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Tracy –
Wow, 4 is much harder than 3. But still fun. My terv got it going one way, but not the other. Aren’t there with Georgie yet.This should be a great exercise for speeding up my handling.
Also good for practicing startlines. Georgie stuck her stay well, and at a sit, looked happy and intense, her head slightly down, and nobody watching would think I beat her. I think the longer lead out helps with that. (For the record, I never so much as reprimanded her for breaking the start line, but that head down crouch, well….) Oh, oh, and I was so proud of her, she was at the start, twitched, obviously started to break, and corrected herself. Big reward. So down/sit her choice! She’s doing so much better.
It was a good morning, even though we weren’t totally successful, just wanted to share!
Cindy
Exactly. That’s exactly what I want, I want to look back and have that moment of connection and release. We just need to do it the border collie way, though from what I’ve seen, the BC way involves usually involves a lot of scootching and some drama, but I suspect she’ll certainly be watching me! We’ll see how it goes. Much better trainers than I struggle with start-lines, especially with BCs.
Cindy
Good, I’d like Georgie to do what’s natural for her, just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a downside I wasn’t thinking of. Thanks.
Cindy
oh, and sorry for the bad editing job on the video, I’ve been trying to streamline the process and not obsess over it too much, looked like I added the same clip twice….should have obsessed a little bit more!
Cindy
Thanks, Tracy! Glad I’m on the right track. I have put away the jump and just have the barrel out in the yard so I can practice sending her every once in a while. Sending is going to be a very, very important skill because I’m certainly not going to be able to keep up with her. If I toss a toy towards the barrel, should I aim for the start of the turn in the beginning?
I’ll go back to those exercises from the last session, appreciate you sending those links. Looks like I missed some important stuff. I blame Christmas. 🙂
One question that keeps coming up during practice. If I leave her on a sit stay, and she downs, should I just accept the fact that she’d rather have a start line down and work with that instead? I’ve been re-setting her in a sit, but then she does that vulture thing, and she seems happier in a down…. I’ve been tossing her cookies to get her head up a bit, but I believe you said not to worry about a vulture sit. I would just like her to look a little happer. 🙂 I’m used to looking back at the start line at my beautiful Terv….connecting and releasing. Georgie’s beautiful, too, of course, but not so much when she’s crouchy. But sure, sure, it’s not all about looks
Thanks again.
Cindy
Hi Tracy –
Thanks! I’ve probably worked on this a little TOO much. I’m still getting some jumping up at the beginning, but am trying the connection/eye contact, and less arm, though it doesn’t always help. When she stood and looked ast me, I tried just holding my ground to let her figure it out. I’m fairly sure that I was often using too much arm, trying to support her for the send, and you’re right, I don’t think it really works that way. I’m also trying to bring down my verbal cues a bit. Again, easy to get louder and louder, and saying the cue louder is definitely not helpful.
I also think I was rotating my shoulders too soon, that is shockingly difficult to fix, but I’m trying to stay facing the wall.
I did decide to shift to a barrel, and that seemed to help some. I’m going to continue working on sends separately, with a toy as reward and see if we can smooth things out.
But time to move on. This was a frustrating exercise, I should have moved on sooner.
Question, I must have missed the exercise on introducing backsides, and can’t seem to find it, maybe it was in the first session?
Would move on to tunnels, but clean run is completely out of tunnel bags, it appears there is a tunnel bag shortage. I’d prefer not to continue without more tunnel bags, I’ll keep looking.
Thanks very much.
Cindy
Well, this is silly. I have 2 edited videos of two different sessions working on serps. One shows us being mostly successful. One shows us mostly not being successful. I don’t seem to have anything in between. But I need to move on, so I’m going to include the mostly not successful one because it shows our struggles when I moved the wing farther away. I just couldn’t get that part, so it seems we especially need help with sends.
Thanks!
Hi Tracy!
She is working with well with arousal, isn’t she? Didn’t think about it that way. I’ll set up the tunnel again and try it with a toy. I knew I wasn’t quite supporting the tunnel at times, not used to having to do that, I typically spend more time trying to keep my Terv OUT of the tunnel. 🙂 I know, this is a baby dog thing.
Speaking of tunnels, can I ask for tunnel advice? Would it make sense for me to get a 10 ft tunnel for these exercises, with an additional 2 sets of bags? I have a 8 pitch tunnel in my Amazon cart right now, but I’m trying not to impulse buy. I haven’t been able to find a 6 pitch, clean run is out of them. Or is the bigger tunnel, lower pitch, better. Either way I need more bags.
Here’s part 2 of the tunnel/wrap exercises. I’m learning that I really do have to connect, seriously connect, side of my face not enough right now.
Thanks for all your good advice and help.
Cindy
Here’s part 1 of our tunnel wrap work. I thought I was going to have trouble keeping her out of the tunnel. I was wrong.
Cindy
Thanks, Tracy. Luckily I don’t think she knows what ARGHHH means, but I could be wrong, it’s all in the tone after all. 🙂 I try not to do that but was frustrated by that point and it sneaked out and I knew I’d get in trouble. I left it in hoping you could give me feedback on why she was breaking, and you did! But on those days when I can’t hold in my frustration I really should just stop.
I’m going to go back and compare those lineups and stop changing sides for now. If the problem persists, I’ll do a “breaking stay” video.
More distance, that should be fun!
We worked the wrap/tunnel discrimination before the rains came, I’ll try to get that edited tonight.
Cindy
Odd, I thought I’d posted a video! But I guess not. Here’s more wrap work, you were right, standing closer to the wing made all the difference.
Cindy
I almost forgot to brag on the fact that Georgie will now bring the toy back to my hand, you may see that in one of the videos. That’s what we worked on during the rains the last couple of weeks. I never could get my Terv girl to bring back the toy, I have many stories about that!
Rain is coming again, I can’t believe it. Won’t last too long, though.
Cindy
Here’s the set point video, my biggest problem was getting her to stay. Thought we were doing well with that, but apparently not. I should have cut this down a bit further.
The sun is out, I’ll get out the tunnel tomorrow!
Cindy
Raining again today, but tomorrow I should be able to work on this again and record. Yesterday there was barking and jumping when I tried working with the toy. Yes, she was moving towards me. I’ll be interested in seeing whether she does that again tomorrow. She’s not getting a lot of exercise, I’m doing what I can do in the house and outside when the rain breaks, so that could be a factor. I’ll get closer to the wing and see what happens.
Can’t wait, maybe the sun will come out tomorrow. I’m a California girl, I get sad and depressed after 3 days of rain. I need sun.
In the meantime, I think I have video of set point I haven’t posted…
Cindy
