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I keep an eye out for the really low fat beef roasts (I think its called virginian roast) when they're marked down at the supermarket, and then cut them into "steaks" cook them and cut them up into small pieces. If there's extras on special I put them in the freezer til I need them. Fiddly yes, but my dog gets fat on the smell of an oily rag and they keep for a good week or two if they're cooked properly. They're also a great combination between a wet treat that she can scoff down quick and isn't greasy or wet enough to make a mess of my pocket ;) Sometimes I use the roo steaks as well, prefer the roast though.

Any chance you could describe the hand signals? I think so ;) The original drop (now the flop drop) was a downward hand signal flattening out in front, hand starting off vertical and running to horizontal in front of my body. Kind of like your hand doing a ski-jump motion Started off exaggerated when she was a puppy and now is only a very short. The one I use for the sphynx drop (just realised I was spelling that wrong previously ) is a horizontal hand at the RHS dropping from just above elbow level to elbow level. Once again was exaggerated when I was teaching her, I use the same signal for any drop that she does in front of me as well i.e change of position.

In a stay situation I wouldn't be too fussed about it - my dog used to "flop drop" all the time until I taught her a sphinx drop under a different hand signal when she was about 12 months old. So in heeling work, I use the signal for the sphinx drop. In a stay, I give her the "flop drop" signal. She's happy to do either for whatever period of time but I'm happier if she drops her hip straight up as that minimizes the chance of her dropping it during the stay itself, especially when its hot.

Today I took Darcy down the beach, great spot where the river meets the sea and tide was right out so heaps of space on the flats in water varying between mid-leg (hers) through to elbow/chest deep and then into swimming depth. We spent over an hour there with the ball chucker and a ball, great workout for her especially having to leap through the deeper water to get the ball. Barely even took the edge off her - anyone know how to take the batteries out of this dog?? And she's not even that fit at the moment Mind you she is sleeping right now, but I'm sure she'd find her second wind pretty quick if she needed it

I bought a copy of the 2006 championships, the speed required is absolutely amazing :D

Thanks Natsu, but I'm really after some immediate care tips. Unfortunately boots aren't an option, no way will they stay on my dogs feet at the speed and effort she puts into retreiving, well not unless I tape them on! :D

anyone???

I've just noticed Darcy's worn off the tops of her front paw pads (the ones above her dew claws) after a few sessions of ball retreiving - she tends to play hard. They are pretty raw (left pink marks on the floor mat) but not bleeding freely. I've given them a good clean up with warm salt water - is there anything else I need to do for them? Other than give up retreiving games for a while?

Not for twilight trials I'm told that NSW is back trialling by twilight and SA is as well, seem us Vics are the slack ones And SA seem to have the correct definition of a twilight trial not beginning til 8pm. Victoria's idea of a twilight trial starting at 5pm in February - with daylight saving, 5pm can be not too far off the hottest part of the day. Plus a 2 hour drive for me to get there ......... So I am having even more tanties than you FP, as I won't be trialling again until March - and scratching then if it's too hot. Sorry to hijack thread ness - I'm just jealous that I don't have anything to brag about ! I think I'm still too new to it all and the addiction has bitten hard.... never been to KCC park, it takes me 2.5 hours to get to the city so I'm presuming KCC will be close to 3 to 3.5 hours by the time I find the place for k9 on the 16th. Other than that I'd have to wait til Warrnambool on the long weekend and thats just too long to wait

Not for twilight trials I'm told that NSW is back trialling by twilight and SA is as well, seem us Vics are the slack ones Edited to add: Be assured that I am always very careful with hot days and trialling, especially given my dog is black. Its not something I take lightly

Western Vic Ruthless I have trained a few times on the school grounds in the last week or so, through absolutely no choice No issues so far! Cannot believe how disgustingly slack this council is, my favourite training ground is over a foot deep in grass and clover (bees!!) but the other half a dozen or so are not much different. Even the school grounds went completely unmowed from when the school year finished, and have only just been mowed over the past week or so. Yes we are very lucky to still have grass growth around here but its an unusual situation for us not to. Honestly many of the paddocks cut for silage & hay around here are in better condition than our council grounds & parks Council is going to get a serve very shortly :D

PAX they are "temper tantie" icons, was just me having a sook over no trials til mid-Feb!!

I can sympathise - just came home to find my neighbours dog dropping one on the nature strip. Nature strip is a regular occurence which annoys me, but every now and then she comes in on the front lawn which really p*sses me off! Same thing, she's allowed to wander at will. Local bloke here takes a less subtle approach to the front doorstep and dumps the "package" in their mail box, providing he has seen the offending dog in the act. I'm told it stops the problem but probably not really good for neighbourly friendships!

Well done & congrats!! Have to say I'm quite jealous though, no trials here until mid-Feb I have to say I was looking forward to a break but now I'm suffering from withdrawal symptoms!!

Well I've changed my goals already - my agility/jumping goals are the same but I'm planning on doing ET instead of Novice. Both of us could do with the fitness and I know Darcy would prefer a good run off the bike than an obedience session anyday

Might pay to check the dates AO - this threads a year old!

Found this one a while ago - you need to click on the highlighted words to see the pictures ;) http://www.basset.net/kay6.html Edited to add the link

Thanks TSD - I received a similar reply today. Capanash "btw it's me that needs the training" - that statement there is the story of my dog associated life!! I've been told that some are done on grass, which is great for the dogs but not so good for someone who isn't used to riding a bike on grass. Might be worth looking at for your dog? Good luck with your training!!

This is kind of a funny brag, but I'm pretty excited all the same!! My kelpie x lab loves water, she's just turned two but has never been a swimmer. Will confidently head into chest deep water happily and stand there for up to 10 mins "willing" the ball/toy/stick to come to her, but every time she loses contact with the lake/sea floor she chickens out. Took her to Kepala early in the New Year for some agility work and a swimming lesson. She sat on the edge of that pool in nearly complete shut-down/sulk mode with her claws fully extended absolutely freaking out about being asked to go into that pool, here I am thinking she'll never do it. Last week I took her to the mouth of a local river which is quite shallow when the tides out, still wasn't swimming depth for as far as I could throw a tennis ball but still a great workout as the water was mid-rib in depth. This week, took her to the same spot. Of course, tides in but I didn't think of that when I threw the ball out and she went out and collected it happily like she'd done it her entire life. No fuss no drama - then I twigged she was swimming!!! :p Not just once but at least a dozen plus times!! :p Woohoo - I finally have a dog that will swim!!!!

Thanks TSD Have emailed the website contact tonight myself so I'm sure one of us will get a reply!!

Used to live down that way whitka - but Sale is way too far to go these days, I'd prefer not to stay overnight if I can avoid it. Does anyone know where the Dalmatian one is held?

Hi Rachelle! Definitely be riding it, I have no hope of running 20 km It may be the one I do, just realised it that its the Saturday and the Sunday is the VCA State agility trial. Decisions decisions My dogs pretty fit anyway, we did a bit of bikework before it got hot but unfortunately my favourite tracks have been taken over by mad holiday makers and the rest are really badly maintained (I'm paranoid about snakes!) so no serious training yet. Might see if I can find out where the Dalmatian one is held. Good luck with your training!

Thanks Julie Thats the closest one I'm going to find I'd say so will aim for that one

Can anyone help me with locations of where these are held? Given most are held by breed clubs, there is no location on the VCA or vic obedience site and I obviously want to find the one that is closest! The viszla one is being held at KCC, the East Gippy and Murray Valley are too far. Does anyone happen to know where the Dalmatian Club and GSDCV ones are held?