[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
Thanks. He had a good time. We sat and just watched the other dogs run too and got to visit others.

We tried the clicker stay steps. Hopefully I did them right to start. We also did the baby step for the combos. He had some trouble with the toy on the ground but then did better when I cleaned up what I was doing.

For the Game Predictability Part 3. I am confused on how it is different than what I was doing with the novel items.

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
Thanks. I will try that and let you know.
Yesterday night we did a fun run again. Brand new place he has not been too. We did a little of the pattern game on leash outside the ring area. Sorry no video of that. Then we just played some tug in the ring and toy races. All fun. I did a cookie toss but it was too big and he didn’t swallow so I still need to learn on that one.

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
That makes sense for the video.
Question about clickers. I have not used the clicker with him yet. I was reading the stay game. We have already done some stays but I would like to try this. Should I do something else with the clicker 1st?

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy

The camera at the end was hilarious: it kepy doing close ups on your target hand LOL!!!!

omg I thought I cut that part out. I think what is happening is my sleeve hits the watch which is controlling the recording 🤦‍♀️

Today was more field retrieving practice. I need to bring a tripod out to record some. He did great. Very long retrieve of ball and multiple short retrieves of a quail. It was more frozen than last week. He brought it back and also dropped it multiple times for treats without trying to destroy it. We ended the session with nice long exploring walk in the prairie. I am not sure if you need to see retrieval homework for this week from him. He does well with the toys and the baby steps in the this weeks homework.

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
So far I am thinking I will stick with AKC. I never did premier with Frisco and I am half sorry I didn’t. By the time I thought about it he was older and I thought it would be hard on his body. I didn’t really even think about grand since he was my 1st agility dog. The fact that we got to PACH 4 and almost 5 was a pleasant surprise. Brighton and I have had such ups and down with his being sick then rehab for his back I have only recently thought about premier again. Brain camp exercises have helped but he is still working through his ring stress. I am thinking some of it might have been pain related now. This Saturday is his 1st trial back since April. I just want to have fun. Dublin is a very different dog from my other dogs so far but I have not decided my goals for him. MACH or PACH would be nice and if he likes it I might even think of Grand with him. Would it be hard to change my dig dig turn towards me verbal later? I started Dig dig with Brighton so it’s been almost 7 years of memory. Maybe I try to add directional wraps and keep my backside “around” for now? Then we expand as we go?

Today I got the baby tunnel out. We have done a little with it and the bowls. He would go back and forth between the two bowls like a movement puzzle. This was 1st time with the treat and train. Ok I did read the lesson and do realize I went too long. He just seemed to be having fun and I goofed.
We also worked strike a pose with the toy in hand then on ground. I hope I did this right. It isn’t the best video since it zoomed in and cut my head off 😂

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
Thanks so much for the feedback. It totally makes sense too with the goat who likes to climb too 😂
I will work on the line up. Thanks for pointing out those reps.

Today we worked on the lap turn and the serp. I had video mess up so lost some of what we did for the serp and redid a few reps.

For verbals. I am having trouble figuring out what I want to do. For wraps I have used dig dig for turning towards me and switch for RC. Around is my backside. I know I probably need more with him but I find getting new words or sounds out is harder. I had started training a tunnel threadle with Brighton but didn’t really continue it. It was seek. Would it be better to not add the verbal until I figured it out?

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
Had a good rental. Ended up sharing with a friend and her 8 month old wocker. We had not done rental with them before. Dublin was a little more distracted but did well. Of course he had to poo in our 1st turn doing RC. I think I need to add maybe the pattern game or something for focus at start of my session. Or let him explore prior. Either way maybe something different to start games.
Next we tried the wraps and I think having the toy helped keep his focus.
Curious to hear your thoughts.

[net.sand]

Hi again Tracy
I did end up getting a session in today. We used his kibble for stealth self control with a toy. For my set up he had to walk past in going in for me to start and I used his lunch kibble. Was too hard. I reset and did some reps without toy using better treats then added the toy. He did way better. Hopefully what I did was ok. We also worked back up with me sitting and I put folded towel down. I think he is getting it. Wondering when or if I should add cue?

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
I am very proud of him too. I was shocked he passed up the open bag. Of course it was just his dog food. So do you think toy or more interesting treats in a bag next?
We took break from agility type training the last two days. Wednesday he got to go to the pool for the 1st time. He did great retrieving toy in the pool. If you want fun video to watch I can share.

Yesterday we went to a large forest preserve. Did a walk and got to try retrieval of a quail. 1st retrieval was great. 2nd and 3rd was tough 🤣. I thought it was hard to get him to release a tug toy. Glad we practiced that a bit before trying this 😂

No video but Tuesday night at our in person class I sat on the bench and did his back up. That worked way better with me sitting. I will try it again at home.

I plan to do a rental this weekend and will try RC. Do you have suggestions for 2nd game? I don’t think I will have friends with for distraction since they are trialing.

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
It has been nicer here but mushy. When it drys up a little more we can take the rear cross outside. Otherwise I will try to get another rental in over the weekend.
Today we tried stealth self control exciting. I just did it with the back and forth across the target vs the recall. 1st was empty bowl. Then bag of kibble. Value but lower. Then I opened the bag. I thought it went great. Excited to hear what you think.

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy

Thanks for the ideas on backing up. I will try that with him. For the backing up to something do I want something flat or would a Cato board work?

For the RC I am afraid the hallway is directly above this space so it would be the same length. Should I move the target more one direction

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
No worries. Thanks for the feedback. We had a good time for sure. I think he likes wraps. You had mentioned putting cue on it. I used Dig dig for my other dogs with both directions. Do you use something different for right and left? Backsides is around. I am assuming I use Dig dig for these.
Hits on the target. Yea sometimes he seems to get it with touching and sometimes not. Does make me question his understanding of the foot prop. Not sure if I will do running with him or not but I have DW rubber running contact mats to train that. It is much bigger than that prop too. I attempted with Brighton and went back to stopped.

Today we attempted to do rear cross and back up. I will admit my training plan seemed to have gaps for the RC. After the start of the session I decided I should do a warm up of parallel path.
Back up he is getting but I know I need more sessions. I do question doing it with more of a shoot maybe with the cones or in a hallway.

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
Just checking in. Not sure you saw my post from Saturday night.
Yesterday was a break from training day. We went for a little walk with my friend and her Tri-pod Vizsla and went for lunch at a microbrewery. Dublin did great for both experiences.

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
We had fun time at the rental. My mechanics were off for a few things but he had a good time. We tried turn and burn with a pop they had. I need to work on being comfortable with the toy in my other hand and across my body. We did a little with the prop and tried parallel path then the pattern game. Last we did some collection sandwiches. I did a few of those wrong with too much of a turn before the go. Overall there was a lot I thought was good.
Got picture of Dublin watching your videos lol. Added picture of Dublin and Brighton doing happy crating 🤗

[net.sand]

Hi Tracy
If I do the turn and burn at the rental should I bring my pop up crate or do you think it is ok to use the big cone at Dash? If I do use the big cone should I do any of the earlier steps in wrapping 1st?
If I do the parallel path I am thinking I should do some basic hits on the prop 1st since we have not done that anywhere else.

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