Ptolomy Posted September 6, 2007 Author Share Posted September 6, 2007 The Perth Royal starts 29th September - so still 3 weeks away - so plenty of training time left. Ness - it always helps when you take a dog into a State runoff who knows more than you know and has the ability to think for you! Its just a bummer that she is nearly 11 and like me occassionally suffers from Alzheimers! :rolleyes: This will probably be her last year at the Royal - although I am sure if I asked her she would say that she is OK to go another year or two. Do you do agility indoors at the Adelaide Royal too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Yes the ever reliable dependable Lara :rolleyes: . I agree she would probably say give it at least another year mum. Your others aren't that bad either . Agility well its kind of indoors - they put up a huge tent over a usually outdoor grass area roughly enough for 2 conformation rings. I guess the area is about the size of a tennis court possibly. So yes its grass but run indoors. The conformation dogs run around on it during the day and then they run the agility on it on one evening (which happens to be the Sunday this year) and the Jumping on a separate evening (the Wednesday). Ends up being a huge mud bowl by the end of the week. Oh well I am tempted to turn Ness into a floor rug and just use my entry pass to go and watch the BC breed judging rather than trial after a horrible session where she pushed all my buttons. Lazy working dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Luckily for me Bella really enjoys the crowd and the atmosphere and really flies around as is really excited. The agility/jumping day at Melbourne will be much better this year as there won't have been bitches in season and bait all over the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Luckily for me Bella really enjoys the crowd and the atmosphere and really flies around as is really excited. The agility/jumping day at Melbourne will be much better this year as there won't have been bitches in season and bait all over the ground. Yeah! I would have entered, but the Aussies are showing the next day so have to get my pooch ready ..... It should be interesting - she is as naked as a cut-snake at the moment!!! Why do they choose the worst times to drop coat :rolleyes: :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted September 6, 2007 Author Share Posted September 6, 2007 The agility/jumping day at Melbourne will be much better this year as there won't have been bitches in season and bait all over the ground. How come - have they moved the agility area this year??? It sure does make it tough with food all over the ground - the bitches in season don't worry us though. Is the obedience held in the same area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) Yes the ever reliable dependable Lara :rolleyes: . I agree she would probably say give it at least another year mum. Your others aren't that bad either . Agility well its kind of indoors - they put up a huge tent over a usually outdoor grass area roughly enough for 2 conformation rings. I guess the area is about the size of a tennis court possibly. So yes its grass but run indoors. The conformation dogs run around on it during the day and then they run the agility on it on one evening (which happens to be the Sunday this year) and the Jumping on a separate evening (the Wednesday). Ends up being a huge mud bowl by the end of the week. Oh well I am tempted to turn Ness into a floor rug and just use my entry pass to go and watch the BC breed judging rather than trial after a horrible session where she pushed all my buttons. Lazy working dog. First and only time Lily has ever peed in an agility ring was Adelaide Royal. The crowd loved it. From then on of course, we had a lovely run. Edited September 6, 2007 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted September 7, 2007 Author Share Posted September 7, 2007 Was the pee stress related :rolleyes: - or just the fact that she was busting and didn't go before her turn in the ring? I guess the next question could be - what signs does your dog give when it is stressed in the ring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 (edited) Was the pee stress related :rolleyes: - or just the fact that she was busting and didn't go before her turn in the ring?I guess the next question could be - what signs does your dog give when it is stressed in the ring? God knows Ptolomy.. she'd had a chance to toilet and she's not averse to marking so she could have gone. I told the judge (who I know quite well) that Lil was merely expressing her opinion of the course. She did it right before she hoped on the table and from then went like a bullet. She'd never done it before or since. Darcy on the other hand... My oldest boy would lag like buggery in obedience and be slow in agility. He commando crawled to me once in stays too. It took a fair while to get past that but we did in the end. Just time, experience and me learning to chill out, smile and breathe. Lil is a "freezer" in agility - won't come off the start. Time and experience and not leading out far if at all has cured that one. In obedience, she won't drop if stressed or cold. Her body language suggests to observers that she's regularly flogged. I'm not sure Darcy knows what stress is.. (actually not true, he turns sniffy) Edited September 7, 2007 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arya Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Some have mentioned proximity to crowds here for the Royals. How about trying this? Certainly in Vic footy time is in full swing so I go down and train on the local footy oval to one side when the players come to practice in the early evening. It's great, really!!! Nobody objects at all, in fact they are quite interested. There are all ages from younger kids right up to big older teenage early twenty guys and BOY ARE THEY NOISY!!! So you get people shouting, running, balls flying everywhere and hitting metal signs on the sides of the oval. Brilliant distractions! Plus if you stick around the lights come on and you can work under lights. So, this is perfect for those dogs who are a bit nervous around crowds. Great for stays too> Set up on the side of the oval as the guys all jog past. It has been terrific for my dog and may help others who aren't keen on crowds. However... I must say it only works with crowds. Does nothign for a dog who his fearful in the ring of other dogs, judge, steward etc. Seems older dogs have very environment-specific problems and mine will sit in the middle of a footy ground with a crowd but go to pieces in the ring. But for those of you who can do this, it's a great help with distractions :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Signs of stress - usually there is only one stressed partner in our pair and its NOT the dog :rolleyes: . No seriously inattention at the start peg and the usual sniffing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 (edited) There are all ages from younger kids right up to big older teenage early twenty guys and BOY ARE THEY NOISY!!! So you get people shouting, running, balls flying everywhere and hitting metal signs on the sides of the oval. Brilliant distractions! Hmm... distraction training for who Arya - the handler or the dog ;) :rolleyes: :( ;) I should try that one day though - the ball/ crowds and noise would be great practice for heeling and such (and stays too!) Edited September 7, 2007 by leopuppy04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted September 7, 2007 Author Share Posted September 7, 2007 The footy oval idea is a great suggestion :rolleyes: . I did it a few years ago - but haven't done it recently - so I will be on the hunt for some footy players this weekend (LOL). Stays could be funny since I could have dogs running in all directions chasing the players. I could lie and say that I trained them to do it on my behalf It's tough when you line up at the start peg and you already have lost the dogs attention. What have you done to try and improve this from happening again and again and does it only happen because you are soooooooo nervous I guess I am lucky in that heeling is really rewarding for my kids - we play so many start post games that me saying line up flicks their "on" button" and then its a matter of controlling it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 :rolleyes: yes ok jealous of your kids On button. Yeah Ness's problem is me not her. Really its not as bad as it seems so long as I don't take off at a million miles an hour. We have been doing lots of just setting up at the start peg and rewarding or start peg and a few steps into a reward. It never happens when I train at the park despite the huge number of distractions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Can't let this thread die!!!! So who competed at the Adelaide Royal?!?!!? How did you go?!?!?! I'd like to congratulate Ness on their performance in the ring! From what I can see - both handler and dog handled the crowd situation well and performed beautifully - even with the audience clapping at the wrong time LOL! I'd hate to see what they are like for UD scent work LOL! Congrats Ness - I think you both worked wonderfully considering how nervous you were - if it were me - you wouldn't have been able to get me off the floor Keep us updated everyone who is competing at the Royals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted September 9, 2007 Author Share Posted September 9, 2007 Ness did a super job in such a high pressure and distraction environment. I watch the video clips and over the last few months they have improved a lot but there is still room for more improvement and I promise not to mention right or left turns at least for the next 5 minutes. We had our last trial before our Royal yesterday - have come away with a list of things to work on - but I was very happy with the kids and what they did. I went to a seminar on Saturday run by a guru and I have always used food to reward my obedience kids - but we introduced "play" to them and they went up another gear This is playing with me in the ring between exercises - so no toys just me and the dog. I used it yesterday and it worked really really well. In fact my judge in open yesterday was also at the seminar and she emailed me last night to say how well it worked between exercises and how it didn't interfer with her judging at all, and the best part is that its something I can take into the ring with me and use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I went to a seminar on Saturday run by a guru and I have always used food to reward my obedience kids - but we introduced "play" to them and they went up another gear This is playing with me in the ring between exercises - so no toys just me and the dog. I used it yesterday and it worked really really well. In fact my judge in open yesterday was also at the seminar and she emailed me last night to say how well it worked between exercises and how it didn't interfer with her judging at all, and the best part is that its something I can take into the ring with me and use That sounds great Ptolomy! What type of play - if you don't mind my asking? Is it just 'razzing' up play and being silly or doing a trick or something that the dog sounds rewarding?? Sounds like you had quite a good weekend also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 I went to a seminar on Saturday run by a guru and I have always used food to reward my obedience kids - but we introduced "play" to them and they went up another gear :rolleyes: This is playing with me in the ring between exercises - so no toys just me and the dog. I used it yesterday and it worked really really well. In fact my judge in open yesterday was also at the seminar and she emailed me last night to say how well it worked between exercises and how it didn't interfer with her judging at all, and the best part is that its something I can take into the ring with me and use That sounds great Ptolomy! What type of play - if you don't mind my asking? Is it just 'razzing' up play and being silly or doing a trick or something that the dog sounds rewarding?? Sounds like you had quite a good weekend also Congrats Ptolomy! I would also like to know what kind of games do you play! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 Oh you tease Ptolomy - you know I am so jealous of the guru seminar. As for Ness's performance at the Royal she exceeded my expectations quite honestly. Apart from a minor hiccup on the retrieve over the jump and hindsight is wonderful as I should have thrown it the other direction she performed the exercises at least as well if not better then she has at any normal trial. Especially with a handler who was struggling to stay upright and get commands out due to nerves. Here are the video links to the exercises: Heel Free - (22/30) Good SFE - (20/20) Lovely DOR - (27/30) Lovely retrieve on the flat - (19/20) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkWom27Ng_Q Retrieve over the solid - O!!!!!! Great change of positions - (19/20) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF1_UYYMnZA Honestly she was on really early and there were so many people watching and you could barely remain focussed as a handler with all the clapping. Considering most of the time they started clapping just as the dog was completing the exercise it would have been easy for the present/fronts and finishes to all go a miss but Ness was a solid little trooper and completed for the most part to the best of her ability and then some. The ring that was used is used as the conformation preparation area so there are lots of dogs peeing and a lot of the even very experienced dogs didn't get through so I was very happy if not a little dissappointed. Hell though for what she got through she only lost 13 marks which considering the environment is an achievement in itself. You couldn't even walk to the ring without having to get through bumper to bumper people so for Ness to remain focussed and switched on was fantastic. As Ptolomy said she did well and in fact the watching the video nearly had me in tears - she just didn't do well she did BLOODY BRILLIANTLY :rolleyes: . Thanks for your support Ptolomy as without it we probably wouldn't have bothered entering and I wouldn't have had a chance to see how far we have come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 Ness rocks! She did SO WELL! :rolleyes: :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arya Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 There are all ages from younger kids right up to big older teenage early twenty guys and BOY ARE THEY NOISY!!! So you get people shouting, running, balls flying everywhere and hitting metal signs on the sides of the oval. Brilliant distractions! Hmm... distraction training for who Arya - the handler or the dog ;) :rolleyes: :thumbsup: I should try that one day though - the ball/ crowds and noise would be great practice for heeling and such (and stays too!) He he he he.... LP, NONE of them are nearly old enough or cute enough to attract my attention :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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