Mooper

Here's hoping the chicken goes down and stays down

How is Bree this morning? I hope she's recovered with the (slightly) cooler weather overnight.

Forgot to check this Did you find some Manuka honey? If not, I'll try to get some tonight.

Daisy, I'm reading a book on shutzhund obedience about training in drive. I can lend it to you when I'm finished? I don't think it's in the ARF library yet. I've been working on getting Jack interested in retrieving. He has no problems with food drive. And he has a fair bit of prey drive. But not much play drive. I'm building that with a couple of retrieving toys -- we started with a big knotted sock that had other odd socks stuffed inside it. Actually, it's better to have two of those. So that when I would throw one sock off to my left and encourage Jack to bring it back, I would *immediately* throw the other sock off to my right. He soon learned to bring the sock back to me, and that he would be rewarded with another throw. You can try it with food, too. You should see how fast Jack will run from one side to the other to get cabanossi But always make yourself the centre of the activity. Hope that helps get things moving ... I probably won't have a chance to finish my book until Christmas break but you're welcome to borrow it after that ;)

I think it was a genuine question, Jenny. The ActewAGL guidelines don't say anything about wading pools for humans or animals, so I only top mine up during the accepted hours on the accepted days. And thereafter I bucket it on to the garden. I don't think anyone at Actew will have a problem with that, and it's an issue of wellbeing for the doggies. It might be worth asking them, though? kaywoman, it sounds like you're controlling the situation as best you can. If you can possibly muster the energy for an early morning walk, or adjust your working hours to accommodate one, I think it will help. It certainly helps calm Jack each morning. He's nuts if he doesn't get his morning stroll ... barks at the birds, the planes etc. With a walk, he snoozes :D

Do you want me to look for some in town?

Congratulations, sas! They sound perfect!

Oh no You had only 12 months of happiness, poor Scamp. Enjoy the rainbow bridge, free of pain. Hugs to you and to his family, Sil.

Found a link here, Myszka. $65 for auditors for one day, $120 for two days. Blacktown.

I've never raised a puppy, so can't comment on how long a dog can be left alone. But I wanted to welcome the new puppy owners and new DOLers. I hope you stay and learn a lot here

Oh, that's so dreadful. What a nightmare Rest in peace, Jakey. I hope the familys' hearts will heal and they will one day open their home to another doggy in your memory.

I thought that was the book you were talking about. I bought it from Dogwise recently -- it's great so far! And their service was quick and postage not too expensive. I hadn't used them before, but will use them again ETA: After receiving a PM about postage, I should clarify that I ordered a few books, so $20.70USD didn't hurt the pocket too much. I could have got one or two of the books in Australia for similar money, even after accounting for the exchange rate.

Rest in peace, Miss Bess, knowing what a loving home feels like

A toaster? Did someone get too many for their wedding or something? Well done

Oh, for green grass like that... ! Glad you had a good time. There's nothing better than seeing a new dog switch on to herding. Magic.

Shite, DD. I'm sorry to hear this, but pleased that she went in her favourite spot at a ripe old age. Take it easy, matey. RIP Chloe.

As ever, I think it depends on the male or female I've watched Possum with Jenny, who has a deeper voice and commands respect with every dog I've seen her with. And I've watched a bloke with his working-bred kelpie, and his relatively high-pitched voice wasn't getting through to the dog at all. I will say, however, that Charlie Cover at Yass has been heard to say that he's glad there are more women getting involved in sheepherding now because our (generally) gentler approach can work better with some dogs. He's changed some of his habits because of it. I don't think he'd ever admit to having said that, though.

Trim is indeed a stunner I hope to see her in the fur one day. Jack will only tread gently like that over a field of bindii or on a frosty morning

I believe the rhetoric was initiated by you. You did ask a rhetorical question, after all.

Me too It just happened that our last sheepherding experience in October was at the Bungendore showgrounds where, at that time, larger yards were the only available space. Since then, the club has invested in some barricades to form a smaller round yard for newbies and perpetual newbies (ie us!). There needs to be an "if" in there somewhere, too. It may just be that Jack is too old, too keen to chase or whatever to get the hang of it, in which case we'll retire and I'll learn from the sidelines. It's not fair on the sheep.

I'll keep sending subliminal messages in the New Year.

canberra canberra canberra canberra canberra canberra canberra

He does, but he works so close to the sheep, makes so much noise, and takes them on a cross-country running course around the paddock ... I worry for the well-being of the sheep. He would never intentionally hurt them, but it certainly wears them out. If anyone has any fat sheep needing a bit of exercise, we're set Until then, I'm working on calming him and getting some sort of stop on him. As well as sticking with a small yard when we return in the cooler weather.

From the Working Dog video, Mrs D? The one and only. Here is the progression from the gate-staring dawg... spot Possum's nose in the last pic! Jack has more stamina now that he's a lean, mean 29kg instead of a porky 32kg. [a tachment=58998:attachment]

Yep. Plus a few other breeds for good measure (maybe GSD, maybe kelpie, maybe ridgeback, maybe some collie...), all of which are meant to be intelligent ... ! I get so jealous of the others at herding, who often say "oh, my other dog does that so I never bring him/her herding" I only have one dog to choose from!! And a husband who consistently says no to the thought of a second. Especially when I start talking about getting a working-bred pup for sheepherding