[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

I managed to sneak a short training session into today (then “Community Conversations with the Police Department”, then drive to Cleveland for a trial this weekend).

I didn’t really have time to rebuild the course (that is, move the tunnel) so we’re right up against the wall with all the tables, chairs and such. I think that is why I had some trouble getting him to wrap the wing. Also, I sometimes used my wrap word (dig) and sometimes my around (which is supposed to be backside slice but gets used sometimes for regular speech).

The barn floor is very rough and his feet are still “summer soft” so I try to have short sessions.

Also, I tried with the airpods in. That way you can hear the whole stream of consciousness that happens when I train. Well, I tried to cut out most of it…

We struggled a bit with challenges 3 and 4. I think 3 was because of the timing of the BC and backside slice command (and poor connection). I think 4 was because his understanding of “IN” is not as strong as it could be. However, he was 100% in tunnel versus something else. Proud of that, anyway.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Sorry it is so hard to hear on some of the videos – outdoors with the wind blowing does not work well with my iPhone.

And I’ll take a sushi reward anytime!!

I’m still wondering about #4. I think if I had seen that with Patt in real life, I would have done a Japanese. That way I would carry him to the backside and be out of the way on the jump to tunnel. Might have to try that…

HA! I found some time to train today!!

However, what did happen is that I got my new 10’ tunnel and it, of course, lives in the barn because it is all new and beautiful. We did the “Jump-Tunnel Discriminations Around The Clock Verbals” and I was astonished. Possibly because of doing the first week’s work, but at any rate, Casper was GREAT at this.

I see, looking at the video, that I am “helping” with my handling but still – I think he is doing really well.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Here is our attempt at Handling Challenges #3.

I do not understand sequence #2. It says to threadle your dog to #4 but I can’t figure that out at all. I looked at your video in slow motion and put on my thinking cap and everything. All I can come up with is: if you send your dog very wide around #3, then his natural path is to the backside and so you could argue that you had to “threadle” him in with an “IN” command. So that’s what I tried. Seems like spinning #3 would have the same impact.

I was surprised at how well he did the threadle wraps – for the most part. I left the bar at 20 for the beginning but dropped for those!

I was amazed that he did the threadle wrap between the tunnel and the jump.

Btw, the “shadow alien” is actually a ladder with a tripod bungeed on it. <grin>

I’m wildly busy for the rest of this week and showing Sat/Sun, so I don’t know if I’ll get to the next week in the next week.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Here is our version of Handling Challenges 2: Combos. These went really well! Before I started I actually measured and adjusted my setup to more closely match the dimensions you gave. <grin>

I think our biggest “problem” is that I am not allowing the verbals to come to the fore. I tend to allow the handling to do all the work. Not exactly what we are hoping for…. I did remember to at least say them (after the first try or two).

Thanks!
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

We did some weaves and contact work yesterday. Today we were back to your games.

I did a bit more of the purely verbal discrims and then moved on to Handling Challenge 1. I thought Casper found it easy so I did it from both sides.

Thanks,
Barb

Ps: I let Enzo try it, he said: “not challenging at all yet”. <grin>

[Barb VanEseltine]

Thanks Tracy!

So happy you didn’t vote strongly for the manners minder. While I “can” use it, I don’t particularly like it and getting “good” treats to run through it nicely is a hassle.

Much as I don’t want to (sigh) I will give him today off that kind of training. Is it ok to work something else? Like weaves? Or do you want a complete non-training day?

Thanks!!
Barb

ps: It seems like everyone else started with Handling Challenges 1 instead of Verbals Only Commitment. ?? Am I doing this right?

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Barb VanEseltine.

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Casper and I want to make sure we don’t have “typical” or “common” errors. So here is his video; he was pretty good at tunnel versus “jump not a tunnel” but, alas, he is pretty random about which side of the jump. ALSO, I think he was being Clever Hans for a bit using my feet as guides. <sigh> I moved the jump and tunnel further apart but, unless I move my body, I’m not sure that makes it easier. Once I got out the chair, it was obvious what the problem was: he doesn’t know it.

At the end, I just isolated the jump and tried to work on front versus backside wrap versus backside slice. I fear we will have to clean that up before we can progress with the jump versus tunnel.

I should have brought out some food for reset cookies. Since he thinks food is “meh” I forgot but next time I will bring it. Also, I forgot to lower the bar. I’ll remember that next time, too.

And another thing…when we are running courses, I don’t feel that Casper is TOO handler focused. His “go-on” is pretty good and he stays committed to things pretty well (at least that’s what I think). In this little exercise, however, he looks back at me a lot. It is particularly obvious on video.

Also, I will try harder with the two mistake rule. Most of my life I have used a different two mistake rule: if he does it wrong twice in a row, then change something.

What about using a manners minder set out so it can be used to reward either the jump or the tunnel? That might help with forward focus, don’t you think?

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Thanks for the careful analysis – as always I appreciate your insights!

Between obedience and conformation, I have a mostly-unconscious bias for having my dog on my left. When I watch people intentionally train heeling on both sides (e.g., Denise Fenzi) it makes me squirm inside. So even though I don’t do either any longer, the habit persists.

I was wondering if I was “doing something” to cause the difference between dog-on-left and dog-on-right; that’s why I put the camera straight behind the start. And I also couldn’t see anything. I’m a little bit concerned about them exiting the tunnel to their right, even when they “should” have done so to the left. I think as I become more capable (and can move better) that will go away. If it doesn’t then I’ll worry about it then. <grin>

So here is our last turn for summer 2025. I took the standard pop-outs from package 5.

First up is Enzo on #1 and #2. He is brilliant on #1. On #2, my first plan was to do 3 & 6 as threadle slices – should have warmed them up. <grin> Then I realized that I should have planned #6 as a threadle wrap. So I got that to work. Then I realized that I could just lead out to a spot between 2 and 3 and the whole thing gets lots easier.

Then I thought I’d do #3 and #4 with Casper. And I was pretty pleased with how that went, also.

Thanks for the summer fun — see you later!
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

HI Tracy,

Love the idea of turning the jumps to be parallel to help Enzo with his discriminations!

On Casper, I had forgotten how he jumps into the tunnels; cracks me up. I will attempt to work on the fading with the plank present but mostly skipping the sit.

I think Dawn has a spot for me on Thursday (10/16). Who is the contact for Chicago?

Progress, I think.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

As you might have guessed, the big gap was because we went on vacation! Left the 3 dogs with a friend, met up with kids, grandkid at my brother’s. <grin>

So we’re back and doing this and that. The weather is PERFECT (sunny and 72) so no reason not to play (except I get tired – apparently healing is a draining thing).

I thought I’d work on the “Super Independent Handling Skills Contact Exits” with Enzo. His verbals:
PUSH: backside wrap
AROUND: backside slice
FLIP: backside turn-away wrap
IN: backside turn-away slice

Casper is still working his backsides with the plank.

Video: https://youtu.be/KVHBhkKuwt0

WOW! Enzo is funny about verbals. He is pretty strong on his one jump verbals, only missing “IN” on my right but getting PUSH, AROUND, FLIP and IN perfectly on my left. However, his obstacle discrimination is not so good; at any rate, getting him to go through the box to the tunnel was tough. After a while I spread the setup out a bit but still got errors. My thinking is to spread it WAY OUT and work on just TUNNEL until he can go straight to the tunnel when the jumps are only 10 feet apart (reminds me of working on obedience go-outs). Unless you have another idea…?

I just included a bit of Casper on the backsides AND through the jumps to the tunnel. Since I didn’t train that very well with Enzo, it is unsurprising that I had similar errors with Casper. <sigh>

Also, on the backside plank jumping, Casper is removing the “sit” by himself. I’m thinking that is not a very good idea.

Also, in Enzo’s world, DIG means turn right when you are on my left and CHECK means turn left if you are on my right. He has “SWITCH” for both turn-aways. I want to eliminate “SWITCH” over a jump for Casper and use DIG/CHECK the same as RIGHT/LEFT. He is only starting to get that.

Before I forget: what is on the agenda for the fall/winter? I missed getting a working spot one year and don’t want to do that again. <grin>

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

As far as Casper’s backsides: got it.! Will gradually move to 20” then remove the sit, then remove the plank. <yeah!>

I decided to move on to package 5 (hurray for weave pole challenges!).

I went back and forth about tunnel length. It looked to me like you used a 20’ tunnel. So I did that but I only have 4 sets of bags out, so it is almost straight.

I LOVE that you showed the tunnel first. So important to make sure they see the distraction. <grin>

I played on it with both dogs but 90% of the video is Casper. He struggles a bit with the off-side entry and with passing motion. I put in just one of Enzo because it was cool.

At the end is a section of a course map of the fanciest weave thing I ever did IRL. I was thrilled that Enzo hit the running DW and ran and praised him as he started weaving. THEN I realized I needed to get down for the FC before the tunnel discrimination. I just ran away and left Enzo to finish on his own. Which he did – so proud (complete with gasp from the audience).

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

HI Tracy,

Excellent point about my physical cues for “out to the weaves” versus “come in to the tunnel”. I wanted to watch…

My next few sessions for Enzo are going to be refreshers on the contacts and start line stay. I will spare you looking at that!

This is 2 sessions: Wednesday and Friday. At about :55 I wrote on the screen. Basically, this is the picture I think we are going for (head down, drive around wing). If so, I’m in pretty good shape. If not, I need to understand why not. <grin>

Question: doing a complete circle on the backside is pretty unusual in AKC. Mostly a backside wrap is: go, do it and return. I did a few of those. Comment?

Thanks,
Barb

• This reply was modified 4 months ago by Barb VanEseltine.

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

First up is Enzo working on the tunnel/weave layer and discrimination. He would much rather turn wide and out to the weaves than wrap tight to the tunnel. We worked on that a bit.

Also, we moved on to #4 but didn’t have the map for 5,6,7,8 with us. So we did 4 and then modified it by sending out to the weaves. That proved to be very tricky, since he REALLY wanted to pick up that jump on the way to the weaves. So we worked on the “through the box” skill for a while.

I don’t feel like I totally understand the plan for Casper. The front-side wraps look pretty good to me whether with the toy or food. So I did a couple of those and moved on to the backside wraps with the food bowl out and toy in pants. See what you think. I forgot about trying to pair the toy with the food until about halfway through but I think it worked pretty well.

Then I left Casper float out to the weaves on the other setup.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Thanks for being so patient.

My oh-so-cheerful doctors have estimated between 6 months and a year before I fully return to my previous state of agility-ability due to the broken leg. That seems grossly unfair but based on my rehab progress, I do believe it. Enough of that…

Plan:

By remarkable good luck, I noticed a long, narrow Cato board in my TV room and, in the spirit of good dog training, decided to take my one jump exercises outside. Although we almost never trial outside, it does automatically increase arousal and I thought that was a good idea. I thought we could do a quick review of everything and start adding more motion.

<sigh>

Execution:

I did a couple of things which were not in our best interest. I mixed up toys and food, even though he really loses interest in food once a toy comes out. I also moved along much faster than I should have – I had had high hopes of quickly getting to where we were in the barn. Alas, just getting a sit was a challenge. At any rate, here it is.

I think I need to go back to just the board and work on a quick sit and release in the presence of food first and then the wonder-toy.

If the weather isn’t too dreadful and I get back some energy, I hope to set up the layering exercise for Enzo later today.

Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

OK; will do. Should I leave props in for BOTH front side and backside jumping?

I have trouble with props in agility. I almost never used them in obedience because of how hard they are to eliminate (although I did put out toys to help straighten Bidder’s go-outs: he would tend away from the tempting toy <grin>).

My experience with props in agility has been pretty negative. I have used them to try to create better backside jumping without much success – perhaps because of removing them too soon (?). I am pretty afraid of baking the prop into the behavior. OTOH, of the 4 dogs (including Casper) that I have tried to teach backsides, none of them have good, strong ones. Enzo’s are “best” in the sense that he can keep the bar up and understands wrap versus slice (although he generally does a slice and corrects to a wrap on the ground, when needed).

I expect that working through these backsides with Casper is the best summer activity I could be doing. Although if the weather cooperates, Enzo is going to do some of the switch away to layering games later this weekend/next week.

Thanks!
Barb

• This reply was modified 4 months, 1 week ago by Barb VanEseltine.

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