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I started the Aha/Walk First threadle independence exercise today and it went well. I’ll do some more practices. I had great progress.
In the meantime, here’s Week 2 Handling Challenge 6 (with some excellent entertainment compliments of Jackpot at the expense of the mama).
Question:
what does ‘wrap wrap’ mean at :41 & :46 & :54 & 1:02 etc for the jump before the threadle? You were using it for both the wrap on the wing and the soft turn/non-wrap on the jump. You might not need it for both?Probably wrong use on the softer wing—it’s always tricky for me to decide when I have tight wrap, softer turn and one that can just be an over.
But, to answer your question about using it in combination with the threadle, this was a cue on 2 for collection to set up the threadle—I wish I could take credit for figuring it out myself but picked up from a couple different unrelated instructions and it’s proved very logical and useful for me. Of course, like anything, I have to improve on consistency and saying the right thing, something I often get twisted up.
It may not have been apparent, but the reason I reworked Challenge 4 / Sequence 4 at home was exactly for the reason you mention—not continuing with the forward motion and open approach. I got only minimal improvement on correcting all that extra help. That is absolutely a priority for me to fix. I can’t afford to hold back and help there.
I’ll get to work on the threadle wrap using the tip to keep progressing on it.
Same on the Challenge 5 tips. On that spin at the end, I honestly was surprised I did that—it just happened in the moment. I’m still puzzled what possessed me at the moment unless I saw something that I can’t see in the video or zoned out.Thanks so much and safe travels. Asssume you are Open-bound.
I can’t tell you how elated I was on those last two performances. I will definitely try this again when I can get some floor time, to be sure we aren’t just patterned there. This one will go down as one of my favorite learning moments for me.
On to Week 2, Handling Challenges 4 and 5. On Monday, we had a really bad unexpected snow event hit in the wee hours. I always have to arrive at the soccer facility a couple hours before classes to set up. I didn’t realize how bad it was out until I was well on my way and couldn’t retreat. That left me arriving at the facility, unable to expect people to come, and many hours of rented time. So, what’s a person to do? Give the option to hearty in town residents to come for private training and to do my own thing too. Hardship, isn’t it? Anyway, this was my chance to work on class homework.
Handling Challenges 4 (with some rework edited in on a couple pieces)
And Handling Challenges 5
And this, the best redo after (especially on the heels of deserving the dumass award for the first three tries on poor JP). This is the Week 2 Around the Clock Verbal exercise, losing the Fling.
Thank you so much for this feedback and the tips. I was so excited to try some of the fixes I got right on it. Because of weather and available practice locations, I have some exercises out of order and jumping ahead. But I did go back to hopefully improve areas under discussion. So, here first, from my slushy backyard are refinements to The Week 1 exercises, in particular the nuances for sequence 1 of Challenge 3 (where my arm position influenced Jackpot to have a lack of clarity, despite getting the challenge. My set up didn’t have a clear threadle side for sequence 2, and I don’t think it did here either, but we did get a lovely line in this redo. Finally, I redid sequence 3 also, trying to trust the commitment to backside off the verbal for then getting the blind.
And here is my next assignment post, Week 2 Verbals Around the Clock. This will show lots of examples of those flinging arms. It seems like this habit is escalating. Partly I think I feel off balance as I fall behind Jackpot on my handling and do some desperation flinging. But I also suspect I’m losing mechanics discipline and have gotten sloppy generally.
This video is long—sorry! There’s a section at the beginning that shows some good progress on JP staying connected through some pretty big distraction. It’s a bit of a progress brag and a thanks for the tips. Then it just takes a good long while to get through the variations on this lesson.
I had a great time with it and really felt that JP was listening and letting me know when I said the wrong cue combinations. Very interesting. And what a clever lad.
From above:”he committed when you had your arm back and the pointing forward at :12 actually drew his attention to you (he took a step towards you) because pointing forward changes the line of the shoulders to the front of the bar.”
In many of these videos (especially in the Week 2 ones that I’ve started working on), I see arm movements that I really don’t like and I need to clean up what I’m doing. I just don’t know what I should fix them to. So in this instance, when my right arm sort of rotates with me as I begin to cross, thus pointing at the front of the jump, what should be happening with it instead? When I watch your demo video, it looks like you don’t use much of an arm to indicate the backside unless it’s back as you describe mine is at first. Typically, I use the inside arm as I begin to initiate a front cross (which might not be apparent here due to my sloppiness or simply doing something wrong). I can try to train that inside arm to stay rotated back rather than stabbing it forward, if that’s the correct position.
I definitely need to work my threadle wraps. They are nowhere near on verbal alone and we aren’t even at consistent performance yet, especially due to my mechanics inconsistency.
Here’s our practice from today.
Just can’t thank you enough for all the brain stuff. That is by far our most important skill build goal. We had an amazing walk this morning with a bird of prey on the ground that he was only mildly interested in and didn’t bother to try to check out. JP just hung out with me while I admired the harrier (I think) skimming near to the ground and landing for brief periods. He was so relaxed which allowed the same for me. Enjoying like that is the best feeling.
When we saw your suggestion to retry HC 2 with less connection, we jumped right in. He was very keen to work this morning, not just run around and blow off steam. He was really on despite my usual flubs (especially on combo 2). BTW, it’s hard to not connect when you’re trying to do that.
Here is our disconnection test of verbals for Handling Challenges 2. Thanks for the suggestion to do that.
You asked if the position 2 coincided with the person’s arrival—yes, it did. I don’t think he would have gone over—the collar hold was instinctive. As I greeted the person, it was an abundance of caution to hold him momentarily. I will definitely work on instead turning to my pattern game. Thanks so much for the tip.
On Wednesday, at a different location where I rent space for offering training opps for myself and friends, we had some disconnect again (not new). I did use my Max Pup treat tosses and the newly learned light collar hold with me looking at him, for starts; that combo worked well to curb the circling and pacing. I’ll continue to implement those two strategies.
Now that you mention that the movement around the wing (at 1:14) may be his way of alleviating concern AND THAT IS A GOOD THING, that makes me view this reaction in a completely different way. I will use that perspective to help me help him. It never occurred to me that I could think of that as a good thing for him and finding comfort.
[Other things I am doing—he’s finally more trustworthy in the house so he’s getting privileges of staying out of the crate when we leave. And I’m having him off leash out in our big field so he can choose making good choices of following me in addition to getting to investigate. (Before, he would eat anything and everything he came across. And, we have tons of deer, coyotes, and other critters to work around, so we’re just now getting to some independence and judgement.) And, other opportunities like that as they come up. He’s definitely earned more trust and I’m trying hard to respect that.]
I really appreciate your perspective on the environmental disconnects. Right now, that’s our number one thing to work through.
We had a bit of a struggle when another training team showed up. Jackpot noticeably struggles in his start position. I ended up cutting most of those lapses from this exercise to keep it from running too long. We made it through all 4 positions and I did not cut any of our attempts. The full training session, less some of the distraction stuff, is included.
I love this game and plan on it going forward when introducing new challenges. We had a blast playing.
On that tunnel where he’s looking away from it, I don’t know what he was looking at. There are woods to my right and it could be just about anything. He does not miss anything which keeps me on my toes at all times.
Now into the dark hours winter. 😞 love the temps, hate the dark.
Huge wins include (1) less shoe biting attacks (though still happens); (2) loose leash walking at home and better at other locations; (3) baby increments on handling environments without going bats**t crazy feral beast; (4) less eating of everything in sight; (5) spells of being able to self-regulate at home outside the crate (naps and quiet times); and (6) really nice sofa cuddles (newest and bestest).
The not-so-good and most puzzling: JP has started chasing his tail WITH catch and hold to tear at it. I feel utterly helpless with this one. Maybe I’ve made a few strides in slowing it down. He loves to shred so I have started coming up with shreddables (easier to do now that he is less apt to eat what he shreds)—boxes, sacks, toys. Food dispensing toys are good. We are doing lots of cuddle time, which he does like now. He’s learned to swim and is a little fish—-he loves it and I have a place we can go three times a week this summer. And he has all his usual stuff too. I am broken again, making extra duty difficult. I think this is attention-getting behavior, but I’m not really sure. I don’t think there’s anything physical. Balancing boredom against his need to relax and get puppy rest. Any suggestions or experience with this would be most welcome.
And then there is more really good stuff—back to class.
Week 1
The Lazy Game
Wingin’ It
Plank Confidence
Mountain Climber
