RubyStar

Yes thanks, I really enjoyed it! I just have to find time now to train it as I'd like to hopefully trial in retrieving too one day. I think there is a training day this Sunday, right? I'll be there! I was really impressed with all the dogs there at the weekend, they're all fab Well done with your dogs and I hope your caravan was still in one piece when you got back to it ;) Thanks, I think my girl is just gorgeous, too Bouncy, most definitely!

if it's any consolation rs, i have never particularly noticed you being negative on DOL . Don't try for others..try for yourself I like to report my positives on DOL. When I've gotten something right and have had fun doing it, I feel like telling the entire DOL family! Even when it's something simple, like my small success with agility last night, I am sure those more advanced can appreciate we all started somewhere and to those "newbies" it is an accomplishment! Any negatives I report on DOL, is usually to ask for help. But I'm female, I'm also entitled to the odd whinge with no point every now and then And yes, I do have to try for myself in "real life". Training the dogs has actually improved my outlook on many things, that's a big plus

Yes When Ruby was 2 I wanted another pup, but ended up with an adult rescue. It'll be 2 years this October since getting Millie, and almost 4 years since having a puppy in my household, and I am always so puppy clucky!!! But I've realised I've got my hands well and truly full with 2, so my head is ruling my heart on this matter Plus I'm not 200% certain on what breed I will get next and my plans for it, so it's a good thing I am being sensible and holding off! I guess I will have to play with everyone else's puppies and get my puppy fix that way Just loooooooove the smell of pupppy breath, though I miss that the most, along with the bare pink bellies made for blowing raspberries Labrador pups just melt my heart so much!!

If noone else wants it I'll have it :D Gosh I feel like such a scab I'll give you some $$ for it if you like

We set up one of the Novice Jumping courses that were at the Nationals tonight and I had a ball running it! Very nice course :p Ruby is learning to go out on her own now, which is handy cos she's got a bit of speed on her! So I was able to send her off over a jump and into the tunnel standing at the broad jump that was before them, then got myself ready to start running next to the jumps on her tunnel exit and she shot past me again as I was running and followed the line of jumps in front of her which was great :D Enjoyed it immensely! Millie on the other hand, won't stop looking at me Makes it very hard to do much with her! Oh and she's obsessed with tunnels and the chute So I broke it down to one jump then two jumps and by the end she was getting a bit of an idea. So lots of work to do with her! :p But her 2o2o is coming along nicely!! Don't you wish you could take the best things from several dogs and compile the perfect dog?

I was getting extreme entries from both sides with Poppy after doing the 2x2 but ummm I couldn't get a straight entry I did so much on the sides of the arc that I forgot straight on I get the better entries on the left hand side of the arc

For me, it's both. I have never had confidence, big issue for me, and due to that, I can be quite negative. But working so hard with my girls, when things finally come together, it really is quite a confidence boost and I start feeling more positive! Sounds like I need some of that CBT stuff that was mentioned if it is in fact therapy to help people be more positive :D

Bolded bit I think applies to putting themselves AND the dog down. Putting the dog down (not in the literal sense!) is a reflection of how they feel about their own training ability, it's not really about the dog. I believe this because I am one of those people who is a bit negative, but it's usually about most things in life. It's just me I do have low self esteem and that is the contributing factor. I have to try and remember not to be so negative around others because I know it's a downer on those you train with. Noone wants to train with the negative sourpuss

Weave bases, cha cha cha!!! :rofl:

Woohoo that's great Tassie! I love 2x2, too! I have been teaching Ruby, but not by the book Before watching the DVD I had her going through 2 poles that were straight in line and when "opening" them she was like So I have stuck my variated method out using "closed" poles and now we're up to 6 Didn't take too long either :D She's not yet at 80% consistency so I am doing a couple more sessions before introducing the second set of 6 and a jump before it (yep, another thing I didn't stick by ;)) I'll be following it a lot more closely when I teach it to Millie, but as Ruby was already on her way before watching the DVD, I decided to just keep going the way I was :D

Thats funny - since I see Tollers are not even on your Top 10 wish list Have started duration work with Soggy Bear - off for our second session tonight :D In fact - everybody is during duration tonight for their dinner Nah they're not, but Cider is pretty cute Actually my mum asked me at the trial on the weekend what breed your dogs were and she said they were nice and that if she was to ever get another dog then she'd be interested in that breed. Maybe that's where my dream came from

Puppies!! Gorgeous addition, Seita I had a dream last night I got a new puppy, and the weirdest part? It was a red kid I think I'm (not so) secretly a Cider fan

Are u going on a holiday?? I would offer to have them but Mason would bug them too much! Thanks, though I don't think I could palm them off to you anyway, 3 Labs in your house would drive you insane and I'd feel terribly guilty!

Thanks showdog It is probably the long weekend I am looking at, so I guess I had better start looking around Didn't think I'd have to do it this soon Can kennels usually accommodate having both of my girls in the same kennel? They (and more probably I) would cope better if they got to stay together.

Is anyone able to tell me please what the average daily rate is to board dogs around March? I've never boarded my dogs before, and really not that keen to, but looks like I might have to start thinking about it for a few days stay. Thanks!

If I don't forget between now and tomorrow I will register and pay tomorrow!

Have you tried this game setting yourself up not facing the dog as they return? Try from different angles and see how accurate your dog is Millie was catching on quicker than Ruby with this tonight

Great article and video!! Loved them going up the escalator, what little pros! Mine would have had a freakout

I was using a variation of this game, probably a "one food" game I am working on getting straight fronts with my girls, as they are both shockers. So tonight I would ask them for a front, clicked and threw the treat away from me, then called them back for another front. They thought it was fun so I am hoping lots of reptition will have them racing back to front, which is good for Millie as she finds heel position so rewarding that I need her to think the same about front position so she stops going directly to heel on recalls

Yep, at least that is how I play the game, and it works for me When you're starting though, I would start close to Mason, ask him to drop, click when he drops, and treat. Work on getting that speedy, as he will start dropping faster in anticipation of the click and treat. Then add a bit of distance. Then you can start throwing the treat away from you both when he drops, and as he is racing back, ask him to drop, click, throw treat, repeat!

I'm sure someone who uses it will be able to come by and give you a step by step idea. I know there are a few here who have/do use it, it's not something I use with Daisy though as I need to keep her nose off the ground, but there are loads of ways to build focus and playing games like the two food or two toy game is one way. If I can get someone to film me, I might video using the two food game for speedy drops with my girls. They're not as fast as Ptolomy's red kids, but when using this game they are pretty fast and they looooove playing it!! It's an awesome game to play for teaching the drop on recall

I think you should definitely start videoing and uploading to youtube You can tell Lottie naturally just loves to work, and spend time with you We should meet up for a training session once your exams are over! I second this, reaaaaaaally wanna see vids of you guys working!

Wanna borrow Ruby and document the process? She isn't a slow dropper, but she is a very crooked dropper and when heeling, always takes an extra step before she drops and ends up in front of me and slightly crooked. Millie's drops are soooo much better than Ruby's, they are straight(er) and fast! But never as fast as a red kid....

I started duration work with Soggy Bear tonight. I spent longer walking to the oval than I did actually training LOL. I like doing big circles to and spiraling in and out of circles, it's fun and good when you can't be bothered with turns . I didn't know it was called duration work. Forgot to ask do you circle both ways or only to the left(dog on your inside). Both