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Here was our second turn at class. A little bit of an easier set-up for her if I just stayed connected. Although it’s still a little bit out of our wheelhouse I did want to try practicing the threadle wrap. I had my friend come out and hold her during this since I wanted to focus on the skill. However, I did do one start line stay and she held it really well.
I gave Em the week off from class because she was at the trial this past weekend so brought Lu instead. Also made an effort to get my turns on video with her. Our first turn is a perfect example of the type of tunnel exits that are the most difficult for her. We tried breaking this down some and it did eventually work – but I feel like this continues to always be an issue and I’m not sure how to fix it. It’s always the really flat tunnel exits that she just continues on her line – I feel like this is will be especially difficult if we attempt any European type course work because that’s where you always see them.
During the trial this weekend, we practiced this outside the ring. I did not get it to tape but she initially had a very hard time releasing the toy. So I added treats after the release and then getting the toy. She started releasing quicker with this and sitting pretty fast. Last night we practiced this at class before doing anything in the ring and I got it on video. Her arousal during this session was not as high as it was later during class. I did not attempt it the tug-sit-tug before the sequencing. Should I have? I still wanted to practice it at home some as well.
So after reflecting more today on yesterday’s run and discussing it with friends I’m much happier with it than I first was.
1) I didn’t cue the turn to the tunnel appropriately for her and more seasoned dogs than her were overshooting it as well.
2) Instead of going around all the jumps, she did take all of the ones on her line back to me. That’s a pretty big win since that’s something she struggles with.
I think I felt like I was more upset with myself for not setting up a good NFC plan for that course yesterday.
Today we had one NFC Speedstakes run and I was much happier with how I executed it. 1-3 was a very hard line for her because of how the tunnel exit was and the fact I really needed her to see me cue the obstacles after the tunnel before she went in it. So because I wanted to work the sequencing, I had a friend hold her again. This went much better than at Canine sports Zone. She focused on the jump before I released her and the rewarded in her line after 3. Then instead of messing around with trying to get her to set up I just sent her on the jump and rewarded again after she took another really difficult jump for her out of the tunnel. Then the ending, I again sent her on a wrap instead of messing around with a set up and practiced a rear cross on the tunnel. I also was trying to be really cognizant of how fast I was running. At the end, I was trying to layer that end jump but obviously that was aiming her right back into the tunnel. I was so happy with this run because she did so well on so many things and I actually executed a good plan for her.
Hi! I haven’t been great at videoing our class time the last few weeks but wanted to check in. We’ve had two classes and I would say that the excitement level has definitely been increasing and manifesting in startline behavior :-/ I wanted to give you my plan to address this to maintain my accountability (ha!) and get your guidance. During training, she has a great sit but adding sequencing/class time it completely falls apart. I’ve been making sure to really stay connected but even then she can’t hold a sit. I’ve added a cato board, but that hasn’t helped much either (I think because I have been disconnecting trying to figure out where I’m going). So here’s my plan:
1) Practice outside of the ring on a cato board at the beginning of class.
2) At max, only use a startline 1-2 times during the whole class and with the assist of the cato board. Otherwise, figure out a way to use a wrap start or send somehow.
3) If a lead out is needed, only 1-2 jump lead out (max) so she can be successful holding it.I did train the around the back start, but I think that just makes her more amped at this point. I do want go back and work on the start line stand/dance you posted. But in the meantime I feel like I need to have a plan as I work.
One question I do have, what would you require from her on the Cato board? Typically, my criteria has been that I don’t care what she does on the cato board (sit, stand, etc) as long as she stays on the board. Would you require a sit just to be very clear with her? I think this all comes down to probably staying connected and keeping my criteria very clear but these are some of the things I’ve been thinking about.
On another topic, this weekend I have her entered in two Speedstakes runs at 16s for NFC. The judge is Merrit Speagle. This is our third trial doing NFC and I think that she’s been doing really well in the trial environment. Depending on the courses, I was going to look for places to do rear crosses. I think the other item was working on me continuing on the course if she misses a jump but rewarding after she takes a line instead – not stopping and rewarding for a missed jump. That was my plan for the weekend. Let me know what you think and I’ll try to send a course map on Saturday as it’s the last run of the day.
<Why were there 2 judges in the ring?>
I think they were training her in or something. I just went with it lol.
<And she was generally finding the lines really well – and the spots she missed jumps were legit questions from her>
Ok good. I thought I had pushed it a little too much for her.
<Overall, all of these runs went well! And we can see what helps her (clear connection and not running very fast) versus where she loses the line (running super fast without connection).>
Definitely need to walk each course with connection in mind – not racing to get to my spot.
<In the interest of keeping you connected and not getting too far ahead for now… you should plan some rear crosses>
I’ve been working really hard to try use these more in general so I can become more comfortable executing them because I know I need them with her. They break MY brain though.
<Was she eager to start, or uncomfortable being held, or both?>
It might be a little of both.
< You can also use a station at the start line in UKI NFC.>
I didn’t even think of this. I am trying to work her start line, but will keep this in mind if needed.
<On this run and on the previous run, you had large chunks of the course that went beautifully – both of those sections had great connection and you were moving but not running really fast. Keep that in mind for future runs!>
Yes I’m really trying to do this – new concept for me lol.
<Rather than stop and tug when she goes around something, try to just keep going and reward her for finding the line or get her on a line that you want to work by circling back around over other jumps. We want lots of reward for finding the jumps, rather than for going around them. And since finding jumps after tunnels is hard, you can throw the reward for that!>
Noted! I will work on that.
Here was our third NFC run on Sunday and our last run of the weekend. If I could redo, I probably would have either not done this run or have my friend come back out and hold her for her start line. I think working her start line on the last run of the weekend was asking a lot of her – although she did really do a good job. My aim was to try to run the course as numbered but, I don’t think I can multi-task well myself so my handling was poor in addition to trying to work/reward her start line. So, by the time we got to #7 and I was asking for a wrap turn, it wasn’t going to happen.
Here was our second NFC run on Sunday. This was a mulligan run so I decided to run the course backwards to change it up since we did well with the numbered course. Although it was missed in the video, I did have my friend hold her at the start line again. She was pulling away from my friend and went around all the jumps so I reset and sent her to the backside of the first jump. I will say this was probably my second favorite run from the weekend. After the start line stuff, I was able to run my plan and she nailed the opening from 16-9. We stopped again for a reward at 9 because of the tough lines and reset. I was still happy with 7-4 as she did a really good job looking for her obstacles again. I think I was rushing to get to my spot on 3 so wasn’t a good job on my part.
Here is our first NFC run from Sunday and my favorite of the weekend. I felt like this was the most connected run from the weekend. I had my friend come in and hold her at the start line which didn’t work great but I wanted a bit of a lead out and didn’t want to mess with a start line. My plan was to attempt 1-7, then stop and reward as it was another tough line for novice dogs. I was super happy that she got a couple of jumps (3, 5) because those are usually pretty hard for her to find obstacles coming out of tunnels and I have to be perfect with my handling. I LOVED the line from 8-16. I thought for sure she was going to take the #2 tunnel from 12 but she nailed the ending.
Here is our first and only NFC run on that Saturday. I wasn’t as nervous as I was for our first ever NFC run so that’s good lol. I decided to try running the numbered course because it was nicely spaced. I didn’t attempt a start line and just sent her from my side. My plan was to run 1-8, then reward. Restart at 8 and get to where I could from there. I was expecting to reward somewhere between 13-15 because I thought it would be a pretty hard line for us (and most novice dogs).
Hi Tracy! Thanks for this opportunity for the extended feedback 🙂 I’m feeling a tad bit lost on how to proceed on some stuff during the winter, so glad I can bounce ideas off of you and get some guidance. I was able to FINALLY get Lu in a class for the next couple of weeks. It is a skills class for UKI – but I know the instructor and she is going to break down things for Lu’s level. Other items we are working on is a jump grids class and finally starting to train our dogwalk through an online course. We haven’t done any work on the dogwalk because I felt like she needed to mature more. She still does 🙂 but I think it’s a good time to start now. Also started working on some conditioning with her that will hopefully help her jumping skills. Obviously, I’d really like to improve my handling with her as well but I think that is just going to have to wait some more until spring/summer but at least we have some class time. We also have a couple upcoming seminars as well.
Since our last post, we entered a trial in WI at CSZ for some NFC experience. We also got our first official measurement which we did a lot of prep for prior to it. She did a really good job and the judge made it really easy for us. Official measurement is 21 inches :-O Big girl LOL. Over the weekend, we had a total of 4 runs. We entered all Speedstakes runs at 16’select. Saturday was 1 run and Sunday was 3 runs (they added a mulligan opportunity so signed up). I’ll post each run separately so I can keep them straight in my head. One thing I’m not sure how to address, is moving her up in height. I think she is still learning how to move her body on new surfaces. This summer I was jumping her pretty consistently at 18″ but never quite got her to 20″. I moved her back down for trials and practice during some of the drop in classes to 16 so she could get some confidence on surfaces. I’ve entered her in another trial (Speedstakes only) at On The Run Feb 1-2. I entered her at full height, but since Julie is the trial secretary, thinking about putting her at 16′ select again since it’s only 2 weeks away. That way we can slowly build up to 20″ during our new class.
<I think the things that didn’t go as planned were handling cue issues and not Lu doing random things.>
Completely agree! I was so happy with how she did. I might be actually starting to figure her out! And then maybe my handling can be better LOL.
<The stay position that you released her from just happened to be on the line to the backside, so that is where she went as you stepped forward on the release. Good girl! I don’t think that was what you wanted?>
I had not intention of sending her backside but that’s apparently exactly what I did. 🙂
Here is the course map. I wasn’t’ sure how to post a photo in the forum so it’s in youtube.
My plan was to run 1-7 then reward. I thought we might have an issue 6-7 but nope LOL. Then start with a wrap like I did in the video at 8 and continue out to reward at the end. So really not to plan much but she ran it perfect.
<Yes – the name call locked her into handler focus and a “GO JUMP” might have been more successful there, plus not as much speed from you and more connection (to support her line at this stage of training).>
I”ve been trying really hard to stay extra connected with her but I’ll also have to walk it better telling her what she needs to do before she goes in the tunnels.
