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Yes and no, for the frisbee. It really depends on what I want to reward at that point. If I am rewarding a line of obstacles then, yes, I will toss the toy to reinforce obstacle focus. If I am building handler focus, then I would do a hand touch and then throw the frisbee. Make sense?
That’s a great idea! Really practice those reconnection points especially on blind crosses! Here is a bit of my foundation flatwork for the blind crosses. Let me know if you have questions.
Drill #1 – Foundation Flat work: The number one rule for a blind cross is that you need to be ahead of your dog. For the foundation flatwork, we are going to focus on several things. One is we want the HANDLER to practice the reconnect.
To start, you can put your dog in a stay or simply throw a cookie or two on the ground. You will start with the dog on one side, looking over your shoulder (let’s say the right side), release the dog (or if you did a cookie toss, you can call the dog) and as soon as the dog releases you will look over your left shoulder (this is the reconnect) and reward the dog from the left hand on the new side. You can reward with food from your hand, a toy from your hand or drop something at your side, but I would refrain from throwing a toy or treat. When doing a blind cross, I really want the dog to briefly come in to handler focus, so at this point, I want to reward handler focus. Be sure to work both sides.
Video: https://youtu.be/y6JOUWZBRIc
Drill #2 – Adding motion and speed: Here we will do the same thing as in the foundation flatwork, but instead of the handler being in a static position, you will add movement. Ask the dog to stay, or again you can toss a cookie on the ground. Then you will start with walking away from the dog, calling them to one side of your body, then switching to the other side and having them come in to your hand for a treat or a toy. Once the dog is okay with you walking, then you can try it at a jog and then at a run as you saw in the video from Drill #1.
Drill #3 – Zig Zag Game: In this game, you will follow the steps for adding motion and speed, but then you will move in a Zig Zag pattern. Toss the cookie back, then move out calling your dog over let’s say your right shoulder. Then you will zig a different direction and call them over your left shoulder. Then you will zag the other way and reward them back on your right side. Focus on the reconnect when you change arms and connection. Your connection will be brief, but we want you to practice that. If your dog starts to run past you, then you will want to reward more often for handler focus. Some dogs get excited with all the forward motion and running. If your dog gets too focused on your hands and treats, then you can toss the food or toy forward as you make the blind cross.
Video: https://youtu.be/W0Vb0IpO5-8Okay, great! Glad that all made sense!
Yes, you can use a clicker for the LB game.
Yes, build the container work!Okay, I see a BIG difference in training and your startline routine. I would like for you to use a varied rate of reinforcement for your behavior chain. Meaning that your startline routine is a behavior chain (each of the behaviors are reinforced by the next behavior’s cue until the chain is finished where the marker word ends the chain). Make sense? So when we are working on behavior chains, we vary where the reinforcement comes so that she never knows when it is coming, but will work hard on each component. She was much more distracted and as you said “serious” when you used your cue for trial. I would like you to break down your behaviors and do a spin, then go to the reinforcement station, then restart, then maybe two behaviors, then reinforcement station, then back to one behavior, then back to reinforcement station and then you can chain them together. So the dog cannot predict when the reinforcement station is coming. How that will translate to trials, it you might “shorten the course” which we will talk about in future lessons. This is where you might only do 5 obstacles in a course, but then you go to the finish jump and then to reinforcement station. Let me know if that makes sense.
Hello!
Glad you found the videos helpful, I was hoping to get that kind of feedback. Good use of reinforcement stations! So on drill #1, both were good. A little late on the blind cross and I think the refusals were coming because you were in a footrace with your dog through the straight tunnel. Do you have a backside cue? From the way it looks to me, it looks like a backside out of the tunnel?
Tails REALLY likes to chase you. When you dropped the toy, this was actually a good thing. One of the exercises we will talk about in future weeks is not getting too far ahead of your do to engage the chase game. Have you ever been in a foot race with someone who is 50 yards ahead of you? At some point you really wonder what IS the point and you give up. However, if they are 1 yard ahead of you, you give it all you’ve got. I saw some of this with Tails when you dropped the toy.
Cricket seems to be having a lot of fun. I would also like to mention that they are both REALLY moving!!! This is great!
Lazy Bastard game was good. I would like for you to not go so close to the jumps next time and see if they will seek out the jumps.
Let me know if you have questions! Nice work!
He is also not as Keen on driving to the toy box as he is in chasing you for the toy. I want you to work this more with him. The other option is getting him to just go to a toy on the ground. Will he do this?Hi Stacy,
So, I think what I would do (based on what I have seen and what you have described) is this weekend, I would run with her at the startline, find a speed circle and make it fast and fun. Prior to your run, I would have her out and work on playing with her. Here is a thought: If you had a leash aggressive dog and they let’s say your passion was obedience. How would you work through it? Would you avoid all situations that might cause reactivity, or would you work through the situation? Of course you would work through it (that’s why you’re here 😉 ). I would like for you to work in thresholds. Meaning, as she gets more comfortable with the environment, you are going to allow more exposure within a closer proximity. Do you have anything that puts Pru over the top at home? For Pepper, it was bubbles (literally). Well that is something I can take to trials (they even make dog bubbles) and for Jack it was pepperoni pizza!!! I want you to think hard and see if there is something in your tool box already. Water? Some type of food she loves? Toys? The article is 100% right in the sense that we have to keep experimenting until we find what works. It’s like building toy drive, if you know that your dog loses interest after 1 minute of play, you are going to only do 45 seconds. If you know that Pru can handle being ringside for 5 dogs before she runs, then get her out for 5, but then as she when she is super comfortable, work towards 6 and then 7 and so on (I usually don’t have my dog ringside for any more than 5-6 dogs before we run just because it is crowded). Get her out and have her ringside for 2-3 dogs when it is not even her class, then she gets loads of cookies, play and then crate time. She will realize that it is fun to be ringside. Do you let her just hang with you when you are watching? Or do you only have her out when you are “doing something that requires toys or cookies”? I would let her just hang out with you.
As far as your energy in the ring. What energy do you want? That’s the energy I would try to get her to match. If you lose her (stresses) and get her back, find the exit with tons of excitement and go find the cookies and toys. Try to cue every obstacle, be clear with your handling and stay out of her way. I think if you focus on those three things, the rest will come and Pru will be happy.
Finally, how are you reacting to the noises when you think she hears them? Do they get your attention, does your body language change because you are worried about how she will respond? Pay attention to that and see how you are responding? I would go into investigation mode 🙂Days off are great!!! Toy play looked really good. That is exactly what I was talking about with the rope on a toy. The plank work from 1:20 on was perfect! Let’s go ahead and put the plank up on some cinder blocks and add a little height. You can also just put a block under one side to prop up one end. Just make sure it is good and stable. You can also reward her about 1 dog length from the end of the plank. Nice work!
I am a big advocate of safe FitPaws training. A good conditioning plan that focuses on strength, balance and flexibility. There are some good online classes, or there are fitness trainers that work with people online (me 😉 ). In person is always really good too if there’s someone in your area.
No, you sure don’t. You can start her on your left or right. For most people, between the legs just makes it a little easier to see the dog and where they are looking.
She is!!! She has some SUPER nice speed! Thanks for all that info 🙂 Do you have someone in your area that does canine fitness?
Good morning! Some good stuff here!!! I like her enthusiasm with this game. I would like for you to rewatch your video and you will see something very subtle, but extremely helpful. When you are cueing the “go, over, toy at 0:23 she is actually looking at the toy (forward focus). The rest of the time she looking at you in handler focus. So, I have an exercise for you that is going to come in to class next week (but you can start now).
• Forward Focus – This game you will hold your dog between your legs. Show the dog the toy or cookie that’s in your hand and move the hand with the reinforcement behind your head. You will hold the treat of toy in a hand above your head. As soon as the dog looks forward (or even away from the reward) you will throw it forward and let them get it.As they get better, you will start using words for excitement like “ready, ready, ready”. Make sure they are always looking away when you release the reward and even better if they are leaning into the restraint. If saying the words are too distracting, you can start by whispering them.
When the dog is moving toward the reinforcement, you can begin telling them “go, go, go”. This is important for a rear cross because we need the dog to learn to drive ahead of us to a toy. Video: https://youtu.be/4F9RGBfai08
Looks great! You guys have some great reinforcement skills and play mechanics!!! I look forward to seeing some more of the homework with the speed circles. Just be sure you are getting the same level of play and excitement when you are going into the speed circle that you are getting here! Nice work!
Hi Sara,
Thanks for sending those. On the fist video and the last video, she almost looks like she runs out of steam? The canine conditioning and canine massage therapist in me wonders if she that is fatigue related and is getting tired? Just curious about her what her activity is like outside of agility and if she has any body work done? Definitely some nice speed off the start lines. I would agree with you on your assessments. I think the speed circles will help with the jump commitment at speed. She HAS nice commitment, but if there is a tiny bit of disconnect, you lose her sometimes or she won’t quite commit. Does that make sense? I think too, a little more attention to the take off on those jumps (even if you are ahead of her). She looks like loads of fun!!!
