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There is a few from Harris St - I think Mick with the GSPs is still trialling and Necia is now judging as well as trialling her young dog. There is someone at Inverleigh who trials, a friend stays with her whenever they trial over that way. There is a bunch from BDOC who trial as well. I don't trial in tracking, between agility and obedience and the girls' fitness requirements I don't have a hope of fitting it in!

I know a few who have trained them but don't know anyone who uses them in the ring. I haven't bothered, 1) because I don't feel I need them even with a fast dog and a not so fast handler, and 2) I can barely tell my left from my right at the best of times. Add speed and pressure and trying to figure out my dogs left and right I'd have no hope. As for tighter lines, you can work on it with things like GD's double box work and basic sequences. Video them if you can and check your positioning and timing. I rarely run courses for training any more, I find going back and working sequences has been really valuable and has improved both my consistancy and my confidence (which flows onto my dog as well). A little of it is just experience for both of you, but just keep working on it. Just don't get so bogged down in the tight lines that you pull the speed out of your dog.

Cost is the main reason, plus we have the ability to train all year round here if we wanted. Read some of the US training stuff and you'll find references to all kinds of training done inside - people who've worked on things like weaving in their hallway isn't unusual. I would love to have access to something like the above locally, in reality it's a luxury that most cannot afford. I know quite a few who do for training that suits them. I would seriously consider up to 2 hours one way if I could find something that would really suit. Obviously it wouldn't be every week but I'd look at fortnightly to monthly.

Thanks Bedazzled. I'm in a training flap today as you can tell. I did a quick session with Darcy today with all the Open stuff which she did nicely, but then I realised that I don't know the fine detail of what's actually required thus the sudden You Tube studying It's just hit me that we could be in an Open ring in August

Thanks guys - more to think about! We won't do the broad, but bugger about having to get her remeasured. Another question, it's been ages since I watched an Open round so I'm watching some on You Tube at the moment. The two I've just watched did a normal round the back return to heel for the retrieve on the flat and a flip finish for the retrieve over the jump. Is that just something people do or is that required? I switched to flips a while ago, didn't want to risk the conflict with agility. How exciting Ptolomy - congratulations.

Couple of questions... Do I need to get Darcy remeasured for Open obedience? I have her height card for agility but it only states her height category (500) not her actual HAS. If she jumps 500 in agility is she going to jump the same height in Open? Also was thinking about this last night while practising her sit stay. I've always been given the idea that people calm their dogs down before their stays, and in fact some people who don't feed their dogs before a trial will give them their meal before their stays. Not something I've done, but it's been in the back of my mind that I don't rev her up before a stay because of this. Toileted and focussed, yes, but not revved up. Now I'm thinking of the boredom thing, particularly heading into the longer stays, that maybe this is the wrong idea. Given they've just had crate time/car time between the first section and the stays? So what do you do before your stays? Do you rev your dog up - how far i.e all the way or a halfway mark to what they do for their ringwork? Do you calm them down? Do you practise a stay somewhere beforehand and reward? How long before, short stay/long stay? Just curious - I tend to question everything these days

Ummm maybe if they actually had stuff in stock I'd go there more often.... so many times I've gone to buy cat food and they don't have what I want. So I don't even bother, yet I'm in Warrnambool far more often than I am Colac, so getting food in Warrnambool would suit me far better.

Thanks for the tip Will duck in there and grab some cat tucker on Tuesday while I'm down there. I really miss the co-op for dog stuff.

I reckon we were there at the same time, but I was back near Kelly Swamp. Far nicer than it was a few weeks ago, it was the roughest I'd ever seen it and it was the highest I'd ever seen the tide too. Today was much nicer! No-one down my end either Zee did her last day of foundation agility, and Darcy got to have a quick but feral run around a course. tlc try the net for tracking harnesses, there's a lady on ebay who makes harnesses as well. W'bool selections of pet gear is crap lately. PGD started off ok but now they seem to have a store full of stuff only suitable for dogs who don't live in the real world. :rolleyes:

I agree with tlc - I actually don't believe she was 22 kg to start with Darcy is about 22 kg and Jane's a bigger dog than Darce is.

Rather see a fit, healthy, happy working bred dog doing dogsports than seeing them locked in a backyard bored out of their brains.

If that's the one I'm thinking of (there was one up for grabs at the trial?) they would be pretty good for a lot cheaper.

No worries, doing Berwick on the 25/7, State Trial on the 4/8 or Croydon 11/8. Let me know beforehand and I'll throw one in. Otherwise if you decide to brave Altona at some stage, I can meet you down there.

Murray had a look at mine a while ago and was going to have a think about, don't know if anything had come out of it. There was someone in Sydney bringing them over in bulk but they were still pricey, even with the high dollar. They are handy though, but I'm sure there is other ways of making slightly less portable jumps for far cheaper.

That's great news, must be a big relief Sorry to hear about the babies that were lost.

A big well done & congratulations to everyone who's gone so well this weekend and last weekend as well We're in trial withdrawal mode here, the only two agility trials are a bit far away for a day trip (even I draw the line at a 3 am start!) and we have one single obedience trial on the last weekend of June, but it is a 10.30 am start time - such a novelty to be able to sleep in til 6.30 am on the morning of a trial

It's relevant to production animals - you get increased production, fertility and growth benefits with cross-bred cattle. Probably the same benefits in cross bred sheep.

That's just part and parcel of being in close contact with any animal. I won't mention what Zee wiped on my shirt the other night, suffice to say the cow sh*t was the most acceptable part :D Problem with big animals is once they are seen as "tame" many don't respect their size as they expect them to become robots. Things which start off "cute" get real ugly real quick when the animal in question has the potential to reach the tonne mark. :D

They aren't sneaky - they are really quite intelligent and sensitive animals who, when treated calmly and quietly, will happily take the path of least resistance. I grew up working with stud beef cattle as well as commercial cattle and then moved into dairy cattle. I also did some work with horses on and off for a few years, took up natural horsemanship with great enthusiasm and had the chance to use it on some stud cattle when I volunteered to assist at a junior show a few years ago. One of the young girls I was helping had quite a difficult heifer, she was a tiny little thing who had no hope at all if the heifer decided to play up at all. 3 days later she not only won her handlers class she also walked away with champion herdsman for her age group, over some far more experienced handlers. Awesome

OMG look how big Gus's paws are - they're the same size as Jane's! Gorgeous photo Great to hear they were both so good at training - your perseverence is paying off They did, except for the bath bit! But they smell wonderful and Zee's white bits are actually white for the first time in who knows how long. :rolleyes:

I plan to do COP for Open, am already doing COP for Novice so it's just the next step. Plus I'm trying to avoid crossover between agility and obedience. Whoever suggested to extra runs with using a dumbell - that's a great idea! I've just been planning trials for the next month or so and I'm going into a double back to back trial with two passes to go and a single trial in between. Hopefully we can rack up the title on the first day (or first morning would be even better!!) then I can get the dumbell out and see how she goes in a trial situation. Interested as to what is required for speak on command in UD? Darcy does speak on command but she throws herself down into a drop at the same time - a legacy of taking whatever I could get to have her bark at all!

A very late happy 10 week birthday to Vitasz (which is probably a lot closer to 11 weeks now!!) and you too as well RJ! I took Darcy and Zee down to the beach today and ran them ragged, then off to the doggy wash for a bath. Must be wash the dog day today in Wbool as there was a queue - I've never even seen anyone there before!! I had the seats folded down in the wagon courtesy of two big shelving units/cupboards from Bunnings. Grabbed a very late lunch from Maccas so the girls had a 50 c cone each for being good while they had a bath. Then Zee has realised she has full access to the centre console - so she's had a big long sniff of the empty Maccas bag (she knows she's not allowed to touch unless I say) so I offered it to her, she's taken it and run off to the back of the car so she can shred it and the contents in peace. No wonder my place looks like the reject area of a confetti factory

That's kind of what I did Friday morning, was running out of time to try everything so I had a hazelnut with my brekky and then got a Jaffa to take away because I loved it so much Going for a very long walk on the beach tomorrow to start wearing it all back off, I'm amazed my jeans still fit Bedazzled that's a shocker - what a scumbag!! And same to your person who should know better ness - they must've been jealous!! This is the local showgrounds so it's not quite so bad - I've had the occasional issue but they've all been mortified that their dogs interrupted and one even asked me if I was setting up for a class and could she join? The regulars are all good, just a couple who are newbies who I can see might cause an issue if we clash on the wrong day. I don't mind the audience J, as long as their dogs are under control As for the earthworks required out the back, it's not the levelling that worries me, I reckon that would be the cheap bit. It's the retaining wall work that would be needed

You stalker Definitely wasn't around when you got them out at Knox, would love to take a look. As I said I'd love one for "good" and those colours would look sensational on Darcy or Zee. I could cope with 1.5 m as a good lead, my tug leads are about 1.6 - 1.7 when finished. Hey totally OT but I worked my way through the hot choc list, looooovvvved the Jaffa!!! Didn't try the Chilli (not my thing) and missed out on the Iced Chocolate but will get one another day - it's not far off the highway now I know my way around The big question is, do I try the Iced Choc and potentially miss the chance at having another Jaffa???

Hey Tiggy, how long is the actual lead on that combo if you don't mind me asking? I've taken to making my own tug leads because none of the tug leads I've found are very long. That one looks nice and long :D I'd love one for "good" Quick question - for those of you who "set-up" something while training, how do you go with other people expecting to use the area with dogs who aren't under any form of control? This is in an unofficial off-lead area. I have no issue with moving if I'm training without gear, and I normally do to avoid the risk to my dogs. If I've spent 15 mins setting up agility gear then I'm reluctant to move but there seems to be an expectation that I'll either move or put up with people's out of control dogs. It's only something I do about every 10 days or so, so I'm not hogging the area every night for an hour. :p I know what the rules are i.e dogs not under effective control, but I'm interested to know how people deal with it in a practical sense? Without coming across as the crazy dog person from hell if I can possibly avoid it?