[Kathy McClung]

Tunnel Threadle
I liked the “KissKissKiss” verbal! I’m sure my mechanics can use work. It’s embarrassing! I was pumping my arm with the verbal. ridiculous!
Here is our morning session & afternoon session. This afternoon she was really having a tough time with the right turns & was spinning.
I’m looking forward to your feedback on this one.

Go to & go through the mat
Here is our mat work. I ordered a cheapy yoga mat & I think I’ll cut about a 1/4 off of it. The other mat you saw under the box is an industrial welcome mat, but I have been using it as just a general mat to work on all sorts of stuff, so I thought it may have no meaning as a “thing” for her.
Edited to add: I realize now that I was supposed to use”get it” and not the clicker. I will try again.

Pivoting
Yay for pivots! She already knew how to target the bowl with her front paws, so I think that gave her a head start. 🙂
Thanks for the reminder that is a workout! I bet her booty is sore today! Poor baby. I will rest on that one for a day.

Retrieve
I tried another toy that was a longer tug toy & she brought it back! I’ll keep trying different ones to find her faves. What is the “formal” training for retrieve? It is not something I have really trained for agility before, but it is super nice to have them bring something back, so this is going to be cool!

Thanks for all your help!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Kathy McClung. Reason: Added a note to the Mat work info

[Kathy McClung]

Hi!

>>
So… what do you want your tunnel threadle verbal to be? Time to add it, on easier angles of entry. And also, you can move to the double whammy game (posted last week).
>>

Yay!!! I think I’m going to adopt KissKissKiss because it is sweet & usually I am desperately screaming “HERE HERE TUNNEL” for the threadle. I’m a little afraid of a quiet verbal, but it makes logical sense that if the dog understands their job & knows the verbal, it should work. I’m going to focus on teaching her the skill (with ALOT of your help!)

I see now that I can keep the MM in place for teaching her the threadle verabl, since she is only going through the tunnel once.
When we get to the sequence where they go in the tunnel entry, exit & then threadle to the entry again, I’m not sure how to place the reward. I don’t think I can get her past the MM on the first pass, can I reward for the tunnel entry & then reaward again for the threadle pass? Or just work though getting her past the MM and taking the tunnel again for the threadle?

Release Words
>>
The dogs have us all figured out and there are dozens of release words 🙂 I use ‘break’ in agility to do things like release off the start line in most situations, and I also use it as a crate release. I use ‘get it’ and stuff like as to get meals – so get it is also a release. And verbal directionals are a release 🙂 The dogs have us all figured out 🙂 so you can totally use break in any situation where she should leave a control position and move towards you or into “work”.
>>
Thank you for this! Seeing how you are applying the release words helped me think it through. I am going to dedicate myself to NOT saying “ok” and using Break & Get it & Find it instead. This one is on me, I need to be clear & consistent and my use of “Ok” is not.

We had the day off, so we got to play a lot!! 🙂

Running Contacts: Baby level with box
Can I use an uncut yoga mat for now or is it too narrow?

Body Awareness: Perch Work. Baby level
I have always wanted to teach the pivot and have never been able to teach it. This was fun!

Beginner Retrieve Games: baby level
She ran past me to a cat & then brought the toy back. I’m amazed.

Alternate Rear Cross.
I started farther back & worked to straighten the line on left turns. I kept the prop against wall for the rights & inched it out a bit towards the end of the session.

Thanks so much! Hope this is not overload!
-Kathy

[Kathy McClung]

Good morning!

Thanks for the encouragement on the tunnel. I was thinking it would be easy because Frankie is a tunnel sucker big time! Your feedback reset my expectations – thank you!
We tried again today and you are totally right – she just “got” it!

I have a question after watching the next game. Is there a way to transition from driving to the Manners Minder to returning to me for a treat? In the next video I see that you are holding a toy and Contraband is coming back to you for the reward after he goes through the tunnel.

We practiced the Parallel Path game with a helper & distance & I forgot to hit record! She did really good though. I’ll try another session ang get video

On the barrel games…
>>Her only error in terms of going to the toy after that point was when you said “ok”. So she might have thought it was the release to get the toy (so perhaps it was not an error :)) >>

I went back & listened & I ID SAY OK!!! I need to strike that word from my vocabulary. Weird & possibly dumb question. Is there only ever 1 release word? I don’t want to muddy “break” if I get used to useing it. Should I use that only for agility & agility training & another word for day to day stuff? Like releasing from a crate or to their meals?

Thanks so much!!!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Kathy McClung. Reason: question added

[Kathy McClung]

It is freeezing in North Fl right now!

We tried the human/dog/tunnel game today. It was definitely more challenging. I switched sides to let her do her easier turns & then switched back. I think my body language is confusing her. I’m interesteed to hear what you see when you see the video.

We started on the Handling Combos game. Throwing that toy away from her was a mindblower. I tried not making it such an energetic throw to introduce her to the concept of leaving something she just saw move. I was able to progrss to the blind crosses. I think she thought most of the game was SUPER fun & exciting but I got the feeling that she was getting annoyed at the collar holds.

I made my box/frame for the running contacts game. I’m excited to start that. I just need something for a mat. I may give up my yoga mat…

Thank you!
-Kathy & Bazinga

[Kathy McClung]

Hi Tracy!
As you can see in these videos it is FREEZING in Florida too!

Tunnel Game 1 Advanced
We warmed up with the baby level & she was having a blast. I moved the Manners Minder farther away and made sure she was finding it ok (yeah…no problem there. The Manners Minder is Magic!) I started the next level of the game with the verbal and collar hold. When I started holding her collar she did not want me to hold her back! I left that footage in. She also did not know why I was yelling tunnel in her face. LOLOL She got it after a few reps though. I was trading her a treat for the collar hold. We worked both sides of the tunnel. All the reps were dog/human/tunnel. I’ll try the human/dog/tunnel next.

Turn & Burn Advanced
I did a refresh on countermotion with the prop & did some side & back sends with her & got her amped up for the Turn & Burn. I thought this would be a good lead-in before trying the Handling Combos. I’ll try those next.
For this game, I tried to leave as she approached the barrel and also send from farther away and leave before she got to the barrel. She was very into it. The video is kind of far away. Sorry!

Thanks so much for watching!

[Kathy McClung]

Hi Tracy!

>> Good job with the resilience game at the trial – did she seem pretty relaxed and engaged? >>

She did! She is starting to expect the version without motion when we are at trial sites, so adding motion did not seem to phase her. The game seems to reduce the “bigness” of the environment for her. I can see her focus area get smaller once we start playing. She is not looking way off into the distance, but just paying attention to her close surroundings.

>> Ooh, I like RevRevRev!!! I might steal that one too LOL! >>
YAY!!! 🙂

Thanks for the feedback on my timing for the Lap Turns & Tandem Turns – as always you have such a sharp eye! I’ll pay attention to my timing.

I tried the next level of the Rocking Horse but my video cut out and I didn’t get any footage. I tried some side sends and she did well with them and we also did both barrels in a row. I’ll try again & get some video.

Is she ready to start on the Handling Combos! Acceleration, Decel, Turns, Blinds, and Front Crosses game? Or keep going with this one?

We did the Alternate Rear Cross game with the prop on her easy side as you suggested a few days back. I think she did really good! By the end I didn’t have to hold her collar.

We did the Baby level of Tunnel Games 1: Shaping And Threadle Foundations. She had a blast!

Thanks for the feedback!
Also, what is the next class after this one? I totally want to keep going! This is an amazing class.

[Kathy McClung]

We were at a trial this weekend and we did little sessions to stay busy between breaks. We also did the Resilience Game: Predictability Part 3 (The Environment) where we added motion. I haven’t added the distraction (a thing) yet, but we were in a novel environment in a quiet area with some activity in the background probably 100 feet away.

Toy Races!
I refreshed this game with a helper this time. I made sure I beat her to the toy & played a little keep away.

Prop Game 3: Turn Aways! Rear Cross On The Flat Foundation
We were working on this over the weekend and she was getting it. I introduced the “Break” a few days ago when we practiced the parallel path game with a helper holding her and now it seems like she is WAITING for me to say it before leaving a sit – is that even possible? Also, I hope I’m not being too boring for her here. I was trying to go slow so there was no spinning & boinging. I really like how you were able to keep it slow but fun in your video.

Rocking horse with verbals (first time).
Verbals & questions (more – sorry!)
I decided! I’m totally stealing your choochoochoo (I love it!) for right wraps and I went with RevRevRev for left wraps. I tried to keep my markers clear on this session. I’m pretty much stealing all your verbals because they make me smile. I am using “snacks” for treats from the hand and “tug” for toy from the hand. I’m trying to get comfy with them and use them consistently. That is a skill!

I have a question on choosing the loose/90 degree turn verbals since they go along with these verbals. If I go with DigDigDig & CheckCheckCheck for loose/90 degree turns, is it better to keep both the “C” words for turning right? (Dig for left & Check for right)? Or will that be confusing and I should pick a completely different consonant for the 90 degree turns? Right now Dig just means turns towards me.

Thanks for watching! I’m looking forward to your feedback.

[Kathy McClung]

Hi Tracy,
Last night’s class so so fun to watch. I was amazed at the puppies ability to read the backsides! SO COOL!

Thanks for the feedback on the beginner rear crosses! I’ll give it a try with the prop. She is going to be so excited to see her dustbin!

I recruited my hubby to be startline helper & worked on the Parallel Path & did our first try at the Collection Sandwich game.

Parallel Path
I think I may have been moving too fast during the parallel path. I got excited to get ahead of her! It is kinda cool that I need a helper to get ahead of this tiny muffin! <grin>

Collection Sandwich
It may not show on the video but she blew wayyyy past me on the first rep and then she realized that we were doing deceleration and she adjusted. I think I did not give her time to see any body language that communicated decel before I actually slowed down.

Thank you!

[Kathy McClung]

Hi! Thanks for all the verbals feedback! I tend to obsess over them a bit.

>>I think she was not quite as sure about the release to the jump from the stay – it looks like she held some of them, and left early on some of them.

I was a little worried about that & noticed it too. I will try to add the “catch” to this & see how it goes.

We had a quiet day getting back to work today. We practiced some indoor games to keep developing them.

I started working on the retrieve games but have’t gotten video yet. I also cleaned my shortest tunnel so it is nice inside and am going to start the baby level tunnel game if he weather cooperates 🙂

Alternate Rear Cross Game – Kathy needs to be faster practice! Hahaha! I think I labeled the turns correctly in the video…did I? If she starts on my right side & ends on my left side, she is turning to her right. Is that correct?

Startline Stay – Catch
I tried to keep my mechanics clean and work on her understanding of the “catch” marker.

I’m looking forward to watching class tonight!
Thank you!

[Kathy McClung]

Thank you!!! This feedback is AWESOME & helpful!
I need to rewatch the barrel video and look at the connection shift. I do think I thought I needed to look at her the whole time, so maybe that was throwing us off. I need to make my final decision on the wrap verbals! I will do that & start using them today. Choochoochoo is a definite! I just need the other sound. I couldn’t hear yours in the video to get a feel for it. Do you have a video with you saying both?

Cleaning up my reward markers. You are totally right. I had decided on 4 separate markers (now 5 with catch) but I started saying “get it” for food thrown ahead which was supposed to be for toys only. I felt like I needed a very specific food on the ground marker so she doesn’t look for things on the ground randomly, but I’m defaulting to get it every time I throw something ahead. Do you think I need to be that specific?

Food on ground – find it
Food from hand – snacks (love that! It makes me giggle too. I need to introduce this)
Toy – thrown – get it
Toy from hand – tug (new I have to introduce this)
Catch – food thrown back to you

MAGNET FINGERS – thank you!!!! That video was so helpful!!!!

I never thought about Bostons having a smaller range of peripheral vision. I bet you are right. I have only ever run Bostons, so I may not have noticed a difference. I’m excited to try the alternate rear cross exercise again. Timing, timing, timing. I have to work on my timing & concentrate on being quicker.

We took a trip to a field that we rent to practice sometimes. I was curious to see if Bazinga could do her stuff in a new place. She had no problem. She stayed focused and with me the whole time. I was so impressed by her little self! We worked on turn & burn, but I didn’t send video of that. I just kept it fun and she was committed.

We did rear cross foundations with a helper holding Bazinga. That took the pressure off of me to let me get ahead.

I used a stay for the parallel path concept transfer so she could see me moving ahead.

Thanks again!!! fun! fun! fun!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Kathy McClung. Reason: fix a link

[Kathy McClung]

Happy New Year!!!!! I hope you had the best celebration!!!
We took advantage of the holiday & played games ☺

Thanks for the great feedback! I noticed her build that loop in there too & was so excited that she connected the dots. Smartie!

>>And definitely take a look at the resilience games

Yes! Yes! So much yes! We have been doing (& I LOVE) the Predictability Part 2 game. I haven’t been recording them, but I will. I have been playing it when we go to trials or any new environment and it really helps her have something familiar to do. We went to the Invitational in Orlando as a cheer-squad and she had an unusual day where she seemed afraid of a large dog off in the distance. I moved her away & we went back inside but, later, I took her back outside to the same area (dog was gone) and played that game and she relaxed. I’ll start on the Part 3. I’m going to teach Frankie these games too – I think they will really help her with her fearfulness <3

I started the Beginning Start Line Stay game. I started with the “Catch” part using food. I let her offer a sit at first and then after a while, I asked her to sit. I have a question on how to introduce the “Break”.  This is a new verbal for her. I want to use “break” because my “ok” is sloppy – hahaha. I say it way too much! Do I just add the “break” cue at the end of the “Catch” sequence & run with her? Or should I also add the “get it” along with the “break”?

Rocking Horse – Adding distance & introducing side sends
I’m curious to hear your feedback on this. We started off a little slow and she didn’t commit to the barrels at first. Once we warmed up, she had fun & showed more commitment. I definitely think she likes this game more with toys.

Alternate Rear Cross – Session 2 go slower & hold her collar & release to cookie
We got a left turn rear cross!!! I had to slow things way down and get my hand in front of her face to show her the direction & get the turns, but we got it! Hopefully she will remember some muscle memory when we try again.

Hind End Awareness
I tried the chair and moved back to get a little more distance between her back feet & the mat. Yay! There was less bow-ing (as sad as that is really because it is so cute)

Thank you so much for reviewing this avalanche of videos!!!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Kathy McClung.

[Kathy McClung]

Thanks for the great feedback on the backing up. I will try the chair!

Concept Transfer: Parallel Path Commitment
I used a lotus ball toy, but didn’t need the treats inside. She was happy with just the toy. I don’t thnk she cared where I was at all once the toy was introduced.

Strike A Pose Part 2: Concept Transfer For Serpentines
I added her mat to help with the stays. I usually don’t step over the jump when I leave them at the startline but I didn’t want to make the stay too advanced. I hope that is ok. At one point she ran & got a toy, so we played and then I switched to the toy as a reward.
I moved closer to the jump too and lined up with the wings.

Blind Cross Foundations Session 2
I added her mat to try & get more distance so I could improve the side change. She was a champ even though I am still too slow. I also did a refresh on the drive to handler decel at the end.

I think I need to go back over the previous week’s games & find what I’m missing. Since we were behind, do you see any “holes” that we need to work on next? I think I need to revisit countermotion.

Thank you!!!!

[Kathy McClung]

Thank you for the verbals feedback! I laughed so hard at “bend” & “snap”! LOL I’ve got to make a decision on the left/right wraps.

Also, thanks for the encouragement on the last session! I almost didn’t send the video but wanted to be honest about our session progress.

Here is what we have worked on ☺

I think I need to work on cleaning up my markers or is it ok to cheer the puppy on after the initial “yes!”? I’m saying a lot to her.

Hind End Awareness: Backing up 2.
I think she had a lightbulb moment about her rear feet touching the mat during the session! I figured out the best spot to place the starter cookie to help her be successful. I need to improve my click timing to be clearer to her what I’m asking for. I still think she is pushing back with her front though. I’m not sure how to change that.

Rocking Horse with the barrels further apart.
Still some commitment misses here. I will work on my body language and make sure we have eye contact before sending her.

Strike A Pose Part 1
Here we are with just the target. She really has value for sitting on a platform/mat so that helped me with her startline stay.

Strike A Pose Part 2: Concept Transfer For Serpentines
We added the jump, but the grass outdoors gave us the treat challenge again. I’m going to do our next session on mats on the deck and see if that helps make it easier for her to find her treats more easily & focus on the game.

Thank you!!!

[Kathy McClung]

Thank you! I will remember to keep looking at her on the parallel path! We tried again today (see below)

I have to show you that both dogs immediately knew those barrels were for them as soon as I took them out with this tiny video clip – hahaha! I had to save them from being dragged away.

Verbals Conversion ☺
I have a lot of questions about wrap verbals & 2 wrap verbals! I read the Verbals lesson and I see that we will have a verbal for frontside wraps and different verbals for backside wraps. I guess I’m trying to think this whole thing through here ☺.

If you use directionals, do you also find that there is still a need for a turn towards me cue?

I only have 1 wrap verbal with my other Boston, Frankie. I don’t use directionals, only a turn towards me. I have never needed a turn away from me cue, but that may mean I have just always had to figure out how to get to a spot on course when I can have her turn towards me.

Currently, I use “wrap, wrap, wrap” and it means take the jump & turn 180 degrees back towards me. I use “dig, dig, dig” for a turn towards me cue (not a wrap but a 90 degree turn where there is an off-course option.)

I am very directionally challenged and left & right terrify me, but your description of being able to memorize the direction we are going to call when we walk the course makes sense, so I’m feeling brave enough to try it, especially if it makes things easier for Bazinga. I like the idea of using a sound for each direction.

Also, if I use directionals for wraps, I guess I should also use that concept for my softer (90 degree) turns, but with different words/sounds?

I’m thinking about adopting your noises for wraps. It is interesting that they are softer to cue to the collection. I am always extra loud with my wrap verbal to be sure she hears it & because the direction changeis so dramatic.

For my 90 degree turns I think I will do “check, check, check” (left) & “dig,dig,dig” (right). I’ll just need to remember that Frankie only has dig, dig, haha.

I’m taking an inventory of my current verbals and I know there are some that I use for Frankie that I want to change for Bazinga. One thing I need to phase out is I used an aleternating verbal for each of the weave poles for all 12 poles (weave, yes!, weave, yes). It is exhausting! I’d like to not do that again.

Games:
We tried the Concept Transfer: Parallel Path Commitment & I totally messed it up. Let me know what you think after you see the video. I used wings without thinking about it! I should have used a wingless jump. I also did not use a clicker. I can do another session with the clicker & a wingless. She is also jumping after the treat. Is that a problem if she is doing it on her own?

We did another session of the Rocking Horse game. I started with food and tried a toy & she was interested in it. Maybe that toy drive is coming back. She did still have a few hiccups on the left hand turns which is strange because I thought that was her dominant turn side.

Thanks for your help!!
Kathy

• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Kathy McClung. Reason: added videos
• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Kathy McClung.

[Kathy McClung]

Hi Tracy! Hope you had a wonderful holiday!!!

Thanks for the feedback!
We did the parallel path game with the prop again & I tried switching to “get it’ and marking earlier. She got better at driving forward after a bit and stopped looking at me. It is hard for her to find the cookies in the grass, but she was getting the idea! Do you think we can transition to the concept transfer game for parallel path (with the wings)? When we do get to that game, can I use a jump panel board laying flat on the ground if I don’t have a jump bump? I have a pool noodle, but I’m pretty sure that would get snatched up & run away with! LOL

We tried the Rocking Horse game! It was fun! I found barrels on amazon 🙂
You are so right about the eye contact/Hallmark moment. If I lost her, we had some trouble getting around the barrel. You can hear me talking to myself to figure out which way she was turning. I think she did a good job on the right hand turns. I probably pushed & went too fast on the left turns because she had some trouble there.

I backed up & started the blind cross foundations game from week 1. My mechanics are terrible but Bazinga did a good job holding a “wait”. Should I try this with a helper to hold her? I feel like I need to work my way through these progressions to get to the combo games.

We have been working on the hand target & strike a pose #1. I don’t have video yet.

Thanks so much!!!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Kathy McClung.

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