Agility training contest

First time I have done anything like this - so I am a little nervous and excited
Please be gentle with me
This compatition is to raise money for Phoenix Flyers Dog agility club (a non profit training club) and Dogs Trust.
And the prize is your choice of breed of a small simple felted dog as seen in my 'value' range in my shop

Entries are open to Club members, Beginners and worldwide and are £1 per dog
You can join at any time while the contest is open (Up till Midnight 31st July 2012)
Either enter in person or paypal pamduthie@hotmail.com leaving a message with the name of your dog

Submit your compleated entry at any time during the month - either as a video response to my video

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEu4rggisLM

 Or to be filmed at training :) or post a link to your video as a response to this blog post.

The compatition is agility flat/circle work exercises. There are lots of training tutorials for this on youtube - check out

 

You get points for each level and the dog with the most points by the end of the month wins

Level 1

Walking with dog on left                           1 point

Walking with dog on right                         1 point

Level 2

Walking anticlockwise - dog on outside    1 point

Walking clockwise - dog on outside         1 point

Walking anticlockwise - dog on inside      2 points

Walking anticlockwise - dog on inside      2 points

Level 3

Running with dog on left                          1 point

Running with dog on right                        1 point

Running Clockwise dog outside               2 points

Running anticlockwise Dog outside          2 points

Running clockwise dog inside                  3 points

Running anticlockwise dog inside             3 points

Level 4

Walking front cross LHS to RHS             3 points

Walking front cross RHS to LHS             3 points

Level 5

Running front cross LHS to RHS             4 points

Running front cross RHS to LHS             4 points

Total of 34 available points - and my decision is final :)

Good luck, I cant wait to see how everyone gets on

Retraining the contact

When I started agility with Ben it was just a fun class - and he very quickly learnt to jump off the contact equipment.
Going to classes we were taught a 4 on the floor contact - this means the dog runs to the end of the contact and lies down on the floor. It works really well, except that I didnt have my own equipment to practise at home so only having a go every now and again in class ment Ben never really 'got it'
I did build my own 'inside agility contacts' which in my tiny sitting room wasnt ideal - but actually worked quite nicely

But again as I didnt have access to real equipment very often I didnt really manage to transfer the skill from the inside small plank of wood to actual equipment - also of course the most he saw contact equipment was at a show where I had to keep running if he jumped a contact - so things were getting worse

But now I have access to a field and equipment when ever I want it - so I have decided to attempt to train these bloomin contacts - and - gulp - to also record it so everyone can see my mistakes!!

So the cunning plan!
From 'Control unleased' (if you dont have this book and own a dog you really should get it!!) I have already taught my pair to run to and lie down on a mat

So I figured this is a good start - thats all a 4 on the floor is!!

BUT a problem with the mat - and many people also have with 4 on the floor - is that the dogs curve back towards you - when we really want them facing forwards

So for the past few days I have been working on teaching them to go to the mat but keep facing in the direction they were going in by clicking early - way before they lie down and before they even turn back to me - then chucking the treat overhead so they are expecting a reward infront of them.
Then once they are anticipating this and facing forward more waiting with the click till they lie down again

I also did a brand new thing (for me) rewarding with the ball launcher too - this is new for the dogs too so they did really well realising what I wanted from them

Crossbreed puppy

I tried some longer hair with this one - and although they dont show up in the image she has little glass eyes instead of felted eyes - I have a big stock of eyes so I thought I would have a try at using them up

Do you like butter?

 Jumped the fence into a tempting field of buttercups on a lovely sunny day.
The dogs loved zooming around in the long grass

It reminded me of when we were kids and we would say 'do you like butter?' and hold a buttercup under someones chin and if their chin went yellow then they did.
No idea where the origon of that one came from but the memory made me smile

Zebra

Latest in the value range in my shop

a Zebra

Lifes a Beach

 I know you all havent seen the dogs in a wee while. We have actually had some days that are almost like summer here in rainy Scotland so I have had my two to the beach a few times.
Here is Erskine Beach

and Mia met some GIANT dogs. This Great Dane was so polite and friendly after Mia being a little unsure she even had a little play with her

 Then she met these lovely big dogs without so much as a curled lip

What a good girl, and nice to meet such lovely friendly dogs

 Mia was even confident enough to bum sniff with this little terrier

Not all days are good days with dogs but offlead at the beach you really wouldnt know she isnt a normal balanced friendly dog

 Of course once all the other dogs were gone Mia just had to have a game of 'beat Ben up'

which he does love - even tho he pretends otherwise

 And swimming, Mia LOVES to swim

and even a little posing

Just so long as I have chicken then the guys will look pretty for the camera

(honestly I am training stays!)

Frenchie

Wow been so long that blogger has totally changed!!

Hope I manage to figure out how to post again

Anyways - heres my little French Bulldog