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I definitely have been accused of being flingy with my arms before – I’ll keep working on it.
Firstly, I want to say that I love that you use real life student examples. It has always helped me to watch other people run their dogs. Reasons I love group lessons.
Secondly, I apologize in advance for the long post and video spam!
On to week 2 homework.
Reinforcement stations and Drill 1: We already heavily use reinforcement stations in training/trialing and I do find them very helpful. Cricket has a blue container for treats, Tails has a larger white container that his tug toy fits in
Cricket – edited video https://youtu.be/wA3I3YfASkw
Her blue container in action. Her word for it is “cookies”
For start lines with her I do mainly a spin and run, or a “woof” and run.
At 1:35, 1:41, 2:05 – she refuses the jump right after the tunnel. I think it’s because I decel too fast and not a clear cue.Tails – https://youtu.be/jD50SDERNao
His white container in action. His word for it is “toy, toy”
For start lines I did a touch and run, and also a running start line with him. I would like him to have mainly a running start line. For start lines, I try to use the in between legs to give him time to collect himself (ie. when we are talking to our trainer or when we are waiting at the start line and something on course needs to be fixed), then do the running start.
1st rep: I left an 8″ jump by accident, hand touch start
2nd rep: He missed the last jump (because I think I showed him the toy too early). I rewarded him normally, running start
3rd rep: Used a reinforcement station, running start
He seemed very happy!Lazy Bastard Game
Cricket – https://youtu.be/cjvkix3Tn_A
Tails – https://youtu.be/QSy77NIJ-a0Drill 2
Cricket – https://youtu.be/c_Qz0GMCi98
I made sure to play with her much longer once we completed the drillTails – https://youtu.be/ow0gmib8juA
There was one disconnect section with the start line.
To preface, for this drill I was trying out a new toy with him, one I Frankensteind together. The treats are in a Hol-ee football and I was experimenting with what treats work best in it. Meatballs crumble wayyy too much and kept falling out – and I think that’s what happened at 1:38. This distraction was handled badly by me (asking him to still do the start line and grabbing at him between my legs) which led to 2:20, stress sniffing and continued stress during the start line. He recovered and still ran okay after all of that though I think.We are still working on back up with me moving in the opposite direction, I think next time I may be able to include a jump.
Finally a break in the rain! (definitely a weird statement to make here in SoCal!)
Tails doing some more obstacles, same course as the modified one I did earlier this week.
He starts out kind of sluggish in play, but perks up in the end and he ran well.
I was oddly very quiet during running him – I’m usually very loud and silly, enough that some coaches have told me I over-face him. May be the rainy weather has me subdued today. Will definitely be more peppy next time.First rep we did a play start. He missed the last jump before the tunnel, I just kept going and rewarded. Second rep, another play start, he was awesome. Third rep we did a start line stay then ran the mirror-image of the course. He was a happy guy throughout I feel. I also made sure to play much longer with him after he completed the course.
Its an epoxied floor, so has granules in it – but you’re right, its definitely more slippery and just harder on the joints.
I also have a conditioning room for the dogs, its carpeted, but small … will do engagement training into that room if no equipment is involved.
And you’re right, I do have to be more black and white with the stays, I’m just happy that he is paying attention, lol!
Some PJ training for you! https://youtu.be/ohpXr57qyb0
We started with a play/food session, then a little back up work (he doesn’t like to step/stretch back with his hind legs … have worked on this with several canine conditioning people, it’s just who he is!), then 3 reps of “start line” routines with no obstacles (sorry for the bad camera angle). He seemed very interested/keen with the “start line” routine today (Cricket is the one crying in the background). Also made sure to reward him for a longer period after completing a designated task.
The garage is always kind of hard, its a little slippery and it’s hard to be really bouncy or tug real hard due to the floor… but we both tried our best!
WOW, super enlightening Kim!
I’ve watched a bunch of my engagement videos with him and never noticed my lack of attention after he completes the task until now. Will definitely work on that.I will make my creeping more intense and I usually do chatter at him saying “steaaaadddddy” – will try to make sure I do that every time. We will also start working on the back up in different directions.
It’s a wet day in SoCal, so more garage work tonight with Tails.
Cricket is anti-garage so no appearance from her highness tonight.Oh, interesting, will work on that!
Here is a little play with Tails and I. https://youtu.be/kJcfW0vtI8U
It is in the garage, its loud and its late. So we were both a little lack luster, but I think I got him going in the end. The jump is only 10″.I also did some more start line stuff I’ve been working on, though I know we will be changing it up.
It’s hard to tell, but I ask him for his “place” cue (between my legs – which has been heavily rewarded), then I “creep” away while saying “steaaaady” to wind him up. He does seem to focus on me more and shows less stress cues while waiting, but I still believed he is still stressed.Yes Tails does! Still unsure how I will utilize that in a start line though.
Cricket also has a “speak” cue that some times gets her reved up at the start line.Whoops videos did not post!
Cricket: https://youtu.be/ZIBZUXJl7Qs
Tails: https://youtu.be/_OScc-Lc-NITails: He measures 17.5″ so AKC he jumps 16″. I have not decided if I will be doing USDAA with him as that means he will be jumping 20″. It makes me uncomfortable to jump him 20″. He does not have any physical issues, but I always worry about front end longevity.
Cricket: Her weaves are great in practice/training. In trial depends if something has happened before we get to the weaves (ie handling error). She can have the same stress with the teeter. Her start line is 90% good in training (she will leave the line when I run with her), at trial it depends and can be course related (she hates starting courses with the tunnel or tire jump).
I did a little play with both dogs and then did drill 1 (a modified version of it). I’ll probably have to modify all courses we try due to my yard size. Both these videos are pretty representative of how our training sessions play out. Very, very short sessions with lots of tossed treats.
Cricket
Nothing edited out. At 1:25 you can see her hesitation to enter the tunnel, probably due my handler error from being too far ahead in the first repTails
He was definitely fast here! I added what we are practicing for start line at the end. You can see some of the start line issues when we attempt the run too. I edited out getting his treats and some of his tugging.As you can see, my yard is very long and somewhat narrow.
Is there another way you would rather me modify drill 1?
How best should I modify drill 2 if I am to attempt it? I only have one tunnel and 5 jumps.I have used many different variations of Dr. Karen Overall’s relaxation protocol and have definitely seen success. The hard part I found was keeping up with it in different enviro/situations.
The other issue I have, kind of like your yoga description, is once you take a break and try to go back to practicing the protocol – they lose some of the “relaxation” part and start to do “what they think is expected”. My pups “lie down on mat” and “chin down on mat” proofing was trained before using the protocol, so he automatically goes back to that before practicing relaxation again. I usually end up having to change the mat/whatever he lies down on to give him a different picture.
Any tips to getting him to pick up learning to relax again?
