JulesP

I would like to have a go at doing some herding with my BC. I only want to do this for fun and for the doggie to have fun. At this stage I am not going to be competing or anything. Soooo for just a fun thing which clinics/training days do people recommend? Send a PM if you don't want to tell the world!

Congrats Leopuppy and Kinta! :p

How was the doggie WMR?

You couldn't add the rings together to get the placings as different judges mark differently. Hey Cosmolo maybe you are getting treated differently because people expect more of you because you are more competent than the other pet owners at club?? My pup is a bit of a nerd and it used to really shit me when he was the only dog to actually do a recall but we would get picked on for something minor like a crooked sit. Nerds like praise too! but I think that gets forgotton sometimes.

Spoilsport

Oh dear! Was that during his recall again? Threaten him with castration! That is good about Molly thu! And yes I really do think that we need to see the video! Or at the very least you should send it in to Funniest home videos and you might win lots of stuff!

Ok Shoey what happened?? Sorry that someone was mean to you Cosmolo. Just jealous probably.

Make sure that you are moving the treat really slowly too. That seemed to be the main problem when I was teaching puppy class. People whizzing the treat down. You can do it from the stand too, but the treat goes down and forwards that way.

Kavik, Brock is a Mummy's boy and really doesn't like leaving me! I started teaching touching a target yesterday and he was very unsure about leaving me so I was using lots of verbal encouragement so he knew leaving was the right thing. It was cute to see him go from rather worried to looking rather proud! So more verbal praise maybe as he is heading out?

I tried agility with my border that looked up naturally and that was a bit of a disaster! She would basically run into everything!

Lol I tend to trip over too when Brock offers that sort of heeling! Glad I am not the only one!! My older border used to heel like that without me teaching her, she just did it. I can't really remember anyone talking so much about focus then, this was about 9 years ago. I like something a bit inbetween. I think it actually looks more impressive when the dog isn't staring up all the time as it looks like the dog is heeling of its own accord more. I also don't like how it changes the gait of the dog. I love watching a working dog gliding along. I want my borders to have that look of 'stealth' that they are supposed to have, not be prancing.

Is is because you are a trainer and that means you are putting more pressure on yourself to do well? Do you think people will point and laugh at the big dog trainer that totally bombed out???? This is said kindly btw and not in a smartarse way. It is hard to convey wheat you mean in writing sometimes! I am feeling alot of pressure with Brock because I haven't failed any dog test or trial yet! That is over 15 years of dog training. It has sort of built up and I now actually want to fail something to get it over and done with! Brock is tricky so I am sure it will happen soon!

Well done!

Couldn't find anything in the rules. Unless the judge decided that if it wasn't for the family member standing there that the dog would have broken. That could be viewed as a second signal type thing I guess. Any judges around??

I can see why they said that. Am assuming an out of sight stay? You are a family member so the dog might be more comfortable staying with you in view. Different then watching a friend.

I am only training the one dog. The other one came over to see what was going on. She just watched and didn't join in but Brock got a lot keener whilst she was there.

We couldn't quite grasp mouthing the dumbell when it was on the ground today. I ended up holding it and gradually getting closer to the ground, then he got it. Seemed to get it alot quicker when his mate came over and thought she might get some treats too, lol.

I am up to putting the dumbbell on the ground. He did do puppy retrieves very nicely but unfortunately my older dog has put him off. When playing together she likes to chase the other dog and not the toy. Pup has taken this to mean that he shouldn't be retrieving.

Please tell me that this method works! All the steps are really trying my patience, lol. So far it is working as it is supposed to. Brock thinks it is quite interesting, he doesn't play retrieve so I am hoping this works. So many steps to it though!

Had a couple of friends get dogs that have been kennel raised. They had some issues with the dogs being scared of 'normal' house things like the vaccum cleaner. Sounds like this dog has done a bit more then their doggies though, but something to consider. Good luck!! (but but you miss out on puppy breath with an older doggie, I looveee puppy breath )

Have just been playing the sounds....Brock didn't even wake up ;) . You have to listen to the madcow one! omg! He barks at the farmers next door and possums but only if I am inside, the minute I appear his job is done and he stops woofing!

I think he has a higher pack drive than prey drive, yes weird for a BC! I tend to give him a big show of affection rather than the toy or food.

K9 - do you have to actually give (throw on ground) the dog the toy at the end of the exercise? Once the toy leaves my hand my dog isn't that interested in it. Thanks! Not sure if he is in drive but is certainly giving good focus and ignoring other distractions. Jumped over the cat last night to stay in the heel position!

So if your dog doesn't tend to bark at stuff, you are fairly buggered with this???