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Hi Kim – ok thank you! yes i think that makes sense, i do see the difference when i showed the take off vs not showing take off in my videos. Whenever you get time, if you could post a link or video of a run that is a good example of a handler showing every take-off point would be helpful. thanks!
Ok thanks! She’s definitely still not solid with her start line..I tried at the school yesterday and she got up twice and then I brought her mat out, once I got her mat out she then stayed. But I’ve been gradually fading it at home in front of a jump and other places so was thinking she’d hold better yesterday, and with it also not being a trial setting.
After reading through your comments I have just a few questions!
When you say ‘run her to start at 4” the first round’, do you mean set the bars at 4”? Or maybe I’m just not reading it or understanding that correctly.
My handling- I used to play volleyball! Ha.
That’s it 🙂
I’ve been told I need to be more aggressive but also match her energy level or I’ll push her into overthinking and be too much for her. Since she wasn’t showing me much energy that first run I didn’t ‘bring it’ since it seemed I’d be pulling teeth…I’d be using my energy for nothing or maybe make it worse. Thought I had to match my energy level to hers.
I also feel with her i need to have a plan and stick with it instead of deciding if she’s too fast/slow to take the tunnel or continue with handling…then I hesitate and not aggressive (when I’m thinking to continue on or end with tunnel) and she senses that so she completely second guesses and goes around the jump and slows way down.
And driving to every obstacle- I can usually get there before her, but then it’s a fine line when I leave and get out of there. So when I show her each and every obstacle, how long do I stay there and hold it for? I’d like to show her and get out, but then I may get too far ahead and she loses confidence. Or I may stay there too long showing her and she then loses speed and confidence since I’m not where I’m supposed to be.
Thanks!Hi Kim! Weird things happening with my new iPhone and uploading to YouTube. Pretty sure I fixed it here. This shows how she runs when someone holds her back at startline.
Hi Kim! Here are some speed circles. The first one I did play with her before – spins, back ups, sits and downs, etc but not on video. This is the very first run we did today, and always on her first one she’s a bit hesitant as if she’s not sure. A bit of background too – she’s way more confident and faster when I have a toy in my hand… I had been working on it this past summer, with not running her with any toy on my body, and she’s fine in my backyard, but at trial setting it’s hard when she doesn’t see a toy.
Here’s the same speed circle, just the other way. U can see she’s more confident here since it’s not her first run.
Here’s video of drill #1. An issue I see with her as I’ve had others point out, is if there’s an ounce of uncertainty in my handling, she slows down and goes around jumps, and thinks too much…she’s so sensitive to this. It’s hard to change my handling per your homework directions, If dog is confident then add in handling, if not then send through tunnel and reward. I would have to make up my mind before we run in order to get in correct location or that slight bit of hesitation in my handling and thinking about whether to continue with handling or go straight to tunnel, completely affects her. You can also see in this video how I play with her before.
Did it again, more confidence here.
Also wanted to show the difference when I have someone hold her at startline. She has way more speed at the start this way.
Hi Kim, thanks! Yes that was a new interaction trick i taught her recently, to jump up on me. At a seminar a few months ago, i was told i need to play more with her instead of asking her to do tricks, so more interaction with just me, and that’s what i came up with. That and also chasing me when i run around and hide. But that may not work for all dogs i guess! 🙂 If i interact too much with her with no toy, she then gets very bitey…so it’s a fine line with her…however i do not have to worry about that at all at a trial right now.
Usually before our agility run, i’ll warm her up by a jump, and then get her excited by doing downs, down to sit, sit to down, back up, paw waves, figure 8 between legs, spin left, spin right…she does get excited and will start barking during this which i do like! And then we get out on line, i’ll ask for that one little piece of interaction – her jumping on me – before we start the sequence. Which i do also practice right before. So maybe i need to do some downs and sits and backups when i bring her out on course, before we start and set-up? Whenever i can get someone to hold her at the start, and i do a lead out (either run or walk), she gets super excited and amp’d and wants to chase me. She’s then really focused and fast. So i know i need to teach her a solid start line stay with anticipation, so she stays, watching me, getting excited to be released, etc. just like someone is holding her collar back. But it’s tricky since she’s becoming worried at the start line, which causes her to break her start line. So i know a lot more practice is needed, and looking forward to your lesson #2.And yes, for a couple of those akc runs, i did sense she was stressed, so i was like crap, ugh. I’ve also heard from people i need to match her excitement/energy level…if i’m more excited than her, it may not be good, i need her to bring it.
For the upcoming UKI trial, i’m able to do any run as a NFC run! So I can bring a toy out (hidden so she doesn’t see it) and reward right after a speed circle? In the ring? Unless you think it’s best to do a speed circle, then walk out, and play outside of the ring? I always play outside of the ring as well…in the beginning she wouldn’t want to come to me at the end of her run, so then i started showing her the ‘fun’ isn’t over, we can still play and do tricks outside the ring, ha.
i could also use a couple runs and just work on a startline too, getting her more comfortable again in a trial setting…doesn’t even have to be in front of a jump. I’m just unsure if she’s ready for that? but if i treat it like training, and it will be since i’ll have a toy, it may be ok to practice in that environment? i still plan to work this new startline ‘structure’ in stores that allow dogs (home depot, etc).Let me know your thoughts! thanks! FYI – i should be able to get to a school sometime this week in the evening or Sat morning and will do the speed circles. Really wish i didn’t have a foot of snow in my backyard, as it would be good to work on a few times a week.
Drills without agility homework.
She’s awesome at all of these! She’s always crazy for toys so I did the first exercise with food as it’s a bit harder. And had to do this in my small basement, there’s a foot of snow in my backyard and when I get home from work it’s already dark.
Making food exciting- I showed how when I am calm, she is calm. And then when I get more exciting and fun, she becomes more excited.
Jackpot rewards vs regular- we worked on her mat work, and if she would stay when I would make it harder (run around) I’d give her jackpot, and when she went to mat faster I also gave her jackpot.
Catch me if you can – hard to do in my basement but I tried! I used a toy so you can see how much more animated she is. There’s a big tree with fencing around it in my backyard and I’ll play the chase me game with her, and she zooms around and tries to catch me, which she easily does, ha. I do that without a toy or food too. She loves the chase game.
