Need input quickly please - kle thread

 Sorry -- this is not "quick"!  I've been out all day, just got home.  I saw her post the pictures a few days ago (I think? Days are blurring!!) and thought "Oh those poor dogs.... " and it made me ill. I wanted to say something myself, but didn't have the time.  Looks like the rest did.

 I personally don't think it should be locked, I think everyone is posting respectfully (for the most part) but how do you call someone out without hurting feelings?  I read it, and re-read it.  The only thing that is questionable (again, IMO, please, please tell me if you disagree!!!) is some parts of Anne's post, but even then, it's not really breaking the rules.  Basically saying she wouldn't mind if she saw the backside of Kim.... should that be edited?  My instinct says no, but I"m not sure if it's because I agree with her?

 I was at a dog show all weekend. We did some winning and some losing.... but, all in all a good weekend. Logan took a Best Of Opposite Sex at the Weimaraner Specialty up here, Leo took two Reserves and Kaylie took a Reserve and won her class today.  Leo would have won the points if his handler ((ahem, ahem, yours truly)) could have figured out how to make him stop pacing on his down and back.  The Judge handed me the Reserve Winners ribbon and said, "This would have been Winners, if he had behaved himself."  BAD GRAMMA!!! BAD!! I felt so awful.  Oh, well, not much you can do now but feel guilty!!

 I'm OK with what is up - I agree Anne is very close to the line, but saying what we all feel.

I was worried that after Kim posted a response it was going to get ugly - it still might if Amanda gets back into it.

Kle repulses me so intensely that I'm sure I am leaning towards allowing more than I would in another case

anyway...................

oops! re Leo I'm sure he'll get the points at the next opportunity - he's a handsome boy!

Congrats to Logan, Kaylie, Leo and you!

BTW Paige is MIA this week on the move I believe.

I spoke to a guy last night that said he'll help me train B for bird hunting - we'll start with WHOA.  Sorry I won't be creating a pulley system and trying to freak my 5 yr old 105lb dog out.  He mentioned some other methods and I think he heard the 'not on your life' sound in my voice.  I may take B out to the property and work with him some but I am too faint-hearted for heavy handed training

 I was in a stupor when I got home, it was a *VERY* long weekend!!! Sorry about that, I meant to say "OMG!!! I FOUND YOUR EMAIL!"  Not sure where or how it happened?  But, I was sitting at the show without cel reception, waiting, so i started organizing my phone (I had to get ANOTHER new one cause my old one had a problem) and getting the settings how I like it, now that I had a minute.  And was deleting all these old emails and found your email re: going to bird training Karen!  I totally sat their in wonder, then looked at the date.  I have no idea how I missed it. I'M SO SORRY!!! 

My questions regarding this is: Are you working "whoa" on point? So, he's going to point, or are you working whoa for retreiving work/flushing work?  If it's for pointing, I would definitely not recommend training whoa first. He needs to get on birds and chase, chase, chase and chase some more till he learns he cannot catch it.  You work whoa, at home for now.  Say "whoa", treat it like a stay, except he cannot move, you want him standing, not to offer a sit.  So, if he moves a foot, put it back, etc.  But, do not work this unless you can control him (ie. check cord) ... and don't work it on birds until he's already showing some flash points, better yet a several second point.  Remember, it's NOT a marathon, you don't need him to hold point for 10 min.... (eventually you will) but, it's going to get boring and he'll break.  You need to work him on wild birds and birds in launchers so he cannot catch them.  IMO Jumping directly to "whoa" is a bad sign.  You need to have him work birds and chase. Again, that's **IF** you want him to point.... and usually the source of most whoa-training.   You can also work sight pointing by putting a wing on a string and attaching to a cheap fishing pole, you can work whoa there, too, but you have to becareful with that (I wouldn't use it till he's offering a point) and then tap/get it, to release to grab it.  Otherwise the "bird" flies away (like a fly fisherman, send the wing way up in the air).  Once he's offering a point stop working on the sight point, because you don't want him to get used to relying on sight too much. But, it's a great way to get a novice dog to feel that "point" and watch his indicators of being "birdy".  Anyway, I'm no expert, but this is some of what I've learned.

Kim, I think, is NOT getting treated badly at all..... I think people are being honest with her.  And sometimes it needs to be done.  Hopefully they are done, because while I don't think she "gets it", I think she's gotten all she can from it.  I have to think she's compensating for something in her life by getting dogs.  I didn't even know Keeper went back to the breeder!!! I thought she was going to keep him after finding out he had a heart condition?  I want to say "Nikki has luxatting patella's and I cannot do agility with her..... should I return her to the pound?  Rehome her?  She's not exactly what I thought she'd be, but she's my pet and friend first.  And that's more important to me, than agility."   But, I don't want to fan the flames and get it started again.  I like your word for it "repulsive"... YES!!!

Poor Paige, I wonder where she is? I gave her a call Saturday morning to cheer her on, I hope she's making it safely and have a grand adventure with Gracie, her co-pilot, somewhere in the mid-west! Go Paige, Go!!! :)

 no problem Lani - I was worried you were MIA or pissed at me for something LOL

anyway heck I am doing this bird dog training just for fun with B.  He is exceptionally birdy and has been 'pointing' at stuff since the day we brought him home. He has caught umpteen birds (from wrens to doves) and goes after waterfowl with an intensity previously unknown to me. I have no idea why the morning doves continue to frequent my yard because it is like a catch and release program LOL

I have worked on some retrieves with him (using a Dokken) and he enjoys that but finding the birds and pointing seems more his thing.  I've been looking for ages for a place and then stumbled on this place last week or so. 

Spoke to the 'ahem' trainer (retired guy who starts dogs for hunters and is a guide on bird hunts) and he seems very nice and was willing to work with B & I despite my not being a hunter and B being 5.  He is clearly talking about whoa for pointing not for flushing.  He is definitely old school though.  So when you say check cord do you mean with the whole system where you lift him off the ground?  That freaks me out!

I am thinking the best thing will be to take him down to the property and let him get a taste of things...

crap phone call I need to take - may come back with more info

Hey sorry guys.  I sent the note last week that I'd be off the internet by Sunday night (had to pack up the equipment to return to Comcast.)

Lani, I sent you a text the other day (my weekend was ridiculous... and Monday was... O M G BAD!!  My sister's movers didn't show up until 3pm... with a month old baby in tow.  Took them 4 hours, and they didn't do things right (like secure the washing machine drum).  I didn't leave until Tues... and have been sleeping in the moving truck with Gracie at night.  Today is the first time I slept inside - at my friend Rachel's house.  It's been an adventure... now, this Hurricane Earl is supposed to brush the coast of MA/NH/ME some time tomorrow and into Saturday.... so I either leave early in the morning in order to make it within hours of it hitting... or wait a bit and arrive as its leaving...  Either way, the wedding on Sunday is.... get this... ON THE BEACH!!!  They were supposed to go surfing afterwards, but beaches are closed right now because of rip tides.

Ummm, can we spell cluster"fudge"?

aaaannnyway, I haven't even looked at the thread, but I assume its all set now?  I'll go look... then I gotta sleep!  A REAL BED!!!! Well, ok, an air mattress... but not a dog bed propped up on top of boxes wedged between two bucket seats!!

PS - Humidity.. I did NOT miss you... you SUCK!!!!  (why the hell did I leave Colorado??)

Just a reminder, I'll continue to be off the net after today.  I arrive (at SOME POINT!!!!) and will be unloading the truck as much as I can before the wedding on Sunday, then rearranging my storage unit to make room for all my crap on Monday.  So!!  I might have a random spare chance, but I expect this will be a go-go-go-go-go next couple of days, with the hurricane, unpacking, wedding, using the truck to transport and rearrange the stuff for storage and pull out the crap that will be donated to make room for my crap, etc  Ugh... I thought the drive was the tough part, but thats all to come...

 no problem and yes I knew you were offline.  Hope your night in a bed was restful and that the remainder of your travels are safe and uneventful.

FWIW I believe Earl should be gone by Sunday and it has dissipated substantially

oh and yes humidity does SUCK 

I have internet at this house.  I have to give this laptop back to my sister before she leaves... but she told me she'd get me a laptop for my birthday.  I tend to think that she doesn't have it yet, so I'll test out the computer that's here (I'm told it does work... but I didn't feel like booting it up tonight.  For all I know it would blast the speakers.)

Aaaanyway.  Tomorrow is a crapload of errands for myself and apparently the pre-wedding crap.  Then the wedding on Sunday.  Then unpacking my storage unit so I can repack it with the stuff I want to keep plus this stuff I just schlepped from CO... hopefully I'll be able to get on at night like this briefly.  No telling what Sunday night will be like, tho.  Crazy town....

Thanks for holding down the fort. :D