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Good morning!
I agree, this looks great!! Some small details to remember as you plan the runs:On the push wraps at the beginning, remember that you don’t have time to praise or wait for her… that caused her to drop the bar at :08. When you keep going, she is perfect!
And be sure she can see the wing clearly. If you block it (like at :24) she is correct to consider taking the tunnel 🙂On the huge long lines where she is ahead of you:
Remember to keep your arm down and drop your shoulders to run on the long line to support it as she drives ahead. You can see the zig zag happening as the arm comes up to point to the last jump and the other arm reaches for the toy (like at 1:06). The high arm changes the line of your shoulders which could pull her off, so just pumping your arms and watching her can get her driving ahead with no questions.Threadle wraps are going really well! To add the next step of it: You don’t need to rotate with her to the bar (post turn), you can keep your feet facing the next direction as she turns away and do a blind cross exit (or rotsted FC, depending on the sequence). She is sorting these out really well so I think we can add the next level!
Adding that decel into the threadle wraps got lots of lovely turns here!
And the decel worked great for a really nice FC on the 6 backside! You had such a nice transition in and out of the FC, great lines, like at 2:27 and great turn. Yay!
A tiny break in connection on the last run pulled her off the 8 jump but that was the only connection blooper. Everything else was spot on a,d looked great!!
Nice work here!
TracyYes! You can use more wings or barrels and send him around that. Put a wing or barrel where each end of the tunnel would be, then send him around it like a racetrack 🙂 let me know if that makes sense.
Tracy
Hi! I’m glad you are feeling better! And sounds like she is surviving her first heat 🙂
>>She will spin right/left on cue as I slowly keep walking>>
Nice!!! Is this with a verbal only? Or small hand cue? It is a good variation on the game.
And I’m glad the wobble board and mountain climber game are going well!!
The driving ahead went really well too. Using the pet tutor was a good start and got the behavior rolling. I think the thrown cheese is high value but too hard to find unless you throw a HUGE piece (might be too filling LOL)
Rather than a stationary target, I think the best next step is a thrown reward to get big extension – it can be a frisbee or toy or a treat holder that doesn’t require human thumbs to open up (so she doesn’t require your presence for the reward 😀
Another option is throwing a Kong or small toppl with cream cheese in it – yum!!!
You can also add the “go go go” verbal here. I think you were saying jump but since we are looking for extension, might as well add the go go go!
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
Hi!
It would have been great to see you in Chicago!!! Next time hopefully!!This session went really well. One thing that popped out to me was that he seemed to have an easier time turning to his left (smoother and more explosive) than to his right (he had to think harder about those!) He still got them really well, but it was interesting to see which side was harder. And also that is helpful to know for when we teach him new things… we can teach them turning left if that is easier 😀
Adding motion was not a problem for him. Yay! You can start even further from the wing so you have more room to move away sooner: try to be moving away before he even arrives at the wing, to challenge him to maintain commitment.
Speaking of moving away from the wing earlier: when you added multiple wings, you did a fantastic job of decelerating then rotating away before he was at the wing. Lovely!! The only hard part was remembering all of the dang words 😆 🤣 but you did!
He seemed a little tired on the last rep with the racetrack – so you can start with that in the next session and then work the turns.
Great job here!!
Tracy
Hi!
>>I am confused on what to say for the steps in the tunnel with two wings drill. What command do you use for each obstacle in the sequence? I have watched the video several times but just not getting it.>>
The words will ultimately depend on the type of turn and where the bar is:
A full 360 degree turn will be your backside circle wrap (that is the only time the dogs see that type of turn).
For the FCs on the wings, you can decide where the invisible bar would be, then use the verbal for a front side wrap or a backside circle (handlers choice). If it is considered a backside FC, I still use the circle verbal because it is basically the same collection.For the tandem turns – those will ultimately turn into threadle wraps, so you can add those (although we do sometimes use tandems on front sides too 🙂 )
The tandem session looked great! He was turning really well in both directions and your cues were very clear. I think there was only on blooper when he was coming out of the tunnel and your hand cues were not that clear so he went to the other side of the wing.
That is something to mix in: sometimes cuing the tandem turns, sometimes cuing a plain old front cross (sending him to the opposite side of the wing).
I think he is also ready for the advanced level of these, building up to the true threadle wraps by having you add the countermotion of walking forward as he is wrapping away from you.
Great job here!!
Tracy
Hi!
These both went really well!
I think the hardest thing for her is to be stationary, so this contact game is perfect for that 🙂
Rather than help her try to move into position, or put the target in position (which makes her move more), let’s adjust the game a bit:Leave the lid target in position. When she offers getting on the board and stands still in the right direction, even if it is not 2on 2off, you put a cookie on the lid. If she stays there, you give her another cookie on the lid (slowly). If she gets off, no cookies, let her off to get back on and more importantly: be still. You don’t need to do anything other than wait patiently. It might make her brain explode a little but totally worth it!!
The wing and tunnel game is going well! I agree – she is very fast and turns really well, so you don’t have much time to react or change plans. So between each rep, be sure you have planned the next rep so you can execute it clearly.
For the next session, do it without a toy in your hand 😀 it can be in your pocket then you can take it out at the end of the sequence (no precision reward needed)
I’m suggesting this for two reasons:
The toy in your hand was kind of swinging in her face, so she didn’t really know if she should focus on it or follow the handling.Also, you were stopping and presenting the toy to get the turns a lot… but ideally you do the opposite: keep moving and use connection.
So by handling with empty hands, you’ll be able to keep moving and use connection for the side changes, and she will know where to look (and not bite your hand by accident. :))
Great job here!
Tracy
Hi!
You can totally use 2 jumps instead of the tunnel. That can easily simulate a 20 foot tunnel.>>and maybe bars up. maybe at 16?
What heights does he already have experience with? If he has seen 16″ pretty regularly then yes, that would be great. If not, try 12″ and see how he does.
Keep me posted! Fingers crossed for good weather!!Tracy
Hi!
>>I use blinds all the time and thought I was keeping my arms down>>
Yes – they were down but keeping them in tighter to you (like you did here) makes you so much quicker to show the connections).
>> went back an ex and felt the blinds were better. >>
Heck yeah! They looked great. She only had one question and it was about rotation not a blind:
At :34 you rotated on a wrap – your dog side leg never stepped to the wing and you were looking at her, so she didn’t commit. On those rotations, you can shift your eyes and hand to the ‘landing’ spot on the other side of the wing to get commitment while you rotate.
You did post turns on the following reps which did get commitment, but the rotation with commitment cues will be even tighter on a jump 😀
>On the threadle I made the discovery breakthrough that it is the left turns!!! She can do it on the right and it is not a north south problem (is it ever?).>>
Absolutely agree!! Anything to her right here was easy peasy. Anything to the left was harder. Your plan to break it down with magic cookie hands is great – just get her turning left away from you on the flat, then it will be easy to transfer to a wing.
>> Please tell me the wings are almost over! My brain can’t handle them!>>>
Ha! Nope, more wings coming. They make us be quicker in our handling 😀
>> Please notice on my fall I did not lose connection and rewarded my pup!>>
Yes! You got off balance when you tried to look back at her and tried to stop… momentum tangled you up. I’m glad you were fine and also that she came over to check on you (and got a reward 😉)
Your brain figured out to keep moving while connecting, and the rest was perfect!!!
Great job!!
Tracy
Yes! That sounds like perfect timing of a reward. Many less-experienced dogs don’t really understand the concept of passing an obstacle without taking it so rewarding for that moment of decision will really help build the understanding.
Keep me posted!
TracyHi!
Fantastic job with the hot topics!!!
Nice work solidifying the straight line skills: Good job going from a placed reward to a thrown reward
I love how she blasted past you even with your massive lead out 🙂She had a bar at :29 – chasing da momma! Didn’t quite get organized and OUCH that was a hard knock. She avoided it at :44 because that bar bit her on the previous rep. Good job continuing and rewarding the tunnel. Then she got it at :59. Yay! You helped by not exploding away quite as much in terms of speed or loud verbals.
Comparing the push wraps to the threadle wraps: this was SO fun to see and her turns looked great!
First sequence:
Push wrap – nice turn. You were at the tunnel entry as she entered. Nice!You were past the tunnel entry when she entered on the threadle wrap and also she put on the whippet speed there – so better position for you, faster line for her. Win win!
Beautiful job running through the push wrap at 1:39!! I don’t think you can get the cues better than that, truly lovely. You were at the wing when she took off and parallel to the tunnel entry when she entered.
Small blooper (more decel needed on the threadle wrap at 1:47) – good job rewarding then adjusting on the next rep.
Great job with it at 2:02 – you were maybe 2 strides away from the tunnel when she was taking off and well past the tunnel entry when she got there. YAY!!
You are really nailing these threadle wrap cues: excellent job at 2:14 with decel, clear hands, clear verbals, connection, etc… you saw her cue you to leave at 2:15 (excellent timing and connection!) so you were basically at the tunnel entry (maybe a stride from it ) as she was jumping then almost at the tunnel EXIT when she entered. HAPPY DANCE!
Looking at the sequence:
On the opening 1-2-3 line at 2:26 and 3:04, you can call her and set up the line to the tunnel by turning sooner. She as totally looking at the threadle wrap line because your shoulders and position are similar there. To clarify the shoulders, you can point your hand back to her and make a bigger connection as you move to the tunnel.
The BC 2-3 took that question out of the picture – that looked great!
The middle line looked really strong!
To tighten up the circle wrap at 2:38 (even though it was on the wrong jump LOL!) and at 3:16, you can decelerate into it so as she is passing you, the change in motion is giving her and additional turn cue.
Compare it to the turns you were getting on the backside push at 3:08 and 3:29, for example – nice decel into it to set up your rotation and her turn was great!
The threadle wrap is going to be a great option there – move up the line sooner at 3:33 rather than curve along the course with her. Send to the tunnel and get out of there so you are well past the next jump when she exits. That will allow you to set up the decel into the threadle wrap to tighten it. Even with the little bit of decel at 3:51… check out that turn (YAY!) and also check out that you were so far ahead you were no longer visible on the video as she was taking off. SUPER!!!!!
Jumping course:
Nice work here!!!1-2-3 line is regular plain ol’ connection 🙂 You over-helped with low arms and too much pull so she said “I KNOW THIS… THREADLE WRAP!” Good girl 🙂 Compare to the 2nd run where you just stayed connected and moved along the line, and it was easy for her! You can also lead out more and do a blind 2-3, to get even more propulsion to 4.
You can trust her out more at 4 (:14) and let her take care of 5 on her own: rather than curve with the course in your motion, you can send to 4 than immediately drive to the tunnel, letting verbal and connection support 5.
That can get you past the exit which will help the threadle wrap cues. You can also give her a name call before she enters to help put her into handler focus on the exit (because she can’t see the decel or hear the verbals that well when she is already in the tunnel.
At :38, the decel and verbal was good but the connection broke as you curled your shoulders away from her, so she looked at you for more info. That was hard on all the reps – too much shoulder turn away, which ‘hid’ the connection and took the threadle jump out of the picture, so she came toward you or went straight.
At :42 as you exited the threadle wrap, you were not looking over either side of you so she didn’t know which side of you to be on 🙂 Motion indicated tunnel, so that is where she went 🙂 100% rewardable due to the massive disconnection (I am sure you did not see her look at you and then move away to the tunnel 😁)
For the threadle slice 8-9 (:22) you were a little too far from the threadle jump. Compare to the threadle on 11 at :28 and :59 – you were close to the wing and look at how tight her line was – SO NICE!!!
At :55 there, you did a bit of a low arm pull then flick away… I think you threadle slice is more of the arm back, shoulders open like at :28 and :59, so remember to be consistent with the cue.
Nice weaves! Yay! Also really nice FC 13-14 but it might put you too far from 15. You can play with how far away you can get while she is weaving (closer to 14) and still get weave and commitment to 13.
She got the threadle wrap at 1:31 (yay!) but you didn’t have time to decel to add the big collection cues.
Being a shade further up the line on 13-14 allowed you the time to set the threadle wrap with decel at 1:38 and her turn was terrific!
Really nice use of layering at the end!
She needs a name call or threadle cue 18-19 – she drifted a little wide waiting for indication if it was front of back of 19 (backside is on her line, so it was a legit question :)) And the go line was fantastic!Full run – you can lead out a shade more to be past the tunnel when you are cuing the right – she hit the bar at :03 because the cue was late (you were still getting past the tunnel). I bet she would also love the blind – if you are on the correct line, she should not even see the tunnel as you do the BC 2-3.
You left 4 and 5 sooner here (super!) and got the decel to set up the threadle wrap because you were further ahead (double super!) Remember to give her more connection on the zip threadle wrap so she doesn’t curl in looking for more info or get pulled away from the jump.
You did a zip threadle wrap on 9 too – she did it well but I liked your threadle slices better there (better line to the 10 tunnel, more extension.
The threadle at 11 to the weaves to the FC 13-14 all looked good! Nice threadle wrap on 15! You didn’t layer the closing line this time and it worked well that way too – she still had the question 18-19, so keep looking at her lines to see if there are any ‘hidden’ backsides that she might see on her line 🙂
Great job here!!! Really impressive work!
Tracy
Good morning!
>>In the cases you have seen recently, that has been “come” but I will also use “out” for the same purpose followed by PUSH (wrap) or AROUND (slice). When the jump is not completely perpendicular to the dog’s line of travel, I am more likely to trust the cue by itself. >>
With Enzo’s speed, and accounting for the delay in sound traveling and processing… I think the come followed by the next part of the cue makes the important part of the cue (wrap or slice) late.
Back when we almost never saw wraps on threadles it was not an issue because come would very well predict the threadle slice cue. But with threadle wraps being all the rage, it is possible that you can drop the ‘come’ element for wraps and just use the threadle wrap cue. That can get the info to him sooner!And about the ‘come’ for slices… if the ‘come’ verbal is also sometimes used for general attention/coming towards you and not followed by the threadle slice cue… then you should consider dropping it from the threadle slice cue as well. The come delays the info, so you can really handle the threadle slice/wrap and add the verbals specific only to them, and I bet he has wonderful responses!
Looking at the jumping course:
Having the excellent forward focus skill on 1 allowed you to use your lead out very effectively on the opening to handle 4 any way you liked to 🙂
>>First a bit of analysis. I wanted a slice on #4 traveling from left to right (away from the weaves) because I thought that would be the best, quickest path. >>
I agree that the slice options are better than the wrap options here, 1000%!!
But which way to slice? I think slicing away from the course like you did on the 2nd rep is likely to end up being fastest, because of the extension line to the entry wing of 4 and the extension line to the weave entry.
Now, you and he pulled it all off beautifully! But if you are feeling like a bit of comparison shopping for slices –
The outside slice was the fastest (first run) on the full line, from the landing of 2 to the landing of 6 (the direction of 4 also changes the weave speed ever so slightly, depending on how much he has to decel to get into the entry.
The threadle wrap was slower (no surprisingly, the wrap there is a lot of collection and the line from that collection to the weave entry required more collection.
The middle speed option was the slice to the outside. You did it as a flip away to the weaves, and I think the collection on the turn away over 4 is what caused it to be one stride slower. I would be curious to see the 2 slice options compared but with the slicing away from the course handled as a threadle slice (dog on right exiting the tunnel and you threadle slice him and let him rip from 4-5). That could be your best/fastest line!
>>However, it is a VERY short distance from the tunnel to that jump and not much time to process a tricky cue.>>
Yes – so the cues can begin before he enters the tunnel, giving him an extra 15 feet of processing time.
>>For the 7,8,9 line, I was confident I could get across the tunnel exit without getting hurt.>>
You totally nailed that – he had no questions about 6-7 (because your position cued the front of 7 successfully with very little effort) and then you were easily across the tunnel exit.
However, that caused a lot of forward motion on the 9-10 line so on the 2nd run as you ran to get the push to 11, he was really wide on 9 then turning hard to you on 10 then had to really work to get 11.
I think the threadle wrap will ultimately be the faster line because he can exit the 8 tunnel and drive 9-10-11 in extension, no extra yardage or turning. It was not faster here mainly because of the turn rom the tunnel exit to 9 – the RC on the flat had a lot of collection. And it did not help you in terms of handler position. Because you were handling from behind there.
So to get a truer comparison of speed, you can try for the cross on the tunnel entry:
You can change sides on the tunnel entry, depending on what is next and if you need to be there for it. I would say the 11 jump had enough handling challenge that a BC on the tunnel entry would get you there very easily (rather than all of the forward motion 9-10). And with the BC on the tunnel entry, your line of motion across it plus a verbal would get the right turn on the exit very easily.
>>I really wanted to treat 11 as a backside slice (left to right). That would make 12 easy.>>
The turn 10-11 is what makes that plan tricky and potentially slower.
He is turning pretty strongly to his right, so the push to the slice there might not be the fastest line at all, because of the turn 10-11.
On the exit of tunnel 13 – he tends to blast out of tunnels, so remember to plan to call him or use a turn cue when he is still a solid 6 feet before he enters. You were quiet here at :30 an 1:05, and he exited looking at the weaves. A name call or directional can get a turn directly to the backside, no extra yardage there.
>>This is the only part I was disappointed with; I walked it and reviewed it but couldn’t get it to stick in my head.>>
I can see how the intuitive line would go to 7! This ending line is what we are seeing for threadle wraps lately: coming down the line from the exit of 14 to 15 with him on your left, then wrap him to his left at 16 – that way he gets a straight line to 17 and 18, and you are miles ahead on the line 🙂
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
Good morning!
Thank you for the update 😁
If I summarize it correctly: Mookie had a relatively easy time getting around the sequences, because his distance skills are strong! Alonso had a harder time – because the distance skills are not quite as strong (not yet 😁)
So as you tackle these pop outs with Alonso, plan your placement of reinforcement to really pump up the distance and layering skills. You can isolate the harder distance challenges and plan to throw a reward out on the line as he gets on the distance or layering line. Throw it early at first, then gradually throw it later and later. I like to begin by throwing it as soon as the dog looks at the line, to basically say “yes! That is the line!”.
Rewards out on the line like that will really help the layering and distance blossom 🙂 And he will forgive you if the throw is not great – as long as it gets out on the line, somewhere, it will work. I think there is a toy that I threw terribly 15 years ago, still hanging in the rafters at SOTC 🤣😂🤣
You can sometimes place a toy on the line for him to drive to, in order to jump start the behavior. But fade the placed toy out pretty quickly in favor of throwing it to reward the decision to get out on the line.
You didn’t mention your verbals – be sure that when you are sending Alonso away on the bigger lines that your verbals are also big and loud 🙂 That can really help propel hm on the big lines 🙂
Let me know what you think!!! Sounds like the boys are doing great!
Tracy
Good morning!
>>So maybe I was doing a lot of things to help him. When he said he couldn’t work, we played. We had lots of impromptu short games of tug that he often instigated. I fed him out of a treat bowl for breakfast most mornings. He’s had extra naps because I have to go to the office twice a week now. I had never seen him stress down in training before. He’s also peeing on EVERYTHING (no sign of UTI) and getting into EVERYTHING.>>
Adolescent dogs are known to go through fidgety phases because the brain and body are going through such massive changes! It is also entirely possible that his body has not returned to baseline yet after his big seminar weekend. By baseline, I mean the HPA axis which control adrenaline, cortisol, and the physiological partners to all of that. Could take a few days, could take a few weeks! He might need long sniffy walks as part of the decompression to help his body return to that baseline… but no training or classes because that all will stimulate that HPA axis (especially if things don’t go well, or the challenges are hard).
So build in some free running, long sniffy walks, etc where possible (easier said than done in the heat of the summer!) and back off any hard or new challenges. That can mean hard/new skills, or hard/new locations.
And if the peeing on everything and having trouble with regulation continues, definitely check bloods/urine to see if anything is going on. And a visit to a Chiro or soft tissue massage person is great too, to make sure there isn’t something ‘out’ or a trigger point that could be a little ouchy.
On the videos: you can also structure the approach to training a little differently to help keep him from stressing down.
Mainly – reward effort in handling with really exciting rewards (same as if the sequence went correctly) because he is likely to be reading you correctly 🙂 Don’t just reward with excitement when things go according to your plan… reward with excitement always and don’t withhold reinforcement or deliver it without excitement. He is in it for the excitement from you, not just for the cookies 🙂
Basically: his reward is not the cookie, his reward is the big interaction and excitement from you as you deliver the cookie (there are actually a bunch of studies that support this, starting with Wolfram Schultz’s studies with monkeys and dopamine spikes. It is fascinating stuff!!!!
It is really important that there is no telling him he wrong in this stage of training 🙂 Adolescent dogs are really sensitive to punishment (withholding of reinforcement) and not that sensitive to reinforcement. That means yes, reward him… but most definitely try not to tell him he is wrong.
The cookie delivery is not the only thing that creates the high rte of success and motivation for him – it is also the “YAY! YOU ROCKED IT” response from you! So on the reps where you know you might have messed up the cue, or he gets on a line and you are not sure…. keep having that “YAY YOU ARE AMAZING!”response as you deliver the rewards – that is the true reinforcement, not just the actual treat delivery.
The other thing that we know about the adolescent brain is that it might be telling him that he absolutely nailed the response to the cue… then when you ay “dude, that is not it” he gets confused/frustrated so you lose him. The adolescent brain is weird LOL!!
So an example is on the very first rep – nope, he did not take the tunnel. Did his brain tell him that he totally took the tunnel? Yes, that is entirely possible 🙂 Watch his body language from :21 – :26… he looked away, tail dropped a bit, froze up. That is a bit of a stress response. He came back when you cued a hand touch, but we don’t want that initial stress response.
So rather than stop him and withhold reinforcement… just send him around the wing and reward that. Yes, we know that he missed the tunnel but HE may not know he missed the tunnel (adolescent brains… LOL!)
Then on the next rep, slow down the cue to the tunnel and reward that.
He did go in the tunnel really well at :28 and he did go into the entry your shoulders were pointing too… so he did get a cookie but the difference between a “good try” cookie (change in your body language, food delivery 7 seconds later) and a “OMG YOU NAILED IT BRILLIANTLY” cookie (happy body language, quick reward delivery) is discernible to him… so give him and OMG YOU NAILED IT exciting reinforcement even if it was not quite what you intended (that was a handler blooper there, not an adolescent brain moment).
Compare to the “yay!” And toy toss at :48 when you got it right versus the “oops” and change in body language when you got it wrong (not quite enough connection at 1:02) so he took the tunnel. You can totally give him the big “yay!!” Reward on that too, because he was going fast and focused with the info you are giving him there (even if it was not the same a your plan :)) And the big “yay look at you” reward when you got it right can be used even when you don’t get it right 🙂 No need to use an ‘oops’ at all, because that has been paired with a stop in the session/change of body language/reward delay which can be confusing when he has read the cues correctly.
At the beginning of the 2nd video – a small handling blooper and yes, he got the cookie but the change in your body language/voice and stop in the action might not be making it a reinforcement moment.
The next reps had a lot of good-boy energy on the reinforcement and that makes it a true reinforcement for him. Your handling was really clear too! But even if you had a blooper 😁 keep going rather than stop, or give him the “yay!!!” Energy on the reward. I think that will make a big difference for him!!!
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
Good morning!
I think this went REALLY well!!! I agree, it is a hard hard game – and you and Sprite had a super high success rate. And there were plenty of reps here and she kept processing (lots of brain work!) without changing behavior or tuning out the cues. Yay!
Backside step: consistently excellent! And yes, even when the foot is not the “correct” foot, if the line presented cued a specific behavior (like the backside push at 1:57 showing a line to the backside even though it was the opposite foot) keep rewarding like you did, she is correct.
FC wrap – the very first rep was not quite rotated engouh but then you nailed it on all the other reps. It was a it of a hard behavior for her (coming into that collection from a standstill) but she got it! The slight delay was probably her brain processing the more challenging mechanics of the wrap.
One little blooper:
At :52, I think you had too much upper body rotation as she was coming around you so she mistook it for a RC. That was likely due to a change in your line up position that happened after approx the 1 minute mark on the first side: instead of her being mostly parallel to the jump, she was having to come around you which made the wraps more challenging.The rear crosses were SUPER!!! I have always found those to be the hardest element of this game, and you and Sprite nailed it! YAY!!! Well done!
>>I am trying to use my inside leg for the RC slice. But, if she’s too close to me she’s picked her line before I step.
On. Those slicing rears, you will be in motion the whole time, so she will see the dog-side leg step to the center of the bar followed by the inside leg step. I think that will make it very clear for her when it is in context of a bigger sequence.
>>And, am I supposed to be looking at her? That’s inconsistent.>>
Yes for the rear, yes for the backside push. For the wrap, especially from a standstill, shifting your connection from her eyes to the landing spot worked really well to help her commit with all that countermotion and rotation.
Another step to add here your verbal directionals for each cue (backside push, wrap verbals, or soft turn for the RC is you toss the reward out on the soft turn line). You can release with the directional at the start of each rep.
>>P.s. it looks like the live and the most recent hot topics requires 6 jumps and a tunnel. I can’t get all of that in my cat. 5 jumps maximum. Should I just try one of the pop outs? Saturday might only be in the 80s.>>
You can leave out a jump or replace a jump with a cone or something. For example, on the recent hot topics, the straight line stuff can be done with 4 jumps and the tunnel. Then you can take the jumps after the tunnel and move them over to the bigger sequence, which uses 5 jumps. So you can do little course changes to minimize the # of jumps you need to transport.
Great job here! Fingers crossed for cooler weather!
Tracy
Good morning!
>>t I can’t say that I have ever used a tandom turn on a course. I want to be clear with the puppy.>>
You might use them in some elements of Premier or UKI where you want the threadle-wrap-ish but then you and the dogs turn to the new direction like a U-turn or a rear cross on the flat. They pop up here and there, but the threadle wraps are all the rage at the moment 🙂 but I start with tandem turns in training to introduce the first half of the concept (turning away from the line) then we add in the countermotion of the threadle wraps.
On the blinds: these are pretty darned hard! But soooo useful in spots so definitely worth playing with! And it is a little harder with a small dog because Taq is so fast and also low to the ground, so the connection is harder to establish and see for both of you.
A couple of ideas for you to be able to both tighten the turns and get the second blind in consistently:
I think you were doing a great job of emphasizing the exit line connection of looking back at her to get the side change. That is the KEY element here! To make it even easier, a couple of ideas:
The double crosses rely on quickness of the connection changes – and having your arms out and fully extended sows that down. When your arms are out, you have to reel them in then make the new connection, which doesn’t happen quickly enough for Taq.
So to get quicker: Keep your wings in tight (arms tight to your torso) the whole time. I bend my elbows and keep my hands low and just behind my hips so my arms slightly resemble chicken wings LOL That way when I do the double blinds, all I need to do is turn my upper body to look at the dog – no reeling in my arms. It makes things very quick!
Doing the first blind sooner will help a whole lot too – you were doing it when she got to the wing. Ideally, you start it as she is on the way to the wing, moving up the line. Your continued motion helps commit her, and the upper body changes the line so the first blind is done before she arrives at the wing – then when she turns her head to come into the gap, you do the second blind. That will give you a lot more time to establish the connection on the 2nd blind!
Here is a visual from a different angle, of both the timing and chicken wing arms:
>>I forgot to use my verbals.>>
Yes – or sometimes you said “go!” So she went in extension. Good girl! Using a left or right verbal on these can help get the collection and your motion will match that with a bit of decel.
The other thing is that baby dogs have no concept that we might *possibly* do 2 blinds in a row like this! The last time they saw this bit of insanity was when we were doing blind crosses on the flat during recalls! So it will take them an extra heartbeat to process the cues. As they get more experienced, it gets a lot easier for them to respond quickly 🙂
Great job here!! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
