Ptolomy

Try http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OzObedienceTrialling/

Have to say......being on cloud 9 just means that you have further to fall BUT the red wine up here is worth hanging around a bit longer for......

We did actually get the rounds on video. I need to wait for my mate to put them on disc (thanks Zoe) and then i need to send them to SA so that another friend/s can put them on You Tube (thanks Tash/Sal). But I promise I will post them - but just don't hold your breath.

OK - singing and dancing after a night worth bottling...... At the State Obedience Championships baby Lexi came 2nd in novice with 194 and she did her SFE - yeehar! Witchypoo Blaize won open with 197 Scoota Moota won UD with 188 and Blaize took out winner of winners...... and....Beans actually put in a great effort in open but failed COP and Scoota well he moved 12 feet in the SFE (gees you can't have everything!)

I was giving my kids 1- 1 1/2 patties for an evening meal - most of my kids weigh 16-23kg, and they would probably all be having training treats at night as well. With the patties I also give them plain brand frozen mixed veges, probably 1/2 cup. AS I said there are 10 patties per bag and two flavours - beef, and lamb and chicken

I have been using these for my kids for a couple of months - not all the time - just every now and again. You can get two varieties and you can get them from Coles as well as IGA. They are not as big as BARF patties and don't look to have as many veges in them - but they didn't last very long in the kids bowls. There are 10 patties in a packet and they cost $4.79 for a packet.

OOps there was one more thing......... If you were to bend down slowly to take the dumbbell from Molly, would she drop it? It looks like you are worried she will drop it so are rushing the take bit.... Back in my box now

OK Shoey - you want me to pick you to bits - er sorry offer suggestions........ Firstly - change your sweet bowls for a bit smaller bowl - more the size of a glove ( the reason for this is just in case I ever get invited for dinner I want to make sure the dog bowl doesn't have dog lick in it ) Its a bit like using huge stand signals - no need for it. Have watched your retrieve videos. Gees Molly loves to retrieve - well it looks like it. SO make the most of it by really hoiking (hmm is that a real word??) the dumbbell so that she can belt out to it and belt back again. It always looks impressive when they do it. As Molly presents - you drop your head - you would be better watching her all the way back in so that it is a gradually lowering rather than a nod - being super picky here. Finally when you give her the finish signal you drop you right shoulder - no need for this - the dog doesn't need such a big signal.

My son taught Lara my old girl to go downstrairs, open the fridge, get a beer out, bring it upstairs and give it to him and to then go back downstairs and close the fridge door. It was the bestest party trick ever. It was all taught in bits using a clicker and food and we did start with an empty can just in case.....

Well done Shoemonster, LP can see you have been training and working on it. Its a bit hard to tell what your signal is like and also if the dog is actually locking onto the glove - or just going out to it because thats the way you arm is flapping. Also because the gloves are at opposite ends of the kitchen it is also hard to tell if she understands that you arm is actually giving direction rather than a fetch command as in the dumbbell. The idea of the food bowls is that the dog will lock into the bowl you are directing and will not take their eyes off it until you send. Can we have a weekly video update - this is great.......

Its a terrific idea and I am very envious The big problem is choosing a day and time - you will never chose one to suit eveybody. Then everybody will turn up and you are all at different training levels, and then what......so has anybody given any thought as to what will happen Will you call some heelwork for each other Will you run each other through some ring exercises Will you just work next to each other and use each other as distractions. Will you choose a partner from out of a hat and work with that person for 5 minutes and then choose another parnter You could put all the exercises from open and UD (you could include novice exercises as well) into a hat and chosen three exercises and do them in the order chosen. You could take a basket full of toys along and spread them out and do some distraction heelwork..... OH - are you sure you all dont want to come to Perth this week - I am on holidays......

I want to play - can I suggest the K9 grounds in Perth????? any day this week

Cats wouldn't survive at my place I have to get the Calafornia Natural from Pets Paradice - its the only option I have. I think I pay $26 for a 2.5kg bag which lasts a long time! Even all flavours of BARF patties have beef in them

Yes I am in Perth...... and it was a matter of finding something without beef, lamb, corn or wheat in it and most dry foods have at least one of these. She is basically fed BARF with bickies on the odd occassion - so I am not concerned about the sunflower oil.

I feed Calafornia Natural Herring and Sweet Potato to my girl with allergies.

I take my old girl to Tracy in Jandakot for Bowen.

Scoota is one of my obedience/agility dogs, who I describe like trying to drive a high performance vehicle in a 60km/hr zone, who 18 months ago, jumped up to get a teddy bear and his back end collapsed. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and looking back he was probably sore for 2 months prior to this happening - but I just didn't pick it. His injury was initially muscle/ligament related. When he is sore - his back is roached, he sits squiffy and takes very short stumpy steps at the rear. When checking his spine - we find the normal bounce who should get and then we hit rock where there is no bounce - this is usually where he is sore and where Deb manipulates or needles if needed. Does treatment take long - hmmm Deb doesn't rush you - she will close the gate and let the dog off lead and she will watch it move and ask you questions and make comments. She will then give the dog a physical and will then tell you what she thinks. She will also tell you if she thinks she cannot help your dog as well. I am usually there for 60-90 minutes and there is no way she would expect the dog to sit still for any length of time, but they just do! Does it hurt - hmmm I would lie if I said no. Depending on where she is needling - the dogs don't like it and sometimes will stand for the full 30 minutes because they are too scared to move. Othertimes they just lay down and are not bothered. Last night Scoota was manipulated and he squealled (he doesn't normally) - but he has been extra sore and this morning he is moving really well.

Happy to give you the details of the vet/chiro I use - she does accupuncture on my kids and having tried lots of different treatments I can thoroughly recommend her. She operates from her back yard in Shelley. First consult is $75 and then $50 thereafter and you are there for over an hour. ArtyFarty also takes dougal to see her I have also tried bowen and Liz Franks.

I have tried lots of different treatments for Scoota and spent big $. For us I have had the most success with accupuncture and have found a wonderful vet who operates from her back yard in Shelley (the same one ArtyFarty goes to). She will not only do accupuncture on the kids but also do usual vet things for cost price, and the best part is as you leave she give you a big hug

The dermatologist told me 1000mg of fish oil for every 5kg of weight.

LOL - just because I have had to use my stick on you many a time At least you know before I beat you I will start off with something positive........like you did well getting up early this morning - now HOW COME YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANY TRAINING! :rolleyes:

Argh Leopuppy - you know I am big and scary NOT! I did go through a stage when I first started scent articles with Lara - where I would use the articles and would then put them in a zipped undies/stocking wash bag and hang them on the washing line. Believe me - it really really isn't necessary. Now I have never heard of putting them in the freezer. No room in my freezer due to all the dog food and icecream! :rolleyes: Getting back to the gloves..... We get ours from Coles/ Woolworths or Bunnings. Cotton gardening gloves - some are whiter than others. You can bleach them to make them a wee bit whiter - or to clean then when they are grotty. We usually have a training pair (which are really really dirty with dog goozie ) and a trialling pair which are cleaner and I am not too embarrassed to hand to the judge.

Washing articles - well when I was new to the game I went through the washing phase and what cured me - I decided one day to wash the leather ones by putting them in boiling water - I wanted all those smells gones. I came back to find my leather articles were minitures - they had shrunk to next to nothing so a word of advice from one who learnt the hard way - don't ever put them in boiling water. Have to say - you need to do nothing at all to your articles - other than taking the lid off the container and leaving them outdoors to air in the container. Its best to have at least three sets though so you can rotate them, but once the dog knows the exercise I can use the same articles every night for training and it makes no difference to the dog. I think I have about 8 sets for 5 dogs. As for the seekback rules - the rules are the same in every state as we all use the same blue rule book - and the rolled seekback is the same shape and size as the metal article. I have trialled in most states under judges from every state and my rolled article has never been questioned. Off topic......at the Nationals, somebody from NSW came up to me and said if I ever trialled in NSW I would lose points because I played with my dog in the ring between exercises. HMmm can't wait to trial in NSW next year!

Shoemonster - I just purchased two leather seekbacks from that place and I am really happy with them. I used to make my own and they were the similar - but they weren't stitched. I did think $12 was a bit pricey, but in the end just paid it anyway. Not sure if you have a contact for Gina O'Keefe - but a friend of hers makes rolled leather ones in WA and I think they are about $4. Otherwise you can use a normal wooden or metal scent article. And Leopuppy - YES Kinta should be starting UD exercises now and YES she does have a lazy owner who should be beaten with my wooden stick!

OH WOW how cute is that!