[15 Seconds?!]

We went to a tournament in Canada this year and it is all on the box. All the people I spoke to treated their dogs as very much loved pets, with many rescues amongst them.

 

They did not care about change overs, they were crap compared to ours but the box work was amazing. Every warm up a jump was put in front of the box and all the dogs practices their turns, they just bounced of them, there are very few dogs over here who can turn like them.

 

This is a good clip showing that way of getting the turn on the box Link here

 

Lynda

[Couple Of Agility Questions...]

hi,

 

yes ABC is " Anything But Collies" but you're not restricted to entering that class if you have a different breed and as it's a "special class" it doesn't count towards progression up the gradings. Also worth considering that often an ABC class will be open to all grades of dogs so you'll be up against some very experienced dog and handler teams.

 

There's a good guide to starting agility at Agility Addicts that might help

 

Lynda

[Local Agility And Training]

does anyone happen to know if this group still runs? i've tried the telephone number but theres never a reply

if this group doesnt run anymore, does anyone know of a group near to newark. i dont have my own transport, so too far a distance and my 'taxi' would complain!

 

thank you

 

It looks as if the last time their flyball team ran was in July 2006 and only 2 competitions that year.

 

Reasonably close to Newark is Empingham Dog Training who train in Grantham and are a well established club

 

Lynda

[The Nhs Crap/not Crap?]

Are those poor salaries? Compared to whose? We can't compare nurses' salaries to those of doctors - the qualifications and training are completely different. If nurses feel they should earn as much as doctors, why don't they do a medical degree?

 

Liz.

 

Actually most nurses qualifying now do have a degree, a BSc(Hons) in Nursing.

 

Lynda

[The Nhs Crap/not Crap?]

Recent treatment at Scunthorpe NHS when I broke my wrist was fantastic, staff were great though obviously very busy, seen on time, very little waiting for x-ray or to get the cast put on or off. Can't praise them enough.

 

I just hope they're not seen as one of the smaller ones they want to close to make way for centralised centres

 

Lynda

[Working Trials]

T

My OH's GSD has recently retired from the police and to stop him getting bored I was thinking about working trials. I haven't a clue who to contact or where to start looking. I had a quick look at the Scottish kennel club site but there isn't much on there.

Does anyone have any friends involved or anyone who could point me to a website etc. We live in West Lothian (between Edinburgh and Glasgow). Thanks

 

If you have a look on Workingtrials.co.uk and go to contacts there are details for the Scottish Working Trials Society. I used to be a member when I lived up there and there was a far bit organised for training and actual trials.

[Rules Question]

hi Cathie,

 

Thankyou for the offer I've passed eveything over to Pauline as I know she has been hunting for a spare dog too!

 

I'm a "mature" student at Bishop Burton on the Foundation Degree in Canine Behaviour and Training via distance learinig but Pauline is the Course Manager though she's on Summner Hols now having a well earned break from us awful students!

 

Lynda

[Rules Question]

If you need to make up a team for sanctioned which means your starter team is short of dogs you could always see if anyone has a spare dog to run. Usually there is no problem filling spare starter spaces ask Betty to make an anouncement. I don't think we have a starter team in so you might be able to borrow Annie (although she is a total pain) if you want her. We are doing the photography at Eggborough so will be easy to find.

 

Which team are you with?

 

Hi,

 

Its the Bishop Burton Teams. Pauline, Riotus_UK, is our Team Manager, who is also having a nightmare with her van breaking down and Sky going to the bridge yesterday , so I'll pass on your kind offer. Got to ask though, why is she a total pain

 

Lynda

[Rules Question]

Thanks for that. We having a bit of a disaster for Eggborough in that its our first ever division race and we also have a starters team entered but we're also having all kinds of problems with dogs not being well or unavailable and having a couple of "high energy" dogs I wondered if it might be an option!

 

Lynda

[Rules Question]

hi I can't see this anywhere in the BFA rules but it might be one of those custom and pratice things. Could a dog run in both a division and a starters team on the same day if they are still eligble for starters and BFA registered?

 

thanks

 

Lynda

[And More Starters Questions :)]

Starters is a fun class, always ran over 8" with netting or jump wings. Because it's a fun event, it does not come under the BFA rules, however, there is an 'unwritten' set of rules, which states that dogs can't run in starters once they have achieved their flyball dog award (for 200 points), they run over 8", and the dogs/handlers/boxloaders can do whatever they want as long as the dog comes back over the line with a ball in it's mouth

 

Starters is always a fun class, so no points will be awarded for any races in starters. Once you start running in sanctioned competitions, you will get points every time you race, whether you win or lose, depending on the time you get

 

thankyou!

[And More Starters Questions :)]

Sad person that I am I've been looking at the BFA rules on their website but I can't see anything about the criteria for being able to run in Starters?

 

and one more........ is Starters always classed as a fun class so no points are allocatted if I was to join the BFA and the team won a race? I'm quite happy in Startes right now thankyou

 

Lynda

[Frustration]

I'd say find a really good trainer who will train you how to handle a fast dog, concentrating on your skills rather than your dogs.

 

Lynda

[Not Keen]

Yes, I have one like that, Megan, she thinks agility is as much fun as watching paint dry or at least that's the impression she gave, some of it I felt was a little lack of confidence and she probably picked up my nerves more than the other dogs did. But she was a very good steady dog and a good pairs and team member as though not fast she was very accurate and got quite a few intermediate places

 

Things that I found helped -

 

She hated being in front, so I needed to work her from her shoulder where-ever I could.

 

I would break a course into sections, so first 4 jumps, lots of verbal praise, next few obstacles praise again, she needed that reassurance as we went along.

 

Start line routine, as we got to one dog infront we would play tug and then she did a routine of tricks again lots of praise so all very positive.

 

Very little training, I worked more on target training and obedience which could then be transferred to the equipment which meant we then had to only do a few repetitions of something new

 

I also found she was much better once we were out of starters and there were more twists and turns in a course so when in starters she was better in open classes or ABC ones.

 

Good luck!

 

Lynda

[Where To Get A Box From?]

The bug has bit has it then Lynda

Has Daisy recovered?

Snitch was tired all day today

 

It has Pauline! Though I feel quite ashamed now to have to admit that there is much more to flyball than I had first thought.

 

Daisy was absolutley fine, no stiffness at all in the morning, it seems she can cope with flyball much better than the HWTM moves and agility.

 

Can't wait to get the box and then I can start with all 5 as they're all total ball maniacs

[Where To Get A Box From?]

Just Jumps do, have you been there?

 

Also, try ebay.

 

edit: Have tried ebay - look here

 

Hi Jo, I spotted that one on ebay, always my first stop for everything but been told that the concave ones with rubber matting are better for the dogs as they absorb the shock of the dog landing on them.

 

 

But, I think we might just be sorted, through the power of The Refuge, we're off to look at a secondhand set on Monday

 

Looks like I'm changing from HWTM to Flyball for my progessive training option

[Where To Get A Box From?]

I've found a couple of agilty equipment suppliers that do the boxes but is there anyone else I can compare prices to?

 

thanks

 

Lynda

[Flyball Brags]

We had a fantastic day yesterday, we turned up to a starters show with three dogs who had never run together or competed before with my Daisy never having done flyball before and after 5 minutes training we came 2nd in our division loosing only to the team that came first. Our team consisted of a collie, a beardie, a terrier and a Germain wirehaired pointer who we met just before our first race and who had never competed before either!!!

 

I was so amazed at how friendly and helpful everyone was, they gave their time to show us what to do and where to be, loaned a box and balls, and we had a Team manager, trainer and box loader who appeared from no-where to help us. Having competed in other dog sports I have to say that Flyball really knows how to encourage starters and help them on their way! Oh and theres much more to it than I thought! I was exhausted at the end of the day!

 

Picture below of my Daisy doing her Easter bunny impersonation

[Hwtm Kc Comp 4th June]

Thankyou!

 

if you PM me your e-mail addy I will send it to you

[Hwtm Kc Comp 4th June]

Hi does anyone know where I can get a schedule for the KC show at Leslie, Nr Glenrothes on 4th June?

 

thanks

 

 

Lynda

[Governing Body For Hwtm]

Thankyou Patch!

[Governing Body For Hwtm]

Can anyone help on who is the governing body for HWTM? I've found several sites all who run competitions and who have their own rules but are there anyone which are recognised by the KC?

 

thanks

 

Lynda

[List Of Clubs?]

York is a bit of a dead zone for agility clubs which is very strange really. Dog Friendly at Aughton near York do some classes but I think they are more fun agility than training with competition in mind.

 

Harrogate club is very friendly and they have a really good mix of all breeds and Ron Rawlingson who trains between Northallerton and Thirsk is also lovely. Ron's website is http://www.k9-dogtraining.co.uk

[HTM Tips and hints please]

Whats a the difference between a twist and a twirl?

 

 

On this thread you will find the moves to work on.

You dont need to have perfected a move before you can start the next, as most moves will need brushing up on as you go anyway. When there are enough moves and enough people feel ready, we can start putting some of the moves together. I will start Week One with the same move as on Wiccaweys and if you check back on this thread you`ll know where we are up to and anyone new will have the full list at whatever point they feel they would like to take the plunge

The people putting forward the moves will be people who are already experienced, either here or from other forums [ mainly Wiccaweys ], but anyone who knows their stuff can post moves they feel are right for progression for us to try. Please pm me with movement suggestions so I can add them [ just to keep this thread as tidy as possible ].

Week One : [suggested by SlippingHalo ]

 

heel on the left, do a twist, heel on the right, then twirl and then back to hell on the left so instead of 4 seperate exercises it will be a basic htm move

[Seesaw Woes]

Do you clicker train?

 

I would do free shaping aound the seesaw (this is how I trained all my contacts). So click for looking at it, click for being near it, for sniffing it, for one paw on it etc. etc.

 

No presssure whatsoever, no pulling/coaxing the dog across or rocking it back and forth

 

If all he can cope with in the first session is looking at it, then leave it at that, he is choosing to look at something which is pretty scarey to him right now and thats a pretty big choice for him to make.

 

This will take longer initially but you'll have a really solid behaviour and a dog who enjoys the seesaw

 

 

Lynda