Livertreats

It is a requirement for all Flat Coated Retrievers parents to have hip, elbows and eye's tested before any off springs can be registered, been that way for a few years now. I to have had dogs from Joy, my first one I was very lucky with but my second one I could not say the same about. Yes the first one, I did see the parents and his litter mates and the sire - well hopefully it was. However my second dog 3 days after I picked her up she was very sick and I took her to my vets to be told she had Parvo, not been anywhere else and my other dogs were vaccinated, only one place it could have come from. Told by my vets she was the youngest, sickest dog he had known to survive, however that was the first of many of her problems. I was reimbursed $250 which no where near covered the cost of her medical expenses. However to say we thought she was not going to make her 1st birthday in November she will be having her 12th birthday. My first FCR lived to just over 12 years. I loved them both so much but it does break your heart to see them suffering from bad breeding practices. Once a very respected kennel. You really cant call a very large registered kennel a backyard breeder, just a bad breeder. Over the years I have had many people contact me regarding the breed, told them my long story, some took heed and didn't go there for a puppy others did and yes have been told many very sad stories. So do I feel sorry for this elderly lady now, no I don't. Hopefully she wont be able to sell another puppy and go out of business.

Thank you Ptolomy, I was very pleased with Rebel, great work on the first run a double mark, short one to our left and long one over the river to our right, short one the memory bird and remember it very well. Run2, mark double rise, he did a good job on the mark but I was a little late responding when he went over the opposite side of the river and got stuck in the area of a mark from Sunday, so rather than do too much nagging asked if I could call him in which I did. Judge actually said at presentations that he was a bit disappointed with all the work on the double rise, but some still managed it. Judge also let us that were out do run3 a blind and a walk up mark (not done a walk up mark since the first trial last year ) but he did a nice sit to shot and retrieved his mark, however like all the dogs when going for the mark which was up on a high bank followed the path away to the left on it, but I did get him back and got a beautiful sit to the whistle so that the path to the blind was off his left shoulder, gave him and over and did it beautifully and just before he got to the path again, told him "find" so he knew there was something close, got his nose working and realised it was up and started his climb, so I encouraged with a couple more good boys. So while not everything went to plan he sure put in some very nice work, so very pleased.:D Strauss and Nina were very good with the gun doing off close by, and the water retrieves were terrific, a couple of stars in the making I think. :laugh:

Yes we would have lost points, probably 1 every time, but not sure, lot depends on the judge.

I think so RubyStar as their vetting time is 7.45-8.00 so guessing if everyone is there they will get started.

It is usually held at Brookleigh, and I would imagine that is still the go even with only Nov & Rest being run. I will check with Catherine. The ANZAC day Novice and Restricted is being held at a different sight, new to some of us, here are the directions we got, its at Upper Swan Turn off Gt Northern Hwy into Nolan Ave - almost opposite Brookleigh entrance. Turn left nto Noack Ave. At bottom of the road follow the fence line across the paddock. There will be signs at this point.

WOW for Strauss he did extremely well today. All different terrain today, little gully to get over, bit longer cover but not put off by any of it. First run I thought he might have been put off line by the gully, but no nice straight line, little to the right, maybe a metre past but was quick to bring himself back and hunted (a first) as it had landed in some taller grass but used his nose and found his dummy. 2nd run he just nailed it, leaped over the little gully going and came down into it on the way back. Entry to the water was not easy, especially as he has never had to go in reeds to get to the water before (or anything else for that matter), nice swim there and back. 2nd water run he choose to go in the water a different way with very thick reeds, a longer retriever with a nice powerful swim there and back and through the thick stuff to get back to me. Just more work on the delivery from water, but going extremely well. Getting much more confident with the swimming as well. Good boy Strauss, I sure am enjoying playing with my little borrowed red dog. He is coming along very well for the limited amount of training he has had. Rebel said it was ok when I got home, as he could smell his presant I had for him in the bag, and yep had bit of training with his bird.:laugh:

I went along too, decided at the last minute to take Naughty Nina and being a newbie we were put in the "I don't know anything class" At the end of the session she was retrieving bumpers 40m away sitting in front and delivering to hand . Livertreats is also doing a fantastic job with Strauss, who also had his first go outside of our normal training venue. Need to do some more water work with him, but its so nice watching your dog happily work for somebody else and not bother about where you are or what you are doing. Thanks Livertreats We both enjoyed our morning and he is such a nice easy boy, put in some nice work to say we were somewhere completely different and his Mum no where in sight. Also different sort of terrain with bushes to go around and like all the other it was like hitting a brick wall, but helped him get his dummy but did a fabulous job on the second run. Just a case of getting into different areas so hopefully now the weather is cooling off it stays cool. We even practiced our (your Ptolomy) heelwork and a recall which were fabulous. When I got home it was like being run over by two Dyson vac's. I think my back has recovered form all the bending down that I am not use to. Thank you Ptolomy for letting me play with your special red boy.

A question for listers who are interested in RATG and also obedience. If a RATG and a obedience/Rally trial were being held on the same day but at different locations, which would you be more interested in doing.

Where is Fetchindawgs, she has some exciting news to share.

Congratulations, well done and I am sure the other 2 will not be far behind Diamond. Good Luck in SA, will be waiting to hear how you got on.

Was Ian the judge?? Iain's first judging appointment is next Sunday. And yes we did have a good chuckle at Ruby making up her mind which was the best spot to get in the water.

Here I am Ptolomy. As you may have guessed we had a wonderful morning at our first Novice trial of the season, run by the Labrador Club. I was very pleased with Rebel's 3 runs, well except for the pee's but did great line out to the birds and judge the distance very well. I am very proud to say he placed 1st and that was his 3rd win for his NRD title. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would have managed our novice title in a season and a half. Then we were entered in restricted, to say I was nervous would be an understatement. Frist run a mark double rise, and when it came to replacing the shot my hands were shaking so much I took what seamed like forever to get it in the gun.:laugh: Not sure why but Rebel was very distracted even though I had him lined up well for the double rise, and went off in the wrong direction as I dont think he really saw the mark, however he did managed to find his first bird, but he must have just about gone to Albany and back on the double rise. Ended up calling him in and I was about to go find him when he came around the bushes with the bird, given to him by the person on the thrower. Need heaps more practice on our control, ok on the oval with dummies but whole different story when it involves birds, he has a one track mind and thats to get the birds and not come back without one. We were not the only ones to not finish the first run, 8 entered and 1 finished and that dog ended up completing the trial. Off to train some more on control work this week.

Rule 72. No thermal vest shall be worn and nothing whatever may be administered to a dog while it is in the hands of the Judge. So I would assume no vest of any sort would be allowed in a trial?

Are they allowed to wear protective clothing in a trial?

Something easy to do is rub (not hard ) the teeth with a dry facewasher or towel, it will remove plaque.