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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 VentureHi Tracy,
Update: I just realized these popouts are from package 2 agility not jumping. Oops.
Today we had a ring rental so I built the first 3 popouts from the package 2 agility. We had a skills and drills seminar yesterday so Ven ran 5 times about 3 minutes per turn yesterday. Ven showed some signs of being a bit tired so in the first video you’ll see me move from 14″ jumps to 12″ jumps.It was fun yesterday and today to work with 20′ spacing and 5′ jump bars instead of everything being tight. Honestly, when I looked at the package 2 full courses, they are definitely above our paygrade so the popouts make more sense for us.
Agility Package 2 – Popout 1
Agility Package 2 – Popout 2
Agility Package 2 – Popout 3
One last question, does the build look ok? I’ve got another ring rental tomorrow and marked the jumps with chalk so I can easily rebuild it.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
We did 2 sessions yesterday evening with me trying to throw rewards. Here is the last session. I tried to focus on setting the line out to the jumps. Even with a wing stuck in the tiny tunnel, the silly boy took it a time or two. I really like this setup as a way to build up to ASCA gambles so while we are going to move to some pop outs for a few days, I am planning to revisit with weaves or a jump where the tunnel is. So often I need the dog to stay on the line and not take the jump near me for gambles. Any observations on Ven’s jumping here?We have class tonight and tomorrow evening so may not have any new videos until Wed or Thurs.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
I gave Ven a couple of days off (Wed-Thurs) after classes Mon-Tues. Used that time to re-build my older jumps using 5 way PVC so there’s no bottom cross bar and I can adjust my jump bar length depending on course spacing. I still have a few bars to cut and one more jump to redo later but now I have 3′ and 4′ options.So here is 4 corners with a couple 2x2s in the middle instead of the little tunnel. I think I’ll use the tunnel tomorrow morning when I go to the next sequences.
Sequence 1
Sequence 2 – Ven struggled more in this direction. Thinking we’ll revisit it Sun morning with tunnel instead of weaves. They might be a little high value
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
Ven is beginning to get the look at the jump lead out; you may be able to see it in the second video I’m posting. I’m trying hard to remember to stop and settle myself before releases on lead outs. Black dog challenges 😀I think Ven might be flattening out when he’s chasing me on course, at least that’s the thought in my head when I woke up this morning. I’m going to video our classes tonight and Tues evening to see if I can confirm that and ask my instructors to also see if they see it too. Latent learning/processing!
Here is Ven’s jump grid from last night. Before this video, we played a little bit with distance between jumps and he’s definitely best with 6′ distance. I didn’t have your feedback so the first two jumps are set at 12″ and the last one at 16″. He cleared the 16″ jump every time. I will lower the first two jumps to 8″ and adjust where I lead out to and reward next time. We won’t have a chance to work the grid again until Wed or Fri.
We took an extended rest break after the jump grid and then worked pop out 1 from the jumpers course. I couldn’t move the tunnel so I tweaked the jumps around it to replicate the course as close as I could. I was happy to be able to layer the tunnel.
I’m trying to figure out how to work 4 corners in my small 30×30 space. I can use my 4′ tiny tunnel to create more distance between the tunnel and jumps. Or we could work pop outs instead until I can get a ring rental to set it up. Thoughts?
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
Here is the jump grid from last night. I set the bars at 14″ for the entire sequence. The mats are 3′ so I started with 6′ apart which is where we were in MaxPup2. Then added 3′ and 3 more feet to the last jump. We did the grids first when he was fresh. Thoughts on what I should do tonight for the grids?
FYI – we also went back and worked the zigzag grid from MaxPup2 because he’s been struggling on serpentines. He did really well on that exercise but I forgot to start the video recording, oops.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
Round 5 of focus forward. Two observations – Ven is releasing on movement so I’m going to try to work on that away from obstacles, in the house where it’s cooler. Second – he’s never been reinforced for holding his stay with me behind him so I’ve started trying to include a catch or two from behind him to reinforce.This was our second session with a right wrap and I tried very hard to give him a verbal release without moving.
Jump grids tonight. Maximum of 5 passes. Any thoughts on what height to start with? He has been jumping 14 most of the time in class and on his focus forward work. Then we’ll work some weave distractions and holding stays with me behind him.
Jean-Maria and VentureHi Tracy,
Happy Texas Summer – 80 at 6am.
Round 3 of focus forward
One more jump without tunnel, just trying to get him to look ahead
I’ve got a couple of 1 hour ring rentals this weekend so I’ll work the jump grids with him then in a/c with best possible footing and room to extend the jump distances.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
Heat index 104, working with the shade that was available in the back yard, first session of focus forward. The one time he knocked the bar, I had moved it to 16″ instead of 14″. That’s a conversation we need to have because he is really struggling with 16″ jumps. Ruled out physical issues but he’s a tad heavy so I’m working to take about 1 pound off of him plus started some rear end strengthening exercises from our conditioning instructor. Are there jump grid exercises from MaxPup or other sources you would recommend we work? I’m guessing different muscles are needed for him to take a 16″ jump arc vs 12″ because he rear thighs are nicely muscled.Video is the entire session, limited to 5 jumps. In reviewing it, I think I need to work more on getting him looking towards the jump before I release? I’m using the 4′ tunnel to maximize the distance and you’ll see he didn’t even want to set up outside of the shade. Yet when I ended the session he didn’t want to come in. I’m checking on ring rentals for the weekend to give us some relief from the heat.
Thoughts?
Jean-Maria and VentureHi Tracy,
More progress today. Unfortunately, I didn’t do as well at sticking to short runs. First up was novice gambles and it was such a sweet little course, I planned an opening and the potential to try the gamble if he was doing well. If he hadn’t knocked the 2nd jump of the gamble, we would have had it.
We had a long wait for novice agility. We used the time to do a couple little on/off leash play sessions and he got up to letting me take the leash off at the practice jump to wrap the jump and get a cookie. Second run of the day, I decided to take a shot at seeing how he felt about the aframe and if he offered to weave. He did a very nice frame but didn’t take the weaves, we continued and he actually did the entire course with a little distraction.
Last run of the day. I pushed too far on this one although he nearly got the weaves and only skipped the frame. It was clear he was tired and the temp was 84 so I made the decision to scratch jumpers and and come home.
We have another ASCA trial in 2 weeks, indoors with a/c and turf. I plan to approach the trial similar to this weekend depending on how he responds to the environment.
Jean-Maria and Venture
Hi Tracy,
>> One other thing I notice is that he paces…
I went over Ven and no signs of tightness. Venture’s entire line does the pacing thing when they are happy and relaxed. His sire, great grand sire, aunt (my dog Temper) all do it.Today’s videos. We started the day with Venture high as a kite and unable to take a treat even in the parking area. By the end of the day, he ran most of a std course.
First run – I decided to use the back to back tunnels to just get him moving for a few obstacles, let him see the red tunnel since it really blends with the dirt and hopefully get out without any pee accidents.
Second run – Used the back to back tunnels to try to get a little bit longer sequence. This was his only pee accident of the day, at least it was just the snow fencing around the ring and not an obstacle.
Third run – focused a short sequence to include tire, dogwalk, and teeter for experience
Fourth turn – started after the aframe since he’s not confident on it yet and avoided the weaves.
Fifth turn – I had to make myself not ask him to weave and stick to the planned sequence that left out the weaves.
I’m so happy with the progress he made today. We have some start line challenges to work on when leash/collar come off. We did some noodling a distance away from the ring, working on getting in heel/side position with me sliding my hand down the leash and moving the collar but not actually taking it off. We’ll do some more of that tomorrow.
Jean-Maria and Ven
Here are his other 2 runs from Monday night. The tire was not first in either of these runs. You can also see him less distracted by one or two people moving around the ring this week.
Run 2
Run 3
I think me trying to pull away and the tire first are probably both skills he needs to work on.
Jean-Maria
