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Hey thanks so much for the blind foundations! I have played these games in the yard. I’ve realized that there is a difference between my blinds when I am “training blinds” and when I am actually trying to be ahead to make a blind on a course. He understands when we’re training and I have adequate time to make a cross. I need to work on some full on sprinting blinds without him and then add him back in to make sure I can still execute when I’m running. I think we’re getting better though. I just need to be more deliberate about my head turn and shoulder drop. I have also been working with different startline techniques from week 2 & 3 as well. He really likes a bit of opposition reflex and me starting out running with him.
I printed the courses for the wrong week so here is Week 3 instead of Week 2.
I wanted to ask about ring routine especially since we’re doing a baby trial this weekend. I have separately from this been working on going in and sitting him and throwing off his leash doing work and leashing him back up. I tried to do a variation of it with the toy today. The routine definitely brought him down a little bit before we ran though. So I only did it in the first set of runs. Just wasn’t sure your thoughts.
So first course…The space is a factor here. He really can’t open up in this course the way I would want him to. I tried to handle the obstacle 1&2 a little bit differently to make sure I wasn’t in his line. He did eventually open up some in the speed circle. The first time he left was because he realized there was another dog at the training center barking. It’s his go to stress behavior as well… To leave the ring and sniff a dog. (Dog was crated in a separate room and not visible). I did reward him for coming back and did some play. The time I ran the course backwards that jump was in my way and I definitely lost some connection with him through no fault of us.
The second course I thought he enjoyed more. Also I played and went right into running so no routine. I’ve been trying to do more blinds since we’ve been talking about it. The first run was a little late but looked nice. I only ran half the course. The second run I didn’t drop my shoulder for the blind and he took the of course jump. Tried to play it off but didn’t do too great at it. Overall I learned a lot.
Yes that makes a lot of sense with the frisbee. Also with your dog you used frisbee for would you toss it at the end of a run like another toy to drive motion forward? I know you talked about play at the end of your runs this week in the lesson.
Haha I feel so out of shape so the running and cuing is definitely my challenge. I should probably run it by myself not just walk it before we run together 😂. He doesn’t always cut behind me, but I have noticed it more frequently the more blinds we do. I would love to work on that if you have an exercise go share. Thanks!
So when I am running should I ask him to come in my hand, mark and then throw my reward? Or are you referring to just ask for a nose touch so he’s not being super repetitive in his motion around me once my reward is already out?
We did the first speed circle course today. I showed a little bit of our play at the beginning and I varied with some very light tugging, two toy and then I added a few nose touches in I believe. He was pretty excited to run. The first run, if I had to guess I thought he was committed to the line and I wasn’t connected to him out of the tunnel. I was thinking about moving my butt down the line quick lol. So I rewarded him and played anyway. The second rep we connected a little better. He still missed that first jump, but I continued and then dropped my arm so he wasn’t committed to completing the speed circle at the tunnel. I should have probably rewarded earlier. Again we played anyway. Third one was the best. It was super pretty and it felt better. I took a little break between that one and the last one. I couldn’t tell if he crossed behind me looking for the frisbee or if it truly was my handling but I made the best of it and ran the speed circle the other direction and ended there. Overall not too bad I think. Good thing I’m getting back to the gym! I need to work on my running lol.
I feel like sometimes when he runs and comes back he is more dialed in but sometimes I feel like it kills some of his enthusiasm for running. It is also hard that a lot of the spaces we typically train in are tighter, so he’s not used to really being able to open up and run like he does in trial settings.
We have a few weeks until the trial but I will be sure to do a speed circle there!
I started with the first game, building excitement for toys and food. So for a lot of the non-equipment games, unless I am at the training center I will likely be outside. Of course my bulky winter gear gets in the way a little so I will readjust for next session. So for outside, I was taught that for a dog that sniffs a lot, I should use a food stuffed toy when I play with food. He really enjoys his food stuffed toy but it doesn’t really build more interaction with me naturally. When I am inside and tossing food loose on the floor he reorients back a lot like in your video and scrambles on the floor to get to the food. I just am not sure what to do with the grass. I can try to catch another video when I go to train tomorrow. I also switched to his frisbee so you could see the initial excitement for toys there, but I do feel like I struggle to keep this as a game we play together. Sure he brings the frisbee back and I tug some, but you can tell he just wants me to throw the darn thing again and the tugging isn’t his favorite part. I tried to use some impulse control to get him excited and that was kind of hit or miss. It’s also hard to tug because he has such a good frisbee grip. I try to alleviate frontal pressure and turn to the side or use one hand if I can. After a few minutes of this play though he opts out and goes looking for the food stuffed toy again. I did a bit more and ended the session. My sessions are notorious for being too long so I’ll start setting a timer. We do have some good stuff in there I feel like but there’s a lot we can do in terms of improvement.
