RubyStar

I know it's easier said than done RubyStar but if you can manage to do this it really works - think it has made a world of difference to Riv's attitude in the trial ring the last couple of times we've done obedience I like doing duration heelwork, doing big circles and stuff, and so do my girls, I get so much more out of them this way! Get us in a ring where there isn't much room to move, and things aren't as much "fun" anymore. The ring last night was tiny to start with, then cramped up with UD gear it made room for heeling very difficult without chopping and changing direction every 2 seconds!

The rain better hold off, I need a good training session to pick me up from last night's disappointment.

It is, so that makes mine exactly 2 weeks after the meet! Yep that's right!!!

Yes it is, I meant a week or two after the meet!

I'm bored, so very very bored at work, feel like going on a spending spree for my dogs. But I didn't win lotto! I feel like going home and doing some training. I can't focus on anything here, I think I left my head at home today. Having one of those "foggy" days.

My birthday is like a week or so after that. Can I have Cider for my birthday please

Ruby Star I encorage you to go to the local Rangers and tell them exactly where this is happeneing, not just for you but for all the other poor sods who cant get to walk their friends etc! I am happy to call or write on your behalf if you want, I have a lot of friends on the right side lol!! Thanks But it would be extremely hard to pinpoint for the rangers, they are just random. I live 3km's from my folks house where I drop my furkids off each morning (hopefully for not much longer!) and in that short trip there and back, I am surprised if I don't see one person walking their dog offlead. But they are on different streets and different times of the day! I know where the dogs live that bit me, and the ranger gave them a warning, but I can't even walk past their house without going into a panic! (and I need to walk past there twice daily!) They are to blame for me not walking my dogs anymore. I just thank Dog that I wasn't walking them when I was bitten as it would have ended very badly for my girls. Short of holding the offenders on the spot with force and calling the ranger on them then and there, I'm really not sure how we can stop these idiots doing the wrong thing

Things that have been fine always break a week before your trialling debut! Ruby's sit stay broke a week before, and a week before Millie's, she decided to start standing up when I left her in a stay Lucky she didn't do it in the trial, but I was really expecting her to!

I know what you mean RS, it seems that just yesterday I was teaching Mason new things and now he knows most of what we need for obedience I just need to fine tune all of it and I am struggling to find ways of making boring stuff interesting if you know what I mean ? Our 2 big problem area at the moment are sit stays, he was useless last week, dropping all the time, then Ptolomy gave me some great advise and it worked well, he did the sit stays well in class - but then yesterday evening he lay down in a sit stay again!! Thats our one problem, the other one is that if we just heel off from a stand than i have his focus but if we try heel from a sit the first step he always looks down - its as if he cant get up from a sit while looking up I know all about this one with Ruby!! A LOT of effort has gone into her on this problem, and it's still not 100% fixed. She would always drop her head when taking off. So if you can do one step and he's looking, click and treat and end it there! Build it up and be variable. You can also try asking for a hand touch above his head as you walk off to encourage him to look up as he takes off. Thankfully I never had this problem with Millie!

RS what do you think it is about stepping in the ring that changes their moods? It would be you, they pick up on your body language and mental state, so they get all worried. It might not even be a conscious thing with you but it could be slightly different way you carry your shoulders or your tone of voice. It becomes "Mum is worried about something, dont know what but that makes me more worried" Make a decision to behave in a very upbeat manner yourself when you walk in the ring, relax them between exercises with a bit of rough house rewards then switch them back on for the next exercise. It has really worked for me though I did have a judge chip me about not taking it serious enough when I first walked into a ring at a trial a few months ago. I figure it doesnt say in the rule book anywhere that you have to be serious. So I keep on keeping on. Yes, thanks guys, that is what I meant by the mood changes - mine. I go all serious and take away the fun, so I am going to make an effort to train in the ring like I do out of it!

Offlead dogs where they shouldn't be really angers me! When I drive past people walking the street with their dogs offlead, and it's an every day occurrence, I feel like winding my window down and shouting "put your ***ing dog on lead!!!!!!!!!" I do say it (to myself!) but haven't got the guts to shout it out my window yet Don't care if I get flamed, but I very rarely walk my dogs. After being bitten by a loose dog walking on my own, and seeing sooooo many idiots walking their dogs offlead, I am just too scared to walk my dogs anymore. It makes me feel terribly anxious to do so now. Instead, my girls get to run at the park when it's empty or I'm with dogs/people I know, and they get training most days of the week which they go crazy for! Just a shame these idiots who insist they are above the law and walk their dogs offlead ruin the simple pleasure of me getting to walk my dogs

I should be able to make it

Had a nice weave training session with Ruby yesterday which left me on a high, she's up to 6 poles now I just need to organise 6 more poles before we can progress to the full set so finalising this might be a bit delayed. But my obedience training session tonight was pretty ho-hum I hate coming away feeling disappointed. I think I'm mostly disappointed in myself for not making the ringwork fun enough. We have fun mucking around with bits of heelwork and such outside the ring and they are really "up", but the second we step in a ring the mood changes and I don't get the best from my girls I've got so much fine-tuning to do that I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed!

Nope, love my "ditzy" gundogs! (but I am secretly jealous I don't have the room for an Aussie )

Wow awesome work!! Looking really good!

LOL - back to the kennel area in Southern River So when you move back "home", can you please teach me how to walk in a straight line ;)

Mr Gray I liked Mr Gray too, cute little white spot on his head! So you going with the name Cruizer or Champagne to go with his new wife, Cider?

But I don't want tooooooooo! No rosette, but a hedgehog will suffice I said the same thing to her, almost in Masters Though I had the amount of required JDX passes wrong, thank goodness Amy says ;) Aww no fair, I wanna win something! The only prize I've won is a little Advance cooler bag from Ruby's 3rd CCD pass (and win) last year

Congrats Kath on your UD sweepstakes round, sounds like the UD debut will be great! Congrats Kavic on your novice agility pass and 1st place! Woohoo go amypie and Kyzer!! Two JDX passes in one day, that is awesome! Bugger about no AD passes, but I am sure you'll get it! Do you need one or two more for AD? And now you've got me craving something sweet

So who is entered in the agility tomorrow? If I hadn't been neglecting my house so much I would pop down to watch, but I think I have to have a dog-activity free day, as much as I don't like the idea Had an obedience trial this morning then instead of coming home to mow the lawn, I spent the arvo at mum and dad's just relaxing, and conveniently stayed for dinner before coming home to relax on the lounge tonight. Don't get to do the relaxing thing all too often so I am going to enjoy tonight of nothing

My "similar" problem is that I am dying for a drink. But a) can't be bothered getting up and b) if I do, the dogs will wake up and follow me!

Now you have no excuse, she's proven how brilliant she is, you have to raise your expectations Yeah but experience with Ruby shows me they can be bloody brilliant one day, and literally the next, bloody awful!!!!

I got a nervous panic come over me when I saw the guy in the ring before me just about finish, but by the time I got to the start post it had gone again I was more excited than nervous to get in the ring with Millie Probably because I have never expected as much from her as I do from Ruby, so I guess it goes to show what happens when you have low expectations and no nerves!