J...

Decided the marine carpet sounded like too much work I thought it had a decent backing on it but looking at it in Bunnings today I can see why it needs something under it. The big rubber anti fatigue mats were reasonably priced so I've gone with two of them for starters in the carport, I can always grab some more if I need them. Also grabbed a rubber backed mat for the decking so hopefully that should keep the mud down. Even if I end up buying another two anti fatigue mats it's still cheaper and easier than what the chips and edging would've been. Thanks for everyone's suggestions and thoughts

The artificial lawn is a good idea - might try some of it on the decking, I wonder how it would go in the carport. Marine carpet was something else I considered. I like the idea of the chips but don't want to chuck a heap down and find I have an issue of some sort. The dogs do eat bones in that part of the carport, maybe I should just grab a bag or two for their direct path and try that. No biggie if it's not suitable then.

I've recently had a dog door installed so the girls can come and go. Problem is that it's resulting in mud being tracked into the house and I'd like to prevent it as much as I can. The dog door leads out of the sunroom onto the small deck area, down the stairs and into the corner of the carport for a metre or so before they hit the grass. The carport is dirt base, bluestone on top and tends to get a bit damp and dirty in winter. I'm thinking of shifting the bluestone, putting down a good weedmat base to stop the dirt coming through and then putting red gum chips on top. Easy on their feet, should help prevent mud and soft enough to laze on if they want to. I'll put some kind of barrier at either end to stop the chips moving onto the lawn. Has anyone used red gum chips with their dogs? Any issues? Anything else you've used which has been helpful? I'm also looking at putting a mat the entry side of the door - any good ideas on something that will help pick up the mud off their feet? I have a big rubber backed piece on the sunroom side which is helping a little. Thanks in advance! Jess

Hi everyone! Lovely weather we're having - hope this isn't the start of winter already Not just trialling - we camped in it. Couldn't have ordered it better though, started raining at Geelong just as we finished up Saturday arvo and stopped sometime early Sunday morning. Even managed to get my tent and gazebo dry in the wind Sunday I reckon I seen Tez this morning - really bad when you have trouble recognising people sans their dogs Ick ick ick - I can handle snakes no worries, they really only bother me because of my dogs but spiders just do me in Speaking of snakes - I decided given the lovely drizzly weather that I'd take the dogs up the lake for their first big hill run of the year. Thinking that I should be relatively ok snake wise in that weather... got halfway back around and nearly stood on a flattened (dead) brown snake on the track. Might leave it a few more weeks before we go back again :D

An issue with 2x2 is that it's "quick and easy" You have a dog weaving 12 poles in 12 days and because the dog can "weave" it's easy to fall into the trap of stopping there. In reality 12 poles fills the first DVD, there is an entire DVD of proofing that follows. I taught Darcy my 5 yo how to weave out of the Shaping Success book, she was an ok weaver but not a great one. I retaught her when I got the DVD, but once again because she could already weave I took shortcuts and didn't follow it to the letter. While she improved, she wasn't nailing difficult entries and was having problems with 10th pole popping. I put Darcy through 2x2 again at the same rate as I put my young dog through. She's not missed a weave entry or popped a pole since - that's with some bloody awful weave poles here in Vic, I don't ever soften entries nor do I stick around to make sure she stays in. Unfortunately I fell into the above problem - partially due to my training circumstances. My young dog can nail 12 poles in the backyard at speed and with confidence. Take it out on the road and she's struggling with even simple entries. All well and good to have 12 poles in your back yard but it's not so easy to pull them up, repeg into a new location and surround it with distracting gear like jump/tunnels and contact gear, especially when you pretty much train on your own. You can't blame the method for that - that's totally my fault.

I put one on a bed, mat, camp chair or just in a drop on the ground in close proximity, rewarding the one who's not being trained for sticking their position. I do a few minutes with each dog and then switch. They each have a camp chair at club training. Reward - I use food for stationary and toys for moving (as a general rule).

Hi Chatabox Yes I use a clicker for shaping work - tricks mostly, and a bridge word for most other work. I won't be doing MPW - it coincides with training.

Take a look at Susan's work with her mixed breed DeCaff who was very much down the bottom end of the drive scale.

You can use whichever one you want from this club site. http://www.bdoc.com.au/ Scroll down to club trials. Most if not all clubs use the multi use form for agility these days. Obedience is the original performance entry form.

Ha ha - busted Happy Birthday JJ :laugh: :D

Congratulations Tenties and BJ - well done!!

You think it's better the dog gets left in the backyard for the rest of it's life. Maybe this elderly fellow has no other alternatives.

If this is the pale greeny/blue Magna that's around the dog club - take some time to watch the elderly gentleman driver attempt to get out of his car one day. If you think the dog is having trouble getting around - the owner is 10 times worse. I used to think the same thing - until I seen him desperately struggling to even get out of his car. That was a good year or so ago - I would hate to think how immobile he is these days.

More info please? Greg Derrett - Double Box work.

Depends on what you're looking for in a dog trainer. As an agility trialler I would be looking for someone who has experience trialling at a high level, preferably with multiple dogs. Given how much agility has changed even since I started 3.5 years ago they would need to be trialling to keep up with the progression. It would be a different story if I needed some help with behavioural issues - just so happens the person I would ask does trial successfully, but that's incidental.

Ideally you should throw it under their body as they back up as you want them backing up with their head lowered, not up. Otherwise they are pushing off their front end instead of working their rear end. Watch a reining horse back up and they will back with their head lowered.

JJ there are M and F bearded dragons for sale with their enclosure for $1000 on the C'down IGA board. Someone from Timboon. Just thought I'd mention it in case you were interested.

Very quiet in here - where is everyone :D Good on you tlc - looks great, it really brings out your eyes having such short hair. Amazing how temperature sensitive your scalp is when it's that short ;) I'm still recovering from a big weekend trialling - Darcy scored her final Open Agility pass so she's now Darcy Diva CDX ADM JDM ADO JDM GDX. Also 3 passes in Masters with two 2nds - would've been a further 2 more if we hadn't dropped bars but you get that. ;) JJ there was a lovely drivey Viszla at the trial yesterday which I think was a local dog - is it one of your breeding? Hope you went well at the show Tenties would've liked to have gone for a sticky but didn't get there.

Bum-ing up the top again :D Too true - I don't mind day trips, hate overnighters and especially hate the inner city, but I'm home now Hey you're not on your own there - try spending more time in the training thread where it's a shock when you do get acknowledged I've been slack and not sponsored you yet but I will get there ;)

Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better Tenties :D Well done on the target tlc and good luck for Saturday Currently in Melbourne for training course, 2 days down 1 to go. Missing my girls :D lucky I have Mum to look after them for me but I'll be glad to get home tomorrow night

Hopefully you can get it sorted with your car tlc. Having a mate doing the work helps though Any snake sighting with dogs is way too close for me - I had a way too close encounter with a brown snake and Darcy as a youngster up Mt Leura. Still makes my skin crawl. Yes there is a trial in W'bool on the long weekend - double back to back agility (all day both days) and single obedience (mornings only). You said ages ago about trialling in obedience JJ - you still keen?

Thanks JJ I thought that might be the case - snakes don't bother me at all but I'm paranoid about the dogs, especially since you have so little time to get them to the vet I have to off-lead my guys to keep them fit, at the moment I'm using the park with the occasional beach trip. But they don't free run at the park like they do at the lake/beach. They'll both retrieve until they drop but that repetitive stuff is not good for their joints. I'm considering buying a treadmill for all of us

Hi all, All going well here - just busy Did our first trial last weekend - was rapt with Darcy's runs - she got a 3rd and a 4th. Now just have to wait til the long weekend for Warrnambool How cold is this weather - I love Summer, I'm going to be so grumpy by Winter I'll need a week's holiday somewhere to defrost Hope all is going well with you guys - how did your car turn out tlc? Tenties - hope your op goes well for you! JJ - given your knowledge of snakes, I wondered about the effect of the early cold weather on them being out and about? The walk around the lake is my favourite dog walk but I pull the pin once the weather warms up cos I'm too worried about snake bite. Just wondering whether you would see them around brackish water like Bullen Merri and whether they'd be out and about as much in this cooler, overcast weather?

I buy close to date or on special meat, cut it into steaks if needed, boil it and then cut up into small pieces with the scissors. I can get round steak locally in 1.5 kg bulk packs for $7.99 a kg. It is a bit time consuming but if you do a decent sized batch you can put them into snap lock bags and into the freezer.

What are you doing wasting time on DOL ? You should be packing to go trialling. :D Stalker!! :D