huski

We want people with us not against us, and looking like nutsos is hardly going to make people agree with us.

Rather see a fit, healthy, happy working bred dog doing dogsports than seeing them locked in a backyard bored out of their brains. Agree! Anything that gets people out there doing stuff with their dogs! I agree too - I love seeing dogs out and about enjoying dog sports, who cares if it's not the "real thing" when the dogs and owners are clearly having a good time And far better than being stuck in the back yard doing nothing! I too would like to see Schutzhund recognised and wouldn't mind giving rally-o a go.

Wow, way to make pedigree owners look a bit nutso guys. Posting anti-crossbreed stuff on his FB page is taking it a bit too far. As much as the DD craze is infuriating, there's nothing wrong with owning a crossbreed or PA picking one for the photoshoot.

Great vid! What a talented little girl and gorgeous dog too I liked the obedience one... the dog is almost as big as she is!

If I had a puppy I would always start out on a flat collar... I do all our obedience training on a flat collar too (often off leash as well) and I walk Daisy on a flat collar all the time now. She doesn't have Micha's narrow head, so she's not going to be able to back out of a good buckle collar, and she's been trained to walk on a loose leash so we don't need the martingale anymore.

I always walk my Sibe on a martingale collar as his head is very narrow and he can slip flat collars. I trained both him and my beagle to walk on a loose leash with a martingale (and a good training program too obviously). I prefer them to check chains as they are adjustable and can be fitted to sit more effectively on a dog's neck than a check chain which will keep sliding down no matter where you put it initially.

I'll be happy just to get to Open but that does give me something to think about!

Raz are you really a vegan?? What about your flaming prawns??

LOL My dogs love yoghurt and I feed it quite regularly But they also get lots of other raw meaty stuff. I think it's taurine that cats must have in their diet. ETA: I think I started the last vego thread, and it's still here! http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...=181174&hl=

All of the above IMO! I respect vegans/vegos for making that lifestyle choice for themselves but they shouldn't force that onto their pets.

I can only speak for myself, but I find just stepping off on the right leg is a clear enough stay signal for Daisy.

Thats a great idea Huski! He loves food so much but when this new Turbo Rush tug is out he rather have the tug. I used it tonight for sits stays as I have been battling with him and he sat so still ( no laying down) just to get his tug as reward. It's amazing what the right motivation will do

Yep I'd use whatever gets him super excited... although you could also use it as a surprise (i.e. he doesn't realise you have it) and bring it out so he gets a better reward than he's expecting.

Yay I will most likely run into you again this year We're going on Saturday too. I was thinking about entering Daisy but I chickened out so it will just be me admiring the beaglies and watching obedience

Yep no trials here this weekend... I still have another week to freak out

Edited for duh English!!! Umm yes it is my heeling leg, I meant my right leg.... doh I was posting from my iPhone and that requires more concentration than normal so that's my excuse

Tiggy to be honest I'm lazy and don't use a hand signal for stay. I just use a voice command and step off on my right leg. Edited thanks to Bedazzled's pick up

Thanks heaps Kath! That's where I bought my dumbell and scent discrim stuff from I will try painting the ends white! I was thinking of getting a white plastic dumbell to see if that's any easier for spot but I can't find one anywhere - will give panting it a go

Thanks Bedazzled - it's just a wooden one (unpainted). I've had her eye sight checked and it's fine, I just don't think it's very good - she has issues with guard barking at night time when she sees things in the distance i.e. a person standing on their own like she doesn't realise it's actually a person. Once she gets closer and she realises it's a person she stops and wants to sniff them as per usual.

Thanks so much for all the tips guys! I thought I'd seen people using a glove for the seekback but maybe it was something else?? ETA: good luck with the full run out tonight Nic, can't wait to hear how you go!

Ok question regarding the seek back - I am thinking of training Daisy to do it for fun as she loved learning scent discrim. What does everyone use as the seek back article? Should I teach her to retrieve it first and use a new command word - I use take for SD and go for the dumbell. The other thing I've found with the dumbell lately is that sometimes Daisy has trouble seeing it. If she can't immediately see it, she will put her nose to the ground and once she picks up the scent she runs to it, picks it up and retrieves it perfectly

That's cos you've come over to the dark side, Ness

I tend to agree, I think it's something that naturally comes with domesticated dogs and I wouldn't want to get rid of it either. I do think we can train a dog to look to us for certain things, as some dogs are less inclined to do this than others (i.e. more independent breeds who are less driven to work for/with you).

theyre good at picking up visual clues and getting food. Wouldnt call that up there. I would consider a dog that gets frustrated and works it out for himself without having to look back at the handler a good problem solver, one that does it of its own volition for its own reward, not just what button of the handlers to push for treats True although I would think a dog who is good at shaping is probably thinking a bit more than a dog who is simply being lured/placed. I don't think my dogs looking to me for guidance is a bad thing. That's what I train them to do - learn that the big exciting rewarding things come through me and that they should look to me for permission to have it. With my DA dog, I would rather he looks to me for guidance when we pass a scary intimidating dog than react and lunge at it of his own accord. When I am training Daisy for obed competitions I want her to be looking to me for all the super fun things, not creating her own fun through all the distractions around us. That's not to say I want my dogs to be robots, but if I didn't want them to work with me and look to me for guidance or couldn't train them to do so it (IMO) defeats the purpose of having a domesticated animal.

I think Micha is scary smart. He loves to create his own fun. He will throw his toys for himself and will put them somewhere difficult for him to get i.e under the stairs to make the game more fun. If he gets bored, he will intentionally knock his toy somewhere he can't get it and will cry and wait for someone to come along and "find" it for him. I wonder if breeds who were bred to be more independent are more natural problem solvers? Would you call a dog who is good at shaping a good problem solver even though they are looking to the handler for guidance?