Ptolomy

My last two dogs I did CCD with. The first one I didn't end up getting her 3rd leg I went on to novice. My younger one I got all three legs before moving to novice. I gave it a lot of thought and decided that although I was experience the dog wasn't and I decided that CCD was the way to go - even if it was just for one trial. I have to agree stays at CCD and novice level are a real worry. At any level if my dogs are not on a pass I never do stays with them. I see that you are in Brisbane - you have the state obedience championships on at Durack in 2 weekends time - it might be worth a visit to sus out the standard and to help you decided CCD or novice. If you do decide to visit - come and say hello!

I hear that people are already booking accommodation for the agility nationals - so don't leave it to long before you look for somewhere to stay. and keep your eye out for cheap airfares

Lots of passes happening - well done everybody Anybody planning on coming to WA in October for the Obedience Nationals or May next year for the Agility Championships?

I asked about credit cards last week and they said cash only.

Giving the injections does get easier - I get the needles out and the stuff from the fridge and my little girl comes running and sits in front of me waiting for me to give her injection and then a reward. The others all stand around going - "where's ours"

can I hijack for just a second? I have seen blood sausage in the butcher and deli, but I need to know if I need to cook it first??? Yes cut the blood sausage into thin slices 1-2mm thick and then place on a plate on some absorbant paper and microwave for 4-5 minutes (it goes a bit rubbery). The last lot I did - I microwaved it in two lots - I didn't bother covering it. The house will stink so you will need to open up all the windows. When cooled I cur each slice into 1/4's and then I put them into plastic bags and into the freezer and I just pull out a bag when I need it.

I decided that while it is a work in progress I use wait for everything (my thinking is that if they break it doesn't really matter in this learning phase as I will be changing the cue anyway). Once they have a solid WAIT, the plan was to change the cue to STAY for everything. Umm but it never happened to this day I still use WAIT ;) for everything.

When I was learning I used to sit outside the open and UD rings and watch what other handlers did. It was very easy to tell the signals I liked and the exaggerated ones, and if unsure I asked a zillion questions. I have to say that most handlers really exaggerate the down and stands signals almost like they are worried that the dog can't see them

Its been a L O N G time coming, but today Miss Beans added CDX to her name For the first time ever she stayed focused and played between exercises and she didn't miss any sits or finishes. The kids were good today and the toller tree remained empty

OH come on guys get over it - cut up some meat or chicken and put it in your pocket - or buy a vest and use those pockets. Honest to god the first time is the worst and at the end of the training session if you feel grossed out - take your clothes off and throw them in the wash. If you are that worried about your clothes dedicate one pair of trackie dacks for training. Your challenge tomorrow is to buy some chicken necks, put them in your pocket and go out training. What else can you use - the list is endless..... Try some raw sweet potato Raw pork belly cut up Baby yoghurts (Ok I leave this in the tub) Blood pudding (cut it up into small slices and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes, cool, put into bags and freeze so you can pull out bags as needed. Coles and Woolworths also sell meat ends in the deli section I pay $2.98/kg Wing tips Chicken necks I use a lot of dried goat chicken gizzards capsicum cucumber carrot apple strawberries PS - we have now sourced a fruit juice place that at the end of the day we pick up a bag of pulp from - absolutely terrific and it costs us nothing.

I will email her tomorrow. I think she there are all age trials for the next couple of weekends and I know that she has just got a job promotion - so she might be out celebrating.

In the double header trial yesterday little Miss I can't work away from you, Beans managed two clear open jumping rounds for her title There is now a light at the end of her agility career (and its not a train!)

Dare I ask where you old and new clubs are??

Laffi - post to the oz-obedience list and see if somebody can recommend a vet, or has had one done recently. Penny the vet is in WA at the moment for an AADA Trial, and not sure where she operates from, but she may do it?

But I entered online and that took me 2 weeks, a call from whoever looks after the online entries, and umptine goes. Don't laugh Ness, Lexi isn't much bigger than a 200 dog

So Leopuppy - are you doing aptitude testing on the pups to see which is your future Obedience Champion - or are you purely picking on looks?

Hmm good point - I have entered and never realised that they didn't ask for height details - and whats scary is that I am not a newby!

Not in Darwin...I have found it on special for between $2.00 and $2.50 for 4 small potatoes. I would feed it raw but Ruby prefers it cooked unless it's mixed with other raw veg (which she can't have ATM). Everything here is so much more expensive than Down South. It's because of FREIGHT because we're so far away from civilisation! You know they truck most of our produce up from Adelaide, so that accounts for doubled or tripled prices...of course! :D Chicken is definitely one of the culprits in Ruby's case. So that rules out a lot of foods and treats and makes boarding her that much more difficult. We also don't have access to the more exotic processed foods as nobody stocks them in Darwin. It's hard enough to find BARF patties although they were recently introduced by Pet Barn. Yay. Finding alternate protein sources here is very hard - I've never seen rabbit or roo here of a "pet food quality" but have asked at butchers...once they finish laughing, they tell me that it's too expensive for pet food and they'd sell me some if I'm willing to pay $25 for a whole rabbit or the going rate per kg for roo steaks...Camel would produce a similar result I think. Thanks for your replies so far, gives me more info to work with...I don't think we have a veterinary dermatologist here though. :D have you tried her on Roo?

Beef is the most common food that a dog is allergic to followed by chicken and lamb! Yes I have done the elimination diet - took 6 months . Started on goat and sweet potato and by the end of it I found that she was allergic to beef, lamb, wheat, corn and milk, which wipes out a truck load of commerical foods. My dog can eat Herring and Sweet Potato dry food made by Calafornia Natural. It is a long slow process and interestingly now, 3 years down the track, if I drop some forbidden food on the floor and she gobbles it up she no long breaks out with all her bits turning a neon red colour. Good luck! PS - you can get sweet potato a lot cheaper than $5 a kg and I always feed it raw.

I buy Capstar for large dogs and give 1/4 tablet every day to my 15kg dog - thats what the dermatologist advised me to do!

We have to fill in the CAWA paperwork and either photocopy our 3 qually cards or take the 3 cards into the Canine Office. At one stage we were also having to provide our registration paperwork for the dog as well, but they seem to have let this one slip of late. Oh and don't forget the required fee - ours is currently $17.30 and an extra $3 if you want it laminated or $2 if you want the certificate posted out. Well done on your title!

Back from a weekend in the country. Sexy Lexy overcame losts of bad odds, her first run in masters agility, and me handling her, and she still went clear She also went clear in Excellent jumpings - Woo Hoo Scoota put in a ripper UD round this morning - finished 2nd with 192 - but I lost 3 marks when I dropped the first scent article on his head (he had to pick it up again) and then he lost three in gloves when I sent him around to heel and he started sneezing and sat crooked. The best bit of all was that he didn't stand over his scent articles and he was a very happy boy. All his presents and finishes were spot on Yee Har

Thinking outside the square instead of using long grass you could hide the articles in lots of leaves

Something you might also want to consider it the size of the dog. Have to say its much easier rewarding a tall or medium dog than it is a little dog and having to bend over all the time.

I use the herring and sweet potato with my little allergy girl. Its the only dry food she has been able to eat without having a reaction. I use very little, and she loves it - but then she would eat anything put in front of her.