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Dog’s name, age, gender (spayed or neutered ?), and breed(s): Merlin three on April 30 neutered male
What is/are your main sport(s)? scent work agility and rally
What is/are main sanctioning org that you compete in (like in agility, AKC, UKI, USDAA, CPE, NADAC, etc)? akc CPE and sometimes USDaa
Dog’s training level:Masters Exc
Dog’s trialing level: Novice
Is there a history of any medical issues, physical issues, fear issues, and/or medications? If yes, please explain: SA when crated
Observations
*Describe your dog’s behavior outside the ring while waiting for his turn to run in training. This can include body language, eye contact, tail set, reaction to other dogs and people, reaction to dogs running, and anything else you have observed: sniffy excited wants to play with other dogs and people. I try really hard to provide an alternative activity because I prefer focus or calmness over lungee play with me play with me Towards others.
*Describe your dog’s behavior outside the ring while waiting for his turn to run at a trial. This can include body language, eye contact, tail set, reaction to other dogs and people, reaction to dogs running, and anything else you have observed: Happy and focused but I make sure I have enough treats to play games ahead of my time otherwise he gets distracted and starts enjoying the turf. I suspect if he thought he could get away with it he would try to make friends with anyone he could.
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*Describe your current outside the ring routine when getting ready to run in training: Simple tricks for food or focus for food at least five things. I’m wanting to try calmness on a mat while I wait for my classmates who are running. I think it would cut down on the snuffling and he would understand where the reward is while we wait longer than our turn. Hope this makes sense.
Describe your current outside the ring routine when getting ready to run at a trial:
Simple tricks for food or focus for food at least five things.*Describe your dog’s behavior as you move from the ring gate to the start line in training. This can include body language, eye contact, tail set, reaction to other dogs and people, reaction to dogs running, and anything else you have observed:
Excited and sometimes zoomy if the leash allows…. sometimes won’t you be my friend to both dogs and people.
*Describe your dog’s behavior as you move from the ring gate to the start line at trials. This can include body language, eye contact, tail set, reaction to other dogs and people, reaction to dogs running, and anything else you have observed:
Excited and sometimes zoomy if the leash allows….In Training (if this varies by location, please explain and give an explanation):
Where is the dog crated? car
Is your dog able to eat treats outside the ring? yes
Is your dog able to play tug outside the ring? sometimes less people and dogs has a greater chance of tugging
Is your dog able to eat treats inside the ring? yes
Is your dog able to play tug inside the ring? sometimes throwing a ball has a greater chance of working but more people and dogs make this less likelyAt Trials (if this varies by location, please explain):
Where is the dog crated? outside the ring
Is your dog able to eat treats outside the ring? yes
Is your dog able to play tug outside the ring? no interest may mouth the toy but only to try to get food
Is your dog able to play tug with a toy or leash inside the ring? Nope would rather mob the ring crew with kissesResponses
What is your current ring entry and start line routine in training:
How do you bring the dog to the start line? on a leash I just got a new harness with a speed buckle so I’m trying out some new equipment
How do you ask them to line up and stay? either sit or down and stay
How quickly is your dog able to respond to your cues: Immediately
• Immediately
• Within 2 or 3 seconds. this one
• Needs multiple cues
• Unable to respond
If this varies depending on the cue or location, please explain:What is your ring entry and current start line routine at trials: same as in practice above
How do you bring the dog to the start line?
How do you ask them to line up and stay?
How quickly is your dog able to respond to your cues:
• Within 2 or 3 seconds
• Immediately
• Within 2 or 3 seconds
• Needs multiple cues
• Unable to respond
If this varies depending on the cue or location, please explain:In training, is your dog able to maintain a focused stay position while you lead out
If so, for how long or how far? the first stay is always the hardest and he is more likely to break because he’s excited and energized. The second run usually is more solid if he breaks on the first one. I’ve gotten 5-6 obstacles away it just depends.
Does he break the stay or look around?At trials, is your dog able to maintain a focused stay position while you lead out
If so, for how long or how far? this is where I’m surprised he does break so we’ve been working on not breaking. I’m OK if you looks around just don’t get up. I’m not even sure at this point what he would be OK with because I haven’t really trialed in months for a while I couldn’t even get past the plane of the first jump. So this is kind of to be determined. I’ve tried to simulate this with very little luck.
Does he break the stay or look around?When your dog is on course in training, is he able to run pretty well or does he struggle with distractions or certain obstacles? Struggles with the distractions of other dogs and his people friends. I’ve resolved to pay a chicken bucket worth of treats at class because I think it’s just so hard for him that he deserves reinforcement times 1000.
When your dog is on course at trials, is he able to run pretty well or does he struggle with distractions or certain obstacles? The runs either go fairly well or sideways. I don’t really run to Q but it is nice to have a nice run
Does this vary in different locations? If yes, please explain.Reinforcement Hierarchies
In training, what are your dog’s favorite rewards?
cheese, meatball, dehydrated parts of things, kibble freeze driedWhen there is a reward present, what are your dog’s favorite tricks?
puppy pushups, go between legs, paws upWhen there is no reward present, what are your dog’s favorite tricks? to be determined
Let’s Plan Ahead
Ideally, what would you like your routine to look like between the entry gate and release from the start line? calmly walking in staying at the line until released in a focused manner.
Tell Me All The Things!
Feel free to tell me about things you are doing that appear to be helping. Feel free to tell me about things that appear to NOT be helping. understanding reinforcement is helping but I do think I’ve lost some thing when I don’t have food I get this kinda meh look from Merlin
Got video? Send me some clips so we have a visual history. what would you like to see and I’ll see what I’ve got hanging around?
Thanks!! Is it too late to Upgrade to a workings but I think that would be useful for a second set of eyes?
Super excited to hear what’s coming… my in person teacher helped me sort out much of what you mentioned above for dw contact and jump tunnel… so better human and super Merlin.
New leash came. Merlin feels like Goldilocks this leash is too thick 🙂 I like the soft fuzzy… horrible video good things happen with no tripod… inside is ok, porch step ok, grass no go… we will see what happens as we play…
Since it does have a clip end (slip leads for him scare me) do you eventually uncover the end and expect the learn no bite here?
He’s so thrilled he’s randomly tugging while walking I’ve just gone with it for now. But what’s a non offensive way to say not just now?
Merry Christmas!! And thanks for sharing all these things.
Ok dokie I’ll move my reinforcement it ended up there by accident because the gate is there to put it outside the ring all together.
The first reps I had nothing so I thought he did well…
DW it depends he can do it but it’s not always solid so I’ve been helping him a bit. Practice on a plank is 100% add running a bit less reliable. Add rubber and a trial I normally don’t ask for a stick unless it’s essential.
Future question back to start on a leash if the leash was a tug leash do you tug back to the start or ?
I probably won’t have anymore ring time before the 23rd so any inside things you want to see?
Suggestions for winter boredom?
This class is awesome! We got our rally novice title with 95/100
Oh and forgot to mention the sit is there because down in the mud/wet gets me a dirty look from Merlin.
Not what I had planned to do with ring time tonight it was muddy and a bit slick… fast forward thru my long lead outs… started with no rewards on me… very pleased he was coming back to engage… wet mud smells great he says… remote reinforcement started on a chair by the camera eventually pitched it over the fence… threw in some reps with the toy for balance… hope the camera angle is sort of ok it’s hard to get everything in…
And I finally found a none squeaky ball he will fetch consistently outside we’ve been doing a few blow steam off fetches at the end of these.
Do you have a blooper roll with your dogs I need more Tracy says and does this when her dogs mess up?
Video to follow still uploading
I started working with Merlin inside turning away from the placed reinforcement to do something (in this case hand touch) then cue go get the toy. Is it OK to meet him halfway after he picks it up? because the harder the thing is or the more thinkey he gets… he stops shorter and carrys the toy off instead of back to me…
No video but a thank you for this class. I second moving these skills up in max pup and building to this…. We did some catch and get it outside on his line with the deer herd playing nearby and Merlin was awesome. No barking or crazy herdy over the top zooms.
Yep distracted at 4:30 by I’ve got to itch and some sort of geese or whatever.
I will move my remote reinforcement zone somewhere further so it’s not in the way so much for him running toward it and work on my verbals 🙂Will try running with nothing next time only in practice he demands a setup cookie by plopping down at odd angles…. how much do you practice agility with remote reinforcement looking for some kinda of balance since it is harder I don’t want to ruin it?
Good insight about the tugging and zooms. Thanks
Thanks for the party advice.
Woo hoo, Snoopy happy dance!
My bait bag is hanging out on the white chair… go figure no wings today because of the recent winds.
1st rep with toy I was so stunned he didn’t wander into the corner I was late with my que… whoops…
2nd rep with toy followed by a mini zoom
Rep 3 no toys he seems to be unsure about taking off something tall is handing the toy ok?
Rep 4 no toy running by the chair I really need to work on throw opps
If you still gone let me know and I’ll edit out my tugging
Separate curiosity I was doing rally last night and he loved go get your cookie at the end. If it doesn’t go quite right somewhere in the middle do you still play up let go get a cookie before you start again or just give an effort cookie less party and start again?
Hopefully this makes sense I find rally so persnickety lol…
“Because having the reinforcement directly in front of him as he jumped towards it, you can also reinforce him for NOT going to it by marking the turn away from it with a reward marker that indicates a toy in your hand. That will build value for ignoring the intended remote reinforcement ahead until you mark that he can have it.”
-For this do I carry a toy or pickup the toy from the remote reinforcement spot?Will work on moving it off to the side out of the ring is harder here because it’s a long way out way longer than a trial lol…
I do have a new soft tug leash coming so maybe that will help with some of this… hopefully it will come before class is over…
How do you decide when to carry your toy to reward vs. dead toy on a thing in practice?
