[Barb VanEseltine]

ALSO — what software are you using to do the overlays? Years ago, Guy Blanc had software to do overlays but it was wildly expensive. Maybe it’s come down in price??

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

On to package 2, jumpers.

Course 1: https://youtu.be/KWiWFik15eI
I was very happy with how that ran. Just did it once and called it good. Of course, the temperature is 85.
Looking at the video, I should have hustled to get further across the bar on the #12 serp.

Course 2: https://youtu.be/D_0kHf-lFas
I thought the first run was a bit tentative, so I ran it again. On the first run, he came way to far after #7. Although I saw the problem, I didn’t do any better the second time through in that spot. The second run was about half a second faster.

Course 3:
Hah! I got it marked and walked and thought we were ready. We gave it 2 tries: he dropped a bar in the first 4 jumps, then I sent him off course in the first 6 jumps. So I decided we were too hot and tired. We might be able to play with it a bit more tomorrow. 😊

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Finally got some time to train! Here is some video of Games Package 2: Standard Course.

Here is course 1: https://youtu.be/NKKMA18yIfA

The first time through, he drops #11. Otherwise not too bad.
Second time, I wanted to improve the line from 1 to 4, so I moved to manage the line from 2 to 3. The result was a RC of the #4 tunnel. I’m not sure I would do that in a trial, since he could turn sharply and miss the #5 jump. At :49, I was trying to get a better turn and to keep the #11 jump up. He makes the weave entry but then I try to send to the far tunnel (just lazy – it’s really hot here). I was really, REALLY surprised by how good the DW contact was: he came all the way down (right into me) and turned on the contact. That allowed me to set a good line 17-18 without picking up the off course #2.

Course 2: https://youtu.be/HBYkrxL7ZcQ
I knocked the A-frame over, so there would be a line of sight to some of the fun parts. 😊 The first time through was hot mess. My #10 tunnel does NOT point at the correct side of #11 – that limits my options. Also, the first time through, I tried to get him to the weaves strictly with verbals – not a success.
The second time was surprisingly good.

Course 3: https://youtu.be/WUsQUCen6PI
Hee-hee. The first time through, we went 1 to 12, 18, 19. It was quick. 😊
Then we had to figure out when to send and when to go with. The last time through, he skipped #17 but I let it go, as the temperature is 87 and the heat index is over 100.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

I wasn’t able to run another jumper’s course today but I did go to the barn and do some timings. I timed from “over jump 1” to “into the tunnel”. We had all the skills except the Japanese. He has only seen it a few times and never running into it in this way. For the most part, these times are close enough that I feel like the answer is “shrug”. The fastest one was run last, so it is as legitimate as any of them. I was not too surprised, since that technique allows you to push the dog along, however the handler winds up further behind.

Technique Time 1 Time 2 Ave
Threadle (post turn exit) 3.9 3.7 3.8
Threadle (Jaakko exit) 3.7 3.6 3.7
German 3.7 3.7 3.7
Forced front (Jaakko exit) 3.7 3.7 3.7
Japanese 4.2 3.8 4.0
run into Forced Front 4.0 3.9 4.0
Run the dog’s line (backside serp) 3.6 3.6 3.6

(that was a pretty table in Excel and Word…)

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Regarding the Jumping Course: The next course also involves weaves to tunnel, so I’ll try to leave sooner. Otherwise agree; that went pretty well.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

(This response to the discussion about the sequences for success.)

I think I need time to think. You wrote:
“we want him to chase the line of motion even if you are not connected and even if he can’t see the next obstacle. Let me know if that makes sense.”
I’m not sure if I think that makes sense. Does it mean the same as “when in doubt, chase the line of motion”?
It seems like, if I put him on a line, then I want that line continued and not, necessarily, my current motion. Aren’t we doing a lot of that?

Later, “so you don’t end up spinning all the things” Yes! I definitely want to minimize spins.

On sequence 2: “Small detail: try to send and leave on the tunnel #5 (post turn) rather than decel and spin.” That is an interesting observation. I didn’t so much “spin the tunnel” as “this seems like the easiest way to move from where I was to where I wanted to go”. I don’t tend to do post turns, so that may be why the spin felt natural. I agree and will try to keep that in mind. 😊 On the FC at 8 to 9: I was already facing him, so the FC is the least handling – it was practically done. To do the blind, I would have to rotate over 270 degrees, not something I do when I can avoid it. Also, it doesn’t make sense to me that spinning like a top would give him more information or information in a more timely manner.

On sequence 3: Gotcha. I will try to get the timing done tomorrow. 😊

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Tracy,

The sun went “in” and the breeze picked up, so I decided we could go outside for a jumpers’ course. I used the “dog waits in the a/c house while I walk and learn the course” method.

This is the week one jumper’s course number 1. I was happy with this run. I didn’t realize the #4 tunnel was backwards until later…. 😊

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

My barn is air conditioned, so I don’t feel like a lousy person doing this much training. And there were plenty of breaks!!

First up: the transition to trialing, the up and down game.

I used an extra long leash, since it seemed like what you were using and was helpful. It seemed to me that he orients and looks up quickly and easily. After a while, I asked for eye contact to make sure he wasn’t looking up at the almighty cookies.

Then we did a bit with the skill sets. I chose “sit” and “say it (bark)”.

That was pretty interesting. There was a speed at which, just walking along, Enzo couldn’t process “sit”. And there was quite a narrow range when he went from “no problem” to “what???”.

Then we moved on to the sequences!

Here is the first sequence.
Run #1: https://youtu.be/m4Cf_ZK0aXI

My notes were:
(1) Oops (early exit on first try)
(2) Wrap was awful; the rest ok

Training: I worked on the wrap and then wanted to do the second run. At that time, we discovered that we had trouble distinguishing 2-4-5-6-7 versus 7-8-9-10 (in other words, #5 was a powerful off course for the next time through. So we had to look at that.
Training and second full run:

Second sequence:

He dropped the number 10 bar but he was jumping into the wall. I really didn’t find anything here I wanted to isolate and train. I showed him the jump into the wall and then decided to move on to the third sequence. 😊

Third sequence:

Training: I want to tighten the tunnel brake and also the 8-9-10 sequence which seemed too loose to me. Then I ran it again.

Well, since I’m trialing most weekends (Fri,Sat,Sun), resting Monday, going across the state for class on Tuesday, that leaves Wednesday and/or Thursday to work on my Agility University stuff. I don’t think we’ll get through it by September 1 but we’ll try to get a bunch done.

Thanks,
Barb

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Barb VanEseltine.

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Well, on the jump thing, it’s like this:

Does “LEFT!” mean turn left now or first jump and then turn left? I want it to mean first jump and then turn left, so I am using “jump left” as a bridging thing. Or at least that’s what I tell myself. I almost NEVER use plain “jump”, since if it is on the line I am showing, I don’t add in a verbal. So while the plain “jump” in theory means “jump in extension”, I almost never use it. When I have a straight (curved) exit line, I use “go on!”: that ends about 50 or 60% of all AKC courses. 😊

There is a somewhat similar situation with “switch” and “flip”. I don’t use “switch” on a RC, I communicate that with handling. I use switch to mean turn away on the flat. I use “flip” to mean turn away and find a backside (stir the pot handling).

I am going to leave the in-in-in and in-switch alone for now. I rarely use the in (except on lead outs in place of a forced front) and I think I’ve seen in-switch once in a training course. As Ann Braue would say: irritation = motivation. When I am irritated enough that I don’t have those well trained, I will have the motivation to correct that situation. 😉 I have avoided bringing this to the attention of my in-person instructor. Enzo and I are struggling with challenging tunnel threadles in a state of arousal and we need that right now (well, this weekend, I’m sure).

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

I recently needed to add a new verbal (for tunnel threadle; my instructor didn’t like my using in-tunnel or come-tunnel). In order to make a new word, I needed to list EVERYTHING Enzo hears which is supposed to be meaningful and then find a new sound. So here is the list, broken into categories. Btw, the new one I added was “Fly” because I didn’t think it sounded much like anything else.

Are all these words “fluent”? Heck no! But some of them are. 😊

ALSO, for my “moving” cue in the verbals games, can I use “say it” (his bark cue)? He doesn’t have a lot of moving tricks and I don’t want to use left/right in this context.

Obedience/Miscellaneous Cues:
Come
Down
Let’s go = Run back to reinforcement
No
Okay = all-purpose release
Sit
Stand
Touch = Nose to hand touch

Tricks:
Say it = Bark

Warm-up cues
Back = backup
Reach = Stretch legs (I’m stretching it)
Relax = After leg stretch (I’m relaxing it)
Step = take a sideways step
Toes = I’m pulling your toes

Obstacle Cues:
Climb it = execute A-frame
Fly = tunnel threadle (“come tunnel”)
Table = Go to table and lie down
Teeter
Tire
Tunnel = Take obvious tunnel entrance
Weave
Walk it = Dog Walk Command

Other Agility Cues:
Around = backside slice
Bang = 2o2o for teeter
Check = wrap left
Dig = wrap right
Easy = collect; add a stride
Flip = turn away; find the backside
Go on! = take the line in front of you
Hit it = contact for running A-frame
In-in-in = threadle to slice;
In-switch = threadle to wrap
Jump = jump in extension
Jump-left = jump and turn left
Jump-right = jump and right
Left =turn left off the running DW and A-frame; also spin left
Out = move away
Push = backside wrap
Right = turn right off the running DW and A-frame; also spin right
Switch = RC – turn away
Zing = run straight off the running DW (or turn less than 40 degrees)

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

New link is good!

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

(Hi Ann! What fun to see you in camp! Winnie is looking really good. I look for dogs to accelerate out of a move/turn/obstacle and she is doing that really well. Also congrats on your great Westminster!!)

[Barb VanEseltine]

Tracy,

OK – I’m all over the elevator game. But it is new to me — proof I didn’t do all of the Max Puppy series (☹).

I think I can fill in the gap (crazy elevator game with wing) but the third video (https://youtu.be/2m6iege–l0 ) comes up with the black screen and “Video unavailable” message.

If the weather ever gets cooler, I’ll do some video on Threadle, FF, German and Japanese (forced blind). 😊 In the meantime, here is a video showing the end of our teeter session.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Interesting that you suggested a Forced Front or German in the spot where I used a threadle (#3 backside). Just a couple of weeks ago, I asked my “in person” instructor about when she uses a Forced Front versus a threadle. Short pause. The answer was basically, “I never use a forced front, once the dog understands the threadle cue”. And that makes sense to me because the threadle cue requires less rotation from the handler and therefore, the handler can leave sooner. On the other hand, the FF allows for a rotating exit and a Jaakko exit yielding less or more tightness. For me, personally, I only use the German when I’m running with the dog, never on a lead out. I try very hard to minimize the handler path: if my running speed is going to be the difference, then I’m not going to win. I look for places where dog training (verbals and independence) can set me up for success. Make sense?

As far as exiting the teeter, when I did my final review of the video, I realized that I was blocking Enzo’s view of the next jump. I almost mentioned it but then I thought: Tracy will see it without my pointing it out <grin>. Maybe next time I can see it during the walk-through instead of during the video review!

As far as the “lure” on the teeter, how about a bit more advice? My previous, strong 2o2o dog (Terry the Malinois) did not have a nose-touch associated with it. He was expected to learn it based on different surfaces under his feet. Since Enzo is only a month into 2o2o, I can still play with it. If I put out a target, then I feel like I need to enforce the nose touch. Yes? No? I can say that with a target in place (never baited), he will ALWAYS go directly to the 2o2o position. I have been withholding the reward until he nose touches the target because that seems like the whole point of a target.

I have never had a smaller dog, so I am guessing about the elevator game (you don’t play it with a 60 pound dog when your age is over 60). But I’m guessing it is holding the end up in the air, lure the dog to the end, bounce it up and down in the air and drop it to the ground. Dog does 2o2o and you reward. Correct? 😊

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Here is our first attempt of the course from Games Package 1. I have no idea what the matter was, except it is very hot. We worked at camp July 1,2,3 (indoors in A/C); did a bit of sequencing July 4 and took July 5 off entirely. Well, Enzo did, I built the course in the 90-degree heat.

In my opinion, this is a course Enzo should run clean with ease (except maybe the DW contact). Here is what happened.

We started out:
Run 1: dropped #2
Run 2: dropped #3
Run 3: dropped #4

I stopped and did more warm-ups and stretching. It is essentially impossible for me to tell if he is sore by touching him, since he objects to most touching.

Run 4: This is the first one on the video. I was (very) late with my verbal “left” at #8 and almost got the A-frame. He missed the second weave entry (**SHOCK**) and, after the restart, grossly overran the turn to the A-frame and then I was behind and he missed the tunnel.

Run 5: DW contact still bad; dropped # 16 and my handling of the A-frame still poor resulting in the same off course at #20.

Run 6: I just started at the weaves and ran down for the FC after #18. That worked fine; should have seen that option the first time.

Our video: https://youtu.be/yoWyAXU-BjY

A bit discouraged on the teeter: have done a million bang-games (hop on from the side) and full teeters into 2o2o but I’m not seeing it in course work. Will have to do a million more, I guess. Less than a month in; I should be more patient, I’m sure. But I figure whining to you is better than whining to Enzo. <grin>

Thanks,
Barb

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