Ace

I was a JH for awhile, but I aged out. NADAC you have a JH program, basically all it does (same courses) just knocks you down a jump height and gives you more course time. Once you turn 18 you age out, same titles and everything though. AKC you have to get a Junior number (from the website) and register as a JH, much like USDAA in order to run as a JH. AKC JHers run the same courses and everything, just they dont compete against adults, USDAA JH program is completely separate I believe, so JHers get their own titles. DOCNA has a JH program, but it ends when you turn 16. You get different titles for being a JH. I dont really know about the others, but most of them are the same, you just have to read the rules. IMO its easiest to be a junior in NADAC, as you dont have to do anything to get there and you still get the same titles, the height reduction is a blower though. Most juniors I know of that trial in other venues just enter and compete against the adults, since I am pretty sure there is a charge to register as a JH with AKC and USDAA. Diane

I heard that a faster quicker contact (into a 2o2o) actually causes less stress because they are moving so fast by the time they stop the weight is shifted onto their HQ as well as their shoulders - nearly equally. Like if a dog jumped the apex of the AF, touched the contact and landed directly into a 2o2o, it would be better then a dog that creeped down the side of the AF very quickly and just put all stress on their shoulders. But maybe my information source is wrong? XD. I only do NADAC so there are no steep contacts for mah pooches anyway, was just curious about your theory of the target teaching them to reduce stress on their shoulders by reducing the impact. How did you teach them to rock back with a target though? or was it like naturally with the target. (sorry, kinda slow tonight trying to connect dots)

My friend just recently started training equipment with her young BC (as his growth plates just closed). But during his first year besides letting him be a puppy, his agility foundation consisted of many tricks, Moe Strenfels(sp?) foundation DVD (which I am not getting because I keep hearing its awesome, and its never too late for foundation training!), and a bunch of shaping for 2o2o and I think basic table/tunnel stuff (when he was like 8-9 months), building a lot of forward drive and collection, as well as reading her body language. Since I kinda went every which way with Rush and I have been reading more about agility I would really like to do something similar with my next dog (whether it be puppy or adult:D). I am with Northof49. I taught 2o2o without a nose touch(and will from now on). I feel like you are teaching the dog to touch a target and not really to do the 2o2o behavior, so I shaped it with Rush, and I am shaping it with Bear (though she isnt really into shaping so its more like an experiment lol), then I backchained so Rush knew where her position was and drove into it. Took me awhile to catch on because most advice I got for 2o2o work was ALL you MUST train with a target, and it didnt work lol. Each dog is different but I found that both my dogs had trouble grasping that the nose touch was transitioned into a 2o2o position and that no matter where I was that they should drive into the position with the same speed because they would still get the reward. However you teach it I think just what everyone is trying to say is be consistent. . I <3 puppy training. So much fun!

I know I havent posted in awhile but I am always lurking and reading post, you guys are my number 1 source for border collie information! I actually came across a video on youtube the other day (and as I dont want to really get myself in trouble with the breeder I wont post it here - though you can PM me and I will send it to whoever would like to see it). Basically it was young/older dogs starting round pen work. In one of the videos there were multiple young BCs allowed to go after the sheep after they were cornered. Biting them and really digging into them pushing them around stuff like that. It just didnt feel right, especially since there were multiple dogs and not just one. The person in the pen with the rake (or whatever the thing is called - can you tell I am a newb?) just stood there and let it happen, this implied to me that this is what they wanted to happen. In another video there was just one dog, same thing, sheep in one corner, dog running around the sides and just biting the sheep, handler doing nothing. My question is, is this how normal sheepdog are trained? or is this a bad method or a different method or what? Because I havent really seen it before and it just seemed wrong to me. Nothing about it looked like it should have (to me). Though like I said before I am really new at this and have no idea what I am talking about or looking for really D: just know what I see and how I feel? I guess. I am hoping to get into herding still! Thinking maybe over the spring . Diane

I skipped a lot so I'm really sorry if I repeat something someone said lol. While reading your previous posts and the comments you made here I really feel like her issue is with loud noises specifically in the building. I have had the same issue with Rush. Sounds echo off the walls so what seems scary outside is like 10 times scarier inside. I worked for ages with noise sensitivity on a broiler pan with Rush outside (the pan was on a flat piece of wood and the teeter would come down a she had NO issue with the teeter there or in my kitchen, and come time in a building it was super scary again and she would shut down. I finally started taking into account the echos, Thats when I moved in steps from my backyard, to the kitchen, to one of my bathrooms, teaching her the 'bang' game or some variation where RUSH would push the pan with some amount of force onto the tile floor and create a huge noise and get rewarded for it. It really worked for her, its still in the progress of being perfected, but you just have to take it slow. She CAN get over it. I realize your problem may not be exactly like what happened to Rush, but in case it is, just some insight. I really wish you luck! Teeter fears are no fun. Diane

I laughed so hard at that I think its to show off the head/face as well as their chest/front. I am not sure though, I too think its kind of absurd.

cleanrun agility club search I was looking through google forever trying to find various training clubs in my area and that helped me LOADS! a lot of really great training clubs advertise there. Diane

Aw thats exciting! Bella i'm sure will be great, its really awesome to have that opportunity to test what you've been working on too. I think it'll be really good for Bella! Diane

Awww I loveeee Zippity! She is so awesome , and WT! That is soooo exciting!

Thanks for the responses! I didnt even think of spreading the kibble on the floor. My friend Danielle suggest the food ball thing though, and freezing it in a kong and giving her that. Just wondering, how does Gas X help? I know we usually have some in the medicine cabinet. I have a few questions I could ask my vet. thanks again!

Bloat was a bad term to use, yes lol. Her Stomach gets enlarged after she eats. I know its not from the dehydrated carrots, because I havent fed them to her in awhile - though I did tonight. I am pretty sure its caused because she inhales to much air when she eats her food (she gobbles). She also runs around a lot, a friend told me who has this issue with her Chi that its bloat and I need to change things around before they become an issue. All I know is that her stomach is enlarged if she eats to fast or exercises right after she eats, its not HUGE HUGE like omg, but she looks kind of fat (shes already broad so she looks overweight). I plan to take her to the vet when we take her in to get her rabies in two weeks, I dont think its so bad it cant wait till then. I just was curious ways to prevent it since people are giving me mixed information. She hasnt bloated at all today, I exercised her for twenty minutes and then put her on kennel rest for 40 minutes, then hand fed her kibble (which took like 7 minutes). Now she is on kennel rest for an hour, then I will take her outside to go to the bathroom and drink and then bedtime. I am hoping she doesnt bloat at all, which I am thinking she wont, since usually right after dinner she is swollen. I was just curious about ways people prevent it, what I should be careful not to do. Its obviously not a thing with her genetically (though I cant technically confirm that), but something I am doing wrong in the way I care for her. ( I think I made it sound worse then it is >.< She is acting completely normal, other then the fact her tummy is a little bigger. If it happens again I will get pictures to show the difference :x. I dont want it to escalate to the point that her intestines twist. Just wanted to say, she isnt showing ANY symptons of bloat - other then the swelling. She doesnt vomit, or try to, and her stomach doesnt sound hollow when you tap it, no being tired or salivating {Not even close to any of that). I hope maybe that cleared some stuff up? I was wondering if there was anything I should maybe restrict, or the feeding on the floor or elevated. I can wait to ask my vet, but I thought I might get a quicker response here. Thanks everyone for your caring responses! Diane

Rush has been bloating pretty bad lately, today she looked like a cow. She has been getting a really firm tummy, usually she looks really sleek and has a soft tummy, but lately not so much. I usually feed her once a day at 9:30 (3/4 cup of ToTW Pacific Stream formula with 1/4 cup of dehydrated carrots). Sometimes without the carrots. She will bounce around after she eats, and generally inhales her food. I have been feeding her one kibble at a time the past three nights in a row. I keep getting mixed information and its really confusing and I dont exactly know what to do. I have heard to feed her oatmeal, then I was told not to, and I was told to exercise her before hand, then not to, then to feed her once a day, then told to do it 4 times a day, then I was told to take her dinner and use it as exercising treats for agility, and feed her that way. The bloat is kind of freaking me out, shes in heat right now, I dont know if that could be contributing. Or maybe my mom always feeding her something (thought hopefully I put a stop to that.) I was feeding this supplement for awhile and she never bloated on it VetBalance Could it help to put her back on it? We stopped buying it because it was expensive, and I just wanted to use it until she lost the weight I wanted her to (because of the high protein). Also I was wondering if someone hand feeding her one kibble at a time could be making it worse? Or if raised or on the ground feeding would be better? I have heard them both. Diane

I pay like $46/30lbs (not including tax). For the Pacific Stream formula.

THANK YOU, I am pretty sure I did train her what I didnt want to get the treat. I have been working on it the past few days without the command, my goal is to just have her sit when she has the urge to jump up on people. She does this cute head bobbing thingy if she really wants to jump up. I have brought a few friends over, and told them to use a toneless "oops" if she jumps up. Which seems to correct her behavior, I think I am back to shaping it, I havent used the word off at all! (I am proud of myself). ok so my question, in the house, jumping up is simply not tolerated, by either dog. Bear is really tall so she doesnt have to jump to reach anything really. Would it be ok to click and reinforce her behavior when she is ignoring people completely? or is that pointless? She has no respect for other people's bubbles lol. I dont mind her saying hi to people, its the jumping up and constant pestering. She will claw at people too, and any touch is an 'ok' cue to her.

I have this issue, when I first got Rush she had a basic get down command, but it was overused by family and friends and I dont even know, so much happened. I guess she never really understood the behavior, which is my fault. I decided to teach her her agility commands and to jump in my arms which probably contributed to her thinking it was ok to jump on people (I am not sure). Anyway I decided to shape it and then add the command 'off'. After working on it for a week I finally got to the point where I could do ANYTHING jump, call her up (not using her specific jump up command) and she wouldnt jump up, so I added the command off. I practice daily with her not jumping up, I get my family in on it too. There is one issue. My main reason for retraining was because she doesnt like to leave people alone, she really likes to claw at them for attention and eventually she will go away, but after some time. During spring break and the holidays my family was over, and Rush loves my grandma. So I had a clicker and cheese with me on the couch. It got to the point where Rush would climb up on my grandma, and I would say off (she would get off) then I would click, and she would come and get her treat. She is very food motivated, and so she would sit and just beg, I wouldnt reward her. I would reward her sometimes for completely ignoring my grandma. It got to the point however that she would do the behavior I didnt want her to do, just so I would say the word (or at least thats how it appeared). If I gave her a treat and ignored her begging, she would then go back to my grandma, and I would say 'off' and she would come back for more food, and when I realized what I was doing I stopped treating her (but still gave the command), then I though, is this right? Obviously not because she started to ignore me all together because she wanted lovin. I have had people over and shes done the same thing. I have come the point of just keeping her focus and not even letting her be around them because I think I am training her to do the behavior I dont want so I can say a command and she gets a treat, does that make sense? Curse the smart dogs! - took me awhile to even figure it out ... oh dear. Any advice would be good :x figured maybe its happened before to some of you guys? Diane