FHRP Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 So pleased with Ruby, she finished her 3rd trial in a row today Woohoo, well done RS!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fetchindawgs Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Can't hold it in any longer.....I have a little brag. My boy got his Retrieving Trial Champion title last weekend. So pleased with him, as we have only trialed together for 2 months. Now, just have to title the other two dogs ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 WOW well done!!!!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livertreats Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Can't hold it in any longer.....I have a little brag. My boy got his Retrieving Trial Champion title last weekend. So pleased with him, as we have only trialed together for 2 months. Now, just have to title the other two dogs ! Congratulations, well done and I am sure the other 2 will not be far behind Diamond. Good Luck in SA, will be waiting to hear how you got on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Can't hold it in any longer.....I have a little brag. My boy got his Retrieving Trial Champion title last weekend. So pleased with him, as we have only trialed together for 2 months. Now, just have to title the other two dogs ! Congratulations fetchin' That's wonderful!!! Back to retrieving training for us after concentrating on the Agility Nationals for a few weeks. Em went completely nuts when I got some game out of the freezer today...will see what she has remembered! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 (edited) Em and I had a great weekend away retrieving.....although camping in -2C after 10 days of camping for the Agility Nationals was a bit hard to get my head around at first! Very glad we went, though, as Em won Novice on Saturday with 171 points and came 2nd on Sunday! She out scored the winning dog on Sunday in her 1st and 3rd runs so kind of glad I stuffed up her 2nd run as that gives us a bit of breathing space going into Restricted. I went on the thrower for the 3rd run of AA on Saturday, laid blinds for the 1st run of Restricted on Sunday and had 2 throwers to work in their 2nd run! It was FREEZING on Saturday, in particular, but I didn't have one "no bird" all weekend :D Em was pick up dog for Restricted on Saturday - she thought that was a real hoot! So....to the runs.... Saturday. 1st run - the dogs were feeling very fresh and a number of them broke, which really put them at a disadvantage. Land mark with lots of trees so the dogs only saw the top of the arc. Em was very bouncy and also broke but she pulled herself up within half a metre of me. I held her nice and steady before releasing her. She misjudged the depth and over ran the mark but didn't veer left like many of the dogs did. Hunted hard and methodically, picked up the game and delivered to hand. 2nd run - over water mark. The water was more of a "splash" - most of the dogs could run through it but Em had to leap through going out and swim coming back with the game in her mouth. Not a bad line - a little arc coming back but delivered nicely to finish it off. Very steady to shot. 3rd run - in water mark. This was very, very cheaty and most dogs took the opportunity to do exactly that. It didn't help that the wind was dragging the game straight towards the bank. Em took a nice line to the water and then you could see her hesitate as she thought about the easiest way to pick it up. Knowing how her mind works I called out "SWIM!" and so she did - lol - straight out and straight back. The judge said she took a straighter line than the dogs she beat. Not bad for a Springer! Sunday. 1st run - over water mark. Body of water that was part running, part swimming and very tempting to cheat. Em didn't take the perfect line going out but it wasn't horrendous - she did cheat coming back though but she was not on her lonesome there! I know what we need to practice anyway. 2nd run - I completely stuffed this up. It was a really simple land mark in my opinion. Just before Em ran she saw someone she knew leave the run to go to another stake. She just could not take her eyes off them. When we got to the firing point she was still looking in that direction. I looked down before I closed the gun and she was looking in the right direction but apparently that was only for a brief second and then her head swung around again. She completely missed the mark. I realised this but did not take enough time to set it up as a blind and had to do some very messy handling to pick up the game. I am very cranky with myself for mucking this up so badly but will put it down to novice handler and novice dog 3rd run - in water mark. This was a pretty tough run for a novice dog. The game hit the water and with the strong wind it immediately floated towards the far bank. Problem was that as soon as the dogs entered the water they had a long swim to get there and couldn't see nor smell it. So a number did the same thing and swam towards the bank. Em was the 2nd dog to run and, whilst I didn't see the first dog run, I knew it hadn't got through and I could see the traps. Em hit the water, swam and then headed for the bank. I decided that I'd stuffed up the 2nd run so this was to be a training exercise. I handled to keep her in the water and she took it BUT hit the other side of the dam and got out. She was down wind of the game so she thought it was further up. It was thick scrub and she loves hunting in that sort of cover, plus beyond the thick scrub it was clear grounds and I realised if she got up there and started hunting we'd be in a pickle. It DID take some convincing to get her back in the water (apparently I could be heard at AA yelling out "SWIM!" :laugh:) but I managed to handle her to the game AND get her to swim all the way back to me instead of running the bank. Bloody brilliant and I was grinning from ear to ear. Judge was very happy too. Only 2 dogs finished and Em was the only one to swim out AND back. So a fine weekend but I am enjoying the luxuries of a hot shower and a flushing toilet like you wouldn't believe Edited June 25, 2012 by The Spotted Devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livertreats Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Where is Fetchindawgs, she has some exciting news to share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Congrats TSD on another win with Em! Oooh what's the exciting news? Hurry up FD!! How did you go on the weekend, Livertreats? I had my car all packed ready to go, but had to bail at last minute because Ruby wasn't up to it. Her ears have become infected again so I felt guilty about making her swim and be out in the cold, so this week we'll be looking at getting them flushed. Sigh! I reckon she thinks I go to work just to pay for all her vet visits!!! I'm hoping she's raring to go again on Sunday :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Just read the fantastic news on AWRC - way to go, fetchindawgs!!!!!!! You and your dogs are on fire! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fetchindawgs Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Just got on here.......boy are you guys impatient !! :) Thanks RS, and hope to see you and Ruby back soon at Novice stakes. Yes I had a great weekend with the kids. A 2nd place in restricted with "the idiot", ah but I do love him. Then in All Age, a 1st place and RT Ch title for my little black girl, 3rd place for my boy and 4th place for my Golden. Really, really happy with them all; just hope they are not peaking too early with the Nationals here in a couple of months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Way to go, Whiz :D I'm (not so) secretly bummed she won't be having any more litters, she's an awesome little dog :) Ruby and I will be back soon. I didn't "wag" this weekend because of last weekends hard mouth issues (though it didn't help with the motivation ) but I won't let it deter me. Keeping at it! Back to frozen bird in a sock and "hold" exercises. Her confidence has increased beyond what I hoped for this season which makes me :D I just wish she was a bit softer mouthed. But she's always been mouthy, even though she carries soft toys around and doesn't put a dent in them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fetchindawgs Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 You said that Ruby had an ear infection. This could contribute to her clamping down on the bird RS. Pain of any type can affect certain dogs and it can transfer to how they carry the bird. But, as you say, keep up the frozen bird practise and even take one with you to a trial and have her hold gently before you go on. And, the way you were keeping it nice and light and encouraging after she picked up would probably be a good thing to keep for awhile, just so she doesn't get stressed. Re Whiz, had another E.S. trialer visiting W.A. ask me when I was going to breed from her again and was sorry to have to tell him she was speyed. She has some daughters and sons out there though, and, Diamond is a 1/2 brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 (edited) Yeah Masons bird issues arwhile we aren't trialling he can do everything else but I don't trust him with birds. Gibbs on the other hand will run next season he is fine with birds etc, just can't run him with hs leg this season. Edited July 9, 2012 by Mason_Gibbs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 You said that Ruby had an ear infection. This could contribute to her clamping down on the bird RS. Pain of any type can affect certain dogs and it can transfer to how they carry the bird. But, as you say, keep up the frozen bird practise and even take one with you to a trial and have her hold gently before you go on. And, the way you were keeping it nice and light and encouraging after she picked up would probably be a good thing to keep for awhile, just so she doesn't get stressed. Re Whiz, had another E.S. trialer visiting W.A. ask me when I was going to breed from her again and was sorry to have to tell him she was speyed. She has some daughters and sons out there though, and, Diamond is a 1/2 brother. I'm hoping after her ear flush and medication she will discover this new found "joy" as she's had problem ears for so long, she's probably gotten used to the awful discomfort it is surely causing her! I'm kicking myself I didn't encourage her verbally on her first run last week. Sitting back and reflecting, I think she stressed at the challenge of going down that bank and back to me, and took it out on the bird Yeah Masons bird issues arwhile we aren't trialling he can do everything else but I don't trust him with birds. Gibbs on the other hand will run next season he is fine with birds etc, just can't run him with hs leg this season. Keep at it with Mason like I am with Ruby :) I'm glad to hear you'll be trialling Gibbs, but please do trial Mason as well!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Wonderful weekend for you fetchin' - congratulations Em had a role in a short film over the weekend - a very different experience for her but I broke up her time in front of the camera under hot lights with retrieving drills on the lawn. She just loved it and they really helped shake off the pressure of doing each scene over and over and over and over and..... :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 RS - really hope your girl is on the mend soon. Sounds like you have plenty of help for the bird chomping issues too so keep the faith! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Thanks, TSD. The vet is all booked up this week, so the earliest they could fit her in where I could get her there is Friday 20th She seems fine, the ear thing isn't new, but it would be nice to finally give her some relief! We've got a trial this weekend which I will probably still do, then her "surgery" next week gives her the weekend trial free :) She isn't being cut open obviously so recovery time isn't like a normal surgery, but being under GA, suppose she needs time to feel herself again. I will also ask if getting her ears wet (swimming) is something I should avoid for a while or not, and if so, I'll have to rethink the rest of this season. But her ears go like that regardless of moist ears from swimming, so it might not make a difference. Questions for the vet next week!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Yeah im pereservering but Mason is a stresspot and if he doesnt like the bird in his mouth i guess i cant really force him too much i guess i left it a bit late with him. Gibbs doesnt shut down if he feels me stress which helps heaps where Mason does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 RS and MG - I'm assuming you've worked through backchaining the retrieve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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