[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,
Congrats on the success of the UKI Open — I have heard nothing but rave reviews about how smoothly it ran (even with the WiFi shutdown disaster).
I am struggling with my energy level, so I won’t be completing the course at this time. However, I copied out the exercises and will work on them in January when my energy rebounds.
Hope to see you in person in 2022 but if not, I will certainly see you in the virtual universe.
Warmest regards,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Here I am—skipping ahead to make sure I get to this set of games! It is exactly what I want/need.
Ah, “why the dog never collects on the previous jump”: that’s it!.

The setup was a big help. I had to laugh because he immediately fell into the trap of all threadles, all the time! As continued, he got better. 😊 I wanted to have wrap, threadle and 180 all available. The go-on is pretty obvious from handler motion but I did include one or two.

In conclusion, I think he comes through on the threadle about the same distance he comes through on the wrap. In other words, a long ways. Perhaps the answer is to fix the wraps? Perhaps the answer is “good enough”. Comment?

I think I used up almost my whole weekly video allowance on this one. But that’s ok, it’s what I mostly need from this course.

While I used the correct wrap cues (Dig = wrap right; Check = wrap left), on review I see that I used “left” in the beginning for a right turn. <sigh>

I eventually thought I would stay with “in in” as the complete S-shaped turn.

Thanks!
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

First, quick response to your comments.
– presenter was Diane Patterson (Connecticut, I think)
– without actually measuring it, I can believe in slices over wraps.
🙂

Now, we’re off to week 3 (not sure how far behind we are: one week? two weeks?). Backwards Starts are something we have seen but we haven’t specifically trained the handling. It was fun, especially when we made a game out of Enzo running south and me running north!

Also, I have to put in a question about threadles. I am trying to work with a simple threadles (pull in). Enzo usually is successful but he goes SO FAR past the first jump, I think it must be enormously expensive in yardage = time. I created a setup which I hope will help me understand how he is doing.

The flagging tape is about 6 feet past the jump and he manages to stay inside it about half the time. Obviously I want him to collect more on take-off of the first jump. I tried using his wrap word but that didn’t result in much better results (instead of just IN-IN, I tried Check-check-IN-IN). Ideas? Should I try to teach a collection cue?

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Enzo and I went out today and played frisbee. Along the path of some throws, we worked on our threadles. I do have 2 cues:
IN – threadle slice
FLIP – threadle wrap

I have worked the FLIP much more than the IN, when approaching from the landing side of the jump with the dog between me and the jump (as week two’s exercise). The IN I have mostly worked with a traditional threadle and in place of a forced-front. Therefore, the IN is more difficult in this setup, from the perspective of “what he knows”. From the “what he likes” perspective, a slice is always preferred over a wrap. 😉

I thought it was interesting that almost all of his mistakes are slice v. wrap and vice versa instead of front side v. backside. I am using quite a bit of body language to support the verbals but I think that’s fair.

Here is the video: https://youtu.be/3gQOzm4pLAk

Thanks!
Barb

Ps: I was at a seminar this past weekend where it was suggested that I accept Enzo’s somewhat wide turns and stop torturing us both trying to get tight backside wraps. It was very welcome advice (since we are both sick to death of drilling backside wraps) but I’m not sure how “good” it was. 😊

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Interesting that you give your wrap cue on the jump before. It has seemed to me that that is “cheating”. As my dog approaches the first jump where an “S” shaped effort is required, I give my threadle cue. That is supposed to communicate the whole thing:
– Jump in collection
– Come through the gap
– Take the threadle jump.
The wrap cue means we are going to take that jump and change directions 180 degrees. I will need to think about it.

I distinctly remember a recent discussion about a threadle in an AKC premier course. Someone asked how I was going to cue it. My response was something like: “I am going to lie to my dog and tell him to wrap the first jump, once he processes that, I will give my threadle cue.”
Your threadle cue is not used to predict an “S” shaped jumping effort but an “other side of the jump”. Thinking….

Moving along…
Week 2 starts out with stuff Enzo knows pretty well. That doesn’t mean he did it perfectly but he has seen it all before. Owing to some scheduling issues, I was at my club very early and so I set up and did the first two lessons on that matting. It is not a good surface and Enzo isn’t able to dig in and go fast on it. That probably made it a bit easier. 😉

I’ve probably already told you my instructor’s force front story. I asked her when she uses threadle handling and when she uses the forced front. She answered that, as soon as she teaches her dog the threadle, she stops using the forced front. Makes sense to me.

I don’t think I have spent much time doing the threadle or forced front at a distance from the “operative” jump. We tried it today and I don’t think Enzo had any trouble.
I did get a kick out of the “automatic” threadle. He was in desperate need of a balance rep! Took a couple of tries to get him back to paying attention!
Video: https://youtu.be/s51enDAvhdw

For the distraction piece, I started by showing him the tunnel. Perhaps too much of a hot-shot move? At any rate, I did get one error before he decided to focus.
Video: https://youtu.be/2ZTmt4s0ngU

The last bit I did today was the layering. Enzo has done a LOT of layering and this was fun but not difficult for him. 😊 For the video, I started with the wing in place. I thought the turn (right) on the jump was not as good as it could be, so I decided to start cuing it much sooner (as soon as I was cuing the tunnel). I think that helped. He really does know a lot of things…
Video: https://youtu.be/goLe-PB6ydc

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Another picture video: https://youtu.be/Hy78PsZSfqk

One more thing, while I’m sharing my confusion. This is the situation with threadles that I see most often: the dog is moving into the “first” jump of the threadle at very high speed with the handler behind; it is very difficult to get him to collect enough to come through the gap. Comment?

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Tracy,
BTW, this video shows the One Mind Dog Flick:
https://app.oneminddogs.com/article/Flick-Agility-Handling/
Terminology is such a hassle!!
Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Oh dear, Tracy. I am confused.

When I think of a threadle, I think of two jumps which are set-up like a 180 but you take both of them in the same direction. For a threadle slice, you continue along the line. For a threadle wrap, you come back on your line. Since I can’t figure out how to put in an image, I did a video: https://youtu.be/YT2cHAuybsY

The green line is the threadle slice and the red line is the threadle wrap. It seems to me that what you are doing for the threadle wrap looks more like a OMD Flick (see — I’m confused).

Help!
Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

We gave it a try! The immediate tunnel exits (left, right, go-on) went very well. He is struggling with go jump-left and go jump-right. I worked with the ball today since it adds much more energy but it does have a longer pause between reps while we discuss outing and whether the ***BALL*** should be traded for a mere bit of steak or beef liver.

I’d like him to be a bit more forward focused instead of “waiting” to see what happens. Of course, part of that is the timing of the verbal. Interestingly, he was almost perfect on the first 9 reps or so and then mistakes started to happen. Maybe his brain began to fry… At any rate, his go-on continued strong. 😊

Video of that part: https://youtu.be/b4d06OyM9zY

Then we worked on the next lesson: discriminations.

After the wing work, there were 3 basic ones: tunnel, dig (wrap right wing) and Push (backside wrap). Those went very well, although there is a certain amount of handling support.

Video: https://youtu.be/CSWh9Ds4qqo

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Tracy,

Ahhhhh. That makes sense. Let me rephrase to provide I have it.

(1) I want Enzo to take the tunnel and turn 90 degrees left
6 feet before the tunnel, cue “LEFT”

(2) I want Enzo to take the tunnel, straight to the jump and then turn right
6 feet before the tunnel cue either “jump” or “go”
At exit of the tunnel, cue “jump right”

(3) I want Enzo to turn back 180 degrees on exiting the tunnel
Give tunnel brake (verbal noise, name, hand signal)

(4) I want Enzo to exit tunnel and go straight for 1 or 2 jumps
6 feet before the tunnel, cue “Go ON!”

Sound better?
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Regarding timing of the cue…
Before entering the tunnel:
Left / Right means turn at the exit of the tunnel
Jump left / Jump Right means take the jump and then turn

This is HARD for Enzo. Is this Right???!!??
If I cue it 6 feet before the tunnel, it is a long time to remember whether or not to take the jump…

On another note: how I wish he would trade the plain ball for a treat. Alas, nope.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

I will try to remember to have him wear a collar so that I can use it to help with discriminations. That is a good hint and I usually have him wear one when we exhibit but he never wears one IRL, so I often forget for training sessions.

Enzo has seen exercises somewhat like today’s. In particular, his “go on” is pretty good. I try to plant a toy at the end of most training courses to support the long exit lines. Alas, when trialing, he has more than once dropped the last bar when I have tried to send him independently on an exit line. Therefore, I try very hard to handle the last obstacles and, often, an obstacle after the last one.

In today’s training session, he had no trouble with the big GO but he didn’t generalize Left and Right after the tunnel. That surprised me and we had to go to the exit of the tunnel to refresh it.

I was using a ball on a rope. It worked well when I planted it but not so well when I tried to throw it. I would prefer to use a Chuck-it ball and thrower but he is not a reliable “let-er go” of a plain ball.

The video is but a sampling of our training. I see that it doesn’t tell the story very well. He had a lot of trouble with tunnel, jump, left/right. He is quite proficient at simple left versus right but, apparently, the chain was too much. I moved to the exit of the tunnel and did a lot of left/right to help him get it.

We were having such fun that it probably went on longer than was wise. By the end, he was becoming much more reliable but we will need to do more training to cement the concept of multiple things strung together with verbals.

Our final methodology involved Enzo hiding in the tunnel (no peeking) and I walked around the big circle planting the toy somewhere. My throwing was so poor that it was taking away from our training. This reminded me of working on directed retrieve in the Utility Obedience Class. It was a bit slower but at least it was where I wanted it for best effect. Besides, it was funny to tuck him into the tunnel to wait.

Video: https://youtu.be/AmW6rrR_EZc

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

Here is some tunnel work. The first part is indoors at my local Kennel Club on mats. As you can see, Enzo is rather careful with his footing on the mats. I think the video demonstrates his skills.

The second part was outdoors. I included some hard entrances which gave him trouble in my class (there was also a curved tunnel which was not a problem).

Although we aren’t there yet, I wanted to work on some discriminations that we have had trouble with. I figured I might as well share them with you. 😉 This is VERY difficult for him. When I am dead-still and he has only the verbal, it is almost impossible. As soon as I give him a hint with motion, his success rate goes way up. 😊 Luckily, we are almost always able to give a bit of a hint (verbal “out weave” versus “come tunnel” or physical: line of motion or acceleration/deceleration).

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Hi Tracy,

I will get a kick out of working the tunnel skills for game 1, since Enzo is pretty GREAT at it in isolation. At trial speed with other stuff happening, not so much.

I had trouble with him following my motion past the end of a blind tunnel entrance on Sunday, so I worked on it on Monday. Good dog, training went well (the advice I had was to set up a course made up of all tunnels).

Today, I had my in-person class and we had a weave/tunnel discrimination. That was tough but Enzo stepped up. What he had trouble with was collecting for the tunnel entrance at speed with me a long ways away. Instead, he was happy to run the length of the tunnel to the blind entrance and PAST it to volunteer the weaves again. 😊 I realize this isn’t for week 1 but I hope we work our way up to this kind of challenge.

I’ll try to get video tomorrow.

Thanks,
Barb

[Barb VanEseltine]

Thanks, Tracy.

For the first video (course #3):
The 5-> 9 line is an example of how I am not seeing all the choices to help figure out the best line/handling choice. Once you point it out, the circle wrap on 7 seems like it should be considered. Alas, the course is gone; since I’d have to get timings to decide.

Second video: Course #1:

Well, I should probably re-setup something like 10 to 12 because I would never do the blind at 10-11. Here is how I’m thinking: I am likely to be late trying to get to 11 because of how far I have to run. If I’m late with the FC, then it is ugly but clean. If I’m late with the BC then he is lost in space somewhere but not in the tunnel.

These were our last videos for this year’s LYD. We had a blast and look forward to it next summer!

Thanks so much!
Barb

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