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I taught Black Cassie "Hand touch" a good few years ago, and it's always been a strong g behaviour for her. She loves it, and it's possible to make it quick and high energy. It comes in handy (:giggl:) on so many occasions - it definitely helped with retrieving to hand, sometimes doubles as a...

I'm feeling so bad, and not for the first time. Yet again, I've allowed myself to engage in conversation when exiting my local supermarket, which I had just popped into quickly for a few supplies. I decided some while ago that I would not give out my details to make a regular donation online...

My sweet girl has nasty gunky ear, we are on day 3 of ear washes and drops. The thing is she showed little sign of it, just a slight head tilt then shook her head after barking which made me start to think we needed a vet's appointment. Later that evening my daughter popped in and greeted Cass...

Just a heads up for anyone who is interested (and I think it's a subject close to all our hearts), File on 4 on Radio 4 (UK) are going to be looking at and discussing veterinary fees tonight at 8pm.

Back last autumn Cass and I did a few weeks of a training class called Fun Fridays, where we did a little bit of various activities as a taster - I went because it included Rally and I thought this would be good for her to do now as she actually likes that sort of close work - these days ! But...

On Sunday our local dog training school put on a Rally Workshop with a lady called Jo Pay who has apparently been on TV although I have never seen her myself. It was such a good day, the ideal thing to do on yet another Very Wet Weekend in the UK. I've never wanted to do "obedience" but have...

Now that is me and Cassie so much of the time I find that more and more I talk to her as if she's really going to answer and /or express an opinion. Which of course she does non verbally! I already know that she watches me and draws her own conclusions as to what is going to happen next. But...

During a discussion last night about the life of a modern veterinary surgeon in a mixed practice my son's lovely girlfriend, who is a vet, made the statement "owning pets/animals is a privelege not a right". It stopped me in my tracks really! I have never, ever considered pet ownership in either...

So Cassie is 8 today :) It's hard to believe, seems like at lot has happened in her lifetime. I'm so glad I " buckled up for the ride" of her rambunctious adolescence, she's the best companion I could wish for now. It's ridiculous how well we can read each other these days ! She's almost , but...

So, back in the summer Cassie and I did a 4 week session of Dog Club at our wonderful local dog training school. I can't speak highly enough of them, they really are so good! We did scent club with them back last winter and while very good I felt we couldn't take it any further -- for one Cass...

I decided a while back to sign up for a six weeks UK Sniffer Dog course -- with Cassie of course :hearteyesdog::rofl: which we completed at the end of November. We both enjoyed it, it's such a great thing to do. I've always thought it would be good for her but among other reasons there wasn't...

Cassie is currently spending a week in N.I, we found a lovely dog friendly cottage between the Mourne Mountains and Carlingford Lough. My son is working over here as a lorry driver, and he is coming tomorrow for a couple of days R and R. I can't wait to see Cassie s greeting ! It's very much...

Cassie rarely barked at all until she was about 4, but the last couple of years have seen some changes take place around where we live with new people working and living here which seems to have activated her defence mechanism, but it's become too much and I would like to do something about the...

My poor son is in bits tonight, today he had to have his beloved mate Bobby put to sleep, aged 12. He was a working collie that he had had from birth, when my boy was just 15. He, Bobby, always lived on his Dad's farm of course, he was a good sheepdog. So he has formed a big part of my son's...

Cassie and I are taking part in the 3 week recall challenge as invited by @Beanwood, and we are both enjoying doing the proximity games both old and new to us. To be fair, her recall isn't bad, except for the scavenging which happens in our immediate environment, from seeking out cat poo in the...

After watching @Beanwood s video of Bramble demonstrating her beautiful hold and delivery :inlove: I've decided I'd like to get a dummy launcher to use with Cassie as she is enjoying her retrieving these days. The obvious choice I think would be Sporting Saints handheld launcher pack, but does...

@Natalie , the trainer advised me to have one hand at an angle of 45 degrees to the ground, palm towards the dog and with your other hand quickly fire treats over the top onto the ground. I hope that makes sense, I'll ask my son or daughter to video me doing it if I remember. The idea is that...

Poor Cassie has just stuck her head under a post a rail fence and got the mother of all electric shocks. She was about 12 ydo and came straight to me but absolutely rigid and with her tail tucked right in, so horrible. She wouldn't eat anything but just wanted to head for home directly. She's...

Cassie and I are just back from a good morning out. I've been thinking about the type of training I want to do with Cassie over the last few months. I didn't really want to give up on doing gundoggery, because in the right set of conditions we both really enjoy it and it's so good for our bond...

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I only used a placeboard last summer when we did the graded gundog training, since then it's been in my shed. The only exercise I do is "round the clock" -- clicking and throwing treat for returning to the board in front of me. She LOVES doing this, so I...