sidoney

I did some tracking years ago. We had a Vizsla tracking day at the property I was living on and some very experienced tracking competitors taught we novices how to start off. After that I would lay a track every morning for some time ... but then got busy and moved and stuff and had to give it away. We didn't do exactly anything that has been mentioned. Dog tracked owner at first. Walked up and down a short straight track a few times to make it obvious. Can't remember how long it was but not very long. "Tracking pot" at the end - container with yummy food in it. Think we had a few treats on the track as it went. As the dog picked it up and understood what was wanted the difficulty gradually increased. On advice, I made myself some pegs with ribbon on them that I used to mark where I had laid the track - was easy to clip to bits of grass, etc. All yummy scraps always went into the tracking pot. I tracklaid at trials a couple of times and also went out with the judge and helped mark the tracks a couple of days before. I think there is a tracking comp that is for dogs that have all their titles, isn't there? I remember they introduced one. My tracking friends were very pleased about it. Although I've not had much to do with tracking for some years now.

I'm so sorry to hear of this - what a sudden shocking loss for you.

Thought I would mention that I have been following a drive development programme as per K9's advice and am seeing good results so far ... early days yet though.

LOL jaybee that's just what I was thinking!! "Great minds" and all that.

jaybee I suggested this routine to someone that had bought one of my pups, and which started nocturnal barking as an adolescent. They did have success with it.

I find it difficult to respond also. May I make a suggestion for research? If you are not sure of the categories, ask open questions first - initially a smaller number of people as you may get lots of info. Then you analyse what you got and from that you can make up your categories, and you will most likely find that people are able to answer them better as they will be more applicable.

Kelpie-i pegged what I was saying. Thanks. :D And poodlefan also - there are people (in many disciplines) for whom it's "my way" or "the wrong way". I have not named any specifically. My example was an example of someone who does something and which others may (and have, I've heard them) misinterpret or misunderstand as some kind of pseudo-mystical process. This can happen with or without the originator's say-so. Adding: also I am suspicious of people who have "acolytes" as that indicates that the acolytes are closing their minds to alternatives - where does that come from? From the leader? From the follower? A combination? I also wonder at the need for vehement reaction to what was a pretty mild and generalised critique.

I think he's probably kinda like Monty Roberts - can do some stuff, not more than any competent trainer can do, but is great at self promotion. Good trainers can impress people who don't know how to do it. I was working with horses some years back and the people I worked for (thoroughbred stud) called what I did "magic" but it wasn't (and I told them so!!), just good training principles applied consistently. Maybe if I was into self promotion I could have been an Aussie "Horse Whisperer"! Only I think it's wrong to try to mysticise training.

I'm still learning, but I believe that you only train the drive commands when they are in drive, as eventually the command will put the dog into drive. To train them in other ways negates that purpose. Think of the drive behaviour as a different behaviour to the one you teach out of drive - they might look superficially similar but that's where it ends, the whole basis of the behaviour should be different.

The fawn Kelpie is Dusty. He's a speed demon. He trains agility at Parramatta, and his trainer's sister trains him in flyball at Norwest.

I agree. You need to do what is right for your dog. Also, the instructor should not allow dogs to move around in an uncontrolled way like that. I think it would be worth mentioning to the instructor, that they are distracting other dogs.

I'm a member of the Parra club. How are they going?

It would be likely to be algae in the bottom of the dish. I get algae on mine. It won't hurt the dog - just make sure that you keep the water clean and fresh and clean out any food or anything that the dog might drop in, giving the bucket a wipe out regularly. Mind you, my dogs always prefer water from the fish pond or something like that to clean fresh water - most likely because fresh from the tap it has chlorine in it.

Hi I can't really offer constructive advice but I will offer my support like everyone else ... I soooooo wish for you all that she will get better, I can't imagine what this must be like for you.

Regarding not working unless she can see or smell food on you. This is something I've seen often. One way to get around this is to get the food off your person. Stash it around the training area in containers (sealed). You can "bridge" between the reward marker and getting the food, like "good doggie here we go let's get the reward" (excited) while you get it. For the other, the dog needs to know that you control the food and when it gets it, and not it. Work with this as she matures. The triangle of temptation, already mentioned, is as good a programme for this as any I've seen. Basically, the appearance of food doesn't mean that the dog gets the food - it only happens when you say so.

You can give Revolution to rodents safely. We gave it to mice with mites.

He said about a previous tape that it should go to people who attended only. He may want to confirm.

If she brought out the Kelpie component, then she got a good bit. I have a Kelpie and I like the Kelpie component.

Best wishes from me too ... what a relief that she will recover. Your plight has educated a lot of people, including me ... your troubles may save the lives of other dogs. So something good may come out of the bad ... not as good as avoiding the bad but still something positive.

Lumps are a part of having older dogs - fingers crossed that this one is nothing to worry about.

What a difficult time for you all. So very very sorry to hear of this. I'll be thinking of you and hoping that your girl recovers.

Years ago when my old ACD Zero was put down, my vet came to my home. Now I live further away from my vet and last year when I had to make the decision with Amy, we went for a car drive and the vet came out to the car ... Amy loved being in the car. She left me eating liver treats. Didn't even feel the prick. It is so hard at this time. My thoughts are with you.

Blackdog were replacing the faulty training bags. I know of people who got new ones without charge.

Oh and in case it hasn't been mentioned, while you are training, make sure she NEVER EVER gets rewarded for jumping up on the counters ... that means keeping them clean, even of crumbs (I grew up with Goldies and know how food motivated they can be!!).

I've not done this myself but apparently it can work. Put a scent in the water in the spray bottle, eg. vanilla. The scent becomes associated with the aversive. Then you can put some of the scent on the places where you don't want the dog.