The Good Companion - ACT Companion Dog Club

Transcription

The
Good Companion
Official Publication of the ACT Companion Dog Club
May 2015 | Volume 27 | Number 2
“May the power of positive
reinforcement be with you”
Canberra’s off-leash green spaces
It’s tracking season again!
Celebrating Obedience Champion ‘Cruize’
Teach your dog to sit pretty
© ACT Companion Dog Club Inc 2015
About Our Club
The ACT Companion Dog Club (CDC),
established in 1958 as the first dog training club
in the ACT, has an average membership of
around 800 each year.
It is a non-profit organisation relying mostly on
volunteers to run activities with some
occasional grant assistance. About 100
instructors volunteer their time to conduct
classes in obedience, flyball, agility, DWD and
Rally-O from February to November each year.
The club also has an active group visiting
nursing homes for the enjoyment of the
residents.
While much of the work in maintaining and
running the club is undertaken on a volunteer
basis we do have some paid help. Sophie
Williams is employed for 15 hours a week as
office manager and the mowing of the
grounds is undertaken by contractor. The club
caters for disabled access with paved paths,
designated parking spaces and toilet facilities.
The aims and objectives of the club are to:
 promote responsible dog ownership and the
general welfare of dogs;
 teach members to train their dogs, of
whatever breed, in dog obedience and
other related canine skills, using motivational
training methods;
 promote participation and training in a
range of dog sports;
 promote and participate in dog training and
other activities associated with dog training;
 support the rights of dog owners, provided
that such ownership is conducted in a
responsible manner;
 actively promote community interaction with
dogs;
 provide facilities necessary or convenient for
its activities;
 promote positive relationships between
owners and dogs; and
 enhance the development of social skills of
dogs.
COMMITTEES 2014-15
President
Senior Vice-President
Junior Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Renee Kyle | Website
Anne Robertson | Magazine Editor | Rally-O Liaison
Heather Carswell I Security I Agility Liaison
Lesley Pothan
Bern Ni Beirné | Public Officer
Main Committee
Members
Katrina Morton | Shop| Housekeeping |Clubhouse Management
Jane Richardson | Dances with Dogs Liaison
Judith Barlow | Grounds Management | Obedience Trialling Liaison
Peter Hendriks | Obedience Training Liaison | Obedience Instructors Roster
Rhonda Cameron | Flyball Liaison
Claire Weekes | Social Media
Gillian Atkin | Competition Day Manager
Amanda Day I Work Health and Safety Compliance
Obedience Training
Convenor | Peter Hendriks | Members | Anne Robertson | Heather Carswell |
Hilarie Kemp | Kerry Deans | Jess McNamara
Obedience Trialling
Convenor | Julie Cutts | Members | Joanne Hagan | Tanya Harber |
Judith Barlow
Flyball Training &
Competition
Convenor | Jessica McNamara | Members | Claire Weekes | Rhonda Cameron |
Jenny Stirzaker | Maree Livermore
Agility Training &
Trialling
Convenor | Amanda Delaney |Members | Wendy Hathaway I Barbara Grundy I
Lucy Williams | Linda Spinaze
Dances with Dogs
Convenor | Jane Richardson| Members | Holly Rieger | Janda Gooding
Rally-O
Convenor| Cath Perry | Members | Belinda Mitchell | Patricia Woodman I
Laraine Frawley
Dogs-as-Therapy
Convenor | Joyce Thompson | Email: agt@homemail.com.au
Instructors’ Library
Karen Haines
PAWS Shop
Mike Carswell
Secom Security
1300 138 769 or 1300 360 535
The Good Companion | May 2015 | Vol 27 | No 2
Page | 2
The Good Companion
May 2015 | Volume 27 | Number 2
Contents
About Our Club | Committees 2014-15
2
Is Your Membership Due ? | Fees 2014-15 | Contact Us
4
President’s Message by Renee Kyle
5-6
From The Dog Kennel by Anne Robertson | Thanks For Your Contribution
7
What’s Coming Up At Our Club
8
Interested in Tracking? by Jake Blight
9
Puppy Primer — Before And After You Get Your Puppy
10
Getting to know ‘Cruize’ — CDC’s Newest Obedience Champion by Alison McCann
11-12
Off-Leash Green Spaces by Georgia Morris
13-14
Training Tips — Living With Naughty Dogs by Leanne Smith
15
Another Famous Recipe From Tipsy’s Test Kitchen — Kindi Kids’ Kibble
17-18
Tricks Master Class — Siting Pretty by Amanda Day
19-20
Dances with Dogs — Results from Inaugural Dances with Dogs Competition
21-22
Jess and Zac — Farewell to a Remarkable Flyball Career by Jessica McNamara
23-24
Flyball Feats by Maree Livermore
25-26
Comp Day — 29 March 2015
27-30
Come ‘n’ Try
Agility Action — Results from Trials on 17 March and 4-5 April 2015
30
33-36
Committee Notes
37
Shop Shelf
38
News From The PAWS Shoppe by Katrina Morton
39-40
Training Times
41
Club Activities
42
Calendar Of Events 2015
43
Off-lead Exercise At Our Club
44
Cover picture : Irish Red and White Setter ’Derry’ makes some new friends at the Connect and
Participate Expo at the Old Bus Depot Markets, Kingston, on 28 March. (Photo: Kath Hallam)
It’s important to know:
The opinions and claims expressed in this publication, whether in articles, correspondence or in any other form, are not
necessarily those of the ACT Companion Dog Club Inc. Neither the Editor nor the ACT Companion Dog Club Inc accepts
responsibility for the accuracy of these items nor endorses the opinions or services of third parties mentioned in this
publication. The ACT Companion Dog Club Inc gives permission for the reprinting of articles appearing in The Good
Companion, except where copyright has been stated, provided acknowledgement is given to the Club and the author.
Page | 3
Is Your Membership Due ?
You can renew online – how easy is that !
Go to the club’s website at www.actcdc.org.au
1.
Download the Membership Renewal form at
www.actcdc.org.au/about/form.html
2.
Complete the form and send it back to the club via e-mail
3.
Then pay your fees online using direct credit facilities
Bank BSB:
032 729
Account:
235628
Reference: Your surname and phone number
Make sure your reference will easily identify your payment and don’t
forget to keep your receipt.
You don’t even have to leave your house !
EFTPOS facilities are available
Renew your membership at the club office using EFTPOS
No minimum transaction (sorry, no cash out)
Is your dog’s Attendance Card
Is your dog’s Attendance Card
PINK
YELLOW
If so, your Membership is due
for renewal by the end of
If so, your Membership is due
for renewal by the end of
MAY
JULY
Contact Us
Fees 2014-15
Joining Fee (per household)
$ 50
Phone
02 6295 7764
Annual Subscription
(per household)
$100
Post
PO Box 4048, Kingston ACT 2604
Training Fees (per Dog/per Year)
 Obedience
 Agility
 Flyball
 Dances with Dogs
 Rally-O
$ 75
$ 75
$ 75
$ 75
$ 30
Web
www.actcdc.org.au
Office
Instructors Fee
plus voluntary Grounds Fee
$ 30
$ 50
Narrabundah Lane, Symonston ACT
 Monday-Friday 10:00am-1:00pm
 Thursday
7:00pm-9:00pm
 Sunday
9:00am-12:00pm
Sophie Williams — Office Manager
Casual Visitors Fee (day, week,
month) - by application
$ 5/25/50
See the website for email
contact addresses.
We welcome your feedback.
Page | 4
President’s Message
By Renee Kyle
Welcome to the May edition of The Good Companion! I hope
you find lots of useful information about our club as well as
informative articles on training.
To our new members, congratulations on making the decision
to train your dog. You’ll find that your relationship with your
dog improves through training and you’ll be constantly
amazed by your dog’s capabilities, as well as your own. To our
current members, congratulations on your ongoing
commitment to creating the perfect pet…or close to perfect,
anyway!
For the next few sessions we will be running ‘Come ’n Try’
activities for all of our exciting dog sports. During Week 5 of our
Advanced obedience classes on Thursdays and Sundays our
fabulous dog sport instructors from Agility, Dances with Dogs,
Flyball, Rally-O and Obedience Trialling will provide the
opportunity for you to experience these sports with your own
dog. You’ll be able to jump over hurdles, learn some funky
new dance moves and perhaps even get your dog to retrieve
a tennis ball! The purpose of this special hour is to help you
think about what kinds of sport you might like to try with your
four-legged friend. Our dog sports are diverse in nature so
we’re sure you will find the right sport for you! If you attend
classes on Wednesdays, please come along on the Thursday
or Sunday of Week 5 to see what great things we offer.
Above: Renee with Kelpie
‘Lucy’ among autumn leaves
On 28 April we held a Special General Meeting to make
amendments to our Constitution. These amendments were
necessary to update statutory references, better align the Constitution with current regulations,
and provide for administrative efficiencies. Remember, all financial members are welcome to
attend these meetings as well as our Annual General Meeting to learn more about the running of
the club. Please come along – you never know – it may put you on the path to the Presidency!
We have lots of trials coming up over the next few months. On the June long weekend we have
our Agility Jumping and Games Trials and on Saturday 20 June we have our Obedience Trial and
Rally-O Trial. Trials offer a fabulous opportunity for you to see our dog sports in action, and we are
always looking for more helpers. Please contact our Sub-Committee convenors (see page 2) if you
would like to contribute in some way.
Our club is a volunteer-based organisation, which means that our instructors, Committee and Subcommittee members, and all-round helpers donate their time to ensure our club keeps running
smoothly. This year, National Volunteers Week was celebrated from 11-17 May. I encourage you to
say a special thankyou to your instructor not only in National Volunteer Week but every week of
the year.
…/
Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure
Jewish proverb
Page | 5
President’s report … continued
With winter upon us, please ensure that your pooch has
protection from the elements. They should have
somewhere warm and dry to stay outside when they
can’t be inside with you, and short-haired dogs need a
coat as the temperatures drop. Please feel free to bring
a mat or towel for your dog when you are training on
the grounds – the grass can be very cold and frosty.
As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions
on how to make things better at our club.
I hope to see you all on the grounds soon.
Starts - 21 July
NEED A JP?
Starts - 21 July
JPs in the ACT serve the community primarily by:
 administering oaths or affidavits and taking
statutory declarations and affirmations
 witnessing signatures, and
 attesting and certifying documents.
The club’s Shop Manager, Katrina Morton., is an
ACT Justice of the Peace.
Katrina is available on Wednesday mornings
during training classes to help members with any
JP matters.
Page | 6
From the Dog Kennel
Editor — Anne Robertson
Welcome to the May issue of the club’s bi-monthly magazine for 2015 - a
tad late but chock full of news and information. The change of seasons
provides opportunities to get out and about with your dog to discover
Canberra’s fabulous green spaces and to try new activities such as tracking.
My thanks to Georgia Morris and Jake Blight for their contributions on these
subjects.
As always, there are articles commemorating the special achievements of
club dogs - in this instance Alison McCann’s Australian Obedience
Champion ‘Cruize’ and Jess McNamara’s Flyball veteran ‘Zac’. And there
are results from the inaugural ACT Dances with Dogs competition and recent Agility trials, too.
It is great to get new contributions for the magazine and this issue we welcome some helpful
training tips from club member Leanne Smith. Regular contributor ‘Tipsy’ has been busy in her
test kitchen and has come up with a special recipe for the club’s Kindi kids. Tipsy’s back
catalogue of recipes are still available in previous issues of the magazine on the website so there
is no excuse for bringing boring treats to training.
Do you have a new puppy? Turn to page 10 and follow the links to download Dr Ian Dunbar’s
free puppy primer. It contains great advice for new ‘parents’!
Articles, suggestions, photos and illustrations for the magazine are always welcome. Email to
contact@actcdc.org.au anytime. Did you know the magazine is available in full colour on the
club’s website? It can be downloaded in all its glory at www.actcdc.org.au/new/tgc.htm. Use
Adobe Acrobat PDF viewer for best results.
Our next issue will come out in late July 2015. Until then, have fun with your dog and stay warm.
Thanks For Your Contribution
The Committee and club members THANK the following volunteer instructors for giving their time
in Session Two (April-May) :
Obedience: Gill Atkin, Judith Barlow, Susan Barnard, Stuart Barr, Stuart Barrow, Janne Blunden,
Hallie Butcher, Desiree Campbell, Heather Carswell, Sharon Carver, Bruce Chapman, Pen Cullen,
Kerry Deans, Christina Erwin, Charlie Giles, Barb Grundy, Kath Hallam, Lynn Harden, Linda Harper,
Peter Hendriks, Rachel High, Hilarie Kemp, Rachel McKenzie, Laura Naffa, Kaye Pemberton, Fay
Peters, Louise Raisin, Anne Robertson, June Rowe, Mike Slee, Linda Spinaze, Joyce Thompson, Barb
Toohey, Jane Vickers, Geoff Woodman, Patricia Woodman
Obedience Reserves: Di Adams, Veronica Doerr, John Green,
Carolyn Henry, Naarilla Hirsch, Alison McCann, Belinda Mitchell, Cath
Perry, Lizzie Waddell
Flyball: Claire Weekes
Agility: Amanda Delaney, Sue Keal, Linda Spinaze, Lucy Williams
Agility Reserves: Di Adams, Maureen Lewis
THANK YOU
Rally-O: Pamela Hunt, Lara Sedgmen
DWD: Janda Gooding
— CDC Instructors —
Serving the CDC canine community for more than 50 years!
Page | 7
What’s Coming Up At Our Club ?
How should I prepare for classes during winter?
It can be very cold on the club grounds during
the winter months, especially if you train on
Thursday nights (or other evenings for agility
and flyball). It is a good idea to wear a beanie,
scarf, several layers of clothes—including a
windproof jacket—and shoes with thick soles.
You may also like to put a coat on your dog,
and to bring a towel for it to lie on during stay
exercises if the grass is damp or dewy. We
continue to train throughout the winter months
frost, fog or rain—so come prepared!
Members are welcome to come and watch
any trials – but please leave your dog at home
as access to off-lead exercise areas may be
limited on these occasions.
Are obedience training classes held on public
holidays and long weekends ?
Generally no. Members participating in agility,
DWD, Rally-O and Flyball should check class
arrangements with their instructor. Classes are
held during school holidays.
When can I use the club grounds ?
When is the next Comp Day being held ?
Competition Day is held on the last Sunday of
each obedience training course to assess
whether a handler/dog team are ready to be
promoted to the next level. The next Comp
Day will be held on Sunday 2 August from
10.00am. Members in Kindi and Beginners A
and B are assessed in class and do not
participate in Comp Day.
What dog sport trials are coming up ? Can I
come and watch ?
The next Rally-O and Obedience trials will be
held on the club grounds on Saturday 20 June.
These events are run under Australian National
Kennel Council rules and enable members to
compete for nationally recognised titles for
their dogs (the equivalent of university
degrees!).
Financial members and their dogs may use the
grounds at any time for training and exercise
purposes. Please show courtesy to other club
members who may also be on the grounds,
ensure that your dog does not pose a nuisance
to others, observe club etiquette for using the
off-leash areas (see page 44) and always
clean up after your dog.
Want to keep in touch with the
latest activities at the Club ?
Information is available from:

our public Facebook page
(www.facebook.com/
ACTCompaniondogclub) - no need to be
a registered user.

our website - www.actcdc.org.au

notice boards (inside and outside the
clubhouse)

your Instructors

the Session Manager on the grounds
Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday during
Obedience Training Classes

the Calendar on page 43
Have a look - No need to register
www.facebook.com/
ACTCompaniondogclub
Page | 8
Interested in Tracking ?
By Jake Blight
WHAT IS TRACKING?
Tracking is an activity where dogs use their
amazing scenting ability to follow a scent trail
left by a person. All dogs are capable of
tracking – the trick is training them to follow one
particular human scent and to keep going on
that one until the end of the track to get a big
reward. Most dogs love tracking and if you like
being outside doing things with your dog in
winter it is a great sport (we don’t do much
tracking in summer because of the snakes).
Tracking is always done on lead and one dog
at a time so if your dog is easily distracted by
other dogs or is a bit anti-social that is not a
problem. Tracking is also the only dog sport
where we actually encourage dogs to sniff the
ground and pull on the lead! There is no time
limit in tracking so you can go as slow as you
need to – or at a brisk walk if your dog is very
keen. If your dog can walk it can track. There
is no age limit, puppies can start as young as
they can be outside and it is a good sport for
older dogs as they don’t have to run or jump.
GETTING INVOLVED
Recently the club held a tracking theory night
and a practical workshop to help members get
started with tracking. Around 25 people started
their dogs tracking at the workshop this year.
Plus there are a handful of more experienced
tracking trainers who are continuing to track
this year. Any dog can do tracking and we had
a great variety of breeds at the workshop this
year. Everything from Mini Poodles, Cocker
Spaniels and a Border Terrier to several German
Shepherds and a couple of Dobermans. There
were also some less common breeds including
Finnish Lapphunds and a Brittany Spaniel.
Above and below: You don’t have to own
Inspector Rex to track. All you need is a dog
with a nose!
(Photo: Anne Robertson)
PUTTING IT IN TO PRACTICE
The club is supporting tracking practice with
‘peer training’ being held every Wednesday
(12:00-3:00pm) and every Sunday (12:303:30pm) at the Rose Cottage horse paddocks
off Mugga Lane until the end of August.
STAYING IN TOUCH
There is also a CDC tracking email list – ask at
the Office to get signed up or find it on Google
Groups by searching for ‘ACT Region Tracking
Dogs’. Many thanks to Sandra for running the
theory night and to Sandra, Jake, Lara, Joanne,
Holly, Sancia and Linda for giving up their time
to make the tracking workshop possible.
Page | 9
Puppy Primer
All shelter dogs were once normal puppies eager to learn how
to live with people. Rather than making another shelter dog,
learn how to raise your puppy to stay in your home … forever.
Most new members join the club to socialise their puppy or rescue dog with other dogs and
people, teach good manners and undertake basic training. Almost one in five new members also
join to get help with common problem behaviours, especially typical puppy behaviour mouthing, house training, jumping up, chewing, barking, separation anxiety, digging and other
destructive behaviours.
There are two excellent books — Before you get your puppy and After you get your puppy —
available for free download from the web that provide excellent training advice on these issues
using positive motivational methods. Both books are written by Dr Ian Dunbar, DVM PhD, a
renowned veterinarian, veterinary behaviourist, author and lecturer on canine behaviour. Dr
Dunbar founded the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (USA) and is a tireless advocate for training,
socialising and handling puppies before six months of age to prevent behavioural problems in
later life.
Download now
for your
puppy’s sake
These books can be downloaded free of charge from
http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads
REMINDER - DISABLED PARKING
Please note that the disabled spaces in the Instructors' car park are at all
times for the exclusive use of people holding disabled
parking permits.
This includes instructors, members and visitors. Please ensure that you
do not use these spaces without a permit. In the event that all
spaces are taken by permit holders, disabled members and
visitors may park in other parts of the Instructors'
car park at any time.
This restriction also applies when trials are held on the club grounds.
Page | 10
Getting To Know … ‘Cruize’
CDC celebrates its newest Obedience Champion
In this article’ Alison McCann shares with us the joy she has experienced training her Border Collie
‘Cruize’ (aka OC Springloded Mirk) to his Australian Obedience Champion title. Cruize was also
awarded the club’s Obedience Dog of the Year title in 2013.
Why did he do it? In our agility training he kept
knocking bars so I decided if he knocked them
he had to pick them up … this became very
self-rewarding and in hindsight was not one of
my better ideas. In scent discrimination, Cruize
spat the article (the right one) at me which of
course I never caught! When I tried to correct
this he then held on to it so tight he thought it
was a tugging game. Same with the gloves got the right one but wouldn’t give it back. In
the signals exercise he always knew what was
next so often anticipated or went on the
judge’s commands.
I remember vividly the day I brought Cruize
home. I went “to just look at him” and well the
rest is history. Fortunately for me a good friend
was at my house building a new beaut dog
yard - when I got home I literally handed Cruize
to him and ran inside. Whilst dogs have always
been a big part of my life, getting a new puppy
was a big step for me after losing my two other
dogs to a snake bite a few months earlier.
There are events in our lives that we learn a lot
from and I had learnt the hard way not to put
off anything that you weren’t prepared to lose.
On the day I brought Cruize home I don’t think I
was really ready for a puppy, but knew I had to
do something to raise the black cloud that had
enveloped my life. I didn’t look back. Cruize
has competed in obedience, sheep herding,
and agility. He has also met Dr Harry and
splashed water on the previous GovernorGeneral Quentin Brice when demonstrating the
sport of Dock Dogs at the Canberra Show! We
have had lots of adventures together and he
has packed a lot into his four and a bit years.
Cruize is a once in a lifetime dog. He is so
incredibly smart and has an awesome work
ethic. My ultimate training goal is to make sure
he has fun and retains the willingness to work
and learn. Every step of our obedience training
has been a game. I think perhaps the most
important part was learning about the value of
the rewards I offered - there is a definite
hierarchy. A word of praise from me was good,
food was OK but didn’t involve action, a tug
toy is better, chasing the ball awesome,
chasing anything into the dam is ‘through the
roof’ exciting. His biggest reward by far has
evolved as his skills built - herding his sheep. I do
on occasion set him up to train with the sheep
nearby as a massive distraction. He works
harder at getting the job done right and the
look of ecstasy on his face when he is
rewarded is unmistakeable.
My dog training tips are: know your dog, always
Cruize moved very quickly through the different
levels of obedience trialling and we found
ourselves in Utility Dog (UD) much faster than I
had anticipated. Whilst Cruize got his UD and
Obedience Champion (OC) titles quickly we
had quite a few challenges along the way - all
of which I had caused and needed to find a
solution to. Perhaps the funniest was Cruize
deciding that rather than jumping the bar jump
he would collect it on the way through and
bring it back to me. This was really very funny.
Page | 11
Getting to know - ’Cruize’ … continued
Cruize
Alpacas
Sheep
Cruize ignores the sheep and alpacas while practising his UD
exercises. Now that’s proofing your dog!
be positive (and ignore things that go wrong),
have fun, understand the value of your
rewards, and be prepared to change your
approach when things don’t go to plan.
Heeling has never been my strength but I focus
on short bursts of heeling, big rewards and
capturing (and marking) when the dog is in the
right position including looking up at me. We
often heeled around agility equipment which
he then got to use as a reward, so, for instance,
I sent him to the tunnel then we did more
heeling. For the send out to the box, I sent
Cruize from different locations and if he found
and sat in the box, he was rewarded by
chasing his Kong into the dam. In scent
discrimination I rewarded with food or tugging
because he needed to be a bit more focussed
and less hyped-up. With the gloves he always
trained getting three gloves which improved
the chances of him giving me the first one back
in a trial situation.
Every dog is different. My advice is to enjoy the
short time you have with them and do what
makes you both happy. Obedience trialling is
lots of fun and I would recommend it to anyone
but remember it is just a game. Consider each
training issue a challenge - your challenge is to
find a solution - often by trial and error. There
are lots of very experienced triallers at the club
who are always more than willing to share their
experiences and help problem solve (often
you’ll find them in the obedience trialling rings).
I have been very fortunate with lots of great
advice shared to help Cruize get to where he is
today.
I hope one day to write an article about my
Rough-coated Collie (aka Lassie dog)
‘Morgan’ competing in obedience trials. He is
the same age as Cruize but he adopted me
when he was 9 months old and was previously
a show dog. Whilst also a working dog breed,
Morgan has a totally different view on the
world compared to Cruize, different value of
rewards, different learning style. He has
achieved Agility and Rally Obedience titles but
his favourite activity is having breakfast - just
him and me - at our favourite local cafe on
Sunday mornings … time together we both
love.
Happy training.
Photos: Previous page top left - Tammy Watts;
bottom right - Lara Sedgmen; This page - Alison
McCann
SMILE — YOU’RE ON CCTV
The club’s buildings and grounds are under
constant video camera surveillance
to provide better security and safety for members.
Page | 12
Feature Article
By Georgia Morris, Canberra Dog Walks
Off-leash green spaces
Canberra’s best and dog-friendliest places
We are so lucky in Canberra. We have some
of the most generous urban open spaces in
Australia for playing and walking, and our
dogs can enjoy most of them off-leash too.
Most Canberra neighbourhood ovals and
sports fields (areas that are irrigated) and lots
of parks around and through our suburbs are
designated off-leash areas.
Dog walking regulars in the know meet up in
these areas, usually late afternoon, to chat
while their dogs have fun. If you or your dog
find dog parks a bit too intense, we can
highly recommend visiting these instead.
The environment generally ‘self-selects’ for
experienced, friendly owners and wellsocialised, well-trained dogs. It’s a great
opportunity to introduce a young dog to offleash situations in a safe and supportive
environment.
There are some rules of course. ACT
regulations allow dogs off-leash on ovals only
when sports aren’t in progress. Some parks
are ‘nature parks’ where dogs must be on
leash. You also need to be respectful of other
users and follow some basic etiquette —
don’t let your dog chase children, steal
soccer balls, or otherwise interfere with other
people’s enjoyment and always clean up
after your dog!
And just like the club’s off-leash paddocks,
you’ll be most welcome if you monitor your
dog’s interactions with other dogs — don’t let
them ‘play’ with another dog to the point of
harassment. You might need to begin with
your dog on leash until it is a bit more settled
and/or reliably recalled.
Above: Neighbourhood ovals at Narrabundah and
Mawson – go and see them for yourself!
(Photos courtesy of Georgia Morris)
Listed below are some of our very favourite
Canberra off-leash dog meeting places to
start you off. Each provide extensive off-leash
walking, most have natural borders or low
fencing on two or more sides, and there’s off
street parking for those who don’t live within
walking distance. Most importantly, the
regulars are really lovely people with great
dogs!
Page | 13
Off-leash green spaces … continued
Reid Oval – park off Elimatta Street
There's great off-leash dog walking at the
sublimely green and huge Reid Oval with views
of Mt Ainslie and the War Memorial. Each
evening between 5.00-6.30pm, you'll find a
regular group of locals with well-socialised dogs
meeting informally to chat and let their dogs
run and play off-leash. It’s fenced on one side,
with lots of shady trees too and handy bins for
poo bags.
Narrabundah Neighbourhood Oval – park off
Kootara Crescent near Nimbin Street
More great off-leash dog walking is to be had
at Narrabundah's neighbourhood oval fenced
on three sides. The locals are super-friendly: we
are regular Wednesday evening visitors and are
warmly welcomed by humans and dogs alike.
There's plenty of socialising (and some dog
zoomies) while we keep fit walking around the
oval perimeter - generally between 5.30-6.30
pm. This 'group' particularly suits smaller dogs our Whippets are giants here!
Mawson Neighbourhood Oval – park off
Ainsworth Street
A popular hang-out for locals and their wellsocialised dogs, Mawson neighbourhood oval is
fenced on three sides and offers an irrigated
oval plus a scrubbier grassy border with shady
trees. Locals wander down from around 4.30pm
(a few retirees here!) to let their dogs play,
throw balls and generally socialise. There’s a bin
near the amenities block by the car park.
O’Connor Oval – park off Pedder Street
Another huge and green open space,
O’Connor Oval offers super variety for active
dogs - an irrigated oval, a scrubby grass
border, and a little creek perfect for summer
cooling off. Dogs of all ages and sizes make an
appearance throughout the late afternoon
and evening. There’s fencing on three sides
and bins next to the gravel car park.
For information on more Canberra dog offleash open areas, dog-friendly cafes, free
directions for great dog walks and more, go to
www.canberradogwalks.com.au and follow us
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
canberradogwalks. We also provide links to the
ACT Government dog regulations page with
definitive maps of dog off-leash areas.
If you can recommend other dog-friendly
meeting places, we’d love to know! Email us at
contact@canberradogwalks.com.au or
comment on our Facebook page.
Personality match and pet satisfaction in dog owners
Abstract published in RSPCA Animal Welfare Science Update, Issue 43 (January 2014)
Dogs are the most commonly owned pet in the United States and 37% of households own a dog,
most frequently for companionship. However, a large number of dogs are relinquished to animal
shelters each year. There is therefore a need to reduce the number of dogs being relinquished to
shelters and it was considered that this may be achieved by understanding the factors related to
owner satisfaction with their pet. This study examined the relationship between dog and owner
personality and assessed if owners who select pets that are similar in personality to themselves
may be less likely to relinquish their pets. 88 pairs of dogs and owners were examined. The first
phase of the study used 20 books on dog training to identify those traits used to describe dogs
and their behaviours. The second phase of the study used a structured interview to examine
relationships in traits between dogs and owners. From this process, 45 traits were identified which
were assigned to separate categories such as outgoing/shy, noisy/quiet, calm/anxious, playful/
sluggish, affectionate/non-affectionate, creative-curious/ not creative-not curious and
dependent/independent.
The results of this study showed that the owner’s satisfaction with their dogs is related to the extent
to which owners and their dogs share certain traits. People and dogs with an active lifestyle were
found to complement each other and creative people appreciated the unique play activities
that their dogs engaged in. The study suggests that a reduction in the number of dogs
relinquished to shelters each year may be achieved by matching dog and owner traits to
increase owner satisfaction.
See Curb LA, Abramson CI, Grice JW et al (2013) ‘The relationship between personality match and pet
satisfaction among dog owners, Anthrozoös 26(3):395–404.
Page | 14
Training Tips
Living with naughty dogs!
Tips from Leanne Smith
In her own words, Leanne Smith is addicted to German Shepherds, learning
(her passion) and education (her job). Sounds like a very rewarding life!
Leanne is currently training her Shepherd ‘Dyson’ at the club - and is the
newest contributor to the club magazine. Thanks Leanne!
Do you remember a time when your parents,
teachers or coaches harped on about the
things you were doing wrong or when you only
got attention when you were being told off?
No one seemed to notice the times you were
good, only when you did something they didn’t
like. This happens all too often to some dogs.
They get yelled at or told off for digging, pulling
the washing off the line, running around like a
mad thing, barking their heads off or jumping
on people (or maybe all these). They get
labelled ‘bad dog’, ‘mad dog’, ‘stupid dog’ or
worse.
(eg a treat, pat or game or just a “good
dog”!). Don’t wait for them to wash the car,
do the ironing or cook the dinner – if they are
not doing something naughty then that means
that they are doing something you like –
reward it consistently and you’ll get more of it.
The more time they spend doing what you like
to get those rewards and attention the less
time they have for getting up to mischief.
No dog – or person – is capable of being ‘bad’
24 hours a day – it’s just that human nature
makes us focus on the things that go wrong
rather than those that go right. So if you have
or are working with a dog that is often in
trouble then give the following trick a try – it
works!
Thanks to Dr Ian Dunbar of Dog Star Daily
(www.dogstardaily.com) for this awesome tip.
It also works when you’re training. If your dog
barks in class then reward them every time they
don’t (use that marker and get in quickly with
that reward). If your dog has taken to pulling
on leash then reward them every time the
leash is loose – even if that is only for the first
step you take. Give it a try! Check out Dr
Dunbar talking about this issue at http://
www.dogstardaily.com/videos/hyperdog.
Every time you see your dog doing something
you like then tell them so – give them a reward
[Ed: … And if this doesn’t work, there is always
the option of public shaming (below)]
“Whilst me Mum and
me sisters were at dog
club, I thought I would
check ALL the plastic
bags in the sewing
basket for treats, just in
case there may be a
treat or two hidden
from me, the family’s
super snoop.
Result: NIL treats in ALL
the plastic bags.
I wasn’t very hungry,
anyway.
Luv, Duffy XXX”
(Photo courtesy of
Duffy’s Mum)
Page | 15
Another fabulous poster by Lili Chin ...
See www.doggiedrawings.net
Poster used with permission, see http://www.doggiedrawings.net/#!freeposters/ckm8
Page | 16
~ Kindi Kids’ Kibble ~
Another famous recipe from
Tipsy’s Test Kitchen
Treats for discerning dogs
This Autumn has seen a very busy schedule in our household. Me sister Shadow and I forgot to
communicate with each other, and we both put our names down to help with classes. I have
been helping the Kindi Kids on Sundays and Shadow has been helping the Intermediate IT
(Independent Thinking’) dogs on Wednesdays.
The Kindi Kids (right) are
working hard to teach
their handlers all the
tricks of the trade and I
reckon they deserve
special
encouragement,
because boy oh boy
some of them really
have their work cut out
for them! Nearly every
Kindi Kid in class is
working very hard
around their house as
“The Sock Police”. They
tell me they spend a lot
of their leisure time
finding all those socks left hanging around, and bringing their human’s attention to the untidy
state of things. This is actually extremely clever, because the Kindi Kids all seem to get extra toys
and rewards for their diligence and persistence in constantly patrolling their houses.
The Intermediate IT’s are working extremely hard, mainly teaching their handlers how to stand in a
straight line (below) and sometimes a circle. Boy oh boy I admire their patience, week after week
they think of different independent behaviours to encourage their handlers to think outside the
square. On of the most popular behaviours which is spreading through class very quickly was
introduced by Holly the Labrador. Holly simply lies down and refuses to do anything at all, which
means her human must go to
great lengths to get any
response and be motivational. I
think this is BRILLIANT, ‘cos Holly
gets lots of extra attention and
treats for her behaviour. The rest
of the class are beginning to
perfect the “lay down and do
nothing” approach, and
Shadow says that Rosy and
Hamish (the other two I T
Labradors in class) are getting
especially good at it too.
Of course the fun part of
developing new behaviours, or
Page | 17
Tipsy’s famous Kindi Kids’ Kibble … continued
at least behaviours that make your human give you a treat reward, is making sure the treat is
worth the effort. After much research, I am proud to share me latest recipe with all you dogs. I
have been working hard in me Test Kitchen to develop a new treat for Kindi Kids. Because time
has been rather short, I decided to make a simple mix ‘n bake recipe, so’s there is more time
available for training yer humans and enjoying the treats. Me new Kindi Kids’ Kibble recipe went
down a treat last Sunday morning! I decided the Intermediates needed a bit of rewarding, so I
made another batch for Wednesday morning. Shadow noted that the I T Labradors were all
particularly quick to successfully get their humans in line for their reward.
You might like to double the recipe, as I have found Kindi Kids’ Kibble a great success with dogs of
all ages and breeds. If there are any leftovers, you can freeze the kibble, and get yer human to
get some out ready for each time yer go to train them.
Recipe





500g Sweet Potato, steamed
2 x 250 gram tins Tuna, drained
4 eggs (from me own chickens)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup wholemeal flour
Method







Put all ingredients in a food processor
and blitz to a smooth paste. (you may
need to get help from yer human for
this).
Squash out onto baking paper on a
couple of oven trays, make it about 1
cm thick. Lick yer paws.

Bake 20 min at 150° C.
Turn slab of kibble over onto more
baking paper on another baking
tray.
Slice into 1 cm strips, bake about 20
min longer
Cut strips into kibble pieces, be
careful not to burn yer paws!
Put back into cool oven for another
20 mins to dry out the kibble a bit
more.
Wait until the kibble is cool enough to
taste test.
Enjoy and share with all yer friends.
Page | 18
Tricks Master Class
By Amanda Day
Sit Pretty (or ‘Beg’)
This week we will look at the ‘sit pretty’ position.
This is a trick which can be very simple but it
can also be complex, requiring the dog to
maintain balance and hold the position
irrespective of what you are doing.
with small efforts and gradually increase your
criteria, asking for more duration or a ‘better
effort’ from your dog. Once your dog is
achieving the ‘sit pretty’ position reliably, put it
on cue, by giving the cue word just before
luring the dog into position. Then fade the lure
as with any training.
The ‘sit pretty’ position, is the all familiar ‘beg’
where the dog is sitting with the front half of its
body raised so that the
dog’s back is vertical
and their fronts legs are
tucked into their chest/
stomach. Whilst the ‘sit
pretty’ position can be
achieved by pretty
much any dog, if you
have any concerns
about your dog having
a back injury or joint
issues, best to ask your
veterinarian before
attempting the ‘sit
pretty.’ Care should be
taken in any dog with a
long back relative to
their height such as the
Corgi or Dachshund.
When teaching the ‘sit pretty’, because the
dog is balancing and will be likely to lose
balance when they
move their head,
fading the lure can be
difficult as they move
from following the food
to looking at you. You
can assist your dog to
succeed by only asking
for a short duration ‘sit
pretty’ until they are
comfortable in that
position. The timing of
your marker word/
clicker is very
important. Make sure
you mark/click when
the dog is in position
and not starting to lose
balance.
To start teaching the ‘sit
pretty’, have your dog
in the sit position and
lure his head up over
his back. The move is
similar to how you
would teach the sit in
the first place, but you
are trying to lure the
dog’s head higher and
back so that he ‘sits up’
to get the treat.
Trouble shooting
If your dog is jumping
up rather than sitting
back, you probably
have your lure too
high. Try to keep your
lure on the dog’s nose
whilst you are luring,
then he doesn’t have
Patricia and Geoff Woodman’s Golden
any incentive to jump.
Retriever ‘Elwyn’ demonstrates her
If your dog is walking
exceptional balance - and doesn’t she
backwards or flopping
look pretty!
over onto their side,
(Photo:
Anne
Robertson)
Some dogs will quickly
you may be trying to
achieve the ‘sit pretty’
progress this trick too
position, in which case you should mark/reward
quickly.
Reward
for
small
efforts and build from
once the dog is in position. Other dogs may be
there.
For
example,
dog
stretches
his neck and
a little confused initially and start backing up or
head
in
the
direction
you
are
wanting
– mark
jumping up to get to your hand. See the
and
reward
that.
Then
if
the
dog
does
a small
‘Trouble shooting’ section below for tips – or ask
‘hop’ to follow the lure – mark and reward that.
your instructor!
Then progressively ask for more. It may help to
have your dog sitting immediately in front of a
If your dog has not done much balance work
barrier such as a fence or wall if backing up is a
before or is not athletic, you will need to be
patient and work up to achieving this trick. Start problem.
Page | 19
Tricks master class …
continued
Advanced class
Once your dog can ‘sit pretty’ reliably on cue,
it is time to start proofing the behaviour. Will
your dog hold the ‘sit pretty’ whilst you walk
around him? Whilst holding something in his
mouth such as a dumbbell or plastic flower?
Whilst you drop treats at his feet?
To assist your dog to remain in the ‘sit pretty’
whilst you provide ‘distraction’, feed him
multiple treats in quick succession whilst he is in
position. Be careful to increase duration
gradually, to ensure that your dog is able to
hold the position comfortably without incurring
any muscle strain.
Holding the ‘sit pretty’ position is particularly
difficult as any movement of the dog’s head
will put him off balance. To assist your dog to
maintain his balance and position, hold your
hand in front of him whilst you attempt to walk
behind him initially to assist him to maintain his
balance. You can fade out this assistance
once he becomes better at it.
Similarly when proofing dropping treats at his
feet, it may be helpful to have something for
him to focus on (such as your other hand or
your face) to help him keep balance. If he is
watching the treats land on the ground, he is
almost sure to lose balance and drop forwards
into the sit again. It may be helpful to have a
fellow trainer available to make sure that your
dog can’t grab the treats and self-reward for
moving out of position!
TRICKS AND TREATS
Old dogs, young dogs
Big dogs, little dogs
Any dogs can learn
new tricks
It’s all just behaviour to them. Reinforce
(reward) the behaviour and it will be
repeated. Simple … but it will take
frequent and consistent practice.
The club’s DWD Sub-Committee would
like to hold a tricks class to introduce
members to DWD.
Interested? Leave your name at the
club office.
Left: How could you resist that face?
Those eyes? Those feet?
Lesley Pothan’s Shih Tzu ’Molly’
showed off her tricks and helped
promote the club at the recent
Connect and Participate Expo at the
Old Bus Depot Markets, Kingston.
Page | 20
Dances With Dogs
By Jane Richardson (Convenor)
Dogs ACT – Results – Inaugural Dances with Dogs Competition – 21 March 2015
AM Competition
Judges: Ms Barbara Murfet (Qld); Ms Coral Pethers (Qld); Mr Tony Turner (NSW)
Freestyle – Starters
1st - Mrs Raelene Stewart & Frogwyck Bella Paris (Paris) – 167.5
2nd - Mrs Lesley D Farish & Stoddard Kid Galahad (Coda) – 142.5
3rd - Ms Elle McKay & Ch. Korpi Desert Rose (Rose) - 139
Other qualifiers:
Ms Heather Swinbourn & Elire Nevada Kid (Charlie) - 137.5
Ms Jane Richardson & Roscoe - 137
Freestyle – Novice
1st – Ms Renee Patten & Guirmere Tric RN DWDF.S (Tric) – 131
Freestyle – Advanced
1st - Mrs Gaye Penny & Abtei Great Expectations CCD FS.I. HTM.I. (Holly) – 168.25
2nd - Ms Lee Smithers & Waminda Jack in the Box CDX UD RAE2 JD DWDF.I.
HTM.A (Jaxson) – 155
3rd - Ms Sarah Trembath & Dual Ch (T) Belgenbeau Be Zed Arinya CD ADX JDM
GD SPDX DWDFA HTMA RN ET PT (Arinya) - 148
Other qualifiers:
Ms Renee Patten & Ag Ch 500 TCh DWDF Ch William The Bloody ET CDX ADM JDM ADO JDO SDM
GDM SPDM RE HTMA (Spike) – 146.5
Ms Sarah Trembath & Ch Graebelge Just Super AD JDX FSI HTMA ET (Ella) – 146.5
Heelwork to Music – Starters
1st - Ms Nicole Keller & Ohutu Jett (Imp Nzl) RN AD JD GD SPD (Jett) – 173
2nd - Ms Cheryl Neal & Ch Rowenglen Gurlesque (Mya) – 161
3rd - Ms Barbara Steele & Rozate the Great Dictator PT. RN FS.S (Joe) – 142.5
Page | 21
Dances with Dogs … continued
Heelwork to Music – Novice
1st – Ms Mara Herba & Dobro Duntroon CD RA HTM.S (Cooper) – 150.5
Heelwork to Music – Intermediate
1st - Ms Cynthia Toohey & CH Riverreed Shez A Sensation HTM.N CDX (Ellie) – 134
Heelwork to Music - Advanced
1st - Mrs Gaye Penny & Abtei Great Expectations CCD FS.I. HTM.I. (Holly) – 174
2nd - Ms Sarah Trembath & Ch Graebelge Just Super AD JDX FSI HTMA ET (Ella) –
166.25
3rd - Ms Lee Smithers & Waminda Jack in the Box CDX UD RAE2 JD DWDF.I.
HTM.A (Jaxson) – 152.25
Other qualifiers:
Ms Renee Patten & Ag Ch 500 TCh DWDF Ch William The Bloody ET CDX ADM JDM ADO JDO SDM
GDM SPDM RE HTMA (Spike) – 141.5
PM Competition
Judges: Ms Barbara Murfet (Qld); Ms Coral Pethers (Qld); Mr Tony Turner (NSW)
Freestyle – Starters
1st - Mrs Lesley D Farish & Stoddard Kid Galahad (Coda) – 165
2nd - Ms Elle McKay & Ch. Korpi Desert Rose (Rose) - 139
3rd – Ms Niccola Hardaker & Ch Llandwyn Crescent Moon (Al) RA HTM.S (Zimri) - 136
Freestyle – Novice
1st – Ms Renee Patten & Guirmere Tric RN DWDF.S (Tric) – 131
2nd – Ms Sue Cordwell & CharlieCordwell FS.S (Charlie)
Freestyle – Advanced
1st - Mrs Gaye Penny & Abtei Great Expectations CCD FS.I. HTM.I. (Holly) – 165
2nd - Ms Renee Patten & Ag Ch 500 TCh DWDF Ch William The Bloody ET CDX ADM JDM ADO JDO
SDM GDM SPDM RE HTMA (Spike) – 141.75
3rd - Ms Lee Smithers & Waminda Jack in the Box CDX UD RAE2 JD DWDF.I.
HTM.A (Jaxson) – 140.5
Forget the lottery - train your dog
A well-trained dog can set you up for life!
A dog act has won Britain’s Got Talent again!
After Ashleigh Butler and cross-breed Pudsey’s
great win in 2012 (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=F6BG4YWpVBU ), Jules O’Dwyer and
Border Collie Matisse (with help from Sheltie
Skippy) have just won the 2015 final (https://
youtu.be/6Vs4hpG50Cc ). The reward - £250,000!
Now that’s motivation!
It’s all just tricks – and a lot of fun – for these
handlers and their dogs.
Photo: http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/tvradio/581295/Britain-s-Got-Talent-2015-final-Jules-ODwyer-and-Matisse
Page | 22
Jess and ‘Zac’
Farewell to a remarkable Flyball career
By Jess McNamara
The longest serving X-Factor Flyball dog, Zac, retired at the Boorowa Irish Woolfest competition in
October last year. His owner, Jess McNamara, commenced Flyball training with Zac when she
was only 13, and they have had a remarkable relationship as handler and flyball dog for 12 years.
This is their story.
integral part of the current X-Factor record
holding team and he represented the club at
many competitions across Australia. When I first
started racing Zac, there were very few other
Jack Russell terriers racing and even fewer who
were as fast as he was. On occasion Zac ran
under five seconds, but mainly ran low 5s. Zac
became a bit of a crowd pleaser and at the
Royal Canberra Show, and other competitions
that drew a crowd, he would always have
people cheering for him.
Flyball training for Zac started when he was just
one year of age and I was only thirteen. As
many can appreciate, for a 13 year old to train
a highly distractible Jack Russell is not an easy
task, and I could write a book on how many
different things I tried and most times failed.
However I persisted, purely because I hate
admitting failure.
Zac did take a while to ‘get’ Flyball. At his first
demonstration, someone lent over the fence
and fed him a sausage, after that there was no
getting his focus back. At his first competition,
he did not complete a clean run and it was six
months before I attempted to compete with
him again. I remember his second competition;
it was the Winter Classic in June of 2003 when
Zac did not put a foot wrong. It was like he
flicked a switch and suddenly just ‘got’ it. The
switch then remained on for over twelve years!
Although Zac was a very reliable dog he would
always keep the team on their toes and early
on in his career he decided he was above
training. He would very regularly decide during
a training session to run around the jumps and
every training session he would have to jump
on the picnic table (mid-way through a run) to
see what treats all the owners had bought
along for their own dogs. During competitions,
if he got too hot he would run out of the ring
and jump in the nearest paddling pool, but he
always made sure he completed his run first so
it would still count as a clean run.
During his career he changed the way he
turned many times and in true Zac style in his
very last race he decided to turn the opposite
way. Racing Zac was always exciting and,
during our Flyball experience, he and I bonded
and we had a competitive racing partnership
for more than a decade. I can honestly say Zac
loved competing as he would tremble with
excitement and would loudly bark while
waiting for his turn.
During his time racing, Zac always ran as an
X-Factor member, representing the Companion
Dog Club. As the height dog, Zac was an
Page | 23
Jess and Zac … continued
Highlights from Zac's career include racing Commonwealth Games swimmers in the Million Paws
Walk Celebrity Challenge, racing multiple times at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney and travelling
to Melbourne for the 2010 Nationals, which was one of the most fun competitions we competed
at.
Zac recently retired from Flyball at nearly 14 years of age. He's partially blind and partially deaf
and I decided to retire him for his own health even though I can honestly say that if I let him Zac
would keep running for years. Zac completed his last run at the Boorowa Irish Woolfest Festival in
October last year and has now retired with a total of 1856 points, the highest point total of any XFactor dog.
Paws Beachside welcomes members of the
ACT Companion Dog Club
 Fully fenced back yard with native plants










and large grassed area
Dogs allowed inside
200 m flat walk to Barlings Beach (shared
dog access) or Tomaga Beach (24/7 dog
access)
Brand new home (Winner of MBA NSW
regional excellence award)
Sleeps 6 (2 x queen, 2 x single bed)
Stainless steel appliances and fully
equipped kitchen
Reverse cycle air conditioning
Northerly sun
2 hours drive from Canberra, close to
Bateman’s Bay, Broulee and Moruya
3 tier tariff: low, mid and high season
Bookings: Stayz.com.au/106533 or
LJ Hooker Bateman’s Bay
Come ‘paws’ by the beach
with us!
 30 Red Hill Parade, Tomakin NSW
With thanks to Leanne Smith
Q.
A.
Why are Dalmatians no good at ‘hide and seek’?
Because they are always spotted!
Q.
A.
Which animal keeps the best time?
A watch dog!
Q.
A.
What did the dog say when he sat on the
sandpaper?
Ruff!
Q.
A.
What did one flea say to the other?
Should we walk or take a dog?
Q.
A.
What do you get if you cross a dog and a lion?
A terrified postman!
Page | 24
Flyball Feats
By Maree Livermore
Getting to know - Flyball newcomers!
This year we have a really promising new crop
of flyball dogs and handlers in the Flyball
Beginners group. We asked them what they
thought about flyball as a new activity.
Rhiannon and Jagger, a Standard Poodle.
Jagger (below) loves to run, to learn new things
and just to be sociable. Rhiannon sometimes
has to work to keep Jagger motivated but says:
"CDC Flyball is just a great team. All the
instructors are friendly and extremely helpful.
We've received great advice and one-on-one
help."
work out what I'm doing with my signals and
body -- to tell Griffin what he's meant to be
doing with his! Its really rewarding though when
we do get a new skill right. Even when we
don't, I just love seeing all the dogs smiling while
they practice."
Meg King and Daisy, a Poodle/Labrador. Daisy
is tiny, whip-fast and smart. Her favourite things
are running, jumping and tennis balls (how
lucky!). Daisy can now recall across all four
jumps and is working on making friends with
that big ol' turning box. Meg says: "I love the
time slot [Sunday 3pm]. It gives me some really
enjoyable time with Daisy. Flyball is so relaxed
and friendly, everyone is there to enjoy it. It is a
really positive experience."
Nick Miller and Stanley, a Kelpie/German
Shepherd Dog X. It's just possible that Stanley
(below) might have done some flyball in
another life! He really 'got' his jumping/running/
return tasks very quickly. Nick says: "The most
challenging thing is getting Stanley to turn on
the box without a treat right in front of his nose.
Yesterday, though, he did turn on a board
couple of times without immediate treat
visibility." Nick is working on Stanley's skills at
home which helps him move ahead quickly.
Therese Smith and Hector, a red Kelpie. Hector
found the other dogs distracting initially but
with Therese's great patience, and support from
our instructors, Hector has come a long way.
He is one of the newest members of the XFactor team, and will soon run in competition.
Therese says: "It has been difficult to maintain
Hector's focus because the other dogs are so
exciting for him. But it is very rewarding when I
can keep him focussed for long enough to
perform … He is becoming much more
comfortable around the other dogs and part of
his reward now is that he has the opportunity to
play with dogs that don't make him nervous."
Victoria Cotton, Ian Smith and Griffin, a Poodle/
Golden Retriever X. Victoria and Ian are one of
the several couples who work their dog
together at flyball. Griffin is very comfortable
with his jumping and is really coming into his
stride. He is now focussing on his box and his
turning skills. Victoria says: "It's challenging to
What's good about being part of CDC Flyball?
Therese says: "The people involved and the
relaxed atmosphere. There is no pressure to
perform well, but when we do there is
enormous encouragement from the instructors
and other participants."
Meg says: "We look forward to flyball practice
each week because it is fun and relaxing. It's
good for Daisy to socialise with bigger dogs as
Page | 25
Flyball feats … continued
she can be a bit timid."
The perfect flyball dog?
Victoria says: "We really enjoy having a training
activity to do that the club make lots of fun for
beginners like us. Flyball doesn't feel like hard
work but it is working on new skills and helping
us with reinforcing basic ones -- like improving
our recall."
Successful flyball dogs come in all shapes, sizes
and speeds. Our current breed list includes:
Border Collie, Kelpie, Labrador, Poodle,
Groodle, Labradoodle, Boston Terrier, Kelpie/
GSD, and other crosses.
Rhiannon says: "The most rewarding thing is
seeing how much Jagger can improve within a
single week."
Nick says: "I like all the hilarious dog behaviours.
Jagger tip-toes over hurdles. Little Peanut arcs
over them like a dolphin. And Daisy, the little
black bullet, seems to be able to achieve a
completely horizontal flight path!"
Come ‘n Fly
If you would like to give flyball a try, come
along with your dog on a Sunday afternoon.
No need to book ahead. Bring treats, and tugtoys if you use them. Beginners training starts at
3.00pm. Enquiries to Jess, our Flyball Subcommittee Convenor, at jessmac@hotmail.com.
Photos courtesy Claire Weekes.
Beginners Cleo (Boston Terrier), Beanie
(Kelpie), Griffin (Poodle/Retriever X) and
Jagger (Poodle) catch their breath after
some Sunday afternoon training.
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK?!?
According to my local bookstore, chickens have become the new
‘pet of choice’ and chicken husbandry books are walking off the
shelf!
Not only that … it is now possible to safely take your feathered friend
for a walk using a harness designed specially for chooks!
Read more at www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/global-pet-2015most-outrageous-new-pet-products
What next - the Million Beaks Walk?
Page | 26
Comp Day Results
Session One — 29 March 2015
Note: Please notify the office if you have been promoted and your name does not appear below so
that we can acknowledge your success in the next issue.
By Comp Day Manager Gillian Atkin
Check-in was handled smoothly by Sharon Carver and Pen Cullen.
Stuart Barrow, Heather Carswell and Lesley Pothan did a great job judging Intermediate. Alison
McCann judged Advanced and Linda Spinaze judged Transition. There were a lot of participants
at these levels and all the judges did a stirling job getting through the numbers. Primary
Companion was judged by Anne Robertson and I using a fairly novel ‘production-line’ approach.
Joyce Thompson also had quite high numbers competing in Secondary Companion but as usual
handled the pressure! Desiree Campbell did a fantastic job organising the day as session
Manager. Thanks also to June Rowe who photographed first placegetters and took photos of the
9.30am Kindi and Beginners classes.
Given we were so short of 'regular' judges, as many of our instructors were involved in taking the
9.30 classes, the day went very smoothly and once again I heard some nice comments from both
participants and judges on how much they had enjoyed the experience.
BEGINNERS (assessed in class on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday)
Verena Antolovic & Miso
William Bruce & Hunter
Meaghan Ferguson & Rolly
Joan Fulton & Holly
Stevan Gorter & Blue
Sandra Shaw & Odi
Jessica Shute & Beau
Valerie Spear & Taffy
Sandra Beaton & Peggy
Manuela Benson & Grover
Susan Coleman & Cooper
Steve Jamieson & Dixie
Maree Livermore & Bean
Kim Morgan & Bella
Rebecca Bolitho & Mia
Rebecca Jeanes & Rascal
Jacqui McCarthy & Leni
Pauline Reynolds & Lulu
Helen Smith & Ruby
Tony Fletcher & Keba
Natalia Michail & Taco
Natalie Power & Wrecks
Ben Crosbie & Rush
Brendon Exton & Spike
Vivien Laycock & Lady
Penny Pardoe-Matthews & Bobby
Lyn Storey & Mollie
Andrea Thom & Adam
Sally Thorpe & Charlie
Alicia Woods & Peanut
Rachel Coady & Chip
Peter Goik & Spud
Martin McCarthy & Ralph
Cathy Atkins & Lili
Marcela Costanza & Jackey
Elizabeth Deck & Pippa
Scarlett Gaffey & Tipper
Bruce Krutishnitt & Milo
Penelope Lithgow & Lottie
Danny Suchomel & Pearl
James Chisholm & Sarge
Leah Peut & Millie
Rosie Robinson & Winnie
Carolyn Spiers & Arabella
Michael Spiers & Mitchell
Andrew Walker & Tassie
Viki Withers & Kelly
Jasmine Byron & Snowy
Joanne Crowther & Otto
Salas Dionisia & Coco Nut
Meena Divakaran & Bob
Bob Reis & Jet
Vanessa Richmond and PJ
Ian Walker & Isla
Daniel Buckley & Miss Minichiello Marion Buckley & Heidi
Sarah Collins & Finn
Julie Jatman & Maisie
Andrea Slater & Scout
Damien Stocks & Lucie
Ximena Morrisby & Ginger
Caroline Brunker & Bella
Phoebe Curtis & Bruno
Kate Lis-Clarke & Little B
Malcolm Schulz & Charlie
Kym Schmid & Ginger Von Schnuffles
Amanda Fintan & Lucy
Max Gancarz & Pretzel
Rachel High & Lulu
Leonie Hull & Poppy
Kim Morgan & Johnny
Page | 27
Comp Day — 29 March 2015 … continued
INTERMEDIATE
Judge: Heather Carswell
1st Terri Keough & Murphy
2nd Helen Migus & Ashlin
3rd Rachel Thomas & Nelly
Judge: Stuart Barrow
1st Georgia Morris & Possum
2nd Joy Stone & Meg
3rd Hallie Butcher & Luna
Judge: Lesley Pothan
1st Cory Smith & Chubb
2nd Kerrie Muir & Gypsey
3rd Tiali Combridge & Dusty
Other passes:
Angela Brooks & Freddie
Owen Carr & Widget
Belinda Myles & Max
Louise Longbottom & Captain Jack
Penelope Lithgow & Poppy
Lynda O’Reilly & Sam
Eric Schoenauer & Murphy
Ian Barnard & Seamus
Adam Hobil & Bijou
Catherine Leggett & Daisy
Jo McAlister & Pepper
Kerrie Tanner & Ripple
Lucienne Amundsen & Meeko
Caitlin Thompson & Yuki
Maya Vasic & Strudel
Melanie Pittard & Jake
Mary-Anne Cameron & Colah
Isobel Pahn & Candy
ADVANCED
Judge: Alison McCann
1st Barbara Gough & Jack
2nd Naomi Wood & Lulu
3rd Nicola Swan & Benson
Other passes:
Jess Gray & Buster
Rebecca Brown & Tiger Lilly
Jane Roberts & Murff
Angela Sherrard & Charl
Leanne Lowery & Shadow
Rowena Gaffney & Tully
Fallon Linkson & Liquorice
TRANSITION
Judge: Linda Spinaze
1st Chris Lathbury
2nd Ginette Snow with Barney
PRIMARY COMPANION
Judge: Gillian Atkin & Anne Robertson
Joanne Farrell & Dash
1st Al Klovdahl & Joey
SECONDARY COMPANION
Judge: Joyce Thompson
GOLD - Jane Vickers & Maggie
BRONZE - Beryl Sipes & Bailey
BRONZE - Evan Slatyer & Nushka
Did you know that all of the activities
offered by the club, as well as the
management of the buildings and
grounds, rely on members like you to
volunteer their time and services ?
Volunteers have kept the club going
since 1958 !
We need more members to lend a hand if you have some time to spare and are
interested in supporting the running of
the club please leave your name and
contact details at the office.
Page | 28
Intermediate
(Left) Georgia
Morris &
Possum
(Below) Terri
Keough &
Murphy
Sunday
Beginners
(Right) With
instructor Anne
Robertson
Advanced
(Left) Barbara
Gough & Jack
Transition
(Right)
Chris Lathbury
& Daisy
Primary Companion
(Left) Al Klovdahl
& Joey
Sunday Beginners
(Right)
With instructor
Laura Naffa
Photos:
June Rowe
Secondary
Companion
(Right)
Jane Vickers &
Maggie
Sunday
Beginners
(Left)
With instructor
Gillian Atkin
Page | 29
Sunday Beginners
(Above left)
With instructor Lynn Harden
Sunday Beginners
(Above)
With instructor Chris Woodgate
Come ‘n Try
Sunday Beginners
(Left)
With instructor Hilarie Kemp
Want to try Flyball, Agility, Dances with Dogs or Rally-O but not sure what they are about?
During the year the club is providing regular opportunities for handlers in Advanced to get a
taste for these activities. Here are members having fun at the first ‘Come’n Try’ session.
Page | 30
Do you have a funny photo you’d like to
share with other members through
The Good Companion?
Send to: contact@actcdc.org.au
Above: The three amigos!
Derry, Brunig and Pepsey helped promote the club at the recent Connect and Participate Expo
at the Old Bus Depot Markets, Kingston (Photo: Anne Robertson)
Does your photo appear in the magazine?
Copies of any photos can be ordered from the Club Office
or via email at contact@actcdc.org.au
Club fundraiser - $5.00 each for high resolution digital copies
or colour prints
Page | 31
Page | 32
Agility Action
By Amanda Delaney — Convenor
ACT Companion Dog Club – Results – Jumping Trial – 17 March 2015
Judge: Jake Blight (NSW)
Open Jumping - 40 seconds
1st AgCh Kellie ADO22 JDO22 ADM20 JDM22 GDM SPDM SDM Associate Greg Collins 28.25
2
Master Jumping - 40 seconds
1st AgCh Kellie ADO22 JDO22 ADM20 JDM22 GDM SPDM SDM Associate Greg Collins 31.46
2nd OC AgCh Bordercheck Autumn Styx UD ADM JDM GDM SDM SPDM ADO J Border Collie Mr R
& Mrs A White 36.14
3rd AgCh 500 Dazzle UD RE ADM JDM ADO JDO GDM SDM SPDX Australian Kelpie Barbara Brown
36.74
Excellent Jumping - 34 seconds
1st Illoura Jet JD Border Collie Greg Collins 17.84
2nd Pixie JD SPD GD Associate Register Denise Stirzaker 23.00
3rd Daisy AD JD Associate Register Lynda Balfour 25.99
4th NCh Caerhays Glen Hamish CCD RE JD GD Golden Retriever G & Dr P Woodman 31.15
Novice Jumping - 34 seconds
1st Lucky Associate Register Sharon Bowditch 23.97
2nd Ch Sintee Dark Tempest RN Poodle (Toy) Jill Campain 26.43
3rd Ch Aldersett Talk Of the Town English Setter Mrs Anne Lewis 30.05
ACT Companion Dog Club – Results – Easter Trial – 4-5 April 2015
Results for club members only
Excellent Agility – Judge: Jenny Taylor (NSW) 70 seconds
2nd Illoura Jet JD AD Border Collie Greg Collins 37.08
5th Ch Dalibel Fullof Chaos AD JDX GDX SD SPDX RN Schipperke Jenny Marshall 48.893
Master Agility – Judge: Jenny Taylor (NSW) 70 seconds
2nd AgCh Kellie ADO22 JDO22 ADM20 JDM22 GDM SPDM SDM Associate Greg Collins 51.17
The six ‘gamble’ obstacles beckon.
Can your dog do them while you stay
behind the pink line?
Page | 33
Agility action …
continued
Open Agility – Judge: Jenny Taylor (NSW) 70
seconds
3rd AgCh 500 Dazzle UD RE ADM JDM ADO
JDO GDM SDM SPDX Australian Kelpie Barbara
Brown 41.50
Open Jumping – Judge: James Browne (VIC) 45
seconds
2nd AgCh Kellie ADO22 JDO22 ADM20 JDM22
GDM SPDM SDM Associate Greg Collins 28.73
3rd AgCh 500 Dazzle UD RE ADM JDM ADO
JDO GDM SDM SPDX Australian Kelpie Barbara
Brown 30.27
Excellent Jumping – Judge: James Browne
(VIC) 44 seconds
1st Illoura Jet JD AD Border Collie Greg Collins
26.25
Handlers ‘walk’ the course while the ‘running
sheet’ lists the order they will attempt the
obstacles (Photo: Anne Robertson)
Novice Jumping – Judge: James Browne (VIC)
30 seconds
2nd Lyndream Storm Boy Shetland Sheepdog
Stephanie Windsor 22.19
Novice Snooker – Judge: Jenny Taylor (NSW) 74 seconds
4th Brunig AD JDX GD SPD Associate Linda Spinaze 32.10 43
6th Kerodan Miss Meant To Be JDX ADX SPDX GD Border Collie Amanda Delaney 43.55 42
Excellent Snooker – Judge: James Browne (VIC) 45 seconds
9th Flatout Joey ADX JDM JDO GDX SD SPDX Australian Shepherd Denise Iglesias 23.23 46
11th Liz Bright Star N Tri of Ohutu (Imp NZ) AFCH JD GDX SD SPDM Border Collie Miss Tammy Watts
36.19 45
13th Ulara Whip RA AD JD GD SD Border Collie Miss Rebecca Jones 44.65 43
Master Jumping – Judge: Jenny Taylor (NSW) 40 seconds
36.74
Competitors ‘walk’ the
course without their
dogs to work out the
best way to
successfully negotiate
the obstacles and
direct their dogs
without incurring any
course or time faults.
Oh, the pressure!
(Photo: Anne
Robertson)
Page | 34
Agility action …
continued
Judge Jenny Taylor briefs handlers about her course (Photo: Anne Robertson)
Novice Jumping – Judge: Jenny Taylor (NSW) 45 seconds
1st Kerodan Triplechoc Surprise Border Collie Amanda Delaney 30.87
3rd Lyndream Storm Boy Shetland Sheepdog Stephanie Windsor 44.00
Novice Agility – Judge: James Browne (VIC) 75 seconds
3rd Lyndream Storm Boy Shetland Sheepdog Stephanie Windsor 53.03
Excellent Agility – Judge: James Browne (VIC) 69 seconds
4th Brunig AD JDX GD SPD Associate Linda Spinaze 44.19
7th Stylewise Magnum AD JDX SPD SD Bearded Collie Lucy Jesiolowski 56.58
Master Agility – Judge: James Browne (VIC) 64 seconds
2nd AgCh Kellie ADO22 JDO22 ADM20 JDM22 GDM SPDM SDM Associate Greg Collins 42.72
45.59
4th Dash FDCH RN ADM ADO JDM JDO GDX SDX SPDM Border Collie Miss Tammy Watts 47.58
6th Wintoppi Mindy ADX JDX GDX SDX SPDX Labrador Retriever Zoe Larum 53.58
12th Sam ADX ADO JDX GD SDX SPD RE Associate Ms Pamela Hunt 62.94
13th Perrecca Ashwood CDX RAE NRA ADX ADO GD JDX SDX SPDX Golden Retriever Mrs C M
Perry 62.961
Master Strategic Pairs – Judge: Jenny Taylor (NSW) 64 seconds
2nd Kerodan Miss Meant To Be JDX ADX SPDX GD Border Collie Amanda Delaney 54.02
2nd Flatout Joey ADX JDM JDO GDX SD SPDX Australian Shepherd Denise Iglesias 54.02
3rd OC AgCh Bordercheck Autumn Styx UD ADM JDM GDM SDM SPDM ADO J Border Collie Mr R &
Mrs A White 56.69
3rd OC Fieldgold Scottish Loch UDX JDM ADM JDO GDX SDX SPDX RRD ADO R Golden Retriever
Laraine Frawley 56.69
Excellent Strategic Pairs – Judge: Jenny Taylor (NSW) 67 seconds
4th Mahkoolma Jack Peter AFCH ADX GD SPD JDX SD Jack Russell Terrier C Woodward 57.79
4th Pixie JD SPD GD Associate Denise Stirzaker 57.79
8th Springloded Rush FDX RA AD JDX GD SD SPD Border Collie Miss Tammy Watts 62.36
8th Ohutu Jett (imp Nzl) RN AD JD GD SD SPD HTMS Border Collie Nicole Keller 62.36
Novice Strategic Pairs – Judge: Jenny Taylor (NSW) 80 seconds
2nd Lyndream Storm Boy Shetland Sheepdog Stephanie Windsor 66.54
2nd Daisy AD JD Associate Register Lynda Balfour 66.54
3rd Springloded Mirk UD JD RE HSAs HSBs Border Collie Alison McCann 67.79
3rd Ulara Whip RA AD JD GD SD Border Collie Miss Rebecca Jones 67.79
Page | 35
Agility action …
continued
5th Elshamah Arcus RA Border Collie Ms Naarilla Hirsch 75.67
5th Twigworth Jasper (Imp NZ) CD ORA SD RAE RRD GD AD JD Golden Retriever Laraine Frawley
75.67
Master Gamblers – Judge: James Browne (VIC) 70 seconds
3rd Wynella Cap ADM ADO JDM JDO GDX SDX SPDX HSAS Border Collie Karen Edwards 61.18 73
Excellent Gamblers – Judge: James Browne (VIC) 65 seconds
7th Kerodan Miss Meant To Be JDX ADX SPDX GD Border Collie Amanda Delaney 62.79 55
Novice Gamblers – Judge: James Browne (VIC) 60 seconds
3rd Lyndream Storm Boy Shetland Sheepdog Stephanie Windsor
And they’re off! (Photo: Anne Robertson)
Effects of training methods on dog learning
Abstract published in RSPCA Animal Welfare Science Update, Issue 33 (July 2011)
Dogs are trained by their owners using a variety of techniques. Although the use of rewardoriented training protocols has increased in popularity in recent years, many owners still report
using different kinds of punishment, especially for specific, unwanted behaviours, such as stealing
an object. However, there have been few empirical studies on how an owner’s training style
affects a dog’s temperament and later ability to learn new tasks.
The authors of this paper surveyed around 50 dog owners in the UK, to ask them about the
methods used when training common tasks such as toilet training, sitting on command and
walking to heel. The owners were then interviewed in their own homes, and their interactions with
their dog were video recorded, especially while training the dog to perform a novel task
(touching an object with its nose). The researchers found that dogs owned by subjects who
reported using a higher proportion of punishment were less likely to interact with a stranger, and
those dogs whose owners favoured physical punishment tended to be less playful. Dogs whose
owners reported using more rewards tended to perform better in the novel training task. Ability at
this novel task was also higher in dogs belonging to owners who were seen to be more playful and
who employed a patient approach to training. The authors conclude that, for dog owners, the
use of reward-based training appears to be the most beneficial for the dog’s welfare, since it is
linked to enhanced learning and a balanced and healthy dog-owner relationship.
See Rooney, N.J. & Cowan, S. (2011) ‘Training methods and owner–dog interactions: Links with dog
behaviour and learning ability’, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 132: 169-177.
Page | 36
Committee Notes
The club’s Main Committee meets on the last Tuesday of every month (except December).
Copies of committee minutes are available on request from the club’s Secretary.
Some of the matters discussed at recent meetings are noted below.
31 March 2015







We considered applications from 38
households to join the club.
We noted an operating profit of $23,900
for the year to date (compared to $7,627
for the same time last year). The
difference in income is largely due to an
exceptionally high intake of new
members in Session One this year.
We endorsed the revised draft of the
club’s Strategic Management Plan 20152017.
We noted the successful conduct of the
inaugural DWD trial in the ACT (with 55
entries) and the
club’s
participation in
the ACT
Government’s
Connect and
Participate Expo
We endorsed
Amanda
Delaney as an
agility instructor
following her
completion of
the Agility SubCommittee’s
training
program.
We agreed for
the Agility Sub-Committee to purchase a
speaker/headset system to facilitate the
judging and scoring of games classes at
agility trials. The system will also be
available for other club uses when not
booked for trials.
Following further proposals from the ad
hoc Dog Activity Engagement Working
Group recommending ways to promote
the club’s dog sports among the general
membership, we agreed for Come ‘n Try
demonstrations to be provided to club
members participating in Advanced
classes on Thursdays and Sundays in
Week 5 in place of the normal syllabus.



Wednesday members in Advanced class
will be encouraged to come to the club
on Thursday or Sunday to join in.
We supported further investigation by the
ad hoc Dog Activity Engagement
Working Group of the cost and
mechanisms for producing a short
promotional video for the club.
We agreed for the Office Manager to
investigate the development of an online
membership form.
We reviewed the updated list of
maintenance tasks for the grounds and
clubhouse and requested that the
relevant committee members provide
advice on mechanisms to complete the
immediate and shortterm priorities.

We noted that
the 2015 Level One
Instructors Course was
now underway with
ten participants.
28 April 2015
 We noted that
amendments to the
club’s Constitution
had been endorsed at
the Special General
Meeting held earlier in
the evening. The amended Constitution will
need to be submitted to Dogs ACT and the
ACT Office of Regulatory Services for
approval.
 We endorsed Heather Carswell as the point
of liaison between the Main Committee and
Agility Sub-Committee.
 We agreed for the Obedience Trialling SubCommittee to host a precision
heeling seminar on 8 August followed by
individual lessons on 9-10 August.
 We agreed for the club to host a variety of
tracking activities in winter 2015 including a
seminar, workshop and peer training
sessions.
Please have a chat with any member of the committee if you have questions
arising from the meetings or would like to help manage the club in any way.
You can also email us at contact@actcdc.org.au
Page | 37
Page | 38
News from the Paws Shoppe
By Katrina Morton — Manager and Mike Carswell — Assistant
Welcome to new club members and, of
course, to members who have supported the
club and the CDC Paws Shoppe all year. We
hope that ‘Paws’ has something for everyone.
For you and your four-legged friend
We have a range of Black Dog training collars,
halters, flyball harnesses and leads in stock.
You are welcome to come along and have a
look at any of the training equipment when the
shop is open, and to have it custom-fitted for
your dog. It is particularly important to ensure
that any training harness is fitted by one of our
instructors to ensure that the size and style is
right for your dog. We recommend a
Connector Strap which provides backup
security for Training Halters and Car Harnesses.
Connected from a D Ring on the harness or
halter back to the dog's collar it helps prevent
those "houdini dogs" from effecting their
escape.
A new item available for those who have
‘reactive dogs’ is the ‘Give me Space’ yellow
vest. Vests are available in three sizes – small
$17.50 and Medium and Large $21.00. Please
see your instructor or session manager for
further information about the Yellow Dog
project.
We now have available Black Dog Lead
Pouches. Designed as a neat and stylish pouch
to connect onto your lead, primarily for holding
Poo Bags, but could just as easily hold other
small items (just check they don't fall through
the hole in the bottom). It will hold and
dispense any generic plastic bags, or can
easily take a Bags on Board roll.
We continue to have in stock front-fitting nopull SENSE-ible and SENSE-ation Harnesses.
These are something which needs to be fitted
so please have a chat with one of our
instructors or a Session Manager.
We have in stock the Black Dog Treat Pouch
which has a wide opening with a magnetic
close and an internal pocket, which can easily
be clipped on or off a belt or use the belt loops
which can make it more secure. If you prefer
you can utilise the Black Dog Tore Belt (which is
sold separately). Also available are Large Treat
Pouches and liners which help keep food from
sticking to the pouch. They can also keep food
fresh in the fridge and are easy to wash. Other
OPENING TIMES
Wednesdays10:00 - 11:30am
Thursdays 7:15 - 8:45pm
Sundays
9:15 - 11:45am
stock we have obtained from Black Dog are
Messenger Bags. These have proven very
popular with many handlers as they can be
used to help carry all your training aids and
personal items.
For the handler interested in formally training
their dog in the art of ‘fetch’, why not invest in
a dumbbell? Again, your instructor or session
manager can provide advice on the right size
for your dog. For those who enjoy trialling we
have Show Arm Bands and Pockets at a cost of
$4.00 and $8.00 respectively. We also stock
Scent Items for advanced training in ‘nose
work’.
The Pooch Pouch is a simple and innovative
solution to promote responsible pet ownership
by simply attaching it to your dog’s lead. Also
to go with it is a packet of degradable dog
waste bags that can be easily inserted into the
pouch. Also each time a Pooch Pouch and
packet of waste bags is purchased you can
get a second packet of bags for $1.00 for an
overall outlay of $5.00. Remember – as
responsible handlers we must always clean up
after our dogs. The shop sells the same black
bags that are used in the dispensers at the club
at a very reasonable cost of $18.00 per roll. Buy
a roll and leave it in the car and then you will
have some with you at all times.
Treats for your four legged friend
We continue to stock Liver Treats, and also sell
Sweet Potato Slices and Beef or Chicken filled
Marrow Bones $4.00 each or 3 for $10. Pigs Ears
continue be very popular and are occasionally
on special so check the shop’s whiteboard for
discounted prices. Bags of fresh/frozen meat/
cheese treats are available at a cost of $3.00
per bag.
Toys for your four legged friend
Kongs are available at various prices
depending on the size. The Kong can be used
as a training aid, to throw as a reward for your
dog or as a way of keeping him amused on his
own, by simply stuffing some treats, peanut
butter or vegemite inside. There are several
other toys available including tennis ball
throwers both large and small, squeak toys and
tug toys, Pet Water Bottles, Cookie Cutters and
array of items that you might find useful.
Page | 39
News from the shop shelf ... continued
For the humans
Our Aldi Expressi Coffee Machine is continuing
to be very popular with all our members. The
coffees come in different strengths so it is just a
matter of checking with Mike or I and we can
make the coffee as you request either using
fresh or soy milk. We also sell Arcosteel Double
Wall reusable mugs – purchase one for $6.00
and the first coffee or hot chocolate is ‘free’.
NOW AVAILABLE - LOYALTY CARDS
BUY 5 GET 1 FREE !
For every five Expressi Coffee or
Hot Chocolates that you buy you will get the
sixth free.
We also offer Milk Shakes (Chocolate and
Strawberry) made using fresh milk or soy milk.
Don’t forget to look out for our Coffee and
Cake special! We frequently offer Cakes of the
Week at $3.00 per slice which you can enjoy
with either our made-to-order coffee or self
serve coffee or tea. Serve yourself tea, coffee,
and Milo for $1.50 and ask about our range of
cold drinks, potato crisps, chocolates. pies,
pasties and sausage rolls. We also offer to
Toasted Sandwiches, Bacon and Egg
Sandwiches and Raisin Toast.
There are times when we have to increase our
prices for stock, but we strive to keep them
below the average recommended retail price.
All profits go back into the maintenance and
improvement of the club.
If we don’t have in stock something you would
like or if you have any questions about the
shop, come and have a chat with shop
assistant Mike or I during training sessions.
BE ALERT – BE SAFE
We strive to ensure that the club’s facilities
are always clean, tidy and safe. Please
ensure that you take care while walking and
training your dog especially with the cooler
weather and fallen leaves. If you notice any
conditions that are dangerous, please advise
a member of the Committee (in the office) or
shop staff, so that we can take appropriate
action.
Page | 40
Training Times
OBEDIENCE
Wednesday
Thursday
Sunday
Competition Day
Kindi
10:00am
7:30pm
9:30am
Fun ’n Games
Beginners A
10:00am
7:30pm
9:30am
Assessed in class
Beginners B
10:00am
7:30pm
9.30am
Assessed in class
Intermediate
10:00am
7:30pm
10:30am
Sunday 10:00am
Advanced
10:00am
7:30pm
10:30am
Sunday 10:00am
Transition
10:00am
7:30pm
10:30am
Sunday 10:00am
Wednesday
Thursday
Sunday
Competition Day
TRIALLING STREAM
CCD & Novice (CD)
11:00am
Check with Office
Open (CDX)
11:00am
Check with Office
Utility (UD) & UDX
By arrangement - check with Office
Sunday 10:00am or
as part of ‘mock’
trial. Check noticeboard in clubhouse.
COMPANION STREAM
Wednesday
Thursday
Sunday
Competition Day
Primary & Secondary
10:00am
Check with Office
10:30am
Sunday 10:00am
Wednesday
Thursday
Sunday
Competition Day
10.00am
7.30pm
Peer support
N/A
RALLY-O STREAM
All levels
Please confirm times for Rally-O with the Club Office
NOTE: Instructors are only provided for the Open and Companion classes if handler numbers warrant.
Off-lead exercise is only available in the Back Paddock and Bore Paddock during Obedience
and Rally-O class times.
AGILITY
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Level 1
_
_
_
Level 2
6:45pm - 8:15pm
_
_
Level 3
_
_
6:45pm - 8:15pm
Level 4
_
_
6:45pm - 8:15pm
Novice
6:45pm - 8:15pm
_
_
_
6:45pm - 8:15pm
_
Sunday
Wednesday
Excellent / Masters
FLYBALL
Beginners &
Technique Training
Competition Training
3:00pm - 5:00pm
_
_
Evenings prior to Competitions
NOTE: FLYBALL classes are held in the Flyball and Narrabundah Paddocks.
AGILITY classes are held in the Trial Rings (1-5)
DANCES WITH DOGS
Wednesday
All levels
6.30-8.00pm
NOTE: DWD classes are held in the Main Pavilion at Queanbeyan Showground, not at CDC grounds.
Page | 41
Club Activities
BASIC OBEDIENCE TRAINING
The club offers classes for all breeds of dogs in
basic obedience training. These classes will
help you understand canine behaviour and
will teach you how to teach your dog to be a
well-behaved companion. The focus is on
teaching practical skills such as walking on
lead without pulling; to sit, drop and stand; to
sit quietly for pats; to come when called; to
wait for dinner; and to socialize appropriately
with dogs and people.
The club teaches through positive
reinforcement. That means that you show your
dog what behaviour you want it to produce
and you reward it for doing so. The dog soon
learns that if it repeats the behaviour it will be
rewarded and so the learning cycle begins.
Dogs may attend from three months of age,
provided they have been fully immunized.
You will need to ring up to book your dog in
(see office contact details on page 4). You
should do this several weeks in advance of
your desired entry date to ensure that you will
get a place. Dates for the next course can be
found in the Calendar (see page 43off-leash ).
DOGS-AS-THERAPY
Members and their dogs visit nursing homes
and special schools to provide pet therapy for
the residents. Suitable dogs are those that are
people and dog friendly dog and that aren’t
fazed by much that goes on around them.
COMPETITIVE DOG SPORTS AT THE CLUB
Obedience Trialling – Obedience Trials
(competitions) aim to demonstrate a high
degree of handler-dog team work and
precision over a range of exercises at different
levels of skill. Exercises include heelwork,
retrieving, scent work, directions from a
distance and stays. Dogs must have passed
the Transition level to be admitted to the basic
trialling class.
Agility – This is a dog sport where you teach
your dog to negotiate different obstacles such
as jumps, tunnels, see-saws, A-frames, dog
walks and weave poles. Once you have
gained some basic skills, the challenge is to
learn how to ‘steer’ your dog from one
obstacle to another on a course, and the
courses change each time so that you and
your dog are constantly being challenged to
improve your skills.
Dogs must be:
 at least 14 months old to ensure the dog’s
skeletal and musculature system is strong
enough;
 physically sound and not over weight; and
 under control off-lead around other dogs
and activities (however no minimum
obedience training level is required).
Flyball – In this sport dogs clear four hurdles,
spring a ball from a ‘box’, and return to their
handler over the hurdles. It is a fast and furious
team sport that ball mad dogs really enjoy.
Dogs must be:
 at least 12 months old to ensure the dog’s
skeletal and musculature system is strong
enough;
 physically sound and not over weight; and
 under control off-lead around other dogs
and activities.
Dances with Dogs – In this dog sport handlers
take obedience skills to a new level by
performing routines to music with their dogs. All
you need to get involved is a love of music,
the desire to have a great time with your dog
and a commitment to reward based training.
DWD is suitable for handlers of all ages and
dogs of all breeds, sizes and ages.
Rally-O – Rally-O is an obedience
competition that requires the handler and dog
team to negotiate a course at heel and
perform various maneuvers such as sits, downs,
stands, stays and various turns. Handlers are
able to praise their dog while it is working.
For more information on any of these activities
refer to the relevant contacts on page 2 or
leave your name at the club office.
Have a comment or idea you’d like to share?
Drop a note in our Suggestion Box
in the Clubhouse foyer or email
contact@actcdc.org.au
Page | 42
Calendar of Events 2015
See <http://www.actcdc.org.au/new/calendar.htm> for the full calendar for
2015 including scheduled trial dates
JUNE
Tues 2
Wed 3
Thurs 4
Sat 6
Sun 7
Wed 10
CDC Ribbon Agility Trial (evening) - Jumping
Queen’s birthday break – No obedience training classes
Queen’s birthday break – No obedience training classes
CDC Agility Jumping and Games Trial
Queen’s birthday break – No obedience training classes / CDC Agility
Jumping and Games Trial
Queen’s birthday
Session 3 obedience training classes start
Thurs 11
Sun 12
Sat 20
CDC Obedience Trial and Rally-O Trial (AM and PM)
Sun 28
Dogs ACT Endurance Test*
Tues 30
Committee meeting – clubhouse
Sat 4
Sat 11*
Sun 19
Mon 20
Tues 21
ACT School holidays start
Queanbeyan and District Dog Training Club Obedience Trial
ACT School holidays end
ACT School Term 3 starts
Closing date for nomination of honorary life members (for consideration at
AGM on recommendation of Committee or nomination of members).
Notice of Annual General Meeting posted in the clubhouse and advertised
in the press.
Tues 28
Committee meeting – clubhouse / Closing date for written notices of
motion to be submitted to Secretary for tabling at the Annual General
Meeting (other motions may be presented at the AGM with the resolution
of the meeting)
Mon 8
JULY
AUGUST
Sun 2
Tues 4
Wed 5
Thurs 6
Sat 8
Sun 9
Tues 11
Sat 15*
Tues 18
Tues 25
Sat 29*
SEPTEMBER Sun 6
Mon 14*
Sat 19
COMPETITION DAY (Week 8 of session 3)
Agenda for Annual General Meeting posted in the clubhouse
Precision Heeling workshop
Closing date for submission of nominations for 2015-16 Committee
Belconnen Dog Obedience Club Agility Jumping and Games Trial
Annual General Meeting — clubhouse 7.30pm
Committee meeting – clubhouse / Dogs ACT AGM*
Belconnen Dog Obedience Club Obedience Trial
Father's Day - classes held
Belconnen Dog Obedience Club Ribbon Agility Trial - Jumping (evening)
Wed 23
Thurs 24
Sat 26
Sun 27
Combined CDC and ACT Gundog Society (50th anniversary) Double
Obedience Trial and Double Rally-O Trial
COMPETITION DAY (Week 7 of session 4)
Note: two week break in classes due to public and school holidays
No obedience training classes
No obedience training classes
ACT School holidays start / Dogs ACT State Agility Titles at CDC (TBC)
No obedience training classes / Dogs ACT State Agility Titles at CDC (TBC)
Mon 28
Family and Community Day
Sun 20
Page | 43
Off-lead exercise at our Club
Please make sure you read and follow the advice posted at the entrances to the club’s
off-lead areas whenever you are on the club grounds .
 Play safe - please use
common sense in the offlead areas.
 Always ask permission to
go in if the area is already
occupied.
 Enter on lead and remove
the lead while your dog is
sitting.
 Move well away from the
gate to avoid crowding.
 Keep moving to minimise
tension and scuffles
between dogs.
 Stay alert and keep an
eye on your dog.
 Always reward your dog
for coming to you.
 Avoid using balls and
other toys if the area is
crowded or dogs become
excited.
 Leave immediately if your
dog becomes anxious, or is
annoying or aggressive
towards other dogs.
 Limit your time to 15
minutes if other members are
waiting to use the area.
 Always clean up after
your dog.
 Follow the instructions of
the Session Manager or other
club officials when asked.
Please note that the
obedience and agility rings
are not to be used for offleash exercise at any time,
nor are you permitted to
walk your dogs through
these areas because you
don’t want to put your dog
on a lead to walk down the
path.
Bitches in season are not permitted on the club grounds at any time.
The smell left behind by the urine and discharge of a bitch in season is an overwhelming
distraction to male dogs and to many other bitches.
Page | 44

The Good Companion - ACT Companion Dog Club

Transcription

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