SwaY Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Ok well after the other thread, and Rebanne giving me a kick up the arse. I have decided i will give the ET a go myself. Anne has done ET before with some previous dogs. This will be out motivation thread We are aiming for the ET test on Saturday 6th JUNE 2009 Does anyone have any tips, hints, training schedules? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 your motivation thread I will start training with Fern beginning of March when the puppies are 6 weeks old, got to shrink those boobs first so there is no swaying in the breeze! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitka Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) Sway why couldnt you have come to Sale to do it, I could have cheered you on! Good luck with it and Rebanne to Edited February 2, 2009 by whitka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BittyMooPeeb Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 The punctuation fairy is visiting, and requests an apostrophe Unless you mean that you were going to do the ET but have changed your mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'm aiming for the Sale one in July. So far I've bought a bike and learned to ride it. I'm now teaching Benson to run beside it. That's the extent of our training schedule so far, which has now been put on hold because of the hot weather. Once it cools down a bit I'm going to concentrate on progressively longer rides over different surfaces. What kind of bikes are you guys riding? I wanted to get a "cruiser" type bike thinking that would be the most comfortable to ride, but I was talked into buying a hybrid bike and now having ridden some of the local rail trails and bike paths, I'm very glad of it. The tyres cope really well with the different surfaces, and the gears are amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'm using the same bike I used in the 2 previous ET's I took the dogs in. What is it? I don't know but I love the tyres! They are a cross between road and dirt, fairly smooth in the middle with heavy tread on the edges I still can't use the gears very well and I have had it at least 10 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 Im using a mountain bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointers Rule Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Our two Pointers, Casey and Chad are in training for ET also, we are aiming for June (when I say we, I am more meaning MrPR as it is his interest). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Good on you, have a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amadora Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Congratulations on taking the initiative The Hungarian Vizsla Club Of Victoria holds an Endurance Test each year at KCC Park during May. As someone whom has been a Committee Member in years gone by and has assited at the Event, it has always been a very enjoyable experience In the past this Club has offered free drinks and muffins to each competitor at each interval where every dog is checked by a Vet for standing heart rate, temperature and pad condition. On successful completion of the Endurance Test each competitor is awarded a lovely Sash, and has in the past been treated to a free sausage sizzle Be prepared to begin very early.... I have fond memories of beginning very early on in the dark, and if you wish to compete and are wishing to ride a bicycle PLEASE ensure that you remember to pack your helmet, as you will not be able to compete if you are not wearing a helmet during the event. If anyone wants anymore information in relation to the above please contact me, and I can provide you with the details of the very friendly and helpful Committee of this Club... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullmastiff Addict Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Good Luck, Im a lazy sod so have not even considered ET lol Good Luck though, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 Good Luck, Im a lazy sod so have not even considered ET lol Good Luck though, Im making myself do it for Smokes. He loves it - I do not. Read that as I HATE IT, I DO NOT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I've surprised myself by how much I *love* riding my bike.....I really, really enjoy it and make time on the weekends (when it's not 40 freakin' degrees) to go for a long leisurely ride. It was cooler today so I rode my bike to the local school and my husband brought the dogs in the car, so while he and Dusty were doing their frisbee thing on the val, Benson and I had a really good practise with the bike over grass and ashpalt. One of the members of our obedience club did the Sale one last year then wrote about it in the club magazine. It starts early....around 7.30am on a Saturday in July, and finishes with a BBQ at their clubrooms. She said it was a fabulous experience and is really encouraging me to enter this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisart Dobes Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I put through 3 of our kids last year. did the HVC one which was great apart from the exhibitor arriving for a show who insisted on driving through (yes through) the group of 20 or so dogs, handlers and bikes abusing us as she drove through , we all laughed at her - what else could you do. Sale was FREEZING !!!!! -1 when I arrived and my feet didn't thaw out until I was in the car on the way back to the club - hands weren't much better either - great track though and great scenery. Altona is a good track - probably my favourite actually - though we had 2 people who kept falling off their bikes the whole way - made for an amusing trip though for those of us who were getting bored. Tips: Read the rules (most people didn't realise their dogs must be on a soft collar and loose lead). Ensure your dog is trained to work with the bike, on a loose lead. not acceptable Ensure your dog is trained to work at a slow pace - it is really slow. Do the obedience training required - makes it soooooo much easier (I put through one that doesn't live with me and the judge actually laughed at me because he was too used to seeing me with Obed trained dogs). Ensure your behind is trained to absorb pain. Ensure your OH is trained to apply rehab rub downs for your legs to ensure you can walk the next day. It's all good. If you are doing the HVC one I'll make sure I come down and be a part of the cheer squad :D :p :p as all ours that haven't been through yet are too young this year. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Read the rules (most people didn't realise their dogs must be on a soft collar and loose lead). Yep, I knew that. What type of collar do you find best? I'm training him just in his regular collar although I've thought about maybe getting a sports harness but don't think I'm going to need to. Ensure your dog is trained to work with the bike, on a loose lead. not acceptable Yep, we're working on that. Each time he pulls, I stop and wait til I have a loose lead again. He's starting to get it! Ensure your dog is trained to work at a slow pace - it is really slow. My husband has a speedo on his bike and I've asked him to act as pacesetter a few times just to get a feel for the speed. Yep, I was surprised at how slow it is. That's going to be an endurance in itself because the natural reaction after warming up on the bike is wanting to break out and go faster! Do the obedience training required - makes it soooooo much easier This years aim is also to get into a CCD ring without embarrassing ourselves. If it's basic obedience, the disobedient one will be OK. Ensure your behind is trained to absorb pain. Yep, that comes with learning to ride a bike again. When I bought my bike I had them swap the seat for a big, fat gel filled one, it is so much more comfortable than a standard bike seat. Ensure your OH is trained to apply rehab rub downs for your legs to ensure you can walk the next day. Pigs might fly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I have a mountain bike but have just had a more comfortable seat put on it and semi slick tyres rather than the chunky ones I had on. Much easier to ride now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitka Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 (edited) Gayle just so you know i'll be suffering with you, well I live near the lake so I think I better go cheer you and Benson on I tried training Toby for the ET but Toby told me the only way he could, NO BLOODY WAY!!! Edited February 3, 2009 by whitka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I still can't use the gears very well and I have had it at least 10 years I can't drive a manual car, so I was a bit nervous about having a bike with 24 gears, I can tell you! But now I've figured it out, it's absolutely easy to work them. The one on the left handlebar only has 1, 2 or 3. 1 is for going up hills. 2 is for flat ground, 3 is for going down hills. The one on the right handlebar gives you the "push" with the pedals.....1 gives you hardly any tension at all, 8 gives you loads of tension....so you just move up and down the numbers according to the surface and how much "push" you want from the pedals. So, if I'm on a flat grassy surface, I would have 2nd gear on the left, and 2nd or 3rd on the right because it's hard pedalling on grass so any higher and I wouldn't be able to move. Going up a smooth, flat hill like a sealed bikepath, I'd have 1 on the left and 4 or 5 on the right to give me the push I need to get up the hill. Mind you, if it's too steep I get off and walk. On a flat smooth road, I'd have 2 on the left and 4 or 5 on the right. The more combinations you have, the easier the bike is to ride on the different surfaces. If only cars were so simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the "driving" lesson Gayle K, I will practise when I start up again. ETA both my previous dogs "leaned" into the collar and yep I would say my GSD pulled for 18 or the 20 k's and I thought the "obedience" test was just something to show your dog was willing to still work with you at the end of the ET. Both my previous dogs were obedience trained so no problem. Wonder if they will let me gait and stack Fern for her test? Edited February 3, 2009 by Rebanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weibritty Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I'm in ET training mode too. I'm still trying to work out the gears on my bike, so thanks GayleK for explaining it as I couldn't make sense of the manual when I got my bike. Best of luck Sway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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