[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi!
I think her being high and excited is so fun – remember when she was having her health issues and she was sad? She has grown up to love agility, yay! Some of the bonus tunnels here were handling induced… and some were crimes of passion 🙂 No worries, she was having a blast and going fast, which is helping you ‘up your game’ in the handling. You are more connected than ever, which is GREAT and you are getting the verbals out. So while it isn’t perfect yet because she is young, I think she looked great here.

First rep – the opening looked really good! I think that Demi has reached the stage where you will need to drive her harder and not babysit lines – after the FC, you can send and leave and at :11 you pushed in pretty deep, so she guess that it was the tunnel.
Something similar happened on the second rep – GREAT opening! 1-2-3 was nicely connected and smooth and you started the FC sooner at :28 so got a nice turn! You kept moving through 5 and the FC at 6… but then over-helped at :36 on jump 7 so you got bonus points for an extra tunnel 🙂 I liked the spin you added there at :54 but she is really powering now… so start the spoon sooner: when she lands from the 6 jump, you can be decelerating so the spin is starting before she is passing you.

Good job working through it to be able to reward NOT going to the tunnel!! You got a gorgeous turn there at 1:42!! And the opening of the last rep was also super nice – one little step to deep into 5 got a bonus tunnel right at the end.

So overall – no worries about the bonus tunnels 🙂 Your connection is looking strong and now it is a matter of driving her hard and being early rather than being careful and helping her (she leaves you in the dust when you try to over-help LOL!). On your next session, try to push her as hard as you can, without breaking connection, and see if you can get the timing in place! Fun times ahead! Nice work 🙂
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! I replied this morning and it didn’t go through, darned internet!!!! So I watched it again 🙂 This is looking really good!! Thinking back, this line of jumps is a MASSIVE improvement in getting her to drive ahead! Yay!!!! I think your connection was really nice on all of the straight line reps, I could clearly see your eyes which rotated your chest to support the line. One other thing can help too – lean forward into the run rather than run upright. On the very first rep, I thought you had really good connection but you were a bit upright as you ran, so she was not sure about driving ahead. When you leaned in on the other reps, especially when you had her on your left – she did so nicely! So lean forward a bit as you do this (like an Olympic sprinter, dropping shoulders down and forward :))
Her backsides looked good too! We actually work on backside stuff starting Saturday too. You were using connection to get her to commit to the bar. If she is doing well, you can fade out the connection and arm rotation and just run through it, to teach taking the jump on those backside serps as a default behavior. Let me know if that makes sense – more coming soon 🙂

Great job!!!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning!

She did really nicely on these. One overall thing I noticed is that she had more speed into the jump when you were closer to the tunnel exit when she was exiting as opposed to being closer to the jump. That showed more motion and your earlier on your verbals (she was faster too when you said your verbal as she was exiting).
On the rear crosses – yes, it is hard to find the wing after the jump, the pups are used to turning tight on the jump. You can angle the RC jump so it is facing the wing a little more, and also start your RC diagonal from right next to the tunnel exit – that will add more acceleration which creates the wider turn. As soon as the pups recognize that yes indeed, something happens after the rear (not just the reward :)) then they will easily find the wing and we can get it moved further away.
It looks like she read the difference between all the cues really well!
On the backsides, I did see speed differences but I don’t think it is a side preference thing, more of a handling & value shift thing. Some subtle tweaks to help her power into them even more. When you cue the backsides, she is at her best when you cue with your arm back, looking at her and not with your arm moving ahead before she passes you. For example at :38, your arm was back til after she passed you: she zipped directly to the backside. At :45 and :54 and 1:20, your arm was forward before she passed you, so she slowed down to look (the arm forward changes the line of your shoulders, so that presents the front side and often draws the dog’s eyes up to the handler to double check the info. She was also getting a little sticky on the commitment to the circle wraps as you were moving forward – we want you to keep moving forward like that, so you can maintain her commitment to the jump behind you by tossing the reward back to the landing area as you move forward, rather than out ahead of you as you run by. The sticky moments often come when the value has shifted to being closer to the handler, so reward tosses back behind you can refresh her value for taking the jump without you needing to be there.
Great job! Let me know what you think!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning!
I hope the house repairs are moving quickly, I bet you are ready to be done with all of that! We will just pretend that the left/right session didn’t happen: if the video doesn’t exit, the training never happened LOL!

On the first video:
The first several serps looked great – he drove right in AND turned the new direction. Perfect! He had a question at :21 when you released and he didn’t take the jump – I think that was more about the connection (you were looking forward and he was looking at you), so more connection to his eyes there before the release will help. A similar thing happened at :34, for the same reason. Compare to the next rep at :39, where you connected strongly then released: perfect again. The next couple of reps also had the connection before the release and he nailed it. It is common for baby dogs to just run to da momma if we don’t connect enough before the release. His backsides also looked good there!!

When you switched sides – perfect connection before the release, perfect serps. Yay! After all the jump value, he needed one more step to support the tunnel (the independent tunnel verbal is still percolating, which is fine, so one more step will help, like at 1:54 and 1:58).
Great job on the different verbals for the wraps – they are distinct in both tone and delivery, and he ‘read’ them so nicely! The little sequence cracked me up at 2:10… you had to HUSTLE hahahaha and he nailed it.

It took him a moment to remember to come in on the jump for the push with the tunnel out ahead (that is actually a game we will be doing in the next couple of weeks :)) – nice job breaking it down. You can also reward the decision to go to the backside by plopping the toy in on the landing side while you move away more, that will add even more of a ‘default’ to coming in and taking the jump. Adding in the blind on the landing side was a great challenge because the motion for a heartbeat takes the line towards the tunnel, so he had to pay attention to your upper body (and he did! good boy!)
The mini sequence at the end was also good 🙂 Try to start your spin rotation sooner so that you are done and reconnected before he gets all the way around the wing on the way back to the tunnel (to keep his line smooth). You were a little late so he had a little zig zag.

On the 2nd video – the GO lines are looking good! It will be a little easier to get the straight line to the jump with a FC on the wing (on the post turn or spin reps, he was a little on the outside of the jump and had to come back in). He did a great job driving ahead! The first RC to the left at :30 was great! The 2nd one was harder, he was trying to sort it out and you ended up pushing him off to the backside line by being a bit early. GREAT job supporting the RC line for longer at :40 – he was able to think about ALL the things and find the jump and the turn. You did get 2 good RCs to the right in at the end – I think your line going to the right was a little clearer for the RCs than the line to the left – good pressure without crowding too much. He was surprised to know that something could happen after the RC on the first one to the right, but then found the tunnel on the 2nd one. – that is a fun way to reinforce a good rear cross too!!

Great job on these!!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning!

The Go lines looked great here, both of you are moving FAST 🙂 Yay!
On the rear crosses, the first RC reps did indeed have the L line so he went straight. Then your line got much better! I think on some of the reps you were leaving the FC on the barrel too early, which made the info for the RC line a little late because you ran straight a few steps before showing the line. :29 and :46 are examples of that – he did get the RC there but the next RC rep at :35 then again at :58 you had a better line because you stayed closer to the barrel for longer, to set the line sooner as he exited it.
The backside wraps looked great! You showed him the line clearly and his commitment looked really strong, allowing you to continue moving through. Yay!

Wow, the serps looked great even with the distraction of the bowl being right in view!!! I don’t think he even looked at the distraction of the reward bowl, he was locked into the serpentine. Happy dance!! Yes, you can add in the other side when more coffee is on board LOL! And also move the barrel further back so the jump becomes a backside 🙂

Great job on these!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi!
yes, the more you can rotate and ‘grab’ his connection when he is going really fast, the better his turns are. He prefers that over subtle cues when working on the bigger courses 🙂

You didn’t mess up the first rep, you did a throw back! That is on the list here 🙂 You can rotate a little less on those, being more sideways to the jump than fully front crossed when he exits the tunnel. The connection shift back to the jump looked really good and he committed nicely!
On the other reps with the FC – you started that FC before he entered the tunnel so he was able to find the connection on the exit REALLY nicely! And that kept him tight to you as you rotated to cue the jump. And also, really nice connection on the line back to the tunnel – you were watching his eyes more and he seemed to have no questions about the line. Very nice!!! You can also try playing with a FC on the other side of the jump after the tunnel – keep him on your left side when he exits so he is on the backside of that jump. That is a harder FC and will likely need you to shift your connection strongly to his eyes there to get him to collect.

Nice work here!!!!

Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning!
Thanks for the perfect camera angle, I could really see all of your connections!

On the FC sequence – the opening lines looked lovely on both reps. The FCs were both really nice too, with one subtle difference.
At :12 you shifted to his eyes more directly and at :24 you shifted to the landing spot sooner. He had a slightly better turn on the rep at :12 because of the exit line – looking at his eyes a tiny bit more helped you set up the exit line connection so he powered out ever so slightly better on the landing of the FC at :12.

Lap turns both looked really good too! One non-connection thing to add in – call him just before he enters the tunnel, so he exits looking at you (and not at the other side of jump 3) – that will make the lap turns even smoother to get into. On the first rep, it looks like you were looking at him and on the 2nd rep you shifted to your hand – the turn on the 2nd rep was really nice, he collected more before takeoff so he had a better turn and powered out back to the tunnel better too. That connection shift really helped him (:46)!

The throwback is also looking really good 🙂 As with the lap turn, call him before he gets into the tunnel so you can have an easier line to the throwback.
Nice connection shift to the landing spot at :55! You were then reconnected before he got around the wing and set up a nice line to the tunnel (it appears that he never even looked at the off course jump). At 1:08 it looks like you shifted to the landing side sooner but didn’t quite get the connection on your left as early, so he looked wide there after landing (1:10). One thing worth trying with him on the throwback is to shift to his eyes but NOT shift to landing spot – see if he can commit on the eye shift cue like he did on the FCs so nicely – and that way you will find it even easier to reconnect on the new side sooner. It takes out one movement of your head which is helpful with such a speedy dog 🙂

All connections – nice! The BC on the first rep at 1:20 was a little late, so the exit line connection was not quite in place when he landed at 1:21, which sent him a little wide and made your transition into the next turn a little delayed in terms of being able to shift connection to his eyes – he landed a little wide at 4.
Compare it to 1:32 where you started the blind as soon as you saw him exiting the tunnel so he saw the correct connection when landing at 1:33 and got the transition into the spin much earlier (which produced a nicer turn at 1:33). Yay! The entry to the spin there is another place you can look right at his eyes then immediately go to the blind (not needing to shift to the landing spot) – I believe he will commit beautifully and then your exit connection will be in place sooner. Let me know if that makes sense – give it a try and we will see what Juno says 🙂

Great job here!!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning! These are looking really strong, so the feedback is all about the little details 🙂 The connections were generally in the right places, so it is a matter of timing them especially on the throwback exits where you needed to show the new side sooner.

First up, Wilder:
Seq 1 (FC): He does best when you show transitions in and out of the tighter turns, so you can move out of the tunnel more on that first trip so you aren’t decelerated too early – on this type of sequence, go deeper into the tunnels to stay in motion so you can then be moving on the exit without getting too far ahead.
Rep 2 and 3- these were really strong because you had more motion! You can add in a bit more exit line connection – his collection was good but he can continue bending on the exit if you have a more direct eye contact there to set him on the line. Also, try not to say go as the turn cue 🙂 That can push him longer than we need 🙂

Seq 2 (lap turn): On the tunnel exits – be sure to call him before he gets in the tunnel, just a quiet name call, so he comes out looking for you and not for the line: that will help you be able to indicate the turn sooner. At :39 and :52 you had a really nice connection and hand motion, but I think you were moving backwards a bit so he was not sure if he should be following your feet or your eyes/hand. Try to be basically stationary, just moving the one foot next to the jump to set up the turn.

Seq 3 throwbacks:
The first line looked good! As with the lap turns, call him before he enters the tunnel so he turns tighter on the exit – that can help you rotate less but still get a nice turn line on those.
On the bigger sequence at :28 – The opening line looked good! As you exit the BC, drive out of it then decel to show the transition more, which will both set up his collection and allow you to be more rotated as you do the throwback (easier to rotate when we have slowed down :)) That will set you up nicely to change connection so he sees your right side as he lands from the wing wrap after the throwback. When he back jumped, he still saw your left side.
2nd rep had a much better transition! He really reads those so nicely! Let’s challenge his understanding and see if he will finish the wrap or back jump – go to the blind and new side sooner at :44 and 1:00 – I think you might have been helping him to not back jump and I think that it was delaying the blind so creating a zig zag where he didn’t see the new side (right arm) soon enough. So as you see him approaching the jump and getting ready to liftoff, do the blind to your right and let’s see if he finishes coming around the wing or if he back jumps the bar.

Lit’l Bit –
Her first speed circle looked great! On the FC, you can power into it more to show a transition – you had a lot of decel as she exited the tunnel so she was decelerated too. She also likes the transitions.
2nd rep – lap turn – you can call her right before she goes into the tunnel to help set up the turn to your hand – she didn’t hear a call til she exited and then she was already locked onto the jump at :20. You were earlier on the next rep but the rep at :47 was much smoother, with a better turn and verbal too! Using your connection there (looks like it was down to your hand) really helped her out on the turn!
The throwbacks worked well with her, you were moving forward into them so she committed and it looks like it let you get the turn on the exit going even sooner (it was a nice tight turn!)

Throwback sequence – the tunnel exit is a big player in setting up the lines for her, so using the verbal sooner (I think you had a tstststs noise at one point?) really helps You be able to set up the line while still bring ahead of her at the jump. At :16, challenge her too – will she come around the wing or back jump? I bet she comes around the wing 🙂 so you don’t need to stay there to help her – do the blind as soon as you see her taking off. At :29, she looked like she was definitely coming around the wing (not back jumping) so you were able to leave earlier. Nice!!! A transition into it will allow you to decel/rotate sooner to tighten it up and allow you to leave sooner to!

Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! This is how we start it with the pups:

T

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning! Overall, I think these are going really well, so now we are all about the small things that can help the bigger picture.

First seq – these looked good! Really nice setting the RC on the flat – I think you can try to get her head turned a little earlier by staying in motion 3-4 rather than being station at :04 and :13, to show a transition. But it was a good turn on 4 so I am not sure if you can get it tighter without slowing her down.

2nd sequence: the FC on 3-4 was a little wide at :24 and :42 and :58. I felt your timing and position was much stronger and also your connection at :42 and :58 than :24 but she still didn’t read it that well (it was more on about cuing the landing spot than the takeoff spot there, so she landed long) so try a strong connection shift directly to her eyes on the takeoff side (using your left hand towards her to help that) to see if that helps increase collection there. Also , for training, run out of these FCs with the reward, get her to chase you while you stay connected and the deliver the reward. If you teach her that there is a ‘turn and burn’ element to these crosses, she is going to start setting herself up for the turns so you won’t have to be as emphatic about it.
At 1:13 you were turned early but backing up, so that was extra motion and she jumped long on it. Being more stationary and leaning into the strong connection will help more.

Yes, you were able to get to the landing side here really easily. On a different course, you would either have to strategize how to send her on a line somewhere else to be able to get there, or you can do a RC line in there and it would work nicely too.

The middle section looks good! You were playing with different variations of getting her back to that last tunnel – (spin, FC, etc). Ideally you can keep moving and do a FC or a BC to get her on your right for the tunnel cue. The spin can get a good turn on the jump before it, but it ends up causing you to have to pull her away then send her back to the tunnel, where a FC or BC can just get her on the tightest line (when you did it at :37 in isolation it looked great!)
Also on the spins – start them sooner so they are done sooner 🙂 Meaning – the disconnection for the rotation happens before she passes you so that’s you are reconnected before she lands. If you have not yet reconnected, she is looking up at you (:33 and 1:21 for example, and :51 where she was jumping and you were looking at her over your right arm when ideally you would already be looking at her over your left arm). At 1:06 you had her on your right arm for a really long time, til she landed, then tried to switch to your left but it was too late, she was reading FC correctly there (but look at how nice the FC line is!!)

On the last sequence – the serp 1-2-3 looked good! On the FC at 4 at 1:29, it looks like your left hand was forward and your eyes were on her eyes (cuing more of the takeoff side) as she exited the tunnel – she actually put in a nice collection stride before the jump! Yay!
Now on the FC at 1:34 – you didn’t turn til takeoff so she was wide. This is also a spot to press your connection in towards her on the takeoff side to convince her to add the collection stride. That will set you up to then get the next collection as well. You are handling this with motion and the outside arm up a lot, but she reads the transitions and connections directly to her eyes a lot better.

You mentioned standing still to get better turns – I don’t think so, I think the best turns here came out of transitions with very clear connection to her eyes (like at 1:29) on the takeoff side of the jump).

Great job here! We are looking at the tiny details of how to use the connection 🙂 Let me know what you think!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi!
Yes, we can totally see what helps him look at the task rather than focus on the toy in your hand! A couple of ideas for you –
You can of course use a lower value toy so he is less interested in it (if a lower value toy exists :)) especially when you are running more.
Also, you can have the toy present and visible but then do the whole session with cookies as rewards (thankfully he likes cookies too!) so the toy is there but the arousal of it as the possible reinforcement gets reduces. Start with games he knows really well and ones where you are standing still, then work up to moving stuff then work up to new games. For example, a shaping game where he can offer behavior (like feet on something) with a toy visible in your hand but cookies as rewards is a good starting point.

When you want to work a new skill and he isn’t ready to have the toy in your hand, you can tuck it away to work the new skill and reintroduce it visibly later on.

Let me know how he does!

On your Diamond game –
The blinds will get easier because he will get better at recognizing them and react sooner. We can already see it happening – on the first side left to start – the first 2 reps were a little wide but the 3rd at :18 was much nicer! You were earlier starting it, he was recognizing it, and you kept moving through the reward as you presented it – so he much tighter on the turn! Same thing happened when you switched sides and started him on your right: first couple were wide as you were getting comfy then it got much smoother like at :44. At :29, he needed one more step of commitment and eye contact before starting the blind, you were a little early there so he didn’t take the wing. Note the difference in eye contact out of the tunnel at :51 (even with the toy in your hand :)) and he committed so nicely, which allowed you to do the blind nice and early! When your connection is clear and the toy is present, he doesn’t seem to grab for it. It is really when he is not sure of what you want (new skill or not enough connection) that he grabs for the toy. So you can train new skills without the toy and then add it back when he understands it more.

On the race tracks – it is all about the connection 🙂 He was picking up the lines so nicely when he saw your connection but came off the lines when you were pointing to the wings or took a moment to look forward (puppies give us no time for looking forward LOL!) like at :59. The key will be to both look at him and run the lines exactly to where you want him to go, until you see him squarely looking at the line. For example, on the rep starting at 1;14, you were connected and giving verbals (even with your arm moving up and down, he still read the connection really well and your running line was great (even with toy in hand and moving). At 1:20, you were looking at him and saying “tunnel” but you were turning your shoulders as he came around the last wing, which changed the line and pulled him off the tunnel entry. Compare that moment to when you did the next race track – on the tunnel cue at 1:33, you took a couple more steps directly to the tunnel, he locked onto it, and then you turned. Perfect! With the youngsters we have to take a couple of extra steps to help support the lines as they are learning them.
Your handling when you switched sides looked really good – great connection, great lines – baby dog moment when he ran around the back of the tunnel at 1:46 and 1:55. Good job breaking it down there, I think he was going fast and needed a reminder LOL! The last rep looked great!!!

The Go versus RC video is looking really good! The Go lines all look good. The RCs are harder but he was getting them! You did a really good job of setting the line so he could both find the front of the jump and feel the RC line (he did well in both directions on that!) I think on the RCs to the left, he was excited by the ball so he was looking upwards for the throws a bit? But that went away as soon as he figured out the parameters of the turn, and he kept his head down through the line. The ball is high value and he wants to watch it, so this is actually also a good game for “ignore the toy and do the thing to get the toy” 🙂 He had to take his eyes off the ball to drive forward, in order to earn it 🙂

At :47 and 1:40, he did not take the front of the jump – on those 2 reps, you turned your feet to the next line too soon, he was not passed you yet to commit to the jump, so it pushed him off the line. On the other RCs, you moved forward longer and cut behind him later, and they worked really well.

Great job! These are hard skills and are going really well! Let me know what you think!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi!
The tunnel versus wrap game looks really good! It looks like he was easily able get the right answers to all the verbals. Yay! So, 2 things you can add to it on the next revisit: you can do everything the same but use a toy so he is more aroused 🙂 Being able to listen to & respond to verbals when more aroused is going to be helpful for the future! And the other thing you can add (separately from the toy) is more motion: for example – run into the tunnel cue, then pick him up on your side and run into the wrap cue. And you can send him around the wing on the wrap cue where he is wrapping towards the tunnel. Speed will add arousal too!

Strike a Pose is also looking really good! The motion made it a little bit hard and that is perfect 🙂 The motion moving into the release is probably the factor that caused him to temporarily forget his stay 🙂 but he recovered and did really well! A mistake or two on this game is perfect because it means we are continuing to challenge him. You can definitely add in the threadle as well now, and more motion 🙂

Great job on these!!!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! Sorry for the delay in finding this! I clearly needed more coffee this morning 🙂
Yes, that last session should be a confidence boost! We spend so much time discussing what goes wrong that it is important to also point out all the things that go right 🙂

I feel your pain about reverting to yelling the name 10000 times when feeling pressured or nervous LOL!! We were just joking about it today during a seminar 🙂 You are in good company! And you did have your digdigdig cues going – sometimes a little late but they were happening and that is the important part! They will become more and more part of the normal comfortable handling, so keeping putting them in!

On the video –
First course – I think the tunnel exit here is where you felt you were over-using her name… I agree 🙂 You wanted to push her to the back but you were calling her and asking her for her attention… so you got too much attention on those first 2 reps. The GO before the tunnel is great, then you can switch to the backside cue rather than more name. You had less name on rep 3 and rep 4 and she got the backside nicely.
On the reps, even with the extra name calling: excellent connection to the backside and on the exit line! She was flying!

Sequence 2 – very nice first rep! You can call her name on the tunnel exit there for the attention on the line, then you had a really nice shift of connection at 1:37 and again at 2:01 to the landing side of the FC jump as you rotated and left – really nice turn!!! and really nice exit line connection! You nailed it again at 2:20 so I am thinking you are owning this skill 🙂 At 2:39 you were pushing her harder and turned sooner – too soon, she turned off the jump. Good to know that she needs one more step to get commitment before you rotate and leave. So you nailed it again at 2:52 and 3:15, great connection and timing! Woohoo!
On the next wrap:
At 1:43 – bearing in mind how nicely she has been turning, you can give her a ‘softer’ transition into the wrap but decelerating and then rotating. I think you were giving her a Wilson-level collection cue, which was too much connection to her eyes (and both hands in front of the jump pressing down) so she didn’t take it. On the next rep at 2:07, you had more motion into it and she did a great job committing AND turning. At 2:25 you had a mix of the first 2 reps – earlier rotation but still showing motion into it – this was my favorite of the turns you got there so far.

At 2:58, she didn’t take the jump after the tunnel. 2 things happened there – you got there too soon and decelerated (which only contributed a little to the refusal) but then you tried pointing to the jump with your right arm while you turned your shoulders away. Connection broke so she came with you and didn’t take the jump. You did a good fix there then got right back into connection.
On the next rep there at 3:20, you had much nicer connection AND you were not pointing at the jump – great commitment! Yes, you pointed your hand at 3:21 after she committed and you were driving away, but that is more of a centrifugal force thing when the arm comes up as you drive a new direction and you were not using the arm to indicate the jump like you were on the previous rep. She did a great job on that turn! Your last rep had even clearer connection on that turn – and that was my favorite rep there. She had great commitment and a beautiful turn!

Lovely work here! It is fun to see her really enjoying this and running so fast!

Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! Wow, this session looked great! He was definitely going to get it done to be able to get breakfast LOL!!!
On the very first rep, it was juts a bit disconnected: he was looking one direction, you were looking another direction, so he went directly to the jump. At the beginning of all the other reps, you looked at him before the send to the barrel and he was perfect. He did a GREAT job coming in on the serp jump even when you were further and further ahead, and your connection was great! you can totally try to get a right verbal in after the left, but when you are ahead and connected like that, you might not need it – you can be cuing the next line.
it looks like the food bowl target was inching over to line of the wing, which is great, he was not distracted. Yay! So now you can inch it over to the takeoff side so he has to really see it and really ignore it 🙂 As a different challenge, I think he is ready for the advanced level where the barrel changes position and the jump becomes a backside serp jump.
Great job here!!!

Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi!
Paco is getting faster but also paying attention so well!! These sessions looked terrific:

1st video – serp versus tunnel – very nice! And that tunnel was very close but he still easily found the serp. Good boy!!! Almost perfect on the tunnel 🙂 Your nice low hand on the 2nd rep of the tunnel REALLY helped him out!

2nd video: Great job here – my favorite part is how different your verbals sound: they are SO very different and he seems to be able to process the difference between the various tones and pitches. The threadle verbal is very distinct and it looked like he had zero trouble doing it – what a good boy!!! Since this went so well… add more motion 🙂 You had some motion which is great but now you can add more in – start him further away from the jump so you can release and start jogging in on all 3 cues (he seemed perfectly happy with motion on the serp but the other cues didn’t have as much motion of you jogging forward into them.

3rd video – go/RC/Backside
He is reading these really nicely! Again, great job on the verbals.
Yes, on the go reps, you should be more off to the side so you don’t get caught behind the wing. That will also help make the RCs look really different. On the RC reps, try to just say left or right and not go left or go right – the go might confuse him with the straight line go. Otherwise he was reading the RCs really well! I think you can start to get right up on his tail sooner (as long as you are moving to the center of the bar and not to the backside wing :)) to cue them even sooner. That will make them easier for him to turn tight and you can then get ahead again after the RC.
The backside wraps are going well – when he was doing it on your left side, you maintained connection for longer – you didn’t move your arm or shoulder forward until he was past you and locked onto the backside wing. Perfect! When you switched sides, on the first backside wrap rep, you turned your shoulders forward before he passed you – so he took it to mean you wanted him to go to the front side, so he went there fast 🙂 You held that connection longer on the next backside wrap at the very end – and he went to the backside. Nice! So be sure to maintain your connection to his eyes until you are confident that he is past the bar on those backside wraps and heading to the backside.
Great job on these!!! He is doing such a nice job reading all the different cue 🙂 Yay!

Tracy

[Author]

Posts