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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
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…
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 🤪😳🙄
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.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!
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 😊
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! 😊
Short session this morning, once again the video includes all the in betweens. Amazing what just a few short sessions with hugely high rates of reinforcement and managing interactions between Sly and Millie at home more proactively, again with huge rates of reinforcement, does for everyone’s attitude 😊, mostly mine!
A couple of ill placed throws and I need to remember to throw to him on some reps but overall this session was fun and felt good 😊
Two short sessions yesterday……Videos are the full sessions with the in between again.
First one is Sequence 3. I just told him to wait, he chose to sit. Now that I’ve played with this a bit two things come to mind. He wasn’t sure what to do with just a Wait in this context, don’t think I’ve ever done it in agility anyplace but in RDW training with him on the DW or plank. The “I sit in front of a jump” behavior is strong. Also, the release from my “wait” isn’t nearly as clean as when I cue either a sit or down. My bad….. Tried to keep this light with lots of reinforcers while we were both figuring this out.
Second session was a little later in the morning, focused on him looking at the jump before releasing. He chose to stand at least once, maybe twice 🙂
And I love your description of the difference between interrupting and putting a stop to 🙂 As I think about it…..I’m pretty sure for me that interrupting doesn’t involve swearing and stopping does!
So starting closer and adding in a low hand cue to look at it will help smooth out the line and guarantee he takes it
– Got it! Makes perfect sense.You can also put him on more of a slice line
– Duh!! If I had a nickle for every time I coached someone about setting their dog up at the startline on the line to the next obstacle I could…..well….now for me to remember it for myselfDo you mean you would use a sit cue to interrupt a behavior, or redirect his focus
– Historically to redirect his focus..and I’d usually be prepared with lots of treats. I know that the last couple of months though that I’ve been using it to interrupt a behavior and I think that’s part of the problem I’ve created. Example….We have 2 sets of cues for when he gets out of the crate in the car….Ok, Go with physical cues to match means you are free!!! And Ok, With me which means come out and sit close to me. I found myself last weekend just giving him an OK, he blasts out and I wanted to “scream” sit, because of our discussion I stopped myself. Pretty sure I’ve been doing more of that recentlyWhen is this happening – when you are interrupting behavior or putting a stop to behavior?
– More interrupting, I think. Guess I’m not completely sure of the difference……doesn’t interrupting stop the behavior?didn’t always bring his toy back relatively quickly (although that might be normal :))
– His “normal” when he is 100% engaged is a quick victory lap with his toy and then immediately returns with it to me. He is so clear in his actions, a couple of laps and need for a name means he is slightly stressed, when he’s had more than enough, and I haven’t been listening to him like I should the victory lap ends with him laying at the end of tunnel looking out. He’s really very clear about how he feels.For agility, let’s take it out of the start line for a while! Try playing with a stand stay or a down stay and see how it goes (lots of rewards because it is different).
Also, does he do any mat work?
– Funny that you ask about the mat. We did a LOT of mat work when he was young. Haven’t done much in quite awhile, but a couple of weeks ago I started some with the puppy and thought it would be fun to play with Sly as well. Took him a minute to remember the game but once he remembered we had a blast. I added a new dimension……layer an obstacle 🙂 And he was like I so got this!!! His mat behavior has always been a down so not sure if asking him to sit on it would create confusion/stress? What if instead of his mat I use his platform that we used in the jumping skills class? That has always been a sit and we do sits on in several times a month – it’s kinda become one of my easy core exercises for him. I think a stand (not on the mat) might work for him as well. We’ll do that if I don’t really care what position he is in as long as he waits for his release……. so frequently I’ll just cue a “wait” and he gets to choose position. He’s almost always in a stand when I do this and he’ll choose to stay in the stand – think this came out of the RDW training, maybe.Thanks a bunch, Tracy. I’ll keep you posted. Oh yeah, a lot of the “home stuff” is resolving/becoming easier. The puppy, Millie is starting to sort of get Sly and listen/read his body language when he’s telling her he’s not interested. The two of them are also a lot more comfortable with each other and play some now. And my husband is actually starting to understand (and do) some of the stuff I’ve been telling him to do with both of them…….. YEAH!
This is from earlier in the week, Sequence 1 and 2. Hadn’t posted until now as I thought I should edit out all the “in between” but decided to leave it as it’s the part we’re struggling with. Video is long, almost 6 minutes. It’s the entire session. I’m feeling like I am/have created an issue with his sit 😔 The sit itself has always been pretty solid, the stay and release not quite as much. I’ve always used a sit cue as something of an impulse control tool, mostly when I wasn’t paying enough attention to use a pattern game or something more proactive. Since the addition of Millie (husband’s almost 4 month old Berner puppy) and managing Sly, Millie and Mags (12 and blind) I’ve been yelling “sit the f___ down” to Sly 😳 a lot it seems. Poor guy is really getting the short end of home life the last month or so. At a trial he’s still fine but starting to see this stressy stuff in training, and realized while watching this that he gets more concerned with each sit. Need to fix me and how I’m relying on his sit to get me out of a potential issue with the 3 of them at home….got some plans for that but also want to “rebuild” his love of his sit cue. Am I making sense? Thoughts, ideas? Back to hugely high rate of reinforcement? Only ask for one sit/stay in a training session? Thanks in advance.
First video is from 3 short sessions today playing with the shifting connection exercises. These were fun. Second video is a fast, line from a UKI skills workshop that Sly and I went to. Thought you’d like it. I was very proud of my fast running, complete with pumping arms and keeping my connection 😊
