DeltaCharlie

How old are we talking? I know you say pre-teen but what sort of age frame are we looking at? Generally until kids are about 10 or 11 on average, they really cannot grasp the finer concepts associated with costs etc, especially given that they are not the ones paying directly, it would be their parents. I know you are very remote, but are you or anyone responsible planning a litter any time soon? If so, could they be on hand for all the hard work? I'm not talking a one-off come play with the puppies experience that will just make them want their own, I mean a day in day out all hours experience where they are have to work hard. I'm not sure of the logistics of this though, it may not be feasible in this situation. Our pups are 5 weeks old at the moment and I am just exhausted from picking up puppy poo, cleaning poo-covered puppies if I'm not fast enough to pick it up, listening to whinging as they have decided they are bored and want to play in the playpen, stopping puppies scaling the puppy pen, etc etc. To top it all off we only have 3 puppies in this litter! Not to mention waking up early for their first feed and going to bed late after their last feed. Mum has completely dried up and they are incredibly active pups, so its 4 hourly feeds at the moment (except overnight). If they are really keen, why not offer to help them find a pup when the time is right and they are a bit older? That way, they can start researching breeds now and build up their knowledge so that they are well and truly ready when the time comes. Kids are sponges when it comes to learning, and if it is something that they are seriously interested in then chances are they will love the opportunity to do this research and make sure it is done properly. When the time is right to contact a breeder then you can be there to help them with that too.

Are there dogs getting in his face every week? Perhaps he has just had enough of them and has decided to put a stop to it. I don't allow anyone to bring their dogs up to mine at training. They are there to work, not to be subjected to the attention of other dogs. They have their time to socialise, and they have their time to work- the 2 don't mix. I find it particularly with dogs who really enjoy agility, regardless of how experienced or new to the sport they are. They can be the friendliest dogs in the world but once they are around the equipment, at either training or a trial, they switch into working mode and don't allow other dogs to play during that time, and don't appreciate others getting into their face. Once they switch back out of that they will happily interact with the dogs around them.

Refuse to get out of bed in the morning as they know it means going outside to toilet. Lie on their backs and become a dead weight so you can't pick them up easily to take them outside. Upon returning from the toilet trip takes themselves back down the other end of the house and back to bed, where they stay for the rest of the day. On a more serious note, ours usually curl in a tight ball or hide their face under their tail. You can always put a rug or coat on them if you are worried they are too cold. Dogs tend to adapt pretty well though, remember Australia is nowhere near as cold as many other parts of the world and their dogs cope just fine. They will grow a thicker coat if they are cold, then drop it when it warms up again.

Try running 7 :p Before we cut back, our entries for 2012 were well over $1000 :laugh:

We have crates set up in our loungeroom so that everyone gets their time with us, and anyone not out is still close by. That way when we have puppies they can be crated nearby while the older dogs get time with us, then it swaps around and we put the older guys away for a bit so the puppy can have some time out and learn the rules of the house. That way the older/intolerant ones don't need to be subjected to the puppy's antics. Those that love puppies and have a lot of patience with them can stay out and wear out the puppy for us :) Part of the time the puppy is out is spent on a lap or next to one of us on a lounge as "chill-out" time, usually on lead to begin with to remove the option of running. That way they learn that being out doesn't automatically give them the right to be crazy and that sometimes they need to activate their off-switch.

Given how many people are holding off to find out judges, I wonder when they will be decided? I know of quite a few judges who have already been asked but have knocked it back as they would rather compete, so they are already working them out. The other thing I have heard is that they have to be prepared to judge all day, every day. Unlike previous nationals where they just had select events throughout and got to have a break in between. Some judges have said they would have been happy to give up running but weren't going to judge for 5 days straight.

Hmmm... it posted early so going to finish on this post :) They started throwing things into my yard (pieces of metal with raw meat stashed in it etc) so needless to say I made the decision to move. The guy who bought the house had bought it as a project to do up and then sell. He brought over a mattress so he could live on site with his lovely GSD. Within a few days he had a complaint in the letter box about how much of a nuisance the dog had been and wouldn't stop barking and carrying on. The letter also made mention of how negligent it was for him to put the dog there and not keep it where he (the new owner) was living. I guess, given that he hadn't brought over any furniture, the neighbours assumed he wasn't staying there. Once again, council became involved, and the given the history there the new owner had no trouble convincing the rangers that he was staying on site and the dog had been quiet.

Wow this is bringing back memories. I used to live next door to this old couple who had a gorgeous older dog. They were always chatty and would watch me doing agility training over the fence and always had positive comments about how well behaved my dogs were and how much they loved them. They were always complaining about the dogs in the house behind us and how much they barked, and telling me how good mine were. Then their little dog died (old age related) and they became really odd. I couldn't train in the yard any more as they would hurl abuse at the slightest yip from either of the dogs (mine generally aren't barkers on course, but they may give me a "hurry up mum" bark once every 5-10mins or so). One time they put a letter in my mailbox telling me they were sick of my dogs keeping them awake all night barking (my dogs slept on the bed with me so I know they weren't making a sound). Then one day they made a complaint to the council about my dogs. Supposedly recorded them barking all weekend and had all these documented times to go with the tape recording. The rangers came out with a nuisance dog order thing and when I questioned it (as I was on holidays so home a fair bit and knew that had been quiet) they gave me the dates and times. It was a weekend when the dogs were away with me from Friday afternoon until late Sunday night and I had evidence to back up that the dogs were not on the property, and were in fact 6 hours away with me. I had a friend who worked on the administration side of things with the rangers and she said numerous complaints came in from this same neighbour over the next few months but after verifying with my other neighbours that mine were quiet they just ignored them.

Ours don't tend to start until 14 months or so, that is living with and constantly being exposed to entire males and females. Ours cycle every 9-10 months or so, never clockwork, and never at the same time :laugh: They start when their body decides its right to start :)

One of the bitches here came in at 5 months. The others have all been 12-14 months :)

We are always being asked how we keep our dogs so clean and what do we use to wash them. Ummm... we live on a dusty property and they are lucky to have a bath every 5 or so years :laugh: I think diet plays a big part in their softness, and not being white helps too :)

Interesting video match-up of the recent 8" AKC champion vs the 26" AKC Champion. The video focuses on the see-saw but I actually found it interesting to see the differences elsewhere on course. The bigger dog picked up ground over contacts being the more powerful dog, while the little dog picked up ground on the jumps and turns with less airtime and the smaller stride when turning.

We have embroided collars (name and number) on our dogs so nothing dangly on them. Ours have their collars on at all times, but they are crated when nobody is home so not much chance of any injuries. They are very rarely in the yard unsupervised for more than a few minutes, just enough time to go to the toilet. When my dogs used to be left in the yard they were usually naked though.

In all honesty, at that age all of my puppies seem to forget all of their training regardless, the joys of the teenage years :D You will only be gone 2 weeks, I personally don't believe it would be an issue. Yes, the pup may forget some things but if you have put the foundations in there beforehand, they won't take too long to return once the routine has returned. My preference would be to keep a pup of that age out of kennels though. I wouldn't want anything negative to happen at such an impressionable age. In your house, with the BC and family members- I think it could well be a positive experience for the pup.

I have read your second and third posts. Sorry DC, a post like this is just so out of line and so lacking in compassion that it makes me feel quite ill. Agreed. You make it sound like it's the fault of the deceased little poodle. Apparently, when the owner of the little poodle was screaming and asking for help from neighbours, the owner of the offending dog came out, and coldly told the poor women to stop screaming and went inside, without even commenting on what his dog had done. That's compassion for you. People like that (the house owner) should not be permitted to own dogs IMO That is absolutely disgusting

I have read your second and third posts. Sorry DC, a post like this is just so out of line and so lacking in compassion that it makes me feel quite ill. I am not actually lacking in compassion, the whole thought of this poor dog ending its life in this way makes me feel sick, and my heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy. How horrible it must have been to witness the event and the poor little dog must have been petrified. I obviously should have led with that before asking the question. I first heard about it through a post on FB and my first thoughts were for the poor dog and its family. I also do not believe that any dog with the potential to do harm in this manner should ever be kept in a yard that close to where someone may be walking, especially if there are gaps in the fence. I would never tolerate any of my dogs doing that to another dog regardless of the circumstances and they would no longer be here if they ever tried it. A good friend of mine had a beautifully tempered dog that was attacked once by a dog that was permitted to put its head through a fence into her yard. The other dog was onlead and being walked by an adult male. Her dog was fully contained and went over to say hello to the dog that had stuck its head through the bars. Multiple surgeries and minus an eye later, she survived, but has never been the same again. Does the situation change if it is in the reverse? If the aggressive dog is the one permitted to approach the fence? Do people feel differently then? The point is, nobody should ever allow their dogs to stick their heads into another's yard. Unfortunately, this family has learnt that lesson the most tragic way possible, but perhaps it will serve as a warning to the next person who thinks it is a good idea. Not all dogs are friendly, not all dogs appreciate strangers encroaching on their space, and many dogs are territorial when it comes to their property.

This was my yard quite a few years ago when I lived in Sydney. The gate was covered in aviary mesh so nothing could pass through, however, if it didn't I have no doubt a small dog could put a head through. The neighbours had a low hedge running almost to the road. It was amazing the number of people that would still walk down my driveway with their dog or kids to say hello to the dogs. I only had Delta and Charlie at the time and occassionally some friendly fosters, so it never caused a problem, but sometimes people can be completely clueless unfortunately. I absolutely hated people coming up to them and needless to say I found a new place to rent when my lease ended.

Ok lets all backtrack a little bit before jumping down my throat... They way I heard it, and the way I read this post is that the person was walking the dog and allowed the dog to approach the gaps in the fence. Not once have I heard anything about the fenced in dog leaving its property- only that the little dog was poking its head through the holes in the fence and therefore encroaching on that dogs property. There are plenty of people who will allow their dogs to "say hello to the nice doggy on the other side of the fence". Not saying that was the case here but when I lived on a main road people were constantly bringing their dogs right up to my fence (deviating a good 4-5m from path to do so). If I have incorrect information or have misinterpreted in any way I am sorry, but that is how I have understood the situation.

Very sad for the little dog and family, however, I have to ask why on earth someone was walking their dog that close to a fence that had a dog behind it? I would be mightly p-ed off if someone walked their dog that close to my fence.

One thing I am becoming very aware of is the fact that I wait for my dogs WAAAYYY too much. I will signal a tight turn then wait until they have landed before I take off which puts me on the backfoot and frustrates the hell out of them. What I am finally starting to realise is that I can take off running as soon as they are committed to the jump which puts me much further ahead and drives them faster out of tight turns. Particularly with Charlie, which I suspect is why he hates running with me and prefers to run for Tailwag. He is capable of so much more speed than I have ever got out of him, and a huge part of that is due to me "babying him" and waiting for him too much instead of just running. Then he gets annoyed with me and decides he doesn't want to be there anymore. Even Whip, who has a long stride and turns like a mack truck is starting to give me some really nice tight work when I get my cues in on time. Trying to drive the dogs more is teaching me to pay more attention to my cues and timing and the faster and/or longer striding the dog the more accurate you need to be as you have less time to play with. I have a very long way to go but I like to think I am heading in the right direction.

It depends on what is happening I guess and whether something has caused a problem or it is a routine chiro. Our guys regularly see a great chiro in Canberra who is also a vet. The trialling dogs and puppies see her every 6-8 weeks as a maintenance/injury prevention thing so no point in x-raying as there is nothing actually wrong. She is also their vet though, so if an acute injury happened we would be taking them to her regardless and she would do the x-ray if she felt it was needed :)

Another one who is holding off to find out who is judging. Otherwise, I'd love to do NZ next year instead.

Yes, yes and yes. It simply blew me away how lazy I was on course when I started running some of their quicker dogs. They aren't any more able than our dogs, they are just trained to drive HARD. I don't think it is only our small dogs we molly coddle. Most of the working dogs in agility circles are treated the same way in Aus. They don't treat their dogs badly, they just have criteria and stick to it. The best analogy I can think of is that I want my dogs running as hard on course as they do when they are chasing something that (invariably) they shouldn't be. It's really hard to describe unless you've 'felt' it though. Hopefully with more Aussies going to WAO, FCI worlds and IFCS events we start to see more and more dogs running at that level over here. Its my main goal with my new puppy Shock. I've tried to implement it with Whip and Delta (I don't run Charlie, Tailwag does) and I am definitely seeing huge improvements with Delta and I am getting a lot more speed out of her than I used to. Whip on the other hand is not doing as well with it, well to be more precise I am not doing as well with it and he is suffering :laugh: I am getting caught up in the "drive to the next jump" mentality and failing to adequately cue him to decel (something he isn't great at at the best of times). He is also a dog that prefers to be at a distance from me and if I push to close I push him out around jumps. I'm trying to do a lot of short drills with him (alphabet drills etc) that are quite close together so I can get a feel for that balance between pushing for maximum speed while still maintaining spot on cues. The poor boy is trying his heart out but I just can't seem to get it right, which leaves me then reverting back to the stand and point handling that works. Delta is much more forgiving (and experienced) so I can get away with not being as accurate, plus she is loving being driven harder.

One of the biggest observations that the Kiwis made last year was that people with slower, small dogs were encouraging their dogs to be slow. These were the dogs that were carried to the startline and plonked on the ground (no attempts made to get them excited about running), handlers were plodding around a course not trying to engage their dogs in the "game of chase" which resulted in dogs that just plodded along beside them giving the appearance that they didn't even necessarily want to be there, then at the end of the run the handler would stop, call the dog to them and wait for the dog to stop, then give them a pat and a little piece of food. Then the dog would be cuddled all the way back to their crate (or to somewhere where the handler could sit with the dog on their lap). The biggest advice they had for someone with a small dog is to treat it like a working dog, or at the very least an agility dog. No more molly-coddling, no more stationary rewarding, and to start getting the dog excited about the sport of agility- make it fun for them! Make running the course the highlight of their day, instead of the cuddling with mum/dad before and after the run. The biggest advice they had for Australian handlers in general, particularly those with fast, driven dogs was to put it more effort and stop being so lazy. They were blown away by how LITTLE some of our top competitors actually do out there. As far as they were concerned, these dogs were giving 110% out there and handlers were not coming anywhere close to matching that. If you are perfectly able-bodied why stand in the middle and point and direct if not to show off your wonderful distance skills to those watching? Why stand and do a stationary rear cross when you could get there for a front cross? Why make the dog do all of the work and put in all the effort if it is supposed to be a team sport? It is something I know I am incredibly guilty of, I rely on having a fast dog that will do it regardless and don't necessarily match their effort out there on course. Definitely gave us some food for thought.

We use these guys too :) Have a little postage slip to pick up tomorrow from post office, it was only ordered 2 days ago.