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Abbiestar

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Posts posted by Abbiestar

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    The only sad thing about the ET is that we only get to do it once with each dog.

    I've known several people who have done ET more than once with the same dog

    There is no rule stating that you can't enter more than once. Obviously, you can only claim the title, pass card etc just the once. If you wanted to run again, check with the club hosting the event. It is at their discretion.

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    Thanks Abbbiestar. There's no way I would enter a trial without doing the necessary training. Just wondered if 8 weeks was long enough. We did just over 3 ks again today and then he came home and played with another dog so obviously wasn't tired. I thought I'd try 4ks tomorrow or is that bumping it up too quick? I also thought I'd aim for two consecutive days biking, then miss a day, etc. Fortunately we don't have to worry about the obedience part. He's already gained a CCD pass at his first trial a couple of weeks ago.

    Congratulations on the CCD pass. The bike training you are doing is fine. Just make sure you do include rest days.

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    Can anyone give me an idea of when the entries need to be done for the ET? I'll be doing the Grafton one, so still a while to go, but I don't want to miss the entry.

    Thanks :)

    Hi dotdashdot,

    Best thing to do would be to contact DogsNSW to confirm the date and venue of the ET in Grafton. They can give you contact details for the club running the event. Make contact with the club directly and they will provide you with all the entry details.

    Good Luck!

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    Thanks for your advice, Tassie. I agree about recovery days. In a previous endurance thread Abbiestar recommended biking 4 or 5 days a week, so I thought maybe two days ride and then a day off. I was going to do a short ride with him yesterday because I had the opportunity to do it at a different place, but didn't end up doing so. We'll do another ride today. I'm lucky because where we'll do most of our training, there is grass, dirt road and very short patches of loose gravel and asphalt so I'm using all of them. I can also take him over to KCC Park and do some training there. I have friends who are happy to ride in front and behind to get him used to that. I've also been using stop and turn verbal directions.

    I know it depends on the dog, but roughly how long would you expect to take to build up to 6ks? And how long before you would throw in an 8k ride?

    Hi PP,

    sounds like you have a fit and agile dog who could easily cope with the demands of an ET. The training is important. You can't just enter, front up on the day and expect to be successful. There is much more to it. From what you have said, I believe that your dog is fit enough, and is used to working next to you on a bike. Good advice to practice with others, one fore and one aft. You should be able to do 6ks without the dog becoming stressed. After training for this distance. Stop and check your dog's pads for any sign of wear. If the dog has injured a pad, or if it is red, raw or bleeding, stop immediately.

    KCC is a good place to practice. Just make sure you cover three different surfaces, paved, gravel and grass.

    Make sure your dog also has a basic level of control at obedience. It would be a terrible shame to complete the 20ks and have the dog fail the final willingness test.

    Good luck! and please ask any and all questions.

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    I'm still deciding on whether we will be ready for June 21 at Altona. I don't know the Cherry Lake area - but have been looking on google maps. Is the 20km covered by doing multiple laps around the lake?

    Hi Betsy,

    the 20 k course at Cherry Lake is completely flat except for two very small hills. It is predominantly on paved surfaces and covers the car park area, the paved road around the football and soccer fields, the paved path along the side of the lake closest to the playing fields, the gravel paths after the last car parking area and the lawn section in front of the club rooms.

    This is a 3k course which is lapped. A small deviation on that track is used to make up the required 20 kilometres.

    Keep the training up and you will be fine.

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    What does this include and can desexed non papered dogs get to join in?

    Edited to add no I am not thinking of entering george :laugh:

    Hi HappyCamper,

    Go to this link for a full explanation of the endurance test.

    http://oz.dogs.net.au/abbiestar/endurance-test.asp

    Non papered dogs cannot take part. They must be registered with Dogs Victoria or interstate equivalent. Dogs can still be registered with Dogs Vic even if they are not purebred.

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    Glad i found this thread!

    i would love to do this!

    However i do not trust my dog on a bike, so may have to get good at running 20km..

    I have wanted to do this for a while now, i think its time to actually start training.

    How many people do jog it?

    I don't want to be a lone jogger left behind at the back :laugh:

    Waiting on the QLD dates too :)

    Hi denali,

    welcome to the ET thread. Not too many people run the ET. You must be supremely fit to do it. Most cycle it, and with some easy and regular training you will pass with flying colours.

    Get your dog used to the bike by initially walking the dog and bike together. The bike between you and the dog. Once the dog is used to the presence of the bike, then try and ride it. Very short rides and first and slow. From that point, then build up to approximately 10-12 kph. That is the speed you will travel at during the actual ET.

    Use this thread to ask more advice or send me a private message or email. Happy to help.

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    Hi AS and all 2014 ET competitors :wave:

    Just would like to add to the above list with advising that the RCV (Rottweiler Club of Vic) is holding their Open Endurance Test on 28th June 2014 at KCC Park.

    For schedule see http://www.vicdog.com/Rottweilerjun14et.pdf

    Always such a helpful thread AS :)

    My young girl will be ready for her ET in 2015, can't wait, bring it on!! :D

    This is GREAT news! Glad to see another club getting into the ET's!

    Let me know if you need any help or advice.

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    I was just looking at the schedules that are out for the ET and it says you can use an appropriate harness. What would constitute an appropriate harness? I wouldn't use a car harness on my guys as they don't really like wearing them (ever!), but I have run them before in their easy walk harnesses fitted upside down (so the attachment is on their back). Would that be considered ok?

    I'm still not sure if we're going to be able to be ready, but it just got me thinking!! And can you use a limited slip/martingale collar or does it need to be a flat collar? Just wondering about technicalities!

    Hi, The collar you use must be a fixed collar. No Chains. No Martingales. I would recommend that you train your dog up to working on a collar rather than on a harness. When you think about it, a harness is designed to go around the strongest part of the dog's body. If the dog takes off or stops suddenly, like it or not, you are going with it! :)

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    My bike came in today (awesome turnaround!) but now I have to pay it off...hubby won't let me use his credit card to cheat and get it quicker lol.

    I'm like you Elise, I loved the prep last year...the few times I did it before my bike just failed.

    I am so in love with my bike :) lol.

    Would you mind sharing (a link?) as to what bike the shop recommended as suitable for an ET? :)

    Sure, http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bikes/model/rove.3/14944/66432/ this is my bike, the guy asked what I was planning on doing and recommended it based on that. I just said I was doing on and off road, like on grass (not mountain biking!). I am really happy with the choice, the guys at the bike store actually let me take it home before paying it off :) (well they know where I work and we've worked next door for 3 years so he knows me I suppose!) it's been raining though, so haven't had a proper ride yet!

    Thank you :)

    An excellent choice of bike. You have done well. As good as they are, I must stress an road bike is totally unsuitable for an ET. Mountain bikes or hybrids are the best choice. And you don't need a lot of money spent on one. Another must is a pair of padded Lycra shorts!

    Enjoy the training!

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    This year I WILL do it! I had a bike disaster last year, last time I buy a not-even-that-cheap bike from Big W. I have a good bike shop next to my work, hopefully they'll give me a discount on a GOOD bike!

    So looks like July 13 for me :)

    Now the hard part....teaching Cleo to go slower than she's inclined to.

    Good luck! A good bike shop will give you great advice and get you started for your cycling. This forum will give you great advice to prepare you for your ET.

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    Which VIC ET would you recommend for a newbie who has ridden a bike once in the last 10 years?

    Also what would you say the chances are of the temp exceeding 20degC? I know the test is cancelled if it exceeds 24 but I don't think I would feel comfortable running her in anything over 20deg as she will have her full thick undercoat in winter.

    Generally I stick to under 25/26 for walking, under 20 for running and under 15/12 for sledding depending on humidity.

    The GSDCV runs their test at Cherry Lake in Altona. This is a great course for the newbie. It is all level and most of the course is on a paved surface. Dalmatian Club also runs an excellent ET at Springers leisure Centre.

    Whichever you choose, there are plenty of people on hand to encourage and assist you, from the judge, club officials and other competitors.

    M

    Endurance Test 2014

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    I'm hoping to do it with my sibe now that she's old enough. Need a bike first though... :)

    The willingness test scares me though :( I worry that she will do the one before hand, do the run and then go nup I'm tired not doing the one after the 20km and then it will all be for nothing!

    Don't be worried about the willingness test. It is NOT an obedience test. When judging, I look for the dog's "willingness" to work for you. The dog does not have to perform perfectly. It just needs to be willing to follow your instruction. You can physically assist the dog to complete the exercise and you can give double commands.

    Any questions, please ask. I have competed in 9 of these tests and judged in Vic and the ACT since 2003. Happy to help.

    M

    Endurance Test 2013

    in Training / Obedience / Dog Sports

    Posted

    Some absolute D-Bag who had squished himself into Lycra and looked like a badly packed sausage managed to smack into Gus (almost 40kg of big happy, slow moving dog, impressive to miss him) on his bike (on a shared path in an off-lead dog park) and then had the nerve to say he needs to learn what ringing the bike bell means and that he dropped his phone because of it! to which I ever so politely replied that perhaps he shouldn't have headphones in and even better, could watch where he was going... needless to say Gus came out pretty bruised on the ribs and is now less than keen on bikes and gets right out of the way when he spots one. Sigh. All it takes is one idiot!

    Needless to say we have to work on that before even thinking about his ET as a possibility for post-2015.

    You are right! It only takes one twit to wreck it for you.

    If you want to do an ET in 2014, I think you still can by exposing your dog to as many bikes as possible so that he overcomes his fear. Try walking him with your bike alongside, bike between you and the dog. He should get used to this very quickly. Then start riding it with him. Very slowly and short distances at first. Not sure which ET you would like to do, but when you decide that, familiarise yourself with the course that that club uses. The more familiarity, the better for the dog. Good luck!

    M

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