Kavik

NOT a GSD if you don't like shedding and hair everywhere :laugh: - they shed like crazy!

Out of your choices I like "Scram" :laugh:

I'm pretty sure they are to run until dropped on verbal command.

From what I understand, to use another language you have to ask the judge? But then if you asked I would think the judge would assume all the commands would be in that other language, not just one. In Schutzhund, the send away is to send the dog away from you and you have to down the dog from a distance with no visual guide such as a box to guide the dog - sounds very difficult to train! My send cue in agility is 'Go' like most - makes the most sense to me, short, easy to remember and to say quickly :laugh:

I've had a lesson with Jim Luce and enjoyed it - he works with Kelpies mostly so knows how to work with them There is, however, a reason I do agility and not herding . . . methods vary hugely and many are not very positive.

It does sound like a Labrador would be a good fit with your requirements :) And yes as koalathebear mentioned, not all from the same breed are the same either, it pays to research breeders, see what sort of dogs they have, and talk to the breeder about your requirements.

My previous dog was a Cocker Spaniel x (dog that jumped the fence :laugh: - literally that's what they told us! I suspect Kelpie sort of dog). She looked NOTHING like a Cocker Spaniel! Short hair, leggy, wiry, lean.

What is it that you want though? You are saying cross breed of two unrelated breeds. What is it that draws you to this? How about you start with what you are after in a dog and start from there: * Temperament * Exercise requirements * Trainability and how much training are you prepared to do, any dog sports or classes * Grooming - how much are you willing to do? * Size * Sociability with other dogs? Social butterfly, can be very upfront with meeting others, or more interested in you and 'working' than other dogs? etc

With Labs being gundogs and Border Collies herding dogs, their temperaments are not the same, and neither is their build - what is it that draws you to each of these breeds, and why do you think a cross of them would be what you are looking for?

I don't think many people would be deliberately breeding a cross of those breeds, and people would not promote them here :) . If you are after something similar, what about looking in shelters? Or get a purebred? What is it about them vs a purebred tht you like? ETA there is a Lab X in this thread http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/238530-broken-hill-13-june-almost-full-help-please/

I am awestruck every time I see that Dane run!

We had no joy either Luke - run out of ring in ADX, nice JDM run with two off courses :laugh:

What time should I get there on Saturday? I still need to pick up my numbers and stuff so should be a bit early?

I think that this is a great way to solve the problem! Mental stimulation too!

What are the grounds like after all this rain? I know there are indoor rings, but I am only competing on Saturday and that day the 600s are on the outside rings.

I'll be there on Saturday - if you see a short lady with a big black and tan Kelpie in the 600 ring come and say hi!

OK, so you can start by giving your cue 'on your mat' and reward when she gets on there. Then give your release cue (mine is Free or Break) and throw your reward off the mat so you know she will get off to go get it. Then you start extending her time on the mat slowly before giving your release. You will also need to add distractions such as not being right near the mat (so that she will stay on the mat when you go away and do something else) but again start slowly, like one step etc. And other people walking by like your husband etc. But first you want her to understand get on the mat when you say, get off the mat when you say.

What exactly are you doing at the moment? How did you teach it? Did you shape it or lure it?

I might try to get a photo of Diesel's legs, due to breaking one leg as a puppy he has uneven muscle tone.

Yes, I did assume she had a release command :laugh: If not, teach that first (this can be taught through CG as well :) ). Click for me does not always mean release. Depends on the exercise.

I can think of two things off the top of my head. One is to treat it like you would any stay exercise. Build up duration, distance and distraction slowly, start with only a very short amount of time, and ALWAYS give your release command when you want her to get off. The other option is to do Crate Games with her - this is how Susan Garrett teaches her duration stay behaviours and understanding of release command. This behaviour is then transferrable to the mat.

There are lots of great videos on YouTube, you can find pretty much anything on there! kikopup has some useful ones on clicker training http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup?feature=chclk

Well I am preparing to get wet now!

With backup, I shaped it, mark and reward any foot movement, then any movement backwards, even if just a step or foot movement, then wait for them to offer more. You can start by making a corridor out of furniture/walls to limit their options. It can take a little while to get started, but once they get the hang of it it is pretty cool. I even managed to teach my old dog who is now 12 1/2 - taught her about a year or so ago so she was still pretty old when I started lol. Kaos will now go back quite a distance. With back feet on object, probably easier if you have walk backwards first. I am about to teach this as part of a contact course. Kaos will always offer to put front feet on things as we have done a lot of perch work, not so good at offering to put back feet on things so will take some experimenting I think lol. It is a separate exercise for me than going into 2o2o position for agility.

An update on our tugging. I have been concentrating on getting more intense tugging with good weight shift in the backyard and tugging around distractions and different times of the day and continuing to work on our retrieve. So far he will tug * If I put treats in his food bowl * If I put his favourite toy on the ground * After getting a treat (using a SG game) * As a reward for restrained recall * At the start of each training session * Before a walk * Before he gets his dinner