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Hi!
>>I definitely need to work on this more! I think I expect to get refusals on sends, so I babysit them too much rather than reinforcing it.
I think you will find that there is a sweet spot for her, where she can still easily process the send and jumping. It doesn’t have to be too close to the send jump, but it might not be miles away either. She will let us know, she is great about that 🙂
Looking at the video:
>>I think that focusing on the landing spot helped me not to leave before she gave me permission to go for the most part.>>
Yes! So many smoooooth reps and commitments!!
>>I was focused on looking at the landing spot on the wraps, and when I was able to do that correctly, she read it well.>>
You can now use it as a cue for her to go there, rather than following her there as she is passing you. It is almost like as you decel into the wrap and start to change arms for the FC (or spin), you can look at her eyes and then let her see you look back to (and point to) the landing spot. This is done as you rotate – it is kind of saying “you go there because I am turning and going the other way” 🙂
It is kind of like those backwards sends we work on with the pups!
One smaller detail to remember is your exit line connection from wing wrap in the center: there were a few spots (like at :46 or 3:34) where there was not enough exit line connection so she just followed you and was either wide or didn’t take the next jump.
The circle wraps are another place where you can use the connection shift to cue her to pass you and take the wing as you continue to move forward. You had some really good connection shifts (like at 1:23 and 2:05). I don’t think you need the arm across your body as part of the cue because it makes it harder to shift the connection to the landing while you move forward. This of it as passing her from hand-to-hand: she starts on your left which gives her a gentle send past you (but does not comes across your body) Then as she is passing you, you pass her to your right hand and then shift connection to the landing spot and point with your new hand.
That can make it sooooo much easier to keep running forward after the circle wraps! Plus, it won’t look like a rear cross slice cue when we add a jump back in.
There were a couple of spots on the circle wrap where you were running forward correctly (without waiting or any sideways movement) but you were looking at her cute face, so she didn’t commit: you can see it at 2:37, 2:51, and 3:10 for example. On the reps after it, like at 3:01 and 3:18, you used a little more arm and waiting longer – but I like your impulse to move forward right behind her so the connection shift will get her committing as you move forward nice and early 🙂
The big sequences at the end looked really good!! You can keep playing with these to see how much sooner you can shift your connection so you can be moving the new direction sooner too.
Great job!
TracyHi!
>>When you are doing the tandem turns are you supposed to be watching your hands until you see the head turn?
Yes, kind of following my hands around until I peripherally see the dog’s head turn.
>> I realized I was doing the hand movement, but shifting my gaze back up the line to the landing spot. I never saw a head turn so maybe that’s part of why I was getting right turns?>>
That could be it! Getting the head turn is the hardest part.
>> Well, that and she had kicked out to a string right lead.
Yes – but when you were SUPER obvious (basically using her middle name: SPRITE MARIE LOUISE YOU ARE TURNING LEFT) she read it really well 🙂
>> Connection is HARD. It seems like a simple concept, but it’s not easy for me to stay that consistent>>
Sooooooo true – it is really hard, especially all of these different connections on small sequences.Not simple at all! It is the #1 error on course in agility around the world! It becomes much easier on big courses for us.
T
Hi!
>>I start from a sit and try to send forward with an arm. I’ve been trying to use more eye connection and body motion rather than using my arm to indicate for him to go forward.>>
I think the line up before the sit makes a difference to him – so you can line up, lead out a step or two, connect, send. Keep it clean and smooooooth 🙂
>>Take the time and reset him.
Use a station in between reps while setting up and figuring out my moves.
Have patience with him and his teenage emotional state.>>Yes to all of this! And keep me posted 🙂
T
Hi!
>>The rain and my dirt ring have been killing us to do much at home.>>
You all have had CRAZY weather out there! What is this I am hearing about a pineapple express of rain coming your way? EEK!
>>too much on those days since the courses can be a bit tricky in the smaller spaces (mentally and physically).>>
So true! I did some of the 30×30 during the pandemic because I was too lazy to course build 🙂 and it was really hard!
>> It would be cool if you ever did some kind of video at home course review/coaching stuff. Maybe some kind of opportunity to post runs we’re submitting for that to get your feedback on where we could improve. Just saying…..>>
Ooh, that is a great idea! Maybe as part of CAMP? Or pre-event prep? Fun!!
>>“As I was staring at him and cueing the threadle wrap with my outside arm and verbal he was looking at me, looking at the front of the jump, slowing down and taking the front.” >>
“Conflicting indicator” perhaps 🙂 Mouth saying one thing, body saying another.
>>So, the moral is, “Tracy is always right.”
BWAHAHAHAHAHAA I will frame that to go along with the 10 zillion times I am oh-so-wrong LOL!
>>I have the videos from the workshops and am only a bit frustrated that none of the other coaches noticed that I was staring my dog down, putting tons of pressure on him saying stay away from me and preventing him from coming in to me for the turn away but I know that they probably weren’t thinking about me having too much connection in the moment and messing up my previous training since I did say this skill wasn’t normally an issue.>>
They might have been looking at a different issue perhaps? Or some folks think a skill like a threadle wrap is a verbal only skill… but it is not, it is TOTALLY handled too 🙂 There is a shoulder turn and decel and hand cue… and yes a verbal LOL!
>>big straight tunnel/puppy cannons to a threadle wrap with me a mile or so behind him that I seem to see more often than I like in shows these days. That ends up being pretty much a verbal only skill since they really shouldn’t be turning back to look at you in the milisecond>>
They can still see the physical cues peripherally in most cases! So it will be verbal-heavy in that context but I would also recommend a physical cue.
>>I do have edited video of the workshop from this weekend so that I could review where we had issues. Watching it back it was painfully obvious what was happening (but not in the moment). I’d like to post it if you’re interested in seeing it.>>
I am interested in seeing it, so I can learn from it too! There is always something good to take away from a frustrating experience. At the seminar, did you watch your video between runs? That can help you figure out something if needed!
>That’s something I want to try to be much more aware of at all times with him – training, showing, etc. I want to really think about your 2 failures rule. >>
That 2 failure rule is a good one, plus I give my dogs lots of rewards even when things are not going quite right 🙂 With some instructors, those rewards are subtle so I don’t have to explain why the dog is getting rewarded even if they dog was “wrong” (my cues were wrong, not the dog’s responses 🙂 )
>>In the moment, with a trainer giving the direction and some pressure of the other folks who were there (including several current and past world team members) I could not see that clearly (and was frustrated that skills I thought were solid weren’t in the moment) >>
I totally relate, I know exactly what that feels like!
>>Another thing I keep coming back to at these types of workshops is that they intentionally layer challenge on top of challenge knowing that they’ll need to break it down and build it up again. When the trainer does that really carefully I feel like it’s not inevitable that you’ll have failure after failure but when they “lump” it and have you do like 1-12 knowing there are about 6-7 serious challenges in that part I want to get better at breaking it down even more for us to protect his success and confidence. >>
Oh, so true!!!! It is one reason that I attend very very few masters/international workshops anymore with my dogs. I don’t see how failing every 2 or 3 obstacles is helpful for me or the dogs LOL! So I am very picky about seminars. Plus it is not comfortable to always advocate and break things down, so it is important to me that the instructor will put up challenges that are not insane – rather than put every single challenge in the known universe into 12 obstacles 🙂
I guess I recognize that it is too hard physically and mentally on the dogs to train like that. There *are* dogs out there that will keep going and going and going (my Voodoo is like that) but then they end up working in a frustrated arousal state and I don’t love that.
>>Anyway, I’m definitely rambling. Just need to remember to be a better advocate for myself and my dog in these settings.>>
It is good rambling! I agree!!!
Looking at the video:
This went well and gave us insight into what he is reading!Threadle wraps when he was on your left – you had a little bit of a motion line away on the first one but then you were converging towards the jump or running parallel to the line to the jump and still got it easily.
When you did it after the speed circles, you also cued a turn on the wing before it so he was already turning and ready for the threadle wrap. He still gives a little “woof” and look at you, but it is definitely improving!
On the other side (when he was on your right) – t looks like you were later to cue the turn on the wing before the jump and that made. The threadle cue start later, so even with a good connection shift he was wider before coming back to the threadle.
Compare those (like at 1:55 and 2:04) to the rep at :42 where he was already hearing/seeing turn cues before he exited the wing before the treadle wrap jump. So perhaps that played into it too at the seminar: not enough turn cue on the jump *before* the threadle wrap?
Tandems looked great to the left and were SUPER independent! You were way ahead of him again and that it is really important! They were not as smooth to the right, but that might be a slight side preference and also maybe jumping towards the tree? But overall the tandems looked great 🙂
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
>>It felt like a discombobulated mess! >>
This was NOT a discombobulated mess!! It is mostly really strong with a bit of energy loss at the end. No worries!
>>We started with extreme connection and she did fabulous.
The first few get out reps here looked great! She definitely remembered what you did last time, and you were very convincing with your connection!
The get outs on the longer sequences here also looked great! You were starting to add in a lot of praise and good girl moments, but I think that confused her: she was not sure if she should come to you or keep going. Yo can see it at :58 for example.She did well with the turn aways too! She did better on the reps where you were quieter or using directionals – and she looked at you a lot when you were praising or talking to her. This is good to know – Kashia likes info and facts, not praise LOL! So make sure you are using verbal directionals and obstacle names rather than praise.
I agree that her energy dropped off by the last few reps – part of it might have been the cold and being a little worn out from it (it takes a lot of energy to stay warm!). Especially if she didn’t want dinner – she might have been wiped out. Part of it might have been that she was bored with the setup – same darned wings, 2 days in a row LOL! So she might need different setups if you are training more than one thing – that way she sees two completely different games and it keeps things spicy and not repetitive. I don’t think she was overwhelmed or anything, and I agree that she had a LOT of really great stuff here!
Nice work :)
TracyHi! Thanks for your patience with my travel schedule – I am still in catch up mode 🙂
>>As soon as I let her off the tie, she was bouncing up and down and anxious to go! I was so pleased with that enthusiasm.>>
Yay! A little jealousy can go a long way LOL!!
>>I was a little unsure how she would react to the “get out” command since I kind of use that already. When I walk my dogs at 4am on our private road unleashed, I’ll yell ‘get out’ or ‘stay out’ if they are trying to wander on my neighbor’s acreage.>>
That is great that she figured it out! Dogs are brilliant with context: she will know what ‘get out’ means in each different scenario. We all have plenty of words or cues that might sound like something else, but the dogs know the difference (like when I say “GO!” Meaning to take a jump in extension versus “go potty” which means to potty LOL!!)
Looking at the video: This is a hard skill and she was moving really well!! When she was asking questions on your left side, I don’t think you were doing anything different than the right side. I think she was conflicted: get out to the wing, or stay with the reward near you 🙂 So to help her want to leave you for the wing, you can toss the reward to the other side pf the wing rather than feed from your hand. Even if you have to go over to where you tossed it and open up the toy to deliver the food, that will still emphasize leaving you to do the get out versus coming back to you for the reward.
She did get it sorted out on your left side by the end of the 3 sessions, which is great! You can still throw the reward to the other side of the wing to help really solidify the skill.
On your right, she was smoother and more fluid – might be her stronger side! Dogs generally do have side preferences 🙂 You can throw the reward on that side too, just to keep things balanced and predictable for her.
Great job here!!
TracyHi! I am so glad you are finding the connection useful already! It takes a long time for it to become easy for our brains 🙂 but practice will help it become easier 🙂 And yes, I think the dogs can move faster and more confidently because the info is clearer.
On all 3 of the videos here: she started turning her head away pretty much as soon as she saw the connection shift and the hands move. SUPER!! The next step here is to start that as soon as she exits the wing. You were tending to do it closer to the jump, but you will get even more distance and speed if you start it as soon as she exits the wing wrap.
>>I know my hands look like Im starting an 80’s dance as I try to shift focus but I didnt need it.>>
I think it is just fine to do it as a dance move! The more exaggerated it is, the more the dogs can see it in the heat of the moment 🙂 So keep on dancing! She read it really well.
You can also start to fade out the rear cross motion: you were moving in towards the jump a bit to support the turn, but since she is reading the hand cues and connection so well: I bet you can stay further away and get it at a distance! That will be very helpful on bigger courses, depending on what the next line is.
>>One of the videos has verbals and the other doesn’t. I found it interesting I didnt need them but I think it just helped Mira’s confidence that she was indeed correct.>>
Yes! I like verbals to support the handling – it is one more thing to help the dog out. When we are too quiet, they have less info 🙂 It is good to try without verbals sometimes to make sure the physical cues are clear, but overall the verbals are an important part.
Great job!!
TracyThese are the bigger sequences: really good job with your connections especially on that first rep especially because it was right turns!
When exiting the long distance sends to get to the BC or FC between the jumps, maintain connection a little longer as he exits the wing send so he can see the cue for the next jump. When you were not really connected (1:01 and 2:59), he didn’t take the jump – it looked to him like the BC was already starting so he came to you. Compare that to
1:34 and 3:34 where you held your connection longer, so he could see the commitment cue and took the jump. That made it easy to get the blinds 🙂 The FCs are easer here because you don’t have to disconnect at all, but the blind is a very worthwhile move too!Nice work on these!
TracyYou really added more connection on these! Yay! The first rep at :09 was the best connection so far! Super! And that made for a great send 🙂
The connection was also really good at :29 and :49 on the other side. It is still hard for him to send on the right turns so definitely plan to bring the wing in closer to pump up the value and help balance out the right turn sides. You can also get him checked by a massage person because I don’t remember him having such a strong side preference, so maybe he is tight or sore on that side?
These started with dog-o-right (left turns) which were a lot easier for him. You can still add a lot more connection on the send to the wing to help add even more distance to the send – very direct eye contact and less arm moving ahead of him will help.
Yep, we are seeing a definite side preference here: The reps to his right (:54 and the last rep) did not have the clear connection, so he turned to his left (don’t get frustrated with him, he is providing excellent info!). Making the distances shorter will help him out a lot to get the right turn side equally as good as the left turn side.
These two (1300 and 1301) were all dog-on-left (right turns) and we might be seeing a side preference manifest here! He was having a little trouble striding the slice jumps to his right and when the sending was not clear, he went and wrapped the wing to his left!
The send to the wing needed to be a bigger connection to him til he was well past you (at :58 in the first video, and :19, :37, 1:08 in the 2nd video).
So for the dog-on-left sends (where he turns right), bring the wing in a lot closer to make it easier to connect and send, and then throw the reward to the other side of the wing.
He was sending better in this next session! He was still asking questions (looking at you, slowing down) when he was going to the red jump.
When you changed sides, your first rep did indeed look like a send to he backside of the red jump 🙂 Good boy!
He seemed to have fewer questions on the other side when he was turning to his left on the yellow jump – so maybe he is a lefty? So you might not need to move the jump in closer when he sending from your right side (turning to his left) but definitely move it in closer to help pump up the value of the sends when he is sending from your left side (turning to his right).
These are sends – it is good commitment practice! He really wants you to go all the way to the jump with him 🙂
The connection and first step of your send was really good, so to improve his commitment you can bring the jump in a lot closer (10 feet away, perhaps, with an 8 inch bar) so he is more likely to commit on the first step of that send (rather than needing you to take multiple steps). And then you can throw the toy to the landing spot more easily too, as soon as he starts to look forward.
Hi!
These are the turn aways on the wing – you were using a shoulder pull/dog side hand to get them, which totally works as long as he knows it is coming. You can make the hand more visible here as you pull your shoulders away, and shift connection to your hand more to help him know it is not just going straight 🙂 And, before he arrives at the turn away wing, you can be cuing it: you were really good with that at 1:07 and 1:26! The other reps were a little later, so try to be early like you were at 1:07 and 1:26.
Nice job!
TracyHi! Thanks for your patience with my travel schedule this week!
The work on the video looked really good: She was great about following the line and not grabbing any extra outs between the wings 🙂 And her outs, when cued, were really strong!
>>Am I late with the out cue ?>>
Nope! You can’t really start that until she has exited the wing wrap, which is what you were doing here. And your connection was great! The only thing I would recommend is that you keep moving straight while you do the out rather than step and send. Most of your outs here were sends with you standing still, which might be why they felt late?
Compare to the rep at :23, where you were moving the whole time and it was great! Yay! That should make it feel even smoother.
Nice work here!
Tracy
