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Hey lady! I am sorry I have been MIA for three weeks. It’s been kind of insane. Work completely off the rails crazy – entire department cut in re-org except me and one other (!!!!). Old guy Emmett had cancer removed which was stressful but went well despite coming home with a massive incision to take care of, but then he almost died 1 week later from some serious liver disease with the cause unknown. Made peace (sort of) with the possibility of actually losing him this time while getting ready to go out of town for an event which I decided I could not skip. Em came with just in case. Then was suspicious of Ronin contracting Lyme’s based on symptoms, but test was negative. Went to his chiropractor and then saw improvement, but I’m still suspicious. Going to retest for Lyme’s anyway + full xrays because the test may have been done too soon after finding the tick and I’m still seeing a few potential symptoms. He can do agility okay but I’m limiting it until I know for sure if I’m crazy in seeing what I see, or not, and can get a diagnosis.
So, yee haw, it’s been a fun three weeks! <insert bigger than average eyeroll here>
I actually have a few videos from the 14th yet to upload, but really right now I would like to know when is the end of getting your feedback on the class lessons so I can plan appropriately. Thanks in advance for the end date, and all he fabulous feedback to date!
Krisin
Thanks, Tracy! I tried a few more tunnel entries and exits today and maybe I just got lucky yesterday because we had a bit of a struggle with the rear cross in this session. Here are the failures:
How would you make this easier to train it more comprehensively? I am thinking shorten the tunnel up significantly and slow down my motion. Thoughts on that or other things to try just in case today wasn’t just a puppy brain fart?😂
We also worked on lead out. He was a good boy! Note: on the platform he is not required to have a specific position so I let that go for those reps. On the ground though, sit required. 🙂
Let me know what you think!
Kristin>>Sometimes a good laugh is best when things go wrong LOL! It was not that bad of a session LOL!!>>
Oh yes, I may have sounded sad at the end but there definitely were a lot of laughs afterwards off camera. 😄But I thought of a better item to start the discrimination work with (a mat – Duh!!) and so I tried that, plus didn’t have them so close together, and it went better. Not perfect of course, but he was certainly thinking.🙂
We also worked on some tunnel entries and exits. After seeing the video of this I could see that what I was feeling on the inside (lack of confidence about my handling) indeed translated to what I was doing. I was late a few times and kind of uncertain in my motion as well. But we can improve for next time, so let me have your feedback!
Thanks!
KristinHi! First, serpentine training is going well since our last check-in on that. No video to review there, but we are making good progress.
I tried out some discrimination work today and it was kind of a train wreck.😂 I feel like I did so many things wrong with the sessions I tried today. My poor puppy!
First, I realized that “kennel” and “tunnel” verbals probably sound too much he same for this exercise. He kind of knows “crate” verbal a little so I tried it out with not the best results. I even tried lots of other objects he knows the commands for like “hop it up” on a balance disk (not on video) and getting on a platform (he was MUCH too sticky to that thing). Some of the things not on video may having you spitting out your coffee in wonderment of just what the heck we were doing!!🤣
But here’s what I’m choosing to submit for feedback. I did just think of another object I didn’t try that maybe has more equal value to the tunnel than any of the other things tried (except kennel, which we maybe would eliminate given the verbal is too similar).
For what it’s worth:
Let me know what you think!
KristinHi! Angled jump idea makes total sense. Tried on the first couple reps tonight. Worked well to help with the understanding for sure! Then I straightened them out a little and moved on. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to add then tunnel, then straighten, or keep angled when adding the tunnel. Based on the second to last rep I think I should’ve keep the bigger angle, but he still did well overall I thought.
It was fun to see him get it. 😀 Sorry it was borderline too dark for video though.
~Kristin
We worked on the serpentine today. I realized after that the camera angle was really sub-optimal for this, so I’m sorry about that. I also though he’d remember this more easily and we’d get to adding the second jump and tunnel more quickly, but no. 🙂
I’m really glad we started with the refresher. On the video it looks like I’m quite far past the middle of the jump when I cue him to go, but I don’t think I was quite as far over as it looks, but maybe I still should have cued more when I was closer to the middle? Also I think I’m using my off arm in here when I shouldn’t – do you think so?
Thanks for the feedback!
KristinThank you! Great feedback on the timing! I see it now. We did a few sessions of this again yesterday and it went well. I even introduced the MM, but think he like dropped treats or the toy better. It’s good to have options though! I’ll save the video time for when we get back to the real exercises. But I’m going to give this remedial work a bit more time before going back to that.
We worked a bit on the contact training from last week, starting with a quick refresher of the target behavior since we hadn’t done that in awhile. He did well I think. But definitely learned that if the treats are out with the toy he definitely no longer cares about the toy! The boy has his priorities!😁
Let me know what you think. Thanks!
KristinHi! You were spot on in your assessment that I needed to take that extra movement/step out because it very clearly made a difference. The video below has a few sessions on it. The first one outside was from Monday which is just a sample of how the 2-ish minutes went, but very representative of the problem that occurred when I took out thee extra step and hand cue. He didn’t understand the 360 wraps in that case.
So okay, no problem, I backed it up a bit and made it simpler. Oh, one thing though… on the first video I did also realize that I NOT slow it down like I was supposed to, that you pointed out, so that didn’t help. My bad. After that Monday session I went out of town for several days where we didn’t practice but it gave me time to think about what to do next.
The two sessions in my basement are from today and separated by a break. I tried to reward with the toy more on the backside of the wrap and he did start getting it by the end.
Between Monday and today’s session, it also became very clear to me that I didn’t understand what you meant by keeping going if there’s an error. I’m not sure how I am supposed to keep the sequence going if there’s a mistake or exactly what I should be doing if he doesn’t execute the wrap. Can you explain more?
Let me know what you think of this, how I can improve it, and next steps. I’m thinking I should keep it pretty simple for a few more rounds before going back to the homework, but let me know! Thanks!
Kristin
Hi! We worked on the 2-wing ladder exercise today. First though, we did a sniffy walk around the field again – you could literally see where the rabbits had been frolicking in the agility area early this morning based on how the grass looked – and as a result had NO run-offs and he was super focused – yay!!!
I did realize for one of the reps I did switch hands with the toy accidentally, so tried to stop that. I kind of tested out keeping in one hand only vs. putting toy in pants. Jury is still out on what I like. Probably in the pants!
These are all the reps. Will try to get out again for another session before it gets too hot!
Let me know your thoughts.
KristinThanks, Tracy! Good idea on mixing it up more. I sort of tried that today. And I have learned something about this young man…I will get a lot more focus outside if before I try to run any exercises I just do a quick jaunt around the area with him on leash so he can sniff the edges of the field and around the jumps, etc. It’s brief, we don’t linger, on leash, and quiet, but it seems like then he is satisfied with his investigation of the area and we can just get down to work. I have not seen any running off outside if I just take 60 seconds to let him sniff around first. I know we won’t be able to do this at a trial, but for now I think it really helps!
And I don’t mind taking off running to have him chase me with the toy. I’m already sweaty out there so what’s a little more.😁I tried that out today with the blind to blind. I should not have been using that Go-go-go that I did a little while rewarding, otherwise my verbals maybe weren’t so bad. I felt a little frantic at times not really making the solid connection such that I was truly seeing his face, but he still seemed to get it.
Let me know what you think. Thanks!
KristinOkay, message received on the feedback!
1) Stop talking unless I am giving useful information
2) More connection
3) Don’t worry too much about it right now
🤣Yesterday we worked on the next exercises. I had the setup a bit off for step 1 of Wingin’ It but I think I still did the handling right.
Went back out 10 hours later for Step 2:
I think we were pretty decent on these but let me know what you think.
Kristin
I did just a few reps with this setup since I had it up and was lacking in time, and wanted to try the rear cross again (it was terrible, but I could see what I was doing wrong from the video so I didn’t even waste your time with it here). But I had a different problem on a few reps that I can’t figure out. He started running by the jumps on some of the reps. On one of them I did have some distance but still thought I was connected enough. Must not have been! One might have been due to the toy throw, but still I would think he’d take the jump.
Can you take a quick peek and see what you think? Do I need to reinforce staying on a jump line for awhile somehow? What do I do in this case when there’s a mistake? Still reward I assume but how do I help him understand he needs to take what’s available? I feel like I’m forgetting a past lesson here but not sure which one to go back to!😅
Thanks!
KristinOh thank you so much! One quick question the… is the main difference (to the dog) between the rear cross and that of the backside push really just the verbal? Because now that I think about it, the motion, line and body position seem to be the same between rear cross and back side or what is the difference?
Thanks!
KristinI worked on Straight Line exercises today and it was fun. I focused on making sure he was ready to run (and in fact he did not wait on a few reps and took off without me!).
I did two separate sessions, these are all reps.
Next session I included the tunnel:
I think I used my arms too much on the push to backside, but not sure.
Managed to edit this post before your review and add in some further Countermotion practice early this AM before it gets crazy humid and hot.
It still feels kind of awkward to me with the step back, but he seemed to pick it up better this time maybe because I wasn’t blocking the wings. I tried to increase my motion from last time and he did seem to have the commitment.
Let me know what you think!
Kristin
