Erny

If we're going to the awards, do we need to order them? I'm presuming so, as I'd not expect it for free - but the above post made me wonder. I'll order one please Steve, once I have the answer to this .

Up-date : Not going to say anything and not suggesting things are perfect, but gawd he looks good at the moment ;) :rofl: . And eating!! Back to the good ol' days of high food enthusiasm. This started when I began to introduce raw chicken and cooked chicken back into his diet. He still gets the Hills Science Z/D (his predominant diet) and I'm not overdoing it on the chicken (not every meal). He's had a couple of times of discomfort (a slightly sloppy poop; fussing at his butt; occasional slightly smelly fart) and this could be the chicken, but I'm still experimenting at the moment. Not sure if I'm doing things as properly as I should, but I am so enjoying my boy looking so well. And talk about energy!! . I forgot how he energetic he can actually be. Heightened energy levels really became noticeable when I started him on Antler Velvet tablets. But the pamphlets suggest that it can take 6 - 8 weeks of accumulation before benefits are seen, whereas I noticed the change inside 24 hours. So I'm not completely convinced that this increased energy boost can be attributed to that. He also seems to be more settled (although to anyone who didn't know him might not think that if their own chilled out dog is going to be used as a bench mark). I'm thinking this could perhaps be attributed to his thyroid medication really kicking in. Thyroid med check (bloods) early March. Struck delays and then our Vet is away, so we're a little late.

It is of course the main thing ..... but it doesn't make other loss less difficult. For all those who have suffered from the floods; Yasi; and the fires .... I wish you all the strength you need to pick yourselves up, dust yourselves off and to begin moving forward once more.

Very nice rounds - each of them. And good work Vicki. Your dog is very fast. What was the time on that run?

In our instance I haven't seen this as a "shift" but more of a natural progression that has occurred through training. Initially on-lead and working very basic - as Megan as described (thanks Megan ) .... just one obstacle and then maybe a couple at a time. During this, learning body language, its impact on the dog, and practicing that. As all of these things moved on they became better. With that the dogs began to pick up speed. By then the owners were becoming better in their body language. And by then the dogs were able to move towards more off-lead than on-lead. There has been no "shift" or adjustment from one thing (ie on-lead) to another (ie off-lead). It's been quite a smooth transition IMO and from what I see. Now that Megan has joined the discussion (thanks again, Megan) perhaps she might step in to contradict me if she thinks it is necessary. She would know it more so than I as she is an active participant in our Agility Classes. I am often pre-occupied with other classes and/or my attention is interrupted by some requirement or other. This not directed to me but if it were my answer would be no, not yet. Although if they desire it (), they're not terribly far away from being ready to, but there is more work to detail required just yet.

;) ... I even need to double check with our Instructor if this is one of the crosses she mentions. I might have that wrong. I hope I don't have her in trouble if I am wrong, lol.

Ok. I'll pass it on. Thanks. But as I said, I don't think they are even doing it. I have not recognised them doing any moves where they are turning away from their dog.

I understand that this is your, PF's and even the opinion of others who are more versed in agility than I. I am swimming against the tide, it seems. But I will still assert that working agility with your dog can actually assist in improving other aspects of dog training including increasing focus. I have no problems if anyone wants to change the name of what we do because of the fact we intro it 'on-lead'. And I'm not seeing any reason why the dogs that are now in the higher level have been disadvantaged by their 'on-lead' intro. ..... sorry, what can I say ;). But I do acknowledge that you guys have obviously seen these problems. I've not recognised them within our classes though.

I haven't heard her expressing a problem ;). Like I said, I don't know that she spends a lot of time focusing on it. And in the opportunity I had today to observe some of their lesson, I didn't see that happening. But cheers for the heads up .

I know our Instructor is familiar with a few variations on different training techniques. I remember her speaking about them. The one she uses is the one she prefers because she feels it is generally the better for most people. They seem to be working very well . We have small numbers to our classes, which means that if any dog has a problem with learning the way she currently teaches, she'd be able to change to suit.

Don't know that she's spent a great deal of time focusing on it other than to show and demonstrate it. But thanks - I'll have a chat with her.

I don't know what the method is called, but our instructor uses the method of starting with weavers as a channel and then bringing them in gradually. Our dogs in the higher level are beginning to show signs of weaving as we like to see them do, but by now they also have better off-lead effective control and therefore are working more off lead than on like they were previously.

I get what you're saying PF but all I can say is that I'm not seeing these things you suggest are the problems that will occur, occurring. Our dogs in our higher level (they've had about 23 lessons in all, I think) are beginning to be 'sent' (handlers have been taught front; rear; and blind crosses and so forth). I can't fully explain why our training is working as well as it is - I'm not the agility instructor. I know a bit of it due to my own limited experience, but it is just that .... limited. Consequently I have someone who has far more experience and expertise than I do. I guess my point is that it can be done. I have actually used agility activity to help handlers achieve a better degree of off lead effective control when they were otherwise struggling to achieve it. This is why I don't like saying to people they must achieve advanced level training (to include effective off lead control) before they are permitted to partake in agility.

I don't mind what name it is put under. Again, the manner in which our dogs are intro'd and progressively taught weavers, they can still start on lead initially without hindrance. (Must be 12mo or older though.) As they progress it becomes more necessary for the dog to be off lead but so far in our experience the dogs by then becoming so much more focused on their handler and 'addicted' to the agility itself, that their off lead reliability has also progressed. What I said above ;).

I don't think we have that problem either. In the first level the handlers are not running obstacle sequences so much, although there might be a couple of pieces that are selected to run one after another. I'm not trying to be argumentative. You've obviously seen the down side of it, it's just I don't see these problems occurring with the manner in which ours are taught. Like I mentioned earlier though, the handlers need to have control of their dogs, just not necessarily off lead control in the very first level of agility intro.

Thanks PF. I wasn't sure if you were reverting to a general statement about any agility on lead.

I don't agree with this bit though, Newfsie. Of course there are some dogs who might soil their pens. Although I do note that the dogs at the kennels I visit are out so often that they tend not to mess that much in their pens. But even then, the mess is cleaned up pretty much once it is seen. Because it might only be in a pen here and a pen there, anyone who did happen to see it on inspection wouldn't be too concerned about it. The person would probably also see it in the process of being cleaned it up anyway.

I hope that it is not assumed that this is what our intro to agility class is like (seeing as I have expressed the fact that we do start with dogs on lead in the Groundwork program). The dogs who have started with us and progressed into higher levels have now begun off lead work and are demonstrating effective control.

Yes - perhaps the system, technique and class structure is different to ours. I have not experienced this "chaos" you speak of in our classes.

Pro-K9 provides professional tuition in Agility training (classes). I do agree that there is a need to be mindful about what you're doing with a lead, but I don't agree that it is specifically "fraught" with danger. At our most basic level ("Agility Groundwork") we introduce the dogs one by one to each piece of equipment - the way to approach etc. We work predominantly on lead at this level, with off-lead being introduced at or after our "Groundwork *Plus" level (which is the one up from "Groundwork"). What I find (which is in part why I wanted to introduce Agility to our training framework) is that through the learning and enjoyment of Agility, both dog and handler develop a body language co-ordination and focus. Through this I find that their dogs begin to focus more on their owners and become more attentive to them and whilst this is not the be-all and end-all to off lead control, I do find that it greatly assists. I like to use Agility as a fun way of enhancing, complimenting and improving conventional obedience. But I do agree that a basic level of control of your dog is required, even if that happens to necessarily be "on-lead" control only. During these early lessons, my Instructors are able to assess the individual dogs' performances and behaviour and off-lead is introduced according to dog/handler combo capability. To the OP - I agree with Poodlefan .... Foundation Agility is all that I would prescribe for a dog less than 12 months of age. Our Instructor takes into account the ages of our canine members and this dictates what obstacles she will not have the dogs negotiate.

I don't know anything about the use of Cepacol on wounds - sounds good on the surface. Need to look into it further but thank you for the tip. But you're not suggesting the Cepacol cured the dog of the venom that would have been injected by the snake, are you? If the dog survived that without treatment beyond a spray of Cepacol, I'd be suggesting it wasn't invenomated (word?).

Who is blessed with a wonderful owner. Draw strength from the fact that you've put in yards that many others would not have.

Have you had bloods checked (including thyroid)? Diet sounds ok'ish to me, although I don't think rice is necessary. Does the skin have tendancies towards being oily; scurfy; ? I'd be looking at medical first and have things ruled out, or you could find yourself spending a small fortune on food changes etc. Then (subject to the blood results) I'd be looking at isolating singular proteins and working methodically through those. But that's me. I'm not a Vet and I can only tell you from my own experience.

I didn't know this. Head Collars, but not food? IMO the two go together. I'd not be using a toy/tug motivation sequence with a dog on a head collar, so what other motivation style do they promote? Just interested - I thought Alpha had a reasonable reputation.

I'm with PetPlan. After the $000.00's I spent on my previous girl in her last few years I couldn't not take out insurance for my current boy and am very pleased that I did as I've spent more than quite a lot on both Vet fees and foods. It's been good to have the assistance of back up in the Vet fee department and apart from a bit of a rocky beginning with my first claims (which all went in at once and were quite bulky and confusing) I've been very happy with them. I wouldn't be without pet insurance now and I see for the future only a fairly rapid rise in fees and product costs.