[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
All groomed up and ready for delivery to the handler tomorrow. We couldn’t pass up a chance to try the new games 🙂

Thank you.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
We continue to work on the barrel wraps which he loves any which way and from a bit further for the send. Also working the RC with the prop, and calm setting back and forth game. No videos.
But the all-important sit/stay is coming along. It is interesting that he sits more aligned with me on my right side. On my left he turns 90 to face me. I attempted to see if I could get him straighter on one rep but then immediately rewarded and just let it be for now. Not sure if we will get another video in tomorrow but will try. He leaves on Thursday to go to the breed ring and will be gone for 10 days. I do throw white food but it bounces. Sigh. Don’t want to throw greasy treats on the mats.

Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
I did the back and forth resilience game at an agility trial today. There was nothing running in the ring at the time. One lone crate to our left which we were not near but a reactive dog in there so you will see a startle and recovery. I decided to do a 360 turn with him just to maybe help him shake it off although he seemed okay to keep going with the pattern game. Ended back at our crate and grabbed a toy to play with.

Earlier in the day, I had him out and a friend came up to greet him and bent over to say hello. It was the first time I’ve seen him back away in fear. I asked her to stand up and then he was fine…trying to bite her shoes…he has a foot fettish… I don’t remember if anyone has tried to greet him by bending over him or if they usually squat down or let him jump up on them. He is usually happy to meet anyone. And he was fine once she stood up.
Also, having a big problem with him constantly play biting people who are trying to greet or pet him. Also, grabs clothing especially pant legs. IF he does finally close his mouth then he reverts to “Kissing”. He is non-stop movement. Do you recommend some sort of calming protocol of any sort or are the pattern games supposed to help with this? I see many people sitting ringside with their puppies sitting nice and calmly and receiving treats for making good decisions. He is always on the move. It takes a good bit of restraint for a minute to get him to stop and just breathe without biting, licking, wiggling etc. Maybe I have been remiss in addressing this. I have been told by a couple of “professional dog trainers” to make him lie down with a very short leash so that he cannot get up and then just ignore him for however long it takes for him to completely settle and chill out and then to practice that a lot gradually increasing the environmental challenge. I have a feeling you probably don’t agree with that approach…? I don’t know if there is a name for that approach so I am just describing it.

I did practice his sit/stay ringside (on leash) with nothing much going on around us. He did do it. But he had a job to do. It’s when he just needs to do nothing that he has a problem.

He does well in his crate at shows but I cover the crate…but I always cover my dogs at shows anyway.
Just wondering what your thoughts are about this. He’s definitely not a lap dog at the moment!

Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
Tried the rotated sends today, Stayed close to the barrel.

Then we worked on sit/stay some more…who would have ever thought! LOL

I mentioned to Jessica about what she is looking for as far as hitting the mat. I have a lesson today so I guess we will go over that.

Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

What is up with YouTube? It does not copy if I do two in a row and then I end up sending a repeat video. I will resend the sit/stay. I’m sorry about that.

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
Parallel Path Commitment. I’m late with my marker word. I did one video before this where I started close to the jump however, I apparently didn’t quite push the record button. So this is a continuation on that one.

Continuation of sit/stay. Did you see my question about stopping or continuing my motion as I reward?

Toy Retrieve, 2 toys: He clearly favors the lambs wool toy with the pink handle. I use this method when he has a lesson because he has an entire arena he could choose to run around…

Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Question on mechanics for increasing distance on stays. If I am moving away…do I stop my movement and then say “catch”/throw food OR do I keep moving (obviously in slow motion) while saying “catch” and throw food?
Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Sorry, sent you 2 of the same. Here is the stay work:

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
I include a short video of sit/platform work which I took from the canine conditioning course I purchased. It uses a lure.

Some more sit/stay work. A couple times I did lure him to my side to sit because he really just wants to be away from me and turn to face me to do the sit which then makes it hard to do some sort of “lead out”. I think he is doing better?

Did a make shift “small space” while we were down training to see what he would do without a solid wall…overall okay (an escape or two). I worked toward standing up a bit.

Finally we did the running contact work that Jessica specifically gave me at my last lesson. I hope you don’t mind if I follow that. Once I get distance from the mat she will give me another assignment. But here is what it looks like. At the lesson when we did it, he was turning the wrong way when approaching from my right side. So this is much improved.

Thank you!
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Question on the intermediate toy retrieve. After watching my retrieve video from yesterday, I’m thinking he already does this? Or am I missing the point of this exercise? Can you clarify? 🙂

Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
Worked on the handling again, adding the BC. Ignore the last couple of reps when I got delusional thinking I could add the decel/pivot. Clearly going to need to break that down with food in my hand and no toy to start with but I was there and gave it a shot. Should have known he would just drive to the toy after doing that several reps. My bad. LOL

After that we worked on the sit/stay. I put the cones there to act as a wall to line him up if he wasn’t coming to my side. He didn’t really need them but then after watching it back, I think it did help him stay put while I moved forward and threw the food backward. His sit is very sloppy posture- wise…not a good tuck sit. Should I work on that? He had one oops which was on me. This is going to go VERY slowly with him because he is twitchy.

Ended with the toy retrieve in the hallway. After that he got free play with the toy for a minute and then a snuffle mat. Small space is key for him…you see what he does down in the basement…

He is going up to MA with his handler on Oct. 16 and coming home Oct 26. That will be right as week 6 starts. Will there be a catch up week before the next session begins?

Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
Benni got his second NW3 title on Saturday!!! Brioche got several sniffaris during the day.

So as to be expected throwing the toy behind him blew his mind. Had to stay very close to the barrel.

Burned off that energy and then tried the stay exercise….which went way better than I expected it as he cannot stay still in any position when asked for a nanosecond. I had to practice the stay prior because I had not focused on a sit with him going into the breed ring. After watching the video, I see a couple times he didn’t get up but did scooch back a notch. Should I work on duration first or change my position compared to him or what? Obviously we need to work duration…
Also am I supposed to toss the food to try to get him to catch it or just toss it behind him? He is not a skilled catcher of food just yet.

Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
Got the batteries for the manners minder (think he liked the toy better in the second quick video).

And with the toy… I didn’t throw it just for time sake to not have to chase it down but I realize throwing the toy is optimal. Sometimes for video you just want efficient!

Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
I don’t usually use the outside arm for the tandem turn but I see the value here as a stronger connection to get the dog to pass by the prop on the advanced portion….oye does he love his prop which is a good thing. I wasn’t sure what to do about him just going to the prop when he wasn’t sent there…?

Once again, I am not at good doing things with my left hand as a human. I think the dog is fine with either side. I have the tunnel set up in the other side of the basement and you will see him looking there (we have not done the tunnel game yet- waiting for the batteries to arrive for my manners minder to make life easier). I wish I had one of those very short tunnels. Where did you get yours?

I actually do a lot of turn work with him on leash when we are outdoors so he is pretty good at them in general.

Thanks.
Sandy

[Sandy Mainardi]

Hi Tracy,
Note to self…don’t go train in the basement when the husband is due home…big distractions above us plus the lovely driveway sensor which I thought had finished going off but no…

Anyway, first rep, I forgot about my feet but remembered quickly.

Did not attempt toy on the ground as this was long enough and had the disruption which wasted some time getting his focus back.

Thanks.
Sandy

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