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Great, Tracy, thanks for the insights!
So I tried out the Serpentine connection and it did not go well. 😉
First rep on the send to the wing I had poor connection and can definitely see what happened when watching the video. Next rep was better so I stopped to reward.
Things went downhill from there – ha!! It has been a bit since we worked serps vs. threadles and for some reason he was absolutely stuck in his thinking we were doing threadles. Note that my serp cue is dog-side arm back. Threadle cue is the “Close” verbal plus off-arm back as well.
After two mistakes I made it easier. When that didn’t help I took a break and came back to it later. When we still had problems in the next round, I made it easier in a different way. When that didn’t work I just stopped to seek your advice before doing more. HELP! 😀
~Kristin
Hi Tracy, we’ve been busy so are behind but hopefully can catch up a bit with the skip week this past week.
Thanks for the great feedback last time. I tried to remember it on these next sessions, but seems I did forget to open up my arm a few times that would really have helped.
Sends – in reviewing the video I feel like I didn’t really send. I felt like I had to move somewhere/more and with it being so tight kind of messed with my head. But still was good practice. Let me know what you think.
Shifting Connection – I kind of enjoyed these exercises more.😀 I thought Reacher did great and I did okay on most, but did have a few mistakes. I also noticed that I was often taking an extra step back towards the landing side on the wraps that should not be needed. I recall I had this same habit in MaxPup so is a good reminder to knock it off! Ha!
~Kristin
Ugh, in some ways this next video seems to indicate that I had trouble incorporating your awesome feedback from last time, but I’ll keep working on it. I swear I read it and it all made sense on “paper”! 🙂
I admit a few things messed with my head that didn’t help like trying to remember which hand to keep the toy in, and the lack of space. I kept wondering if maybe doing this class in my basement with full size jumps with wings not my best idea. Ha!!🤣
However, I will tell you a happy story. Last week I had Reacher’s very first Novice-level class, at On the Run, after not even being in a training center since we finished puppy agility back in August or so. I wasn’t sure how it was gonna go… but he did awesome. But my connection story is the good part! We had one sequence that ended with a right turn followed by a long line of 3-4 jumps. The first time I tried it I didn’t make good exit line connection (because I was thinking “holy crap I have to RUN!”) and Reacher started to cut behind me to take the off course a-frame. I caught it and we continued but he was slowish. Next time I tried it I remembered my strong exit connection and he had NO question. I was a little ahead at that point, as is what I’m used to, but then he was like “I GOT IT!” and I kept my attention on his face which went from behind me, to next me, and next thing I knew he was confidently taking that line of jumps with me staring at his cute little butt! He was literally waiting for me at the end. I am pretty sure my face looked like those cartoons do when the character’s eyes bug out. I am sure the connection and a well-placed GO! was the key to that confidence. I was so proud!!
I had to keep that in mind as I watched my Combo video below to not get quite so bummed with my performance here. One interesting thing is that I thought he was much more happy and confident on the last 3-4 reps, but I did switch from toy to food and I think he was much more excited about a food reward.
Looking forward to your commentary!
KristinThanks for the feedback. Sadly, we did get a little snow overnight, so I’m going to try this in the basement. Not sure if doing this class will work well with only that much space, but will see!
I tried the Regular Connection again trying to get him a bit more ahead of me, but it tough to get him going fast enough. Perhaps a placed reward would work better for him to get farther ahead??
We also worked some Exit Line Connection in a separate session.There were a few reps that I have no idea why I was doing such a big lead out and it created problems. Or rather, that lack of commitment created the problem but I didn’t need to lead out like that. Anyway, I think I could be a lot smoother on many of these, but let me know your thoughts!
~Kristin
Hi! Thanks for the great tips. I totally agree about needing to avoid the banana line and have even stronger connection. It’s amazing how much of a difference makes, and yet is still hard for me to do and still run the right line. Must practice more!😀
And there is something I was thinking about that I’d like your opinion on. In fact the behavior was illustrated a bit by a question you asked me recently that I forgot to answer. So first, you asked:
>>The Starfish is going really well, this is the hardest handling game and you had a TON of success!! Where was he heading on the first reps? Clearly something caught his attention>>
What he was distracted by was the dogwalk with my touchboard that I hadn’t picked up. I’m running contact training and it’s going really well… we’ve done a ton of groundwork and he finds it VERY rewarding. I thought that stuff was far enough away, but I guess not!But this reminds me of my question, often times when I get Reacher out into the field and take the leash off he immediately takes off and tries to “do things” without me! I love his enthusiasm and don’t want to discourage him, but it doesn’t seem like this is a good idea and certainly will be detrimental at a trial. I’m going to teach a set up routine and that should help with this, but in the meantime is there anything I should be doing to prevent him from just running around the second the leash comes off to run around wings, jumps or or take the tunnel? Or is it just a fun release?
Today we worked on lateral lead out. I’m so sorry for how windy it was and thus loud and even shaking the camera. I had too stake down the jump wing! I turned the volume down when cutting the video together but might still be a bit loud.
Anyway, for the first rep I forgot to walk laterally at first, then up to the wing, but fixed on the others. I thought he did well despite my handling mistakes here and there. Let me know what you think!
~Kristin
Thank you, Tracy! Great feedback on both, as always, and it makes so much sense.
So I tried Backside Proofing again today in two sessions, attempting much stronger connection. It definitely helped! On the countermotion exit, was I doing a better job looking at the landing side this time? Even in reviewing the video I’m not sure it was enough. ??
On switching the exercise to work the other side, we had some struggles all over again. I think my connection was not as strong as I thought it was in the moment on all the reps. When I did make it easier AND had the stronger connection it did make a difference, so as usual, it’s all on me to make it clear for him.
Let me know if you have any final notes on this one for me. Thank you!
Kristin
Finally back for our final week of MaxPup (so sad!) but have been focusing on working my contacts before putting everything away this weekend. Side note – thanks for the excellent Teeter training class! I purchased last year as self-study and it’s worked great for both Ronin and Reacher.
We worked on a bit of Starfish yesterday. I forgot the longer courses despite walking so kind of just made a few things up. 🙂 I think I have a good idea what I messed up to cause the mistakes that did happen but let me know what you think!
We also did two sessions of the backside proofing TODAY. The first session was tough and despite making it easier by moving the wing out we struggled on this one at first. Came back later in the day too try again and definitely went better. Looks like we have more work to do on this one.😁. Suggestions?
~Kristin
Thanks for the awesome feedback. I am going to go back and practice these some more, but for now, I have worked on the Tunnel Threadle. Results were not as successful as hoped, but not exactly a surprise either. How can I help him understand this better?
Thanks!
KristinFirst, CONGRATULATIONS!! What an amazing experience and win for your flyball team! I am SO mad at AKC.tv for crapping out on all my devices just when your team was getting ready to run. 🙁 Need video!
Back to agility… Feel free to groan as you see how many videos I have from the last few days. I know, lots to review.
>>Is the verbal you were using for all backsides, or just the backside wrap? I vote for separate verbals for backside slice and backside wrap>>
Hmm, I agree I meant to start a new verbal for the backside wrap vs. slide and forgot. Backside slice should be “Push” and wrap should be “Dig”. Thanks for asking, as I had thought about it before but then didn’t execute the plan. Ha!So I tried to use the new command and not block any wings in my final Wind in Your Hair submission. Any final tweaks on this for now?
Per your suggestion we also moved to Mission Transition. I think I was admiring how handsome he was no a few reps and forgot to do more of a takeoff back towards the start 😀 but no harm done I suppose. What is concerning to me is WHY THE HECK was I using right and left commands for wraps?!?! What a dork! I’m in a ‘hate my verbals’ phase right now.
Layering. At first I could not decide which arm I wanted to use for this skill, so tried the dog-side arm for initial reps then tried the outside arm. It does’t feel as natural to me to use the outside arm, but I can see how it would make the line clearer to the dog, so will keep practicing that. I imagine there are a lot of tweaks I should make here!
Added some bars to the Zig Zag Slice jump grid. They were at 4″ with on side on the ground.
And then, I know we need this (even saw a perfect spot for it in one of the standard courses at Cynosports I watched this weekend), but a big thumbs-down on the lap turns! 😂
And finally, the Get Out game. I think that went pretty well (but I’m sure some tweaks needed). Better than how the Layering went though!
Safe travels back home after CanAm!
KristinHello!
Worked on adding in the Backside wraps to the Wind in Hair setup today. Not too bad. Slight distraction when the jumps in the background fell over in the first rep, and on at least 1 of the backsides I was really blocking the wing though. Other tweaks to make?
Also did a bit of Serp proofing. Such a good one to learn!
Kristin
Hello! Did some more things!
Find the Jump – added some more lateral distance compared to the last round, and it went well, although I think he had some questions on the last two reps where he did check in first and then found the jump. Do you think that was from the extra distance or that on those I was flailing my arms a bit vs. focusing on holding it down and back?
Diamond – any additional suggestions before I try to run more of this one? (except to avoid reverse spins 😉
Serps – did some more of this with left turns (the harder side for him) and those went great, but then a few right turn ones that were easy in the earlier rounds seemed to be troublesome this time. Can you see any reasons why? I was not as close as I should’ve been to the jump on the failed reps, but otherwise, any other reasons you can see?
Wind in the Hair Part 2 (Rear Crosses)
On this on I felt I was doing too much of the an ‘L’ move, cutting in behind him at the last second, on most of the reps. Boo. Other feedback?
Thanks!
KristinWe tried the serpentine again (left turn) and it went better. I did stay closer to the bar this time but did keep the angle easier to begin. He is a funny boy – completely starting without me! Ha! I do think I could’ve keep my cue arm farther back and chest faced more towards the jump. Thoughts?
Tried the Find the Jump on the other side this time and also ran ahead a bit more on most reps except the last. I think he found it enjoyable and seemed to do well.
Diamond setup… the theme of this one is YOUR LATE!😂 And again I think my arm back for connection could be stronger.
Let me know your thoughts!
KristinThank you, Tracy, this is fabulous feedback! I’m kind of relieved that you think it’s just because he’s a righty. And yep, totally agree I was very far away from the bar. I noticed that on the video too before I posted and think it’s just a mental thing for me that for whatever reason I think that being close to the jump will mean too much pressure and he won’t come in. But the other cues should override that.
Reacher and I can both can sleep on it and try again tomorrow.😀
I did do one more thing at the end of the day! I might have gotten a little greedy there at the end but he was still having fun and got his reward so it’s all good. Thoughts?
Thanks!
KristinWow, it’s been awhile! Thanks to being busy and then sick (not Covid but a good reminder that we still have some serious other virus action out there), I’ve missed a bunch lately, but will try to catch up now. I’ll be enjoying a bit of a staycation from work this upcoming week so should have more time to play agility.
Here’s the Find the Jump game:
I do think he enjoyed this one once I got him in the right end of the tunnel!Send ‘N Serp:
I did two rounds of this separated with a break, but one side went very much better. Sending him from my left pretty much all reps looked like this:
But we really had troubles on the other side. I am not sure if the difficulty was because I totally lost my brain on the first rep and sent him wrong. Or if this is just a harder side for some reason. Let me know what you think!
~Kristin
Thank you for the great feedback. I’m glad you liked the connection – I was working really hard on it!
I’m not sure it was quite as good as in this Tunnel Exit Turns session, but thought it went okay other than the obviously wrong verbal in the first rep. Doh! And note, this was even after I DID practice that one once without the dog. I choked!😆 And the other issue was the distraction of the noise that happened in the shop on the second rep. So it was good practice to work through that.
Let me know what you think!
Kristin
