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are you just talking about the stability & release aspect of crate games here Jess or the drive aspect too? Obviously you can build value in driving to all these areas. Both - I use the back of the car mostly when I'm out and about training - given I very rarely train in my backyard then I use whatever I have on hand. If I have nothing then I put one in a drop and work the other and then swap. They both drive out of that position too when released. It's bad enough lugging my agility gear, I don't want to be lugging crates as well. If the value is there, yes. It takes time because it's not just about building value it's getting them used to switching off and relaxing in a crate, but also being ready to go when asked. Zee is my first full blown "crate games" dog and it took time, especially under distraction at club training or trialling etc. So we had some reluctance to go in the crate and the occasional verbal tantrum when left in one but she's now at the stage where I can leave both dogs for hours with the crate open regardless of what's going on. Maybe use a really high value reward that takes a bit of time to eat if you're leaving Peppi for long periods of time - i.e. a pig's ear or a stuffed kong or a bone? It reinforces the value of the crate but also helps that switch off and relax process.

Unlike KC I did use the same crate and didn't have any fallout but I would think about using a different crate to start with for my next pup. Maybe. For me, crate games is not something I do occasionally with a crate - it becomes an everyday part of real life and the same rules exist for the back of my car, the doors of the house, released from a lead/tie up or even while I train one dog and leave the other on a mat/camp chair. So it gets related across all kinds of different things for different reasons and they work it out.

My wish list for this year is no different to last year's, except I didn't write them down in the 2010 thread. I lost my boy Simba just 3 days before that thread started, he was only 6 years old. My wish for 2011 is that my girls have a healthy and happy 2011, play hard and have fun. My goals for myself is to be a better handler, improve my skills, learn heaps and most importantly, have fun.

Hey all, Congrats on the Standard pics and write up and such successful visits tlc :D Congrats to you as well Tenties on the new puppy - sorry to hear about the others who didn't make it though. Trip home was totally uneventful, really rapt at how well the girls travelled the entire way. I think they were very happy to be home though, which I can completely understand - I was pretty happy to get back to my own bed too! Still working my way through my notes for a few friends who couldn't make the seminar which is refreshing it all in my head. It's all aimed at agility mostly but fits any performance training but is also very relevant for everyday life. Susan's a sensational trainer. Went to take the girls for a swim tonight and the lake is full of green sludge again I took them right around the other side where the water was clear (turns out company cars don't go everywhere especially when you nearly turtle them!!) and gave them a quick swim but that's about our last swim in Bullen Merri for the summer. Back to regular weekday beach trips to keep them fit! Hey tlc a quick ipad question - what else do you need to buy for it? I gather a case is a good idea, do they need antivirus or any other software. I don't mind the netbook but the screen is tiny. I got to play with a friend's ipad at Riverwood and it was great!! Screen was the same size but the entire of the screen can be used, as opposed to windows where you can really only see 5 inches of a 10 inch screen! Pandii you'd better flick me your address via PM too - I should have some stuff for you this week.

Were you told that specifically? Several of the working spot handlers were using food exclusively, and there was several dogs there that I never seen play with a tug toy. Should add merely curious is all You certainly had to have done Crate Games. I guess I assumed tug was a prerequisite as well as she doesn't really accept many students into her classes in Canada that won't tug and a lot of her program is reliant on you being able to tug with your dog. Thanks - I was aware of the official criteria for a working spot but wondered if that was an "unofficial" requirement given the number of people who would've applied for working spots. Sorry for the OT

Were you told that specifically? Several of the working spot handlers were using food exclusively, and there was several dogs there that I never seen play with a tug toy. Should add merely curious is all

You can find them at smaller camping stores where they don't sell a lot and thus still have them in stock. GTS in Camperdown still has some of the older style walls for that reason. I think they have a mixed bunch at their Warrnambool store and maybe even at their big Grassmere Junction store. Ish if you're desperate let me know and I can always give them a try - they might even post them for you if you call and ask.

Hey all! Am back in civilisation - we were miles out and it was a 1/2 hour drive just to get my phone messages. They had some wireless there but it was pretty slow so really only good for checking email. Not home yet, am hanging out for my own bed Seminars were great - some of it was a repeat of a seminer series I went to earlier on in the year by Susan's head instructor at Say Yes but it was great to get a reminder of all that stuff you should do and get some newer information. Have so much to work on so glad we're heading into break time Girls had a great time, spent plenty of time in the river and met some lovely dogs. Unfortunately Zee got a few frights with unknown dogs rushing up to her and getting right in her face so we have some work to do on getting her confidence back. Will catch up on the rest of the news when I get back onto a decent sized screen

Bloody warm in Sydney :D My poor dogs had their first experience with bindii tonight, was hard work trying to find a ground that wasn't full of them. Huge perfectly mown sports grounds and they are all full of bindii. :p Lucky they aren't dried out yet. Maybe our rarely mowed but bindii free grounds aren't so bad

Nah 35C where we're going, so we have two days driving to acclimatise We're staying at a place called Riverwood Downs about an hour and a half North of Newcastle - awesome place by the look of it and totally dog friendly BUT the meals are very $$$. ;) There's no camp kitchen, only a wood fired BBQ so I think bangers and salad are going to be a diet staple for the next week. ;)

;) Hi GSDs :D Glad the induction went well tlc :D ;) at the spider story - I hate spiders, legacy of living in a house riddled with wolf spiders as a kid I spent the day between shopping in W'bool and making a big start on the packing ready to head off tomorrow. Spent way too much money on new toys (a HP netbook and a Tom Tom) so will have to behave myself - no new toys/agility DVDs/books at the clinic ;) Yeah right.... Have packed the cargo area of the wagon with all the flat stuff that will sit fine under the girls without taking up their space, I tried them in it this arvo and they can only just stand up without knocking their heads It will settle down a little once they've sat their butts on it for longer than a few minutes. I need to learn to pack lighter or talk work into letting me have a bigger car Forecast for the next few days is 35C - hope there's a spare camping spot beside the river

Back in the late 80s and early 90s I used to help my parents show cattle every year at Melbourne Show. Which is where I come across the Pal Superdogs agility demo team for the first time and was hooked from there on in - used to head out and watch every demo I could while I was at the show. Fast forward to 2005 and I happened to come across an ad in the paper for a dog obedience club with agility. I didn't even have a dog at that stage, I'd grown up with working dogs but no way in hell was I going to get one of those to do agility with. Late January 2006, I bought Darcy home as my first ever dog of my own and it went from there. We did some obedience until she was old enough to trial in agility and I'm still hooked today. I jump the fence occasionally to do obedience but agility is our first love. She's now CDX ADM JDM2 JDO GDX. Zee came home with me in July 2009, she's a few months off competing yet but I can't to get her out there as well.

Good luck for tomorrow tlc. Weather has been sensational, took the girls to the beach yesterday and the weather was beautiful. Seen the most awesome cloud formations over a lovely calm beach and as usual didn't have my camera. I don't think the blackberry camera will have done them any justice at all. I need to buy a little pocket job for those kind of opportunities. So the girls had a big run, copped a bath and finished the day with a 50c Hungry Jacks cone each. Spoilt much?

Type delete type delete - totally speechless.

Our dogs here are mostly pets first and foremost. I don't know anyone who trials in agility who is a full time agility trialler/trainer. Being that good is nearly a full time occupation, not just training and fitness but keeping up with the latest info in all aspects of dog sports. Training absolutely - and access to really good dog trainers, let alone agility trainers. Most of agility here in Vic is taught at volunteer clubs. You're lucky indeed if you have access to a private instructor or a volunteer instructor who continues to develop their knowledge. There is still punishment creeping into training and even trialling, even from experienced handlers and triallers. From watching overseas Youtubes it appears that many of the dogs over there are taught to "point and shoot" they take whatever is in their path with the slightest suggestion. Contacts and weavers are consistant and reliable at distance, no matter what the handler is doing. The biggest handicap for speed is nearly always the handler. Then there is the ability to handle the speed accurately if you do have it, and not lose it with poor training.

Awwwwww thanks Pandii :D Thanks tlc - would've liked to have done better but I'm loving the extra speed so now I just have to learn to handle it. Being a little more fit would help A photo from the weekend taken by Luke Wilby. Nice to see someone manage to grab photos of the black dogs

Tenties that's sad that you can't do agility with your vision issues and your back Your breed would be awesome at it! Was an great day to sit on the couch and watch movies tlc LOL @ the dedicated ones - I used to love going to class in bad weather - all the annoying people who held the class up stayed home! I gave this mornings trial a miss, woke up at 5.30 to the rain and wind, checked my kitchen full of still wet gear and the BOM radar (not good!) and went back to bed! A friend gave me an up to date and on the spot weather report just before lunch so I headed down to do the PM trial. We scored another Open Agility pass and a 1st. Zee had a great time playing with some of the younger dogs who are all similar age or younger.

A huge well done to you and Leo LP - what an awesome result!

Darcy and Zee are agility dogs so they have to be fit. What I do fitness wise depends on time of year. Winter is long off-lead walks on very hilly/uneven ground and the occasional bike run. Warmer weather makes it too snakey so we use the lake a lot with plenty of shallow water retrieves and a lot of swimming. Once the blue green algae starts in the lake then we're off to the beach a few times a week (2 hour round trip!) but mostly just off-lead runs in the fewed mowed areas around here and the occasional soccer game. They also do ball work as part of their balance and core work. My two both see the performance/sports vet at the start of each new season (Spring Summer etc) regardless, as well as a visit if I suspect there is something not quite right. Tassie is correct - I don't think any judge would have an issue of physically setting your dog up for agility provided you've not acknowledged that you're ready. I have seen one or two try to hold their dog on the start line (no start line stay) while acknowledging the judge - that doesn't go down well!

I've had an interesting day... my kitchen is an obstacle course of crates/flooring/wet weather gear/gazebo roof/walls and dog coats all under the heater to dry out before tomorrow. It's a good thing it's addictive as I would wonder seriously why I do this to myself! :p Got totally drenched walking Masters Agility this morning but it did actually ease off enough to not get too wet the rest of the day. We got a 3rd and a pass in Open Agility - some awesome runs in between with some seriously stupid handler moments and one or two knocked bars The training I've been doing and the weight I've pulled off her in the last few months means I have a noticeably faster agility model and I've having some trouble adjusting But we had fun!! Sorry I didn't get to chat Pandii one thing I am a big stickler for is making sure my dogs are warmed up muscle wise, particularly in that kind of weather. I looked for you after I'd finished the run but couldn't see you.

Hopefully the weather is a big fizzer or passes over really quickly!! Radar looks ordinary though. Thanksfully the ground at Wbool is fine given it's got such good ground cover but I'm still not a fan of agility trialling in the wet. Have a good weekend everyone :p

Thanks for the responses ;) Zee seems fine, I'm hoping what I heard was just her hitting her teeth on the squeaker while it was still in the sheep. Normally she removes the squeaker and spits it out, and continues destuffing. So I did think it was strange that she would eat one, and given there was still one left in the sheep we should be ok. Fingers crossed.

Did anyone else end up with one of the woolly sheep in the prize bags? Zee has chomped it up which is not usually an issue but I'm sure I heard the clack of teeth on plastic but the squeaker was well buried. Wondering if there was two in them????? I'm hoping not!!! :D

What a bugger to have such an awful virus just as you're planning to go away JJ :p Hope you're all feeling better soon! Thanks for the congrats on Darcy's CDX - pretty proud of Darce considering I didn't think she'd make it back into an obedience ring again :D We did a lot of this on our own as well, thank god for you-tube and some help in the training thread I'm keen to focus on agility for a while with Darcy and also get Zee up to competing. I'm going to a seminar by one of the world's best agility trainers so I'm sure I'll come back totally pumped with heaps of ideas. Only 17 days to go :p

I have a hard wood one from this store - emailed her with the breed of my dog and a rough indication of size and received a dumbell which is a perfect fit. Used to use a plastic one but noticed Darcy mouthed it a lot while retreiving. She stopped when I started using the hard wood one.