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Hi!
Yay! He is totally finding those lines with a lot more independence and you can now be nice and lazy 🙂 He was finding the jumps after the tunnel particularly well! You can raise the bars on this, but you can also move to the week 2 games which will have similar challenges 🙂The send and go pinwheels are looking great! Your work on the commitment in the lazy game is showing here – he looked great! You can start him further back (both of you further back) so you can drive him in and try not to go past the first jump 🙂 You can also add a curved tunnel before it – so send him through the tunnel and into the pinwheel, then take off and head back towards the tunnel. The excitement of the tunnel will definitely add challenge! And as the pinwheel starts to get more and more spread out, you can also start to raise the bars.
Well done on both of this!!
TracyHi!
On the first 2 reps, you started the FC and BC as she was taking off for #3. So on these, send her away to 3 and when she is landed from 2 and looking at 3, start the cross 🙂On the 3rd and 4th reps (BC on the landing side of 4) – send more to 3 as a one-step send when she lands from 2, so you are more easily able to get ot the BC. Going deeper into the tunnel will help you be able to propel her forward to 2 and then send to 3. That will show her a line of motion that draws her in, plus call her over 3 so she drives right in. Timing was good of startng the blind but she needs more of a positional cue as you drive away to 4.
On the other side, first rep – at :51 I think this is the slip you mentioned – that was a late shoulder turn. As she was approaching #2, you were facing straight so she went straight over the jump, then you turned and she scrambled trying to make the turn. She didn’t take 2 on the next rep – probably due to you watching her too much, not really running at the jump, perhaps thinking about the slip.
>>Watched it again, on the last sequence am I pushing her out on that line and making her switch to her left lead?>>
Yes, I think you had a bit of over-helping so she pushed away then she knocked the bar on that last one.
So – play with this in terms of really trusting her commitment (use verbals to support that) and try to see her landing from the #2 jump, tell her to jump 3, then start the blind. If you are too early, you will pull her off, no worries 🙂 You will likely also need to get a step or two further ahead which means committing her to #2 from a little ahead as well.
Let me know if that makes sense! I think she has the commitment skill to let you turn nice and early 🙂T
Hi! Thank you for the reminder, I was trying to remember how he did and I couldn’t find the link! It might have just been the long line, it might have just been the day LOL! Definitely worth revisiting and see how he does 🙂
>>Also, on the sequences for the send out to the second jump after the tunnel and blind cross between the last jump to the tunnel. Is the goal NOT to pass the plane of the third jump at all? And should I adjust the position of the yellow/purple wing jump…?>>
Yes, you won’t want to go past the wing then have to run back to the line – try to strategically drive closer to the tunnel and jump after it so that you can send to jump 2 and you will be easily at jump 3. And you don’t need to adjust the position, it is a good challenge and you are more than ready for it 🙂
Tracy
Hi! I agree, I think these went really nicely! He is able to produce consistent powerful jumping, even as you varied your motion – that is great! I notice that he had a little trouble on the first interval – it took him a moment to organize and he had a slightly heavier landing and push off in that gap. He didn’t have that trouble in the other gaps, so we can help him out a bit on the first jump by just lowering the first bar to 6 or 8 inches. For now, that will help him get organized as you add motion. I think you can also add in the wing-to-ladder on the 3 jumps, but try that with all 3 jumps at 8 inches for the first few reps – then the 2nd and 3rd jumps can go higher but leave the first jump at 8. If believe he will sort out how to get into the grid then the bars can go back up after a few sessions 🙂 Let me know if that makes sense!
Tracy
Hi!
I agree that she is a little inconsistent in her approach to the reward on that last interval, but I think it is partially about the reward and partially about her figuring out how to use all of her power. I LOVE her power! And I am happy with her form on the first couple of intervals.
So, for the next session, try this on just 3 jumps and we will see if she can maintain her form (if she leaps on 3, then we know it is the reward that is stimulating it LOL!!! My 20 month old dog did the same thing at the same age) So if she can maintain her form on 3 jumps, you can add 4. the nwe can go back to 5.
I think we can also try to change the reinforcement to discourage the leaping for it – rather than the toy out there, you can put your tunnel out at the end, or a jump wing, or a plastic lid as a target, or a dog bed or cot if she likes going up on one of those. That way she has a visual target to help promote form, but it won’t as exciting as the treat or toy. When I was working through the leaping with my girl, I used a low flyball jump LOL! And sometimes also a jump wing to go around then get the reward. It worked like a charm!
Let me know if that makes sense, she is doing really well!!!1st video:
the 1 and 2 jump games looked really good – you were really emphasizing your mechanics and connection and he read them beautifully 🙂
On the 3 jump games, you also had lovely connection and reward mechanics, so now I can bug you about timing 🙂 On the FCs at :22 and :28, you started them as he was over the bar of the FC jump so he couldn’t read it til after landing. That is why he was relatively wide on those. Compare it to the timing of your BC at :32 – you started much earlier and so you were reconnected before he took off – lovely line! And compare that to the BC at :37 – you started it as he was over the bar, so I think he either ticked or knocked the bar (hard to see, I think it was just a tick). So, on these 3 jump games – when he has landed from jump 1, tell him to take 2, keep moving… but start the cross so you are finished and reconnected before takeoff like you were at :32 (and keep up the excellent connection and rewarding!!!!)
If you have crappy weather ahead, you can probably play with timing on just wing wraps in a smaller area, just using 2 wings as the inside wing of the jumps!Jump grid – he was super keen on these!! I think you can add the motion more slowly, starting further up the grid. Because he was so keen (yay!) he had more power coming into it and then he lost a little bit of control in the last interval (a bit of a Texas rodeo moment :)) So do a session or two where you do walking from way out ahead on a couple of reps, each side – try to watch the video between reps to see if he jackknifes at all at the end. I watch in slow motion :)) If he is balanced for 2 sessions, add a little more motion. It is hard to see ‘in real time’ so watching it back in slow motion will help. When you were jogging, he was definitely still sorting it out, so we will revisit it soon! I love how keen he was to do these, but also how great his stay looked and how he was focusing ahead. Yay!!
Well done!! Hope the rains aren’t too bad!!!Good morning!
Jump grid:
How did he do when you lead out past 5 and added motion? He is changing his form here with you at 3 then at 1-2 – each rep was different, so he is still sorting it out. He was carrying his hind end more on the first one (where you were at 3) but had more power when you were at 1-2. So I think he needs to see this more without changin variables, until he sorts it out and it looks like what he was doing without motion. If he still has questions, go back to releasing when you are past 5 for a few sessions. I think you can also start the next session with that as a way to help him get back into the groove of it all.Sequence rep 1:
Nice timing on your both of your FCs! Yep, you need more connection on the exit- but you fixed it for the 2nd rep!
Great timing on the BC at :40 too! Such great commitment from him as well. You also worked the connection on the exit line there – I think the FC produces a better turn on this particular type of sequence, but I think you and he were terrific on both.
If you have trouble getting the exit line connection without a toy, show him a small invisible toy across the body 🙂 That can help you fade it out!
On the blind on the landing side of the last jump (last rep) – you went a little past the jump t hen had to hurry back and that made you late and a little in the way. So, strategically – run in closer to the tunnel and closer to his line to the next jump – so he sends away to the jump before the blind with you needing to really go past your ideal position – then call him and hustle away, doing the blind as soon as you see him turn towards you after landing from the previous jump.Afternoon session:
>>The angles are different going this way…is that intentional in the course design or did I set it up wrong?
They are slightly different but I think you might have the yellow jump a little too far in? No worries though – it was a great session on harder angles, he did well!
You were not quite as early on the FC and definitely not connected, so he didn’t know which side to be on. I think an invisible toy will totally help. You emphasized the connection on the next 2 go-rounds and he found it much better! Timing also got earlier, which allows you connect sooner. Your blinds were earlier too in a good way til it was too early haha!! But you fixed it and had really great commitment on the last one!
On the very last rep, blind on the landing side of the serp jump – nice!! This was more of what I mentioned above about staying closer to the line so you didn’t get too far past it. The send set a great line and that allowed you to be further ahead and turn sooner too. Nice! The only tweak on that one is to run more of a straight line to the tunnel, almost to the center of the tunnel so you end up on the proper diagonal – you were a tiny bit too far across so he had a slightly wider line.Nice job!!
TracyHi! She is definitely trying to find the balance of staying balanced and going fast! She came into the grids in the first intervals in balance but then on reps 1, 2, and 3, she lost her balance between 3 and 4 and then couldn’t get it back between 4 and 5. On rep 3, she tried a different approach of going bigger but it didn’t work out the way she thought it might – I am glad she changed her opinion back to do it differently on rep 4!
So we can help her out in 2 ways, you can play with both:
on the 5 jump grid – you were not presenting a lot of motion, but it was too much for now in such a hard grid. So, lead out as if you are going to stand still – release and then slooowly walk forward from out past where the toy is… snail walk LOL!!! And see what she does – try to watch the video immediately. If she is balanced – repeat it. If she jackknifes a bit on the last interval, slow down your motion even more (I play these in slow motion so I can see what is happening).Separately, we can show her motion where she *is* balanced – using 3 of these jumps, not all 5. So making it into a 3 jumps ladder grid, so everything exactly the same as you did here, and see how she does! If she can stay balanced for 2 sessions… you can add jump 4. Then eventually we marry together the motion and the 5 jumps again – it will take several sessions spread out over time, but we have time 🙂 The goal is to maintain her speed AND her form – she totally can do it.
Nice job here! Let me know if that makes sense!
TracyHi!
Super nice session here! Great job with the arm back and strong connection, it really helped. Plus, lots of rewarding for that jump after the tunnel also looked lovely, he was picking it up nicely – which then made the whole pinwheel easier (also, nice connection on the way back to the tunnel!). Great work! I suggest one more session just like this – and if it is super successful like this one, you can change a variable – either raise the bars a little, or spread the jumps out a little (not both, at least not yet 🙂 ) If that goes well for a session or two, then you can do whichever variable you didn’t choose – if you spread out the jumps, you can raise the bars (or vice versa).And Maddy can do whatever she likes as long as she doesn’t get run over 🙂 She wanted to show that young whippersnapper how it is done LOL!
Great job 🙂
TracyHi! Very nice job with the connection and rewards! On the one jump reps – yes, you were late 🙂 It is hard to be on time when she starts that close, so if you revisit the one jump reps, start her 10 feet from the jump. Your timing got easier when you added in more obstacles – on the FC on the 2 jumps, be sure to keep moving towards the next jump. You were moving forward then towards the jump, which drew a bit of an L shaped line for her rather than a direct path. The blind looked lovely, great path!
Good FC at :23 – your path and connection were really nice! Timing was better too – I think as this goes into the sequences, you will trust her commitment more and start one stride sooner, when she is halfway between the 2 jumps for now (that might change to be even earlier as she gets more experience and as the jump bars go up) At :34, you were a little later (she was over the bar) so she ended up a bit wide. Your connection was good but I think you can definitely play with starting it earlier. You did start the FC earlier at :39 (yay!) so now try to lead out more so you can stay ahead – timing was good but she caught up to you really quickly.
Same with the blind at :29 – start it when she is halfway between the 2 jumps, and then run directly forward. She caught up to you there because you looped out a little then had to wait for you to run back a bit. At :46, the last rep – it was later to start than :29, so almost didn’t pick up the new side (remember to reward across the body so she gets the connection).So overall – her commitment is really good, so you can push and give yourself more of a headstart/lead out, so you can try to start the cross when she is halfway between the jumps. I would stick to the 3 jump game for now (no need to revisist 1 and 2 jumps) . And to help her commit, your running line can be pretty close to the jumps now that you are starting sooner.
Nice work here! Let me know if it makes sense!Tracy
Hi!
>>Well, one thing I think is that Enzo is going to have to run fast NOT based on my scrambling off the start. That is not a feasible long-term solution for me. 😊 When I do the running DW, I come off a standard course already completely gassed; I can’t plan to start pushing hard.
I feel that pain! Enzo is on a similar path that my Voodoo was on at that age – Voodoo was just floating along, fast but not blazing or driving. So I did some course work where I really started to drive him, running like a wild lunatic to help him feel the rush of speed. Basically, I was trying to flip the switch to get him to go from steady and smooth (we helped win a lot of DAM team events when he was young) to blazing. Mission accomplished! And then when he would drive himself, I didn’t have to scramble and then I could run less. Enzo looks exactly like that – but with the massively notable difference that Enzo has a far better foundation than Voodoo did, so when Enzo goes to warp speed he will have better skills for you to utilize.
So basically I am suggesting this to help “flip the switch” and not as a lifestyle of outrunning the dog 🙂
>>I am really happy that the FC reps went well. I generally prefer FC’s but with Lollie I had to do mostly blinds (facing her slowed her down). Glad Enzo doesn’t feel that way.
I was super happy with the FCs – those are hard angles and he was lovely!
>>I might be able to improve the BC by “snapping” my head around instead of floating around. Something I will play with if the sun every reappears.
Yes! And also, as much as I love blinds, there are places that FCs are better and this is likely one of those LOL!
Fingers crossed for more sunshine 🙂
THi!
>>Regarding my FC question, Gunnar is injured so I can’t demo with him. I will play with that tomorrow. Who knows? Maybe Scarlett will make an appearance!>>
Oh NOOOOOO! Poor G. I hope he is OK! You can ask Scarlett to help, or try Robie doing what you described so we can discuss! But he will be happy to try it 🙂
He is doing well on his grids here! My only suggestion is to stand way out with the toy, parallel to it – not between the last jump and the toy – that might be why he was not driving as much on the last interval. Did he one-stride 19 feet last time? I believe so, right? So start your session next time at 17 feet, then 18 feet and if he is one-striding… throw in a 19 footer and then quit 🙂 No worries about a 2 stride at 21 feet – that is fine, he is a youngster and the 2 stride there is appropriate. I am not concerned at all – I think he was just in zen mode today and that is perfectly fine with a young, high drive dog 🙂 Separately from this grid, though, you can start the week 2 grids with motion. That can make the grid work more exciting, which will bleed over into this grid, which will help him open up the stride even more.
The pinwheels are looking good, and yes, you got some good distance there! Yay! Little tweaks for you: as he exits the tunnel on your right side, make a little more connection so he doesn’t come into you then back out. On the first 2 reps, you were not that connected so he wasn’t as sure about going forward. The next reps were more connected so he went forward more 🙂 You can also start to move more on these: when you send to the pinwheel, you can then take off running to the tunnel then reward when he finds jump 3! He was a little wide turning to his right towards the end, so big rewards for him finding jump 3 as you are moving will help with even more line independence. You can work these again, but you can also go into the week 2 games (which have some pinwheel elements but also have crosses).
Nice work here!!
TracyHi there!
Good stuff here, it gave me plenty of opportunity to obsess. Ha!
A general note – you can get more speed if you lead out less and scramble like mad from the first tunnel to the jump after it. A little panic goes a long way there 🙂 He was running but I think we can get him to burn rubber and drive harder in that section.
I timed the difference between the FC and the 2 different BC placements (starting on landing of the jump after the tunnel) and the good news is…. they were all very very close in timing, which gives you a ton of flexibility to choose based on course requirements (where you have to get to for the next part of the course).
On the FCs – nice timing, nice line, nice commitment! I liked both of your front cross reps. I can’t think of anything to improve, other than driving him harder and seeing if you can still get that nice timing and line.On the BCs in that same spot – why were they both a little wider? I froze the video in the moment as he was taking off for the cross jump to see what he saw. On the FCs, he saw you fully rotated AND fully connected before takeoff. Perfect! On the BCs, even though you started those BCs at the same time as the FCs, you were not connected before he took off – the real connection started when he landed, and that is when he responded (and that is why he landed wider). You can play with starting the BC sooner so you are connected sooner (before takeoff, like with the FCs) – when I do that, I also run closer to the cross jump so motion supports it more as the head turn is starting sooner. The more laterally away you are, the more likely you are to pull him off if you start sooner.
Now – in that spot – the FC might turn out to be the better tool because it turns the info (and your feet) to the new line sooner than the BC. But worth it to play with both!
The BC on the landing side of the jump before the tunnel is likely to be a more ideal spot for a blind on this sequence. On the second rep of it, you really called him with a bit more urgency, so he came towards you a lot faster. That can allow you to do the blind even sooner too.Interestingly, there was not a huge difference of time on any of the reps except for the 2nd to last rep where you didn’t call him in for the landing side blind on the jump before the tunnel – that one was the slowest. The others were quite close! So you can try pushing harder to see what happens. You can also change the distances – work the timing on a medium distance and then a smaller distance (15-18 feet) and see if you can still nail the timing and connection.
Nice work! Let me know what you think!
THi!
I agree, she was a little happy to be back at the barn 🙂 She was smoking you a bit on the one jump games on the first video LOL!!! Start her further back in a stay so you stand a change of finishing the blind before she takes off LOL!!! However, your exit line connection was *fabulous* so after the first rep, you were able to get the turn each time. YESSSS!!
On the 2nd video – the mechanics of the FC looked really good! She was smoking you here too 🙂 At :50 you had a BC that was earlier and it helped! The one after that was earlier, she was nice and tight too. SHe was wide on the last one because you were later in terms of finishing it and reconnecting. She seemed to completely ignore the person walking back and forth, and that is incredibly valuable!!!
It is possible that she would struggle to hold a stay when she is this excited, so you can move forward to the 2 and 3 jump games to give you more of a head start, as well as the sequences (and with a little height on the bars when you have more time to start the crosses sooner). Nice job here!!!!>>I may be watching not running Thurs due to the torrential downpours predicted (or if it stays north, in a friend’s yard).
Mother Nature is hating us this year! Keep me posted – we can always switch you to the Saturday 11:30 class is you are available!
T
Hi!
>>So, do the ladder grid and after you are doing that with movement then go on to the wrap to the grid? One follows the completion of the other?>>Yes. The first ladder grid builds in more motion from the handler, so we want to see how the pups do with that. The wing-to-short-ladder has more motion from handler AND dog, so that comes afterwards if the handler motion is going well 🙂
T
