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Weather temps are dropping again so don’t know what will happen the next couple of days. We did a combined fast lazy game with timing and connection.
<Do you mean for the middle wing?>
Yes for the middle wing. I was originally using a wrap cue to the middle wing to come back to me to the tunnel but dropped it.
<I like to envision a jump bar there: what would the turn look like? >
Ok this really helps. I think it always throws me off what verbal I should be using when it’s just the wing but imagining the jump there instead is super helpful.
<Try not to do spins on the tunnel entry when you want a straight exit (:47, :54, :59 for example) – we will want her to turn on the exit if she sees a spin on the entry, so keep these straight exits as post turns so she doesn’t learn to ignore the spins.>
Ok this was me being lazy so I didn’t have to turn all the way around LOL – it didn’t even come to mind that I was handling it as a spin but that is a very good point. Thanks for that input!
We haven’t added height to this yet but have done spins on the board. We’ve also been working a lot on rear end awareness lately with backing up on the plank too.
Here is our mountain climber session. I didn’t realize that we would be working through some contact stuff in Maxpup. I had started working through the teeter class I did with Emmie on my own and had made it through this module. However, it’s probably been over a month and a half since we visited it.
I just kept this video to 4 reps. We had a few more in there but got mixed up on the posting requirements so already had deleted the others. Still learning how I should be using my verbals with her. On the last exercise I initially was using a soft turn cue (swing) with wrap cue (check) at the beginning of the session. But I think dropping the wrap cue is better in this type of situation. I think I want that to really mean a very tight wrap back to me. Also I don’t know how much motion and turning to use vs. not use yet either. By the last rep definitely had a perfect mix.
<It is just so crazy that you have green grass to run on! But really great to be able to train outdoors!!>
I know – this is the middle of January! It’s 40 degrees and no snow!
<On those, as she got to the wing, you moved to the side (not forward) so she is not really seeing the countermotion and a connection shift is not really needed on those>
So how do I set myself up better to execute it? Is it where I’m sending her from? I kept thinking I was blocking the wing so she couldn’t see it too.
<Remember to show exit line connection to her after a cross or wrap, even when you are just rewarding her, to make it a habit.>
Yes – I really have to work on this to help her stay on the line of jumps.
Trying to get little bit of all the lessons in while I can with the weather. Here is shifting connection.
Here is the last sequence for sends on one side only. I thought I only did BC here but apparently I threw in FC as well. I again didn’t know how to handle this. I wasn’t sure if she was going to take the wing or the jump so was very late with my crosses. I also felt like the blinds were “floating” so it was causing her too as well.
We actually have nice weather and no snow…in January! Took advantage while I could. Here are sends. I was struggling with how fast/slow I need to go on the 180s. I felt like I was keeping my connection better in this session than I have previously but my actual handling wasn’t so great.
I also just realized I’m switching the toy in my hands again 🙄 I swear I’m trying to keep that in mind.
I keep going into these exercises thinking I’ll be able to get through them quickly. And then I realized I have a completely new puppy I’m learning to be a team with and become humbled 😂. These are really good exercises for us. I need to maintain better connection with her and learn how to help her succeed better in our training. I left basically all the reps in here because we only got to the front cross and had to break a lot of stuff down. The first rep was hilarious to me because I’ve just never had a dog flank out away from me like this. All my dogs are next to me. Looking back, I do think I should have set this up on an easier and more open part of the ring. I think I’ll move onto the next lessons for now as well.
<this also means I am 100000% *against* dogs beginning their trial careers at 15 months or 18 months because there is simply no way all the pieces are in place enough to be in the trial ring>
SAME.
<The set point and the striding grids are the first to see the higher jumps, and I make sure there is motion added onto those before I bring higher heights into handling.>
I have been taking a separate foundation jumping class to focus on grids. We are taking a break from it but I’m going to start back up with it in the spring when i have room to train again. I’ve never focused on jumping before so this is a learning curve for me. I actually might take it with Emmie because I think it would help her confidence for some of the obstacles as well. I feel like I need to focus on it with Lu because of her physical maturity. She’s very athletic but her legs/body are everywhere right now LOL. And her mental maturity I see the same thing. She has laser focus for working but is so puppy in everything else.
<When she is happy on the grids, the heights can come up in handling bit by bit – this will vary based on how familiar she is with the skill and how well she can do it. If it is a familiar skill in a familiar location? The bar can come up. Unfamiliar skill in familiar location? Low bar. Familiar skill in unfamiliar location? Low bar. Unfamiliar skill in unfamiliar location? Definitely low bar!>
I’ll keep this in mind the next couple of months.
