Luke W

ISO Mode 1 is OK as long as you're not panning.

Expensive filters and sometimes non at all - depending on the conditions. At the beach I'd use an expensive UV filter. Just because it's easier to clean the salt spray off a filter by running it under water. My UV filters cost $150 ;) I'm gradually coming around the the 'don't use them brigade'. If you use a hood and you're careful, I'm not even sure you need one.

I would've gotten wet! I was hesitant enough about taking my camera to the beach, standing in the water wasn't an option ;) I'll compromise and go early morning next time instead of late evening Not sure what the lens was at, don't think I zoomed at all. I'll check this eve. Lenses have a sweet spot, a focal length and aperture where they perform there best. The also have 'sour spots' (haha - I just made that term up)...where they don't perform particularly well. Lens often perform worst when they are at their extremes. In your case, the lens might be a struggling a bit at 70mm (and 300mm). Sometimes even just a slight change (from 70mm to 80mm for example) can make a significant difference.

more... The first two images are heavily side-lit (I can tell by the shadows), the shadows are muddy (you tried to brighten them yes?). If you had gotten between the dogs and the water, the sun would have been in a better position. Also, try shooting at 200mm rather than 300mm.

How did I know...magic :p Nah...they just have that 'loss of resolution' look about them. The white balance is also off which makes them look a little 'muddy' to me. It's hard to tell without seeing the originals (feel free to send me one when you get home). Oh and after downloading one of the images and loading it into PS - I notice it's got a color profile of "IMac Calibrated" - you should always convert to sRGB before posting to the web. In fact, if shooting JPG, set your camera a to sRGB and stick with sRGB throughout your LR workflow. If I was you, I'd start shooting RAW Finally, do you have a filter on the front of your lens (a cheap UV filter by any chance) ? oh - one last thing - Vickies post-processing skills are pretty (very!) good.

Are the first two full frame (not cropped) ? Are you shooting in RAW or JPG ?

BTW - The video is Dr Ian Dunbar - he's great!!!

Keep the treat in your hand until they get their bums down. Be patient! You can keep your hand on the floor, palm down, with the threat underneath. Eventually, they should put their bumbs down, simply because it's uncomfortable to remain in the 'bow' position for too long! The other trick is to slowly move your hand (on the floor), back between the dogs front legs toward it's chest. It's naturally reaction will be to fold back into a down.

Same way for both... Really, really easy. Like this: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=0I0O6ktNJuA Fade the food as quickly as possible (treat from the other hand). The stylise the empty handed lure into a hand signal.

edited. Yes. Mostly.

Welcome and good luck getting your pup!!!

Thanks Jules - more stuff to work on.

OK - I guess your at the stage where you go quite a while before he gets his treat? A long series of behaviors then a treat at the end of the session?

Good advice - something new to practice. Any video, link or books that describe the practicalities? I get the part wher I run to the bag but I don't imagine I train him to run to an open bag of diced chicken and let him woof down the whole lot!

Two different contact training methods - Buzz had 2o2o and Encore does a running. Ironic that she should miss at worlds too as when she was here she said that the only reason she taught Encore a running was to get that fraction of a second edge to win worlds. (Looks like Murphy's Law also applies to agility! ) And yeah, I love watching her run too - awesome handler. Bugger!! I'm still shocked though. Luke, precues are signalling to the dog where it needs to go next before it takes the obstacle before the directional change. You can see this handler often using either opposite arm/hand or both arms/hands to give directional cues. In a really simple version, picture 3 jumps - a precue would be telling the dog what direction it needs to take jump 3 before its set itself for jump 2 so it can take the cleanest and quickest line. You could tell the dog by bringing your opposite arm (furthest from your dog) across the front of your body and pointing it Jump 2. Tells the dog "take jump 2 then turn in the direction of the pointing hand". Not that easy to explain via forum, plus there seems to be 2 types of precues. One using opposite hand/arm which isn't used/accepted a lot I've noticed, then there's general body language i.e running flat out towards a jump to indicate "keep going forward" vs slowing down towards the jump which is a "there's a turn coming so pull up and be ready for it" which is used a lot more. Gotcha. Thanks for the explanation.

By the way - I don't think Croydon let you start agility till your dog is 18mo.

Same as me I think.

Cool Clairybell - good luck with agility. Maybe we'll see each other at a trial in a year or two!! It'll be good to have a couple of English Cocker Spaniels competing!

good work!

I just did some heal work... Before doing the heal work I was practicing holding eye contact. Me sitting on the couch and clicking for sustained eye contact. Then giving the treat, slowly and gently. His food taking during the heal work was a little better. Oh and saying 'take it' seemed ot make him more gentle too. Interesting.

My vet says his tonsils were a tiny bit inflamed to. She actually heard/saw him 'cough' and said, yep that's typical KC... It didn't sound much like a person cough to me... Just a single, 'caak', like the clearing of a throat, then a sort of gag like he was trying to bring something up. Glad to hear yours got better!

Thanks, he's OK if I'm slow and gentle myself, it's mainly a problem in the 'heat of battle' so to speak.

OK - cool - food for thought (excuse the pun) He's got an 'off' command - which means don't take food until I say "take it". But I tend to just use this as a self-control exercise and wait till he gives me eye contact before I give the 'take it' command. The way it goes is: "Off" Throw or offer food. Wait for eye contact "Take it" I do this exercise with food in my hand, thrown to the ground, placed on his paw, etc. He's not super-gently even during this exercise but he is never mouthing when he gets the take it command. He does tend to be a little in food drive I guess so he's pretty eager (but controlling himself somewhat). I don't normally give the 'take it' command when offering his standard reward. Partly because he'll take it if it's offered UNLESS it's preceeded by "off". Maybe giving 'take it' everytime and getting rid of the 'off' command would help?

Barkly used to be pretty gentle taking food rewards, plus I always tried to give them off the palm of my hand rather than out of my fingertips. A couple of things have changed: 1. I often throw his reward to him - he can catch food now - so he gets a little less practice taking food when he's static. 2. I'm doing a lot more work on heeling and so I'm rewarding him with food WHILE he's walking by my side and it's also coming from my finger tips. He's a little rough when he's taking his food reward, especially when he's heeling. I guess it's not as easy for him to be slow and gentle when he's in motion with his head up and my hand is moving a little as well. He tends to snatch a little bit and his teeth often graze (without breaking skin) my fingers. So... Any suggestions on getting him to be as gentle as possible when taking food rewards until all circumstances? A better technique for me? Thanks.

Hi Claireybell.. There's a sticky in the Dog Sports forum http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...108588&st=0 There's 4 dedicated agility clubs in Victoria as far as I know: Agility Dog Club Victoria, Altona - waiting list K9 Agility Club - KCC Park, Skye - waiting list closed Action Dogs Vic - Doveton - 12+ month waiting list Mitchell Agility Dog Club Inc - Broadford - ?????? Unfortunately - none (not sure about Mitchell) of the dedicated agility clubs have any opening for new members at the moment. Best you can do is go on a waiting list. Waiting lists are 12months plus if you can get on a waiting list at all. Some of the obedience clubs also offer agility, they are listed on the sticky. You will have to have a certain standard of obedience before you can start agility. You dog should have a good recall and be reliable off lead. Suggestions... Try to get on some waiting lists, continue to work on obedience, look at combination obedience/agility clubs, read agility books and watch agility DVDs, work on drive.