RubyStar

Yep I wanna do USA and Canada next year too but highly unlikely Why does money stop us doing so much?!?!!!!

I was in email land with miss pie.... and just when I was about to congratulate you on your controversial topic. See, I knew what you were doing

Don't temp me, FD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that you have puppy breath coming your way. And maybe I need to cross them for me to stay strong and not cave in to naughty tempting puppy suggestions ;)

Agreed, I know they were having a hard time getting stewards for the State obedience trial last weekend and it's only giving up a few hours of your time and it's not out bush! I stewarded quite often in agility waaaaay before I had any desire to trial in it myself. I've stewarded obedience a few times but I am mostly competing. The last time I offered to steward obedience I was also competing, so I was placed to go in last in another ring (one dog straight after the other), but the judge took forever to judge their small class so I was panicing madly about having enough time to prep my dogs for their own class. I also have extremely rare spare weekends. My house and garden can attest to that! My "to-do" list is ever growing because I am forever doing dog things or have the odd family commitment. But I will give up what I can to help I even had Monday off work due to being sick but I dragged my sick butt out on a cold training night to put some people through their obedience graduation because it was a favour to my club I wanted to honour. So if there is anything extra I can do to help in the retrieving season next year, please let me know and I will do my best to pitch in my fair share. Sometimes (most times) it's hard to know how short trials are in helpers if you're not actively involved in that sport, unless it's widely advertised

I can certainly understand your frustration, FD And sorry to hear you've had such a hard time finding stewards. I had no idea there was even a trial on last weekend until the Monday! I thought the season had finished with the States Next time you are short on stewards, please post here and I am sure one of us will be happy to come along. I will definitely come help if I can make it! I have an idea that might encourage more helpers who aren't trialling, if I may? If triallers would be happy to drive some helpers out there I would most certainly be willing to help out more (and maybe those offering make it known, because I for one am too shy to ask around for a lift for fear of putting someone out). Or if a bunch of stewards car pooled and took it in turns to drive out there. I know I find it hard to drive all the way back on my own, I have had a few near misses due to driving tired and falling asleep at the wheel So car pooling is the best idea for those of us who aren't taking dogs, because I need the company to stay awake. I've helped out at a few trials over the years but I will definitely make more of an effort next year and steward more, regardless of if I'm trialling yet or not

Ok thanks

Quiet in here today! Quick RosieFT, post something "controversial" to get the conversation rolling :p

Thankyou, yes I did make it and I think my dogs are lovely, too :D

New little Miss?

The Drug Detection Labs on "Send in the Dogs" on tv right now are gorgeous :D Just sayin'

No I get you. As I said before, my oldie Chloe used to be on the nose quite bad if she was overdue for a bath, and by overdue, it only needed to be a couple of days!! You've pat Ruby heaps before, did she leave a smell on you? Gosh I'm paranoid now, think I might bath the dogs on the weekend

No it isn't :D Both Lappies and Kelpies have double coats and I haven't known a smelly one of either unless they are allowed to roll in something gross I dont think mine smell too bad either.... Mason gets a stinky smell to him though around once a year, cant be explained he has had tests and all sorts, it smells like bad feet ( and his anal glands have been checked its not that either). Ditto. Mine don't have a general doggy odour to them that I can recall, but they might smell dirty when they are dirty Oh, and wet. I fully admit, my dogs stink when they are wet!!!

The most grooming I do with the Labs is trim nails and the hair on the end of their tail. Well, that mostly just applies to Ruby. Millie won't let me near her with the scissors or clippers! (or the Dremel, grr!) They get the occasional bath and brush. I really should brush more. I'm such a lazy owner

I have to be careful not to take over mum's new little project, Pippa But while mum doesn't have any interest in trialling her, she wants to teach her everything she can (including obedience stuff and tricks). She's doing well so far I get to do agility with her, though. And I want to shape the dumbbell retrieve with her because she picked up my Lab sized dumbbell on the weekend in her tiny little mouth and wanted to run off with it

Me either. When I was contemplating an Aussie (still am at some stage), the bathing and grooming bit scares me!!! Give me a wash (optional) and wear Lab, anyday

I shove the dogs in the shower and use the detachable shower head like a hose. Keeps them warm and stops Millie from creeping away (and then bolting when she thinks her sneaky maneuvers have worked ) Only problem is it really clogs my shower up! So that expensive shampoo is how expensive?

Thanks for the link, ST. Problem with shampoo with Ruby especially, it takes a LOT to lather and penetrate through to her undercoat. I guess if I had a hydrobath (or hooked my own up like in that DIY hydrobath thread) it would help get it through the coat and in turn use less shampoo. But right now we go through heaps when we do bath! I bought an oatmeal type one (Troy brand?) and it's almost gone, but it didn't have a particular smell about it, it was kinda neutral.

That's reassuring to hear... unless you're just being nice :D You already know how paranoid I am about my car smell. I hate it!!!! But the dogs themselves aren't particularly smelly dogs (and I do know of the kind that RosieFT refers to, Chloe was one, you'd pat her and your hands would smell if she was overdue for a bath, but my girls aren't like that I don't think). I can only narrow it down to the bedding and stuff in my car that makes it smell so doggy

Wet dog smell is the worst Even after a bath with nice smelling shampoo, my dogs still smell like wet dog! I guess that only makes sense.... they are wet and they are dogs..... :rolleyes:

As the owner of dogs who are prone to doggy smell due to my reluctance to bath them often because it strips the natural oil from their coats, I'm officially offended :D Saying that though, it could be just because I live with them, but I don't find my hands and clothes smell after I touch my dogs (though they can smell from the treats I keep in my pockets! :p) It's if I don't wash the bedding in the laundry and car often enough, those two places can smell like dog. If my dogs were on the nose though to the point if I touch them and I smell, I would certainly be bathing them. Our old maltese Chloe was bathed weekly and she had awfully oily skin from all the bathing. She'd itch and chew herself red raw from it, which made her smell, which in turn made us had to bath her. Catch 22!! Now I know why I don't invite people over very often! I'm already paranoid enough about my car smell And if people ask to pat my dogs, I might have to say no, now :p ;) Speaking of doggy smells, I am after some doggy perfume for them, makes them smell so bewdiful after a bath!! I do so love a clean puppy dog that smells pretty (but still can't bring myself to bath them weekly). Love it when Ruby is clean, she goes from being yellow to sparkling bright yellow! (not to mention just look at her and 100x more hair comes flying off after a bath! )

No reason why you can't buy your scent articles now. I had mine before I started trialling! Actually, that just depresses me! Because it shows a real lack of training on my part - while Ruby knows the game, she isn't trial ready with it!

I get the sneeze mostly in training only and as soon as we take off from the start peg. No idea about that one

Do you palm Beans off to your bestest enemies, then? :p :rofl: I'm toying with the idea of teaching my kids the seekback UDX style, but being realistic, I don't think I will make it to UDX with my current kiddies so UD is a more realistic goal with them, so why put them and me through the extra stress!

Millie must be watching the Tollers too much, she tends to sneeze when we heel as well, but haven't noticed it during any other exercise Kinda wish Ruby would watch the Tollers heel too and learn something ;)

That was great to watch So in the multiple retrieve, they only have to get 2 not the 3?