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Good morning!
Is that Marie as your helper? She is the best!!!
Looking at the first video – the blind was good! But the environment was MUCH harder:
– He was tired
– There were people and dogs approaching on both sides of him and he was able to ignore them once
– I am not sure he was into the toy with you holding it close to his face. I think tying it to something long so you can get him chasing it will make a big differenceAs you lead out from someone holding him, we want to keep him super crazed for you 🙂 So rather than walk away quietly, you can go WILD and run round him, being crazy… then take off and run run run. He will be GLUED to you 🙂
It looks like this:
That wild start plus a higher value toy (which could be the longer version of it, like puppy lure coursing :)) will help! And you can of course use food rewards for it too. He likes his treats as you can see on the decel video! So if the environment is hard, you can use food.
He did great with the decel game – you were more exciting as you walked away from him to start each one and the food value was very high. There were a few dogs present but they were further away.
Your last decel was perfection! You did it when he was about 10 or more feet from you, so he was able to collect. Then the pivot was controlled (not too fast) so he stayed in collection – very nice! Yay!
>I think we are going to take Tuesday off training completely and just have a rest day. >
Yes – definitely today off from anything that requires brain 🙂 And maybe tomorrow too – do easy stuff 🙂
>We have 3 down days this week, then I’m showing him in breed for four days next weekend so we’ll see how that goes too!>
Did he show last weekend too? Breed showing is still work, so balance the showing with the training so he doesn’t get brain tired 🙂 When they get mentally tired, we see that their mechanics and movement is not as crisp, and they often have decreased impulse control.
Great job here!
Tracy
Good morning!
These were really cool to get on video!Lots of good exposure and world watching on his resilience walk. Sooooo many different loud sounds/people/carts rolling/machines/people/dogs/etc. He took it all in with confidence. Love it!
He seemed very comfy exploring the indoor section. On a mission! Definitely going *somewhere*. Where? No one knows. But happy to go SOMEWHERE hahaha
He led you right towards some weird things but also responsive to when you changed direction so he wouldn’t end up in heavy machinery LOL
Lots of good ‘sniff and dismiss’ of all these new things.
The garden center was weirder for him – note the difference in tail set and him not being on a mission to get somewhere as much as he did indoors. The flapping plastic was definitely harder but also he had a lot to check out and process! All of the garden stuff smells and outdoor smells.
>He wanted to explore, but he never went back up the closest aisle to the flapping. >
Really interesting!!! He was like “cross that aisle off the tour” haha. But he didn’t seem to be holding onto any stress about it.
But then by then end – back to his normal ‘going on a mission somewhere’ tail high, leading the way. Love it!!!!
This is something to try to do with him maybe once a week if possible – even if it is part of someplace you are already scheduled to go to, or if it means a trip to get ice cream or something 🙂
Great job!
TracyGood morning!
Thanks for the update! I am glad he is doing really well with the games. Getting to play all of them at least once is fantastic!!!! Is he having any trouble with any of them? More games posted today!
Congrats on the herding success with the BC boys 🙂 Hopefully your computer gets fixed fast!
I am looking forward to your updates. Have fun!
Tracy
Good morning!
>The Lew knows!>
Ha! That would be a great t-shirt with his photo on it:
The Lew Knows.
I would totally buy one!Looking at the video:
The first & 2nd reps were also a The Lew Knows moment – your shoulders were closed to the line, so it actually did indicate that he should layer the jump like he did.
On the next reps, you pulled away from the line more so he came in to take the jump – but note how he was being very careful (and maybe judgey too haha) because your shoulder was still closed.
When you switched sides – you had more of the strike a pose position at 1:14 for example. Your arm was back and that rotated your shoulder more to the jump. That is definitely more of the serp position, so keep that serp arm back like you did on the 2nd side – the goal on the serp is to have your shoulders rotated so the center of your chest faces the center of the bar as you move.
And he was perfect with the wraps on the balance reps! Yay!
Great job 🙂 Tracy
Good morning!
This went really well! You were in good position on these reps so she was able to sort out what to do with her movement. Her stay is looking good – you can start to fade the platform out to transfer the sit to the ground. You can replace the platform with a small towel or something similar so she has a visual aid rather than just removing the platform.
Since this is going well, you can add challenge by reducing (then eliminating) the space between the jumps. That will require her to shift back and forth faster!
Great job here 🙂
Tracy
Good morning!
>In the flowcharts, when you have doing the activities (whatever step you are on) in “new places” does that mean trying to go to novel places? >
Ideally, yes. The sports rely on the dog’s ability to work in novel places so training in novel places does become important.
>Where there is agility? Or can that also include going to a place you do go (i.e., OTR) but going at different times of day or trying to do a drop in at a different class so that the picture is different (different dogs, etc.)? >
All of the above! Exposure to new environments even if it is just simple foundation training and not actual agility can be very helpful.
> Should we also be going places like Cabela’s or Home Depot to do these games? >
Those locations are harder to control the environment around you and other dogs and people, so I generally don’t recommend them unless there are no other options.
>I’m thinking maybe not because there’s not really any big arousal in that environment.>
For a breed that genetically is very tuned Ito the environment, you don’t need high arousal sports to get good training done 🙂 The new environments are very stimulating.
>Also interesting discussions about not allowing them to rehearse bad behavior. I’ve watched that pretty carefully. >
It sounds like you have been really good about not allowing undesired behavior to creep in! Yay!
>Equipment wise, he does wear a gentle leader when he leaves the house.>
I am not against a Gentle leader at all – it is similar to halters on horses. The trouble with it is that people often wait til the dog is adult and slap it on without any desensitization or habituation to it so the dog spends a lot of time trying to get it off, or the dog gets his head yanked on it. You’re an experienced Gentle Leader user and it sounds like Judge is very comfy with it (like a giant pony LOL)
>I was educated by some bitesport people that with his lineage, he was bred to pull HARD into a harness to get into the pressure (bite the decoy).
Dogs from one side of his pedigree would not be bred if they did not pull hard. >Yeah…. But also maybe not LOL. What they are likely referring to is certain temperament aspects that make training to pull hard easy. That doesn’t mean that Judge will genetically pull into a harness 🙂 It sounds like stuff we humans tell ourselves which is not sound science. There are certainly genetics that make things like pulling into a harness easier to train (prey drive, frustration, etc) but that doesn’t mean the dogs will all genetically do them. So I am sure you could work him into a harness if you wanted to.
Keep me posted!
Tracy
Hi –
It sounds like the Central Bark location is steeped in sheep/duck/rat smells, plus his associations are with activities involving those animals and he is on sensory overload.If the weather is good, maybe crate him in the car so he doesn’t have to deal with the other dogs and so you are less stressed about it 🙂
Tracy
Hi!
What is Central Bark? What happens there? I don’t know what it is LOL
He did super well with the game at the park on the video! Very engaged and fun, offering behavior, except when you made the toy boring at about 1:03. He thought that was dull but got right into it when you played for real 🙂
>And should I be doing the power patterns? We haven’t had that I WANT to you were looking for yet>
Yes, definitely play them, they are fun… for toys 🙂 He probably still will have the ‘meh’ response to pattern games with food, so play them with toys 🙂
Tracy
Hi! Lots of great work here!
The forward focus with the toy looked fabulous! Keep adding distance to your throws – we build on this tomorrow 🙂 That game also served as a great warm up for the prop game!
She has strong value for the prop – I think in the first part, you were waiting for her to offer but she was not sure if you were cueing it or not? That was no question when you added the ready dance after the tug break. It was a very clear transition into the send, so she drove directly to it. Super!!! You can keep adding a little distance, and move to the advanced level sideways and backwards sending 🙂
Tugging right where she had the food was hard! But you were exciting and kept the toy moving so she got into it. You can go longer with that toy play 🙂 And you can throw the toy for her to run to – it is a great way to get her playing again after the treats, especiall with all the good cookie smells around
The next video is marked WW foundation but it was the drive to handler. She was perfect of course – apologies for making you bend over so much LOL! You can bring this game into a larger space so the cookie tosses can be further away – and that way you can run away and show a big deceleration as you get the hand cue in, then pivot.
On the Goat games video – nice tugging at the beginning and it was super clever how you had the little platform under the dresser, to slide in and out of the session!!! And she was great about playing with the toy during tug break!
She was LOVELY about getting her front feet on. She didn’t get her back feet on when the platform was super close, but when it was further away from you on the latest shaping moment she was able to get her back feet on. That is good to know: keep the goat objects a little further from you so she feels she has room to get on comfortable (she is a LONG lady :))
Next steps for her goat game: keep changing up what she gets up on: low planks, random couch cushions, that folded up crate in your bigger training area – anything and everything 🙂 And you can change your position to standing as well as lng as you use a super long toy for her to grab onto during tug breaks.
Great job!!!
Tracy
Hi! The games are going really well!
>. She’s very bouncy on the turns for decel lol I’m guessing that’s cuz I’m late to show her!?>
I think she is simply very passionate about running to you for cookies 🙂 She is less bouncy and tighter to you when you hold your hand right next to your leg – the best example of that was at :20 on the 2nd decel video. When your hand was too far away or a little forward of your leg, she was more bouncy and didn’t decelerate quite as well.
When you pivot, turn slowly and keep looking at her – that will also keep her nice and tight to your side without her bouncing around too much 🙂
>a repeat session of the prop send which I think went a lot better.>
I agree, this went really well! The ready dance definitely gets her driving to the prop! She might try to leave the ready dance to send herself to the prop 🙂 So you can reward her for sticking with you 🙂
Since this went so well, you can try it with a toy as the reward. And you can also move to the advanced levels, which is the sideways and backwards sending.
Great job!
Tracy
Hi! This went well!
At the beginning: he read the opening line really well! Yay!
If you are going to do the spin at :10, :29 (jump 3) don’t back up into it. It makes you late and he had to head check for more info when he landed. You were further across the bar of 3 at :49 so there was less backing up and the line was better.
Leading out less and moving into it at 1:17 set up wider lines.Another option for the 3 jump is to to a full front cross or blind cross 2-3, and exit it with brake arms to get a little collection on 3. He is very responsive to that cue and it will also be easier for you to handle because you don’t have to rotate or back up.
The way the sequence is setup, the line from5 to 6 is naturally a backside so he was a good boy on the first run! The brake arms on run 2 set the turn so he saw the front of 6 really well. You can do that without decelerating or stopping. Stopping at :56 & 1:22 actually made the cue late and created a bit of a zig zag line. He found the tunnel at a big distance on the verbal there really well! Yay!
The spin on 9 at 1:28 got him through the gap but he head checked for more info – you can handle it more as a throw back, meaning your feet continue to face the next line to 10 rather than rotate to 9. And you use your arm to ‘throw’ him behind you to 9 and shifting connection to the landing spot. That way you can move away to 10 and pick him up on your left sooner.
>Hardest part was getting the backside of 12…keeping him from the tunnel and not getting the front side. >
You were overhelping 🙂 and that is why he had questions.
At 1:32, you gave a big pull and shoulder turn along with a big name call, so he (correctly) locked onto the front of the jump.
On the next rep at 1:42, you ran all the way to the wing of 11 then pulled away to 12 (almost got the front again) then pushed back to the backside and blocked the wing at 1:43, so he thought you wanted the tunnel.
On the last rep, you still got a bit too close to 11 and you didn’t pull then push – you just supported the line to the backside better so he got it.
>. I didn’t know if it was best to try to get close to 11 and try to shape the line for the backside or send to 11 and try to get close to the wing at 12.>
Shaping the line caused some of his questions, so sending more to 11 was definitely the way to go.
To be able to get it more consistently. set the parallel line to the backside: he needs to see the full backside wing, so your running line will be no further over towards the tunnel than to where the wing and bar meet (eventually you can be further across the bar of 12). Send him to 11 without getting close to it, then run with connection and backside verbal to where the wing and bar meet. That should get him to the backside without introducing the tunnel or front side as an option.
> These are not the type of discriminations I have experience with since I don’t do premiere.>
These backsides in flow with off course options are now popping up in regular, depending on region and judge. I imagine you will run into it soon locally and definitely at the Invitational.
Nice work here!
Tracy
Hi!
I was SUPER proud of him for all of the right turns here! You sent him from your left side on all the reps here and he turned correctly to his right on almost all of them. The only accidental left turns were when he went behind you to try to grab the toy first 🙂 and then at the end, when he didn’t quite hit the prop – and fixed it by turning to his left.
Two small things to adjust:
– if he misses and you don’t reward, line him up on the original side for the next send, so he doesn’t fix it by turning to his stronger side 🙂
– as you mentioned, the dangling toy was hard for him to ignore, so you can have it scrunched up in your hand a little more for now so it is less of a distraction.
Being closer was actually very good here – it got him turning to his right! Yes, I am obsessed with making sure he can turn equally in both directions 🙂
You can mix in building more food value by giving him a cookie after each click… then playing tug after each cookie 🙂 (You can also use a verbal marker and not use the clicker anymore, so your hands are free to hold treats and the tug :))
He is ready for the advanced levels of sideways and backwards sending, to begin moving into the harder skills of countermotion.
Great job!
Tracy
Hi!
It was very fun to see the whole family gathered around watching him shape with the cone LOL!! The Shelties were hoping for a turn, perhaps or maybe cookies 🙂
He was super with the toy – the value of the toy is very high so he was able to ignore his family 🙂 and wrap the cone consistently. He had a couple of misses – one was at 1:09 but that was when you moved the cone, so he might have thought you were cueing something with your hand.
He had a miss at 1:25 when the cone was a bit further and he had to turn right but then he did figure it out! Yay! A couple of misses towards the end of the session might have meant his brain was getting tired 🙂
The session was not too long, which is great. The challenge of having to focus on the task AND ignore the family is hard, so you can use the session to start easy, do harder stuff earlier in the session (like moving the cone further away) then after a few successes: move the cone back in closer so even if his brain gets tired, he can be very successful at the end.
During the food session: he made me smile when he tried to pick up and play with the bowl at the beginning LOL!!!
The food makes him more thoughtful and more methodical, but he did a GREAT job of figuring it out here!Same as with the toy session, he was better turning to his left around the cone (I think he was 100% here) and had to work a little harder on the right turns (a couple of misses but many successes too! Yay!
Since food is not as exciting to him as toys, keep adding your praise while he is heading to the bowl – he seems to really light up and love it when you tell him how brilliant he is 🙂 And, you can break up a cookie session and after every 3 or 4 cookies, bring out a toy for some tugging. You can strengthen the right turns by bringing it out after he has wrapped to his right (towards you right hand here).
Great job!
Tracy
Hi!
His drive to the toy and forward focus are looking great! You were great about running away on different angles. We were adding your different angles of running away to see if we could convince him to turn equally to his left and to his right. He is definitely a lefty 🙂 and even with you running the new direction, he was still turning to his left on every rep. When he was on your left for the start of the rep, he also turned to his left at :27, :45,1:39, 2:37, 3:19, 3:59. Ideally, he should turn to his right on those reps. When he started on your right? Perfect turning to his left, which is the ideal direction from your right side.
A strong side preference is very normal, so we can help him love turning to his right as well. So to convince him to try turning to his right even when it feel less natural, a couple of ideas:
– slow things down. When he is trying to go really fast, he will default to the easier side. I can relate, from the human perspective: I am also a lefty, so if I have to do something fast, I will automatically use my left hand 🙂 So if you slow the game down, he will be able to sort out the mechanics of the right turns.– part of slowing things down is using less distance. We know that he is very happy to drive ahead, so you can dial back the distance: toss the toy (or even put cookies on a bowl) only 3 feet away from you. That way, he won’t have as much speed and he will very easily be able to see you moving to your right. That will get the right turns much more easily and then both sides will feel natural for him 🙂
Nice work here!
Tracy
Hi!
The drive to handler game looked great! You can get your hand in sooner (when she is halfway to you) because that will help keep her butt from swinging out when she arrives. The pivots looked lovely!
Since this went really well, you can add in your motion: as she is getting the start cookie, you can start jogging away. As she starts moving towards you, show her the big decel and hand cue. That way she can see the transition into decel and collect to turn.
She definitely has strong value for the prop! When you are clicker shaping it, be sure you click for her foot/feet touching it – you were a little early so the clicks were more for nose targeting than foot targeting 🙂 We can see that in the send session: she sent really well on both sides! Yay! Sometimes you were rewarding feet and sometimes a nose target. Stay closer for now, and reward foot touches only as that will build up criteria for upcoming games as well as sharpen your observation skills with her fast little feet 🙂
One thing I notice here: when you turn your back on her and walk away during the transition at :20 and at the end – she is confused. She froze and her tail wagging slowed. You were moving to the next part of the game or ending the session, but the withdrawal of attention and reinforcement can be perceived as negative punishment by her (which would definitely be confusing/stressful).
So when you do pick up the prop to re-load cookies (like at :20) you can either stay facing her and talking to her, or toss a cookie or two off to the side or into the grass for her to go get so she never sees you turning your back on her. And at the end, keep engaging with her as you move out of the session, you can toss cookies into the grass, or see if she wants to play with a toy, so there is never a moment where you walk away from her.
>The prop was more exciting than me🤣>
Don’t take it personally LOL She has great value! If she is anticipating the send, you can mix in giving her treats for sticking with you during the ready dance.
Great job here!
Tracy
