RubyStar

Is anyone able to tell me when I might get to see Australian Shepherds at an upcoming show, please?

I remember spending AGES on this site about 6 months ago trying to find a Labrador cap, but didn't find anything that really grabbed me. Think I found it, though!! http://www.cafepress.com.au/+retrievers_cap,39761212 Love it in the raglan tee as well. Need a money tree

I got Stafford t-shirts and a crazy dog lady cap . I need the crazy dog lady cap! Funny, I've actually be searching the net the last half hour looking for a cap for trialling That would be perfect

What shirts did you get Tiggy?

I was having this problem with Ruby this time last year if you remember, Ness. She was grabbing and not scenting at all! The thing that finally got her to scent was the cans trick. I put 4 tin cans out, careful not to get my scent on them, then put one scented article out between them. For some reason or other, that made her sniff the cans and then sniffed the article. Put 2 out, she sniffed again. Lost the cans, she still scented them Some dogs grab, some scent I guess. After weeks hard at it with Ruby and the game finally sinking in, I feared how long it would take to teach Millie. But Millie surprised me, she's a scenter, and got the game in one session She can't retrieve properly yet though, so guess I better get round to teaching that part, eh! :D

I'm even more at myself for not "getting" it right away. I'm like huh, why put that on a shirt? Then I realised, it's for the dog to read, right? Or have I just embarrassed myself even further?

I'll probably be spending NYE the same way Sally - taking the dogs to the beach with another DOLer and her black lab boy

That's what came to my mind when I read this thread, even though it's about the Stafford. I wouldn't pay more for a Labrador just cos it's "chocolate" - I got mine as a rescue. She was probably poorly bred and sold for a packet by a BYB, but giving her a home after her foolish owners dumped her at the pound was all I was concerned about!

My eye is automatically drawn to something exceptionally LARGE in that photo, and it's not your gorgeous brown cabinet!

Good work! Man Ella is FAST!!!

I used Shirley Chong's method to teach Millie, too. I went from a dog who wouldn't even go near a dumbell, to a dog who almost has it Like the OP, I just need to lengthen the hold time now, but it's slowly getting there! Highly recommend this method because if a dog like Millie can get it, any dog can!

I'd love to know more about this method you train, as I want to use my "training break" to teach a more reliable informal recall.... but I guess it might have to wait for another time, so I don't hijack this thread

Bugger bugger! I really wanted to watch this but was painting all day and forgot Does anyone know if I can see it online anywhere? Congrats to all the DOLers who made it on tv!!

And don't I know it! I'm thinking of holding off on entering any trials early in the year until I get Ruby's SFE and distractions sorted, and her heelwork is better. Which means we may never enter the ring again!

Can't see that happening anytime soon here, ness

Good idea! My pine one got destroyed in a matter of sessions, just through normal wear and tear! The thing was not thrown on pavement, just grass, and my girl only mildly mouthed it. Yet the bell parts got huge chucks coming off them! Think I may just stick with plastic, even though it was discovered in my training bag when I wasn't home and was chewed up nicely by Millie I'm using that as my training dumbell, and will order a new one when it comes time to trial with it

I know they're not that similar, but to me, a Beagle is a mini Lab! Short hair, flappy velvety ears , soulful eyes, and love their food!! When I'm ready for the next dog, it currently is a tossup between a Beagle and an Aussie Shepherd I've got YEARS to make up my mind, though! Whoops, way OT

A Beagle would fit in nicely around here with my gutsy Labs! I do want one one day.... along with my other list of dogs

Well, well.... I have a dog who will work for a strip of lettuce

No other ball makes the grade, here. The Orbi ball I spent heaps on, nope, they'd prefer the isqueak. Well ok, they would take anything squeaky, but these are best cos they're the most durable!!

ARGH another i-squeak convert.......the i-squeak tribe is growing and its not my fault If you ever need to buy anymore, let me know so we can split the postage! I'm terrified my 2 isqueaks are gonna break so need more - but they've held out all year so they really are good little balls!!

I've started using the isqueak as a reward instead of food as I think I have found something my girls would opt for over food! So I have done some small exercises with Ruby and then released her to the isqueak I left on the floor. I can't do that with Millie yet, Millie is OTT when the isqueak comes out. Though I have used the isqueaks as their sit stay reward.

The day I can heel my girls past isqueaks is a day for celebration. I have however started using them in stays. Starting out by just having them in my hand, to putting them down on the ground, to squeaking them once, then twice, then rolling them on the ground slightly. But that's as far as I've gotten, don't want to push it too far. I'm trying to make them succeed so eventually I can throw the things and squeak them all over the place and they won't budge