Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Rocking Horse Lap & Tandem Turns – 11/5/20
He’s mostly getting these (or at least not going to the wrong side of the wing on the turn aways), but I’m not sure about my mechanics. I seem to be stepping back before he’s that close and then moving the MCH back after that. https://youtu.be/sGiQJ22s7z8And I think it got lost since it didn’t have a video, but: Just confirming on the mini sequence with the 3 jump ladder grid: that means he’s doing a ladder grid with motion in to it instead of from a sit?
Smiley Face Tunnel Threadles – 11/3/20
We’ve revisited the tunnel threadles periodically since the summer and thrown them in to some diamond games so it surprised me that this one confused him at first. I did 2 short sessions before and after lunch and he would go straight ahead to the tunnel instead of the “here here” threadle end. Then he would stop dead as I kept walking towards the other end. I had to use his name to unstick him. So I swapped out my 10ft tunnel to put the 15 ft one in for a session after work thinking that it would be easier if the tunnel openings were further apart. I also moved the wings further away. He did better in the evening session but still had questions.
Tracy,
Just confirming on the mini sequence with the 3 jump ladder grid: that means he’s doing a ladder grid with motion in to it instead of from a sit?Diamond – 10/30/20
Last week I discovered that it’s really hard for Kaladin to concentrate on agility with a toy when Nemo is on the ground “outside of the ring” but not further away by the steps. It’s a bit easier if he is working for cookies so we’ll be working on that and periodically sending to Nemo.
Video is parts of a session from last week (without Nemo being in play) where he starts hesitating (0:25 & 1:16) and then pulling off tunnels and wraps. Am I just starting to point ahead too much? I was also going to ask about why he was pulling off some blinds but then when I watched the video I realized I wasn’t doing a blind but some kind of weird FC to a blind thing (0:49 & 0:55). Is that even a handling move? Clearly Kaladin doesnt’ think so. Once I did the blinds again, he did a nice tight wing wrap. Note to self, next time don’t train the puppy when you’re thinking about what you’ve forgotten to pack for a long weekend.
Set Point @ 12in and Ladder Grid with Tunnel – 11/2/20
I need to catch up on editing videos from last week before our vacay but of course I had to try this out when I got your feedback! And yes, he is very light on his feet with these grids.
For these, I made a point of being less zen about the set-up and doing more motion tricks for Nemo as my porridge stirring. (as opposed to more zen-like treats for cookies)
I didn’t do a good job of always releasing him when he was focused forward but he did shift his focus forward as he started to jump. I’m not seeing the hind end kick up when there is a tunnel to drive to.
For the ladder grids I have the bars locked at 6in. I don’t think I want to raise them, but at what point do you unlock the bars?12in set point
Ladder Grid
Serp & Threadle Proofing – 10/26/20
Did a few sessions just with the threadle. This is the one where I added back the serp.
Set Point @ 12in & 4 Jump Ladder Grid – 10/28/20
We won’t get back to the indoor space with mats until next weekend but we were able to work outside this week.
He doesn’t seem to be kicking up his hind end any more at 12in than 10in.
I like his striding in the straight ladder grid. He did stop short of Nemo on the first 4 jump grid. I had him send to get Nemo and we played catch on the way back to the start and he went straight to Nemo the next time. Not sure if the hesitation was an indication that he thought the 4 jumps were hard but he sorted it out the next time.Set Point at 10 and 12in
Ladder Grid (6in locked bars)
Get Out with Turns – 10/27/20
Had 1 slight question on the straight run with me option when he took a stride towards the jump and then came back in on the line. After the first turn which he clearly wasn’t expected, he tightened up the turns nicely on the FC and BC. I felt like I was starting my rotation when his head turned out to the jump but after watching the video I am wondering if I should be rotating sooner.And I did some experimenting with the ready123 game today. If I open my shoulder back to him for connection and I focus softly near his head but not quite with direct eye contact, he flicks his eyes a lot less and tends to focus more on my torso than down at my feet a lot. I think too strong of direct eye contact in the context of the lead out (instead of say a MCH or while running on course) is just too much for him right now.
Thanks, Tracy. Your responses on my ready123/lead out questions make perfect sense to me. Now I just need to figure out how I want to address it for his class as I am hearing that eye contact for ready123 is a condition of his eventual graduation.
But I’m not in any kind of rush. I need to decide what I want to do for a DW contact and how I want to train a running a frame.
And he can still get fixated on movement or a sound when he is not at home. He’s slowly growing out of that and is better about focusing back on whatever we were doing but that has been more of a challenge with him than my other Shelties (not sure if the intact Male part is playing a role there as my last boy was neutered at 6months before I knew about agility and growth plates)Rocking Horse Lap Turns – 10/26/20
Gee – I have no idea why you might think that patience is hard for me…And since it’s a key element, that probably explains why I don’t usually use these on course.
These went much better and the flips to the wrong side seemed to be when I was stepping to the side and opening up my shoulders to the wing instead of straight back. At least today, we found it easier to turn him left than to the right.
Zig Zag with bars – 10/26/20
These are 4ft bars. He is bouncing some and sneaking in strides for others, but he still seems to be switching leads well.I’m not sure how well you can see it from this angle, but when I’m leading out he is focused on me but not necessarily keeping eye contact with me if I am maintaining the connection with him. As I move out his eyes are flicking sometimes down to my feet and also to Nemo in my hand, but he’s not looking away in other directions. (If I lead out without a toy in hand, he will sometimes flick his eyes down to my feet and then back up again) Do you think that will cause an issue in lead outs in the future? Asking because I am finding it challenging to play the ready-1-2-3 game with him with a toy in hand because he will flick his eyes down to the toy or my feet when I start to move. I feel like his stays are strong for his age and he holds them without fidgeting about 98 or 99% of the time. (the squirrel running along the fence 15ft away a few weeks ago was the noticeable exception). His Sports Foundation class instructor is concerned that his eye flicking (typically down to my feet or the toy) will lead to him being distracted by other things during lead outs. I have to admit I’ve always played the ready-1-2-3 game as more of a fun build anticipation game and haven’t been strict with any of my dogs on them actually maintaining eye contact with my eyes. Because with lead outs on course, I want the dog focused on where I am headed but they also have to focus forward on the indicated line. I have been trying to make sure I don’t release him if he’s fixated on a toy in my hand, but I haven’t been strict about him flicking his eyes down to the toy and back up to my face. Now I’m wondering if I should have been more concerned about this.
Mission Transition – 10/25/20
First time on mats (Comfort King). He seemed a bit careful on them. Way better on the wraps now that he knows they are an option. He’s turning tight, but I feel like maybe I should be rotating a bit sooner for the FC? On the first wrap I was rotating as he took off. Backside 360s to the right are apparently confusing to him right now so I think we’ll just take a short break from them and see if they sort themselves out. He’s coming back over the bar better on the backside slices.Set point & Ladder Grid – 10/25/20
First time on mats. (Comfort King). Might have been the new location but he was stopping short of the Mickey mouse ball after the jump.Set Point
8in to start and then 10in
Ladder Grid
6in and 5ft distance
Rocking Horse Lap Turns – 10/24/20
Did 2 separate sessions. Clearly the lap turns are a bit rusty! He was going to the opposite side of the wing on some of them at first. I don’t think I was in the way and I was still drawing the MCH back as he zinged off to the other side so I think it must have been not enough connection with him before I switched to looking at the MCH.
I ended up backing up in to the lap turns when I wasn’t already close enough to the wing. If you are doing these with the wings further apart would you finish the cross and run forward some before flipping around to face the dog for the lap turn?
First session
2nd session with a leisurely racetrack
Zig Zag with bars – 10/24/20
Did both 6 and 5.5ft distances. He looks more comfortable at 6ft but was still getting a decent rhythm at 5.5ft.Yup – that was session #1 with 4 jumps in the ladder. I have an indoor space rented this afternoon with Comfort King mats which will be new to him. I’ll try 3 and 4 straight jumps there with less motion and see what he thinks about the new footing.
Zig Zag
