Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Good morning! So glad you had a weekend of gorgeous weather!!
He is figuring out the parallel path backside thing! You might be over-rotating on the connection and that is pulling him to the front side. Your feet are good but the rotation/connection is pulling both of your shoulders back behind you, whereas ideally the connection on the parallel path is less shoulders back and more shoulders forward, otherwise it looks like a cue to come in.
For example, look at :43 & 1:07 versus :53. At :43, both shoulders were back, hands behind you – so he came in. When he was successful at :53, your outside shoulder came forward at the last moment and he went out to the backside.On the second session – I don’t think he was quite ready for you to be center of the bar yet, so moving to where where the wing meets the bar was more helpful for him. And looking at shoulders: at 3:15, your opposite shoulder was out ahead of you more (same at 3:36) and he got it. So I think you can make a slight adjust to how you connect to him on these parallel path backsides: yes, give him a really strong connection but it is more about shoulders. The dog-side shoulder does not have to be far back, and your rotation is just enough to allow the opposite shoulder to get out ahead of your body (rather than behind it). It is almost like your opposite shoulder is moving forward to ‘point’ towards the entry wing. Let me know if that makes sense or if I need more coffee 🙂
He did really well in the countermotion section! Countermotion is one of the hardest things we have to teach the pups but he is dong well. You warmed it up smartly, with a bit of challenge but really more of a refresher. Then he totally “had it” so you were able to add more challenge. He totally did have to think about it when you released when you were past the wing on that first session, but then on the 2nd session he was much smoother on it when you past the wing. So cool!!!
Great job here!!
TracyHi! It is funny that you described this as an inky feeling session – I think it went well! It is a hard set of skills, that is for sure! But she was doing well! The commitment questions she had, when she ended up on the front of the jump, had to do with your outside shoulder as you were cuing the push: if your outside (opposite) shoulder was back, she curled into the front. But when you closed your shoulder(s) forward to the wing, she was perfect each time – it is like your shoulders were pointing to the backside wing while you stayed connected. Let me know if that makes sense! Basically, if your hands we by your butt (behind you) she didn’t;t get the backside. But when your hands were a little more relaxed and forward of your body – she got it 🙂 Yay! I think you were being super careful to not be pointy – so you can let your hands help a little as long as you don’t fling them out ahead of you.
Her commitment to the bar as you ran forward was REALLY great – you were pushing you limits and disconnecting and running. She did a great job and your toy drops were spot on.
About that blind cross: talk yourself into disconnecting so you can look over the other shoulder 🙂 You were wanting to reconnect back to her on the arm next to the jump: so when you disconnect, look over the shoulder that is further from the jump. I think you just have to talk yourself into it because disconnection feels sooooo weird – you really have to trust her. But she is doing so well that she can be trusted 🙂
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi! I added some sequences to one up with the live seminar from today (great to see you there!) And yes, you can totally substitute a jump for the tunnel, you will have to run faster though LOL!! Stay warm!
T
Hi!
>>I hadn’t considered a blind there, but I think it could have worked and Annie would have preferred it. She knows I’m not going to continue running into the fence, so there would have been some uncertainty for her there. I’m probably lucky she took the tunnel. She will refuse a tunnel if she has to. 😉
She really likes blinds, so try to find places to stick them in even if you are the only one who is doing it (you might be the only one who gets the sequence right!!)
>><
>
The decel is the hardest part because we aren’t usually moving all that fast .. and in the past deceleration was a perfect setup for a refusal.>>That raises a good point: in order to decelerate, you must first accelerate 🙂 She did SOOOO well with your acceleration on these lines that I think you should do more of that style of driving her like Jenny Damm – then the deceleration will be easier and she will turn really nicely like she did here!
<
>
That blind was an anomaly. I almost always get barked at. I’m psyched about the blinds class though because I think Annie actually really likes blinds and I think she might even like them for tight turns. She just wants the handling to be better.>>Well, it was a good anomaly, a really beautifully done blind! We will sort out why she barks at you on them so that you can use them more – the blinds exploit your running speed which is a big advantage over slow people like me LOL! And she does really well with them!
<
>
>>The connections are starting to feel a little more natural. This is a big change to how Annie and I used to run together, so the learning curve has been a challenge for me (not for her). It’s only been in the past week or so that I really realized that the connections were going to be in use at all times.I was thinking about this today… I think you will have to actively think about the connections at all times for now… it will get second nature in the future and there will be spots where you won’t really have to connect. But for now: all connection, all the time LOL
>>I thought they were going to be interspersed at key moments on the course. Had I known that where I was headed on course was going to be in my peripheral vision most of the time and that I really wouldn’t be pointing at things as much, I doubt I would have tried to make the change.>>
it will end up being more about key moments on course, but first we establish the commitment with a strong baseline of connection: then fade it where it isn’t really needed (check out the disconnection sequences :))
>> I really don’t see people running like this at the local trials we enter, so it still seems kind of weird.
It is a distinctly European style, that is for sure, and it shifts away from what we had all been doing of using our arms too much and pointing at or looking at the line. I have found that once we get used to it, the dogs really like it 🙂
>>One thing I have noticed in the past couple trials though … Annie is typically the slowest border collie in her group at trials and that has not been the case this fall!>>
Well that is really cool to hear! So her confidence and speed are increasing, along with her commitment! I love it!!!!!!
T
Good work here on the poles!! I don’t think the 22″ poles will mess him up, if anything they make it harder!
Try to keep moving through the entry and be ahead of him like you were at :15 and :25. On the other reps you were hanging back a bit like you would do at trials, but at :15 and :26 you were ahead and in motion: do more of that 🙂 You can even get ahead of him before he enters, and keep moving on all reps. I think he did really well!!!!T
Hi! It was so fun seeing him work live, you two looked great!
The turn aways look really good! Yes, your timing was much better (later) so he read them all better. When you came in with more speed like from the race track, you were able to rotate then cue it which I think made it smoother/easier than when you were backing up into it. So, sending him to the wing and running forward then rotating into is a clearer picture for him. My only other suggestion is a slight tweak in the arm position – you were bending your elbow so your magic cookie hand ended up near your bicep. It you straighten your arm/lock your elbow and extend your hand to him (it will look basically the same as if you are actually offering him a cookie) – that will magnetically pull him into you better than the curled arm.
The backside game is going well! He is doing really well when you are parallel and heading to where the wing meets the bar. When using connection to send him to it and with you moving further across the bar, the trick is to let you outside shoulder come forward of your body (it might indeed look like your outside arm is moving forward to point to the entry wing). When he missed at :19, both of your shoulders were back so even though you had great connection and verbal, he thought you wanted the front of the bar.
About the reward – yes, you can totally plop that reward in to help him default to the bar and not go past it 🙂 I think your position of rewarding was good but it can be sooner – as soon as he head is saying “yes, I am going to the backside” you can drop the reward in on the landing spot (anywhere on the slice line) as you keep moving. You were wanting to want one extra step, so he was waiting on affirmation to come in (totally normal and basically mirrored my session with Contraband :)) That toy drop is basically a lure to come in over the bar, it comes that early! But it is also a reward for the decision to go to the backside, so I am happy to let it help create the default behavior of coming over the bar regardless of where your motion is going 🙂
The 2nd part of the game is going well, he is really good about committing as you are moving past the wing! The only questions he had were when you were pretty far past the wing – but you adjusted to where you were still passing the wing but not quite as much… and he did great! yay!!! His commitment will continue to expand as you practice this.I think he is ready for 5 feet in th grid 🙂 No rush, he is only 9 months as you mentioned, but he looked really strong on the 4.5 feet 🙂
Have fun with the Starfish! Great job here!
TracyHi!
Are you in shorts? Yay for the MN Heat Wave!He looks really good here – committing to the jump and turning (I see so many adult dogs not able to get nice turns on this type of opening) He had no problem when you were on the ‘backside’ of 2. When you had more distance, it was harder of course so you can exaggerate the step towards him to show more of the takeoff spot to send to – it looks like you were stepping more towards the jump. Think about stepping to his extension takeoff spot rather than a really tight takeoff spot.
Because he is doing so well, you can start adding in motion out of the send (like doing the forced front cross when you are on the backside of the wing) and start it as he is committing but before he jumps – that should be a nice challenge! And I think you can do this on 2 jumps now as well.
Great job!!
TracyHi! These look really good, it is rare that a pup can do grids to a tunnel and not lose their mind completely haha!
Set point to the tunnel
This is going well! He is looking at you a little over the first jump but I think that is going to disappear when he is more experienced running sequences. It looks love he was powering really nicely through the set point: good form and no changes with your motion or when you were moving. He didn’t power quite as much when you were walking versus running, so clearly he is building in respect of motion into his striding (and respect of the toy on the ground when he freezes in front of it, probably waiting for it to be kicked LOL!) And I agree about the difference in 12 and 14 inches, I didn’t see a difference in his form. Good boy!On the ladder grid, he was also watching you a little but I really believe that will go away when he sees more sequences. His jumping effort is light and balanced, which is good because the next few months will be spent on speed things, so having this balanced foundation will serve him well.
Great job!!!
TracyHi there! I hope the MN Heat Wave lasts!! On the offset zig zag – he was having trouble reading it at first but when you changed position, he had a bit of a light bulb moment. With the jumps at that angle, you can lead out a bit and run along one side of the grid, kind of like handling a serp line. The line you were walking on your lead outs is the line you would run – but release him when you are maybe at the far wing of 1. That will help draw the line with handling also you can show him the ‘real world’ context of the serp line he would see this jumping in. When he is seeing the line, the jumping is looking good!! I think the serp line handling will help him see the line even more easily.
T
Good morning/afternoon! It is a beautiful day to be outside!
I think the zig zags are going well! He is definitely sorting out his leads and also what to do with his hind end – the camera angle was great to see what he was doing. I thought his first couple of zig zags looked uncomfortable, like he was saying “who’s crazy idea was THIS?!?” Ha! Like at :10 when he levitated sideways and on the next 2 reps a little as well. He then spent a couple of reps sorting out his striding and by the last 3 reps – he was sooooo much smoother and more efficient. Good boy! All we can do is keep rewarding and breaking it down like you did – he doesn’t need more help sorting it out, he just needed to see it a few times and figure out how to do it. This is the type of thing you can’t revisit once a week or so to keep the skills sharp.
Great job here!
TracyHi!
Awww Haydn is a tiny dude!!!!!I love the bite sized chunks of Lanna TV 🙂
Video 1: She was on fire on this first sequence! Having the paparazzi right there was distracting so she was faster but not necessarily 100% focused. That is kind of like what her early trials will be like, so give her super extra connection on the landing of 3 to push out to 4, then after the FC to 5. Your connection was a little too gentle for her level fo excitement 🙂 You won’t always need to do that, but I am guessing her first few trials will need extra connection (my dogs all need that too in the early trials).Video 2: There was a lot more connection here plus she was a little more settled 🙂 The line from 3-4 is a bit of a push away, so you can turn on the big connection a little sooner to get it smoother. 4-5 looked great. I think a blind on the tunnel exit will be easier to get to the wrap on 7 – the FC ended up making you late so she read it as a RC on 7.
Video 3 – looking even better on the opening line! She is landing from 3 with a grunt, so I think pushing in towards 4 sooner with more connection will smooth it out even more. You got the FC after the tunnel in sooner but not sooner enough to make the transition, so she stopped when you tried to rotate.
Video 4 – this ending had a nice transition so you got the commitment AND turn! The FC does make it hard to get it all in at her speed, so you can try the BC to the spin – or even a BC then a decel and rotate to see if she will commit in collection without needing a spin.
Sequence 2:
Nice job here! The lap turn at 4 just required a little more patience than the first rep – 2nd rep looked really good!
At 7, the spin was a little late at :42 – you can decel into it then start to rotate as she is passing you so she can collect before takeoff.
The 2nd run was super nice!!! You had both connection and patience on the turn away at 4 so she read it really nicely! And the spin started much sooner so she landed already turned then powered away up the line.Is she jumping 16” here? I couldn’t quite tell if it was 14 or 16, but either way she is jumping nicely!!!
Great job! See you tomorrow 🙂
Tracy
Hi! Hope you are enjoying the good weather!
Looking at the 4 skills sessions on this first video:
The ‘zip’ circle wraps at the beginning are looking really good! She is happy to let you disconnect and leave, and she is maintaining her commitment and form. Very nice! My only suggestion is to consider repeating the verbal a few more times so she can keep processing it in the heat of the moment. On a training set up it is probably not that important, but at a trial I think more verbals are helpful 🙂The backside slice looked really good too! You read my mind – I was going to suggest that you run into it more rather than lead out so far – and then you ran into it more and she was perfect. Nice!!! Easing into it with NOT a lot of motion is a great way to jump start it, followed by building up the speed as you did. Commitment is looking great without needing a lot of connection!
The zip circle wrap on the other set up is also looking good! She is committing nicely and not bothered by the disconnection at all. As with the first set of these, saying the verbal a bunch of times is a good habit for later on in coursework. And on this set up, your running line can be closer to the zip jump – you were a little bit away from it and so she had to go around you to get to the backside. Sticking closer to the jump will draw a tighter line.
The backside slice on this set up was hard on that first rep with a lot of motion! Good job dialing down the motion to help her understand it, rewarding, then dialing it back up. I think she is doing SUPER well on these in terms of both independence AND form!
Sequence video:
The first sequence looked great – nice connection especially on the serpentine back to the tunnel. The second sequence looked great too – great timing on the BC at :17 and :27 and exit line connection was spot on, so she was fast and on a great line. I think you were one step further to your right at :27 on the 2nd run, so her line to the last tunnel was perfect!!Sequence 3: NICE! I think you were surprised for a moment that she so easily went to the backside at 4 at :40 that you hesitated then had to scramble LOL!!
You had a nice turn at 5 but you can disconnect sooner to look over your new (left) shoulder – it took an extra stride for you to look over your left so she was one stride too tight on the turn (small details, but we like to obsess haha)Sequence 4: Nice opening to the backside at 4! At 5 on the wrap, you were in her way at :58 – she couldn’t see the wing of the backside jump and then you stepped forward before she passed you (and I think you were saying lalala and it should be zip?)
She had the same question at 1:20 but you waited there longer so she got it. Ideally, you position when she lands from 4 would be tucked into where the wing meets the bar, so she could see the whole wing (it would also be visible from this camera angle). I don’t think she will have any questions when the wing is more visible.On the last sequence – I think the angle of the 4 jump made the backside confusing. When she landed from 3 at 1:30, the LaLa cue should take her to the side of 4 she took, it technically wasn’t the front side on the angle here. Going all the way around it was hard but she figured it out 🙂 It was like a double lalalalal hahah. Her commitment was good as you left for the next line – you can decel more into the next turn so it is easier to get back out of it.
Great job on these, her commitment is looking great so you have tons of freedom to leave for the next line!
TracyHi!!
Video 1: This was interesting! I think because the jump was the only thing out there, he was just assuming he should self-out to it LOL! The reps at the end where you rewarded him for coming to you were very helpful. Also, you can make the out cue completely different with the outside arm cuing it. I never use the dog-side arm, so my dogs tend to never flick away on the dog-side arm. That will show a pretty massive difference in shoulder position too. It is something to try! Also, adding more distance away from the jump will help him differentiate between when you want him to take it and not take it 🙂
Video 2: This looked really good! The OK versus the back was pretty clear 🙂 So now add more motion into it, moving forward to make sure he can read the difference even when motion is involved 🙂
Video 3:
Sequence 1 looked good! Very clear connection! You can add challenge on the out element: rather than moving towards the jump for the out, your feet will move towards the #1 jump and your upper body & verbal cue the out so he moves away from your line.
Being further away from the out jump will set up the backside on sequence 2 even more easily, because you will be right there to cue it 🙂 At :18 you moved a little close to the out jump, so then you turned your shoulders to move away and it pulled him to the front of 4. At :26 you showed the line to 4 much more nicely but ended up rear crossing the tunnel entry – he did it but he looked at you there. So, as you set up the RC, you can connect with him more and give him the tunnel verbal sooner so he can drive ahead. And a FC there will work really nicely too!
On the backside sequence: nice connection on the line back to the tunnel!! And nice job cuing the backside. You can start the backside verbal right before he goes into the tunnel and keep repeating it (“early and often” is my mantra LOL!) so he is expecting to move away from you as he exits the tunnel.
Your connection and cue on the backside was GREAT!! He ticked the bar only because you were praising him and he started looking for the toy LOL!
Last run: gorgeous! You put it all together and nailed it. Yay! Perfect connection and the send to the backside rocked. Yay!!Bummer about the music, YouTube is silly sometimes!!!
Great job here!
TracyHi!
I don’t know if this is a Salo grid or not, but it teaches striding. Here is how we start the pups on it (my two puppies are shown doing the demos) – the compression section always remains the same and the 3rd jump moves in or out on each rep. The reward is about 10 feet past the 3rd jump, on the ground. Handler doesn’t move yet – you would be standing out by the last jump. Try that and see what she does! It gets more complex but this is the foundation for it 🙂T
Hi there – really nice run here!
Your opening line was smooth and lovely! Super connected, nice lines – no verbal feedback from Annie LOL! That is always a good sign 🙂 That is what looked like great regular connection and exit line connection to me – how did it feel? She was fast and smooth (and not angry haha)
On her first question – Perhaps she doesn’t like the shoulder pull needed to get her into the tunnel? I didn’t look like you forgot where you were going do I don’t think that was her question. You probably could have gotten a blind cross on the jump before the 2nd tunnel at :14 – she barked there as you set up the pull/RC to the tunnel entry. I think it went well but she must have not liked the pull as it didn’t show the line immediately.
On the 2nd little question – Yes, she got mad on the weave exit to the tunnel. I think it was a bit of a snooker-handling moment, you were calling her past the other jump but she could not see the obstacle you wanted so she voiced her opinion. It is possible that a FC at the weave exit then run like mad with a “go tunnel” verbal will get rid of her question there?Nice transition into the FC on the double jump! It was a nice turn there. What you did there was drive, then decelerate… then rotate. All before she took off, so she was able to shift into collection nice and early. It is not easy to get collection on a double jump and you did it! Do you have video of the hard landings? My guess is that your deceleration was late: you might have powered forward until she made a takeoff decision, then rotated: she was landed hard then turned.
After the double: I loved the arm pumping! You were connected and driving her and she loved it! She cracked me up: on the line to the tunnel at :36, she looked like she really wanted to head check or voice opinion… but your motion was so clear and you were connected and you gave one more go tunnel verbal. Yay!! I totally give credit to your handling there – Annie does not seem like the type who will easily save you if handling is bad, she is more like the type to voice her opinions if she doesn’t like it 🙂
About the exit line connections: you did an awesome blind at :08! Timely and great exit connection. The goal is to have your dog-side arm back and your eyes on her eyes: mission accomplished because she was smooth, tight, fast… and silent 🙂 She never had to take her eyes off the line. You had an exit line connection after the first tunnel – also really nice!
It was hard to see your exit line connection after the FC at :25, but she read the line perfectly and she voiced no opinion, so it must have been clear.
And she read just enough exit line connection on the FC after the double to come immediately to the correct side, pin her ears back and go faster 🙂 Wheeee! She likes that arm pumping running!!!Great job! How did the connections feel while you were running?
Tracy
