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Good morning!
>We were at Canine Sports Zone this weekend for a trial (looks like we are just missing you!). >
Yes! I start driving there tomorrow. Sorry to have missed you! They have all of those smaller areas which help us train the young dogs.
> We did back and forth and up and down. He started slightly slower with the reconnection to me, but then got into a groove and was offering eye contact quickly. We did a little moving back and forth too.>
Fabulous – starting only slightly slower then getting back to normal is great. Sounds like he was able to handle the environment really well.
> We used those for ring entry, leash off and party, then exit and repeat. He gave very good attention as soon as we entered, so I also took a couple of steps and the we sort of set up in from of a jump. That all went really well.>
This is all EXCELLENT!! Yay Judge!
>We also did some stationing on their podium. Not part of class, but part of his life skills program – watch things go by and be neutral about them.>
This type of stationing is great for a Malinois 🙂 Observe the world as you are bred to do, but stay chill, sir!
> Also did some measuring practice with the wicket (he does not care when I do it or when Terry does it). I may need to work on “strangers” – he’s generally neutral with people, but they don’t usually touch him. >
I think he would only need to be measured for AKC? I think UKI will not need a measure? But I will have to double check that?
>After tomorrow, the heat is supposed to break for a few days, so hope to get to the sequencing homework!>
Great news about a break in the heat! July has been brutal, but that seems to be the new normal. Thanks for keeping me posted!
Tracy
Hello and welcome!
>We’re doing run thrus tomorrow morning so I will get someone to video for feedback.>
Fantastic! I am looking forward to it!
>Was wondering – I would love to do the opening sequences as is but I don’t have that large a space to set it up; didn’t realize we needed something that large. Any recommendations for making it smaller that might still work?>
Depending on the size of the space, you can modify things to make the challenges fit: using a shorter tunnel if always good if you have one, or replacing the tunnel with a cone or barrel (or two cones or barrels and the pups goes around the outside of them to simulate the tunnel line). You can also replace jumps with cones or barrels. I also use 3 weave poles as jump bars in smaller spaces, because they take up less room 🙂
>And a quick question re: Up and Down Game. After I put the first treat down on my foot, and then the next, Saucy decided it was easier to stay down. Is that OK?>
Yes, as long as her head is moving up (towards your face) and down (to get the cookie), she can stay in that position. If you do want her to move more (adolescent dogs sometimes just need to move, whether they realize it or not :)) then you can hold your feet more spread out, so she finds it easier to move between them.
Have fun!
Tracy
>Good morning! And welcome back! And well played with the outfit matching the tunnel 🙂
You and Skizzle are still really clicking as a team – the sequence work is looking good!
The opening of the first run looked lovely – super nice bind at :26! You ran a good line after the barrel (which is a nice substitute for another jump there! Smart!) Then a small connection blooper put him on the other side of you coming back down the line towards the tunnel. I think what caused it was reaching for the ball – that pulled your brain out of the connection for a heartbeat and also he saw it happening, so it pulled his focus to the side of you with the ball.
You had lovely connection in the opening and in the spot at the barrel on the 2nd run so he found that line easily!
>And it looks like Skizzle followed the direction I was moving at the cactus jump – which didn’t set him up well for the tunnel entrance. It seems like I should have been moving more directly parallel to the jump.>
Yes, he was also heading towards the last tunnel really well, but pulled off at the last minute – he saw a really subtle change in direction from you: you got a little too close to the bar on the cactus jump and ended up caught behind the wing. So he jumped it straight towards the tunnel… but then he saw you step to your right to get around the wing and he immediately changed directions. Good boy, he is watching everything! You can see it 1:09-1:12.
I think it was just a matter of you needing a little more room to run through the line, so you can move the yellow jump a little further away (to the left of the screen) so you have a straighter line to run without getting caught behind the cactus 🙂
You did reach for the ball here, but he was ahead and driving straight, and your connection was strong so the ball was not a distraction. You can also run with it in your hand or you can leave it in your pocket til after he is done, to help guarantee it doesn’t become a distraction 🙂
Great job here! Have fun on vacation and let me know how the patterns go!
Tracy
Hi!
>I was trying to stay further away from 2 but then was in his way on the landing?>
The timing was good here! And you were not in the way on the landing – his question was about connection 🙂 As he was trying to sort out where to be after 2, all he could really see was your back , so he followed you until it became more obvious that it was the next jump.
So as you finish the blind, use exit line connection: have your left arm all the way back and your right arm holding a toy on your left hip, as you connect to his eyes. That will make the connection very visible and he will read the line much better.
The rest looked really good!
Super nice job with the double whammys and Lennan! You did a great job staying connected and continuing, so there were no problems getting the double whammy. Super! There were some spots we can tighten up – some ideas for you:
Sequence 1:
1-2-3-4 looked really good!You can show him the turn cues earlier on the tunnel entry and at :42, :59. That would be decel, arriving into the threadle position, and verbal all while he is still 2 meters before entering the tunnel.
The RC works to flip him back to the tunnel – you can decel into it at :14, for example, to get a tighter turn there.
You can add a brake arm for backside at 9 (:18, :49) – as he is passing you to get to the entry wing, you can have the outside arm visible along with the dog-side arm (all before he gets to the entry wing) to ask for more collection so he wraps more and slices less there.
In the transition back to the sequence, you can do a spin on the 1/10 jump at :50. The post turn there sent him a little wide.
Seq 2 also went really well 3 spots where we can ask for tighter turns
You can cue 2 with both hands (brake arms), so he turns to find 3 sooner.
To get a nice tight line to the blind: use the exit line connection, placing your right arm across your body (hand on left hip) as you make eye contact to make the connection very clear. On those blinds, he could only see your back as you finished it so he was a little wide there.
On jump 8, you can handle with a serp arm (left arm back and extended out) – at 1:33 and 2:02 you were using a shoulder pull, which got 8 easily and made it harder for him to know o turn away looking for 9.
Great job here!
Tracy
Hi! These are going well!
On the first video:
First rep looked great! Her stay is developing nicely!Be sure to line her up at your side to get a clean start at :14. When you lined her up on the other runs, the send to the first jump was much smoother.
It was a little hard to? see – did she go around the jump at :24 & :44? And go around to the inside at 1:01? If so, you can isolate that send and reward when she takes the jump.
At :27 – she picked up the new side after the tunnel really well but you need to move to the jump you want
Much better at 1:05 & 1:30 but you can add deceleration to get a tighter turn there. And remember to keep moving to the last jump, so she doesn’t turn back to you.She took the backside at 1:34 – in that spot, you can use 2 hands to cue more collection, to get her to land facing the front of the next jump instead of facing the backside line.
Pop Out 1 went really well – she did really nicely finding the lines on the very technical part! That is because you were moving and being connected, so she was generally able to go exactly where you wanted her to go 🙂
She had one question spot, at the jump nearest to the camera at :03, 1:01, 1:31, 2:06, 2:32. That was when you had stopped moving and were trying to get her to take the jump with you just pointing your arm. It didn’t make sense to her there. But compare that to 2:18 & 2:45 you were moving the whole time, and she got it really well. Super!
Last video: She had a question at 2 on the first run – you can set the RC line better to 2 by running to the center of the bar (:21)
She did well with the lead out on the 2nd run (1:33) and 3rd run! Just make sure you are facing the way you want to go when you release her – she dropped the bar at 2:07 because you were facing her and not the line.
The FC 4-5 worked really well (last run). That set the line smoothly. When you tried pulling her in then sending her back out on the previous reps, she was confused about there to go to get 5. Staying in motion there really helped too
And she read the ending line really well also 🙂Great job!
Tracy
Hi!
He read the opening really well and the closing too!
>I couldn’t get him to take #4 except when I stopped and waited for him.
>That was a combination of more connection needed, and the visual of the toy overriding the jump.
On the first run, the toy as dangling right in front of him as he was figuring out where to be, so he went to the toy. And it was on the other side on the 2nd rep, bit the connection was not that clear so he was still a little locked onto the toy.
About the connection: connecting on the dog-side arm didn’t show him the new line because as he landed, he could basically only see your back. Exit line connection will do the trick: start with the toy in your right (he is on your right for jumps 1-2-3) then as you do the blind, bring your right arm across your body to rest the toy on your left hip. That really opens up the connection to the new side so he should be able to find the line really well.
Another thing to consider here is that this might be a better front cross spot for him – the FC will turn your feet to the 4 jump sooner. The BC for a moment turns your feet and shoulders to the off course, so he was a little wide (which makes it harder to get him to take 4).
If he does go past the jump though – rather than stop and give him the toy (which might reward passing the jump), keep going for another jump or two then deliver the reward 🙂
That is a very cute distraction puppy, looking right at him! The back and forth pattern was really helpful – I think having the puppy staring right at him was hard for Aelfraed, but he was really good about ignoring the pup!
And he did a great job with the up and down game – really good, quick engagement even though it is a new game. Yay! This is a great game for when he is standing outside the ring, getting ready to go into the ring 🙂
Great job here!
Tracy
Hi!
>You mean go on the road ( easy familiar places) with toys?>
Yes – we need to see where he will play with toys, and which he will play with, before adding them to pattern games.
>He understands context: >
That’s pretty normal, which is why we want to fet the toy play to more places before we really try to use it as part of pattern games.
>I gave all the dogs lick mats and took him out back to practice our 2o2o and he got a little wild running. >
Be sure to start each session with the volume dial game so he can engage before starting the training.
I
> then he wanted the chicken. Like really wanted it. ( it’s close to dinner time) is it ok to do a little up and down with the chicken when he’s all in?>Sure! Being hungry for dinner probably helped him want the food 🙂
Tracy
Hi!
She definitely seemed to like the extra action of you moving more between the bowls. She was .ore stimulated and engaged, very quick responses 🙂 Yay! Just remember not to move until she has engaged with you – you were a little twitchy LOL!So definitely keep going with the bowls at a bigger distance. You can also do the back and forth/ping pong game, where there are no bowls but the cookie tosses are far enough to create lots of action. And that can allow you to move even more in the environment.
Great job!
TracyHi!
Yes, that does sound like a hard environment!!! And I’m super glad the games are helping. You’ll find that the more she practices the patterns and the volume dial, the easier it is for her to focus and engage in new environments (even when she can see rabbits :))Keep me posted!!
Tracy
Hi!
>If when I’m working the other dog PoweR chooses to come back on his own what do I do. >
You greet him happily for joining in, reward, maybe ask him to something along with the other dog.
>If he plays keep away from the person who is designated to go get him, what do I do?>
If this is a possibility, let him drag a light line so it is easy to gently gather him up. Ask the people to NOT step on the leash because that could end up yanking him on the neck. Gathering him up nicely is critical, so he doesn’t avoid it more because the gathering up was punitive.
On the videos:
He did well with the pattern game! The back and forth game with the ‘search’ was good because he was able to move a lot and get some sniffing in as he looked for the treat. You can now add your motion, walking back and forth as you play.
For the up and down, you can get the cookie to the floor rather than hand it to him – getting it to the floor gets the change in head plane that helps with the physiological response more than handing it to him does.
He likes his spin tricks and leg weaves! For the tricks – this is where I would deliver the treat from the hand rather than toss on the ground. This helps direct the engagement up to you as we optimize his arousal state.
You can bring these games (patterns and the tricks & volume dial) into the class setting – I am curious to see what he does when there are bigger distractions.
Great job!
Tracy
I am glad it was fun! I think the first thing to do is to see how he feels about tugging on different toys in other places – which toy(s) will work best for this? Don’t worry about the patterns until we have the reinforcement strategy.
T
Hi –
> He also doesn’t feel the need to eat after he’s had meals. So if he’s had breakfast he’s done. Ya know how some people are content eating once a day? That’s chase.>
His nervous system goes into rest-and-digest mode. So if you want to use food, it has to be valuable and it has to be at a time of day when it is not after he has eaten. The treats can be considered part of his meal.
>1- Chase has a very clear down time between 8:30-11. He can do stuff but this is his nap time. I know he will at some point need to do things at any time but should I avoid working patterns such at that time?>
What time of day does he eat? 8:30-11am is prime time for dog sports, so you might need to change his meal time or his downtime. That way you can do things like work patterns. But you will be using toys more than food, which should be more activating anyway.
2- Chase tugs his best at Ff. Think of FF as home and his home as a new place to visit. We don’t train at home much at all bc i don’t have space and the other dogs are jerks and even if I put tj in the car they bark so training home base is FF… where should I work the toy game ?>
You should work the toy game at home and at FF. You don’t want to be limited to only FF, and you don’t want to abandon home training, so let the other dogs bark in a different room in the house so he can have some training at home too.
T
Hi!
>We had an issue at the beginning with Kat not coming in for the backside (I ran it as a German), but I realized I needed to show her the line better and to give her a turn cue before 2.>
Yes, there is a bit of a jump-jump discrimination there and the verbal turn cue at 2 really helped.
For both the German here and the circle wraps at 14, she often does not automatically jump the bar after getting to the backside. For both of these, you will want to keep moving through and look back to the landing spot but most importantly – drop the reward on the landing spot as you move through to help make it all more automatic.
Also, clarifying the verbals will help –
is push your verbal for both a slice and a wrap on the backside? Or back for the slice? (4:43) or back for wrap (5:08 at 5:15)? I think being consistent will also help a lot, some of her questions might be about which line it is and she is waiting for more info from the physical cues.>She also struggled with the weaves when I tried to layer the jump. I will work on that separately and decided to just get rid of the layer after a couple of failed attempts.>
2 ideas for you on that:
From the handling perspective, you were too far ahead for the layering at 1:03 and 3:17. That caused you to decelerate and turn to get around the jump… but it actually pulled her to the jump. Sticking closer to the teeter exit and releasing, then driving forward will send her past you to the weave entry, which makes the layering a lot easier.
From the training perspective – the whole jump is a big distraction, so you can work on her weaving with you just layering a wing. Then you can work up to adding 2 wings, then the whole jump.
The 6-7-8 section looked good! I think you were wanting a RC on 9 (RC on the landing side?) but you were standing still then accelerated, so she read it as a left turn. You can decel into it to flip her away, or do a blind 8-9 and keep her on your left for the tunnel. The RC before the 10 tunnel was beginning to cue too tight of a turn on the exit, making it harder to find 11.
When she got 11, the RC on 12 and line to 13 looked great! And be sure to decelerate into the wrap on 14, and look at landing as you move through (but definitely more training with rewards thrown to the landing side as you move through will help).
To wrap 15, be sure to decelerate as soon as she exits 14, You were accelerating on the first run in that section so she went really wide. You were earlier on the 2nd run through there and had a much nicer turn 🙂 When you got too far behind at the end, watch your feet – they totally turned to the backside so that is where she went. Good girl!!
And the ending line went really well, no worries when you ran out of gas on the very last run and she found her toy 🙂
Great job here!
Tracy
