Ptolomy

Sorry - no extra left - at this stage - I still have some bags in my car and a couple of people are overseas - so need to wait for them to return and hand over money before being able to put any on the available list

Sorry Ness - have you started with just 2 leathers 1 scented and 1 unscented - or are you trying to add leathers to the metals and woods?

I introduce it the same as I did for metal and wood

Has the metal training had anything to do with the improvement in the dumbbell fronts?

I tried to get some video this morning of Cider bear doing scent - well I have a very nice video of my legs and Cider's bottom half doing scent - or Cider leaving me to go and find the scent article and disappearing off the screen. Hmm lets just say this videoing is a work in progress

What size are you after?

Woo Hoo Rivsky - looking forward to seeing the video of Rivs round :D Best of luck tomorrow Xena at the States

You will have to find somebody else to stick their hands up for a bulk orbee order - I am sure somebody will volunteer

Um Huski - there was a time before I got into tollers that I came very close to getting a beagle

The issues were with Moo - and I did breed him!!!!!!

I sent out an SOS to the guru a couple of days ago - saying things were going pearshaped in training - and I needed a lesson (it always happens just before I go away ) Anyway to cut a long story short - the guru suggested next time choosing a breed that wasn't so smart, or if I must stick with this breed to choose the dumb one in the litter - as smartness brings problems all of their own Great now she tells me ;)

have you tried teaching hand touches?

Can any body offer any suggestions???? Have you started waiting for mulitple repetitions before rewarding - so waiting for 2,3 or 4 paw touches before clicking and treating? I tend to put a cue on early - one of my many bad habits! The way to introduce a cue - well to begin with, as the dog offers the behaviour you can say the cue and c/T. After you had rewarded a few of these - you can try saying the cue and see if the dog then offers the behavour. Once the dog knows the behaviour, I only reward if I give the cue first - well all except them bringing me shoes, mats, toys and clothing and then I recognise that I have created monsters and will always reward whenever they bring me something - whoops.

Are you using the same scented article or are you doing a fresh scent on an aired article each time?? Same heavily scented articles (so I now have 1 wood and 1 metal which I use every day). I found this helps with the learning phase - and it has never been hard to introduce a fresh article once they know the game.

Cider is now working 7 metals and 5 woods mixed together - will give it a day or two before trying her on leathers. I noticed this morning that she was even more confident going to the pack and making the correct decision. I will try and get it on video over the weekend.

Huski - try playing the 2 food game with the metal article tomorrow on the lawn - its much easier for them to pick up and its a fun game.

I want to see photos.......

I'd say she's using what time she has to train .....and to pack boxes as settlement of the house is getting closer ......not to mention trying to get people out to repair the house and fence damage from the storm so that settlement isn't delayed

Point taken Jules P Not about to get into a slanging match that was never the intention ......sorry if I offended For me if I want something enough - I will do everything I can to make it happen and because I am busy need to put steps in to make things easier in the long run, hence getting up early, somedays training twice a day and working on lots of things when the dog is young with a view to revisiting further down the track. Amypie you have no excuse - get off your butt and do something with Trixie before you go to work - you bad girl!

UM - very poor excuse Jules P - I have 5 dogs (4 competing and 1 retired) 4 do agility and 5 still come training for obedience, I work full time, also run a boarding kennel, have 2 2 legged kids and I am helping a mate do up a house - so limited time - yep I do understand - buts its no excuse. Maybe you should have just said happy to chug along at your own time/rate Nope not picking on you just pointing out different priorities I guess. back in my box now...... Ps - tell us more about your puppy

Jules P - when I got my first dog I only ever trained up the stage that I was at - so when I got my novice title I then started open training, and once I got our open title I then trained UD. Hence it sometimes took months having obtained one title before you could get back in the ring at the next level. Although here in WA we had something called novice comp which was a level inbetween novice and open. Now I think of the kids as sponges - happy to absorb as much as I can throw at them and even if I don't do the exercises for many months - picking it up again further down the track is much easier than having to train it from scratch. You may also find that teaching them "new" things sometimes makes the things they know well improve - because they become easy. So don't stop here - find something new to teach your kids - even if it is find a seekback article, or sit in a box or a hoop I am sure your kids will enjoy learning and it will also improve your teaching skills.

Rubystar - will watch the video's tonight when I get home - thanks for posting them and Terranik - I still need to watch your last trial video - so thats also on tonights viewing. Took the kids training at K9 last night and Bedazzelled did a bit of work with Cider Bear - WOW lovely to watch and amazing how a baby can adapt so quickly when a handler is neat and tidy. And Red really is bedazzled's colour - like the right coloured handbag to go with an outfit. Hmm think you should cancel your kelpie order and work Cider Bear for me

It so nice to see the photos of the dogs playing with the balls and hearing how much they are enjoying them. Maybe I need to do another order later in the year I met Georgie Boy last night and she met the kids as they all jumped out of the car to say hello - thanks for coming to K9 to collect your i-squeaks. Last night I was doing obedience alongside the agility people. One of the hanlders was playing i-sqeuak with her BC, who was having a wonderful time squeaking this ball. Now I would have bet my last $ on the fact that my kids would have run over to play i-squeak with this dog but Interestingly my kids all managed to ignore the i-squeak and kept working - including Cider - who wasn't on a lead. So there went my last $

Yes Amypie - just make the cheque out to the club.