[Gaby B]

Box question….what size PVC did you use for your box?

[Gaby B]

The toy races are looking strong! After you won the race on the 2nd video here – what happened on the next rep? Did she win by a mile? You can throw the toy even further to see how far ahead of you she will drive 🙂

Yes she did. I will try to throw it further in our next session.

Rainbow tunnel: Her breeder (Janet Barber, Jandale Shelties) had one like it in her puppy play yard. Probably why Carly likes tunnels so much. Hoping it will transfer to the regular tunnel.

[Gaby B]

Trying to resend videos.

Race to toy videos:

Tunnel videos:

Hopefully these will come through.

[Gaby B]

Funny training session today! So even though we haven’t completely finished the games from week 3, being that it was a nice day today with rain in the forecast for Wednesday, I decided to jump ahead to the Tunnel intro games. My plan was
1. do some toy races
2. introduce the manner minder
3. do baby level Tunnel game
So we set up the backyard, the tunnel in one end, and leaving the other end for the toy race. I brought her out and started to play tug with her. Then when I threw the toy and started to race her, she saw the tunnel and ran straight for it and through it. Not once, but twice LOL. My only regret, that I didn’t get it on video. This little puppy sure loves to run.

I switched to another toy, moved further away from where the tunnel was located and got some good races, I even beat her one time. Videos below:

The Manner Minder intro went well. She was not bothered by the beep at all and it took her only a few tries to figure out where the treats were coming from. But she was still a little hesitant with the first couple of entries to the tunnel and exits to the MM. But she caught on, and we even managed to get some angles before calling it a day.
First attempt:

A little angle:

Coming back through:

[Gaby B]

Thank you Tracy. I have one follow-up question….should I also keep the food and toy separate in my much smaller backyard, or my indoor training space?

[Gaby B]

So we had a ring rental today (you might recognize the place LOL), and took the opportunity to play some of our games in a different environment, and in between my older boy’s runs.

Videos of recall game using toy …. lots of zoomies

Videos of recall game using food. It went much better. I didn’t get a video of it, but we actually got the blind cross in too.

We also played the prop game a bit. It went better on the left side that the right

[Gaby B]

Thank you Tracy! Much to think about and consider for the training stages.

I uploaded a video related to the earlier topic of Carly doing victory laps. Were you able to access it?

Thanks,
Gaby

[Gaby B]

So we had to quit training for about a week. Long story short….Carly had a gastro issue (vomiting and diarrhea) that caused us to end up in the UrgentVet center last week. Root cause was undetermined…something she may have swallowed (though x-rays were inconclusive), or some sort of bug.
She has fully recovered, and we’ve resumed training. We are still having an issue going from food to toy. I finally found a toy that she really likes, but she still will take a brief “victory lap” before engaging with it. She also seems to want to run in circles…searching for food??? Am I worrying about that too much?? I just don’t want to create a pattern that will transfer into the ring in the future. Latest video …. https://youtu.be/UOBwOY_IAsE

[Gaby B]

With my older boy I do running contacts for both AF and DW. But at trials he often leaps over the contact zone, so I started giving him the verbal “Hit It” when he is on the top ramp of the DW. There are many times I’ve regretted retraining him from 2o2o to running contacts. The reason I did, was to preserve the shoulders, especially on the AF.

I’m not sure yet what I want to do with Carly. Running contacts have been such a bear, but maybe if I start off with training running, it won’t be such an issue. For running contacts, should I still plan on using a end behavior (Hit It)?

[Gaby B]

FORWARD CUES
Extension On A Line : GO (obstacle name)

TURN CUES:
Wrap left: LoopLoop
Wrap right: RyeRye
Backside Slice: PUSH
Backside Wrap: MeMe
Jump Threadle: InIn
Jump Threadle Wrap: have not used this in the past, but would like to add to my toolbox (maybe DigDig?)
Tunnel Threadle: Chute
Jump: Jump
Out
Loose Turns of Approximately 90 degrees (Left and Right): Right / Left
Threadle Side Of Weaves Cue: Have not used this in the past, but would like to add to my toolbox (maybe Poles?)

OBSTACLE CUES: Teeter: Teeter (end position cue: Target)
AFrame: Climb (end position cue: Hit it)
Dog Walk: Run (end position cue: Hit it)
Weaves: Weeeeave

Question: would it be better to have a different end position cue for the AFrame and Dogwalk?

[Gaby B]

Thanks! Will try with longer toy and larger space. The “boring” food….hmmm…unfortunately there is no such thing for a Sheltie. LOL!!!

[Gaby B]

[Gaby B]

So I tried a long toy, and maybe I just don’t have the space in my training area. It seems that if I mix toys and treats, such as tossing a cookie and rewarding the recall with a toy, she doesn’t chase it, she still runs around. Here is a video of it. (It’s my first time uploading a video here, so please let me know it didn’t work)

[Gaby B]

Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. Thanks for the videos. I recognize a couple of those places LOL
I will try the long toy and let you know how it goes.
Thanks,
Gaby

[Gaby B]

Question regarding the Cookie recall game. When I use 2 cookies …. one to toss and one to reward when I call Carly back as she is eating the tossed cookie, she comes right back. However, when I use a toy to reward the recall, she runs around….essentially “taking a victory lap” before engaging with the toy. I don’t want to encourage that behavior (I’ve seen far too many Shelties take victory laps in the ring), but I also want her to work for toys, not just cookies. Suggestions?

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