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Hi!
Sometimes, we just have days where the connection is off 🙂 Totally us! But you recovered really well!
Some ideas for you:
On the first run – I think you position was a little off on the opening, he saw too much pressure on the first attempt and thought you did not want 2. Much better position on the opening on the redo! You can also start him on your left at 1 and lead out or run into a BC or FC 2-3 🙂
Nice blind at :44!
It looks like you got a little too far up course for the ending line? But overall a strong run.2nd run – on that first jump, give him more room and also set him up on a slice -that will help him see the turn sooner. He was facing straight, close to the jump and you turned late so he ended up dropping the bar at 1. That might have thrown off your connection – you were disconnected as you mentioned through the middle, but really reconnected after the table! Good recovery! You can also practice running with your arms lower, not pointing to the jumps – just connect and urn, pumping your arms on those big lines 🙂
run 3
This video takes me to run 1, can you repost? Thanks 🙂Run 4 – SO much more connected! Yay!!! This is also a course where you can point less and connect/pump your arms more. I think the pointing slows you down and blocks connection a bit, so he head checks to confirm the info. About the blind – based on where you were, you would not have gotten the blind from that position, the RC was the better choice. He jumped the triple really nicely on it! Nice run!!!!
Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
I was so busy watching you that I didn’t realize that Ti was out there til afterwards! LOL!! I need to change some “she” to “he”. I guess I should have noticed it was quieter? LOL! But he was vocal too 🙂 Both dogs did well, lots of good stuff here!On the video:
OMG she is too funny on the contacts!! “MOM! MOM!!! MOM!!!!!!” hahaSeq 1: this is going well! She is showing strong commitment (especially for a baby doggie!) and you are actually trusting her more!! Yay! You were not overhelping 🙂 You can add in pushing to the backside on 4 from further across the bar – as she is exiting the tunnel, aim for center of the bar so you can disconnect and get outta there sooner. You were on the bar closer to the entry wing – she got the backsides nicely but then you had to scramble to get off her line. Being further away will help!
The wrap at 5 (and getting out of it) and get out 6-7 looked good!!Seq 2:
I noticed this on sequence 1 but you can see it REALLY clearly on seq 2 at jump 3: she (and Ti too hahaha) is really developing that default commitment to come in and jump the bar on a backside as you disconnect to leave and move into your blind! You can see it at :58 and 1:09 really clearly! And looks at you all the way across the bar for the push to 3 at 1:23! Nice!!! You were across the bar at 1:40 but facing forward more – the difference between that and 1:23 and 1:45 was that she exited the tunnel for 1:23 and 1:45, you were running a parallel path with pressure towards the backside and clear upper body cue. At 1:40, you were running facing forward more, not as parallel and not showing pressure to the backside.Nice FC at 1:01! And REALLY nice send-and-leave at 1:09 and 1:25 and 1:48 – that was the perfect combination of supporting commitment with connection while the rest of your body left for the next line. Yessss!
Getting the blind on 5 backside at 1:01 and 1:12 requires an earlier reconnection AND a very strong reconnection directly to the eyeballs 🙂 She is completely inexperienced on those so you have to exaggerate it – when she realizes that such a crazy thing does actually exist, she will respond on the beginning of the head turn and you won’t have to exaggerate it as much.
You were early at 1:27 so she got the wrong side. It is a delayed blind so the dog knows to come to the backside there. You NAILED it at 1:50 plus she is recognizing it more there too, so she is responding sooner pus you had really good position.Seq 3:
I believe this was Ti LOL! The BC 3-4 to the other side of the tunnel started on time… but relies on exit line connection which was late, so he didn’t read it. Note the difference at 2:10 when you showed him more exit line connection! 2:35 was too soft in the exit line connection so he took the off course. 2:47 was more clear in the exit line connection, but now we can talk about your running line: As you were doing the blinds, your feet were still pretty much moving towards the off course tunnel entry so even with stronger reconnection/exit line connection, he was still going off course. Note the difference in your line at 2:53 where you turned and ran directly to the correct entry. So on the blind, decel on the wing and do the blind and run to the entry you want. You did the spin on 3 at 3:11, it worked really well – note your running path! Directly towards the tunnel entry you wanted 🙂He did well when you showed good pressure to the backside by moving up the parallel line (2:53, for example and on the last rep of it) – when you faced forward, you got the front side.
And one other little detail – step straight forward past the wing to set up a clear line to the next backside. When you stepped away from it sideways, you got a bit of a wider turn.on the last Sequence, same ideas about stepping straight out of the turn – at 3:26, you stepped sideways then forward, so you got a wide turn there. Compare that to how you stepped straight out of the last wrap at 3:28 and she was SO tight!!! Nice! She is really good at driving the line you set, so be sure to set really precise lines 🙂
Great job on these, it is looking awesome!
TracyHi again!
>Then I redid the second sequence to improve the Whiskey turn on #5. Surprise, #4 was supposed to be a front side.
Ha! Yes, I just looked at what you posted and didn’t worry about the front if 4 LOL!
I think these are looking really strong! I have little things to suggest – but I think the little details will make a nice difference in the spots where he can be tighter.
First up, the last sequence:
A theme on this sequence and on your redo of the 4th sequence is exit line connection, particularly when you exit a spin or German. I think your timing of starting the collection cue at 3 was really good, it was a reverse v-set style cue (works beautifully there) – he had really good collection before takeoff on the first rep and on the 2nd rep. But he drifted wide, especially on the first rep… why is that? You had great connection and emphasis on the collection cue but then as he was approaching the jump, you stayed connected on your original side (right arm) til he landed at :04 and :15 – which delayed the timing of the exit line connection on your left side. So, he drifted/delayed to buy himself some time. That is probably why the first rep in particular felt wide. So – as soon as you see him start to collect (at the latest) – disconnect and get your connection strongly to your new side so as he lands, he can drive to the new side and maintain the tightness of the turn.
The rest looks great, that soft brake on 4 works like a charm for him!On the seq 4 redo:
On that first rep, you can disconnect the instant his nose gets to the entry wing at :26 so he can drive to the exit line immediately. He is chasing your line of motion really well (you are running a great line there) but he is lifting his head a bit, waiting for more info.
On the exit of 4, you can also be more urgently connected on the exit line: your dog side arm was back but he didn’t quite see your eyes so he drifted there as you set up the whisky at :31.
The Whisky looks great there, very clear line!You had *perfect* exit line connection at :42 as you did the backside serp – that plus a great running line equaled a fabulous turn. And nice switch whiskey at :48!
On the last rep – this is another spot where you can do the BC sooner (jump 3 backside at :57) – you had a fabulous running line there but he had to wait behind you to see exactly where he needed to be. He didn’t drift wide because your line was so good, but he settled back a bit (a little too polite LOL!) You can also give him clearer exit line connection setting up the circle wrap 360 at :58, but check out your exit line connection as you ran to the tunnel at 1:20: great!! And he really powers into the line when you do that.
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi there!
Great job on these!
First video:
I think the bar at :07 was because you decelerated waiting for him to exit the tunnel then as he lifted: you accelerated, did the arm cue, added the verbal. Ideally you would be in motion the whole time with no sudden stops and starts (moving closer to the tunnel will help that) but also it is a proofing thing – sometimes we humans do sudden stops/starts/flings/yells and we pay up in toys and cookies when the dogs keep the bars up 🙂 I don’t think it had anything to do with connection, as he was over the bar at :06 you were perfectly connected.
You were smoother through there on the 2nd run and 3rd run – you were coming in from different handling moves to the tunnel, but there was no stop and start and tons of good connection. Yay!
He was lovely finding the backside on 4 on all of these 🙂 so I will now keep bugging you to disconnect and go to your blind cross sooner on all of them. At :08, :44 and :59, you were connected on your right arm on all of these while he was jumping and ideally you would be already past the wing and looking over your left as he was jumping. It won’t make a massive difference on this particular sequence because you were so far ahead on the send and the next line was not terribly difficult to get to… but it will make a massive difference elsewhere (I rejoiced in this send-and-disconnect skill on those huge speedstakes courses this past weekend!!)Nice collection cue at 5 at :10! You can start your next cues even sooner, he looked up at you for a moment when he landed. I liked your collection cues on the 2nd and 3rd reps there even better, you had a clear ‘brake’ moment but not as much lower body rotation as on the first rep, plus you were earlier on the go cues back down the line. Really nice!!
Was the cross arm cue (when you fixed the stay) a visual marker for “hey, you moved your feet”? If so – I like it! Marks the moment precisely.
>> I wanted to practice the “no leadout” on this setup and I thought he handled it well.>
Yes, I think that looked great too!
Video 2:
>>On paper, I wondered why you went around 4 the way you did; then I tried it both ways. >>
To stretch the limits of commitment and disconnection
The way I handled it was pretty demanding in terms of connection switches and stuff – and it is a skill that I use plenty on different types of courses because all I have to do is run forward, turn my head and yell things 🙂 >> I really do need to do it enough so that it will be successful. 😉 Looking at the video, I am out of position both times: Enzo cannot see the jump because I am blocking the wing. Will have to rework it later…>>
Yes – you have to decel and tuck in to show the wing, which requires a lot of patience when you are ahead. Getting closer to the previous jump and set it up so you don’t have to wait at the whiskey as long.
Nice push to the #3 backside! On this backside because there is no blind, you were spot on to maintain your connection over the bar and show exit line connection at :06 and :23.
As soon as you see his nose at the entry wing of 4, though – disconnect and leave. You watched him jump at :08 then tried to get out of there, finishing the spin – which messed up the timing of the RC at :10 because when you reconnected, he was already needing the next cue (showing the wing and decelerating into the whiskey).
When you repeated it, you held connection and then set up a great threadle at :26!!
Also a super nice push at :35 and :50 – you are all the way across the bar and he is going to the backside! Yay!! Because you did a blind exit here (German turn) at :36 and :51, as soon as you see his nose at the wing, do the blind. Your position was perfect. You started the jump as he landed which delayed the info, so he looked up at you for a heartbeat at :37 and :52 and had to shift himself back out to the backside line.
My general rule of thumb about watching a dog jump when I am planning a blind: We should only see them jumping over the new shoulder 🙂
SUPER job with the FC-BC at :40!!! And great job getting the FC to whiskey at the very end: there was some impressive connection all through there on both reps. My only suggestion on both of those moments is to head more directly to the wing of that last jump rather than pull away from it,
So overall, really really lovely connection throughout 🙂 I will keep bugging you about *disconnection* now hahahahaha
>>Did you decide to do the discrimination class for the winter?>>
Yes – the proofing class is coming! Stay tuned for a whole lot of upcoming class updates, because thanks to Covid, I will not be leaving my house for work until March at the earliest. Lots of time for computer classes 🙂 Wheeee!
T
Oh yes! This looked great!!! Gorgeous turns!!! On the first rep, strategically, don’t go quite as close to 3, handle it from a little further away so you can get back around the wing sooner for a sweeter push to the backside. You can also disconnect and get outta there sooner 🙂
2nd rep was really nice! I bet you can leave even sooner there too, her commitment is REALLY strong!
3rd rep was pretty darned perfect 🙂
You can challenge yourself to disconnect and leave as soon as she passes you, rather than waiting to see her take off. That will really help you test her commitment.Great job!
TracyHowdy!
>>Thanks for the link. I do like seeing what and how the “live” classes do, and your tips to them can be helpful for Keiko and me, too. 😉
All of the classes turned out so different, it was really fun!
>>I was wondering when this class ends? I know we have access to it “forever” but was wondering when the official end of student postings is, since I realize you’ve finished posting new exercises.
Official end of student postings is November 22nd. I will be posting more about that later today.
>>I know you’re being challenged to come up with stuff for us for over the winter, but you’re creative, & I know you’ll have good options for us. Perhaps a combo of short and longer sets so people have choices if they can’t do it all?
I think I figured it out 🙂 The next MaxPup should be posted today or tomorrow, and I have other plans as well for skills work in big or small spaces. More coming today on all of that 🙂
Talk to you soon 🙂
TracyGood morning!!
>> Your additional demo video was super helpful!
Yay! I can do it on a jump if anyone needs to see it, after my quads heal from running those giant Speedstakes courses LOL!!!
>> I was wondering if I should have more space between the starting wing and the jump? You can, but you don’t need a lot of space – you need to just be parallel. So if starting with him at the wing keeps you parallel to him, that will work. Or if he blasts past you 🙂 you can send to the wing so you have a head start 🙂
On the video: I think this went well! He was feeling good in the cold weather LOL! Small details: on the push cue, keep your feet moving forward, try to not rotate them. On the first couple of reps you were a little rotated but then when you felt more comfy and then especially when you reversed the set up, you did a really good job of keeping your feet straighter to the line.
I also think you can say the push cue more often and with more urgency: PUSH PUSH PUSH PUSH instead of push. Saying it once, and politely, may not get processed. But saying it a few times and with urgency is much more likely to be processed 🙂 1:47 is a good example of being too polite about it: you were quiet and said the cue once. He had just had 2 rewards for the front side, so the softer push cue didn’t quite register – a more urgent one will! You helped with a tiny step on the last rep which is fine, but changing the tone and urgency of the verbal will really register.>> Then there was an error on a backside and I could feel the difference at the time and can see it on the video.>>
I think we are talking about the same moment (1:47) – I don’t think it was an error in position or anything, he just didn’t quite process the cue, no worries.
He seemed to have no trouble finding the bar after the backside! And adding more distance between the wing and the jump will add more motion, which can work to your benefit because it will support the line more easily.
>> I ran the speedstakes course yesterday just for fun with my 8 year old border collie after Jen and River ran.
That massive one from Saturday? It was a DOOZY. My legs still hurt LOL!
>>Yesterday, I turned my upper body to her and used my opposite arm for extra good measure and it turns out she can commit to a backside from like 20 feet away without question.
YES!!!! So cool 🙂 My Voodoo won that event because I have spent the summer doing demo videos of 2 things with him as demo model: super independent backside sends, and tunnel exits on verbals only. Boom! I was so happy that he went and did his thing and oh yes, I was using a lot of upper body rotation and outside arm with him too 🙂 For some reason, people really HATE using the outside arm. It has been drilled into them that it is a bad thing – but it clearly is not 🙂 I used my outside arm on backside sends, threadles and to indicate tight wraps – on the same damn course. No question from the dog and believe me, Voodoo does NOT let me off the hook if he has a question LOL!!!
>> She never missed a single one or had any questions or brought bars down (also a problem we’ve experienced with backsides). I was very impressed.
That is awesome!! I have also found that Voodoo doesn’t touch the bars based on the independent training we’ve done, I have REALLY been bugging my CAMP and Crazy Commitment classes to work the independence on the backsides and now I have some good results to show them about why they should do it 🙂 With the puppies, we have started all of the elements: independent push. default come-in-and-jump-the-bar, as well as the zig zag jumping to teach them how to jump the backside slices. In the masters-level classes, we have also worked on having the handler see commitment then disconnect and leave for the next line: another skill that was SUPER useful for the speedstakes insanity. And independent backside class is on my list for winter training – all 4 of the major elements separately then putting them back together. It will be fun!!!
Tracy
Hi! For teeter worries, I suggest a very very very tiny tip of your plank on the fit bone, almost zero tip: with MASSIVE cookies for each rep. And only do one rep for each session: one tiny movement of the board, he gets a giant handful of treats, then session over. That will basically classically condition the movement to be so feel-good that he will begin to enjoy it. It takes a while when the dog is scared but it is worth it! My oldest dog was terrified of the teeter when he was a youngster, so I would do one-rep sessions and he got over his fear and ended up with a great teeter 🙂
T
Hi!
>>Seq 4: the backside slice went better this time and I think I’m stepping in lessYes, you are moving further away from 4 here and it totally helps! At :05, you stopped moving – which opens a different can of worms about getting too far ahead. These backside pushes work best when you are parallel or only a little ahead, so you can move in closer to the tunnel so you don’t have to stop moving. You kept moving more at :19 and got the blind sooner too!
As you show her the line to 5, try to start rotating your lower body (:09) as she is passing you, before she gets to the backside, so you can disconnect and make the blind sooner. You were facing fully forward as she got to the backside at :09 so that delays your exit to the new side. You were much earlier on the rotation at :23 and she totally stayed committed! Yay!>>Seq 5: really had trouble with getting the backside slice here on jump 4. I think the angle of the jump makes it more difficult. Eventually I decided I would never handle it that way in real life and changed it up which felt much smoother.
Yes, that is a training angle for sure! We do sometimes see things like that on course (saw a bit of that in this weekend’s virtual US Open, I was so glad I did the demo videos because I totally used all those skills LOL!!!!)
I think what was happening was you were trying to rotate away, doing a spin, rather than sending forward and then stepping out of it forward. More details:Seq 5:
This one is indeed a doozy 🙂
She was a very good girl to ignore the toy falling on the first rep!
On the backside at jump 3: You can use a little more connection and a little less arm to 3. On the first couple of reps you were using a lot of arm so she didn’t see your connection as well. Then at 1:11 and 1:28, you had the best connection so far when she exited the tunnel! That is all she needs, the eye contact and the motion forward. A little bit of outside arm can help, think of it as more of a fence and point it to the entry wing. You were pointing it towards her and towards the entry line, which was causing too much upper body rotation which caused your feet to also turn – which then made the blind late to 4 when you were going for the wrap. On the use of the opposite arm, think of it more as a way to show her connection but don’t let it turn your feet 🙂On that crazy #4 🙂
This might be where the opposite arm was causing you to rotate too much, so you ended up doing a full spin? Keep your feet moving forward to the backside wing you are sending too – she is a foot-reader for sure, so feet facing forward will really help get her to the backside.
The added spin delayed you from getting the transition into the wrap at :36 (she didn’t take the backside jump on that rep so you also didn’t have a lot of time to do the transition 🙂
So yes, you can use the outside arm but more as a soft guide for her – when you use it too prominently, it turns your feet and doesn’t help your cause 🙂The wraps looked really good on the last 2 reps – that is probably more realistic 🙂 but it is good to work out the mechanics of the massive send to the backside too.
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi there!
Seq 1 looked great! You stepped in too much to the first tunnel but the rest of the lines looked lovely. You can rotate your upper body a little less on the backside push at 5 – it is causing your feet to turn, which is making it harder to show the line to the tunnel. She is really finding her lines independently now, on this sequence and the others as well!!
>>Seq 2: I think I was in her way after jump 5 to the tunnel and need to drop my shoulder back more
I think it was more of a timing thing (see below), but yes you can drop your inside shoulder back more to get clearer exit line connection. Here are some details:
Seq 2: Nice smooth opening 1-2, great line! The struggle with the BC at 5 was timing 🙂 She was already jumping at :19 so when she landed she only saw motion and went off your foot position. Pretty amazing to see her read it (I watched it in slow motion :)) You were much earlier at :28 but not early enough – I think dropping the inside shoulder back sooner will really help (as you mentioned) and you can use your arm across the body to get more of the exit line connection and push that inside shoulder back. You were one step earlier at :39 and she was able to adjust sooner. Yay!
>>Seq 3: struggling with getting the backside and I’m really stepping in a lot.
You can try making it into a wing jump – putting a barrel there or something for her to lock onto and go around. And that way you can run more towards the center of the bar and not as much towards the entry.
On the first rep, you were definitely overhelping there 🙂 with too much pressure to entry wing so it looked like you want her to turn to the fence. She almost turned away on the flat. On the next reps, you were great about moving more forward to the jump so she found it soooo much better. I think you can start to move yourself over on the bar and having something wing-like will make it even easier to get commitment there.
That will also allow you to do the BC sooner on the exit of the backside, and then decel into the next cue (send or spin) to tighten up the next turn. The decel for both of those should start when she lands from 4 which is why getting the BC done sooner helps so much. I think decelerating into the send will be better than the spin for her? But play with both, it will be a matter of your preference there and what creates the best line. You were earliest on the blind at 4 last rep at 1:31, which led to you doing the spin earlier at 1:34 so both of those turns were better there. Yay!
The other elements of the sequences all look wonderful, I really love how she is finding her lines independently and all we need to obsess on are the really crazy lines!
TracyHowdy!
Good work here! I think she only had a small issue in sequence 4 because of a connection thing. More below! Otherwise, these looked great!!Sequence 1:
On the opening, I would say a BC to the tunnel would work better than a FC because you can finish the rotation and get off her line faster (at :05, :24, :40 she had to wait for you to get off the line and she ad a little bubble around you to get to the tunnel. A blind will get you outta there sooner and you will still get a great turn.
She read the backside really well!! At :09, disconnect and go to the blind sooner – you were still watching her on your original arm as she was taking off which delays the next cue. You were earlier on rep 2 at :27 and at :44 so your next cue was earlier too, which gets the next turn better too. They were all good – but when you were moving through the backside faster, the wrap turn was even better 🙂
Same idea with turning your head sooner on the backside wrap at :11. Don’t rush, I thought your pace was spot on – but disconnect sooner. You were earlier at :29 and :46 and that helps the turns and it helps show her the line after landing.Seq 4: On that first rep, you rushed up the line a bit too much with no connection at :59, bar down. She was rushing too. Oopsie!! You were a little more connected at 1:08 and 1:12 so she was better – but she always adjusts on the rep after being reminded not to touch the bar, then she is unlikely to make the mistake again. So – as you accelerate up a line, keep your connection on her for now. She might eventually let you disconnect and hustle… or not. LOL! Either way, as long as you know what she needs, it helps prevent future bar drops.
On the spin versus RC section:
I think you can leave the spins sooner, meaning rotate and head to the next jump as she is passing you rather than staying there as she is taking off. You are waiting there to maybe get more collection but I think the best collection with her is to cue and step out of it. Even on setting up the RC – leave sooner and more directly to the next jump (but not fast, there is no place to go LOL! )>>Sequence 4 I played with the RC vs the spin. Would be interesting to time…I’ll have to do it
I am happy to obsess on timing things!
I timed the difference between the spin and the RC: She was a little faster on the spin, but I think it had more to do with how you stepped out of each: on the spin you stepped directly forward. On the RC, you stepped out to the side then forward and that added yardage.
However, on the 3rd run when you did the spins – you stayed in the collection position too long and that actually slowed her down. The fastest of the 4 reps was the first one, where you asked for collection on the spin but left sooner than you did on rep 3.>>I don’t like standing still (I think I even said this on camera!).
Same here!!!!
There are only 2 places that I like standing still: on a lead out before I release, and on the podium BWHAHAHAHAHA!Overall, the connections and timings all look great! Most of my ideas are subtle tweaks to be able to go even faster 🙂 Great job!
TracyHi!
I am kinda glad I bugged everyone about getting the independent backside pushes and disconnecting to leave, trusting the commitment: we are doing the US Open online competition and HOLY COW we had to use that skill over and over and over…. the results were good because I trained it with the big dog! My tiny dog is feral and untrained, and the runs were MUCH harder 😉
Both of your dogs look fabulous on these videos! I have ideas for you – tiny details because basically you did a great job 🙂
Video 1:
I see 3 options this on, in terms of handling choices at 4:
– The crazy backside push (for training purposes 🙂
– The wrap that you did on the 2nd run
– And also threadle 3-4 and take 4 to the dog’s right (towards your shed). My guess is the threadle slice is fastest, with the wrap 2nd fastest? But the training push is great for working the skill LOL!Really nice first run!! You were past the backside and finished with the blind all before he took off, and then you were easily rotated to cue the wrap at :11 as he exited the wing of the backside slice jump. NICE!
2nd run looked lovely too, he has great wrap skills and you cued the wrap really well! You basically said to him: there is your takeoff spot, I am leaving. Yay!
Great timing on your rotation at 5, another nice turn there!
My only tweak on this one is to be on a slightly different line 3-4 – you were parallel to the wing of 4 as you finished the FC so he jumped a little wider. If you are more on the takeoff side of 4, he will have a tighter line 3-4. This is a nitpick – I am talking about a couple of inches 🙂 But since everything else looks so good, we can obsess on inches 🙂With Juno, you are not quite as confident in his commitment on the crazy push to 4, you held connection for a heartbeat longer – but you still finished your blind before he even got his nose around the wing of the entry side at :45. YESSS! He was perfect, of course 🙂 That set you up for great timing on your rotation at 5!
One difference I notice between Jake and Juno is that Jake seems to collect using decel as part of the cue – Juno requires more direct connection for now. So at :47, as you rotate, I suggest moving your hand and eyes a little more towards Juno’s nose to get the same collection as Jake. Jake is plenty more experienced, right? So it might be an experience issue. But some dogs just need that bigger connection to get the perfect collections. Again, this is a nitpick detail but everything else looks soooooo good! I mention it because when Juno lands at :48 he needs a heartbeat to adjust. When Jake lands at :12, he immediately powers out to 6.
Juno’s 2nd run looked really terrific too, the sirens were cracking me up! I have the same tiny suggestion for him as with Jake: maybe 3 or 4 inches further up for the FC 3-4 (it will read a little like a reverse v-set to the dogs, you won’t have to show him the whole wing). And as with the previous run on the wrap at 5 – shift connection more directly to his eyes so he can land and out power more immediately rather than take the heartbeat to adjust.
How close were they in overall time? Both boys looked terrific!
Go lines:
Seq 1 – your disconnection was perfect 🙂 Be sure you are saying you Go verbal (I couldn’t hear it here, but it might have been the video). It is not totally important on this sequence (it is a really easy sequence) but it is good to rehearse for harder sequences.Seq 2: also looked good!! Great disconnect heading up the line (remember to use your verbal Go cue). The reconnection was REALLY clear. Because of his big stride length, you might need to reconnect sooner to cue the turn sooner? But your connection on wrap cue at :16 looked great. Then you can actually disconnect *more* after yuo see him lock onto 5 – disconnect, run, yell GO TUNNEL 🙂 You were actually more connected than you needed to be from :18-:20 LOL!
Seq 3:
You can play with pushing to the backside at 3 from further across the bar and more connection/less step. At :30, you were center of the bar and gave a big step – which he got but then you had to really hustle to get past the exit wing. He was already taking off while you were passing it which is a tiny bit late because you ended up a little on his line, so he was wider than needed to 4. If you can be moving along a line more towards the exit wing, and use more connection and less step/arm, you will get past that backside exit wing in enough time to show him a better line to 4. And yes, you can disconnect sooner 🙂 But that will come as you keep playing with this and trust him – and it is MUCH easier to disconnect on these when you can send from further across the bar.On the ending line, great jump being less connected and using your verbals! You were pulling away as he was heading to the last jump, so be sure to start you tunnel verbal sooner – he checked in a tiny bit because he was not sure if he should drive straight. I suggest the tunnel verbal starting at landing of 5 to name the line. You said it as he was over 6.
Seq 4 – the way you did the backside on 2 was basically what I was talking about above! Yay!! Look at :42 – you are clearly on the far side wing, very little step to the entry – he nailed it, you nailed it. Yes, you can disconnect sooner 🙂 But when you are keeping him on the same side, you don’t really have to – the disconnections are most useful for when you are changing sides or have to hustle up a big line. Compare that to the backside at 3 – you had to change sides, so you did disconnect a lot sooner: you were basically done with the blind before he got all the way around the entry wing at :45
He was a bit wide going to 4 at :47 – it was hard to tell from the camera angle, but it might have been that you were a little too far over to the left, so he had to go around you to get to the wing? Also, you can decelerate as you drive him to it rather than accelerate, that can help.
And on that last line – you were nicely disconnected LOL but add more verbals to it. You said one ‘go’ then got quiet so he looked at you as he was over 5 at :49. Your running line was subtley moving lateral and you were quiet, so he was paying attention 🙂 If you are going to drift away a little (which I think is fine there), say more go go go tunnel tunnel tunnel to really support the line.Lovely work here!!!! Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning!
Both dogs are doing well!!!First up: Haydn’s videos – I just think he is the cutest thing!!!!!
Video 1: the slice opening works well for him with the RC on the tunnel!on the first rep at :09, definitely not enough connection on the backside send, he say you pointing forward and it did look like a BC to the front side. I thought you were better at :46 but he was insistent LOL! Same at 1:02, handling seemed clear – he was still insistent that it was the front.
Video 2 – his tail, his barking, his leaping into the tunnel: THE CUTEST THINGS EVER . Gah!! On the first run at :09, maybe a little more connection needed? I think it would be a fine level of connection for a more experience backside dog. You were good at :51 with the connection and cue but at 1:03 you REALLY exaggerated the connection and cue. He looked shock LOL!!! And he got it.
The rest of the lines on this sequence looked great!So yes, I think it is basically a training thing plus he is really small so you can lower your connection so he can see it better – with my tiny dogs, I dip my inside shoulder down and back so they can see the connection better.
For the training – this seems to be a common thing – the front side of the bar has SO much value and his main frame of reference is going to the front – so the front side is actually a massive distraction 🙂 To get him more comfy going to the backside, you can take out the distraction: take away the bar and the other wing on the sequence, leaving only the entry wing, and work the backside skills. Then when he is successful running the sequences with the wing instead of a backside, add back the bar in a less stimulating way: one end in the lowest jump cup and the other end on the ground (don’t add the 2nd wing in yet) – and get the high rate of reinforcement going like that.
That should help him begin to better understand the backside cue with you needing the massive exaggeration from 1:03 🙂Let me know if that makes sense! Everything else he is doing looks great!
Lanna is looking good! On her first video, the opening 1-2-3-4 looked lovely (that slice 1-2 is hard and she rally had to think about it – mission accomplished!)
Looking at her barking… sometimes they bark because things are unclear, sometimes they bark because things are stimulating, sometimes they bark because things are going great! You will learn to differentiate the barks: my Voodoo growls when I am unclear (I take it as a threat to get my act together haha), barks sometimes on sends because they are stimulating, and shrieks when I get a handling cue right. LOL! So I am not sure if she is barking because things are unclear in spots or if she is stimulated, or both.I think the timing of your backside verbal was spot on at :08 – you were already saying it as her front feet were touching down from the 4 jump. And your line was good. But as she was landing, she was looking up at you – so it is possible that she needed a more direct connection there (you were looking at her peripherally more than directly).
She had a really nice jumping effort over the 5 bar before the tunnel, those backside slices are difficult and she is doing really well!!Second video – wow, this is going well!
First run: I am not sure about why she is barking a little – on the first run, it was when you were sending her past you (she was silent on the chase lines where you were ahead of parallel). You can give more connection and see is that helps? I thought you were connected on the backside send at 4 there but it was hard to tell at this angle. As soon you see her heading to the wing there at the backside, disconnect to get the blind sooner – you started the blind as she was jumping, so she looked up at you on landing then had to push away from you (woof, woof :))
Lovely turn on the wrap and lovely ending line!!!On the 2nd run, you got 2 barks at the backside send! And 3 barks at 1:06 on the wrap LOL! I think she might need more direct eye contact on the backside pushes, dog-side arm back more. On the wrap because the blind was a little late: you didn’t quite establish connection on your left so she wasn’t committing as you tried to rotate and leave at 1:05. That is a common young dog thing – if we don’t connect, they go into handler focus and don’t commit (choosing to bark at us instead LOL!!) That barking was definitely a bark of “more info, please!”. So the earlier blind and added connection will help there, and I also recommend a proofing game where get close to a jump and you do everything ‘wrong’: fling your arms, disconnect, rotate, etc – then massive rewards to her for taking the jump anyway LOL!! It helps them learn to save us in those moments when we are not entirely perfect :))
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi there!!
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The video looks good!! He had a little trouble finding the jump at first. One thing to try is to be angled towards him and when you release – step/point more towards the takeoff spot and not towards the jump. The takeoff spot will be 2 feet or thereabouts in front of the jump, so it might feel like you are pointing back towards him more than forward to the jump. And when he takes the jump, toss a treat out to the landing spot: – it was hard for him to ignore the momma’s position especially when you had a cup of cookies 🙂
You were perfectly sideways to the barrel at 1:27 – but pointing forward so he didn’t quite get it. You were perfectly sideways at 1:50 and 2:13 plus you did the arm & leg send motion before you released him – he found that VERY helpful! (My dogs find it helpful too :)) Plus he did not break his stay when you moved the arm and leg before the release, which is great! So keep that timing and add in slightly stepping back towards him and not forward. Because he is small, keeping your arm lower will help too 🙂When you you went to the other side of the barrel at 3:00ish – EASY! He read that line really well 🙂 based on your position, so you didn’t have to work too hard to get it at all. You can still toss cookies to the landing side of the jump – with small dogs, I do a lot more tossing of rewards on the line than I do with big dogs, to get amazing commitment 🙂 The littles have to take more strides to get out on a line, and lots of reward throws will help him have amazeballs commitment.
Great job here!!!
Tracy
