Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Hi Kim! Thank you! I would love to see video with food play! YES, totally interested in the toy and it’s pink, Kelsie’s color! 🙂
Hi Kim! Tonight I did couple sessions. In between breaks I actually got a chance to review the first sets we did noticing a few things that needed improvement! I don’t move enough after the run when I use food. Old habit of just being a food dispenser and not moving around as much as I should. A couple times the lotus ball opened up before Kelsie got there so that became a scavenger hunt! When I have a toy I feel I move around more. What can I do to keep myself moving? Tricks that require movement?! The first reps I used a tug that I could drag around. In this segment I’m using a ball and a squeaky toy she likes. Using a toy in training is all new and I’m thrilled she’s responsive to it. I hope this transfers over off my property as well – trials & class (when we go back). Prior to the summer and even at our last trial in March, it was all about the cookies and ignored the toys! I chose Drill #2 because it was simple and I could put slight handling in since it was really hot and I didn’t want to demotivate her. I thought she hung in pretty well. We took frequent A/C breaks, lol! Tomorrow I’ll put in some more handling- if you think we should! I had the MM out to use but didn’t get to use it, quality over quantity for Kelsie so we’ll try another time! 🙂 Honestly, I’m not sure yet what Kelsie drives the hardest for. Lotus ball yes when it stays intact, lol! Regarding her motivation so far? To make the comparison from her SS video I posted to the speed circles- I feel it’s night and day & I really mean I feel it, she’s running happily and I’m not pulling it out of her 🙂 Of course she’s running a lower height as well, but something is different! Here’s our fun for tonight 🙂 when you see her disappear, she’s going to the shade, sometimes you’ll see I got her back in view otherwise we ended up going the other direction. Just wanted you to know I remained engaged with her even tho’ you can’t see us! https://youtu.be/p2Igggh5_gg
Hi Kim! Tonight was speed circle work with a tug and the lotus ball placed & thrown while playing opposition game! First couple reps are with the toy. I forgot to have the second toy nearby, so when you see Kelsie leave she was headed where the other toy was so I played there -out of video range. Next rep was with the lotus ball placed then thrown and then another round of placed and thrown. We ended the session with LBG (and a cameo from Lexie, the one screaming in the background, sorry!). Should we keep the LBG in our practice sessions? Thoughts on what you see here between toy, lotus ball place or thrown. Should we continue circle work without handling and what should I use- toy or lotus ball (thrown or placed) I have a MM too, not sure if you want me to use that as well. Thank you! https://youtu.be/sMZsi3ggDPo
Hi Kim! Thanks for the feedback! I will have another toy nearby in the event I need to reengage with her. A couple questions before we practice tomorrow. Should we continue to practice the opposition game? Speed circle with the lotus- do you want me to throw it or have it already placed at the end? We will practice LBG with more distance too! Yes, Kelsie LOVES her lotus ball- anything that contains food really LOL! Thanks! 🙂
Hi Kim! I’m not sure what happened to the LBG segment, editing video in the early morning before work is not very conducive, lol! Here is tonight’s presentation 🙂 First 2 toys, took me a little bit to figure out how to do this, lol! Am I doing it correctly? Next we did circle work, how did we do?! At 2:39 Kelsie left the session for shade. She is not like my other lab who will go until I say stop! I did LBG last because as you saw in the previous video- the sniffing that was because I did LBG before that. I used a lotus ball tonight- I think that’s a great idea, Kelsie sniffs enough as it is & if she knows food was there or could be there, she’s going to investigate! Thank you! https://youtu.be/5LmhQhil1YE
Hi Kim! I definitely need to release Kelsie earlier. She’s pushing while we setup (me getting into position and throwing the toy) but once the toy lands and I try to get her revved up, she’s waiting for the release, she’s puts pressure on when I say Get It. We want prior to, not me initiating wanting the toy 🙁 Took me a bit to realize that and I see it in the video- not sure if you can see where she is pushing against me hand and then she releases. She’s not the dog that is getting higher and higher with this game by me holding her back longer. Shorten the duration, as soon as she pushes which is when about the same time as I throw the toy- release her. Do you agree? Second segment is the Lazy Bastard. She caught onto to that real quick! Couple questions on that game. Should say anything when she takes the jump? I’m so used to verbal praise with her that on occasion I did verbally reward her too in addition to the cookie. I feel like Kelsie was taking these obstacles because she knew I had food 🙂 or did she really grab them on her own because she wanted to? Or doesn’t it matter at this point, she’s still ‘learning’? When I was putting away the tunnel, she followed me and was even taking jumps, lol! I had no cookies on me, so I just verbally praised her, not overly excited like normal, but acknowledged her. Was that Ok to do? Third segment is what happened after using food! After watching the video I feel I should have engaged with her, obviously the toy had no value at that point, maybe tried to get her to do some tricks? What would you have done? Next segments switched the toy. Got her back in the game! I put a bungee tug on the toy for next time so I can drag it around 🙂 Where should we progress to from here? More opposition games with quicker release? 🙂 I’m Ok with trying a few speed circles now, If we should go there. She seems to be moving Ok. Thank you! https://youtu.be/uZ75BJE5I2w
Hi Kim! Thank you! We’ll give the 2 toy a try. Kelsie is not so toy driven and the toy I’ve been using (bark box toy, lol!) is her favorite and I can actually get her to engage with me and last month I used it as a drive line toy & she loved it- which is huge for my foodie! 🙂 When I add obstacles, do you want me to have her “push’ me to start and then run away at the exit (or landing side) and reward that way? Like in your video? Now I need to go check out what the lazy bastard game is!! 🙂 Thank you!!
Hi Kim! Tried some different things tonight! Took out the lotus ball so I wasn’t tossing her cookies in the grass. Well, that was unsuccessful, she wouldn’t move, even with me teasing her beforehand – she really wasn’t enticed by that, she was more like what the heck are you doing with that toy? I use this toy for reward in sequencing. Then I setup like our startline between my legs, no go, literally, no go. So I aborted that idea! Took out her toy, that was way more successful! And later I tossed a cookie in the grass, charlie bears, easy to see 🙂 Again, I would normally tug alot harder with her. After watching the video, do you think I should be running around more and or feeding more too? https://youtu.be/336O8_0NwtA?t=2
That would be fabulous if I could get Kelsie to that point! – Your start line setup! 🙂 Am I thinking correctly that I need to wait until Kelsie pushes against my hand or pulls on the harness (I’m not sure yet which one she is more responsive to) before letting go/reward? Thank you!!
Hi Kim! We gave it a whirl, but with no intense tugging, although she wanted to! This is not as easy as it looks with a dog like Kelsie. For me anyway! My timing is critical, believe it or not- it’s what she’ll remember if I do it wrong. She’s too polite (sometimes)! First rep she wouldn’t apply pressure until I said Get It. This rep I made sure (I hope!) to release as soon as I felt pressure. You’ll see her at one point even sit because she knows being polite gets her cookies! Nerd! 🙂 I meant to bring out her lotus ball instead of throwing the cheese in the grass, but she did ok finding it! Also I have to watch what I say- for start line, I’ve been experimenting with Ready Set Go! I said this I think in the first rep and of course she’s not going to move until I say Go, which in this exercise I don’t want, I want her to push the button, right?! https://youtu.be/dYR9VTDA5Rc
This looks like a fantastic game for Kelsie! I’ve tried to hold her at the start to pressure me, doesn’t really happen. I see now I need to build value for it, the agility is not enough value- yet! 🙂 Can’t wait to try it! Thank you! 🙂
Hi Kim,
Ok 12″ got it! Once we get to that point. Probably another week or so before I let her run the speed circle from this week’s lesson. I don’t want to push it, I want her to feel good when we do these exercises 🙂 Rewards for speed no matter what, got it! 🙂 Last year winter I took Denise Fenzi’s Engagement training class. We spent about 8 months, wherever we went – trials ( Once we started running in trials, I let her sniff in front of the ring we are running in while they course build), parks, store fronts, playgrounds, public trails, just focusing on acclimation and then allowing her to choose to opt in to work. This made a world of difference in the dog I had who wanted to work! When she was all in, depending on where I was, we did heeling, tricks, personal play, etc.. A month before I started class (with my new instructor last year) I did ring rentals and just had Kelsie acclimate to the ring. By the time class started she was ready right out of the crate. What do you mean opposition reflex games? Like tug? She likes to tug as long as there is no sign of food around, lol! I recently got her to tug and drive to the toy while running her drive line! Food toys like the lotus ball have been her main focus in agility (class). Please tell me more about opposition games!! 🙂Hi! Thank you so much for your feedback and the first line of your message! Not because I want that (well I do, lol!) but because you recognize it and I know it too, I just need to pull it to the surface 🙂 which is why I am here. Kelsie jumps 20″ – in both videos. Regarding her weaves, she learned them about a year ago. Honestly, once she learned them I didn’t go further with them at home, just in class & then at trials. We don’t have a place to train in the winter, so we started up in the spring with only 4 classes and that ended when the pandemic hit. (I live in NYS) I recently bought a MM which I have only used so far with drive lines (along with toys that hold food). Kelsie LOVES her cookies!! Please let me know your thoughts on her weaves. Yes I totally see what I did at the tunnel with the blind, I had no idea! Thank you for that! Something to be mindful of. And again with the FC between panel & broad. Agreed clarity is important, the last thing I want to do is squash her confidence! My other lab is a doer before she thinks so I can relate to your tunnelers experience and I can see how that could be very stressful for Kelsie too. Having a lab who’s nose is always working on overtime, because she is nosy and wants to know her environment! Vs my other lab who yeah loves to sniff too but the reward of working with me is more powerful. I need to build that for Kelsie 🙂 Sure! I can setup the SS course and run it in a couple weeks! Looking forward to that lesson on jump heights & pressure! I am sharing with you her last drive line. I ran her at 18″ (to encourage speed and confidence) I’m sorry for the barking, not Kelsie! my other lab the doer 🙂 Thank you for your thoughts! https://youtu.be/g9OrviHr4oM
