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Good morning! She is so feisty now, barking at you LOL!
You are off to a great start here – her out is looking good! When you were coming towards the camera, it looks like you did a better job moving straight (on the first rep moving away from the camera, it looks like you stepped towards the jump on the out). It is totally normal that she would ‘offer’ the jump on the ‘don’t do the jump’ rep, mainly because there is nothing else out there (and just coming to you is not something we have worked on in a while). But then she got the idea and was perfect.
Your connections looked completely different and that is GREAT! On the ‘don’t get out’ reps you can also call her name and have a tiny bit more head turn (rather than being completely disconnected) but your shoulders being a bit closed made things look really different from the get out cue. You were a tiny bit too disconnected here but it was fine for one jump to help her understand when to NOT take it 🙂
But I think she is ready for the sequences now! So when you do the regular lines, a bit of arm back and some eye contact/regular connection should be perfect in comparison to the very dramatic ‘out’ cue. And yes, you can totally add the backsides on one jump too, I think she is ready for that as well.
Nice work!!
TracyGood morning!!
She did well here! She was super happy to commit and that is the most important part.
I see what you mean about locking onto the jump LOL!!! Good news: PLENTY of value for the jump. That is what made it harder on your right but you did work through it really perfectly. When I read your description as the vide was loading, I was going to suggest exit line connection (rewarding across your body) to help her ‘unlock’ from the jump when you didn’t want it – but you were already doing it and it really helped! It was easier when she was on your left, partially because she was not facing the jump as much (she was lined up straighter) and partially because maybe she is stickier on your left? On your right, she lined herself up to face it (and stalk it LOL!) so it was harder to get her to NOT take it. The other thing you can do is close off your connection more in the ‘don’t take it’ moments by closing your right shoulder forward enough that you are almost disconnected. But because our ultimate goal is supreme commitment at all times – don’t do tooooooo much of the ‘don’t take it’ stuff on one jump – as long as she understands it in sequence and isn’t flicking herself away, you don’t need to work it too hard. Your get out work is looking GREAT! That is more important for Miss Tilly so you can over-balance in the direction of “commit to all the things”. If she gets to the point that she is over-committing then we can shift the balance back.
I think she is ready for the sequences – getting the ‘get out’ at speed will be harder for her but super useful when she is comfy with it 🙂
Nice work!!!
TracyOh crud, somehow I missed this, sorry!!!!
I was watching his head on these to see how he responded to the various connection shifts: I think he definitely did better in setting up the turns when you were looking more directly at him, rather than swooshing forward to the landing spot (he was wider on those). Here are specifics:
On the FCs at the beginning: your regular connection and exit line connection were great on all reps 🙂 Your shifted connection was slightly different:
You were swooshy at :18 on the first one, so he landed wide then turned. At :28, you picked up the connection to his eyes much sooner and he turned much tighter 🙂 Connected more to his eyes also adds decel and rotation, which he is reading as well. At :42, you were more swooshy, indicating the landing spot more than looking at his eyes, so he was a little wider.
So looking at his eyes is the winner there 🙂On the spin reps:
The first one at :49 was more to his eyes – pretty tight!! 1:01 was more swooshy, looking ahead to the landing spot: wider. So the winner here is also looking at his eyes, like on the FC reps.At 1:13 when you moved to the next sequence, you led out laterally and he had a question about how to takeoff for jump 1 – you might have been a little too lateral for his comfort zone there, so being a little closer will help him (and you will still get to the FC).
On these FCs: At 1:17, you were indicating the landing spot with your right arm out – he was a little wide and turned on landing. On the 2nd FC on this one at 1:23, you were looking more down to his eyes and not at landing: nicer turn!!!!
One more vote for the more direct eye contact as part of the turn cues 🙂The switch at 1:35 looked REALLY good, that is a strong move for you and Wilder 🙂 I thought your left cue there at 1:41 was nice and early but he hit the bar, so maybe arms lower will help so he can see the connection more?
The last sequence also looked really good: Nice connection on the landing of 1 to set the line 2-3! The blind at 1:57 was GREAT – nice support, nice timing and very clear exit line connection. He had a really nice line there!
You had 8 on the other side of the jump, so the lines you set were good! (The original 8 was on the other side of 6) – when you took off at 2:10, you looked forward a bit so he looked at you – remember to maintain connection and give your push cue to his eyes to keep that line clear.Overall, this looked really great! The main takeaway that I see is on your turn cues, he prefers when you look at him and not support the landing side (he is committing really well without needing a swoosh to landing :)) I bet Lit’l Bit will be the same, which makes it easier because you don’t have to remember different things for each dog 🙂
Great job!!
TracyGood morning!
>>I get tighter turns with direct connection, but need to work on timing, and without changing the line?>>
Yes, he is very responsive to the direct connection AND maintains commitment so you don’t have to shift your connection to the landing spot, you can just leave for the next position. Very cool!
And because he is so responsive, it looks like you can go to the direct connection as he is landing from the previous jump – too early and he starts thinking threadle (good boy) 🙂
TracyYou are my hero, training in the cold!! Sounds like it went really well AND better weather is coming soon (gotta love Colorado!)
Thanks for the update 🙂
TracyGood morning!
Those are raindrops in the videos – it rained the whole week when I needed to do videos, so I got out in the nice warm rain 🙂 I hope to not see any snow here until February!
Keiko gave good feedback on this video – she is clear with what she thinks LOL!
She came around the wing really fast on the first go and the first FC reps – I think there was a lot of connection as she exited the wing so she felt confident about where to be. The decel on wrap rep can be a little sooner so she can collect sooner. Try deceling before she passes you, so she approaches the jump ready for the rotation.
On the 3rd rep at :16, when she came around the wing, you were running forward without as much connection so she was not sure where to be, and trotted to show her opinion. But then when you really connected after the FC wrap at :20 and at :27, she drove back to you.
The same held true on the other side – you had good connection when she came around the wing at :31 and :37 so she drove with a lot of speed for the go and into the wrap. She had a really nice tight wrap at :40! And also at :47! On those 2 reps, it looks like you had the magic combo: great connection & acceleration as she came around the wing, then deceleration when she was still about 10 feet from the jump, then you were done with the rotation before takeoff. The timing of the rotation itself was not as important to her as the timing of the decel – a good deceleration produces a really great turn even if your rotation is not perfect. Yay!That decel around the wing to set up which side to be on is also important: on the reps with speed, when I freeze the moment when she comes around the wing, you were looking at her – connection was very obvious. You softened it up as you drove forward after it, and she was happy with that. On the rep where she was not as sure, when I freeze her coming around the wing: we can’t really see your face or connection. That is good to know! She needs the connection on the critical spots (like exiting wraps) but then doesn’t need it as much on the easier lines where motion and verbals can take over. Let me know if that makes sense!
Great job!
TracyGood morning!!
The Go to the 16” jump looks good! When you drive back to it after the wrap, I think a bit more connection at :16 and a little motion to the jump will help him pick it up. That was a green dog error, he will be able to find that jump without help when he is more experienced. You were clearer with it at :34 and he found it easily! Putting the wing is front of the jump is a good variation on the proofing – also he seemed to have no trouble. Yay! And the RCs also looked strong in both directions: he was turning over the bar and he carried out ot find the next wing too. Really nice!
Get out: He did a really great job balancing the get out with the don’t get out reps on both sides 🙂 When you added a bit of distance at :53 – a little more connection and stronger arm would help (he missed there) but he got all the others (stronger cue and he kind of went “oh yeah! I remember!”) One other thing is to run more straight on the get out rep – it should be identical to the running line of the ‘don’t get out’ rep. When you were giving the strong get out cue, you were also moving towards the jump (which also might be why he missed at :53 because you didn’t move towards the jump). The rotation/connection of the cue definitely pulls us towards the jump, so you can give yourself a bigger destination to move to (like put another wing way out ahead or something). When you switched to the other side, it looked like you ran a straight line on all reps and your upper body was the difference, and he did great!! I think he is ready for the Advanced level now!
Transition video:
I think he did a lovely job on the first rep without you hahahahaha Too funny! Good job hashing out what the timing should be; this game is all about the human and the dogs give us good feedback 🙂
I think the main thing you should add is more acceleration away from the wing, really powering away: that will make the decel clearer and the rotation easier. You were not as accelerated coming around the wing, so the decel got muddied into that and made it harder for him to read. The acceleration you used when you drove to the tunnel at the end is also the acceleration for the first part of the transition.
On the first rep and second rep, you were playing with timing: the first one – needed more decel and later rotation (the bar came down) and the 2nd rep looked really good!
When you switched sides, it became more about running line – the first 2 reps on your left had you moving into the center of the bar during the transitions, so he read it as a rear cross to the left.
After that, you changed your running line to the wrap wing and he read it soooo much better! On those, you can definitely accelerate into it more as he is wrapping the wing – you might have been thinking more about line there, which makes sense 🙂
When you went back to the other side, the transitions were clearer so he seemed to have no questions about the wrap or the RC 🙂
It might sound counterintuitive to power into a really tight turn, but the couple of steps of acceleration will help make the transition a bigger heads-up moment so he will collect even more. It is a small detail – overall he is doing really well!!Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyThanks for trying this! I timed the different challenge in slow motion and it was really cool to see the differences! I timed it 3 different ways and options 1 and 4 were consistently fastest, with one exception: option 2 (direct eye contact) was way fastest on the turn itself over the jump. So why was it not fastest overall? You were a little turn early turning on the direct eye contact: at :10 as he was approaching the jump after. the tunnel you were already in the direct eye contact mode so he turned too tight over that jump, perhaps anticipating coming in for a lap turn or throw back. So you can actually delay the power of your direct eye contact to make it more like what you did at :02 and :26 (when you were ‘normal’ til he landed then you shifted connection) – I think that will be the absolute perfect turn and the fastest line for him.
Now, we are talking about a tenth of a second or so, so it is cool to play with what would be the winning line and even cooler that you were able to produce great turns on each!!!! I loved that your connection was so clear on all of these and he picked up great lines on each 🙂
T
Good morning!
>>Derrett people are using blinds? The world is coming to an end!
I am planning to get Greg Derrett himself to run my Voodoo at the next US Open and convince him to do blinds. Ha! That would be a hoot and I bet that Greg would be game for a good laugh.
Derrett handlers are systematic AND they like to win… so it makes sense to me that now that we have basically systematized blinds that they would add them in.The 11-12-13-14 line on the course map is a hard line! It would be critical to be able to get the dogs to be super independent on 12 so the handler could be ahead for the variety of ways to get 13-14. If I had to be at the entry wing of 12 with my dogs, I would be in grave trouble for 13-14!
My handling goal would be to be running to the exit wing of 12 on a parallel path to the dog 10-11, and as he is approaching 11 I would turn on my extreme connection and backside slice verbals I could just keep running forward past the 12 jump to deal with 13. Some of the stuff I put on video for the next set of games actually addresses this specifically, stay tuned for Saturday 🙂
On the video – this was good to see because he definitely wanted to get on a line and had to think hard to NOT take a jump that you wanted him to run past. On the one jump warm up, I could see a pretty distinct difference in your get out connection versus your ‘dont get out’ connection. Running past that delicious jump was hard! Same on the drill with the tunnel at :14 – on your check check cue to wrap the jump he was collecting but having a long loving look at the jump off to the side near the weaves. So this is also going to allow us to solidify his understanding of what check means, exactly! The proofing game we do with the wing and a tunnel is a game that I also do with a wing and a jump, so you can add that variation to your check check cue. He definitely got better at :30ish with wrapping nice and tight there! He did not seem to have that same question coming out of the tunnel, he didn’t get out without specific permission after the tunnel.
The get out looked good and you were easily at the FC at :41 and :56! You were one step past the line so the turn was a little wide (he jumped on a slice then finished the turn after landing)- try to execute the FC right on the exact line you want him to run (on this sequence it would be where the wing meets the bar on. the FC jump) then get outta there before he needs the space 🙂
When you did the mirror image and added the dig wrap cue at 1:01 – same question as the check (“please may I have that jump out there, I promise to be real quick about it”) where he didn’t turn tight but rather drifted towards the off course. The dig cue at 1:05 was a little late so that was wider and not off-course induced 🙂 Even with a strong handler cue like at 1:20 and a really good collection, he still asked about that jump. I think the proofing game with the wing and the jump would be helpful here too (that game solidified my Hot Sauce’s understanding of wrapping tight but I don’t think I have video 🙁 – I can get video of Contraband doing it over the weekend if you want, I have no access to obstacles this week unfortunately)
On this side, he also drove straight out of the tunnel without looking at the off course, which was even closer than on the other side – good boy!
Your FC at 1:26 was better in terms of being on the line so his turn was better – I still think you can be more literally on his line. – you were center of the bar there so he was a little wide (on the other side you were more on the far side of the bar).The around/backside is much harder and the get out is much easier for him, so I think we can take a different training approach to it – a combination of parallel path, extreme connection, and angling the jump to make the backside easier and front side harder. He was starting to get it at 3:19 but needed you to step to the line. I don’t mind the step when we have time for it… but we don’t always have the time for it as evidenced in the course map you posted 🙂
Since I am pretty sure he will go to the backside if you are giving the big step, I dug out 2 videos on how we teach the dogs to go to the backside on verbal and connection only – no big steps needed. It starts with the parallel path and then we move the dog to the angle that would normally require a big step, but the parallel path understanding should be strong before we do that. And we actually have more of that coming next week 🙂
But for now, I figure these videos would make more sense to get him rolling on it. On the easier lines, I don’t use my outside arm or as much extreme connection (and I don’t use my outside arm with the puppies, because I really don’t want to use it LOL!!) but this is how to get it started with connection while you get further and further away. The trick is to work up to you being on the exit wing and he will go to the entry wing of the backside jump – then we add in the harder entry angles.let me know what you think! These should help get him started.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMUtGSKZsEs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjI-wGlPfq0
Nice work here! It was super interesting to see what was easy for him and what he had questions about!
Tracy
Good morning!
>> We feel really good right now and not so rushed and less panicked.
Yay! That is what you looked like when you were running: connected and smooth.
>>>Yes, he trains on this turf every week.
Does he train in high arousal? Maybe he is too relaxed in training and then more pumped up (therefore faster) at a trial so he slips? You can get him crazier in training 🙂
>>this is NOT a FC course.
>>The funny thing is I totally knew that this was not a FC course but I walked it that way anyway. I tested a blind in my walk through but lost my courage because I have so little experience (But I am taking your blind class…so, I will feel better soon).>>
We will get you happy with blinds, plus you can use them on some of the courses here! I was a Derrett handler for years and I distinctly remember my first blind at a trial… I totally messed it up by not reconnecting in time. Oopsie LOL!!!! But not a problem, I sorted it out and got better and better at them.
>>So like the DW entry, this is something to work on with just 4 poles – you moving while he is entering.
>>I will work on this but I do think that I may need help if it isnt working. I am afraid of breaking my poles.
a couple of things to remember as you do this:
add motion VERY gradually, walking very slowly 🙂
Keep your success rate high – if he fail once, no biggie, but if he fails twice? Make it easier. Track your sessions so he is working at 90% success or higher. A way to do that is limit your session to 10 reps and help him be successful on 9 of those. If he is “only” successful on 7 of the 10, plan your next session to have easier challenges.>>I think you were helping and thinking on the fly
>>LOL, yes, I told her after, really? I walked all front crosses and while running the course completely changed my plan and almost made it happen! I would like to see her do that….it wouldn’t happen lol. I need to start listening to my gut on these walks.Yes! Liten to your gut, try the crazy things 🙂 Sometimes you are the only one doing it, but it is possible that you are the only one doing it correctly!
T
Hi!
I 10000000% feel the pain of lack of patience – I would MUCH prefer to run fast and get a blind hahahah. We are birds of a feather in that way. I have used some lap turn and tandem turn stuff with Voodoo and I anticipate using the cues with this younger Kaladin/Contraband generation: courses continue to get bigger and we are training them to go really fast, so I can’t expect to always be ahead for the blind.You showed great patience on most of these LOL! Tons of good lap turns here! On the 2nd rep where he didn’t read it, I think that was lack of experience but then he read it really well on the other side, then got it on that side the next time you went through there. This is not a ‘natural’ skill for the pups, so I do think they will make some mistakes even when we execute it correctly.
Just about all of your reps were solid: patient, arm & leg moving together, clear turn away cue. Nice!!!!
At 1:28 there was a little blooper: Your leg moved back but your hand did not. At 1:37 they moved together more, but the leg stepped towards the jump. Compare that too the next rep at 1:41, where the arm and leg went back together (not towards the jump) and he got it. I admit to chuckling when he sent himself around the wing there after the oopsie to restart it LOL!!
On the race tracks, be sure to have your arm back to make connection – when you pointed forward a bit at 1:00, he thought you wanted a blind. When you race tracked the other way at 1:55ish, your connection was great and he had no questions.
You can also send to the wings on the crosses and the race tracks from further back to set up the lap turn, rather than run backwards. Backwards motion is the same as forward motion – when you ran backwards at 2:17, he took the wing because motion is motion 🙂 When you moved a lot less on the next rep at 2:24, he easily came to the hand because the change in motion drew him in. You had some backwards motion at 2:52 and 3:02 but you were further from the wing and also stopped earlier. I think sending him to the other wing will make it even easier for you there.
Great job here!
TracyGood morning!
Yay for grass in the yard and not that white stuff!!I think the zigzag grid was hard for him – I love how he had it almost sorted out by the end!! Good boy. To help him sort it out, keep the distances the same and slightly angle the jumps so he can see the bars more clearly (less flat, more of a channel). If you can get ut to be about 2 inches of visible bar, he can sort out the bouncing then you will be able to tighten it back up. And when you tighten it back up, start at wing 2 for a couple of reps and then back up to wing 3. It is a great conditioning drill too (the vet people tell me to do it twice a week and that is it, when we get to. this stage).
About the start line:
>> but when I’m leading out he is focused on me but not necessarily keeping eye contact with me if I am maintaining the connection with him. As I move out his eyes are flicking sometimes down to my feet and also to Nemo in my hand, but he’s not looking away in other directions. (If I lead out without a toy in hand, he will sometimes flick his eyes down to my feet and then back up again) Do you think that will cause an issue in lead outs in the future?
Nope, no issues 🙂 Dogs all work out their own shtick on the start lines in a way that allows them to hold the stay, control their arousal, etc. My Export never looked at me, he just stared straight ahead LOL!! Nacho and Matrix had to look away entirely until the release. So funny! I think Voodoo looks at different things too – the jump, the toy, I don’t really know – but he never fails to release correctly. I honestly don’t know where the other dogs look – but extended eye contact is not something they need to do on the lead out. You can add in games in the form of throw back rewards, jogging to position to keep things exciting (it does take me HOURS in dog years to get to my position, I am so slow LOL!!!)
>>>Asking because I am finding it challenging to play the ready-1-2-3 game with him with a toy in hand because he will flick his eyes down to the toy or my feet when I start to move.
I think that is fine in 1-2-3 game! It is possible that direct sustained eye contact has too much pressure (my 12 year old Border Staffy taught me that) so he looks at the toy or at your feet: still totally engaged but not comfy staring back at you. My 1-2-3 game criteria does not include sustained eye contact, for that reason. And if we demand more eye contact, we might accidentally add too much pressure and get less eye contact and make the game less fun.
>> I feel like his stays are strong for his age and he holds them without fidgeting about 98 or 99% of the time. (the squirrel running along the fence 15ft away a few weeks ago was the noticeable exception).
I agree – he has had such a strong stay that you were able to teach a lot of things very quickly! And he is pretty engaged – he looked away in one if your stay in yesterday’s videos but there was something going on in the environment and jump grid lead outs are not that stimulating haha
>>His Sports Foundation class instructor is concerned that his eye flicking (typically down to my feet or the toy) will lead to him being distracted by other things during lead outs.
I do not share that concern 🙂 As the game of agility gets more exciting, and as you begin to jog/run to your lead out position, then he will be even more engaged. And his eye flicks to your feet are legit (fat are part of the cue) and the toy (also legit) both involve you. Trying to control where he looks all the time my be a little too extra and too much pressure on both of you – leading to too much failure, lower rate of success, etc. His stay is far far better than 95% of the dogs his age (including mine haha) so I say just have fun with it and play 1-2-3 but don’t worry about where his eyes are looking.
>>I have to admit I’ve always played the ready-1-2-3 game as more of a fun build anticipation game and haven’t been strict with any of my dogs on them actually maintaining eye contact with my eyes.
Same here!
>>Because with lead outs on course, I want the dog focused on where I am headed but they also have to focus forward on the indicated line. >>
I agree – the dogs are multitasking a zillion things on lead out, so I don’t obsess on exact eye position 🙂
>>I have been trying to make sure I don’t release him if he’s fixated on a toy in my hand, but I haven’t been strict about him flicking his eyes down to the toy and back up to my face. Now I’m wondering if I should have been more concerned about this.>>
I think it is fine to release him when he is looking at the toy in a training situation, as a training challenge: yes, you see the toy but can you still read the line? That is a GREAT prep for trialing!!! It is basically a game to ignore the distraction in favor of finding the line. And then he earns the toy by ignoring it 🙂
I guess overall that I get concerned that waiting for too much eye contact might add pressure and reduce the rate of success, both of which make things NOT fun for pups. You have a really fun, high success, relaxed training relationship with him and that is why he is doing so well!
Let me know if that makes sense!
TracyGood morning! Timing crosse can be especially hard with young dogs! I think a little more distance will help – and then totally trusting her that she will commit when he turns her head to it 🙂
Hi! This went really nicely! The outside arm worked really well – there was a major difference between the get out cue and the regular ‘with me’. Of course, you can use your dog-side arm to put her out: as long as she understands it and it is clearly different, it will work nicely. And it appears to work nicely for your other dogs 🙂
Good job on the advanced level: your crosse were a little late but I think that was because the wing wa close to the jump so you had very little time to do them after seeing her head turn. You can totally add more distance between the wing and the jump now – that will challenge the get out more and will also give you more time to do your FC and your BC. You can also add more motion to it – the running will jazz her up too 🙂 She seemed happy here but you were smart to keep it short for now.Great job!
Tracy
