[Bobbie Bhambree]

So cool! Practicing on a golf course!!

I would like for you to practice this game daily- either indoors or outdoors. In addition, practice Superbowls in class, outside of the ring. Can you take video while doing this?

Also, sometimes, I would like for you to place the bowls about 2 ft farther apart when you are working indoors and outdoors (if there isn’t too much going on around you).

Regarding weaves-
Do you have 2x2s at home?

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Great work with Superbowls!! I’d like you to use it without the clicker now since he understands the concept. You won’t be able to use a clicker when running in sequences in the near future.

I would like for you to practice Superbowls in class now and other busier environments. Not in the ring yet, just when another student is running, for example.

For Shadow Handling, the focus isn’t that his paws come off the ground. If they do, it’s not a big deal. If you prefer he doesn’t then time your treat when all four are on the floor, so to speak. Also, lower your hand when delivering the treat- that’s why he is jumping up.

Practice Shadow Handling for about 2-3 min as part of your warm-up routine for all agility; in class, seminars, et. Also, I would like for you to practice this exercise as well when you do not have agility. At home is fine on some days- other days, take the show on the road.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Don’t worry about doing the first assignment where you measure his reaction. I have a good idea based on our conversations and posts.

Start with relaxation and the snuffle Mat. 🙂

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Fantastic! Now take this exercise on the road! Try to practice it daily for about 2-3 min in different places, including agility class before it’s your turn. You can do it outside of the building or outside of the ring, if there is enough room and space from the other dogs.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Ha! Her wrinkles will eventually smooth out! 🙂

For now, you will give treats continuously. In about a week or two, we will start looking for signals of relaxation.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

I recommend using the Snuffle Mat about 5 min before your turn in the ring. Then use the Patterns Games you know Coal have value for about a min before you enter the ring. Then feed him on the way to the start line.

Ok about the 1-2-3 Game–good plan.

Lastly, how is the Superbowls Game going outside? Have you had a chance to practice? I would like to add it to equipment but first, need to assess how it’s going outside. 🙂

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Hi Kim,

Here is the recording from our session: https://zoom.us/rec/share/IFRyHwV_lK7KuM4vBuq9JRtzYpzX2pptox4jCJE_l3JjhK1Gm9Sv3R4bLqxshzJR.sejxtMvDfr_K50q2?startTime=1679492610000
Passcode: tw3rd*h^

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Hi Beverly!

The first video link doesn’t work. Can you please resend it?

Video 1, tunnel game-
So I see how his arousal is getting higher and he is coming up at you. Just do one tunnel and then ask him to sit if you see this behavior. Then scatter a bunch of really good treats in the grass–chicken or meatballs, something that will capture his attention and encourage him to sniff. If he is having a better day where his arousal seems better managed, then try going for 2-3 tunnels and then scatter the meatballs or chicken in the grass.

Nice job with the toy!

Also, I would like for you to move WITH him through the tunnel so that your handling is consistent with what you are asking him to do.

Video 2-
You are asking too much of Veloz in this video. Just work on asking him to sit with the toy on the chair. Don’t ask him to wrap a barrel first. Also, because you are not moving towards the barrel and standing near the chair, your position is inconsistent with your verbal cue and hand pointing. For now, just work on asking Veloz to sit while the toy is on the chair. If he sits, release and throw the toy.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

This is great! We are not going to use tug as a reward because it isn’t in the context of agility. We are going to use it in other ways to encourage her to go go go! Keep playing this game a couple of times, once per day.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Hi Susanne,

I thought you posted yesterday only based on the dates, after I checked the forum and posted earlier in the day. If you post more than one video before I respond, can you please let me know so that I don’t miss a post from the day before? Feel free to poke me via email.

Find Your Face video-
I love your enthusiasm and energy!! One thing I want to change- when JuJubee “finds” your face, give her a treat and then toss another one to have her move away.

Relaxation video-
Great job waiting for behaviors that look like relaxation!! I love that she is laying down right away now, and on her hip!

Even though it feels counterintuitive, I would like for you to also give her a treat if she is not showing signs of relaxation. This will help prevent her from offering behaviors versus truly relaxing. Make sense?

[Bobbie Bhambree]

I would recommend the 1-2-3 Game. But first, practice it in different settings with the BEST treats you have. Spend a week or so building value before doing it in the most exciting place for Tipsy (the training building).

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Ok, start using the 1-2-3 Game when walking into the ring and when you need to reset him for another turn.

Let’s use high-value food items for the next few weeks, even though Coal is a foodie. They will be a stronger motivator.

Find Your Face looks better! Let’s add one thing- when Coal “finds” your face, praise as well as give him a few treats before tossing a treat away.

Take the Superbowls Game on the road- outside at a park, for example. Please have him on leash when outside. 🙂

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Your instructor’s voice sounds familiar. Who is that? 🙂

Snuffle Mat-
So that the Snuffle Mat is not associated with arousing situations (agility) only, please practice it daily for about 1-2 min (because of her diet restrictions). What we want to measure is the quality of her behavior while using the mat. Does she continue sniffing about in an energetic, excited way, or does she slow down a bit?

I wasn’t clear in my previous instructions, sorry about that! After she uses the Snuffle Mat, can you record her run? I want to see if it starts making a difference in her arousal while it’s her turn in the ring.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Hi Beverly! I added your checklist here and added my comments.

Training plan Veloz
Note
underline means part of my understanding of current plan (ps no plan doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t a plan I just don’t understand what it is)
Italics- my thoughts on things to do not in current plan
Maintenance stuff plan
Relax on mat

>> BOBBIE FEEDBACK: Continue practicing this daily for 10 min. Start looking for signs of relaxation, such as an exhale, rolling on one hip, seeing his face relax.

Snuffle mat inside or outside away from agility equipment

>> Continue using this after a training session.

Pattern games- bowl game and treat toss mainly inside and around equipment.
Shadow handling- where ever we go with and without agility equipment present (shows, home, places train, local park, work)

>> Continue practicing this around equipment and away from equipment. If you can practice this 2-3 times per week for about 3 min, that would work well.

Find my face games – can do low arousal but cant do around equipment currently – perhaps need to look at introducing a toy to increase arousal as a stepping stone

>> Practice Find My Face, using a toy to reward when he finds you. Practice away from equipment and take video for me to give feedback.

Tunnel work – Plan building up to 5 tunnels and beyond – sending to plate or manners minder and also asking for sits at start and sometimes at end. Aim to help him stay in control when head spinning as multiple tunnels plus passing close to me build his arousal. I would also like to be able to build this with a toy present as that will lift his arousal more but slightly differently

>> For now, practice building the number of times you send him into the tunnel. Ask for a sit after sending him into the tunnel X number of times. You can also practice asking for a Hand Target instead of a Sit. Lastly, sometimes, ask for a Sit, then release into the tunnel to play this game. This game can be played once per week. Please take video.

Jump work – Plan using 4 jumps (box work) add in movement and handling like front crosses using bowls- haven’t done a lot of this as grounds too wet. Struggles here is to get a stay at start without just running off to do jumps as hard to do handling etc if he is way ahead of me from start Ideas needed.

>> BOBBIE FEEDBACK: As soon as the field dries, let’s try this. In the meantime, continue playing the Superbowls Game in the training field with equipment in the area.

Start work (Sit-Stay at Startline) no plan… – need to get a stable position at start. Currently the sit is very difficult to get if he thinks we are going to do something- he freezes, his eyes roll and he will often leave if he can. I think he needs to understand that we don’t start until I release him but teach him this without pressure that makes him shutdown. Currently I don’t think he understands this or maybe he finds the pressure too much so once he thinks we are going to do an obstacle he does it.

>> BOBBIE FEEDBACK: Work on a Sit-Stay on a platform, like a Cato board. Start with the Cato board in the training field near agility equipment, but not in front of a jump. Please take video and post it for feedback.

Previous
This happened before and I trained using a mat and then a platform thinking it would provide a stronger cue to stay. I could get a wait anywhere until I introduce equipment and then I got shut down. So I went to a collar release to avoid the wait pressure – didn’t go well in that ended up chasing him around the course and my handling cues were horrible- I have another fast dog that I do this with successfully but my other dog is high energy calm at the start as long as I don’t leave him. Veloz is on fire rather than calm so we are not together without cam at start

Recently tried
If he offers equipment (I try to avoid) I try and ignore – no plan looking for ideas and thoughts not sure what else to do try to keep him focused on me with shadow handling
I did and still are doing quite a bit of shadow handling around equipment – he seems semi fine with this but struggle to get it back if ask him to do a jump. He always struggles control behaviours – I do rally with him which he does but doesn’t love no matter how much I reward.
I walk up and ask for a sit on lead – have been using a double lead and introduced a martingale lead as easier to get off. Touching the clip on a lead is definitely a trigger. So I have been practising asking for a sit on lead near a jump this was improving at first could only sit with his back to jump. I have also been taking his martingale lead off and on with lots of rewards. This is patchy if he is settled and I don’t ask for anything but if he thinks we might go over a jump he struggles to sit
Started with snuffle mat but was creating possibility of poisoning as was starting to get minor shutdown around snuffle mat and I want to keep snuffle mat really strong and associated with calmness not stress. When previously I used a mat he actively started avoiding the mat.
I then tried using a bowl or a treat toss- this worked okay but he emptied the bowl too fast or left the treats This is why I thought about the mm
I used a manners minda sitting beside him and basically just pumping out the treats- my idea was to create value for staying when I moved away but in our 1on1 you suggested I would be better to practise with no jump and mm and then introduce a jump between the mm and the start in the same place we had been practising- I spent quite abit of time trying to get this. Up until this last month I haven’t used the mm with veloz as he didn’t have value for it. But being calmer he has started to see value for it. Same story if I just walked around I could get him to wait just but as soon as I did a jump (no bar) it took several attempts to get back to staying. Have gone back to lots and lots of repetitions no jump . I still think putting it at the start and using it to reward his wait would be valuable also wondered whether I should start with a cone as less value but is this just chickening out
Platform – as said in live we use a platform for fitness so he is familiar with it. Inside he will offer behaviours . I took it outside on porch then on grass lots of going onto platform and staying a short period. Struggles when equipment present working on this.
Another thing might be worth looking at is using a toy would be interested in your thoughts – With a toy I can get a sit (not a wait) and then tell him to do say a tunnel. We have play tug sit tug and toy toss games where you have to sit before the toy is thrown a lot over time. The toy cuts thru the shutdown that starts to happen when I ask for the control sit at the start but it can make if harder to control his arousal over the equipment. I have played with this a little using just a cone as that is less arousing.
My thought is once I start to get a wait I should redo Tracy terminal game.
Note currently close to the jump if he is a bit sticky I usually ask him to do a couple of his favourite tricks (routine is nose touch, back up, spin and then sit as this tells me where his head is at and the tricks make it more likely to get a sit)
I do wonder whether I should change to a down
Finish work (although really part of other stuff just here as need to keep focus on it so clear start, go and finish). Plan to make sure reward is available fast and gradually more it away eg from tunnel Using bowls or manners minda so clear reward placement. I do tend to ask for a sit if I don’t feel I have him going to the right place – this is a reflex from me as if I call early enougn he will generally sit. In the agility ring asking for a sit at the end was effective most of the time if I timed it right. If he doesn’t it is a sign he is too high.

General comments
I find sessions have to be very short if doing high arousal or he goes over the top. I need to do destressing in between runs. I also find I have to be careful not to do too much control work especially around the start or he starts to shutdown – if it happens too much it bleeds into the next sessions so I need to balance control calm stuff with working him fast.

Details games
Mat- quiet feeding inside (usually for 10-15 minutes) plus sessions play with toy go to mat and repeat
Snuffle mat periods of 2 to 3 minutes for calming down- do this after done one or two training things and at shows including close to ring and in holding area. Also doing a lot of run to mat so play toy and run to mat As think snuffle mat will be good at end of run. I do notice that he is more energetic about the snuffle mat when his head is spinning (so around agility shows or after we have done something like multiple tunnels) while if he is down like after doing wait work or less stressed! Eg after playing with a toy he is less interested. Perhaps overthinking it.
Pattern games- do a lot of bowl games as this seems to settle him- games like up down he doesn’t really like. I find bowl game helps me understand where his head is at in a busy environment – based on how much he is looking around . I find it invaluable for allowing him to settle when things are chaotic. So also use it quite abit when doing other games to bring him back down. So do it a lot around agility equipment and shows
Find my face
Do heeling and then disconnect
Tunnel work – Plan building up to 5 tunnels and beyond – sending to plate or manners minda and also asking for sits at start and sometimes at end. Currently doing 4 tunnels in a row but only twice in a session almost 5. Also adding in a jump – can do tunnel jump tunnel jump tunnel bowl. Trying to ask for a wait first. Also sometimes ask for a sit to see if can still sit
Jump work
Set up a box .
Line Veloz up at the start (not sure what to do about no wait)
Do 3 to 4 jumps adding in different handling- straight line, left and right turn , rear cross (if can get distance), tight turns, front cross, backside- later threadle , wrap,
Need me moving building up from walk to running as appropriate.
Finish to bowl.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Hi Goretta!

Here is the recording from our session:

https://zoom.us/rec/share/p8pVYVpLqNBTb4-ylesphsdyJhdXXFUK_VKOWkxuqCvYsZQA8nnC0UJWKcMwtiQu.-daDLOO6D8hzeVVv?startTime=1679333853000
Passcode: 813#*eJR

[Author]

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