SammieS

Everyone who takes the time to comment on everyone elses photos are fabulous! My weeknights are so rushed... I hope to come back in to comment soon! Here's Asti's Week 34 - Little Miss Anti-social... Week 34/52 of Asti 2011 by Sammie, on Flickr

I have the "Rose - Black" - its great for formal events, but I also love my Crumpler "6 million dollar home" - its good for casual!!!

I highly recommend Jane too! She is fabulous!!!

I'm with Wagsalot - I always intend to come back and comment on everyones photos and run out of time or I click the wrong button... Thank you to everyone for your comments, I really appreciate them and it helps me keep going with this challenge! I thought it was great that Riley and Asti were both photographed on the stairs last week! This week I was stuck for ideas SO you get another of Asti on different stairs Week 33/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

This post is for Simon... Check this video out!

What is the aim of the Thundercoat? How does a tight fitting garment change his arousal issues? P.S. He looks very handsome in it! Ignore my question... I found this thread which answers my question.

What is the aim of the Thundercoat? How does a tight fitting garment change his arousal issues? P.S. He looks very handsome in it!

Week 32/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

Congrats again Sheena! I suppose its a strange concept to click when they're doing the opposite of what you want them to do and I think that's why this is so successful because Leslie McDevitt worked out that the dog relaxes more because they've been allowed to look at the distraction first and then know that by looking back you they are rewarded and THEN you turn it into a game - its fabulous! I hope I didn't offend with my comments about your friend but I find it hard to put up with people around me to are determined that they're right even if they can see your success! good on you for continuing and now you have a better/happier/less reactive dog because of it! and you've inspired me to work harder with Asti to hopefully see the same results (although we'll never be doing any sort of dog-sports but to have a calm dog whilst in new places and meeting new dogs would mean the world to me!)

Congratulations for getting such brilliant results! I am still struggling with getting her focus to me instead of my hand because she's a little dog I have to keep bending over to treat her so I know how hard you must have worked to get to this point. That other woman sounds like a witch! How dare she tell you its rubbish when you can prove to everyone that it works! There's no luck involved - you have worked hard and its paid off! Great job! Are you able to give more information about how you trained it? where you stood? did you always train it while at the dog trials? Maybe i'm missing something in my training of Asti - she just so damn stubborn!

Second Jane Harper-- absolutely brilliant . I also nominate Jane Harper!:D

Ast Asti ate the whole stud earring! I thought I'd droppe it on the carpet but couldn't find it so she came along and snuffled it up! We went to the inlaws house with Asti who 'left a present' for them in their front yard. A week later my mother in law went to pick up the poo and with a shovel and found the shiny earring sitting on the grass She disinfected it for me but I still can't bring myself to put it in my ear again

Happy Week 31! My props this week: a patient husband and rocks with barnacles (she didn't really want to sit on them ) Week 31/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

I joined the CU group but I don't understand how to use the group or read or post questions? (and I have almost finished the book - I was going to read it in my lunch hour but got cought up reading too many threads on DOL! )

I did some more training last night with Asti and was wondering if those who are having some successs with this could reply. What is the order for looking, using the 'look' cue word, clicking and treating? I think that I'm getting the cue, click and treat out of the wrong order... Do you (whilst the dog is staying under threashold) wait for dog to look at something then click then treat - once she gets used to this move to - wait for dog to look at something then say 'look' then click then treat? or do you just wait for dog to look at something then say look then click then treat all in one go? Also, has anyone else found if they use the whole "look at that" sentence and say it too excitedly it puts the dog overthreashold?! I have to make sure my "look" cue is very calm and monotone at the moment otherwise it engages her too much.

ok yep, i have 2 dogs, let me know who you would prefer me to bring, if i could bring my pup it will be good distracion/leave it training also for her, but she would prob pester asti if let off leash together. my older boy is more likely to ignore asti (he'll be to busy peeing on everything or playing with his ball ) They're great options! but probably best to start with Raz :D I'll keep you posted on Asti's training!

Hi Dandy! That sounds like fun - and it would be a good opportunity for Asti to learn about distance and distraction... We are seeing our trainer this Sunday and we are going to talk about how to approach new dogs and for Asti to learn about reading dogs so this would be a great opportunity! I'll PM you when I know more and when I know Asti is ready - as we want it to be a positive experience for everyone.

I have this book and am halfway through. I'm attempting the Look At That game but I find it hard to have distance from distractions and enough opportunity to practice with Asti during the week - not just on weekends... I'd love to find a place where you can go with other responsible dog owners and have the opportunity of having dogs around but with distance and know that when your confidence builds you can try it off the lead (still with distance) and know that the other dogs aren't going to run up and get in your dogs face because they're also there for training not for crazy energy release zoomies that will put you back to step 1 all over again. I find that dog parks and off lead beaches are terrible for misbehaved dogs and therefore its not the right environment for building up the LAT training.

I had a massive post prepared last night, commenting on everyone's photos and putting in Asti's week 30 submission - I then had a brain fart and pressed the 'back button' and it all disappeared... A camera update: I can say to everyone who owns a Canon and has to send it to Sydney to get fixed, you shouldn't be as depressed as I was last week, because I sent it to them on Tuesday and I received it back and fixed under warranty (even though it was out by 30 days) on Friday That's a 3 day turnaround! I was super impressed with the service and the happiest girl in the world last weekend! So here is Asti's submission, I am feeling like I am running out of creativity - especially without props - so this week I got out the peanut butter! Week 30/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

We are currently seeing Jane Harper too! Her website and contact details are here.

Happy Week 29 everyone! I am super busy but intend on coming back to comment on everyone's piccies soon! My Canon 7D started giving me Err 30 messages on Saturday before I had the chance to take shots for this week, so the next couple of weeks photos may be a bit average as I'll be using my little point and shoot... the look on Asti's face was priceless when she saw me taking it apart to send it away - then when I got out the p&s it was like I could read her mind "are you serious?! you're still going to take photos of me!" Here is week 29 of Asti, this is her fav spot in the house to warm up in winter... (note: the star shapes are ikea christmas lights that I haven't bothered taking down since December... we're half way through the year now so I figured I'd just leave them up) Week 29/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I think it is because you click when the dog looks at the stimuli (but doesn't react), then you treat when the dog turns to you. Some people just use "look". This thread has encouraged me to start to do a bit of this with my girl, who is easily distracted this. Plus you can use any words you want (as long as you are consistent) due to dogs not having a good knowledge of English. My girl is reactive and if I started again I'd say something like "Stay Calm!" so that people around me would know what I was doing. At the moment I use "who's that?" and I've occasionally had someone tell me their name! I was thinking the same thing - what words do I use - I find "look at that" really 'wordy'! Asti already knows "look at me" so I want to say something else to indicate looking at stimuli... I have to choose my words carefully as I think my tone of "look at that!" hightens her sensitivity to the stimuli Also, when she's looking at the stimuli is that when you say "look at that" and then you click? or you click then say "look at that" and then treat only when you get eye contact? what's the cue, click and treat order? inally, if she's "looking" at the stimuli but not looking back at me when I click (which she does with no distractions) does that mean I have to move further away from the stimuli? Thanks in advance.

Week 28/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

What lens did you use to take those two 'creamy' photos?

He is FABULOUS!:D