JulesP

Is she worried?? My young border is dropping at the moment in sits but I can see that she is worried.

Not all clubs do big blocks of heeling. At my club we are taught to only do the heeling for a short period of time. There isn't much that they do in the lower levels that would interfere with trialling. The people running the trial ring looked at the program and changed a couple of things. The people running the trial ring compete and compete well. Also have some judges. They don't talk much about training in drive but not everyone that trials trains in drive anyhow. Toy play is strongly encouraged though. The agility is really geared towards competing. A bit too much so as some people are only doing it to have a play.

Some people have mentioned this place on the ADT threads. I don't know anything about them but they do have a Thursday night class. http://www.ecdt.com.au/dogtraining.php

It gets a bit tricky when you have a border collie I am not sure what to do next with Poppy! Started? CCD? AD?

Thought of another naughty Brock moment. I was trying to get him in the bath, which has a glass screen around it. He planted one foot on one side of the door and the other on the other side of the door so I couldn't get him in. How did I handle it? I got a hydrabath!

I really can't think of a time that my dogs have been defiant. The nearest was when I told Brock to get off the flower bed once and I swear he rolled his eyes at me as he did it.

Don't worry Tassie, you aren't the only one so busy training that you don't get around to competing :D

Think the wait is around 2 years, lol. Check out your local dog clubs. Most will probably have agility. I had a look at Hastings and they do. Most will not let you start until about 18 months old. Some might have foundation classes that you can do now.

I am starting to be very very grateful that mine are happy for any treat! The current fav is Good Os! Errr Poppy will actually work for a blade of grass

Dova they like the cat kibble so much cause it is the cats! And they aren't supposed to eat it :) What about those little tiny fishies, whitebait??, stinky but maybe less messy than sardines.

Lots of getting the focus on you. Teaching the pup that you are the best thing in life. Never letting the pup pull on the lead.

Careful going to these trials though as the sheepies aren't 'trained'. I know a few people that have had problems after going to these sort of trials with younger dogs. Doggies have got scared of the sheepies.

What is your motivation to compete? To win? to get titles? to have fun? to have something to measure your training against? My main motivation usually is to get titles. I am not greatly into competing or winning. I am thinking about doing some non ANKC agility but of course their titles are different. So I am a but hohum about it.

My first border collie, Moss, was ready to trial when I got Fern. Fern was so great to work with that I didn't really enjoy Moss. lol. Not that Moss was really bad but Fern was a super focused dog. Fern got her encouragement and 3 CD passes straight up before she turned 2. She had a break to have pups. The main reason I had been trialling was because I wanted her to have some sort of title for the pups. Was she worth breeding etc. I had her ready to do CDX when she broke her leg. The leg got better and she then did a cruciate. The operation failed and she was no longer sound to jump. She was a great dog to work with.

My dogs loveeee cat kibble. Bit less messy than sardines!

Thanks Janba. I haven't watched a Started trial so don't have any idea of distances. ie how far the sheep will be from the post. I am going to watch the State trial. Any one else going?? Having trouble getting her to go along the fence. That is mainly what I practiced today. She so badly wants to put the sheep on the fence! And I am feeling anxious because I can't walk up with her in the cast.

Clinic today. Poppy is going through the obstacles quite well and penning is good. Just having some issues with casting. If the sheep are in the open it works quite well but if they are near the fence she is holding them on the fence rather than bringing them to me. She is also not happy about working at a distance to me. Got to remember she has only had 5 clinics!

I have used the Phuds in the past too. The dogs love it. Can't report any coat changes etc as the dogs are in good shape. Their poos are looser but they aren't stinky so it hasn't bothered me. You put boiling water on it and leave for about 5 mins.

The Samoyeds totally freak Poppy out! White fluffy dogs chasing sheepies

Lol Piper I am often the token Border at the clinics that I go to! Lots of different breeds of dogs. It is very interesting.

Try doing very definite, firm stops for a while. Really stomp down whichever foot you bring up last and don't move forward until she is sitting.

Looking good Agility Dogs! Nice videos as usual. I love the look of the courses up there.

Coldstream Animal Aid runs K9 Kompany at Lilydale. It is indoors and they have classes at nights. Suitable for pet dogs.

Congrats guys BUT were is the video!!!!!!!

I would not suggest using a e collar on a border collie for trial training. I have had 4 border collies and all of them would have freaked out. Even too many NRMs would shut them down. If I have trouble with any exercise with them then I tend to go the opposite way and give lots of treats and try and make the exercise into the best, funniest thing that they will ever do. I might be cussing inside mind you!