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I see part of the problem with the serps, I watched the video again, and see that I went straight to 3 jumps instead of doing the exercises with the tunnel. Worked on that today, it went well with some bobbles when I tried to put the two jumps after the tunnel completely straight, so I’ll work on that a bit more…
Cindy
Hi Tracy –
Thanks for the feedback on the rears. Your comments are so helpful, I see the feet issue now, and wondered what was happening. No excuses, but I think I would do better on the rears if I had more space, I might set this up again and try to create a better line to the tunnel, it felt very awkward.
However, last night I did move on to serpentines. I used to like serps, I thought I was good at them, in retrospect, it was obviously my Terv girl who was good at serps, it appears I’m hopeless. I’m going to review the video again, then try again this evening. Georgie is so fast, I can’t get ahead, and I think I lose connection on the third jump. ARGH. I tried directionals, but getting the correct directional out at the right time was harder than I thought. Last night I meant to say left after the first jump, instead said right, and she was perfect, so apparently the timing of my “right” cue was correct for the third jump, when I thought I was giving it for the second jump. LOL. For good or for bad, I’ll post video soon. I just need to bleep out the 4 letter words. Don’t worry, I say them in a happy voice. And I think you’re right, she has been vocalizing less! Until I started working serpentines. LOL.
So, concerning pattern games, I have an idea. It seems it would be nice if her brain didn’t explode every time a dog goes in the tunnel at the seminar, the owner of the facility is sensitive to dogs barking. Definitely should crate her in the car, at that facility the cars are not far away, so that works. But I was thinking… Georgie also goes out of her mind when I play the videos of our training or your videos, without muting, every time anyone says tunnel tunnel. So I was thinking of working on the pattern games while running the video un-muted. Might not translate to a different environment, but I’m thinking it couldn’t hurt to try???
Cindy
Hi Tracy –
Ok, wings and tunnels! I don’t think this is in the right order, but hopefully I got all the exercises. Rear crosses tricky, of course. I did try to do the exercises on both sides, but you may not be able to tell in the video. I just kept moving the wings around to try to make room.
I haven’t done as much practice as I would have liked, hot, hot, hot, but it cooled down a bit the last couple of days, so I squeezed in as much as I could before it heats up again this weekend.
Thanks for the tip about the pattern games. It’s amazing how something so simple can be so effective. I’m practicing them sometimes when I’m out walking Georgie, she tends to want to meet every dog and person we see, but as soon as she knows we’re playing, she’s totally into it. Looking forward to trying it with dogs going into tunnels.
I still don’t have a class to go to, BUT, I got into a Dudley Shumate one day seminar for young dogs at the end of September, so that may help compensate for the lack of in-person class. Still working on that, I think I may be able to get in with Estelle after it cools off, she can’t do many privates right now because of the heat, and her travels.
Happy Friday!
Cindy
I’ll go back and check on the patterns game, sounds like I need that. I was a little worried when we got there and the previous class was running and every time somebody’s dog hit the tunnel she went nuts, would like to get that under control, I mean, don’t want to be doing that at trials!
But the best is the focus. She gave me the same focus as she does at home, I was happily surprised at that, since she hasn’t had much chance to work at other locations. Good girlie.
Cindy
I’m so happy that her commitment is improving so much, that’s kinda huge, and you see things that I don’t necessarily see. I’ll watch 1:37 again a few times and try to see if I can do that again. This is really important stuff for us!
Last night Georgie went to class, the instructor said it was ok since we have a couple of absences, and another friend was coming with her young dog, too.
Georgie was excited and barked every time a dog took a tunnel, so I tried to distract from that, otherwise might need to crate in the car. But overall she did really well, we just did jump tunnel jump wrap tunnel. Then jump tunnel jump left jump. The we worked some push backs. She jumped her first double (set at 8”), and had a grand time. So pleased how focuses she stayed on me, and I was excited to realize I could actually let go of the toy. (My other dog likes to run off into a tunnel with the toy, and drop it right in the middle of the tunnel, so I learned to hold on tight to toys.) She held her start lines, except once, with much more distance than I get at home because, well, little yard. Lori said she really works to do what I want. And no BIG MADS! LOL.
You’ve given us such a good foundation, it’s amazing how these exercises come together to create real-world skills. I think I have an agility dog!
Cindy
I want to work on this some more, I don’t think I ever successfully got good countermotion on any of the jumps other than maybe the first. Everything happens so fast on this, I couldn’t think past moving toward the jumps and moving away! Change arms, change arms! Awww, too late. LOL.
Cindy
Oh, that’s what happened at :56! Thanks for pointing that out. And I do have to think more about the deceleration, I’ll go back and watch 1:20. I thought I might not have been decelerating as I should, wasn’t thinking too much about it as I ran.
Running with an open bottle of water, that should be interesting, I’ll try it!
I honestly thought she was going to finish the sequence with that toy. At least where it dropped was a good reward for the wrap! She’s such a funny little girl.
Cindy
Georgie and I both had fun with the wraps concept transfer. I watched our video from yesterday, and didn’t like my big arms, so I re-did it quickly this morning. Still might be more arms than necessary, but better. Georgie had no objections to the re-do.
It’s finally getting how out here in SoCal, no more noon time practices for a while, will have to switch to morning/evening.
Cindy
Thanks, Tracy!
It’s so hard to remember to connect ALL THE TIME. I suspected that was part of our problem.
I didn’t know how to handle the second wing, not sure why, but I think I’ve corrected that.
So, how I am I going to keep up with this girl!
Cindy
I will probably contact Kate Moreaux, Kate’s mother bred Georgie, and grandpa is Kate’s Kelvin, so she should know what my little monster needs, and she’s eminently qualified. I’m a bit hesitant because it’s a little farther than I wanted to drive, but not impossible. I was hoping to go to Estelle Robinson, I’ve worked with her before with my other dog, but she is very busy and I’m not sure she can fit me in. Mia would be great, but is a bit too far, up there in Santa Barbara. Anyway, there are others, I’ll keep looking.
I currently train with Lori Barbee, but she only does one class. I’m hoping to work Georgie in to do pieces of the courses, but we’ll see, class is full right now.
Thank goodness for you! These puppy classes have been great, and though I haven’t always kept up, we’ve learned a lot and it’s given us a good foundation. My girl has skills! And border collies are definitely different, thanks for translating for me. LOL!
Cindy
BIG MADS, that’s so funny. I will remember that. At least she didn’t bite me. :-).
Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll try again tomorrow and see if I can avoid the BIG MADS. I’ll work with a toy, too, as you describe.
You know, I forget the I’m working in a smushed space, I watched the video and marveled and how far apart the obstacles are. I’m working on finding a trainer that will do privates with me, and/or a class, but baby classes are few and far between. And even though we have lots of agility in SoCal, traffic makes it difficult to go to far out……. But I really need to work a “real” course where there is distance. I have no idea what my timing should be like when there’s more distance between obstacles.
A couple of weeks ago, I took her to an agility show and go, but was mainly trying to see if she had focus in a strange location with people around, so I took in a toy, did a few jumps and a tunnel, played tug, that kind of thing. She never lost her focus on work. I was very pleased about that.
Much to do…..thanks again for the suggestions…..
Cindy
Thanks, Tracy, we both had a blast, and you’re exactly right, it gave me just a glimpse of agility with Georgie. I was excited about that, and a little scared. LOL. I’ll work on the verbals, I’m going to need them.
I was going to ask you about raising the bar. I think she likes a little more jump in her jump.
I’ll be going back and working on the tunnel lessons. Still need to get more weight in the new tunnel bags, and perhaps another set.
These classes have been great, thanks for all your help. I’ll get signed up for the next one!
Cindy
