Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Fusion class -1/21/24
Moved her back to 8in jumps on Tuesday in class and I think she looks pretty good going over them.Rep 1 – No treats in the lotus tug or my pockets for the first sequence. Some sass for the line-ups, but she was a pro at ignoring Beth as the pushy leash runner. You can’t see it but she was great about shoving her head through the leash loop at the end even though it was right where Beth was standing (I think she thought I was doing another rep and was surprised I cued the leash after 2 short sequences. LOL!)
Rep 2 – went back to having cheese in my pocket and a treat in the lotus tug for the 2nd turn. I might be imagining it, but I think she was slightly less excited about the toy on the first throw after it didnt’ have a treat inside it for the first rep. However she was awesome about running right at the bar setter when I tossed it that way for the 2nd throw (and the barsetter was so proud of her because she was trying hard to be a clueless bar setter and stare pretty hard at Lift)
Not sure why I haven’t noticed this before, but Lift does need some time to settle down inside. Thanks to pattern games and asking for tricks she can walk down the aisle past other dogs & people, but she’s pretty amped up at first. She can handle going into the ring about 5min after coming inside if she has to, but she’s more relaxed after her first turn or if she has time to hang out in a crate for a bit. So I’m writing this here to help remind me that I should take her out for her potty break before I walk a course (especially if she is early in the class) so that she can have more time to acclimate to being inside the building.In other news, I did our first session with 2x2s on Monday. The value building with tossing a treat went really well, but then I discovered a hole to address – she’s so into the Pet Tutor that she doesnt’ want to leave it (of course the stupid thing sometimes randomly spits out an extra treat after the fact – way to be variably reinforcing!). And when she does leave it she’s still looking longingly at it and can’t focus enough to come close to me for any kind of trick or to reset. We did a short session today of sending to the PT with crunchy Os (liked but not super high value) and coming back to me for higher value treats plus doing other tricks by me for treats. (and Kaladin got to join in so that Lift could practice waiting on her cot while watching). So we’ll keep that up for a few more sessions before we try again with 2x2s
Yes – USDAA starters courses are often baby-dog friendly as long as you don’t have a huge-striding young dog! Jan Skurzynski is the judge in March and I’ve always liked her relaxing manner and her courses.
I’m actually moving her back to 8in in tomorrow’s class and I did some set point work with her at 8 and 10in yesterday. The intent is to be running more at 8in going forward so that the 4select at the trial is super easy.
I can easily add in a Sat run for her for Fusion (being that I’m the secretary and it hasn’t closed yet!). She’s not the best at waiting for her turn at Fusion so I think I will have Dean bring her partway through the day on Saturday once I’ve gotten the trial going and can then focus on her more. It’s so convenient having Fusion be 8min from my house!
I also just entered 2 runs sat & Sun for the late March OTR UKI. I’ve got plenty of time after Feb Fusion and even the early March USDAA to re-consider and adjust if necessary.
LOL – it is Lift. She could suddenly decide the food reward box is stupid! The rabbit fur lotus is gaining a lot of value for her. She is doing better with me carrying it while running and she will sometimes tug with it in the ring too (before & after getting food out of it) I think I will experiment in class and see how she does for a short sequence with me carrying it and tugging her over to her remote reinforcement from a short distance (pseudo – NFC reward box) to get actual food. Then see what she thinks of going back out to do a few more things and then leash and done for a remote reinforcement out of the ring. Also try it as a one and done of short sequence – engage with toy – and run to leash and out. I just want to try it out so I don’t get an explosion from her in the ring during an NFC run because she’s decided that it’s stoopid if the lotus tug doesn’t immediately dispense food out in the ring. Or were you thinking I should just carry it, do the mini sequence and then leash and out to reinforcement. (then I’ll be one of “those people” who carries the toy and doesn’t reward the dog with it!)
If the experiments go well, I might try an FEO or two at the early march USDAA trial. I’m already planning on entering Kaladin for that one.Fusion Rental 1/17/25
Didn’t have friends to share the rental with on Friday but I crated Kaladin inside since I knew he would bark some. The boarding dogs also went wild with a cacophony of barking before Lift’s first rep. We did her power bowls outside the ring and volume dial before the video starts (I cropped it out since you really can’t see through the lattice gate). First sequence has all treats outside the ring on her remote reinforcement station on the chair. I had intended to do a RC on jump 3 but forgot and did a FC instead so we just kinda winged it back up the jump line.
Next part of the video at the other end of the ring is right after she got her turkey outside the ring. She was a bit sassy on the line-ups but then worked for her lotus fur tug (stinky St Rocco’s treat inside)
After that she got a break in a crate off to the side and enjoyed 2nd breakfast in her toppl while Kaladin got a turn.
I brought Lift back out to balance between sequences 3&4 (turning from 4 to the tunnel vs contining onto the #5 jump before the wrap to the tunnel. She did great with the long run from 1 to 2 (I had course building challenges that morning) where you jump out of the course on 1 to 2. (last time we tried this in November she kept jumping up at me on that section) Had a late FC so she bulged out on the turn over 3 the first time but got the line to the tunnel. Switched to doing a RC on jump 5 and then did the 2 jumps on the line out of the tunnel. That one was lovely. Then did just 2-4 and tightened up the turn over 3 with an earlier FC and the outside arm (with toy) crossed across my body and pointing back to her ad dropped her toy on the line to the next jump. Sadly I didn’t get video of this (either my aging phone crapped out or I hit photo instead of video – I give it even odds!)
Overall really happy with the session. I asked her to do more complicated things and she was speedy and focused with no leaping lizard moments.
Looking ahead for UKI trials with the food reward box: I’ve got her entered in SS & Jpg (4s) on Sunday for the mid Feb Fusion UKI with Casey Keller. It’s small to tall that day so she’ll be first. (I could also switch her to 1 class/day and do SS at the end of the day on Sat and the beginning of the day on Sun. After the seminar on Friday, I’d leave her at home to rest for most of the day on Saturday and have Dean drop her off mid-afternoon) Going to pick a day at the Mar 21-22 OTR UKI (Harry Pawter trial). I can do Jpg & SS at the end of the day on Saturday (small to tall so she would likely be first) or there is double SS first thing in the morning on Sunday (tall to small so she’d be last. I could also pick the 2nd SS & then Jpg so that there are 3 classes in the morning for her to settle in during). May 3-4 at Fusion (Stefanie Theis judging & I am secretary. Stefanie is also doing half-day seminars on May 2). Other options that have NFC/FEO but no reward box so not sure about these: OTR USDAA Mar 1-2, ASCA at Fusion Mar 8-9. Kaladin and I are at the Invitational and then the Midwest ICE thing 2 weeks later, but I’m leaving Lift at home for both of those.
I can absolutely do a short remote reinforcement thing for her first rep next Tuesday. Then go back in and do another short rep with food. This time I’ll try to actually get there earlier so I’m not feeling rushed when the instructor decides to start with 4in!
And yes – I was just shaping her through the framed tire on the far side of the ring since I think she had only seen it once before. She’s seen the Galican one a few times.
The surprise from the person dashing was earlier in the day? I was bringing her in for short episodes and then rotating her out to the car again when I was going to run Kaladin. It was maybe her 2nd or 3rd time inside. I think it was the combination of sudden and fast movement that went right by her. When I had Ann walk by her that was later and she was more settled, but not too tired yet.
Oh yes- ASCA! I did some with both Kaladin & Min when they were starting out. Lift could jump 8in in their ACE program (she’s over the 11in cutoff to jump 8 as a regular height). There is a Mar 8-9 ASCA trial at Fusion. I’ll have to see how she does in mid-Feb at Fusion UKI. Pretty sure ASCA allows toys for FEO but doesn’t have a food reward box so I would want to be confident that we can do a short sequence and be done or maybe she’ll decide toys are good with agility again. Do I remember correctly that ASCA Jumpers doesn’t have weaves? (not that it matters if we’re FEO-in though)
Joni is intermitenttly loud with agility – she’s mostly quiet but when she gives a verbal cue it is louder. And Ruby is certainly very exciting so it was good practice.
Julie
Hi Tracy,
Do you want me to keep posting on this string for the extended version that starts on Jan 15? Or start a new string?
Julie
Thanks so much for anohter great MaxPup/Teenager support group session! Looking forward to the support group detials. Happy New Year!
Julie
Yes – She will be familiar with Casey from the seminar so mid-February it is! I scratched her earlier entries (easy to do when you’re the secretary!)
And yes – no food in the cue hand for the behind the back starts. I’ll mix these into some drop in classes so she does them somewhere other than home.
NFC Plans
I think I want her NFC debut to include doing some jumps/tunnels and not just lining up and doing tricks while staying away from jumps. She is cleared for multiple 8in jumps (straight or gentle turns) as of the day before the mid January trial so I could do some very short 4in jump sequences leading up to that trial and then see if the Jumping or SS course on Sunday at the trial is set up so that I can easily do a relatively straight line or curve of 3-4 jumps from a start position (not necessarily the real one) to something near the food box/end. Or just plan on her debut being the mid-February Fusion UKI with Casey Keller. The beginning of Feb UKI at OTR will have a reward box but that is a very new environment for her so I think she will tag along to play in the practice area but not be entered (plus – that’s the trial that hit the online cap on both days 2 weeks after opening and has a healthy waitlist both days! Hopefully I can get her in to OTR for a mini seminar sometime before that end of March UKI. (in regards to Kaladin coming along for support -she’s done her past seminars and a lot of new stuff at Fusion without him so not sure I want to bring him along to just be supportive – he’ll get pretty crabby not getting to play and I do want him to have a chill weekend right before the Invitational especially because we now have a Midwest ICE event 2 weeks after the Invitational in WI.) There is also a beginning of March USDAA at OTR but obviously no food box so I think that one is out unless she suddenly decides she loves toy rewards in the ring.Lucky you with warmer temps. It got warm enough that the snow has melted in our yard but it’s pretty sloppy and I think our temps are going back to MN January normals for next weekend (aka single digits).
Send Behind Starts – 12/28/24
We’ve done a few sessions in the last 2 weeks and here’s her first one sending around a wing. (no treats in my starting hand) I’ve also been playing around with it for Kaladin but Lift is further along. (she says – of course! she’s the brilliant girl after all)
Entry/Exits at Fusion – 12/26/24
Lift and I were able to swing by Fusion on Boxing Day for a quick visit when Caitlin & Chaia had ring time booked. Mo & Huey were happy to practice a short sequence while we waited at the gate (Complete with banging teeter!) Caitlin even had a sequence that ran right by the entry gate near the end so we could practice going in right after that. I managed not to send her over any jumps this time! Did treats on the startline in the first rep and then tricks, leash & out. Had treats on me, but saved them for outside the ring on the 2nd rep. After that we did a short stint in the practice jump area with a wing while Lu banged the teeter.
I think I blocked those high pitched sounds on the 24th out because they were so annoying. I think it was a boarding facility employee in the neighboring hallway? Either that or someone was strangling a cat or something. And yes, Kaladin was barking for an added level of distraction.
I am undecided on when Lift should make her “NFC play in the ring and leave” debut. I want it to be on her home “turf” at Fusion so my choices are Jan 11-12, Feb 15-16 or May 3-4. She is in the novice session with Casey Keller at Fusion on Feb 14 so I would leave her at home to chill out on Sat and then try NFC on Sunday for that one. I am also secretarying a MAC trial at On the Run on Feb 1-2 but think I should try to get her in there for a mini seminar before a trial. (Jacque may have one on Jan 31 if her knee surgery goes well) Lift has tagged along several times when Kaladin is trialing there but hasn’t done anything in the ring, just a few short sessions on the practice jump when it was quieter and played in their back room. There is also a Mar 22-23 UKI trial at OTR that I am not secretarying but am considering for her assuming an earlier Fusion debut goes well. (Kaladin would stay home since it’s right before the Invitational) And I have a longer term aspirational goal of having her ready to run the SS Challenge at MAC’s Classic at OTR over Memorial Day weekend. (maybe NFC but no food reward box for a Classic) While she has made good progress going in and out with other dogs/people, I feel like January may be pushing it. Between now and then I’ve got ring time booked with Khamsin & Kristin on 12/30, ring time booked just for us on 1/1 and 1/10 and Lift is in a Jan 7 fusion drop in class. Thoughts?
Does MaxPup video review end on the 30th or the 31rst?
Fusion Training 12/24/26
The Fusion mats got their annual deep clean on the 23rd and I was the first one in there the next morning so Lift got to play in an empty ring and Kaladin got to do jump grids in the other half.Session 1 – Used a holiday decoration and a tunnel bag for my novel/neutral items. Didn’t intend to have them both in play at the same time but clearly had the tunnel bag too close. This was harder for her than I had expected but maybe the completely empty ring made the item stand out like a sore thumb.
Session 2 – Practiced going in and out. first 2 reps with no treats on me and rewarding outside the ring. Last rep I rewarded her with treats in the ring. She didn’t shake the first 2 times but I also didn’t give her much time for it.
The reverse pet often works to get a shake from Lift. I use it after massages if they don’t shake it off on their own.LOL! They don’t leave the NFC box up. I assembled it and tool it down again when we were done.
We had a nice empty half of the ring this morning to experiment with new/neutral and interesting things and leash games/recalls. The Mats got their annual deep clean yesterday so I came in to a completely empty ring. Took the opportunity to set up a huge Salo Figure 8 oval grid for Kaladin in one half and left the other side open to play with Lift. I’ll post video after Christmas.
She is cleared for official (aka longer) sprints on the 31rst and low jumps the 2nd weekend in January.
I think the shake off is her way of regulating arousal. She needs to do it and then she is good to go.
Happy Holidays!
Entries/Exits with People – 12/22/24
Had a great session on Sunday with Kristin, Khamsin & Dean. (plus Kaladin & Mochi as extra distraction dogs). Kristin brought muffins to bribe us (Dean was most appreciative)Rep 1 – Mochi exiting as we enter
Some of the barking at the beginning was cued and some was Lift’s arousal at the increased activity however she had great focus going in with Mochi finishing and still stayed engaged for tricks when Khamsin had a delay in leaving. We also tested being able to leave the NFC reward box to go out and do a thing (running by Kristin too) and then leashing up to leave.
Rep 2 – Exiting as Jimothy entered
Cameo from Dean as the pushy leash runner right after Reacher had a barking eruption in his crate while we were getting ready to go in (cropped out of the video but it was loud enough that both Kaladin & Lift just jumped off the couch looking for the alarm when I was playing it back)
Rep 3 – Entering as Reacher exits
Cropped out the beginning since all but the tip of Lift’s tail was off camera but we were doing some pattern games, barking on cue, and then engaged chill standing in my lap as I was crouched down as Kristin & Reacher were running. Bonus Khamsin played the forgetful leashrunner coming into the ring right behind us. Lift was engaged on the start but watching the video I think her weave line up was a touch less snappy than the earlier reps. (maybe getting tired. Maybe the added distractions). This one also features Mom losing track of where the obstacles are and doing a lazy send for Lift to take an 8in jump – Whoops! (and then agreeing with Judge Dean that I totally sent her right at the jump). Then our discussion where I was telling Dean to pretend it was Snooker and he didn’t think her spinning on cue warranted calling out a number. I think this was the first time I tried multiple runs into the NFC reward box and back out to do something. She seemed happy to chase me out of there and back in but I did have treats in my pockets and was rewarding in the ring since we were mainly working with the other dog/people distractions. I did like how she had no trouble running to her treat spot at the end even though Reacher was waiting very close by to go in next.
Rep 4 – People Distractions
Her brain was almost done here – got an extensive shake after the leash came off (Khamsin was having fun with the velcro sound when adjusting tunnel bags) and a bark on the weave line up in the middle of the ring, but she was a rockstar running to her leash with me with Dean cheering. I also left Kaladin in a crate around the corner from the ring exit and he obliged me with a few barks as we were working.
We did this last rep because Khamsin mentioned that Jimothy was distracted by all her friends cheering for him. I hope she’s posted her videos – I did a great impression of Holly Sikora gushing over Jimmy.
Didn’t do much of anything with Lift today other than a longer sniffy walk (she’s been approved for up to 40min walks now). I have Fusion booked for tomorrow by ourselves so am planning on some of the MYOB framework games and maybe also playing with the NFC food reward box again but without treats on me. (since I won’t have extra people/dogs for her to process & deal with)
And yes – the Fusion practice jump is blocked from the ring visually but it’s still plenty exciting when dogs are going through a tunnel just on the other side of the wall!
I realized today that I missed Lift’s 18 month B-day yesterday! So technically she’s UKI & USDAA legal for all classes. HAH!
Practicing for NFC – Entrances & Exits – 12/21/24
Kaladin & Mochi got to play today to serve as distractions for the young dogs. Lift got her snuffle mat between reps and had a trip outside between the 1rst and 2nd reps.
1rst rep – Entries with Mochi as previous dog
Also got to practice me being distracted and talking to Khamsin as I was making my way to the entrance! Plus the guy from the bulldog club that walked through to fill up a watering can (no idea why their meeting in the other building required a watering can…) I picked Lift up for that because I couldn’t tell until he came around the corner on whether his bulldog was with him or not!
So definitely aware of Mochi and increased arousal (boing!) because of it but I think she did brilliantly. I had smellier treats in my pocket for rewards but not in my hand when asking for the leg weave.
2nd rep – Exit with Jimothy as next dog
They were both so brilliant! I left in the first bit where I thought Khamsin was coming into the building earlier than she did so I threw in some engaged chill (even though there wasn’t really much to chill from). Then more of me talking while in the ring with her still on leash because I know that will happen all the time as I joke with the ring crew and judge or point out that a jump isn’t set right! What I really like is how she followed me off towards the camera at the end while ignoring Jimothy playing on the line. (if she’s not tuned in, that kind of activity would result in her trying to check it out or boinging/barking at it)
3rd rep – Practice Jump & Entry
Fusion’s practice jump is pretty secluded in terms of not having any view of the ring but you can certainly hear what is going on (Khamsin was so funny!). Lift also got to go right by Jimothy’s toy on the ground on the way in. Not sure if the boing at the very end was her blowing off steam or just happy she got stuffed full of beef lung and St Roccos treats.
We’re back for more fun with Khamsin, Kristin & Dean tomorrow. (Lift got her sniffy walk, in 16deg temps, and has been busy with her collagen bone as I upload videos.
Khamsin and I were talking about how with each dog we focus more on the “non-agility” stuff for preparation and were wondering how on earth we got as far as we did with our first few dogs that didn’t benefit from this!
Power Patterns with Leash Runner – 12/18/24
Guest appearance by Dean! First rep I had cheese in my pocket but not in my hand when cueing the leg weave. 2nd rep was no treats on me. My dishes were upstairs so the stinky St Roccos treat were right at her nose level when we finished the 2nd time.
