Paula

I always think of Dudley as a Gin & Tonic sort of a dog, I know it's not a camp drink really but I used to know a lovely gay man who used to drink it and I've always thought Duds was gay.

When they do the weaves in training always stop and make a huge fuss of them with a toy, treats or a play with you so they think weaves are the best thing since sliced bread and really enjoy doing them, you can phase this out when they get the hang of them and enjoy then but always every so often stop and play again. Even at a show you can make a fuss of them with your voice after the weaves before going on to the next piece of equipment, say things like 'Yeah what a good boy well done' so they still think it's fun. I hate weaves and I'm sure both Dudley and Suzi know this but I'm going to keep it secret from Thomas

Been following this on the agility forum, Well Done.

I find four strides for me is a stride and 2 big strides a bounce (for large dogs)

PAULA & DUDLEY - 38 PAULA & SUZI - 32 CRAZYSPANIELS & BILBO - 11 CABBAGEPATCH88 & MONTY - 11 KIRISOX & JAY - 6 T-DOG & BELLA - 5 AMARANTH & KLEINE - 3 AMARANTH & MERLYN - 2

Basically it's something stolen from the horse world where you work on lots of slow jumping over various heights with differing distances between the jumps so the dog gets used to shortening/lengthening it's stride which hopefully then encourages him/her to pick his feet up too.

My instructor has a dog that is a bit of a demolition dog so she does lots of slow grid work with him to encourage him to pick his feet up and also started giving him a command to pick his feet up when turning tightly. If you have jumps at home or your clubs are accommadating get them to do a line of jumps with just a bounce between and try and do more box work doing pull throughs all the way round and exaggerate your body language so you really pick her up over the jumps (hope that makes sense) I would also be tempted to get her back looked at anyway. Working on the chippings could be affecting her but is the grass different lengths at the other clubs ie is one cut shorter than the other.

Here's my Dudley looking like butter wouldn't melt in is mouth. and the more usualy view I get of him.

God I have loads of sympathy for you but no real help other than perhaps take a couple of weeks off and just go for lovely long relaxing walks instead of training. Dudley has started being a complete a**e again at shows and biting my ankles again after a fantastic season last year. At Supadogs and Thames I was serioulsy thinking of giving up with him and I still might depending on how he behaves this weekend or I might persevere like I did for the 3 years before last year I train 3 nights a week and last week was the first time ever I've thought 'I don't want to go' so one night we didn't and boy did I miss it.

I read it as a put down too, she might not have meant it but it sounded like a 'get at the dog owner that works full time' post. I work full time, my dogs stay at my Dad's during the day the first thing that happens when I get home is a long walk or agility training (that's 3 times a week) my house looks like something Kim and Aggie would run away from, my dogs love me I'm sure because they show it in so many ways and Dudley still looks at me as if I'm mad when I recall him.

Dudley always waits until the 4th or 5th call too by which time I'm using my 'fish wife's' voice He does seem to know when I mean it on the first call though even if I think I'm using a nice reasonable tone.

I won the Spin Spa

Sorry, it hasn't died but I've been a bit busy. PAULA & DUDLEY - 35 PAULA & SUZI - 27 CRAZYSPANIELS & BILBO - 11 CABBAGEPATCH88 & MONTY - 9 KIRISOX & JAY - 6 T-DOG & BELLA - 5 AMARANTH & KLEINE - 3 AMARANTH & MERLYN - 2

Have sent money for 239 & 363 plus a bit extra.

Have pm'd you.

£5.00

£7.00

Reflective coats are really good but remember only put them on dogs that are cool already, putting them on hot dogs doesn't cool them down and means they don't cool down. You could try this site for them. Agility Warehouse. These are the cooling jackets but they are more expensive. Agility Warehouse

£15.00 from me.

Sounds like poisoning doesn't it. I know you said it wasn't possible but do you know if any of the owners had heart problems and were taking warfarin the blood thiner as this can have the same effect as rat poison, which I think warfarin is also used in. It always worries me when Dad is sorting out his tablets that he doesn't drop any and the dogs get hold of it or as in Thomas' case get hold off and chew a whole box full.

Just thought you might like a little update. He's had pineapple for the last 2 days and thinks it's great, Dudley's not so impressed and spat his out (Oh well I was only trying not to leave him out). I've stopped being a lazy moo and have taken him out as soon as he wakes up at 5.30 and he's peed and pooed straight off, the only problem is he doesn't go back to sleep so neither can me or Dudley The pineapple seems to be helping as his poo isn't as soft either.

I know a lot of it is down to me getting him outside before he does it at home as when he's at Dad's he asks to go out and has only once pooed in the house there and didn't eat it. Perhaps I'm putting too much pressure on him at home as I dash in to clear it up as soon as I see him doing it. I'm going to try the pineapple and make sure I take him out as soon as he wakes up. Thanks for your replies.

I've just bought some tins to try and am interested you say it's worked with you and your Mum's dog. Do they eat the pineapple OK?

I know this has been talked about before but I can't find it. Thomas is 9 months old and I've had him 3 weeks now, he came from an elderly couple who bought him as a pomeranian but he is in fact a pom/sheltie and was too much for them as they just want a lap dog which he most definatly isn't. Thomas will eat his own poo if he has an accident in the house, think it may be because he's worried about being told off as he doesn't do it when he poos outside. I know this will hopefully be solved once he's clean indoors but in the meantime has anyone got any ideas how to stop him as it makes me want to when I see him doing it and if I go towards him to pick it up it makes him eat it faster. I try not to do this but will sometimes miss that he has had an accident as he will eat all of it especially first thing in the morning when I'm in bed still. He's not crated as he sleeps on the bed with me and my other dog which has caused no problems and is something I don't want to change. Sorry I know it's lunchtime so hope no ones eating.

Have a look at this thread, I put some stuff about contacts which may help. Contacts thread