JulesP

Cool. Can I just ask what 'lamb flavour' is? That is the one ingredient that has had me scratching my head. For any Outer East Melbourne people, I buy this at Discount Animal Supplies in Lilydale. Cost is $69.95 for 20kg.

Hey I am using this food Do you make the puppy one as well? My stock place sells both. I am on to my third bag of it. Previously was feeding Pro Plan. Dogs are doing well on it and my wallet is happy. Tried to get out of the stock place who was making it but they were a bit weird about it. They told me that pro plan were making it?? I do have cats as well. To be honest my main concern with them is that the fussy buggers eat it! So I would try a small bag and if they ate it and what came out the other end was ok then I would continue to buy it. Maybe sample bags might be the go for cats.

How very sad RIP Dulcie and babies

Jolly good!

The 'joys' of being a groomer. I did a border collie once that was so matted I couldn't even start the clip, I had to use scissors to make a hole to start. He sat quiet as the whole way through it so obviously brushing him would not have been a problem.

How did you all go?

It would be boring if they were all little robots hey?

Hope you don't feel picked on Ness! Tassie I would stand in front of Rorie and move my feet to the left and right first. When you do this you sort of have to keep your shoulders still. Once he was ok with that sort of movement then I would start to move around behind him. Borders are pesky with stands though.

Yep you are a tragic! Have fun training the new doggie

You might not like this Ness but I would also be wondering if it was me. Well I know that it is me in my case as I kind of blank out a bit as it freaks me out so much. When I go like that Poppy obviously also zones out. I lose my connection to her. It is very hard for the human not to change as they walk up to the start post.

Ness do you use a marker word? Mine is 'yes' so just saying yes to the judge tends to get their attention. If they are in drive then they shouldn't drop out that soon.

It is a whoosing noise. Long story and involves sheep but it puts her into drive. If I arrive at the start post and she is away with the fairies (which doesn't happen often) I reposition her. Also try and use my answer to the judges "Are you ready?" as a signal for attention.

Yep. I just make my watch/drive noise when on the way to the peg or at the peg.

Not sure how doggie is getting the chance to launch the object, at that stage I had my hands really close to the dumb bell and didn't actually let go of it for a while (mainly because I didn't want the banging their teeth when they just opened their mouths). I would be controlling the dumb bell until doggie was happy to sit and hold it.

dogdude have you tried waiting out the chomping? As in not taking it until her mouth is still. Have you played with different dumbbells? Pip I would be getting the dumbbell before the dog had a chance to chuck it and would be making a massive fuss when it was in my hand. Ptolomy Poppy was so freaked after the incident that she wouldn't stay with my other dogs either. I hope I get her in the ring. I stopped Poppy moving in the COP by asking her to wait just before I gave the down command. Just to reinforce that I want down right there exactly were you are.

I teach the next level up from Puppy Pre-school. There is a definite difference in the pups that have been to our puppy pre-school. They are much more out-going and settled. But they do all ready know the other pups. At the end of the 8 week course though there isn't much difference between the classes of pups that went to PPS and those that didn't. I have to work much harder with the pups that haven't been to puppy pre-school. I prefer the pups that have done nothing though to the ones that have been to other puppy pre-schools, there is some weird teaching going on out there!

Ptolomy I had another thought. You do agility too don't you? I wonder if doggie is mixing up the drop signal a bit with the point in agility?? I am assuming that she is moving on the same side as your hand? My problem is Poppy is scared in the stays. In the down stay it isn't so much of a problem. In the sit stays she looks nervous and then drops. She is fine at home. She did get a fright at the beginning of the year when a large shepherd eyeballed her. Pretty much haven't been able to do a competition stay since. Very frustrating as the rest of her work is nice. She is 2yo. I don't trust her not to snap at other dogs if she feels threatened and as I don't want to stuff up other people's stays it is hard to train to fix it.

I would be playing with the drop signal, bring it in a little or change arms. Also just to see what happens - go out for a COP and then take a step yourself to the side that she moves before the COP and then see what she does. If she still moves over it might be that she now thinks that a COP means a step to the side and then down. In which case I would be re-training it.

Well done Janba! I haven't been herding for ages, although Poppy spent most of the day practicing on Brock

The dogs might not need a break but I do!! Whilst I have only been competing in herding I have done a heap of training this year and am feeling rather burnt out. I will just do some token training as the dogs like it! I get very little (well no) time to do things like take the dogs to beaches, rivers etc so I will aim to do some things like that.

This is why I am not competing yet I am petrified of Poppy's reaction if a dog came over. She had a fright at the beginning of the year in training and is still not happy in her stays. Her other work is lovely.

Congrats Leopuppy!

Not quite ready yet Getting better though

Well this will spin you out then - they have teach their dogs tricks to pass each level!

We have so much stuff to get through each lesson at my club that you couldn't fit in a heap of heeling if you tried! We do a lot of 'life skills' stuff like toy removal, leaving objects, food refusal, going through gates, going to your mat. I do also take my own dogs through the levels. They have all loved going to school and I am not scared to do my own thing in class if I feel the need to. Our lessons are all planned for us btw. I do change things around as needed but I have a plan of what I am supposed to do each week if I need it. We have cheat notes for the instructors to follow and homework sheets for the pupils. There isn't much in the program that I don't agree with. If I didn't agree then I wouldn't instruct there.