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Hi!
What is the last day to post for this class?
<<Her first response is to look at you and come towards you, because of the reward placement history.>>
This might actually be an improvement over what she used to do, which was run off every time I messed up, lol. She only does that occasionally now. At least I can work on this a bit easier!
<<Try not to have the reward be within 10 feet of you! If you can bend down and pick it up after she eats the treat because it is near you? It is too close.>>
I know you’ve said this several times over the last few weeks, but I finally think I get it, lol. I don’t know it didn’t click the other times. 🤣
Thank you for the explanation of the two kinds of wraps. It made total sense.
This is our attempt at package 3, shifting to extreme connection. Using the opposite arm for outs feels weird to me still, but when I don’t use it, I tend to point my dog-side arm forward and make her curl into me. I’m still trying to decide if it’s something I want to keep trying to use or if I want to just work on keeping my other arm back. I used the MM in some reps and made sure to throw the Lotus Ball away from me in the others.
Hi!
So much to unpack with the serp lines and on all those other questions you answered for me! I will keep working on the serps and circle wraps.
In the meantime, we did the shifting connection for the turn aways and threadle wrap exercises. As I’ve mentioned before, I struggle a lot with rear crosses with Nox. I did not do the foundations with her on them, and that might be part of it. Add to that her dislike to work ahead of me and commit to obstacles, and we have a recipe for a lot of barking and refusals! Focusing on shifting connection was very helpful, and she read my crosses a lot better than she usually does!
For this video, please skip to 1:48. I did the MaxPup track exercises with her first since we struggle with turn aways/rear crosses and don’t have much experience with threadle wraps. I just wanted the video to be all together for when I review these skills later. 🙂
There is a section in the middle of the video that demonstrates the difference between when I look directly at her fact for regular connection and when I look slightly ahead of her (about a foot at the ground). At 2:26, I’m looking at her, and she is making direct eye contact with me and not looking at her path. At 2:37, I looked a little more ahead, and she did much better. For the later reps, I was looking ahead as well. Is it possible that she is uncomfortable or confused by the eye contact and needs less direct connection, or am I doing something wrong to get this continuous head checking and eye contact back from her?
Can you clarify what a circle wrap is? I was getting a bit confused about the difference between that and a threadle wrap. I was thinking for a circle wrap, the dog is crossing in front of you (almost like a rear cross) based on the last exercises we did, and a threadle wrap was where the dog is between you and the jump. I understand what a threadle wrap is (non-obvious side of the jump and wrapping towards you); it’s just the circle wrap part that I don’t get (especially since the circle wraps in the MaxPup track felt the same to me as the threadle wraps in the competition track).
Finally, what is the last day for posting videos in this course?
Thanks!!
I REALLY liked this exercise. It was simple, so I was able to really focus on the connection without worrying about a complex sequence. I will definitely be setting this up again and working on shifting my connection (although I probably won’t get to do it before the class is over so I can try out the other stuff). As you said, I felt like these were really smooth, and I can’t always say that with this dog, lol!
<<where there was not enough exit line connection so she just followed you and was either wide or didn’t take the next jump>>
I figured missing the jump was a lack of connection, and I could feel my back turning to her when that happened, but I wasn’t sure about the wide turns. That makes sense, though.
<< I don’t think you need the arm across your body as part of the cue because it makes it harder to shift the connection to the landing while you move forward.>>
Are you suggesting that I don’t use the arm across the body for any type of connection or just in this scenario? Am I mixing up exit line connection cues with shifting connection cues?
<<On the reps after it, like at 3:01 and 3:18, you used a little more arm and waiting longer – but I like your impulse to move forward right behind her so the connection shift will get her committing as you move forward nice and early>>
Just to clarify, you’re saying that even though it worked to get her to commit, I actually should not wait for her. I just need to do a better job of shifting my connection to the landing spot? (And probably work on circle wraps more in general since they aren’t something we really do much of).
Hi!
Here is the video for the serp lines. Although some reps were nicer than others, we got it with her on my left every time. For some reason, I was struggling pretty hard with her on the right. I kept getting a threadle. I was able to see in the video (which I watched in between reps) that I was pulling my shoulder back to get the threadle instead of the serp. I was attempting to shift my connection to the landing side, but I guess I was doing it too early? I felt like I was getting stuck on her line when I was holding it longer. Should I use a backside verbal to support it so I can get off her line earlier?
Hi!
We did the send sequences again, but the video was too dark to ask for feedback on since we ran it as the sun was going down. I think it went pretty well. I worked really hard to point at her nose unless she was going ahead of me.
<<stay as close as you can to the previous obstacle: so if the sequence is sending to the wing, decelerate and don’t go past the landing spot of the jump to set up the send with the connection and the dog side arm/leg.>>
I definitely need to work on this more! I think I expect to get refusals on sends, so I babysit them too much rather than reinforcing it.On to the next video- Package 2 Shifting Connection! I was focused on looking at the landing spot on the wraps, and when I was able to do that correctly, she read it well. There were a couple of times on the wraps when I turned my chest away from her and got a refusal, but we got it on subsequent attempts. I think that focusing on the landing spot helped me not to leave before she gave me permission to go for the most part.
Hi!
I’m not sure if I’ll have time to try the combo sequences again before the class ends, but I tried to use the information and apply it to the Package 2 sequences, specifically with the exit line connection. Some of the reps felt pretty good, but others had some obvious connection issues, mostly with the sends (ongoing struggle, lol), which gave me refusals as well as making me late for the crosses. I think I didn’t hold the toy long enough after the crosses like you suggested either. I felt like I held it longer, but the video says otherwise, haha!
I noticed that I was getting a lot of direct eye contact with her (hard to see in the videos), and I feel like it was causing a lot of handler focus when she should have been looking at the next jump, so I think I didn’t find the “sweet spot” every time.
Hi!
<<Your exit line connection on was really strong at 1:20 and 1:38. Compare t 1:42, where your dog-side arm was visible and down at your side, so the exit line connection was not as clear – note how she zig zagged on the way to the jump, sorting out the line.>>
I used to always use big “NADAC arms” for all of my runs, but after first working with you a few years back, I realized that’s not always ideal. I am still struggling to figure out the balance of when my arms should be up and when they should be out of the way. I’m seeing the difference more and more, but it’s definitely a work in progress, lol.
Here are the combo sequences:
I have two quick unrelated questions if you don’t mind answering them. I was wondering when Max Pup 2 is set to start. I am working through the self-study Max Pup 1 with my puppy and want to be ready for the live session of #2. My other question is also related to the puppy. I bought the teeter class when it was on sale for Black Friday; at what age is it safe to do teeter training?
Thank you so much for that feedback on my runs!! I watched the video several times but never connected my head movement to her knocking a bar. I also have never considered where the judge might be in relation to her line of sight, thus impacting her ability to process a jump. She is not very forgiving, is she lol?
<<add connection changes to the simpler more successful grids to help her maintain her mechanics>>
As an example, if I do a ladder gird in a straight line, should I use a different type of connection other than regular for some reps, or is it more a matter of leading out to different places and altering my speed so I have to connect with her behind, beside, and in front of me?Hi!!
I was finally able to get some training done before it got dark after work on Friday! I am so ready for winter to be done so I can train after 4:30pm, lol!! The weather isn’t helping either.
We tried the exit line connection set ups again. I felt like I was getting better with my mechanics overall, at least as far as which arm was doing what. I have two spots I’d love feedback on. First, what caused the dropped bar 1:20? Second, what is causing her to land so hard at 1:38? My guess was a late cue, but I wasn’t positive.
Here are the videos from the trial.
Premier Jumpers- She knocked a bar on the wrap; I then made a poor handling choice with putting the blind in the wrong place towards the end
Novice Jumpers- So many bars!
Now I just need to remember and replicate it every time, lol!
We were at a trial this past weekend, and she knocked a bar on her premier JWW run on a wrap. It was actually a really nice run other than that. After rewatching the video, I can see that I did not have enough connection (Exit line connection!!). On her novice JWW run, she knocked 4 or 5 bars. I don’t think I had enough connection there either. She still really struggles with jumping, especially in an arroused state, and I’d love to figure out if my level of connection (too much or not enough) is impacting that or if it’s mostly something caused by her emotional state. I’ve experimented with both levels of connection, but maybe I’m missing the sweet spot in the middle.
Hi!
This is the Exit Line Connection video. This one is a little messy, haha. I got completely mixed up about which hand the reward is supposed to be in for which cross despite watching your video multiple times and walking it without a dog. Since I was so focused on my hands doing weird things, I don’t think I thought about where my eyes were looking even once, haha. Apparently I can think about my eyes or my hands, but not both!
If you want to skip to 39.72, that’s where I figured out my mistake and put it in the correct hand for the front crosses (although somehow the first few reps technically worked, but they sure felt awkward, lol). There are 4 attempts at front crosses from that point forward. Then, there are 3 spins. Finally, I included 6 blinds, but feel free to ignore the last couple (just wanted them all in the same place). Sorry for cutting out the edge of the view in the blinds. I didn’t realize it until I was editing it!
Hi!
<<She had a little jumping trouble on the first 2 reps>>
STORY. OF. MY. LIFE! Lol!! Ugh!<<You might laugh (or smack me lol) I think you actually had a little too much connection on those early reps>>
😂😂😂😂 And this is why I need this class! We tried it again, and I think I did better job this time. I got one refusal when I left before she was committed to the wing, but that was an easy fix.Hi!!
Thanks for the magnet fingers video!
>>>> so she gets more aroused than at home. There was a lot of barking in places that I don’t think>>
I think a lot of that came from the footing being frustrating to her – she had to work a lot harder to keep her feet under her, especially on the bigger distance sends and the tighter turns.>>If she was your dog, would you avoid running on these kind of mats (they are Great Mats brand)? We only go to this facility every now and again because it’s air conditioned. It’s nice to have the option, but I don’t want to build in more frustration for her or risk an injury. I’ve only seen her really slip a couple of times, but I’ve also seen her do that on dry grass…
I was able to do one final course, and per your suggestion, I did the jumping ones from package 4. You said to focus on where she would be, not necessarily where I would like her to be when I’m doing my handling. Although I would have preferred several more blind crosses, I just didn’t think it was realistic for me to be in those spots because of the big lines, so opted for rear crosses. Unfortunately, those are very weak for us, so it caused a few issues. I think that’s the next big thing I need to focus on! (That and countermotion, lol). The video is a bit long, but it has both jumping 1 and 2. I struggled the most with 2, so if you want to just focus on one of them, I’d prefer #2, especially at the threadle wrap after the tunnel (I think it was #8 or 9). 🙂
Since I will be going to Rising Star for a seminar tomorrow, I very likely will not get a chance to post anything else, so I’d like to say thank you so much for all of the invaluable feedback you’ve given me!! I am so thankful to have found you and for your recommendation to do camp two years ago. I have learned sooooo much!! I set up some of the sequences from last year throughout the year, and it was so nice to have all the specific feedback to look over before reattempting them! I’m also very happy that I did the mental management add-on. Although I didn’t post much in that forum (not enough time in the day!), I have read through most of the material and have gotten some really good ideas from it. I will be going back through it more thoroughly now that camp is over and taking some notes to refer back to. I especially liked the live chats pertaining to that topic!
On another note, I was wondering if you were still planning to send me the extra pup tent you had? 🙃 If it’s too much of a pain, it’s totally ok!
Thank you again for everything! I hope we get to work with you in person again soon!
Hi!
>>That is a connection issue, because basically rear crosses are moving sends>>
Well, we know how much Nox loves sends, lol.
>>Basically, the only errors here were your connection was too soft in the places where you need BIG EYEBALL connection. Those are: exit of crosses, sends (including rears), landing of countermotion, and exits of tunnels.
Pretty much everywhere else can be normal connection which is more casual, and that is where things went really really well!>>
This is a bit of a struggle for me sometimes as far as figuring out which spots call for more connection and which don’t. You’ll see in the video below in the first sequence, it was really hard to get her out over the jump and into the tunnel. I tried a lot of connection and soft connection. I will try to keep those specific moments in mind when walking courses. Also, in that spot, I couldn’t figure out what to do with my arms. I used to run with my arms extended for the whole course, but since working with you these last couple of years, I have learned that often I should keep my arms down, or at least low. If I put my arm out to support the send, I was turning my upper body and pulling her off the jump. If I didn’t use my arm, she came into me. Is there a good guideline for what to do with your arms, lol?
>>you were kinda mad and you looked at her like “TAKE THE FREAKIN’ JUMP” (TTFJ) which is actually perfect connection…>>
That’s exactly what I was feeling, haha!!
>>When working the layering, rather than you go to the other side of the tunnel, you can move the jump in closer so she sees it better.>>
That definitely makes sense so that she can still see me being on the other side of the tunnel.
In the video below, we were at the indoor place again. We don’t go there very often, so she gets more aroused than at home. There was a lot of barking in places that I don’t think (?) she had questions because of my handling. We played Super Bowls before each run and 1-2-3 in the in between moments as much as possible.
There aren’t any walk throughs since my friend and I were walking at the same time. We pay by the hour, so I didn’t have time to do separate walks on video. 🙂
