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Mine both suffer from the "salt water squirts", Darcy my older dog because she loves her ball so much and takes in quite a lot with retrieving it, and Zee my youngster because she likes to bite the waves. I always make sure they have access to fresh clean water at the beach, particularly on warm days as the salt will dehydrate them, and I have one of those spill proof water bowls in the back of the wagon. From a clean up point of view, I make sure they've both had their "squirt" before I let them back in the car, so always finish off a beach session with a walk along the beach with no retrieving and no wave biting. Rarely have either ever needed more than one. I don't find I have too much issue with it, but then again I'm not down the beach every day either.

Can someone tell me what the deal is with the East side of the mouth of the Hopkins River? It's signed as on-lead from November 1, yet every time I go down there at this time of year there is dogs everywhere off-lead all along the river from the carpark? I haven't been down there since 1st November with the new signs but just wondered if the rangers just turn a blind eye? Or are they like our rangers "not paid enough to work after hours" Where exactly does the beach become off-lead?

We'll be competing Saturday, won't be there Sunday. Might see you down there Pandii - come and meet the feral one.... ;) I think the issue has been with observers and their dogs is that that ground is pretty squishy for space, and that many pet owners don't keep their dogs under control and on a short leash out of the way. Not so bad when they're happy to sit politely at their owners feet. Allowing Rover to run riot at the end of the lead and not asking before allowing Rover to approach another dog is a good way to get an earful. Not saying anyone here has done any of the above, just what I've seen happen at Warrnambool previously. Don't tend to have an issue with it anywhere else, but most trials are held on far bigger grounds. Cute JJ

Better get your butt into gear girl, entries for Warragul close Friday. ;)

Hey well done with both Leo and Kinta LP - especially Leo's first run in UD!

I don't train in busy places much, I'd much prefer somewhere quiet where I hope no-ones dogs are going to bother us. I have had quite a few people stop and watch us do agility work, particularly weaving. One elderly gentleman always walks his whippet around the outside of the fenced area where I usually train and he often stops to watch and applaud. People watching doesn't bother me. I've had plenty of positive comments, one lady even asked if I took lessons or was setting up for a class.

Thanks Pandii The shallows down there are unbeatable for fitness work, and warm as well.

Jess I was there last week in the 'good' weather and it was VERY busy with dogs after work hours. May not be so busy ATM. Thanks jerojath, I was thinking of starting to head down after work in the warmer weather but thought that might be the case. I don't mind if there is a heap of dogs there, as long as they leave Darcy alone.

Can anyone tell me if the mouth of the Hopkins is open at the moment, and whether it's busy after work hours? I really want to get Darcy back into some water fitness work in the shallows and the lake is still too cold.

Know anyone with a Clean Run subscription? This very trick was included in this months magazine

Well done everyone - awesome results

Darcy is my first dog so she went all the way through puppy school and obedience. Our club trial was on in March and I volunteered to steward in CCD to help out, despite quite a few of my instructors telling me I should be trialling. I'd never even seen an obedience trial at that stage and not no real interest in it - agility was my thing but Darcy was still too young at 15 months. Anyway I stewarded, decided that yes we could do that and we entered the first close by trial we could which was April. She got two passes in CCD that day and got her final CCD pass the following weekend. She entered agility (jumping only) at 18.5 months and had her title within 3 trials. She didn't start agility until she was 2 because she wasn't ready contact wise. She got both her Masters titles this year at 3 yo. Zee is 4.5 months, she'll be entered in agility and maybe obedience when she's ready. I won't be in such a hurry to get her in the ring now I have a dog competing.

Something in Goretex or a similar material. I have my old farm Oringi jacket and pants which are totally waterproof and near impossible to kill, but they also don't breathe much either and they are really quite uncomfortable in more humid weather. I bought an unlined jacket in one of the cheaper Goretex versions from Snowgum when they had one of their sales on for about $120. Light, waterproof to 5 m or something and it breathes I haven't given it the complete test of inches of rain in a day kind of rain, but I wouldn't trial in that weather anyway.

Don't know about steamed, but my raw vegie/fruit pulp mix is based on pumpkin and sweet potato with no issues.

Our vet does it, and while Darcy was desexed there Zee will be going elsewhere. Darcy was fasted from 10 pm the night before and dropped off at the surgery at 8 am the next morning under the idea that they would get her in and done after the usual emergencies. Wrong - she wasn't done until 3 pm. :rolleyes: Which they don't tell you until you make the first phone call to see if everything's ok given it's taking so long.... So she spent 3/4 of the day at the vets unnecessarily and then all night there in an unmanned surgery.

Clickerdogs is Susan Garrett, and it's only a 1 min preview of her Crate Games DVD - not the whole thing.

I know this is possibly a long shot, but have a scout around and see if you can get your hands on an old concrete laundry trough. They are bloody heavy empty so she's got buckleys of moving it full. Some people use them as planters etc, they aren't that common but you might find one somewhere. Particularly around farms - try a wanted add in the cheap adverts section of the Standard.

Not really, Darcy does a good job of avoiding really giving her what for and has been almost giving into the pup which is what my concern was. I've noticed the last two nights with me penning Zee that Darcy seems to be not giving in as much - it's almost like she's twigged that I don't require her to put up with the pup all the time and that she is able to correct her.

Thanks guys - the issue is a bit exacerbated at the moment as they haven't had a decent run due to the sh*tty weather for the last two days. I did end up getting the pen out last night, you could almost see the look of relief on Darcy's face. That's really good to know, particularly having two bitches. Erik is not working bred is he?

You can enter all the ones you are eligible for i.e there is 4 Novice Jumping classes and 2 Novice Agility. The reason there is extra "runs" is to replace the games. BDOC used to run games but you need a heap of experienced stewards and helpers to run it (always in short supply these days). It takes less stewards and helpers to run the extra Novice and Masters classes. You need to specify which class you wish to enter i.e A1 or A2 otherwise you will end up in A1. And no you don't have to enter them all.

Social event thread sounds good, particularly for those of us who don't get on here much. That way we don't have to wade through a heap of posts and pics to get the info. Social event sounds even better, but Oct and Nov are pretty full on with trials for me. I reckon a separate "chat" thread is a great idea

I have 3.5 year old Darcy (desexed bitch) and 4 month old Zee (also bitch not yet desexed). They get along well, but come to about this time of night Darcy seems to want a break and Zee still wants to play. Darcy will switch beds, and try and avoid Zee and give her a fairly loud correction that seems to say "p*ss off I've had enough". Problem is I've seen and heard that warning already several times tonight, but 2 mins later they are back playing again. Half of me feels sorry for Darcy having to tolerate the pup and I'm tempted to send Zee to the puppy pen to give Darcy a break. She is a persistant little pest and poor Darcy has the patience of a saint. The other half of me thinks that Darcy brings it on herself by giving her mixed signals and that I should leave them to sort it out. So do I leave them to sort it out for themselves or do I put little miss pesky in the puppy pen for 1/2 an hour to poor Darcy a break? Incidentally things do settle down eventually, this has all been played out again while typing this and now Darcy is on her bed and Zee is chewing (destroying?) a toy.

Thanks LP & TSD - and well done to the recent brags I have a little brag for Zee - her very first in this thread. Zee's just 4 months old We were part of the agility demo for this evening at Melbourne Show - ironically where I first saw the Pal Superdogs demo team some 20 or so years ago and decided that agility looked like heaps of fun. Only took me nearly 20 years to get into it.... ;) Anyway young Zee came along, I really didn't have much choice and was a bit concerned how she'd go in such an environment. Took her crate in case she wasn't comfortable with the crowd and noise and worst come to worst, she could go back in the car in her crate where she'd be safe and secure. Well we didn't need the crate, and we certainly didn't need to retreat to the car. She had a great time meeting everyone who came up to say hello after the show and was completely fine with all the noise and crowds. We had a quick play with the tug and some attention work and she handled it beautifully. ;)

Nice job! I seen the dog ones at the show on Saturday but didn't ask how much they were. Might get brave and ask tomorrow when we go back. Bet they're more $$$ than the human ones. If I had one I'd teach Darcy to use it, great for those days where the weather is bad or occasionally when the time factor gets you. ;) at MP!

Well done LP and TSD!! Especially in such a challenging environment!! ;) I was shocked at how many bars fell yesterday - must've been nerves/distractions/light bars in the wind but they certainly didn't need any encouragement. We thought we had an ADO pass and maybe even a placing, unfortunately when I checked my results a few hours later I had "NQ" against my number. Turns out that we'd dropped a bar in the back corner that the judge missed (and I didn't realise either) so I was given a clear round and then changed to one fault after I'd left the ring and I didn't realise. We did get a 3rd in JDO, dropped one bar (my fault again!) but Darcy did a wonderful job of the exclusion which many found tough.