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Hi!
I think this no-verbals experiment is working great. You are much more connected and smoother on the lines She is paying better attention and is in a better state of arousal, so responding better to cues. The teamwork looks great! And dropping the rails was smart, to make it feel like you had more room between obstacles.
The opening line of the first sequence went great – you were connected and upright and moving. Yay! It was especially nice getting the backsides, like at :50 and 1:07!
After the backside, you were tending to bend over more so remember to keep moving and stay upright even on the more technical sequences.To get the backside of the jump next to the tunnel, keep your arm back and use more connection. At 1:00 for example, you were moving forward ti your arm and eyes forward, so she thought you wanted the tunnel. Compare to 1:13 – very nice connection and she got the backside! Super!
The second sequence went great! You were really attentive to her line by being super connected, and moving nicely without too much bending over. You got a little in her way at 1:56 so you got an extra jump. But the next runs looked really smooth – so connected!
The outside arm at 2:16 sent her to the table that was sitting there š So be careful of too much outside arm if there is an off course nearby.Sequence 3 started off GREAT! You were connected and really moving, so she was finding the lines beautifully! Looks like you had a blooper forgetting where to go, no worries.
The 2nd run looked fabulous! Yay!
Since this is going so well, letās add the next layer: very quiet verbal directionals like wrap cues and backsides. Say them quietly and same them to her, while you keep connected and keep moving.
Great job here!!!! Running silently is HARD but you are doing really well!
Tracy
Hi!
Yes, that is spot on with the tunnel threadles! You can now add more motion: go closer to the exit of the tunnel that has just entered to meet her when she exits. Then as she exits, cue the tunnel threadle and move forward while repeating the cue but not flipping your armsā¦ that way she can learn to find the tunnel entry while you are moving too!
Big happy dance for the threadle wrap at :42! YAY! At :52 you did not quite get your feet turned to the line soon enough and you ended up supporting the line to the other side of the wing. Compare that to :55 where your feet were great and she was doing it til you gave a big YAY and she stopped to come get her prize šš¤£. The rep at 1:06 was perfect!!!!!
She is reading the line on the zig zag well but she is finding the distance challenging (she is adding a hoppy stride). So you can shorten the distance but overlapping the more wings and seeing if that helps. Ideally she bounces between the bars rather than adds a short stride, so moving the wings in maybe one foot more as you overlap them might get that bounce.
>>We did some barn hunt work today. Taq is not into it at all. That will save me some money!>>
That is hilarious! She was probably wondering where her jumps and tunnels were LOL!!
Great job here!!āØ
TracyHi!
Great news about the teeter training!!!!
On the videos:
>>Ah well, she is mostly following my random cues.>>
That is part of why we reward so much: they stay motivated to follow the cues even if the cues are not perfect š
Video 1 – this went well! You can make it easier on yourself if you do jump 1 and 2 as a lead out push, meaning face her as she is taking 1 and 2 so she is coming to your left hand. Then keep her on your left hand to push to the backside of 3.
You did the harder version of pulling her into a threadle at 3 then turning her away. It worked (she had a small question but figured it out) but I think you will find the push much easier.Video 2: This one was great! You did the 1-2 as a forced front cross, turning towards her. Perfect! That make 2-3-4 very smooth! Very connected too – yay!!! And her stay looked great as well.
Video 3: this one was also great! Very nice forced front cross 1-2. You showed a clear line to 3. She needed you to take one or two more steps forward to the tunnel #4 , because you decelerated a bit too soon and she looked at you before continuing to the tunnel. But overall, this is looking great!!
Since this went really well plus your connection and her stay look solid: one thing to add on all of theseā¦ more distance between the jumps. That way she can start to get the feel of competition distances. Maybe set them at 18 feet apart and see how it goes.
Great job here!
Tracy
Hi!
Yes, I agree, this looks better and better each time! Super!!
On the first run, she was moving well but you had a little too much bending over and arm swinging so she was not a sure of where to go, especially on the turn aways.
At the beginning of the 2nd run – you broke connection so she didnāt see the line to the jump. Keep going when that happens, rather than stop and start over. And reward her, she was following your lines nicely. If she skips a jump, it is a connection question so it is better to keep going and amplify your connection there.
3rd run – that was much nicer!! Lots of connection and you were not bending over as much, so she read the lines really well! Very nice!!!
Next step: Spread this out so you have to move more, which I think will eliminate the bending over which slows you down.
āØGreat job here!!Tracy
Hi!
Your connection here was great, which helped her know exactly which side of the jump to come to. Yay! That is the hardest part!
What you did as she was arriving on the backside of the jump was turn away from her, which creates a forced rear cross (note how you stepped behind her to as she was taking the jump). That is actually harder than a forced front cross š
To get the forced front, you can do the lead out exactly the same way – but as she arrives at the backside, turn towards her (and towards the jump bar). The hand that is closest to the bar will stay next to the bar, as you pick her up on your other hand to finish the FC. You might find it easier!
Nice work! Let me know if that makes sense!
Tracy
Hi!
Looking at the walk through:
On the first walk through, you had really good connection on the 1-2-3 line and also super good exit line connection at 5. Yay! You can add more connection on the exit of the backside serp.
2nd walk through you added he verbals but lost the connection š
3rd walk through – more speed, yay! More connection needed on the push to the backside but everything else looked good. Also yes: you can run a lot faster in your walk through š If you are not out of breath as if you just ran a full course, then you are probably not running ir hard enough š
>>Anyway, I ran Watson 1st, and my plan did not work to push the backside of 8 and have the dogs slice that jump to set up the last 2 jumps 9 and 10. Watson read that as a blind and took the front side of 8. >>
That would be the connection – if you have very clear connection, they will find the line much more easily.
>>he nailed it but missed the last jump. Levy ran the entire course clean (Yeah) the 1st time using BC to wrap at 8 but he also missed the last jump 10.>>
Yay for both boys! About missing that last jump – if you have video, look and see where you were looking: were you looking at the last jump as they drove ahead? Or looking at them (from behind, so it is like looking at their tails :)) Looking ahead to the jump will turn your shoulders away from it, so they might run past. Looking at their tails will turn your shoulders to the jump. And they will take it š
Nice work here!
Tracy
Hi!
The video worked! Yay!
Thanks for posting the walk throughs!! On the walk throughs, the shape of the handling plan looked good on each walk through. You can add in more connection back to the invisible dog, especially on the exits of sends and crosses, so you are practicing the timing too and the verbals. You were looking ahead at the obstacles in the walk through, so practicing the timing and connections were not as well-rehearsed for the runs. And that is where the girls had questions (connection and timing). Looking at the runs:
On the first sequence: really nice run! The connections looked good and she found all the lines really nicely. You can do the BC from 5-6 maybe one stride sooner, but overall everything looked good!
On the Maziās run at the end- the late blind caused her to fall on her head at 3:12. She runs with a bigger stride so the timing is even more important.
And you can give her more connection at 3:16 on exit of FC wrap so she can turn to the new line even sooner.Run 2: this is where looking back to the invisible dog will help the timing! The BC 4-5 can come sooner (at the exit of the tunnel) and also connecting back to her will set up the timing for the turn on 5. You started those turn cues when she was lifting off at 1:12 so she landed wide and turned after landing (same with Mazi at 3:33). Practicing in the walk through will totally help that!
Run 3:
She was distracted by something so didnāt keep bar 1 up šThe BC 2-3 can come sooner (start it after she lands from 1) – it was a little late here (starting as she approached takeoff for 2) so she turned after landing. And you can be sooner with Mazi too (at 3:50). The blind happening when she was already committed to her takeoff point at 2 caused a wide landing.
Then, connect back to Saphira so you can time the turn cue for 3 (bar down at 2:03) to start when she lands from 2.
Mazi needed more of a threadle cue 4-5 at 3:54. This is a good one to remember as you run courses with each dog! Saphira came in very easily there but Mazi needed more turn cues.
Run 4 – For Saphira, you turned her right over 1 – I think the better line to 2 is turning to her left (to the outside) over 1. Turning right creates extra turns. You turned Mazi to the left but didnāt have enough connection so she went past 2. That is a good place to run forward but with lots of connection back to the dogs.
You can also add more connection at 7-8 to get the backside at 3:00 – she was looking at you on the line. At 4:15, Mazi curled into you and then you had to push her back out and the bar ended up coming down. So with both girls, connecting to them when they are behind you will smooth out the line to the backside.
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
Hi! Really terrific session here!
>>I have a leash with a small clasp so was able to thread it through my creamcheese toppl to drag it. >>
Ooh that is clever and I think she really liked it!!! The 2nd rep was very fast because of the magic moving cream cheese Toppl LOL!!!!
She was speedy through all of the reps and I donāt think the bar length made any different to her (yay!) Great job keeping your serp arm open so she could turn herself away to the next jump (which she did perfectly). Flattening the jump and then adding more speed at the end – also easy peasy, I donāt think she had any questions. SUPER!!!!
So the next step will be to add the tunnel to do the serp sequences! Yay!
Great job here!!
TracyGood morning!
>>Iām going to stick to the verbals we have and if it becomes an issue, weāll revisit / teach tunnel specific cues later.>>
That is my philosophy – the verbal system is currently working beautifully for all of us, so letās not over-complicate things. We can change things if course design evolves to demand it.
On the video – great job rewarding the stay a lot! That will help him hold position as the lead outs get longer and longer. Try to line him on up the side you are leading out on (in this case, your right side) so you can walk forward rather than having to cross his path and changes sides on the lead out.
>>My big question is my handling. Am I connecting enough?
He was reading the shoulder turn and the context, which is great! And yes, more connection is needed on the blind cross exits to help transfer this when you are bigger faster courses. You were picking him up with the new hand but it is the connection that will make the difference on the side change. So when you finish the blind, point the new dog-side hand all the way back to his nose and look for his eyes. You had the best connection on that last rep at5:29, that is where he could definitely see your eyes and not just your hand! You can start the blind a bit sooner – the timing is no later than landing of jump 1, so leading out further will help so you can be passing jump 2 as you start it. Even in the smaller space, you will want the early timing to help solidify his commitment and let him see the next side just before takeoff for 2.
Great job here!!
Tracy
Good morning!
She did well finding the jump here!
>>I think Tarot was focused more on the Lotus ball than the jump but she seemed to have a better understanding towards the end. >>
Yes – at the beginning you were using the lotus ball more as a way to create the behavior than a way to reward her for looking ahead. When you added more motion (like at :49) and more connection, she locked onto the line really well! So be sure to keep moving fast uo the line with connection. And you can add in a āgoā verbal as well – the verbal input will help her drive forward, particularly when she is in a tunnel and canāt see you (to prevent curling in, as you mentioned).
She did well on the sequence! Definitely give her more verbal cues for each part of it as well as earlier changes of motion and direction. Basically, as she is exiting the previous obstacle (jumping the previous jump, exiting the tunnel, exiting a wrap like on 3) you can already be telling her what is next with verbals and motion – so a shoulder turn 1-2 will set up the turn to 3 better, and then as she is taking 2, you can be decelerating into the wrap at 3.
She curled into you at the exit of the 4 tunnel because the rear cross cued a turn and you were quiet (no verbal til you got to the jump). So just before she enters the tunnel, you should be already using your verbal for how you want her to exit and the next obstacle.
Same on the last tunnel – you said tunnel but then you were really quiet at 1:34. So without further info and the jumps pretty far away, she looked to see what your motion was doing (which resulted in curling into you). A big go go go verbal will help with that so that before she goes into the tunnel, she is already hearing how to exit it and to look ahead for the next line.
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
Good morning!
She did well finding the jump here!
>>I think Tarot was focused more on the Lotus ball than the jump but she seemed to have a better understanding towards the end. >>
Yes – at the beginning you were using the lotus ball more as a way to create the behavior than a way to reward her for looking ahead. When you added more motion (like at :49) and more connection, she locked onto the line really well! So be sure to keep moving fast uo the line with connection. And you can add in a āgoā verbal as well – the verbal input will help her drive forward, particularly when she is in a tunnel and canāt see you (to prevent curling in, as you mentioned).
She did well on the sequence! Definitely give her more verbal cues for each part of it as well as earlier changes of motion and direction. Basically, as she is exiting the previous obstacle (jumping the previous jump, exiting the tunnel, exiting a wrap like on 3) you can already be telling her what is next with verbals and motion – so a shoulder turn 1-2 will set up the turn to 3 better, and then as she is taking 2, you can be decelerating into the wrap at 3.
She curled into you at the exit of the 4 tunnel because the rear cross cued a turn and you were quiet (no verbal til you got to the jump). So just before she enters the tunnel, you should be already using your verbal for how you want her to exit and the next obstacle.
Same on the last tunnel – you said tunnel but then you were really quiet at 1:34. So without further info and the jumps pretty far away, she looked to see what your motion was doing (which resulted in curling into you). A big go go go verbal will help with that so that before she goes into the tunnel, she is already hearing how to exit it and to look ahead for the next line.
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
Good morning! Nice work on these pop outs! There were some different scenarios for skills he is already good at, so that was where the challenges were but he did really well!
Pop out 1:
The BC 1-2 was a speedy choice for him and set up nice drive around 2 to 3 as well.The 3-4-5 line is a god challenge. The tunnel as an off course possibility was not a problem as all. The BC to threadle 3-4 I a great option. On the first run, you pushed him off the line and to the front of the jump by moving into his path too soon at :11, so he either had to take the front or he had to hit your legs. Good choice Kaladin! Remember to reward or keep going after a handling blooper because at his level, he is probably reading he info correctly.
You stayed off his line on the next 2 runs so he could get to the threadle side and it looked great! At :52 you might have over-compensated and been a little too far from the line but that still gives him a clear line to the threadle.
Later in the session you handled 4 as a German turn. That works well too and was pretty much the same as the threadle slice, in terms of time. You can get it a shade faster by being closer to the exit wing when you cue the entry to the backside, so he doesnāt collect as much as you move through the line. To get that, staying closer to 3 for longer will allow him to see the parallel line motion as you send to 4 and head for the exit wing.
Good job tackling the backside as a layer! We are starting to see backsides and threadles in the layering lines nowā¦ at :55, he had a small question because you opened up your left arm pretty far back but didnāt really connect with him. At 2:01 he was heading to the backside until you gave a big point with your arm, which closed your shoulders forward to the front of the jump so he took the front (2:02). It was much clearer at 2:1 4 and he got it nicely! Yay!
Trying that as a threadle would need a pretty strong turn cue on 6 (first layering jump). When there was no cue, he took the front of 7. When there was a name call, he did get the threadle but he had some questions š
Since the concept of backside or threadle while layering is relatively new, definitely keep practicing them because he will begin to recognize them and then you wonāt have to handle quite as much. Then we can time them to see which is faster!
Pop Out 2: This went really well! He had almost no questions about it – the threadle wrap on 6 was the only spot he had a bit of hesitation, probably because it was a discrimination (with the 4/9 jump right there). Handling that line as a push to the slice on the backside worked but it is like to be slower – more yardage and finding the slice entry has a lot of turns. So letās keep showing him the threadle wraps now as discriminations (with jumps and tunnels) as well as in layering, then it will be smoother and easier for him to drive through them. They are a new trend so he is thinking hard about them š I am curious to se if they start popping up in this context as soon as the Canada Open or West Coast Open. I am quite sure we will see them in this context as the US Open.
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
Youtube is being weird with the video and says it is still processing. I will check back later today to see if youtube will let me see it LOL!
Tracy
Hi!
The tandems and lap turns are looking great! One thing to add to get the tandem turns a little tighter is some decel. When you slowed down a little you were executing the turn cues (like at :16 for example), her turns were much tighter. When you stayed in steady fast motion the whole time (like at 1:18), the turns were much wider.
You can also add decel on the lap turn (it is a slow motion move to get it nice and tight). And the lap turns will go better with the 2 inch rule: extend your magic cookie hand (the hand she is coming to that will turn her) and hold it there until she gets about 2 inches – then you can move the arm back to start the turn cues. On some of the reps (like :30) you were too early to move your hand, so she pinged away of the line as you stepped towards it.
She is also looking strong with the tunnel threadles! You were good about dropping the tunnel cue and just using the threadle cue. Now you can fade to the arm motion a bit: still use an arm cue to support the tunnel threadle verbal but donāt flip her back to the tunnel – see if she will turn herself back to it based n the verbal and you line of motion. The more independent we can make this behavior, the better!
Nice job with the zig zags! My only suggestion is to have the toy on the ground for her to drive to, placed about 10 feet past jump 2. When it was in your hand here, she was a little upwards in her jumping (watching the toy in your hand a bit). The toy on the ground will help enormously!
She is ready for you to āflattenā out the jumps a little more, to make the jumping challenge harder.
Great job!
Tracy
Hi!
>>I donāt think I see any side preferences in these exercises but I do suspect we are seeing some in the serp work.>>āØ
Good point – I totally see side preferences more in serp work. That side to side motion is hard!He was feeling spicy in the videos! Yay! Lots of speed!
On the first video:
You can time the GO and the right/left verbals to be earlier (ti is hard on the short tunnel!) You can aim to say the, when he is still 6 feet away from entering the tunnel – which will be pretty much halfway between the wing and tunnel here.The RCs went well – the first one was a late so he didnāt pick up the RC but the 2nd one was definitely better. And the 3rd one (turning him to the right) was very timely!! He turned beautifully on that one).
The go reps are looking good here and also at the start of the 2nd video – he is doing a great job of driving forward! You had good timing on the reward throws which really helped support the line.
He was also getting the RC nicely on the 2nd video – take a beat between reps to sort the verbal because on the first RC you had great physical cues but the incorrect verbal š He read it well and on the next rep, you had the correct verbal and great physical cues and he was perfect.
One thing you can do to give this more of a running feel is to set up half of it (just working one side, maybe one wing for the go and 2 wings for the tighter turns). That will give you more room to spread things out so you can run run run š
>>Right now I use tunnel or tun tun for closest entry>>
I think tunnel and tun tun are different enough that you might want to choose one or the other, so he doesnāt have to think to hard about it.
> here here for threadle tunnel entries. I use come for threadle jumps so here-here is unique to the tunnel. >
Perfect!
>>Iām using go, left, right for the exit and trying to give the exit command as close to the entry as possible.>>
Close to the entry is late – by the time it reaches his ears, he is in the tunnel and the processing will be delayed (sound travels slowly!). So try to give the exit directionals when he is still 6 feet or so from the tunnel entry.
>> If I wanted a really tight turn out of the tunnel I would be inclined to use my wrap commands or a hard call of his name.>>
For a turn that is soooo tight that he basically has to wrap the exit? Yes, I agree with the wrap verbal. The name call might not be specific enough for the turn.
> At our class this week, the subject came up about having unique entry/exit commands for tunnels and not use the same commands as jumps. >>
That is something that some folks are doing.
>>Do we need this? I donāt mind teaching/learning multiple verbals but right now this is feeling a bit like overkill at this stage of our training. Thoughts?>>
Based on how our dogs are trained, the directionals are also commitment cues. Meaning: if I say ārightā, it means finish the thing (jump, tunnel, DW) and turn right when you exit.
So because of that being installed in the foundation, I not seen the need to add an additional set of verbals for the tunnel only (and for the running contacts). What we are seeing is that decent timing (you donāt even need great timing LOL!) will get you great turns using the same set of verbals (and no confusion).
So you are totally welcome to add another set uff verbals to cover all the exit turns (go, left, right, wrap, etc). Or you can apply them like you did here (just a little earlier). The turns will be great!
Nice work here! Let me know what you you think!
Tracy
