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Backing Up:
We were riding high from our barrel wrap Hallmark moments, and we are still iced in, so I decided to try some backing up, after leaving it alone for a couple of weeks now.
In the beginning of this video, you’ll see what has been typical. He will not back straight onto another surface. I had two jump wings nearby, so I improvised with them to make a channel. It took him a few reps to understand that he would only get paid if he backed between the wings, but he did figure it out, and then did some of the best backing up of his little life.
I’m thinking that I do another session or two like this and then maybe fade the wings, one at a time at first, then both. Add a verbal when I’m sure he’s got it, then try transferring to a plank? Make sense?
Thanks,
LyndieBarrel Wrapping
Ok. We’re only about an hour apart, so I feel sure that you could hear me singing your praises this afternoon. You are, officially, the high priestess of puppy training. Behold this barrel wrapping session. We were connected, there was movie soundtrack music, there were hearts floating over our heads, and he was happily wrapping his baby-moose self.
There was one atrocious rep where I slipped into old ways, and he let me right away that those methods would not fly. So we acknowledged the suckiness of his mother and started over.
Thanks. This is very helpful and I will try it again today or tomorrow.
I used to assume that you and I got the same weather, but I’m realizing that our elevation makes a pretty big difference. We ended up with a total of 10″ of snow, across two different snow storms and a hard crust of ice on top. The dogs have had real difficulty walking on it.
We’re finally getting above freezing today, so hoping for some major meltage.
Rockinghorse Combos
Moments of awesomesauce but then also moments of sticky like molasses. I realize that it must seem like I’m ignoring your feedback, but I promise that your voice is in my head as I do this, reminding me to connect, keep my arm back, prolong the Hollywood moment and GTF off his line. To my eye, I did these things most of the time. If you don’t agree, please say so.
I still felt like he was checking his bank account and worrying about the cookies. This is why I tried breaking it down and rewarding with cookies on the line for a couple of reps.
Our wind is supposed to taper off today, so I’m hoping to try this outside with more space in the next couple of days.
Thanks,
LyndiePerch and Cavaletti:
Back when you posted the cavaletti game with our legs, we did it but I don’t think we ever posted video.
Here’s a little bit of the perch game and his first ever pass through a real cavaletti setup. As I reviewed the video, I wondered if I need to slow him down a bit on the cavaletti (easier said than done!). We want him intentionally walking over the bars and not jumping them, right?
Perch Video: https://youtu.be/uMpjJ9qD2Z0
Cavaletti Video: https://youtu.be/HnlmAHjyGOw
Parallel Path and Backside Slice (with towel jump bars)
Yes! Great idea! We are up on a ridge over the BRP at 2700′ of elevation, so we are getting some wicked wind chills on top of already cold temps. Feels like 7 right now, and the snow has a thick crust of ice on top that I think is too rough on the dogs’ paws for any running to be allowed. And when this all starts to thaw, I think we have a couple more days of squishy and slippery ahead of us.
So, I went across the road to my “toy box” (agility equipment storage shed) and gathered up all the things that I could reasonable play with in the basement: cavalettis, mat for RDW games, travel teeter, etc.
Prepare to be entertained by all the ways I can tire out boisterous boys in a tiny space!
I am delighted to report that our “get out” around the ex-pen performance was not a fluke. The whole process just happened again, and he turned on a dime when I said to “get out!” #winning
Parallel Path and Backside Slice – Breakthrough!
You know that scene in the movie “Pretty Woman” when they’re in the opera house and an old woman asks Julie Roberts how she liked the opera, and she says “Oh, it was so good I almost peed my pants”?
Well, that’s me right now! WM’s handler is no longer broken (in this particular way; sure there will be other ways soon). I set this up in the uber-restrictive basement because WHITENESS everywhere. The lines were very tight, but I literally told myself that this would force me to “color inside Tracy’s lines.” And I practiced walking in a straight line and staying in my freaking lane up and down the length of this space before WM was even in the basement. And then we did this. So small, but so huge. Maybe better than getting out around the ex-pen in the living room. A contender for favorite moment for sure!
Do not let my enthusiasm damper any instinct you might have to tell me how to improve upon this. I’ll just be here throwing a party for myself until I hear back from you!
Thanks,
LyndieYour explanation is great. When I attempt to follow the video link, I’m getting an error that there may be a typo in it. Will you double check it when you have a chance?
Thanks,
LyndieGet Out – Hilarious practical application:
OMG. I am ROFLMAO! Our cabin in Fancy Gap is an A-frame. On the main level, there is an L-shaped sectional couch and console table against one of the slanty walls. Then, WM’s daytime palace, AKA ex-pen is against the same slanty wall. Suffice to say there are spaces where only WM fits, in the triangles created behind ex-pen walls, behind sectional couch, and under console table. Tonight, he was “foraging” for stray cookie crumbs and got himself a bit stuck in one of these spaces. He wanted to come to me, which would have entailed a leap over an end table and arm of couch, and I really didn’t want him to learn that was a real option. He kept contemplating it and I kept saying “No, go around.” And we were at a stand still. Then, I had an inspiration. I raised my opposite side arm, pointed to the far side of the ex-pen, literally 12-15′ away from me, and said “Get Out!” It was immediately obvious that he understood, and he enthusiastically travelled the 12-15′ to the far side of ex-pen, around, and back to me and landed at my side on the couch with glee, ready for the jackpot that was waiting for him!
I love agility, but as far as I’m concerned, I just got my $$ worth from your class, because that was PRICELESS!
Question about Cues for “Get Out” and Threadles:
My positional cue for a threadle is a bent, opposite side arm across and close to my body with my hand closed in a fist. Your most recent suggestion on our Get Out video was that I start making my arm gesture more subtle. So, I’ll be working toward an opposite side arm that is pointing at a line rather than tight to my body and my hand will be open, rather than closed in a fist. Is this enough differentiation for the dog to recognize the difference?
Thanks,
LyndieSubmitting via iPad and using a Youtube link instead of video embedded had the same result. I got booted out of the site.
Backside Slice
This session was tough, and I don’t think the video shows that. Wingman was distracted by fresh bunny poop, the wind, etc. In between elements of what you’ll see there, we had a short but truly excellent session of backside threadles with me holding my position until he got to the MM. Video operator fail, so I can’t show you, but this is relevant because he was not distracted during that game. I think the distraction during the backside slice work was stressing down because he still wasn’t understanding where to be. I mixed up my approach a lot…….using different rewards and even a different object for the wrap, to see if I could build up his engagement and confidence. This helped, to some extent.
I think I need to back up and do really ordinary parallel path stuff wih him then come back to this. How do you feel about me putting the MM on the line in this game? And if you agree, where should I start?
Thanks,
Lyndie
