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Good morning!
She did well here!
>Thinking about why that might be I thought of 3 things that may have contributed…..the exercise is harder, requires more focus and more physically difficult jumping at the wrap; as much as she likes to tug I think it is a physically tiring thing for her and then there was a bag of treats on a shelf just outside of camera view. >
Yes to all of this, but I think the main factors were the treats on a shelf (she definitely had to think through that!) and more importantly… you were decelerating early at :31 and :53 (about a stride before she took off for the middle jump). So she was decelerating because you were decelerating 🙂 Good girl! You didn’t decelerate early on the last run but that is where she was devoted brain bandwidth to the treats on the shelf.
So you can accelerate for longer before the wrap – as she is over the middle bar, you can tart the decel. That should keep her driving forward into the wrap (which she executed really well!)
Nice work here!
TracyGood morning!
>That would be fun! How often do you practice, and how would I find out about when/where?>
We practice at Level Up, but not that often. I will let you know when the next one is!
>. It’s been a weak point for me because, as you said, it’s counterintuitive not to point at things! >
Do you remember the game where you ran with a water bottle in your hand (MaxPup 3) to keep from swinging your arms around? You can put a water bottle here in your dog-side arm with the backside pushes to help keep the arm back. And a little spilled water will feel nice with all this heat LOL!
>And the tandem turn into the rear cross was especially hard for me.>
Think of this as slowing down, showing hands, turning her away then you turn that way too. It is more of a dual facing the new direction than a rear cross, so the slowing down & turning her away can make it easier for her to see.
Opening line: – She might have been set up too close to jump 1 on the first run where she hit the bar? No trouble there on the 2nd run.
2-3-4 looked really strong!!
She got mad (on the first run) then was not sure about which side of the bar for a couple of strides on the 2nd & 3rd run (ended up hitting the bar of 5 on run 2) when you were standing still after tunnel 4 so you can move in closer to the tunnel and be in motion as she exits.
Blind to 10 at :18 needed connection sooner on run 1, but you got it sooner and clearer on runs 2 and 3! The BC is a little harder to get to there on time, so she was a little wide. You can keep her on your right side and do a threadle wrap on 12 too.
Pushing to the backside on 12 is where the big connection will help (:22). Your arm was back and you had more connect at 1:38 and she did a lot better!
:39 on the teeter – where you trying to get her further down? Keep rewardnf the skill
Nice job getting the 16 backside
The send to 17 before the dog walk at :44 and 1:49 should also be an arm back send – when you pointed forward, she had questions because the pointing changes the line of your shoulders & feet. Compare to 3:22 where your arm stayed low until after she passed you – great send there!!
The BC 19-20 might have felt awkward on the first run because you didn’t add 21 which makes the line nicer. You had the 21 jump there on run 2, which was definitely smoother! The wrap on that 2nd run worked well, but I think the slice you did on run 3 will ultimately be the faster line due to all the extension (and easier weave entry). You got the blind in really well there, you just needed a bit of decel as soon as you finish the blind to cue the tight turn on 21.
The weaves to the end looked great!
About the teeter:
>On the last attempt, she didn’t want to do the teeter. She showed me she can do the skill, so I had her do the teeter once without layering and then started after the tunnel. She may have just been getting tired, and that takes a lot of her brain power!>Yes, she has done a lot of reps of it and after the initial training, I don’t think she has gotten rewarded specifically for it so she was heading to where the rewards were (closer to you :)) So keep rewarding that teeter skill! Plus it is a lot of slam on the body, so you can limit the reps so she doesn’t get sore. It is one of the hardest obstacles because of the impact as it hits the ground, which the dog has to absorb to stay on.
Great job here!!
Tracy
Good morning!
These runs looked really good!
On sequence 1, you really emphasized connection, particularly on the send to 5 and she nailed it! Yay!
2nd sequence walk through:
Good speed here, I felt like you were running more at Taq speed!
Two suggestions to remember for the walk throughs, both involving the tunnel exits:Remember to tell her how to exit the tunnel, using a verbal before she goes in. A big GO works here and being quiet is a turn cue where she comes out looking towards you.
Remember to make connection and look at the tunnel exits – then maintain that connection through commitment to the next line. Usually tunnel exits require some important info for the pups, so being connected begins to provide that info especially when they see us before they exit the tunnel. Plus you will be able to see where she is going 🙂
The hard parts on the course were both related to the tunnel exits – more connection and verbal needed for the exit of the #2 tunnel. And I think you can connect more to the exit of the 8 tunnel before the backside so she knows to push away when she exits. You got her to the backside there thanks to foot speed 🙂 but you can see her zigzag a little there (taking a stride in off the line then going back out). Making connection as she exits the tunnel will make that smoother especially when you are not as far ahead.
Also be sure to connect then either praise quietly or take a breath, then release from the start line – she was starting to release when you connected after the lead out, because the releases have been happening at the same time as the connection.
Great job!
TracyGood morning! Very nice work here!!! Lovely connection and his transitions into the tight turns were great!
On the first run, you were backing up a bit on the send to 6 which pulled him off the line. You held the send really well there on the 2nd run and he had no questions.
The only spot he had a question was at 3 on the 2nd run. On the first run, the threadle wrap on 3 at :10 was really smooth!! He had a moment of hesitation on the 2nd run there at :45 – comparing the 2 runs, it looks like you were backing up at :45 which caught his attention so he checked in to see what you wanted. On the first run, you held your position until he committed, which was great!
So this sequence was a good reminder to hold the sends, don’t back up 🙂
>I couldn’t really think of another way to handle this one.>
The only other thing to try might e a slice on 3 so he turns right. You have room to do it here (the course map makes it look like it is not an option because there is not enough room within the size constraints. The slice will have more extension, but there looks to be more distance so it would be fun to try both ways (slice versus wrap) and time them to see which is faster 🙂
Great job here!
TracyGood morning!
The jump part was easy, it was right on her line after the wing wrap. Great job making the verbal sound really different!
>And she wasn’t exactly wrong either>
I agree, she was not exactly wrong about the tunnel, especially if you cue lines like “go tunnel” which includes the jump on the way to it. When she was on your left, that jump is on the line to the tunnel, good girl!
So to help make it more of a verbal discrimination (with a less obvious line) , you can move the start wing to be in line with the tunnel entry and jump. That way as she goes around the wing, she sees both the jump and tunnel, but the verbal will cue the individual obstacle you want. Plus, it will help her understand how to pass one to get to the correct obstacle, or come in to get one even if she really likes the obstacle on the other side of it 🙂
Nice work here!
Tracy
Good morning!
This is so fun! They were definitely similar reps – this type of thing is becoming a pretty common course challenge so it was really cool to see him layering! It has been maybe a month since you stared the skill and he seems very happy to do it!!Yes, the middle rep where he did not layer was because you sent to the tunnel then immediately pulled away, a bit disconnected. But the 1st and especially 3rd reps were great – he was very happy to go get that tunnel and layer the jumps! Yay!
The threadles were looking good to – putting them in context on a course made sense to both of you! Well done!
> I waited until I for sure saw his eyeballs looking at me or the proper side of the jump before I kept moving.>
Ha! Yes! Seeing his eyeballs definitely lets you know what his plans are 🙂
Great job!
TracyHi!
This went really well!
You’ve already got a good foundation because I know you’ve worked a lot of independent weave skills. That actually made finding the tunnel past the weaves harder, but he loves tunnels and did really well including finding the weaves at the end! Yay!
>Only one error but I don’t think I’m showing enough motion. >
These types of games should have an error or two in them – learning needs a little friction from failure (just a little) because that can be very motivating to get it right! A perfect session is nice but not as useful for learning 🙂
Based on where the dog walk is: send him over the dog walk, over the jump, then either the tunnel or weaves. You can use a big lead out and barely move – just kind of be strolling along the dog walk 🙂 All verbals! It will be harder but it will make things easier when you get back to running.
>One thing I did think of: I have been known to cue a major obstacle (contact) even though there is a jump preceding it. So, even though it should technically be “jump, climb”, I might just say “climb” on the grounds that you don’t need to cue every jump. I am noticing that cueing everything is back in vogue. For a while, there was “silent running”.
> Ah, the silent running days, those were awesome! Life was less complicated back then LOL!!! Every now and then I torture people in a seminar with silent running because it is important to have strong physical cues.
And yes, cueing everything has come back into vogue for some reason. I thought we had all gotten past that? LOL!
I think what you are describing is naming the line of obstacles rather than naming each obstacle.
I am totally on board with naming lines – it is very effective for really getting the dog to drive ahead independently. Also very effective for letting me breathe on course sometimes :). And I have been doing it with my dogs and recommending it with students for years with no fallout – the dogs do not run around the jump on the way to the tunnel if I don’t say jump. In fact, I think their acceleration is better because they are getting the full info earlier! And when I say “jump jump” it tends to keep the dog in handler focus which is useful for when I need that, as opposed to naming the line (GO TUNNEL or something like that that) which propels the dog forward.
Nice work here!!
Tracy
Hi!
It is fun that you live near NoLa now, it is a fun town with great people!
He did really well on this session!
>worked on increasing distance for that version of the lazy game.>
The distances were a great challenge!!
> He showed a little of the toy fixation in this one. He didn’t just go for it but he just froze and didn’t really try things (I think because he knows he can’t get the toy but also he can’t think about anything else)>
Do you mean the toy fixation was when he was looking at you and not going to the middle jump? If so, I think it was the distance blowing his mind a bit: you were not ahead of him or parallel to him (you were a little behind him, like at 1:09) and he was not convinced that he was allowed to drive *that far* ahead of you. Compare to 1:37, for example, when you were a step ahead of him at the first jump and he went to the middle jump with no problem.
He was good about bringing it back pretty quickly!
>I wonder if I should’ve gotten the food back out to encourage some thought?>
In this case, I support your choice not to bring the food in – he was not over-aroused and he was thinking… but he hadn’t quite solved the puzzle. He also was not getting frustrated. So if he is looking at you, you can change your position by a step or two to help him find the line and see how he does.
Nice work here!
Tracy
Hi! Interesting session here!
Yes, you had your arms low and only one disconnection (:03) tat pulled him off the line.>Going counterclockwise, he is now consistently going around the pinwheel jump on the far side. Maybe it’s too tight? >
You can try moving the 2 jumps closer to the tunnel so there is more room to the pinwheel jump? On the first and second reps, it was handling that took him off the line (disconnection on the first rep, and a little overcompensation on the 2nd rep sent him straight over the jump after the tunnel and motion supported passing the middle jump as you pushed into the gap to get the blind.
But the last rep looked very much the same as the reps on the other side, where he did take the jump. Was there something visually distracting on the left turn side? It is also possible that he really can’t coordinate left turns yet – so you can work simpler sends without the blinds on the left turns, and the fancy stuff like blinds on the right turns.
He had trouble with the wraps after the blinds – mainly it was because you were starting the cues when you arrived at the wrap wing, which is late and he was not able to collect in time. You can see & hear that at :28 and :36 for example. Ideally, wherever you are when he takes off for the middle jump, you decelerate and being the wraps cues – you might not be right at the wing but I think that he doesn’t need you to be at the wing 🙂
And definitely show the videos to the body work/conditioning people! We want to rule out pain as the cause of any of this questions – he is a young Mali and perhaps he is not using his body wisely and has no self-preservation LOL!
Nice work here!
TracyHi!
> I have some exercises for challenging their proprioception though with stable surfaces. Basically I make it HARD to get on the stable prop by putting things in the way. I haven’t done it yet with her, but I can video when I do.>
This sounds PERFECT. Maybe someday you can do an online class of challenging proprioception in a higher arousal state – very useful for agility (and flyball) skills. Sign me up!
Keep me posted! Yes, you can add tugging as the arousal element before you add motion. I am betting the motion adds arousal but it is also a visual distraction (where tugging and no motion might be easier at first?) Eventually maybe it can be tugging and motion?
Tracy
Hi!
Showing her all the variations with jumps and hoops is great for her NADAC future! And if you can get enough tunnels, you can do this with all tunnels too (FUN!!)
She did great here! She committed really well with the lazy game and then as you added speed and handling, she was committing brilliantly too! Nice job with the blinds – the most important past is the connection after the blinds (so she knows which side of you to be on) and she had no questions about that. Super!!! As she gets more experienced, you can start the blinds sooner without pulling her off the line.
Next step: keep adding the handling but spread the jumps out to add a much distance as possible in your yard.
Great job!!
TracyHi!
He is collecting nicely into the wraps!
>I wrapped the middle jump in the pinwheel as well as the one facing the tunnel and I’m not really sure why I did that. >
It was a good challenge, and your best timing happened on the rep there at :43!! You started the decel and cues for the wrap as he was over the previous jump, so he was fantastic on the wrap there.
On the first rep wrapping the middle jump, you were a little late starting the cues – he had already landed at :11. You can connect more when you are starting the wraps, keeping your dog-sit shoulder open to him. When you closed the shoulder, forward as yo started the wrap, his hedd came up, asking a bit of a question
The wrap cues for the outside jump can start at the same time as you started the cues at :43 – when he is over the previous jump (middle jump on those), start the decel and verbal. On the reps at :24 and :58, you started when he was halfway to the wrap jump, so he couldn’t adjust before takeoff and turned after landing.
>I also repeated one blind cross and tried to get a bit more lateral from the jump this time.>
That looked great!! Super nice line and connection on the blind to the tunnel at 1:12!!
Nice work here!
TracyHi!
>For those in the back who did not hear Tracy asked me to connect less!! 🤣>
Shout it from the rooftops! You can disconnect! But only in that one spot, connect everywhere else 😁
Sequence 1 walk through – Good job with the verbals and adding your speed to it! My only suggestion is to connect more to the invisible dog. You were tending to look forward at the obstacles a bit (especially at the tunnels). I want to be able to see where your invisible dog is, like I could see at the exit of the wrap at 4 -that was great connection!
Having a little less connection works really well for Cricket because she knows the game really well, and your teamwork is super solid 🙂 And the runs looked super!!! You over-ran the 2nd to last jump on the 2nd rep so she went wide and past the last jump but otherwise everything was great.
On Taq’s walk through, you can connect more to her, really exaggerate it in the walk through because young dogs need that exaggerated connection.
You held position to support the send to the wrap jump in the walk through, which is great! But you turned sideways on the send, pointing with your arm but turning your shoulders away from the jump which can create a question for a young dog (:11)I also think you were running slow than Taq-speed, so try to ramp up your motion in the walk through to get the feel of Taq-speed 🙂
The opening of her first run went well – you were definitely moving faster than the walk through 🙂 but you had your connections and verbals! Yay!
At :35, you sent her exactly like you did in the walk through (pointing at the jump but turning away from the jump). So she did not take the jump.Ideally on the sends, your arm stays back more (following her nose) so your feet & shoulders face the jump for longer, until she passes you and commits to it. That is more of what you did at :51, but at 1:22 you went back to being pointy and turning away. Be sure to watch the video between each run, so you can see what the handling is cueing.
You asked her there “what are you doing?” And she said “following your cues” 🤣😂😁
Her other question on the first run was at 7 (:41) – you didn’t move up the line enough after she exited the tunnel with enough connection, so she turned with your shoulders. At :14 in the walk through, it was exactly what you walked. At :55 you gave a stronger GO before the last tunnel so she exited straigher… but you turned at :56 (before she was committed) so she second-guessed and came off the line). At 1:27 you faced the jump after the tunnel for longer… so she took it. Yay!
On all of the fix & resends in the moment on the runs, you were facing the lines correctly.
>I have noticed she does not carry well to the wraps so wrote that down to work on separately.>
I think it was more about the change of line of your shoulders. She was following your line pretty perfectly! And she is too young to save your butt 😂
So for Taq’s walk throughs, exaggerate the handling and connection, keep your arms back, and take nothing for granted. She was reading you perfectly 🙂 Young dogs need extra support on lines, especially on tunnel exits. If you ramp up your connection, you will be facing the lines more and also you will see if she is committing or not.
Nice work here!!
TracyThanks for the update!!
>Question: Is it best to run them only once? More trial like and not get in the habit of getting it only on the 2nd turn?>
I think the best use of these sequences is to walk them very thoroughly and at the speed of the dogs. Then run it once! If something goes wrong, review the video, make an adjustment, then run it again. Then you can break it down into skills if you like, such as getting a tight turn at the end of a big line. That is probably a timing issue, bigger, clearer, earlier cues needed 🙂
>(I just couldn’t make myself pull out the tunnel LOL) >
I can totally understand that🤣😂
>both boys were able to find the jump easily.
Super!!
> Question: When adding a new cue in this case strengthening the verbal you use new cue “weave” pause and then the physical cue, correct? eventually fade out the 2nd cue. I want to make sure the sessions are not too frustrating, so I kept it super short and stepped in to help and their 2nd attempt.>
Yes – it would be new cue then the old cue. You can hold his collar, start saying the weave cue, then let go and move to the weaves. Holding the collar prevents him from moving until he has heard (and hopefully processed) the weave cue and letting go is the permission to start moving.
Keep me posted!
Tracy
