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Kaladin is on an agility break this month, but Lift and I stopped by a Fusion class taught by a friend earlier today. 6 people in the class with a mix of dogs. I spaced out on bringing really good treats (beyond cheese) but luckily I had a sample bag of these chicken nibbler things. Variety for the win. She did so well! (sorry no video)
Did pattern games on the way in and she was able to walk by 3 crated and 1 on leash dog even doing several steps forward while looking up at me before I tossed the next treat. Settled on her cot in the corner where I set up shop when I secretary. Then pattern gamed (it’s a verb now!) and did a few tricks across the aisleway that borders the ring entrances while a dog was running and another was waiting. Into the practice jump area (it is blocked off from the ring by tall office cubicle walls and a swinging gate but you can hear all the noise from the ring). Did a few reps of leash off, leg weave, catch treat/release to wrap a wing, leash back on. (she was definitely aware of the ring sounds but had pretty snappy responses). Then back across the aisleway while a dog was running to her snuffle mat. Repeated the whole thing to the practice jump and back after she hung out on her cot for a while. Then we left.Khamsin, Kristin and I have plans for this weekend which include bringing Mochi & Kaladin to act as other distractions outside the ring when a young dog is working and to let them play in the ring when a young dog is waiting. Kristin had the great idea to practice entering while another dog was leaving and leaving when the next dog was entering. I’ll have to see if I can talk Dean into coming for part of it. I thought I’d also have him play leash runner in my basement ring setup.
Remote Reinforcement Power Pattern – 12/16/24
Set up a mini ring (sans gates) in the basement. Kinda cramped so we weren’t able to get very far from the stations. Is it important for me to show her where the ending station is? With Kaladin, I’m in the habit of showing him his meatball container on my chair or the treat counter as we leave to head to the ring, but that’;s habit and I”m not sure how important it is.
I’ve also done a bit of the freeze dance with her tug. I haven’t been trying to ramp her up too much as I am trying to limit how much she jumps up. I mean she’s doing it despite my best efforts less than 2 weeks post-spay so figured I shouldn’t push her to it in training just yet. And the down hasn’t been heavily reinforced which is why I found that interesting when she picked it the last time.
Oh – and Kaladin thinks the freeze dance with his frizzer outside is da bomb. My line up for him follows a similar pattern whern I have him jump up and tap the side of my leg for him to sit. I just did a more obvious freeze for myself and his butt hit the ground without me tapping the side of my leg.
USDAA has always had such awesome competitors and I’m careful who I hire to judge. Like many people, the issues I’ve had with it have been with the office (and the high fees they charge trial hosts)
12/15/24
First time trying this and I picked a time when she was already about to explode because she had been crated while I was playing with Kaladin in the back yard (poor Dude misses playing with Lift and had to settle for his hooman and a frizzer). Thought she did pretty well with it. Doesn’t seem to have a favorite default position but guess it doesn’t matter as long as she freezes. I didn’t wait too long before releasing since we hadn’t tried it before but got the sense that she could have handled a bit more delay.That is totally it about the leg weave then sit. She thinks the sit is the fun part (maybe because she knows it precedes a release and eventually a reward). There was nothing in my hands for the hand cues. The hand cue does seem to help her. My leg position alone is too subtle. I’ll add in a wing for a jump bump in a bit.
My idea with the leash cue is that it gives me something to say at the end of the Run that isn’t “yay”. If she drives ahead to it that’s great but even if she keeps moving with me to it and expects to stick her head through the loop next that will do the trick for giving her something constructive to do ar the end of a run.
I need to email USDAA even though they backed down on requiring the tire in Jumpers. (But why no option for a frameless tire l? Guess I should be happy they didn’t bring back the chute). I looked at Kaladin’s stats and it took him 19 months to get an ADCH (from first Masters Q) with a 75% Q rate and in an area that had 9 USDAA trials/year (5 in the twin cities and 4 trials 1.5-2.5hrs away). I didn’t enter all of them but I did prioritize them. I also typically run him in 3 (maybe 4) classes/day. He’s partway to the new ADCH requirements but I think it will take at least 2.5yrs and I feel like he probably has a higher Q rate than the average team and MN has more available trials than most of the country. Just seems like a huge barrier to entry that the first main championship title could easily take 2.5-3yrs after your dog is in masters.
Leash Off/Leg Weave – 12/14/24
10 days post-spay and so far she hasn’t gone completely stir crazy yet. (Luckily she does like to snuggle on the couch so I’ve been catching up on Outlander episodes since there is way too much drama going on in the USDAA & UKI worlds. And a lot of egg cartons and paper towel holders have been destroyed)
I have been playing around with some offered stand stays (no video) and the leg weaving. My original thought was that she would weave a leg or two and then stop in the stand and I could use that as a way to get from taking the leash off up to the start line. Well she started offering sits after one leg weave and they were really happy & snappy sits lined up next to me so we played with leading out from that or throwing the treat back to catch. Then I thought that I could evolve the leg weave into a behavior where she would keep weaving if I kept stepping another leg forward but would stop and sit if I stopped and stood with my legs together – incase the leash off point was further from the startline. Well then she started getting confused and either sitting after 1 leg weave while I was waiting for her to weave again or hesitating on the sit and swinging her butt out more. (you can see this when I ask for more than 1 leg weave near the end of the video even with a hand cue which makes it clearer for her). So I went back to just 1 leg weave since that seems to make her happier. I am guessing that the confusion over more than one weave is partly that the behavior wasn’t that strong to start with and that my stepping forward vs stopping isn’t coming soon enough for her to tuck under for a nice sit or to keep going forward. I also experimented a bit with leash off, let her shake, move forward and cue a spin next to me before a leg weave. That didnt’ seem to flow so well with her because she started having trouble with the leg weave after the spin. After thinking about it a bit, I decided I wasn’t sure I wanted to work on it that much more since I have used a spin and then I take off running to start in the past and I don’t want her to be second guessing whether she should come out of the spin blasting forward to chase me or collected to weave between my legs.
Anyways – here’s the video where I also added in her leash going on and off. (plus a bit of cueing “leash” while it’s still on the ground and then moving to it and picking it up. That part is still pretty new) Also I am not doing any cartoony lead-outs or anything since she’s not cleared for exploding out of a sit stay even if she’s only taking a few strides)
I’m still catching up on the How Dogs Learn and the pop-up motivation webinars, but am looking at the MYOB Puppies/teenagers one since I am guessing it has a bunch of relevant stuff for Ms Lift. I audited MYOB last December/January but was super-busy at the time so didn’t really do much with it.
Finally had a chance to watch the Games 4 webinar recording (since sitting on the coach with a napping Lift works well post-spay – everything went well and so far she hasn’t tried to eat her suitcle but it”s only been 24hrs)
I am so glad that I had all the games fresh in my mind because I needed pattern games and volume dial for Kaladin waiting to go into Gamblers finals. For some reason they thought it was a good idea to lower the score sheets in a bucket banging down the concrete wall from the scoring area in the stands and then have someone run them to the office to do the cummulative scoring. Not sure why the cummulatives scorer couldn’t have sat up by the scoring table or used a Google Sheet but it is what it is. Kaladin thought the martians were invading the first time he first saw the bucket being lowered and then the racket that it made. Luckily I still had lots of treats so I had him doing pattern games on the concrete steps behind the podium since tossing tiny brown treats on dirt can be a bit too hard when the bucket aliens are about to attack you. I got him mostly back but he was still over-aroused going into the ring and he actually jumped up and pushed off my belly pretty hard before I cued it at the start. I asked him for another one and then we just ran. I still wonder if part of the reason why he popped his weave poles (in the opening since I knew the gamble was an exercise in futility) was a bit of a holdover of him still getting over the craziness at the startline.
And – I have a Galican Dogwalk with a brace and I use it. It’s not the Intercan line they have at the US Open – I think it’s their Lite line. I didn’t notice that the DWs didn’t have a brace at the Open until after the issues started happenign. (and Kaladin never ran on contacts in the covered arena because we scratched Natl Rnd 2).
Other stuff from the webinar – I think I’ll add the swing behind running start to Lift’s toolbox in a few weeks and see what she thinks. Also wondering if another option is to take the leash off, let her shake, move towards the line, ask her to push her collar into my hand, say ready and take off. Might not work if she’s too aroused and bouncing, but offering her collar is pretty strong and there’s no stay involved (set position or her choice) We’ll also work on the offered stay which will be a new skill since I don’t currently have a “stay” cue for my dogs -it’s the position not an additional stay cue.
The Loretta seminar did have other dogs there but the ring itself just had Loretta and us. Plus we didnt’ spend much time at the front of the ring and I had treats on me the whole time. I’m planning on stopping by a class or two the week before Christmas just to do pattern games/volume dial going into the building, hanging out a bit and leaving. She’s cleared to do more active things by then even if she shouldn’t be sprinting or jumping yet so doing motion tricks will be fine.
I also had an interesting FB Msgr chat with the gal who has Lift’s brother – the other little one. He’s also very boingy and is the one that will jump up and try to bite her at times. Turns out he’s very similar to Lift in thinking that toys are great fun outside the context of agility but can’t handle the arousal of them while doing his agility work. When I met him at the end of August at the Canandian Open he was a tugging fiend even with that much excitement around, but apparently that doesn’t transfer to his agility job right now. The other male litter mate is with Bev Benson in Winnipeg. She’s not training him for agility now but he’s also incredibly boingy by nature. So it’s got to be some kind of a genetic component in there (or genetics plus early environent flipping that switch on or something like that).
Drop in Class – 12/3/24
Determined that leftover turkey is yummy and enough to keep her fairly engaged to go by other dogs in the class (including a pretty energetic Doberman and a barking mini Aussie- the latter took more turkey). And that the 5 rabbit fur tug toys I tied together for a monster toy was not to her liking in the ring even though she thought it was super awesome at home. For both of the reps, I had our happy hour station on my chair in the corner of the room by the desk. (it’s conveneintly where I’ll have it at Fusion trials since I keep a dog in a crate under the desk when I”m scoring. I used lots of turkey & cheese in the ring, but figured it couldn’t hurt to also throw in running to our happy hour station after we were done each time.Rep 1 –
Wanted to see how she did with taking the leash off sooner and then moving a short ways to where I wanted to start. Don’t think I have a clear answer since I think she wasn’t in the building long enough to settle in (I deliberately left her in the car a bit longer because the mini aussie 2 dogs and 2 height changes before us screams its way around the course and I thought that would be a bit much for her). Then we got held up a bit before going in as we waited for the Golden to leave (and I didnt’ expect her to exit where we were waiting but hey – good practice!) My plan was to do a short sequence and reward with cheese on landing after she did a backside slice. Then try a straight ahead short sequence and reward with the toy. That changed when she took the front of the jump and then I realized I had forgot the toy. She stayed engaged with tricks and cheese while someone passed me the toy but that was clearly too much delay of game and she cussed me out after that. She did take her first panel jump and double though. Then wasnt’ sure she could put her head through her leash.
Rep 2
She hung out with me for a bit after the first rep (snuffle mat, bully stick, and on her cot) and then I popped her back in the car before screaming aussie was up. This one went better – she had a bit more time in the building before our turn. She also seemed to like having a chance to shake after I took the leash off and before we started. I hadn’t originally planned to do an extra leash in the middle but after she had hesitated on that in the first rep, I thought it would be good to ask her to put the leash on, reward and then take it off and do another short thing.
After this we practiced a a few minutes of engaged chill with her standing on my thights while I was crouched down and also with her in my lap while I was sitting in a chair. She had a view of the ring (with the last dog running amok) but we were back about 10ft from the barrier and she was interested in watching but didn’t make any move to try to get off my lap (I was scratching her chest) and didn’t add any commentary to the shenanigans in the ring.
I watched her video from the Loretta M seminar we did back in August where she was running 10 obstacle sequences mostly silently and comparing that to the last few weeks and I think her pop rocks moments are happening more often now. Not sure if that is from asking for more hard stuff lately with the remote reinforcement etc, doing more sessions with other dogs/people, or some other reason. Guess we’ll see what some enforced time off does for her brains
OK – shopping at Clean run which maybe is not where I got my current furry lotus tug.
The other potential issue is that she can get mad about giving up a tug (if she is in the mood to play with a toy) and I won’t have a handy treat in my pocket to toss for her to settle her arousal down a bit again.
I may see what she thinks of broadening the definition of “leash” to mean run to it with me and stick your head through the loop when I pick it up. It’s still a thing to do that she knows gets her to treats and it’s not a different work for me to remember. Otherwise I’ll say “yay!” as praise since “good girlie” just doesn’t come out naturally at the end of a run. And while I run mainly USDAA & UKI, I do some AKC ISC so I think I should keep to having the leash on the dog as we exit. (plus both Fusion & On the Run can be pretty congested so I’d probably get dirty looks if we ran past a few people to our station with her off leash). If I thought she would like to tug on the leash, I’d tell her to get it, but while she will tug on her fleece leash at home, I’m pretty sure that would just annoy her as delaying the food in the ring. (shiv in my sleep – LOL!)
Is there any issue with using the pristine furry lotus tug in the ring when it usually has food in it in other situations? She does like to chase and pounce on it, but she doesn’t always pick it up since it’s bigger than her head.
Youtube was being weird last night with links and editing.
Here’s rep 2 – https://youtu.be/Eyjz0kpAOZQAs always, thanks for the super detailed feedback that makes sense of my ramblings and pulls me out of whatever rabbit hole I’ve fallen into!
Lucky for Lift that there are no UKI or USDAA Trials at TCOTC – land of a forest of I-beams! (I think you taught there years ago – you probably blocked that bit out). I’ll add pole wrapping/lazy game to her list of things that I can do when she’s cleared for more motion post-spay.
My brain just stopped and couldn’t function when she had trouble with jump tunnel at the beginning. Will definitely not ask for a tunnel as the first obstacle in a future NFC run – unless it’s short, light and straight maybe.
I can visit classes to work on pattern games and moving around with other dogs around. It will be easy to keep that separate from doing sequences since she can’t for a while. And do TSA game at home (add in Kaladin and/or Demi on cot/in crate as “easier” distraction – in quotes since they are familiar but Kaladin is her favorite interactive toy)
New plan for tomorrow’s drop in class –
Higher value rewards (we do have leftover turkey that got frozen and can come out again). Use pattern games with high value treats to get to the ring instead of figuring out TSA game. Treats in the ring (may be visible or not, but have them on me). If things go off the rails, freestyle it and re-start with something on a line (if necessary) Remote reinforcement station in ring nearby if I use it for 1 rep.Toys are still a work in progress. Great tug/chase at home (and out and about) outside the context of “we’re doing agility”. Frisbie is something that she thinks of as “I grab it from Kaladin and run around and bop him on the head with it” She’ll go for it the first time I toss it but then looses interest if Kaladin is not there. Balls/rolling things get a variable response. Sometimes they’re fascinating and other times not so much. She did an extended game of fetch to my hand with a ball a few days ago but often if I throw one after a jump she’ll run at it and then by it without engaging with it much less bringing it back. So I think NFC will be a food box thing for her at least starting off. (and luckily I run a lot of the UKI trials in the area and we offer it)
I think the Yay comes out more often when our original plan gets thrown out the window and I’m free-styling. It also comes out when I finish a run/sequence and I don’t have a reward on me. When training with Kaladin, I tell him to get it and toss his frizzer at an end. Lift gets a tossed toy or treat (right now mostly food). So now I’m re-thinking what I want to do at the end of something with Lift when I don’t have the reward on me. Is it just cueing her to push her head through the leash and then Happy Hour and out of the ring we go? Does she need something else between last obstacle and leash (some kind of trick)? Or maybe Ms Keep it to the facts does just want the next cue that gets her closer to the reward? In which case I might need to add something that means go to your leash since “leash” is put your head through the loop while I”m holding it and we can hope that she is driving ahead of me on that last line. We’re working on a jump into my arms but it’s going slowly so that won’t be ready that soon and may never be something she really loves to do after finishing a run. She will often voluntarily want to hop into my arms/lap, but less so if she’s just been moving.
Games 4 sequences at Fusion – 12/1/24
How on earth is it December already? Trained with Kristin & Khamsin this morning. Had some moments of brilliance and others that weren’t.Rep 1
The ring setup had been tweaked and the a-frame was no longer in the way in the back so we used a different tunnel and set up the games 4 sequences the direction as pictured and with a 15ft tunnel. My plan was to try part of sequence #1. I did a mix of pattern games & volume dial on my way to the first station. Then got rid of my jacket and extra treats. With the sequence far away from the gate, I decided to jog over there and apparently that was just too much for Ms Lift’s pop rocks. There’s a short break in the middle of the video where we went over to the 2nd station (where the NFC reward box will be), got a treat and came back out again. She was better after that and I experimented with picking her up and taking the leash off while she was in my arms. Not sure if that is something I want to do going forward, but I think I might try it again but give her time to shake it off after I put her down. Again had the issue with sending to the tunnel so ditched sequence 1 and just made something up on the fly. (I don’t think you can hear it but I muttered to myself to stop saying yay after she did go in the tunnel). On the plus side I did remember to point back to the tunnel on the exit so got the jump after it. This was the first time she has hesitated with the leash loop after training so clearly we still had some feelings to process.
Rep 2
This was after a snuffle mat and some hanging out on her cot behind the solid side ring barrier (but able to hear Reacher & Kristin – actually just Kristin since Reacher was a silent little good Schnauzer). We did our pattern games/volume dial over to the ring entrance and past Kristin & Reacher. Both Lift and Reacher thought that was too exciting so add going by dogs to the homework list since I’d rather not resort to carrying her alot at trials. Walked in briskly but kept her on leash and got a much better line up (I had treats in my pocket this time but saved them for the end of the sequence). Guessing the run by the jump after the tunnel was a bit about my inadvertent “yay” and bit about me moving laterally off the jump. Still had big feelings about jump-tunnel so I had her do spins for cheese and then we tried part of one of the 3rd sequences. No hesitation on the leash loop after the visit to station #2.
Rep 3
This was after a break in the car for 2nd breakfast. Offered her the tug toy outside of the ring by our cot and she was sort of interested but then backed off and looked like she was about to erupt in barking so I put it away and she settled back down again. Khamsin and Mochi obliged us by walking around outside the ring this time including about 10ft away as we were getting ready to go in. (Mochi is an awesome neutral dog who is completely uninterested in Lift so she was fine with this ). Got sticky on a release so I switched to having her spin right before the jump.
After another break, we also did a short (45sec?) rehearsal of going into the ring while Kristin was picking up numbers on the far side of the ring. Taking off the leash, doing a lead out on the flat past the reward box and releasing her where she promptly started to angle over to it. I called her and she came back, ran by it with me and then I gave her the Happy Hour cue. (only to find out that I had forgotten that I had moved the chair & dish to around the corner so we got the leash on and ran out). On the plus side, she completely ignored Kristin walking around on the other side of the ring.
I have her signed up for a drop in class on Tuesday as her last training session before she gets spayed on Wednesday. My plan is to work on the TSA game past the dogs that will be waiting for their turn in the aisle near the ring gates and some super simple 2-4 obstacle sequences so that I can focus on the line up & end of run stuff and some remote reinforcement work (maybe bringing my chair and the dish into the ring? It won’t be there for a trial but I’m guessing that it’s good to move it around and test whehter she can work around it until being cued to go to it).
After Friday’s mini group training, I got ambitious and actually registered her with UKI and started thinking that maybe I should enter her in a class or two in the Jan 11-12 Fusion trial just to test getting in and out of the ring. She will be cleared for sprints & tricks by then but barely any jumping (4 in a row at 8in is the guideline). I can put her in 4s or 8 at either the very beginning or end of the class to minimize the chaos of getting to and from the ring. She turns 18 mo later in December so I can put her in Jumping which will ensure I won’t get greedy since we haven’t trained weaves yet. Then after this morning, I’m questioning that idea as I think she’s going to need a lot more practice on how to navigate getting to the ring past the normal trial chaos. And while it’s 6 weeks-ish out, I won’t have a bunch of opportunities to work on that given her spay and what is available for classes due to the holidays. My opportunities are maybe a fusion training session on Dec 29 (tbd on the holiday booking) a 3 day USDAA trial at On the Run (I am planning on letting her tag along on Fri & Sun so she gets Sat at home to chill), a drop-in class at Fusion on Jan 7 and a ring time rental on Jan 10 (not sure if Khamsin or Kristin would be able to join me though since they’re gainfully employed and all unlike me). On the plus side, I can control a bunch of variables at Fusion trials that I secretary since she will be in a crate under my desk at the front corner of the ring (when not crated in the car – depends on the weather) and has a small private warm up space in that corner that is blocked off from general traffic. Then she has a short walk to the ring entrance. I also usually put my happy hour station for Kaladin back at that desk so it’s also close to a ring exit. And I have a mid Jan, mid Feb and mid April Fusion UKI trial with an early Feb MAC USDAA at On the Run in the middle. So my grand plans were to try going in and out in mid Jan, maybe 1 run at OTR in early Feb if it went well at Fusion in Jan (not sure – she is less familiar with OTR), a bit more at Fusion in mid-Feb, and then maybe actually a mini sequence or two with the reward box for mid April. I know that is looking pretty far out, but I was thinking that the sequence of trials was convenient which made me start thinking about starting her off in mid January and then seeing how it went.
And separate topic – since I keep blurting out “yays!” mid course, should I figure out a way to train around that? It might just be easier than my trying not to say it. Wondering if I should try something like – cueing a trick – saying yay! – cueing another and then rewarding with tossed cheese. Also looking for things I can do in the early parts of the post spay recondition plan that don’t involve extended sprinting or jumping. (working on remote reinforcement with tricks on the flat and going by the station before cueing it is also on the list)
Fusion 11/29/24
Rep 1 – power patterns and part of sequence 2
Added Kristin and Reacher/Ronin to the Lift & Jimothy show and we set up the Games 4 sequence as a mirror image to avoid moving the teeter. The sequence is a but adjuster since the 20ft tunnel was available. Did patterns games on the way in and on the way to the ring entrance with some volume dial mixed in. (Ronin provided some nice distraction with his barking) Purposely didn’t give her too much time to settle inside because I wanted to test how she did as we were early in the class and didn’t have much time to warm up after the potty break outside. I also set up the 2nd station where our NFC food reward box goes for Fusion trials. Got a jump up when I closed my shoulders after the tunnel and she went between the pole and the jump near the end but pretty happy with our first “NFC test” where I left the treats outside the ring.
Rep 2-
Had a short decompression break with the snuffle mat and chewing on the bully stick while Reacher ran. Then did a bit more. I had treats in my pocket for this one but empty hands when we started. Need to remember to cue my “happy hour” before we are almost already there.
Rep 3
This was after a break outside in the car for 2nd breakfast in a toppl (and shortening one of the leg straps on her coat!) Made it easier by bringing the treats into the ring for the volume dial game. Did more pattern games in the ring since it was hard when Khamsin and Mochi walked by the front of the ring. Then she held her start line like a champ as the boarding dogs erupted in the next room. Unfortunately I tuned that cacophony out and didn’t realize she needed a reward sooner so had to take a short break after the leaping lizard eruption at the tunnel. We came back to try the threadle slice out of the tunnel and then decided we had better quit and have a party outside the ring.
She’s getting a sniffy walk later today with Demi and tomorrow off.
Friendsgiving was fun but we don’t get a lot of leftovers so we solved that by ordering the Blue Apron Thanksgiving feast which we are cooking for ourselves later this afternoon.
Remote Reinforcement – 11/27/24
Happy Thanksgiving! So happy we are going to Friendsgiving so I don’t need to host or drive further than 30min to get there.
Lift pratically exploded when Kaladin and I got home on Tuesday night. Dean did a really good job with her (even doing her conditioning exercises and neutralizing pattern games!) but Demi barely plays with her so it’s good we weren’t gone any longer. (Wish me luck next week after she gets spayed and I might need to sit on her to keep her from boinging!)we moved the RR outside and near a jump. I ping ponged it as it seemed hard for her to move away from the treat with the addition of the jump.
Power Patterns -11/28/24
I missed getting to this one before we trekked down to Florida. Forgot about putting the leash back on on the first rep so we did it again. And yes – it is snowing…on top of the oak tree leaves because the oak tree is always late to drop leaves and our leaf guy is MIA. I used small pieces (because she is small and doesn’t need to get a tummyache) of the St Rocco’s treats which are apparently very yummy and take a while to chew. She got to demolish a collagen chew after this. I have Fusion booked tomorrow and Sunday (sharing with Khamsin and maybe also Kristin) and then she gets spayed next Wed.hmmm – in order to cue a different position stay, I should probably train a stand stay first! LOL- OK – will add to the list of things I can do with her post-spay.
Definitely a brilliant training plan! And so efficient too!
I totally took the last tunnel in the first rep for granted and she was quick to tell me about it. And in my mind I was saying right for the turn out of the tunnel way in advance of her going into it but it was clearly as she was entering and too late so the wide turn. I felt like I was going too deep to the jump before the wrap but that she needed it to not 0ull off.
At home when I inhaled on the leadout her ears pointed forward more and I could see her tense her muscles. At Fusion I didn’t notice the muscle change from the front but can see it from the side in the video.
If she is having trouble lining up in a sit due to arousal (or whatever), I have been either asking for a motion trick and/or tossing the treat to have her chase it. Is that a good approach if she gets sticky? I am trying to not have a treat in my hand when I ask for the sits but I’ve also done a fair amount of using the treat to get her into a position (like for the ang game).
And I’m assuming it is not an issue that I do sometimes do the tip toeing to lead out and then reward the sit by throwing the toy back?
As in the cartoon mashup doesn’t always precede a release forward but can be a release out of the sit to catch the toy.We just drove by Fiery Gizzard Trail in eastern TN. Such a cool name. Might have to stop sometime to check it out.
Games 3 – Drive ahead sequences – 11/16/24
Khamsin and I shared a ring rental on Saturday morning. We were too lazy to move the tunnels so tweaked the drive ahead course to be 2 jumps to another tunnel. (that toppl really can travel far when you chuck it on mats!) The bark on cue seems to work better for her than a jump up (a newer trick on cue).
Engaged “Chill”
Took the opportunity to try for some engaged chill after Lift’s sequence work while Jimothy was working so that she had some arousal to chill from. She wasn’t keen on being on the chair (probably would have been fine with a canvas chair or a bigger one). I did speed up the pattern game again when she started to notice Jimothy running (the first part of the video was Khamsin setting bars so the sounds weren’t so exciting). She also hung out a bit standing on my lap before deciding she was done. (she will hang out sitting or standing in my lap a lot longer at home but it’s less exciting there)
Releases Part 1
This was after Lift had a break (and 2nd breakfast) in the car while I did a few jump grids with Kaladin and let him play with his frizzer. First lead out is the inhale. (I had more a of a reaction from her when I did this at home). She held all her stays, but had to tell me about what she thought about lining up. I did edit out 20sec of her getting the treat out of the lotus ball off camera after the last rep. (and yes – that is Khamsin and I talking about the US Open and how any weather that doesn’t involve a hurrican is a good thing)
Oh- that re-conditioning plan was from our chiro/rehab vet, Dr Julia Tomlinson. My regular vet is amazing but pretty sure she will say to keep Lift quiet for 2 weeks and then follow directions from Dr Julia.
Dean sent me a picture of Lift sacked out on the living room floor after he took her for a walk with Demi and then a video later of her pulling Nemo & Dorie toys out of her Finding Nemo snuffly coral reef toy. So sounds like day 1 without Kaladin and I went well. See you in Jacksonville on Tuesday.
