[Kim Tees]

Sounds like you’ve had a busy week 😟 Hope Crusher is feeling better and eating something for you. 🤞

I set this up a week and 1/2 ago, played with the rear cross, which was a bit of a mess and then didn’t get back to it until today. Watched your video and figured what I was doing wrong with the rear…. I had to substitute a short tunnel to make the setup fit in my space but I think I captured the intent of the exercise just the same.

[Kim Tees]

Thanks for the explanation on why the blind over the front. Blinds are always easier for me to physically do….don’t get lost and don’t fall down! Both of which are possible on my fronts….ask me how I know 😉

Seriously, thank you. Fronts vs. blinds can sometimes feel like a religion/politics subject with some folks, lots of rules 🤪 I remember Jenny Damm once saying you could do a blind any place you do a front, you just gotta do both timely. I always liked that!

[Kim Tees]

Ran the 4th Sequence from Package 4 with a Backside Slice and then to the Backside Wrap with a blind between 7 and 8 instead of the front. And then I big time geeked out trying to figure out what was fastest!

Here’s the data. I measured from exit of tunnel to #9 jump. The FC and TW reps were from the first time we did the sequence.

Front Cross close to 7: 4.7, 4.5
Threadle Wrap: 4.8
Backside Slice: 4.1
Blind Cross between 7 and 8: 4.3, 4.2

The exit line off the Backside Slice was by far the best! More than made up for any additional distance to get to the further wing 😊. This was fun! On the Package 5.

[Kim Tees]

Thanks (as always) for the feedback from the 1st 3 sequences. Yep! Exit line connection definitely something I need to work on. I’m generally getting pretty good at seeing commitment, (still need to improve on moving on) but I think I take an instant after I see it to “regroup” my brain, check where I am, physically and mentally and then I do miss seeing completion of the obstacle (especially jumps) and that makes me late on the next set of cues. Hadn’t ever really thought about it in those terms! I walked this sequence really focusing on the exit line connections, less focus on other things, ie. verbals as those still take a lot of thought and planning. I did plan them but not with the same focus that I put on the exit line connection or I had in some of the previous sequences. I really saw that lack of planning in a couple of places, especially on the exit of the tunnel. Gotta continue, to work on being able to do it all! Anyway, another fun sequence. After running it as planned, I had to try it one more time with a threadle wrap at 8 🙂

A question about Sequence 3.
“On the opening line, you can lead out more so you are further ahead to show the blind cross and also to set up the exit line connection from 2-3. Looking back at him over 2 will let you get the timely turn cues for 3 (starting no later than landing of 2).”

Leading out further definitely makes sense. Why did you choose a blind here instead of a front? I ran it with the blind but my inclination was for a front which kinda surprised me cause I’m ALWAYS one to choose a blind over a front if it makes sense to me at all 🙂 Thanks as always.

[Kim Tees]

We’re still here! Sometimes I really hate technology!!! Laptop problems this week, but hopefully all good now!

Played with some of the suggestions that you made for the breakouts from Package 3 last Sunday and then set up the Skills Course for Package 4 and played with a couple of the sequences yesterday. Here’s those 2 videos. In the past when we’ve done these walk it/run it exercises (which are great) I’ve tried to walk it and talk it through for the video which I think messed me up, couldn’t multitask that very well. This time I just walked them like I’d walk them, focusing on all my cues, connection, etc. and videoed without narrating while I was walking. Better! Not sure why I did the 2nd sequence first….. but it went really well, one and done. First sequence took 3 times to get through it without a dropped bar……

Edit…..Had a chance to play with the 3rd Sequence this morning. “Got it done” but it didn’t feel smooth.

[Kim Tees]

Love these Pop Out Sequences!
I played with 2 and 4 from the Standard Course this week. One on Monday, the other on Tuesday and then revisited both yesterday. Lots of handling choices with both. I could get really geeky and obsessive and do a bunch of reps to take times off the videos but I’m going to resist that, this time 😉

And concerning Sequence 1 feedback….
——>would you suggest any different ones for this sequence
The other option on this one is to look for more slice opportunities on the 2/6 jump. For example, you can turn him to his left over 1, slice 2 (a serp) from the other direction so he lands facing 3.

I never even thought about doing the first Sequence starting by turning Sly to his left over the first jump….going to have to try that. In general, Serps are almost always faster for us unless the distance is a lot longer, guess that’s really true for all dogs. Anyway, have a nice weekend. Looks like you’re traveling. Here’s to a safe and uneventful trip.

[Kim Tees]

Oh yeah…..I really struggle with verbals, which cue means what, using the right one at the right time, balance between being a blathering idiot and running completely silent and then concentrating so much on the verbals that I f-up the rest of the handling 😳

That said, I am getting better!! I decided to focus on just a few to start with, ones that I needed because I wasn’t going to be able to physically be in a position to handle…Go, my 2 Backsides; Back for backside slice and Round for Backside Wraps. Also collection/wrap jump – Wrap/Wrap. Go and Wrap/Wrap are pretty fluent and end up sounding very different in tone and cadence. I still have to think about the 2 backsides and I think that might be part of the reason they come out the way they do? Anyway…..keep after me, the reminders really do help me think about it….keeps me moving towards using them more effectively.

I decided to setup and play with the pop outs from the Standard Courses….Here’s the first one… Rep 1 and 2 and then a short break, watched the video of the first 2 reps, worked a couple of places and rewarded and then one last rep. Interesting sequence, really had to think through the handling choices. I liked the ones I decided on…..would you suggest any different ones for this sequence? Going to play with the 2nd sequence tomorrow

[Kim Tees]

Played with the Sequence this afternoon, it was fun. We both needed to run!

[Kim Tees]

I’ve been working on our Threadle Wraps the last couple of days. Four or five at a time, then watch video, let it stew, rinse and repeat….. 30 or 40ish reps over the last couple/three days. Focus on verbal cue before takeoff of the jump before the wrap jump, deceleration and hesitation. These are the best reps from today. One of the things I realized from video was that frequently I didn’t get my arm across my body enough for Sly to see so I tried thinking bring my right arm across until my right connects to my left which really helped me get better about getting it across far enough for Sly to see….but then I ended up sort of using both to cue the flip. Not sure what I think about that…. I’m feeling like we’re headed in the right direction, I’d really like to continue to work on these… What do you think? Headed in the right direction? Next step? Thanks a bunch…

[Kim Tees]

All of your comments about the last session make total sense. I’m going to play with the timing on the Threadle wraps in a few minutes…. Video later tonight, hopefully. I REALLY want to get these figured out.

I had to modify the setup for Package 3 a little, I’ve got the length but not quite the width. Think I got the essence of the exercises though. I did screw up and should’ve built closer to the front of the training area so there was more room after the last jump in the Drive Ahead exercise. Anyway, here’s yesterday’s stuff, 2 short sessions. Hardest part is throwing the freaking toy 🤪😳🙄

[Kim Tees]

3 really short sessions this morning….even inside and early it was pretty warm 🥵. First session just reviewed our Threadle Wrap, then put it and some of the other skills altogether, then took another short break and finished with a Threadle Wrap and a Layer

Sly definitely understands the handling…..when I get the timing right 😉 Good boy! Good Kim, getting better at the timing 😊.
This was a great setup. Because it’s what’s setup at the Training Center I had my students run the speed circle and work on being able to identify every place their dog had a question and how they could change their handling so the dog never had any questions. They all loved it and they all got better….and the dogs all had lots of fun cause it was all about run fast and get rewards 🥰. Stay cool and thanks for adding some additional time to Camp.

[Kim Tees]

More Threadle Wrap skill stuff…. Heading in the right direction I think

[Kim Tees]

Threadle Slice Sequence…..these are a handling choice that we both like and are usually pretty comfortable with 😊 Not exactly sure about the dropped bar in the first rep, thoughts? We don’t drop a lot of bars but if we do it’s almost always one of these medium turns, like at the top of a pinwheel. And most of the time I don’t actually see the bar come down, only hear it 🙄

Threadle Wraps are a LONG way from fluent! I cut out most of the “in between” in this one as it was a lot of me standing around, scratching my head and feeding Sly treats or throwing his toy for him to chase. Lots to figure out here. Hope you had a nice 4th!

[Kim Tees]

Well crap! Two quick sessions today and I screwed up the video on one of them 🙄 Reviewed our Threadle slice and wrap and then from the blind… Slice went well, wrap not so much. I’ll give it another go and this time try to get it all in the field of view. Second session was Landing Side Slice….a couple of weird things but really pleased that the “off course tunnel” wasn’t ever an issue 😊

[Kim Tees]

I started at a different jump, didn’t want to ask for any sort of Startline. Ran the loop and then tried the layer, which he nailed! 😊

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