[beverley thomson]

Hi

Group classes is hard. The local agility class i left for a number of reasons including that i had pressure put on me to start her on weave training and jumping low jumps at six months. We do weekly rally classes on lead she is fine in that.
This is one of few training daysi have ever heard of they did it as a funraiser. She is 18 months. I had her playing treat toss, sits and downs tricks by the ring area. Some rally heeling. Waits with focus forward to toy no trouble at all i had a wait after i took the lead off. Focus on the first obstacle lost it when she came around to face people. Think if i had been close would have kept herbut she is fast…

I have been goung to friends and working her when their dogs are running. Need to do alot more of that.

This week going to do alot of reinforcing for the come and work alot on tricks. Probably need to do alotmore sequencing so she is used to doing more.

Sny other ideas on how to build that focus with a highly movement sensitive dog when little access to people and dogs on mass or with movementl

[beverley thomson]

Hi
weather has been freezing here so just practising focus games inside.
But on Saturday took Fusion to a practise show day for green dogs and handlers.
We were a diaster.
I got her out walked her around did focus work all really good, went to put her back in truck she slipped her collar and she did a race around saying hello to everybody. Tightened her collar did some more work.
Got her out for her run – made sure everybodies dogs on lead and judge requested any body whos dog wasnot going to be happy with a visit put them away. got a wait didnt ask for too much got first jump and a little more I think then she took off. Somebody was playing with their dog and kicked her when she arrived because their dog didnt like other dogs visiting so that stirred her up more. tried a couple of times to work her got her settled- she wasnt too bad when faced away from people. Put her away did more focus work. next time went out to do a small circle as far away as possible she took off but this time returned to a toy. Got her focused again and did three or four jumps big party. I know she is highly movement orientated and have been trying to work through it by visiting different places especially with other dogs but lambing and calving started so most busy. any other suggestions – she has been successful on the games at home and familiar places although yesterday after the previous day less so. Any suggestions can post videos if they help.

[beverley thomson]

Just thinking after reading the latest games
Around the ring I have been using a mat for veloz – after he made it plain that he needed it- he tried to pull me over to get to somebodies jacket on ground. But as well as that we do cuddles at home where he puts his head into me and I stroke his body. At shows or when he is getting too heated at training I have taken to kneeling on ground so he can do the same thing – I have also done it a couple of times on start line when he has gone over the top doesnt put me in a good position… It does seem to relax him but as soon as I move he goes high again. doesnt always work at moment but does settle him even if only for that moment.so his calm is only surface should I keep on working on this to extend the calm or should I introduce something else

[beverley thomson]

yah- have fun competing

[beverley thomson]

In a couple of weeks, we will transition the pattern game into something you can take into the holding area too, so keep working it so it is highly recognizable, which will make it easier when we transition to the next steps.

great look forward to that as feel we are getting better at stuff outside ring then loose the good work.

Yes fusion worked well. All mistakes were mine which is why it worked better second time when I fixed my error. We played with a toy between different bits but yes I think she was finding the thinking hard work. I certaintly did. Need to work on getting distance but at the moment aware that she is still a baby Still working out what she understands and how much I can leave but she is putting things together fast.

[beverley thomson]

I used the tossed treats pattern game- both dogs worked it fine at a small distance. I couldnt do it too close to ring as other dogs around. but was only a few feet off the side . Not sure veloz would manage it on side of entry with more dogs. Once we went into holding area veloz went sky high. no focus at start but getting more control at end except for gamblers where he boiled over but it was body slamming rather than mouth, and he didnt go into a spiral of madder and madder.

heres fusions skills work. She tried hard and all mistakes were mine

veloz I just focused on trying to kee him focused.

[beverley thomson]

Life and weather has been getting in the way. Competed at rally last weekend and agility this last weekend. Veloz improvrd as eeekend went on. Did melt down at start but he recovered faster. Getting better finish behaviour.worked on the straight to work exercise with both fusion and veloz. Veloz could offer behaviour close to ring. Fusion the distance eas a bit greater.

[beverley thomson]

“I think it is important to be able to play and interact around the equipment, but maybe those particular games had too much pressure? Maybe try simpler things like asking him to put his chin in your hand for a cookie, etc – things that can help the arousal level around obstacles.”

He actually finds calmer things harder

“Also, the reinforcement might need to be different – do you cue him to take off for a run as well? I believe the freedom to interact with the environment and run around is very reinforcing for him!”

I am struggling to work out whether I should be working on calming him down ie using calming quiet behaviours or using a toy but then he gets aroused… Calm behaviours I am more likely to get shut down, exciting behaviours like toys get overarousal- pebndulum shiufts so quick and seems to bypass the moderate in the middle. Releasing him to run he tends to think he should do agility equipment and then gets pissed when he doesnt get rewarded or I am not participating.

>> Then attempt to do the courses but I kept losing track and sending him the wrong way – common theme I think I got lost multiple times with all my dogs.
Aha! Do you walk the courses several times before you run them? Getting lost is frustrating to the dogs.

Yes walked it several times but because we werent well connected I got out of place and then things happen fast and I get lost or in wrong place so handling is wrong and send wrong place. Generally I send a few places post getting lost and then stop so end up with extra bits. Then dog less aware we got lost and frustration level stays lower.

Is the dig the wrap? (Hard to hear). I don’t think it was position near the jump, but I think it was clarity of cue.

Probably anything where he is asked to come past in a sequence is a sticking point with him. Perhaps when I do it further away we both have more time.. dig is his wrap cue

Thanks for your comments as hellp give me clarity on what went wrong not just that is was wrong. Felt in wrong place and not connected the whole time and when not connected things seem to get disjointed and then it goes to custard.

Fusion –
The sniffing distraction could be a response to the added difficulty and stress of it – so you can gradually introduce more height: rather than all jumps getting taller, just raise the height of one jump on an easy line. Then a week later, raise another… and so on. When is Nationals? She is a bit young to have 2021 Nationals as a goal because so many pieces need to be both trained AND rehearsed in trials before then.

I have been doing increased height with Fusion on one to three jumps building up over the last month. Introd to longer sequences is new- although still only did up to six. I am not sure whether stress or somethng very tasty as it was the same place each time. Although she is quite keen on grass eating and digging at home..

Nationals a bit different here with no qualifying and open too all dogs. Local this year. I havent been to one for many years- last one was with my old dog after a car accident when went as protest about disabled handlers in the ring. Thought was going to be permanently on crutches or a walking stick and had judges refusing to judge me at local trials as they didnt think disabled handlers was a good look for the sport. Got a ruling from ruling body just prior to nationals so went because I could…How things have changed in last 15 years disabled handlers are now encouraged and to my surgeons shock I regained almost normal use. But havent been back as either not a fit dog or too far away. It is my target with fusion- may or may not make it. There are two shows before it and I will see if she is ready to go in the ring for them and how she goes as to whether I run her or not. I think she will be ready for the jumpers courses in terms of pysical skills – starters novice maybe or not as they have weaves and contacts. But the big decider will be whether she is ready mentally- is can she focus and not stress. Although so far she seems to be the least stressy of my dogs (not that that is hard as the rest stress real easily)

Beverley

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by beverley thomson.

[beverley thomson]

I need to cement her understanding of weaves so my plan is to do lots of single attempts during the day – making sure each one is from a different place and then start working on multiple attempts and raising energy level. Definitely get a higher failure rate when raise energy level. We havent been doing weaves for very long and I am not convinced she understands them yet in spite of her successes. I want her to be tackling 4 poles with more conviction before I advance too much.

Have been working on the short exercises.
Veloz- long video I left in the stat work with just me playing with lead on so skip that – sometimes just touching collar – did remove play sessions I put in to try and keep him from shut down. These days we can tug and chase the toy around equipment. BUt He was shuting down. When further away he plays these games happily but as soon as he thinks agility might be involved he shuts down. Very fine line between where he is happy playing and how close can get. Then attempt to do the courses but I kept losing track and sending him the wrong way – common theme I think I got lost multiple times with all my dogs. I had issues with him getting angry on the dig but worked oout he was happier when I was further away from the jump – so need to remember this and work on getting closer.

Te was just charging and I needed to get my commands faster when I need him to turn sooner and watch my body language especially wild arms on tunnel sends. So will work on that.

Fusion – introduced her to an increased height on sequences for the first time and saw an increase in her arousal level although highly distracted by something on the ground. Reminding me that key emphasis is working on her focus – can just imagine her having a party at nationals with six rings close together and just ropes separating….

Thanks for all your help so much to work on.

Beverley

[beverley thomson]

I will keep working on it. Have been working on changing angle each time so no two exactly the same and she fails on the second time I ask. Perhaps I need to change it more so it is more obviously different.

Beverley

[beverley thomson]

Thanks didnt want to waste your time with obvious mistakes.

It took ages to get veloz working as he was just all over the place so by time I got started I was frazzled but he had calmed down.

I love watching fusion thinking things thru. she is getting faster and more confident every time I train her at the moment. did a little of skills course on a higher height today and had a different dog in a good way – she had so much fun. On a side note for the second time today she did weaves (4 or 6 poles) well but when I changed things slightly she started offering other patterns. Wondered if she thinks because I ask her again she was wrong so took her and did a jump then reasked the same thing she failed on and she did it no trouble. is this normal, should I just changed things more so it is less like a repeat at the moment.

will poat videos tomorrow as cant do from home,

Beverley

[beverley thomson]

Hi

Thanks for that. Makes perfect sense- I need you standing next to me….

I am thinking twice about posting videos of Tes runs at jumpers from the first sets- it showed me just how out of practise I am running proper courses rather than close courses. He got overexcited and my handling was late so rails went flying… Here te work on course 2 week 1.
I tried leaving on the weaves- need to train this more. Also cross after second tunnel to go to the weave I needed to cross in there but hestitated too much so got a discusssion there.

Veloz he just went sky high – no focus just jumping…

veloz first jumpers course or bits of it

seconfd one I didnt do just focus work around jumps and when anohther dog running- he did well on that but then exploded when did some jump work so just did a little circle and stopped.

Fusion is so much easier to run- she is slower at the moment but every time she is speeding up. just more and more work on distractions needed.

beverley

[beverley thomson]

Here veloz video edited out the stuff in middle and left in bits where he struggled food plus toy no issue, food plus agility equipment no issue, toy as reward plus equipment hard. should have moved away I am great at hindsight.

treat toss game

need to take on the road.

verbals – some veloz has no issues but some he cant do when his head starts to spin

verbals are fine until add arousal so this is obviously step missing.

[beverley thomson]

I am a bit slow what is a cloud based game

I was thinking more about the safety of throwing food on the ground at a show close to the ring

The hardest thing I find with veloz is that he seems fine and then it is just a step too far…
will try and post videos tonight.

Fusion is very into how do I get most reinforcement fast and as yet hasnt quite the same attraction to agility equipment. So she is there are lots of treats what would you like. She is a planner and patient… Am having trouble with her escaping at the moment- you think she is relaxed and asleep- go a few feet away and she climbs over the top of the crate- checks to see whether second compartment locked if it is climbs back into hers and goes over the outside edge and pushes window open and jumps out. I can work her for ages with treat bag on the ground but if I leave it to put her away. When she comes out later – straight to where treat bag was just in case I forgot it.

[beverley thomson]

Hi

I did play around with the transition stuff. But left computer at home.
All my dogs are very used to the first steps of this game as it is one I use alot for teaching and get my dogs working with me. But I hadnt thought about taking it up a few levels.

Summary was when I raised the level by doing with a toy or agility equipment close at my place veloz was able to work. If I had a toy and agility equipment close he started to think twice. I havent taken it on the road yet- definitely will struggle then. Fusion was fine as long as on a lead…
My question is that with the food toss and then reorientate – how do you use this at a trial- or am I thinking too far ahead…

Verbals Both my dogs showed they were sloppy on the downs and sits- in that they would throw either one in regardless. But fusion fast worked out that didnt work. Veloz stressed when he didnt get rewarded something to work on. Again Veloz started to shut down a little if toy and equipment close especially if I asked him for an interaction with the wing. Fusion was pretty good although again if she was unsure she threw what ever she assumed.

[Author]

Posts