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Hi!
These videos are marked private too. Let me know when you list them as as unlisted, can’t wait to see them! She is so cute!
TracyHi!
The first video is marked unavailable, it might be listed as private. Can you relist to unlisted?
On the send video, she is doing really well!!! She has a nice balance of focusing on you and happily driving to the prop. Now, as you mentioned, she didn’t always touch the prop. She always went to it (Yay!) but the foot smacks were not always on it. It looked to be due to distance more than excitement. I think you were just a little too far away for perfect accuracy of the foot touches – she was just about perfect from about 2 or 3 feet away, (forward and sideways) but when you got past that, she went to the prop but didn’t touch as nicely. It was mainly because you were giving her the treat a bit further away and the next send was from where she got the cookie. So, continue giving her the reward like you did (moving away, tons of fun!) and then use your ready ready moment to get back to the 2 -3 foot range for the next send. After a couple of sessions. you can move yourself back out again, bit by bit. You were right to wait til she touched it to reward, that helps keep it clear for her.
Nice work here!
TracyHi Mary!
I think she liked the speed lines here! ha! Wheeeee! On the first couple of reps, she was on the line nicely when you disconnected and ran, but she had to work her jumping – she was a little off balance with her hind end up high on the jump before the tunnel on reps 1 and 2
And on rep 3 going the other way, she was beginning to control the hind end (both directions) and then pretty much had it sorted out by rep 4. Nice!On the backside: good commitment!!! See if you can strip out a bit of the big send step – it delays you from getting to the takeoff side when she is on the takeoff side, so being able to push with less step towards the backside will get you there sooner.
On the threadle reps- she did well on the threadles, they are pretty wicked ones!! She isn’t quite ready for you to be fully forward yet but they are strong so far for such a young dog. Remember to give her a strong collection cue on the exit of the threadle jump so she drives in hard for the next jump – she turned nicely but stayed on the line she was on, so a stronger turn cue will get her even tighter and looking at the takeoff side of the next jump.
Pinwheel video – pinwheels are pretty hard! She is doing better on these – on the early reps, you were rounding the line more than needed, sp she was rounding her line to match it. What I mean by the that is you were turning and facing a parallel line to the wide turn (especially to her left) so she rounded the line too. The best rep to me was the one at :46 where you sent and did a split step away, no rounded line, and she was so tight and you were way up the line . Compare it to the 2 reps after it, where you didn’t split step away as well so you were running parallel for longer – so her turns were not quite as good. Let me know if that makes sense.
Great job here!
TracyHi! Good to know about the back legs!! RDWs are fun 🙂
On the first run:
1-2-3-4 all looked good, nice line and connection there! On 5, he needed an earlier turn cue: when he lands from 4, send and leave is probably all that is needed (you were driving forward til he took off for 5 then turned so he was wide). You were clearer on the 2nd rep with a turn cue and it was a nicer line 5-6.Then it looks like the bar on 6 was late info on that first rep: as he was preparing for takeoff, you were in the landing spot (:10) so he lifted his head and his shoulder whacked the wing. Keep moving through there and to get off the line and it will be easy for him. O n the 2nd rep, you were also there too long so he didn’t hit the bar but he did toss his butt into the air at :25. The goal on the push through backside serps is that you are on the takeoff side when he is on the takeoff side, so you can leave him sooner to step through the gap – send to the backside and when you see him heading that direction, step into the gap long before he arrives at the backside.
The blind cross on the last line is great, it worked nicely and is a great way to handle that line. The threadle would be useful there for when you have to head back to the tunnel dog on right. But, a double blind would work great too 🙂 Great threadles can be super fast, so they are worth training! But when I time a great threadle versus a great double blind, the double blinds tend to be faster (I have timed these a lot with any handler who will allow me to do it 🙂
Nice job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi Karen!
I think it is great that you add a critique! It helps train you eye on what she needs in the moment, which will be helpful at trials! You will be able to make quick adjustments and problem solve more easily.On the opening line – yes, a blind is possible at :07 but I think the wider turn was more about timing than about choice of cross (I think the FC is a good option because it turns your feet to 5 sooner than a blind) but with both crosses: when she lands from 3, you need to be up there and starting it. You were still moving into position as she took off for 4 on the first rep.
On rep 2 at :30, you were definitely starting the FC sooner! yay! But you were still moving into position (moving a bit backwards as you rotated, but backwards motion is forward motion to the dogs :))After the weaves at :20 and :40 – yes to the earlier blind 🙂 And yes and yes: she would have added a stride and it would have been faster. On the late blind, she had to land, balance and then turn, so it cost time indeed. A way to tighten it is to show less acceleration into it: you were not moving that fast while she was weaving and then when she exited, you exploded into the cross. Try to reverse that: go fast while she is weave then when she exits, decelerate into the cross (and then run like mad 🙂 )
Ending line: The GO GO GO to get to the last tunnel was really nice!!! Turn off the cue before she enters, so you can switch to the collection for the jump after it. At :53 you were still using the loud GO GO GO (or something that sounded like a go?) so it caused a bit too much extension there.
Course 2: You had a soft brake at :59, I think that will be effective there! You can start it earlier, when she has landed from the previous jump: the outside arm/soft brake cue is part of the commitment cue there and will tighten up the turn.
It was hard to see what is happening at jump 7 (far from the camera) but it looks like you might find it more effective to do a spin there! At 1:01, you were rotated and then opened back up so she went wide. You can finish the rotation which will both keep the turn tight and get you up the next line sooner.Good job on the tunnel-jump-weaves line!
Question: how much will she let you turn while she is weaving! At 1:12, you started the FC to 11 after she exited, which created a domino effective of the cues being late. The send to the backside was late so then you couldn’t quite get past the line at 1:11, so she landed and had to stop to let you get past at 1:13. You did get the right turn after it but it will be easier if you can start the turn cues while she is weaving not after. A different handling option here could be a threadle or double blinds with you staying lateral during the weaves and handling from takeoff side of 11.
Course 3: the slicing rear before the weaves is effective! To get to it more smoothly, try to run forward to it more and not pull in on the jump before then push back out (1:23), that makes it hard to set the slice. You were much clearer about driving directly to it at 1:31 and it looked really good! 1:55 and 2:02 were good too but not as smooth as 1:31, because you pulled in a little at 1:55 and 2:02. There is a good close up at 2:33! You can see how at 4 you are looking forward and dropping your arm so she draws in. – that #4 is a serp jump, so you will have a sweeter line if you turn your upper body to face the jump and keep your arm back, so she pings away from you on the serp.
Off the teeter, when you are ahead, remember to push to the backside while being opened up back to her. You turned forward to point at the wing and she came to the front at 1:42. You might find it beneficial to hang back more there (on the teeter) so you can drive her forward to the backside then blind. By being far ahead, you had to wait and that set up a FC – which works in that spot but the rotation delays the next set up – at 2:15 you got behind and didn’t quite get turned to the tunnel, so she read the cue as a RC on the flat. It is more of a ‘traditional’ rear there (on the tunnel entry) so you can just turn and face the tunnel then drive to it on a RC line.
You did the more traditional RC on the very last rep and it worked great! The entire ending line was smoother (yay!). My only nitpick there on the last rep is that you can start the blind after the at 2:52 before she goes into the last tunnel, so she exits already turned. Yes, you can run faster there LOL but I think doing the blind earlier will make all the difference.
Great job here! Let me know what you think! Stay cool!
TracyWheee Zigzag Friday!
This went well! The reps on 5 jumps looked good to me. He wasn’t as settled on the first interval of the first rep, but then the rest of it and the next 2 on 5 jumps looked good! On the yikes 🙂 rep at :20, yes he was on the wrong line and plays you were decelerated and a little behind so he was not sure. I saw that same question on the other reps where you were behind, a little less driving ahead: probably because he saw you hanging back, decelerating, so he was preparing for a collection. And that is fine because he should not carry on in extension for 2 jumps when you are decelerating unless the verbal very specifically says so. When you were ahead on the last grid, he was fine (position dictated the line) so for now, staying ahead is most helpful.
It will be interesting to see how this skill transfers to the slice and backside work on the courses this week!
have fun!
TracyHi Christine!
Great job on the opening on the first rep, the whole thing was very smooth and connected! After the send to 5 at :13, try not to run backwards into the FC – run forward and then FC or BC) – the running backwards got your feets a little tangled up for the FC on 7 which delayed you up the next line.
Great job getting her to the 9 jump, you just needed to keep your shoulders open to her for another step or two at:20 and :46, she had it but you rolled your shoulders away before she finished committing, so she pulled in. Then you did a great send into the tunnel at :26 LOL facing right to it 🙂 Note the difference at 1:05, how you stayed open for longer and she got it. yay! Then… stay open even longer to get the 10-11 line: after she got 9 at 1:05 and then at 1:31, you ended up closing your shoulders forward so she pulled in off the line.
On the last line you can also keep your shoulders open on the 13 jump. I think the main thing on her serps here (front side at 13 or backside at 9) are that you were using your shoulders to pull her in then trying to push her back out more than you need to – if you keep the center of your chest facing the bar as your feet run up the line, I think she will find the lines for you and come in and out. Now, if she is running past them when you are running really fast (like in the Skills sets for this week) then yes, keep doing what you are doing which is being clear on the cue but not adding a ton of motion (not yet :)). Use just enough motion that she will come in without you having to steer by bringing your shoulders in an out to help her.
Nice work here! Let me know if that makes sense!!
TracyHi Jill!
He is really young, so starting the threadle on just the one jump will be much easier. And starting on an easier angle will help too (this was a really hard angle for sure). I added a threadle training video so folks can get ideas (it is in a separate thread). You can also have him bypass the wing of the threadle jump to do a hand touch then send him back out, just to practice the whole “come to momma rather than take the jump” as you build the threadle skill up.
It looks like he thought the GO lines were there best thing ever, even with disconnection! Yay! Be sure to reconnect sooner for the wraps – at :47 you didn’t reconnect so he was not sure what the commitment cue was there and came into you.
The push element of getting him to the backside looked. GREAT! He just was not completely sure of what to do when he got to the backside LOL! So we need to train a default “take the jump” so you can just run through it rather than help him out. Several other folks are having the exact same thing come up, so I will be putting it into the skills sets for monday. But in the meantime, you can get it started: when he gets to the entry wing of the backside, keep moving but throw the toy in behind you to the landing side of the jump, so he comes around the wing and sees it on the other side of the bar. That will encourage him to take the jump even as you run through. Don’t wait til he takes the jump: throw it as soon as he comes around the wing 🙂 Let me know if that makes sense! Nice work here!Hi Eileen!
I am glad you are able to stay safe and home! Fingers crossed that the Florida outbreak gets under control very quickly! Send my regards to George!On your skills video:
He looked like he quite enjoyed all of the hustle on the big go lines, even without connection! yay!!! On this skill set since it is all extension GO line, you can start to raise the bars!
On the backsides: you were helping too much on at first (with a bit too much arm and rotation on the backside serp), but on each rep you helped less and less and trusted him more and more on the backside 🙂 By the last rep (:48ish), you were moving through while *almost* totally trusting him LOL!! He has GREAT skills so let’s trust him: as soon as he is at the entry wing of the backside, just run forward to the tunnel, disconnect, and then reconnect on the side you want him on. If at any point he has a question, we will train through it.Good job sorting out the threadle! On the first rep, you had a little too much rotation towards him so it was harder to get the jump. But on the 2nd rep, you were running forward more so the threadle was clearer and smoother. Good job on the blind after the threadle! When he is more experienced with his threadle, you will be able to start it even sooner! But even one stride late here, he was nice and tight on the turn and and he liked chasing you after it: Speed!!!
On the threadle after the Go line from the tunnel: On the first rep, you had the verbal for the threadle but turned your upper body away, so he didn’t read it. On the second rep of it at1:41, you called his name and showed more upper body, and he was great!
The GO lines from the tunnel to the around looked GREAT! So fast! He definitely loves it when you hustle like that, and disconnecting is certainly making it easier to hustle. He appears to have NO question on those lines, he is running in full on extension. So, on these lines, start to creep the bars up – and reward with the ball LOTS for each higher bar (even in the middle of a sequence).
Great job!!!
Hi Sandy!
I am glad to hear his weave training is going well, he looks good!!!!
I think he liked the disconnection LOL!! When you disconnected and ran up that line for the first time… that is the fastest I have ever seen him run WOW!!! Very cool!!!! He understood the line and was able to drive it so fast!
He was also fast when you did the threadle, he just doesn’t understand the threadle as well so you had to help him on the rep after that with more of an in-and-out line of motion. We will get him trained on them so you can run them more like you did on the first threadle rep here.
And yes… feel free to disconnect more on the way back to the tunnel LOL!!!On the backside video: the first rep looked great! The 2nd rep (other side) showed us that he just needs a little more work on that side 🙂 Be sure to run forward on that side – yes, be connected with the upper body like you were but keep your feet running forward towards the bar, for 2 reasons:
First, I think the rotation where you were a bit sideways to the backside jump was causing him to ask if you wanted the front side. The reps at the end (especially the last 2) where you were more forward were really nice!! And keep rewarding the taking the jump, I think he needed the reminder.
Second, keeping your feet facing forward and not rotating will make it much easier for you to get away up the next line, especially when you will want to disconnect and run 🙂About threadle arms: this video was made for a class all about using the opposite arm, so I used only the opposite arm in it 🙂 I personally train both the dog-side arm and the opposite arm. The concepts are the same so then it becomes a matter of preference as to which arm you use.
Great job here!
TracyHi Tom!
This section fits nicely in your yard!Rep 1: Lovely backside push!!! And he read the check nicely – you might be able to do it one step sooner but he had a nice turn. At :15, the blind was indeed a little late 🙂 but also I think this might be a better spot for a front cross – you are decelerated there (appropriately) so the FC will turn your feet to the last jump sooner and easier to execute than the blind here (the blind turns your feet to the off course first, so you have to do it much faster than you would need to do the FC here).
Rep 2: Another great backside push, the connection was terrific there. And the wrap after it was really nice too! It is fun to see your training paying off here on the sequences.
The BC was earlier and therefore tighter. Nice! But I still think a FC will be easier/tighter too 🙂Rep 3: Ooh the pull through with the threadle arm was really nice on this one! You can start it even sooner – give a little decel as he is exiting the wrap, so the arm and the verbal can be started when he is still about 5 or 8 feet from takeoff.
Rep 4: yes, at 1:09, you rotated too early, too much slam on the brakes of the sports car 🙂
Rep 5: You had one more step forward to the wrap jump then deceled and turned: perfect! I think all of his wraps were great here.
And, every backside send was also terrific, you are really owning that skill now.
On this threadle – to bring him in and turn him away, keep him on your left hand (threadle hand): it is both the come in and go back out hand – it might feel like you are drawing a check mark with your hand. And, stay a little closer to the threadle jump – you were pulling away so he was not sure if he should come with you or go back out to it. The combination of motion towards it and the left arm “flicking” him back out will get it done nicely.Great job here!~ I am loving the backside pushes, they looked fabulous!
Tracy
Hi Khamsin!
Wheeee rabbit holes are fun!
Video 1: she thought you were disconnected on the first rep – her head came up and she was looking at you like “DUDE!!!!!” Hahaha And then she didn’t wrap the wing. The 2nd rep was much better, she was better able to look at the line. Your disconnection was lovely LOL!
Video 2: She is having a little trouble with the default behavior of coming in to take the jump on the backside, so you are compensating by rotating towards her to get it… but then you are turned the wrong way and it is hard to get out of there. So, we can totally train the default! I will put it into the skills sets for monday (gotta get home to do the video, I am on the road and only have puppies with me :)) but in a nutshell, it will be similar to what you were doing towards the end of the video where you were moving forward correctly (lower body) but throwing the toy in to the landing spot (like at 1:04). But one slight tweak: don’t wait for her to take the bar to throw it. Instead, think of it as well-placed reinforcement for her choice to go to the backside: as she is heading around the backside entry wing, you will keep running forward but throw the toy in behind you to the landing spot (and you can tell her to get it). The goal is to create a default of taking the jump by helping her predict that the backside cue will be rewarded on the landing side, so she can giddy up and take the jump even when you leave 🙂 Let me know if that makes sense 🙂
Video 3: ah! This is basically what I was describing just throw the toy sooner. You were a little late, perhaps waiting for her to commit – you don’t need to wait for commitment to the jump bar here, you can just throw the toy (that will allow you to move away even sooner.
The circle wraps looked good here!!!!Video 4: The push to the right went a little better… but I think you were helping her more by slowing down to hope her come in. You had more speed and countermotion when you switched sides here, so it was harder. But, you were NOT turning your feet, so that is awesome! We are going to train the default with the early toy drops and then it will be easy peasy 🙂 I think she will figure it out really quickly.
Video 5:
This video has the funniest title LOL!
She did well here! But if you freeze the video at :04, :11 and :17, you were in the picture on the landing side – that is helping cue the jump right now. You aren’t needing to turn your feet here, yay! But our goal this next week will be to teach her to allow you to add the countermotion to this, so you can be passing the exit wing as she is coming around the entry wing, and she will take the jump. For now, if you had a trial this weekend: handle this challenge exactly was you did here. And in the next couple of weeks, we will built it up! It is a perfect skill to work as your knee recovers, because you can move but you don’t need to run.Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
For Sandy’s question… I did this video for the opposite arm class, which is why I was only using the opposite arm. I do train it with the dog side arm initially and I use both.Which brings us to Mary’s question: I do use both types. It really depends on the individual dog, but my general rule for myself is that I use the dog side arm on threadles where I am on the right line and ahead, and for the simpler threadles. I use the opposite arm on the harder threadles and when I am behind 🙂 My dogs appreciate the extra wallop that the opposite arm packs on the threadle… But I run slower when I use it (because of the rotation) so I try to not use it all the time .
Tracy
Hi!
>>>That should be on the list, too. But I consider them different. I have a different verbal cue for tunnel discrimination and I want my threadles to mean come off the line, but then turn away. I think you do the same thing.Yes, same thing. 🙂
>Avoidance….that’s my handling style. My timing on the double blinds with her is not good and unlike Lever who commits 1 mile ahead and so I have to be EXTREMELY early,
Ha! You are cracking me up! New handling system: avoidance lol! Have you tried spreading the jumps way out so you have more time?
>> Pose is a normal dog (and young) so she pulls off of the obstacle easily.
Bwahahaha a normal dog LOL!! But yes, I know what you mean completely.
>>Okay, so I need to add another item to my list…you aren’t helping me here – 🙂 😉 I’m adding to my list!!! LOL
Haha! Ok as much as I love double blinds, they are indeed a low priority (Hot Sauce doesn’t know them either lol)
>At least I checked off my BIG avoidance handling in teaching rear crosses. I think Lever learned it finally when we got to Masters. We didn’t start Novice/Starters with rear crosses and that’s where we needed them the most. Pose has a rear cross now.>>
Yes! Rear crosses… soooo important with the speed that Pose and Lever bring to the table.
Have fun!
TracyHi!
Omg, sorry, there is a missing word: toy! I was typing too fast, oopsie!!
Yes: toss it, play, offer treat, repeat 🙂
Both videos looked really good here! He had very nice hits on the sideways and backwards sends, yay! For now, don’t add more distance – we want more reps at each distance, rather than adding distance after every couple of reps. I think on this video you found the threshold of his current distant boundaries away from the prop ,so start a little closer and inch away more gradually.
The wrap shaping looked AWESOME. He was totally in the groove, fast and focused, and in the right state of arousal: super!!! Give him at least one more session just like this and then if it goes well, move the wing out a tiny bit (while maintaining the super high rate of success like you did here.)
Great job!
Tracy
