Releasing Dog For Flyball

[whatevah]

With Moses I hold him lightly near his hips before releasing him, and for Josh I just have a hand at the side of his hip. I do this as I prefer not to put pressure around their throat, by holding on to their collars. Both of my dogs don't bark, nor jump around whilst waiting to be released. So this method is easy to do. I don't use flyball harnesses, because its just one more thing I have to bother with.

I was going to try this method with Tia, but have discovered she has a funny little quirk. If you touch her near her hind leg, she raises it in the air. Very funny. Anyone ever had a dog do this? I think it might be a reflex action.

I had someone else holding her and I looked back and she was waiting to be released standing on three legs. Here is a video to show you what I mean. My husband is laughing in the background, he finds it highly amusing. I am hardly touching her at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrNrbZRGOVo

Once before she went herding, during the vet check she raised up her hind leg so they could check her out. Is this a border collie thing?

[bordacollies4me]

thats funny... one of my girls does the same thing.. if you touch her on the inside of her leg up it comes.. quite funny when she goes up to people for a pat turns her rear end around and then raises one leg.... i just call her a hussy... but maybe it is a border collie thing

[DeltaCharlie]

Delta lifts her leg like that sometimes. Not as extreme as Tia though

I envy you having a calm dog at the start though. I have so much trouble holding Charlie, he wriggles around and I quite often release him when he is facing the complete wrong direction or is in the middle of a flip I end up with a bruised chin by the end of the day from him jumping up and hitting me.

[Reddii]

LOL......I'd love to see that, haven't seen a border lift their rear leg before. (at least not legally in the ring :D )

I had a new experience on Saturday night. My girl is so focussed that I can leave her on a stay and send her with a command if I want to (I won't do it in a comp just in case, but it's a fun party trick at training!). She runs as quickly as she possibly is ever going to given her build, just doesn't get all worked up at the start, it's more a total zen like focus. Until now I've always been a little envious of people with psycho dogs.

We ran my boy in his first comp on Saturday night and he is a completely different kettle of fish. He's about 4kg heavier and WAAAAAAY stronger, not to mention he's just realised that flyball is EXCITING and you need to act like every other idiot Border Collie and try and pull your owner off his/her feet so that you can run fast times. (he is a sub 5 second dog in his first comp!) Never again will I wish for a crazy dog!

I use a harness for both of them just because it makes it easier to keep a hold of them between runs.

Neither lift their rear leg, but both can lie down with one of their front paws off the ground in that 'typical' border collie stance.

[Sayreovi]

Depends what position i am in, if i am starting with Darcy i kneel down and get him to sit with his back against my knees, i hold his harness on the sides and lift him slightly just before i let him go. I talk too him the whole time, revving him up. He is a very calm dog in flyball, rarely makes a noise, does it because i ask rather then him loving it but is still quick so i am looking forward to him actually loving flyball and going nuts

Ive started kneeling at every release with Darcy as he seems to prefer it but used to stand and do the same as with Nova.

Nova is a nutter who loves his flyball, any position he is standing on my left with me holding the harness. He knows whats going on and knows when he is about to go, but i still rev him a bit asking if he is ready in an excited voice. Then i pull him back slightly and yell at him to 'go' at the same time as bowling him in

[whatevah]

Another funny thing that Tia does, is when she takes a "leak" she squats down and lifts one of her hind legs at the same time. Will have to video it, anybody else's border do this? With Tia when I brush her around her legs she tends to lift the hind leg up in the air. I might be taking her to Ballarat with me for the flyball comp. I see some dogs go nuts at flyball and they run slow, I am talking like over 8 seconds. Moses and Josh know that they don't get released until the returning dog is over the second jump, and I have said Ready, Set, Go. My dogs favourite sport is lure coursing, Moses just about drags me into the ring, and then he dives into the tunnel at the end trying to get that plastic bag.

[Staff'n'Toller]

I have seen quite a few females lift their legs when weeing, it traces back to marking behaviour.

I have one girl here who has always done it.

Mel.

[whatevah]

I once used to walk a female jack russell who used to do a hand stand up against a tree!!! Was so funny.

[MalteseLuna]

Luna lifts her leg up in the air when you touch her hip or her tummy :D She also lifts her leg when she wees Does Tia like having her tummy rubbed?