Keshwar

The trick with obedience is to listen to what the judge says and do only what they say. I went through a period where at the first turn in the heeling pattern I would do the opposite turn to what the judge asked for - don't ask - eg judge says left turn, Bear and Faxon do a beautiful right turn and vice versa. If this does happen to you just keep going the Judge will fix it. I've also be in a trial where the Judge forgot to tell the handles to about turn for the stays so we all just kept walking down the ring. It did get interesting when we got close to the ring rope. Remember it's all FUN so just go out and enjoy yourselves. Good luck. Bear.

Contact details for state and territory Canine Councils The Australian National Kennel Council is the administrative body for pure breed canine affairs in Australia. It does not, however, deal directly with dog exhibitors, breeders or judges. For information pertaining to breeders, clubs or shows, please contact the relevant State or Territory Controlling Body. Please contact the controlling body in your state: AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY DOGS ACT PO Box 815 Dickson ACT 2602 Phone: (02) 6241 4404 Fax: (02) 6241 1129 Email: [email protected] http://www.dogsact.org.au NEW SOUTH WALES DOGS NSW PO Box 632 St Marys NSW 1790 Phone: (02) 9834 3022 or 1300 728 022 (NSW Only) Fax: (02) 9834 3872 Email: [email protected] http://www.dogsnsw.org.au/ NORTHERN TERRITORY DOGS NT PO Box 37521 Winnellie NT 0821 Phone: (08) 8984 3570 Fax: (08) 8984 3409 Email: [email protected] www.users.bigpond.com/naca1/ QUEENSLAND Canine Control Council (Queensland) PO Box 495 Fortitude Valley Qld 4006 Phone: (07) 3252 2661 Fax: (07) 3252 3864 Email: [email protected] http://www.cccq.org.au/ SOUTH AUSTRALIA DOGS SA PO Box 844 Prospect East SA 5082 Phone: (08) 8349 4797 Fax: (08) 8262 5751 Email: [email protected] http://www.dogssa.com.au TASMANIA Tasmanian Canine Association Inc The Rothman Building PO Box 116 Glenorchy Tas 7010 Phone: (03) 6272 9443 Fax: (03) 6273 0844 Email: [email protected] http://www.tasdogs.com VICTORIA DOGS VICTORIA Locked Bag K9 Cranbourne VIC 3977 Phone: (03)9788 2500 Fax: (03) 9788 2599 Email: [email protected] http://www.dogsvictoria.org.au/ WESTERN AUSTRALIA DOGS WEST PO Box 1404 Canning Vale WA 6970 Phone: (08) 9455 1188 Fax: (08) 9455 1190 Email: [email protected] http://www.dogswest.com

I think the bit I've bolded answers your question. I have to say from living with an extremely anxious dog that the more exercise stimulation - both mental and physical - the better he was. If I backed off the stimulation his anxiety got worse as you describe above. Bear.

Come on all you experienced showies. Lets help the newbies by putting stuff in here!

Championship Points System (5/99) The owner of a dog registered with the ANKC which: (a) wins not fewer than four Challenge Certificates/Best of Breed Certificates under not fewer than four different Judges at four different exhibitions; and (10/99) (b) gains a total of 100 points, of which twenty five (25) of these points are gained after the age of twelve (12) months; may apply for such dog to be known as a Champion. Points shall be allotted for exhibits six (6) months of age and over exhibited in a General Class as follows: (a) Challenge Certificate winner – Dogs: Five (5) points plus one (1) point for each dog of the breed exhibited at the fixture. (b) Challenge Certificate winner – Bitches: Five (5) points plus one (1) point for each bitch of the breed exhibited at the fixture. © Best of Breed Certificate winner Five (5) points plus one (1) point for each dog and bitch of the breed exhibited at the fixture. (d) Best In Group winner Each winner of the recognised seven (7) groups – five (5) points plus one (1) point for each dog and bitch exhibited in the Group at the fixture. (e) Best In Show winner Five (5) points plus one (1) point for each dog and bitch exhibited in the Show. The points awarded under (a), (b), ©, (d) and (e) above shall not accumulate and shall, in no case, exceed twenty-five (25) points at any one Show.

From ANKC regulations. Classes for Exhibit at a Show General Classes (6/95) Name No. Description Baby Puppy 1 For dogs aged three and under six months. Minor Puppy 2 For dogs aged six and under nine months. Puppy 3 For dogs aged six and under twelve months. Junior 4 For dogs aged nine and under eighteen months. Intermediate 5 For dogs aged eighteen and under thirty-six months. Novice 6 For dogs six months of age or over which have not won a First Prize at any Open Parade, Open Show or Championship Show (subject to Member Body Rules). Baby puppy and Local classes excepted. (For the purpose of classifications (6) and (6A) First Prizes won up to and including the day before the date of entry close in a Show only shall be taken into account but such restriction shall not apply in the case of a Special Prize for which more than one win is required). Graduate 7 For dogs six months of age or over which have not won a Challenge Certificate up to and including the day before the date of entry close. Limit 8 For dogs over twelve months of age which are not Champions, or have not gained sufficient points to qualify as a Champion up to and including the day before the date of entry close. State Bred 9 For dogs six months of age or over whelped in the State or Territory in which it is exhibited. Australian Bred 10 For dogs aged six months or over whelped in Australia. (A State and/or Territory may reserve the right to exclude all, or any, of the recognised Australian Breeds). Open 11 For dogs aged six months or over and of a breed or variety recognised by the ANKC. Puppy Neuter 15 For neuter dogs and bitches aged six and under twelve months. (5/01) Junior Neuter 16 For neuter dogs and bitches aged nine and under eighteen months. (5/01) Intermediate Neuter 17 For neuter dogs and bitches aged eighteen and under thirty-six months. (5/01) Open Neuter 18 For neuter dogs and bitches aged six months or over. (5/01)

Folks, Thought it might be an idea to put all the useful info for people new to showing in one place. Maybe get it pinned so it is easy to find. So if you have links to useful stuff or want to spell it out in plain English put it here. Bear.

We feed our dogs raw bones and their teeth are great. No need for additional cleaning. Bear.

I agree I was just trying to make the point that it is not always practicable for a breed to do what it was originally bred for. I think for sighthounds a combination of lure coursing and endurance testing would be a viable way to test soundness. Maybe there could be an Australian sighthound title for sighthounds that gain a title in all three disciplines (Conformation, lure and endurance). Although that would mean that ANKC would have to recognise lure coursing. Bear.

Any suggestions on how I do this with my Afghan Hound? It is not possible for all breeds to be able to demonstrate what they were originally bred to do. The best we can do is try to get as close to the written standard as possible. Perhaps you have a better suggestion? Bear. What about Lure Coursing? tkay, I like your suggestion They weren't bred to chase plastic bags around a static course. They were bred to hunt live prey, not something permitted in Aus.

Any suggestions on how I do this with my Afghan Hound? It is not possible for all breeds to be able to demonstrate what they were originally bred to do. The best we can do is try to get as close to the written standard as possible. Perhaps you have a better suggestion? Bear.

The main problem I have with the split between show and working is that such a split exists at all. IMO if a dog meets the standard for that breed is should be able to do what it is bred to do. Unfortunately, these days it is not always the case for a variety of reasons. There seems to be an unhealthy focus, IMO, on the need to 'improve' the breed. I think there needs to be more maintaining of breeds than improving for improvements sake. Sure breed to improve health or temperament but I not sure that most breeds around today need to have the way they look 'improved'. Bear.

You don't need to use a clicker. Instead of clicking use a marker word - good, yes, yay, etc. Bear.

I presume you are having a shot at me, so thanks. If the dog meets the standard, he is more likely to be able to carry out his original task. Because the items in the standard DESCRIBE a dog which is bred to perform the function. The article you quote states that, and it is correct. And I agree with testihg but having the conformation to do the job, means the dog is more likely to do it than another. If you chuck out the standard, and just breed dogs which can do the job, you will probably achieve what you are seeking to a degree, but if you do that, you cannot guarantee past the first generation. Lots of mongrel dogs can do all sorts of things - and do them well - but if you are seeking a dog to do xx, you will try heaps of mongrels before you find the ones who can do the job. at least if you buy a dog bred to do the job, you probably wont have as many lemons. If there are no standards, you just take pot luck. At least with a standard, you can choose from a type which is more likely to do the job. Thousands of horses are bred which resemble Might & Power, but they wouldn't do the job he did. Same with dogs. Don't rubbish something you don't understand. No one is making you buy a purebred dog, buy what you like. The standard is there for those who want to use it - and don't fool yourself, good breeders are attempting to breed dogs which will actually work at whatever it is they are supposed to do. And some wont work, and some breeders sacrifice the working ability for show wins, but not all do. There are heaps of gundogs from registered lines working well in the field - it's simply that they get no recognition, police dogs are known by their police name, not their registered name (and a lot are registered) same with customs dogs etc. :rolleyes:

Have a look at this page: http://stilhope.com/stilhopemain.htm do you recognise a breed just by looking at the images? These dogs were not bred to any standard other than work & yet they are still recognisable as a specific breed. If you google sheepdog trial galleries, you will find hundreds of pages of Border Collies, one after another, none bred to breed standard, all bred to work standard. They may have different markings/colours/earsets, but are recognisable as the same breed often in appearance but mostly in what they do & how they do it. So they are still bred to a standard!

If you do not have a standard how do you recognise a breed as a specific breed? Just wondering?

I have done (we got our CCD title) obedience with my Afghan Hound. We will do obedience in the future to at least CD level. If I can be bothered to teach him to retrieve we may go further. Is he a working dog? No. Can he do what he is bred for? Yes, but not legally in Australia. Is doing obedience 'work' for us? Hell yeah! Obedience exercises do not come naturally to a sight hound. We had to work at it. But no he is not a working dog. Bear.

Qld lure coursing association site: http://www.qldlurecoursing.com/ should have all the info you want. If not give them a call. They are really helpful. Bear.

Given the comment I've bolded, I would say that the instructor/trainer was being fairly heavy handed. I certainly wouldn't be using a strong correction on a dog that probably doesn't know what is required of it. In my experience it takes longer than 2 weeks for the handlers to get their heads around what heeling is let alone getting them to give a clear indication of what they want their dogs to do. Bear.

:cool: What sort of lead are you using? A metal/hard checkchain? If so try changing to a soft/nylon etc lead. It's amazing what a diffence it can make. Bear.

I consider loose lead walking to be anytime my dogs aren't physically pulling on the lead. Being at the end of the lead is fine. Like JulesP said if I can hold them on one finger then they are loose lead walking. Bear. Edited to change are to aren't.

Get someone to video you. It could be something as simple as your body language. Do you look back at her when you are gaiting her? If so you could be unintentionally giving her a body block with your shoulder. Try looking striaght ahead while moving her, see if this helps. This will also help you run in a straight line. Bear.

It depends on what we failed on in the ring work. With faxon, if he was being a total idiot and goofing around we would not do the stays. However, if we simply blew the recall or messed up a couple of position changes while heeling we would do the stays. My reasoning for these decisions; If he was goofing off I didn't trust him to hold a stay so I wouldn't do them. In the latter case we would do them cos I didn't want to train him to blow off an exercise so we didn't have to do stays. But this is a boy who blew a 1 minute sit stay in the CCD ring after about 45 seconds (On his final pass) and then went and did a perfect 5 minute sit stay in the open ring in pouring rain - we were filling in so they had the minimum number of dogs. Bear.

As PAX already said - the judge. I did the same with Faxon. Would tell him to stand for SFE and then leave when told to with giving an additional stay command. Every Judge commented or asked about why I didn't use a stay command. I explained that he didn't need it. He never broke his SFE. Bear. Thanks for that. Can I ask what the judge's reaction was when you explained? Once I explained they were fine. I think most were simply curious. Bear.