Loves Dogs

I LOVE IT TOO! (the cliker traing and the lightbulb going off)

I might be there but not entering as we're only beginners and don't think we're up to entering a trial I train at the wollongong club so might get there to help,we are moving the following week so will have to see how I'm traveling with packing how long have you been training for? I have seen loads of dogs that arnt very good but they have the best time and a great day out with their owners. You should give it a go so long as your dog doesnt run off to every other dog on the field. You have to start somewhere I will have a navy and yellow shirt on and have 2 staffies. Your more then welcome to come over and have a chat. I will be sitting with a whole lot of bordercollie owners as at our club they are the majority. We are the odd ones out always putting the jumps back down to 300 at training in a class full of 500 dogs. But we love it and dont care

yes I was there in the afternoon with my 2. Kuta is the brindal and white female who was running and Austin is the noisy big blue pup. We got a fault on the weavers in novice agility which was a shame but we had loads of fun. Thats where I train at nowra showground every monday and wednesday. How did you go and what dogs do you run? I talked to so many different peole that day so which one was you skip ?

Just wondering who here is entering the Wollongong agility trial on the 23rd of may? I will be there with Kuta and bells on!

A body wrap (ie bandage lightly wrapped in figure 8 in front of chest, over shoulders and under belly) or ankle wraps (eg fluffy hair tie or soft velcro) may help a bit with this. Don't keep them on for more than a few minutes at a time. It is often best to only do a few seconds of the touches with him being comfortable and then stop so he doesn't feel pressured to have to deal with it (shown possibly by the mouthing). Go to somewhere comfortable then back to iffy areas. Could you ask the judge (or stranger) to come over and not handle initially, go away when he's relaxed, then just lean over without touching, go away when relaxed, then just rest then back of their hand on his side, then progress to touching in different places. If he's a real squirmer, could also be useful practicing a "contained hold" (some people do a restrained hold which I find creates more of a fight) which is about keeping them within a small space by creating boundaries with your hands/body, but not forcing them to stop moving. The real trick is to soften your hands and take them off his body when he stops squirming. This teaches him to relax of his own choice a bit more than just giving up when being forceably restrained. Lindas sister, Robyn, has said that the video is not really how she does things, because she was "performing" for the screen and not focusing on what she is doing as much (actually opposite to part of the philosophy we are taught with the method). She also does a lot of her circles much quicker than would normally done. Thanks so much for this info I will research it further and give the body wrap a go.

Thats great everyone. I have agirl who you can touch anywhere and she wont flinch an inch but my boisterous boy is just to excited at the moment but I do get him in quieter times and do little circles all over his body which he loves. At the moment he is finding it hard when I go around his mouth and feet and hind quarters (he mouths me softly as if to try and distract me) so hopefully the more I do the less uncomfortable he will be when doing it. Also I have problems with him in the ring. I can stand him quite well and he stays stacked well untill the judge goes over him and then he cant contain his excitement. Any suggestions? I have tried getting my boyfriend and other friends to go over him but because he knows them he is ok. Its the new people he is just so interested to meet that is the problem. He is a very distractable dog to and if too much is going on around him he wont even notice me and my food or treats.

Yes very vocal when you talk to mine in the morning they do a half howl half groan sort of thing it sort of sounds like they are saying owwwwy owwwy owwy and they both snort like pigs when they are concerntrating on you and want you to look at them. I love it! Also just wanted to say about the age thing-I work with a girl who has an 18 yr old staffy and a friend of ours has a 17 yr old one. The 18 yr old still follows her down to the river for a swim ( just slowly)

I have just bought a magazine thta explains the t-touch. I had never heard of it before but realised I do some of it anyway with my dogs. Every morning I sit and go through their toes and look in their ears. I was amazed at some of the testemonials coming from people who were using it on there dogs for various reasons. It seems amazing so I am going to start trying more of it on my pup who hates it when you try to look in his mouth or keep his head still to check in his ears or eyes which can make it quite a strugle at the vet. Has anyone else used this technique and have your dogs benifitted from it?

Thanks everyone. I feed him sardines once a week for his coat and also use an evening primrose oil cap squeezed over his food everyday. The vet has put him on a low dose of ivomectin just to help it along but she said I had caught it early so it shouldn't be a problem. The aloe sounds good so I will give it a go. At the moment I am using betadine on the lesions as some of them have erupted and broken the skin, this should help keep the nasties out and dry out any weepy ones also the vet scraped him and the poor thing was bleeding everywhere:( so I put some on those aswell.

Thanks, sorry Im new to this where do I go to the SBT sub forum?

I do excactly the same as VJB and the freezing is a good idea.

Hi there, Sorry just getting really frustrated that my 6 month old staffy has developed demodex. My 3 yr old had it when I got her and it took 6 months to treat! Im hoping Austins isnt as bad as that and because I have recognised it early Im hoping it will move along quickly, with treatment. The other staffies at my training club have also had it in there puppy months. Is there something I am doing that could be causing it to come up? I know the ins and outs of it and how they tend to flare up when the immune system is low but Austin has been a healthy pup until now and you would think his immune system would only be getting stronger? Just wondering if anyone has had problems with it aswell coming up on alot of there dogs. I also know staffies are prone to it but out of the gazillion that are out there how come I got 2 that have gotten it?Its so frustrating watching your pets be uncomfortable :nahnah:

Our training is finally coming along nicely Thanks everyone for your help, Kuta is now standing on command infront of me now I just have to start doing it on my side and then gradually work her into doing it after heeling! vry exciting. Thanks again oh and the clicker is magic I recommend it.

great! thanks guys I didnt even think to try teach it to her seperatly..... dummy I will give it a go

She isnt really old but my 3 yr old has been going to training since she was 3 months old and when she was 10 months old we started doing agility. She is amazing and walks beautifully on my left side with total concerntration on me. What I am having problems with is that she has always been taught 2 sit when I stop walking so she automatically does it. Now I want her to stand and when I have tried to stop walking and hold her up she keeps scooting away and sitting and looking at me like what the hell are you doing How do I get her confidence up to first be comfortable with me trying to stand her and then get her to stand on her own when I stop walking? She is very food motivated and I have tried getting her to stand by making her follow the food into a stand but as soon as I give it to her in the stand positon she is already starting to try and sit again and if I keep doing it we go round in circles and that isnt exactly standing, its walking around me. Im stuck.

my 2 staffies will do anything for a tug toy but a squeaky toy is also great. She is a st bernard right? sometimes its hard to rev up some dogs but before I start if my girl is feeling a bit lazy I do abit of " see this , what have I got ,lets work come on come on, ssssssssssssssssssss. I also jump around a bit and get excited This excites your dog and then she might want to interact with YOU more because YOUR being exciting and follow the toy or squeeker better? hope this helps

would love to watch it but its our agility training night Dont get me wrong I love agility but all the good animal shows are on wednesday! Same as RSPCA rescue

another

I havnt got any photos of them on the front of the kyaks but should. We just never take the camera kyaking for obvious reasons. Im new at this so I will try and upload some but not sure if it will work

What a shame about that. The place looks absoloutly stunning . I have 2 staffies and the elder one is dog aggressive . She has never ever bitten another dog but she sure does make alot of noise. Its a weird situation with my girl. I have taken her to obediance twice a week since she was 3 months old. She only likes the dogs that were in her class then and she has known since a beng a pup. All other new dogs she just goes. When I say goes I mean if they come into her personal space. I train her in agility now and we work off lead all the time around a large group of dogs. She would never run up to a dog and attack it she just doesnt like it when they come up to her. So when Im walking her at the off leash area I am always on guard, She is off leash but she has a great recall and if I see any other dogs I put her straight back on the lead. The problem I have is that people let their dogs come bounding up without asking weather my dogs are friendly or not (and while im looking worried they are saying "my dogs fine she wont hurt you" and Im saying "its not your dog Im worried about!") As one of the other comments said we derserve our outing too but I definatly agree with you when you said she should have had controll of her dog when she saw you driving up. I understand what my girl is like and I avoid at all costs putting her in the situation where she will get cranky. It sadens me that there are owners out there that are not responsible. My dogs love people but even then, if someone is going to walk past, they are on the lead again because they want to say hello to everyone and not everyone wants to say hello to them your dogs are gorgeous and its nice that they can swim! mine need life jackets as they paddle their little hearts out but just sink slowly I take them Kyaking with me and my partner which they love and everyone loves watching them cuz they stand right up the front with they wind in their face with their little life jackets on so cute

I have just read back all the comments and clearly I wasnt in the right saying that awful comment. I think it was late at night and I read part of a comment not taking in the whole thing Im very sorry to all of you out there that I offended with my rude comment. I now know that blue dogs cant have black noses and I thank you guys for helping me to realise this. I hope you all forgive me and if I have any future questions about showing this is the first place I will come as it has been very helpful. Sorry once again

I just love agility and Kuta my 3 yr old female goes really well. We are on our way to some titles its just getting out of working on saturdays that is the hard thing. At training if you walk by a table at 500 she will just jump on up there. She is the only staffie at training in a group full of bordercollies but she sure does give them a run for their money! She is so funny when she runs, her legs go out side ways like she is flying and everyone thinks she looks like a little bat flying over the jumps. She only has to jump 300 aswell so in comps we are up against poodles, cavs, and all the "little" dogs so she whips them! :D

Hankyou ellz I have learnt that I probably and always will need to keep up my research on SBT before I start voiceing my opinions

Hankyou ellz I have learnt that I probably and always will need to keep up my research on SBT before I start voiceing my opinions

yes bluestaff that was me. I will keep an eye out for you next time thanks for the offer. For the record Sandra I have watched plenty of shows, just not competed in them. Thanks everyone for your in put I have learnt alot on this forum.