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Hi Tracy,
Vacation time. I’m headed to a photography workshop on the west coast of Lake Superior and the pups are spending a week running the kennel fence line with the baby cows. We’ll be back to training after the 24th.
Jean-Maria and VentureHi Tracy,
In my “what was I thinking” stupidity, we had an hour ring rental this morning. Friends had lowered the frame for us last night to 4’6″ so we were able to do a few passes along with some weaves and a loop that included dog walk out of a tunnel and teeter. Ven only avoided the frame once and that was my fault, I didn’t ask him to take it. I have some video if you’d like to see it.I’m really stumped on how to reward contacts and weaves in the ring. Ven only plays with toys at home in the house. He will play a little tug, retrieve some toys, and catch a soft frisbee but I’ve never had any luck even transferring it to the back yard, much less a trial environment.
I found a UKI trial a few hours away labor day weekend that includes double and triple speedstakes. There’s no mention of food box in the premium so I don’t know if they allow it or not.
Thoughts?
Jean-Maria and VentureHi Tracy,
Here are today’s videos.Nov gamblers – there was an aframe in the game so I just planned a flowing opening rather than event attempt the gamble. Not sure why he ran past the dogwalk entry.
Nov regular 1 – no idea why he took the frame backwards but I was not about to ask him to take it again
Nov regular 2 – he did hit the weave entry at least. No sure why he bailed on the teeter
Nov jumpers 1 – one stinkin bar
Nov jumpers 2 – on stinkin bar
So do we keep trialing? I struggle with whether I’m asking for too much by trying to run in a trial setting. Our choices in Sept are travel about 4 hours away to one ring AKC trials indoors on turf or not trial because it’s too hot for the local venues that are not air conditioned. Oct-Nov we don’t have many local options other than one ASCA trial/month in a dirt horse arena because I don’t think Ven is ready for 2 ring trials. We’ll be tracking every Saturday so no out of town options.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
We are playing ASCA this weekend so we’ll get back to the reward options in a few days. Here are 3 of today’s 5 runs. I’m bummed I didn’t get his first jumpers run because it was lovely except for a few knocked bars which were because he needed to poop. Missed his second regular run which went well except no weaves and he dodged the frame. I didn’t not retry either obstacle.Novice jumpers – guilty of calling him back a couple times. I caught myself when I watched the video and tried not to do that the rest of the day.
Novice gamblers – I wish I had planned a more flowing course but lesson learned for tomorrow.
Novice regular
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
>> I think it is a hard approach at speed and he doesn’t quite know how to organize to hit it without slamming, so he avoids it. When he did get it at speed, you can see he kind of lands on the up contact which might have a lot of slam on his body.
Yes, I think you are right. He often takes it the first time and then avoids it after. We focus so much on end behavior, I can’t say I’ve ever worked on the upside. I tend to try to get him to have some speed going into the frame so he doesn’t struggle to get up it.
Other side of the dog walk
The world according to Ven can be so amusing. I setup the tiny tunnel with a couple of wings on each side so we could work going to the jump with me behind the wings. The toy I used for this session has a lotus like ball on the end and yesterday morning we played with it while I listened to a long conference call. I would load it with treats, throw it, he would open/eat the treats and bring it back. Then yesterday evening he decided he could not possibly open it and even started retrieving it back over the jump. What a goober?We struggled so I need feedback on what I should do different besides finding a toy he does believe he can open outside the house, LOL. I thought about adding more space to show the line before the tunnel which leaves less space on the landing side of the jump. In reviewing some tunnel video, I’ve noticed he usually curves towards me as he exits a tunnel when I am behind.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
>> white fuzz was there so he probably thought it was a treat LOL!!
Yep, all white fuzz must be investigated because it might “taste like chicken”Video question – Venture often runs past the frame. I’m hoping you can see what/why he didn’t take it when I ask him to “pounce”.
Bar knocking – this is our second turn from class last night. Ven knocked a bunch of the bars. I know the wrap closest to the camera looks like it was because he was looking at/distracted by everyone sitting there but not sure about the other knocked bars, especially at the far end of the course.
Thanks,
Jean-Maria and VentureHi Tracy,
Yesterday I did an experiment with Venture using one wingless jump. I screwed up and didn’t capture video from the first session but he knocked the bar 3 times. I added a second bar to the jump and he cleared it twice and then once without the second bar. Here is video from the second session using just one bar and varying start points. He cleared them all.
I was able to get a ring rental this morning. I tried replacing one jump in a short sequence with a wingless and ran it in both directions. Ven missed the jump completely on the first time through but that was my fault for not supporting it. He didn’t knock it a single time so at this point, I’m just going to continue mixing in wingless, especially at home where space is so tight.
The other side of the dog walk – discovered Ven wouldn’t go out to jumps so this session I worked getting him to “go jump” from the tunnel exit. We have class Monday evening so I’m curious to see if this session translates into him being able to take a jump in class.
Package 4 – jumping pop out #1
Package 4 – jumping pop out #2 – this one was tough. We first worked through parts of it, then took a break, then tried to put it together in the second video
Yes, Ven “left” briefly to go get a drink of water during part 2, I didn’t try to edit it out since it was very brief.
Package 4 – jumping pop out #3 – discovered Ven could not release from approx 15′ leadout. So a chunk of the video is working through the leadout release
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
Here’s a video example of the wingless. Note – this was last run of third day so he is tired but still working well. My wingless at home were old style with bottom bar until about 2 weeks ago so we’ll be working jumps with no bottom like you see in the video. We ruled out the early take off coming from me being too far ahead so I think it’s mostly experience learning to “see” the wingless bar.I’ve decided Ven is a 12″ dog. If we get a favorable measurements, we might have the option to run UKI at 12″ without having to run select. We’ll run preferred AKC and Ace ASCA. I have never run UKI but think we might have fun trying it. My fear is the huge ring size.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
Ven was able to run 12″ all weekend at the Courtney Moore seminar. He was awesome. He set-up and let me lead out from jumps right next to people including one sitting on the floor! He was focused and engaged all 3 days. I asked Courtney to focus on what was causing him to knock bars and she had some really good feedback. I’m saying his name at times when I should be using an obstacle command, often repeating it two or three times. I had no idea I was doing it and when I quit, fewer bars came down. I’m also repeating commands which causes him to think he’s wrong / try to process at the same time he’s jumping. And yesterday, the best nugget was discovering he’s taking off early on wingless jumps. She suggested he’s using the wing to determine when to take off and not seeing the bar. Courtney said his jumping form was good all weekend at 12″.On the training side, we found holes in wraps on slices and wraps where I’m facing him so we have work to do there. Also left wrap from handler left and right wrap from handler right needs practice. We learned he understands wrap-rears with left/right but not with wrap cue. I need to puzzle if it was because he was turning towards a wall on those or he’s reading my body to know it’s a wrap so the left/right was all he needed to change lead or he just understands rears with left/right.
For the wingless issue, I’m going to setup jump grids with wingless, especially for the last/farthest jump. I also thought about adding a second bar at first to draw his attention to the bar. Any other ideas?
After watching the video from this weekend and how happy and relaxed he is running 12″ I’m debating just leaving him at that height. His weight to height ratio: 30 pounds to 15″ at the withers means the force of landing over 16″ jumps is a lot compared to breeds like shelties, BCs, etc. He still needs to be conditioned to run agility but maybe it’s not worth the impact to his body to jump 16″. Thoughts?
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
I found Leslie’s jumping class, next round starts in Nov which isn’t bad timing since it won’t be so hot then.Ven saw the chiro yesterday – he was sore L1-T13 and right medial scapula was out. He was sore in that shoulder. Psoas was fine. After his adjustment he got a laser treatment and I held him out of class again last night. He is definitely feeling better but we won’t be doing any work for another couple of days. Vet said we can do the seminar this weekend as long as we keep the jumps low and make sure he’s feeling ok along the way. I’ll get him another massage Friday afternoon after the first seminar session.
Jean-Maria and Venture who is very bored
Hi Tracy,
Yes, a conditioning class with feedback would be perfect. I saw the one you posted for agility U but it doesn’t have feedback. Let me know if you have any suggestions. I checked Bobbie Lyons but she doesn’t have anything coming up that looked like the right class for us.Always video… TRUTH.
Ven is shut down pending seeing the acupuncture/chiro vet tomorrow. Last Monday night at class, he refused to take the aframe on his second run. I knew he came off a little high in his first run but didn’t notice anything concerning when he landed, based on my tiny phone screen. So I pushed him to do it and he did.
We worked a 2 jump grid in very short sessions a couple times a day Wed/Thurs, 10″ jump 4.5′ to 16″ jump. He was doing a lovely job and never knocking the 16″ jump. Friday morning we went out, he did the grid once and would not sit or setup to repeat the grid. It was clear avoidance so I brought him in and took him to the massage therapist that afternoon. His back legs were tight but nothing overly concerning so she massaged him out. I gave him Saturday off and then yesterday, he took one jump coming to me to setup and that was it, back to no sit avoidance. Only thing I found when I went over him was a little warmth in his mid lower back.
Here is the video from the run in class last Monday when he came off high. After multiple times carefully going through it, I found a potential clue at 52 second mark, it wasn’t the landing but the next stride his right shoulder hits the floor.
Then here is the video from Friday morning refusing to sit.
The behavior makes me think back or back spasms even though he hit his shoulder. We’ll see what the alt vet says tomorrow and go from there. We’ve got working spots this weekend with Courtney Moore so I’m really hoping some rest and treatment is all he needs. I will pull him if he isn’t 100%.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
Heat index 100 at 8pm is keeping us inside.>> So based on what he was doing when he hit the first bar and when he hit th last bar, we need to get more hind end power 🙂 What is his general conditioning program? We can find ways to add more hind end strength and power to it (along with associated core strength).
I don’t have any experience with a dog knocking bars. Venture currently works sit=stand and down-stand exercises a couple times a week. We’ve been doing the jump grid twice a week. A friend suggested a jumping class from dogs4motionacademy for $39. I just bought it and started watching the videos. We only track Oct-Mar/Apr so he may have lost a little rear end strength since he isn’t pulling me down a track a couple times a week but his legs are solid muscle.
If there are other resources or exercises we should work, please let me know.
Jean-Maria and VentureHi Tracy,
>> Is he able to open the clam by himself to get the treat out?
Actually I have intentionally not taught/allowed Ven to figure out how to open the clam. I have one instructor that wants me to have a thrown toy that Ven will retrieve, not self reward with. So he knows how to open the lotus ball which I cannot find right now but the clam only pays when retrieved. I will go back to using the lotus ball for agility when I find the dang thing.This morning, package 3 walkthroughs showed up so since there was nothing built and it needed more space than I have at home, I decided to go ahead and work the first 2 sequences after jump grid.
Jump grid set to 4.5′ except last turn when I tried 5′ for information. Ven knocked the first bar twice so I might be setting him up a little close? He did knock the 16″ bar once which looked like he took off too early.
Pkg 3 seq 1 walk through video followed by us running it video.
Pkg 3 seq 2 walk through video followed by us running it twice video. Yay, I managed to remember not to fix anything.
Hi Tracy,
Not long after I stopped the last video, Ven had a huge poop blowout. Not sure what upset his GI tract but he was out of commission for a couple of days. I think that contributed to not releasing from the start line. He’s all better now so back to work.> Remember if something goes wrong… keep going rather than stop and restart
I got lost more times than I’d like to admit. I also realized when we trial, I think about what I’m going to do if things go wrong but I forget to do that when we are training so when it happens, my brain isn’t prepared to keep going. Old habits die hard but I’m determined to do better.We have a ring rental tomorrow so we’ll work jump grids and pop outs there. Last night and this morning we did a couple of very short jump/tunnel discrimination sessions.
Video from last night – I think he got stuck because he was HOT. Even though the sun was just setting, it was still heat index 96. I’m also working to use the new clam toy as a reward so his brain was melting over that too.
Video from this morning – better energy, temp was 82 at 6:30am. I flipped the position of the tunnel and jump. I haven’t added the weaves to our actual work yet because once I set them up I couldn’t get his attention away from them. Needless to say, they have always paid very well and we may need to first work weaves in the yard and then add them to the discrimination.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
Yep, all the knocked bars are on me. So hard to get the timing right but we’ll keep working at it.Today’s ring rental, we started with jump grid. First 2 at 8″, 6′ apart, 3rd jump at 16″ at 9′, 12′ and 15′. He cleared all the 16″ jumps. What sort of grid work should we do next to continue building his skills eventually he’ll need to be able to clear the AKC double and triple too.
You may have also noticed in the jump grid video Ven was a little distracted by his new toy. It’s called the clam by tug-e-nuff and I’m building his skills so I can throw it and he brings it back for a cookie. That way I have a toy I can throw during work. So far, he absolutely loves it.
Next we worked agility package 2, popout 4. The video is in 2 parts because we stopped, took a break while I re-walked it a few more times and then did one more pass (2nd part). Yes, I actually numbered it and still got lost at #3 the first time through. The jump closest to the camera is set at 16″, all the others at 14″.
Last video is our attempt to work through agility package 2, popout 5. I struggled with this one so we never got 7-11 even after breaking out that section. I know backsides are a weakness – I have to babysit and honestly, I struggled with those last few jumps in the sequence. What should we work on to build the missing skills for this one? We can go back to past MaxPup exercises if you point me to what we need.
Hope your long drive went well.
Jean-Maria and Venture
