[Alisa Healy]

He is fine with me holding his collar. I gave it a go here 🙂

[Alisa Healy]

Hi Tracy!

I loaded up my equipment and did some training at a park (notice how the tunnel is literally right outside my trunk haha! I hate moving those tunnel bags any further than I have to!) In the moment, I felt so sloppy and like it was all going horribly, but when I rewatched the video, it wasn’t *that* bad LOL. Things still feel so awkward! Do I need more space between obstacles than what I had here? I can’t really pinpoint why it all felt so bad. I tried to maintain connection and use the “magnetic collar/hand,” and I think I did well some times, and other reps could have done better.

On the plus side, he was SO focused! There were some people walking by and cars pulling in and out and he really did great. Lots of smells, as this is a park/nature preserve. Super proud of him. Even after about 15 minutes of training (with breaks and play), he was still looking at me like, come on lady let’s do something.

We also worked on Minny Pinny, since you recommended having more space. Not sure if this is what you had in mind. Let me know. It does look like he was doing more bouncing as opposed to trotting.

Thanks for the tips on the countermotion. We’ll work on that.

For the session where we did a serp and a threadle, he serped both. Appreciate the ideas for working on that – we will keep at it!

I think this class is actually finished?! Is that right? I’ll see you over in the next class – can’t wait!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Alisa Healy.

[Alisa Healy]

Here is the Serp Exit with Countermotion. These were hard for me because I wanted to move away, but also place the reward correctly, so I think i was a little slow in moving away. Let me know!

I worked on rewarding wraps by throwing the treat back at the wing. Hopefully this is what you meant! And I also tried to do the “magnetic” hand to collar thing. I understand what you mean by it and looking back on videos I can see how sometimes I’m pointing ahead at the next wing instead of having my arm back to reconnect. Let me know how I did here!

I added the verbal cue and motion to the threadles and he’s doing really well! Anything I need to change here? I’m rewarding him for being on rhe cot too, I just cut that all out for time. Oh and we did the other side too, but my phone ran out of space and stopped filming argh. He did just as well on that side!

Edit: So I tried one short session where I did a serp and then a threadle. He definitely doesn’t understand the difference yet, and I know he’s super young still, but is there something I should be doing (besides the threadle verbal) to differentiate them?

We did more Minny Pinny. I took your suggestion and had him start at more of an angle. I realized in this video, I am still using quite a bit of motion to start him. I did another session later where I didn’t use my arm or leg at all, just the verbal and he did great! The last 2 reps in rhe video I used a toy. You can see on the first time he was a little confused maybe about why there was a toy but no food, but he engaged with the quickly when I moved it.

Here is more work with wing wraps and a tunnel. Im trying to be more mindful about connecting with him and having my arm back/chest turned towards him and not rushing ahead. In the moment I feel like im reaching way back, but in the video, I’m not as rotated back towards him as it felt!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Alisa Healy.

[Alisa Healy]

Hi Tracy!

Can you clarify about the reward placement for the Rocking Horse?
>> rather than the rewards being next to you or coming when he is moving back towards you, you can switch to tossing the treat to the other side of the barrel. This should reward moving away from you, which will help. And that way, your arm position won’t matter as much

Do you mean throw the reward towards the other barrel? So like he comes around the wing, and I throw the reward out ahead to the other wing?

We worked on Minny Pinny again. I moved the bars in, but not sure if this is right. Let me know!

We also tried Rocking Horse with a tunnel in my basement, but the space may be too small LOL. See what you think. I can try it again at a park, I just hate lugging my tunnel bags in and out of my car haha.

We also did the serps with motion again. I think he had one early release, but I didn’t quite catch it and he was rewarded from the RT. Then one early release on the other side, but I put him back on the station. And a couple times where he didn’t take the jump and went straight to the RT. But still lots of good stuff here!

Also, I always do little play breaks in between reps and do fun treat parties for the really great reps. I just edit it all out so you aren’t bored to tears 😉

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.

[Alisa Healy]

Look at this good boy who did not budge even once during threadles and serps with motion! Maybe some latent learning?

He stayed on the station very patiently while I set up the jump too!

A couple times he bypassed the jump for the serps. Anything I did wrong there? And with the trheadles, I think my arm wasn’t far back enough on a couple? Not sure.

Also with “catch” I think I was caught off guard when he released towards me, but then he understood it would be tossed to him.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.

[Alisa Healy]

Thanks for the advice on the stay issue. We’ll keep at it!

We did some more rocking horse with more space outside. I think he did a good job! This is the most space we’ve ever had between them. He got a little sticky one some of the reps. I also am trying to make sure I really connect with him, but then as I have my head/chest turned toward him, I feel a little disoriented as to where the other wing is and my line can get a little wonky. How can I keep connected with him eithout getting lost? I know this seems so basic lol, maybe I’m overthinking it with him.

Here is Minny Pinny with bars. He did well, so I added the verbals.

[Alisa Healy]

Thanks for the feedback!

We tried the serp game again today, i was wanting to add in some (chill) motion. But his stay on rhe station fell apart 🙁 He was self releasing quite a few times. I stopped and worked on just the stay on the platform. I worked on staying in the presence of the jump (set up st a different angle) and with the Ready Treat out ahead, and on staying while I extend my hand (a hard one for him). I did a mix of going back to reward him in place, and releasing to me. He does well on all of that, but when it’s configured like the serp or threadle game, he couldn’t stay put. I probably need to go back a few steps and just work on the stay some more and not try to play the games right now. Argh, this is frustrating!

Here is a video. I think he released early on one of the reps, but i kept going with it and he got the reward from the RT. Sometimes it’s hard to see of they are releasing early or not.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.

[Alisa Healy]

He does look so serious LOL! It’s so cute! He continues to get better and better at the stationing. Working on it in several short sessions a day 🙂

We worked on the Minny Pinny game today. I was laughing because it seemed like such a long trek around the wings and the way he was trotting was just so funny – is it too big? My wings are so much bigger than yours! I think he did well though. Should I add a verbal?

We also did more Rocking Horse. I am trying to get my arm further back like you said, but not sure if I’m doing it. Let me know! He is getting better at this! Sometimes he can get a little sticky with committing to go around the wing, but he did well here. I added in some of the spins too.

And we ended the session with some toy play. He is doing great from going to training with treats to toy play! And I did a couple wing wraps with the toy. I was too twitchy on the first rep, totally my fault, but he was able to think with the toy at stake. I may try doing a little training with food, some toy play, go back to food, and then try toys again. Just like 30 seconds of each.

Also, I see there is another class after this one, yay! Would you say it’s okay to take that class even if we haven’t done the advanced version of all the exercises in this class yet? I have followed this class pretty well, but I know there are a couple games I didn’t do at all. Just want to make sure I won’t be behind for the next class…

[Alisa Healy]

Thank you for giving me a plan for the tunnel! And what you said about the larger breeds having to decel before entering a tunnel makes a ton of sense.

Look who can stay on their station?! Worked on serps this morning. Still keeping it simple with no motion since the stay is in progress. He did break early on one rep, so I reset him and tried again. I had to watch this in slow motion to verify that he didn’t release early, but he did good!

[Alisa Healy]

We tried using the station for the serps, but he self-released several times, which tells me he’s just not ready for it yet. We’ll work on more proofing sessions with staying on the cot until released 😉 “Stay” is hard, especially when you’re a fast pointy, pup!

I saw that game 3 of Rocking Horse uses a tunnel. I think Lazlo needs some more understanding for the tunnel. We did the early threadle game, but in Rocking Horse, it’s not a threadle, just a straight on entry. What is the best way to teach a tunnel? Should I start by being stationary and just stepping towards the tunnel with my dog-side leg, and give my verbal? Or do I walk/jog towards it? Do I build distance while remaining stationary first and then add motion? And if I’m stationary by the entry, shouldn’t I reward back by me, since my position indicates a turn back to me, and not throw the reward out ahead because that would be rewarding extension, which I wasn’t cuing. I know this seems super basic, but with my RR, I never really took the time to teach her the tunnel properly and she had a lot of confusion about approaches that weren’t straight on and needed me to take her all the way to the entry. So I’d like to avoid that. I know this isn’t directly one of the games, so I understand if you can’t get too deep into it. Thanks!

Edit: I’m watching the lesson on start line stays and you gave me the awesome idea of rewarding behind the puppy to reinforce the stay! I put my Ready Treat behind him and then sometimes released him ahead for a reward, and sometimes rewarded with the RT behind him! I think this may help us get better stays, since he doesn’t know where the reward will come from. I guess it’s also a good way of creating “pressure” behind the dog, which they will experience at trials, but in a non-threatening, easy way 🙂

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.

[Alisa Healy]

Tonight we worked on our get out cue (“away”) and he is doing SO well! No more spinning backto me now that we are moving. I’m still holding my arm up so high, so I want to redo it and then have you take a look. I am balancing it with walking in a straight line and not cuing the get out, and he’s rocking that too!

Remember how he had been spinning around on rear crosses to the left…it seems to have resolved!

Also added more distance between jump wings for rocking horse and tried one reverse spin at the very end.

Edit: here is another session of “away“, my arm wasn’t quite so high this time, but maybe could be lower even still? Sorry rhe prop isn’t in full view. He’s doing do well with this i think!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.

[Alisa Healy]

Hi Tracy!

We’ve been working a lot on stationing so we can do the serp and threadle exercises better. He’s not quite ready for it, but getting there!

Also working on the toy stuff. I’ve been trying to end each session in which I’m using treats with some toy play, to help him learn he can indeed go from eating to tugging. That’s actually going pretty well! I do a scatter after the last rep, tell him “all done” when he’s done eating and give him some pats. Then bring out a toy and play for a minute or two.

I’ve also been doing what you said – play with the toy, ask for one easy rep, big play time reward and that’s it! Basically, I’m trying not to be so greedy lol. Also been adding in a little more “thinking” into our toy play sessions. So as for an out, cue a sit, lead out 2 steps and release him to tug. Just small things like that and only a teeny bit. So far it’s going well!

We’ll get back on the MaxPup games today 🙂

[Alisa Healy]

We worked again on the threadles and I tried to keep my shoulder back. On the very first rep, I think I had it pulled forward a bit too much, but I pulled by arm further back on the second rep and he got it! We had a LOT more mistakes this session than the last session, and the side he nailed last time was the tricky side this session. I felt like he was starting to pattern: go straight to the machine, mom throws a reset cookie, then do the threadle and get the reward. So I went over to the side and did some hand touches to try to break it up. But that didn’t seem to help. I could tell I was just starting to get frustrated, so I ended it with a treat scatter. What do you think was going on here? After I watched the video, I was thinking I probably shouldn’t have added the cue because of how many reps were oopsies. Last session he did so well so I thought adding the cue would be fine.

[Alisa Healy]

We worked on the serps with added motion. I think I was actually chill this time lol! You’ll have to let me know. I forgot to move my tripod so the angle isn’t great on the reps moving to the right.

I move away from him often during play, and when it’s not in a training session, he very reliably returns with the toy. But I guess it’s possible in that moment he would have preferred i not drop the toy and move away.

I think you’re right. One or two reps and also lower my criteria if he can’t do what I had planned. Ask for a sit or hand touch, and play!

Thanks for the feedback on our threadle issue. I will make note of my shoulder next time. My threadle verbal will be “in in in”. I totally intended to add it during that session but in the moment I forgot completely lol!

Edit: This morning I took some wings to a park to do a little training. First time doing this sort of thing, away from home. He did great – he was so focused and ready! I probably could have moved away sooner (if I was being chill about it!), but overall pleased with how he did in that environment. There were geese and 2 big lawnmowers nearby.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.

[Alisa Healy]

Thanks for the feedback!

We tried another session with the toy today, this time wrapping the big tub. It started out pretty well (you can see he did bite the toy between my legs LOL, but then went back to business), but then lost interest in the toy completely. My thought is that he has treats on the brain and would like some food instead of the toy. *sigh* 2 steps forward, 1 (or 2 or 5 steps lol) back! I feel like I’ve kind of dug myself into a hole with using only treats for training for a good chunk of time, but not sure I had an alternative with how chompy he was around the toys. There wasn’t any food in the room, or on me, but this is how he acts when I try to switch between food and treats in the same session, so that’s why I think he wants food here.

Edit: I tried again with the toy this morning, before I gave him any treats at all for the day. Unfortunately, it was a classic case of “I thought I clicked record, but I didn’t so I got no video.” He started okay, a little grabby with the toy after the out, and wrapped the jump stand. We played, he outed, and I let him chase the toy again to reward the out. Asked for another out, which he did nicely. Then we tried another wrap and he sorta stopped being able to think. I cued the wrap, but he was kinda frozen and then got sharky.

I somehow missed the threadle game, so we went back and did that. He did well on the first side, but then struggled a bit once we switched. Poor guy – it’s a hard concept! But once he figured it out, he was able to get the tougher angles too (phone stopped filming so I don’t have the other angles on film). Do you think I was too close to the jump and that’s what caused him to not come in?

Then we worked on wraps on a wing, his first time doing anything with a wing! He understood the wrap idea pretty much right away yay! Turn and Burn went pretty well, except I sometimes forgot that I am now a member of Team Chill – oopsies! I’m supposed to begin moving away SLOWLY, and then once he’s cleared the wing, I can start running, correct? I was chanting “team chill, team chill” in my head, yet I still was TOO exciting. I’ll do better next time lol!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Alisa Healy.

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