JulesP

I use 'mousey' for heeling. I use it for focus, close position and that general look of enthusiasm. Mousey stays in my hand and Brock occasionally gets a lick of it but doesn't actually get to have it. I hold it in my left hand, above his head and give it the occasional squeak. Not sure if I am doing it even slightly right but the result is always good!!! K9 when are you coming back to Vic?????

Makes sense that the tail was down because you were nervous! You made doggie worried so tail down. BC are usually very in tune with their owners!

Are you running too fast as well? Check your speed with what her tail is doing.

Probably why the normal method for getting the tail down works, flicking the tail. It wouldn't really reach the dog to hold its tail down, it would just make it less happy.

I think I take 1 step after giving the signal, same as I do for drop. But he is still ending up in front of me. I'll try and walk 2 steps and see if he actually stops of not. It is a stop really, isn't it, rather than a stand, lol. Last border stopped so damn quick I used to go past her!

Brock doesn't poke but I have noticed that he 'touches' my hands alot. Might be something that I get pinged for in the ring. I did get accused of having food in my hand in class once because he was touching, when I didn't. Touching or targeting my hand was a trick I taught him. Think this is the thing that makes trialling/training so interesting though, it is a constant work in progress.

Yes he does a kickback stand. He completely knows what stand is. The problem is standing whilst heeling and the fact that the stands just look a bit sloppy because is takes him a couple of steps to stop and he is a bit too far in front when he does stop. I am looking at it as a tidy up for trialling.

Brock's sits and drops are nice and crisp but he really dribbles into his stands. He actually walks through the hand giving the signal sometimes. Any ideas?? He has issues with stands as it is, looks like I am trying to kill him when I ask for one so need fairly gentle hints!

I have a itchy dog too. I had lots of wandering jew, so spent hours pulling it up. Pup was still itching (mainly on his tummy and under arms). I decided that it wasn't the grass as it wasn't on his paws. Finally worked out which plant it was by watching were he was going and were he was sleeping. So my advice is spend some time observing were your dog is going!

hi Kelpie How far is Diggers Rest from Melbourne? I live in the Yarra Valley and am trying to work out how long it will take me to get there.

Maybe the drive thing is why this isn't working for me! Brock just wants to be with me. He is glued to me. Will not leave to go and chase a toy, or food. Walking off lead he only goes about a metre away. Retrieve is going to be very interesting. Sending away, don't even want to think about it. I was only tossing the food a couple of inches in front of his nose and he still wasn't too happy in going after it! I was using verbal encouragement for him to go get it too!

Happy to be of service I was thinking that the OP was talking about doing it on the move. My club teaches the finishes like that. They call it a teardrop finish which does explain quite nicely how the doggy moves in the beginning. I don't like it because I can't get square sits that way. Pup is still rather unco. Dunno how they do the left about turn. The phone book looks interesting as it seems to keep pups feet in the one spot whilst the back pivots.

Thinking about Kinta's little pointy nose.... How about trying to teach the front in a bad way, i.e bend forward a bit and have hands in front. That usually has the dog sitting too far away but it might equal out what Kinta is doing.

The cats had a really fun time chasing the treats!

Are we talking about a left about turn that is more like a tight U turn? Rather than the dog sort of circling around.

Lol Brock is too polite! I had to give him a command to go get the food or he just sat at heel staring at it!

What happens if you move your hands to behind your back as she comes in? So there is nothing to bump.

Do you use a free command before the dog can move and get the treat?

I know why you are using it but I want to know why you don't reward the dog whilst it is in position.

Poodlefan the dogs could also just be really soft. I've never touched my border but just a look can have him cowering on the gound. Makes training interesting sometimes!

I know a couple of people use the throwing food thing but I really don't quite get it. I like Brock to get the treat when he is in the correct postion, rather than moving to get the treat. Is the theory that the click is enough of a reward? Mainly talking about teaching heel or come position.

Lol Leo I wouldn't consider myself a purely positive trainer but would not use a e collar or prong collar (or halti or correction collar)! I think that there is always an alternative. Note that I don't have the breed of dog that would require a prong collar either, I am not in danger of being pulled over! Can't think of a reason my I would need a e collar. I don't consider a normal farm fence adequate safe fencing for a dog so therefore would always have proper dog fencing (one of my pet hates). Wouldn't use it to train a re-call.

Brock is taught to refuse on command. He had to refuse hot sausage for his basic obedience test, nasty! The idea behind it is a safety one, that the dog will not eat anything unless told it could. Personally I think that is a big ask! Can't see too many dogs leaving a sausage untouched!

I think it is a good idea to also pick a breed of dog that's personality also fits your personality! I.e. If you like a really obedient 'yes master, straight away' type dog then it would be rather frustrating to have breeds that are of more the 'umm yeah, ok, in a minute, maybe' type attitude. You might say that it would be challenging but I think it would lead to frustration!

Everyone just needs to work out what they are comfortable with I guess. I will physically put a dog into a drop or sit. Any sort of aggression gets delt with very firmly. Brock growled at me when he was a pup over a bone, he got alpha rolled. I wouldn't use a e collar or a prong collar though.