Ptolomy

Tiggy - you can pay as much as you want to go into the ring as often as you want - thats the beauty of the practice trials. ;) As you walk into the ring you can say to the judge I would just like to do a SFE and a recall, or can I do heelfree and a change of positions, or I want to reward for attention at the start post so do you mind asking me if I am ready several times or can I practice coming into the ring removing my lead and lining up at the start post and then rewarding, or can you call me a really short heel pattern and then I would like to run out of the ring and play with my dog. You never know your luck - I might be one of the novice judges

You will be able to get away with a check chain at most clubs but a pronged collar - er good luck! Its interesting that you consider any club that doesn't use these as P+. I think my interpretation and yours of "positive" are at opposite ends of the scale. But good luck anyway.

Where do you live??? and have you made enquiries with the Shepherd Club?

Abbigail Abby AJ Alika Alchemy Amber Amelia Amy x 2 Anais Annie Anastacia (Annie) Angel X 4 Anishinaabe Annabelle Annabella April Arizona Asante sana Ashka Askari Astro Audrey Aura Ayla Baba Baci Bailey Beans Becky Bella x3 Bit Blaize Blossom Bonny x 2 (Bonnie) Bonita Brandy Bree Bridie Buffy Cally Cassie Casper CC Cedar Chelsea Chevy x 2 Chloe x 2 Charlotte Cider Cinta CJ x 2 Claire Claudia Clover Cleoparta Coco x2 Cossette Daisy Dallas Delilah Delta Demi Dexta Diazz Dinky Durham Dyzney Ebony Echo Elizabeth Ella Ellie Ellie x2 Emily Emma Erin Evie Faith Fanta Finta Fleur Froggy Gabby Gemma Genie (not exactly a girly name but I thought it suited my goldy) George Ginny Gita Glitter Grace Griffin Gypsy x2 Harlow Hayley x2 Heddy Heidi x2 Holly x 5 Honey Honour Hope Imme Imogen - Imy Jade Jane Jay Jay Jenna x 2 Jess Jessie x 2 Jezebel Jindi Jodie Juliet Kara Kari Karma Karmen Kaos Katie Katy Kayla Keilani Kelli Kelsey Kenzie Kiesha Kirra (agility name Kiz) Kizzey Krissy Kuean - (Queen) Lacey Layla Lea (lele) Lexi x 2 Libby Lily x 2 Lobo Logan Lola x 2 Lottie Lucy x4 Luuka Mable Maddison Maggie x2 Mallee Marie Claudette Marlo Meg Meisha Merrique Mia Milla Millie x3 Minnie x 2 (Mynni) Minouche Mischka Mitzi Molly x5 Molly Coddle Moochie Mya Nala Narla Natasha Nena Ness Olivia Paxy Pearl Peggie Pebbles Phoebe Pip Polly Popcorn Porridge Prada Quince Rani Reba Rebel Reno Rhoda Rizzi Rogue Rommi Rosey Rosie Roxy Ruby x3 Sabrina Sadie Saffron Safire Sally x2 Sarah Sarah Jane Sascha x 2 Satu Savannah Scandal Shae Shandy Shannon Sharnie Sheba Shine Sinta Sienna Skye SkySnow Sophie x2 Sophia Springy Spook Stella x2 Stimpy X2 Storm Sue Suzie Sybill Tara Tasha Tayla Teegan Tess x 2 Tessa Texas Tia x 2 Tilli Tilly x3 Tinny (tin tin) Tori Tully Tyra Vada Voodoo Winter Wilhelmina Xanthe Zillah Ziva Zoe x 3

I have created monsters by rewarding them for bringing me things, but I would much rather the dogs bring me things than have them take them off and chew them. Its started with shoes, but it can now be, toilet rolls, knickers, toys, snoozer beds you name it. The dogs bring me something and I always reward them - I think they have me well trained. The other night I had 19 shoes on the bench!

Gees if you were in excellent we would nab you - but Lexi already has her novice title. You might have to ask around at ACWA training - maybe one of the shelties???

Hey Amypie - At the Nationals are you going to give the games a go too?

Remember that we have Not for Competition in WA - so you can still have a run on the course, it costs you half price, - but it just doesn't count as a pass if you go clear. The other thing is if you enter novice at the Nationals and you get your title after closing date then you can stay in Novice for the Nationals

Hey Amypie - this sounds encouraging As Jess said most secretaries will elevate you to the higher class, especially if you contact them prior to the catalogue being printed. The Nationals is probably the exception. I think from memory a cut off date was posted for changes.

It cost me $1500 to get a 12 week old puppy from Blenheim on the south island to WA - 9 years ago.

A suggestion for stays - don't always make it a formal exercise - put her into a sit and go and pull a few weeds, or water a plant, go back and reward her for sitting and then go and water another one - or hang out the washing..... and yes I too usually begin by going behind a car or a tree or a building and pop my head out and tell them what a good job they are doing, sometimes I don't even both going out of sight - just stand where I can still see them next to the car or the building.

I will be on the bottom oval for all 4 nights :D. Think I have 4 kids entered the first night, 5 the second, 3 the third and 3 on the last night. Having the rest of the week off work to recover

Cider loves the little ones and I have started using them as a reward for heeling for her - the best bit is that she actually brings them back and gives them to me - I don't have to rugby tackle her to the ground like I do the others The other interesting thing is that I have a couple of large i-squeaks in each of the colours but none of the dogs like the blue ones.......

Rubystar if you decide to order - let me know - I want some more................little............I-SQUEAKS

I take my competing kids to a vet who works from home in Shelley. She does accupuncture and also chiro on the dogs. She is the reason Scoota is still able to compete. I also take my old girl to the lady that Showdog recommended who does Bowen - she is perfect for my old girl and is helping keep her mobile. We see her every 6 weeks. PM me if you want any more details.

My mums toller stole half a packet of Macademias off the coffee table (bless him NOT and bad mum for leaving them in reach of a red dog) - a few hours later he couldn't stand and had no strength in his his back end at all. They rush him to the vet and then they worked out what the problem was. He was put on a drip and next day he was back to "normal" whatever that is...... Then a month ago the girl at work her dog was fed macademias you know one for you, one for the dog. Once again a few hours later he couldn't stand - so spent the night at the vet on a drip - $300 later and then next day he was walking normally.

Thanks Lara is now 13 and still going strong Blaize is now 9 and is still a bitch Can work when she wants to depending on whats on offer ARGH

There are people more qualified than me to say who Steve Davies is - but basically he does obedience trials in NSW, trained a dog to OC level and has set up http://www.powerpawsteam.com/index.html and is in the process of changing obedience in Oz to be more like the UK style, using play and positive reinforcement. He has been to Crufts for the last couple of years, training with people competing there and in June he is bringing over Kamal Fernandez who will be conducting a seminar in NSW.

I learnt the game at club training many many many years ago with my first dog Lara. I guess it gets its name because didn't Hansel and Gretel drop breadcrumbs which were eaten by the birds.......now its BIG chunks of cheese which are eaten by the vultures

Tiggy thats one of the games we play - its called Hansel and Gretel - you are doing circle work with the dog on your inside - when the dog is in heel position you click and throw the food with your left hand into the middle of the circle and you keep walking - the dog will come running back and start heeling again and after a couple of steps you can click and throw the food again. Gradually you can extend the amount of time the dog is heeling before you C/T. Its best to use easily visable chunks of food.

Its interesting that you say this Tiggy. Scoota improved a heap when he turned 4 - its like he matured and things that he had stuggled with in the past became so much easier for him to deal with. It was at this point that I decided that he was ready to take east - up until then he was Mr Inconsistency Beans is now 4 and I keep telling her ......Hmm Tiggy did the book say 4 physically or mentally?????

We start stays by teaching steady feet - and we use this for both the sits and the stands So the idea is to have the dog in a sit and we attempt to move a piece of food towards the dog - if the dog doesn't move its front feet it gets the food - if it does move the front feet then the food moves away and you start again. YOu can repeat the exercise over and over bringing food in at different speeds so slowing it right down and from all different directions (low, high, from the side) using the same principle - if the dog moves its front feet the food goes away if it stays still it gets the treat. Before you run out of treats you can free the dog off - have a play and then set the dog up in a different location to go through the process again. It usually doesn't take the dog long to work out sitting/standing still is what gets rewarded.

Hmm could do a package deal here - like a free set of steakknives - but instead I will throw in Blaize as an added bonus

Tiggy - Cider wont be in the ring before she is 18 months and more than likely closer to two. She has so much to learn and at the moment if I work anywhere other than the driveway its pretty ordinary....hmmm perhaps I could hold a trial in the driveway - now thats a thought Have asked the guru for a lesson on teaching stands as I started teaching Cider and very quickly I could see the same issues Scoota has developing, so have held off for the time being. Have been working on steady feet though Stays aren't in her vocab yet ;) I have started article holding and she will pick it up and return with it - so I am now working on fronts while holding things. Have played find the seekback in the house - but need to get somebody to hold her since "wait there darling mummy will come back in a moment" or "stay there you bag" don't seem to work

Thanks Rubystar - poor Scoota is going to have to lift his game