as did Livertreats. Thanks for the congrats; really pleased with the little girl.

Most pleasures cost money and time I'm afraid. You could spend heaps of money on regularly going out to dinner, nightclubs, clothes, shoes, booze, cigarettes, golf, movies etc etc. Everything is relative, and we choose dog sports. The days of having retrieving trials close to Perth are sadly gone, and yes it takes dedication to the sport to keep at it, but as RS knows,you get hooked and you and the dogs enjoy it so much. I sometimes think, what would I do without retrieving ? Maybe obedience, but I find that boring, agility ? hmm hours and hours of training and no equipment handy to practice with. Tracking, yep can do that, sortof. At least the retrieving has me and the dogs out in the fresh air. We have fun, they love it; I love seeing them work; and most of the people involved in the sport are good mates. BTW Rubystar you did good yesterday !!!

Good luck with that handful What colours? The embarrassing part is I did do that. I have all the retrieving trials listed in my calendar (which automatically gets sent to my iphone), plus any obedience/agility/rally-o I might want to do. But this one slipped through the cracks, it wasn't in my diary because I lost the club trial schedule Oh well! My next trial is on the 27th, and on the 20th we have another RATG :) I might have to miss the trial after it though, as I have an exam the day after so I should study for it instead of having fun What about the long weekend trial Rubystar ? Do you feel like going camping ? Actually, they have three bedrooms in the house at Mogumber which people can put their hand up for. Nice & close to shower and toilet and kitchen, and out of the rain/wind etc. The Novice on that weekend may not have enough entries to run it, and even restricted might be battling. I wasn't going to enter "the idiot" but may do so now, just to boost the numbers in restricted.

Sure is. There was a trial in South Australia over the weekend. Breeders brag!!!! Saturday: All Age was won by Adderslot Chief - RT CH title achieved, this being her second win. Today: Two finishers. Adderslot Chief and Adderslot Star Spangled Yank. Chief won again. Chief is SHE. 22 months old. Is that Russell who trains Chief LL ? What a great trainer he is hey ! Maybe I should send him my little Lab bitch too. Who was running Yank ? obviously not you , right ? When are you getting back out there with the dogs; and, are you coming to the Nationals this year ? Congrats on the results.

As I said to you on Sunday RS, ruby has all the makings there, she just lacks confidence in her own judgement, and experience. She was one of only a few dogs to take the line to two of the marks, so that in itself is something to be proud of. She is steady (tick), she is keen (tick), so you are halfway there. A couple of exercises in having her hunt out an area might help Ruby to persevere, so will have a chat to you tomorrow and give you some hints.

It is up to the judge on the day to say whether dogs may be allowed in the gallery or not. Depends whether it is close to the control area and may distract the competing dog or not, and also, any dogs in the spectator gallery must be quiet or you will be asked to leave. Quite often spectators can have their dogs with them but be set back a little way from the main group, but still see the run and expose their dog to the sounds and smells of retrieving.

RS you will see him at a trial soon. Maybe Anzac Day if you are entered, or else on May 13th. He is black, so now you know what breed he is and is a 1/2 brother to Whiz. Had him almost 6 months now. Trained, but not trialed since 2007 and, was a restricted dog till his win at Easter. Nice boy, and has fitted in really well.

Had one of our puppies (now 5 months old) brought along to the trial last weekend for the first time. She wasn't worried about the guns, the dogs, the people, so now her owners want to train her for retrieving. Yay !!! Great that now three Goldens and one Labrador puppy at this stage are being trained for the field. MG you want to come along on Anzac Day to the trials at Brookleigh, as the ground up the top is flatter for Gibbs and he will still hear the gunshot from there.

Thanks LL, I am thrilled with his win & as it was only the second trial ever for us, it was pretty special. Looking forward to the year ahead that's for sure, with 3 All Age dogs all looking good. Re the two litters in two weeks that you are having: I know the feeling, I had two litters 6 days apart last year. Really though, only the first two weeks were the toughest, then we got into a routine. And, it meant that they all went to new homes only a week apart.

MishB you are the only one that can decide what you want from your dog, and as RV says there are differences in field trialing and retrieving trialing. If you are aiming at doing retrieving trials sometime in the future, then I would not play tug with the dog. You are only encouraging him to hold on tight and not let go. It baffles me why agility dogs have to have a tug game as a reward after doing an agility course. I never did it with my dog, and still would not if I was competing there. Surely, a food reward, pat & good dog, or a play fetch of a toy would be sufficient. For people beginning training their dogs for retrieving, we encourage a soft mouth in the dogs, so this does mean that no tug games of any kind should be played with them. In retrieving the dog is required to fetch game and hold it gently and bring it back to the handler and present it. All, with a soft mouth. Occasionally you will see a dog that, with all the excitement of the retrieve, is reluctant to release the game, resulting in damage and often, elimination of the dog. It is very disheartening for the handler when the retrieve has been done beautifully, only to be marred by this kind of behaviour at the end.

Sshh TSD or we will have all of them wanting to come out and share with us. I just did a write up for a breed club here saying retrieving people had it so good because we have fresh air, beautiful countryside and just the best people in the sport ever. So who wouldn't be jealous of us ? Didn't someone once say that dawn was the best part of the day ?

Sadly, I won't be this year I didn't know about it until this past weekend, it crept up on me! And I'm crazy busy with work and study. I am however looking forward to a weekend away of retrieving later on as I bought a new camp mat especially for it Bit wary to sleep in my tent again though, last time when I packed it up, there was a huuuuuuuuge spider between the tent and the tarp I had on the ground under the tent! Might sleep in my car like I did the first time. Might feel less like sleeping in a coffin this time without the big bulky air mattress that brought me close to the roof! Good luck at Arthur River! Edit: if you hear of anyone in Perth who is heading down for a day and has a spare seat, I don't mind coming along to steward for a day :) Thanks RS will do our best. Glen Mc is coming down Sunday to be Chief Steward for Mike, would be very early though to get there before vetting. Might be others going down that I don't know about. Ah what's a little bit of wildlife gonna do ? As long as it doesn't slither !!! The next weekend away is the Foundation Day weekend, and there is a house on site that you can book a room to have your mattress in if you get in early enough. Also a real shower and toilet !!

Rubystar, are you coming down to the trials at Arthur River at Easter, again ? Should be a nice weekend with the weather being cooler, and a little bit of rain this week.

Had a bitza bitch named Blanche (she was almost pure white all over) Preston, a Dalmation, who also got Prestonelli, Prestonovich,and Prestonicci. Tosca, my GR named after a famous Showjumper. Clancy, a GSD x Rotti. Cats: Siamese named Patrick and a Burmese named Banjo Catterson.

I have a neoprene vest too that actually gets very rare use. WA doesn't have too many really cold days, and that was why I bought it (for swimming the old girl). I think it was from Cabellas. LL, the Yanks were probably saying under their breath "Those funny Aussies and what they wear" But I say, And what is wrong with our waders ????????????

RV, sometimes different breed clubs hold a heart clinic. That would be the way to go if you found one happening. Cheaper too. I'm with the Labrador Club and Goldie Club but neither of them is holding one, or we would have been notified. They are usually only held if a cardiologist is visiting WA. You may have to take her east as predicted. For eyes, I reckon you can't go past Ziggy Chester.

Address your email to Steve Warry, RS, and put your grievances to him. It isn't your fault that you are unable to compete and it is unfair that you miss out because of slackness on their part. I'd be blunt & say they have had plenty of time to get their act together. Did you have to apply to CAWA for Millie to be assessed ? I would imagine the owner would have to approach them to get their dog photographed and assessed.

Can't believe that you are unable to enter Millie. Reading the rules it says that Associate registered dogs can enter as long as the member body deems that they fit the description of breed. Millie sure looks like a Labrador to me. It doesn't say anything about re-registering a dog. Just reassuring you about bees later in the season. We very rarely are bothered with bees at sites. Flys and ants are more of a nuisance. Because the dogs are staked either in grass or sand, there usually aren't any bees close by. Spring would be the time to be on the lookout when the dandelions are in flower.

Motel booked!! We are coming!! Had a nice second trial of the year last weekend. Only competed with Funkie: 1st in Novice Saturday, and 4th Sunday (she did not see 2nd and 3rd birds on Sunday), luckily been working on blinds/straight lines so she kept going, as I pondered whether to blow whistle and help. Her litter brother won Restricted. Her litter sister won All Age. Her other competing litter sister, in All age, finished on Sunday also. See ya in Canberrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaa Well done LL with all of the pups. RW is certainly doing well with his I see. Glad to see you are getting out to trials again with the dogs. How is "long suffering husband" ? Do you think you will be up to coming over for the Nationals this year ? Sounds like heaps of people are planning the trip over. Might see you in October, we are taking a month holiday over your way.

Contact the GunDog Club or GSP Club for dates and venues. Or just ask RV. You will have to travel into the country to see one.

That's your opinion :) I disagree. All of the above is required of a Utility Gundog in field trials, and more! The retrieve is only a small part of what a HPR was bred to do and what is required in field trials. To truly prove the versatility of our utility gundogs is to demonstrate and test every aspect of it's purpose - to hunt, point and retrieve game. If you had to choose one sport to test the utility gundog breeds, IMO it would have to be field trials. If I had a dedicated Retriever breed I probably wouldn't look beyond retrieving trials. I get such a thrill out of watching a good pointing breed in the field, covering it's ground efficiently, locating game, drawing in on the game or roading when necessary, staunch and stylish on point until the handler arrives, flushing cleanly and steady to both flush and shot. Completeting a clean retrieve on a bird a quarter the size of a pigeon which may have moved from it's area of fall and presenting it softly the the handler, taking a direct line there and back. Seeing it work with a bracemate with the same style that backs immediately. That's magic to me. You are correct in one thing FHRP, all the comments on here are personal opinions, and thank goodness we all have different ones, otherwise there would be no cause for conversation or debate on various subjects. Versatility is obviously in the eye of the beholder, just like beauty I suppose. And, while I admire the field trialing dogs for their talents, and, really do enjoy watching them, I do not have an eligible dog for the sport so cannot compete in W.A. I'm pretty sure I have heard of Labradors & Goldens competing in field trials in the Eastern States, but I may be wrong. The field trial that I went to was obviously very different to what you describe FHRP. It was in a stubble paddock (several of them), and two dogs worked whilst everyone trundled along well behind, following. The dogs quartered in front of the handlers and the judge, hunting out quail. When one dog scented game, it went onto point and the other dog was supposed to stop and back it. The handler of the dog on point then approached their dog and instructed it to flush the game. Although I am not involved in the sport I think from memory the handlers are not allowed to shoot the game over here (someone correct me if this isn't the case). I didn't see dogs negotiating cliffs, rivers, gullys etc. Each to his own I say, but any dog that does one discipline isn't that versatile, they are doing exactly what they are trained for. But, doing two, three or four disciplines really shows a versatile dog, so, RV doing her field trials, obedience and agility with Zora is being versatile, especially if they do well at it. I don't count showing as part of it, by the way. In W.A. at least, there are probably one third to a half of dogs competing in field or retrieving that compete in other sporty disciplines, and do quite well at both. They are versatile dogs !

To me Retrieving is not testing the versatility of my dog, just one task it can do. Field training is very time consuming, to train for retrieving trials as well would mean giving up agility or obedience... Don't quite understand your logic there RV ?? A really versatile dog would be one that COULD do field and retrieving trials. I've been to a field trial and whilst I didn't find it an exciting sport, I did marvel at the way the dogs backed each other. It was truly fantastic to see the good dogs when they worked. Retrieving is a much more exciting sport, probably because it is faster. A lot more is required of the handler than in field trialing, and obedience and response from the dog is all important. Excellent marking ability, a good nose, bravery and a willing attitude are all important to the retriever. Obedient to the whistle and voice and able to take directions, be steady to the gun, leave game when instructed, be able to track game, swim across flowing rivers, climb rocky cliffs, jump into deep water, negotiate heavy cover in a straight line, and, find their way back to the handler with the game held gently in their mouth; all of this is required of a retriever, which makes them one hell of a versatile dog in my eyes.