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Hi – This is smiley face with wraps and soft turns. He is doing really well with his wraps and soft turns!! Commitment and connection look good!
Keep the sequences shorter, though – there were 14 in a row here on the first run and by the end, he was looking around a little and slowing down, because too many in a row will stretch the focus time of a youngster. So, stick to between 3 and maybe 6 in a row before the reward, and we will ping-pong our way up to longer and longer sequences as he matures.
At :51, he came off the line of the soft left turns. Your shoulder/arm closed forward to the wing while he was still behind you, which changed connection and looked a little like a blind cross starting – so he started to do a blind. Keeping your fingers pointed back to his nose when he is behind you (and looking at him as you deliver the verbal) will help him stay on the line for these soft turns.T
This is WIYH with the thrown toy – he is doing a terrific job of finding his line on these! No trouble at all, and he is happy to drive way ahead of you. Super!!
It looks like the toy in the previous video was placed out past the jump and his form over the bump was better for the placed toy than for the thrown toy here – he was a little “hoppy” for the thrown toy LOL! So you can use the placed toy on this game to help him maintain his good form, or have someone else throw it if there are other people around when you train 🙂
THi!
This is Wind In Your Hair – looking good! Nice timing of the GO verbal on both sides! It looks like he drove ahead really nicely here too, with the placed toy. You can keep adding more and more distance to this setup so he gets used to driving further and further ahead 🙂T
Hi!
>.You said above, “I think you were waiting for him to exit before starting the physical and verbal cues, but you can start the cues (the convergence, the arm, the verbal) before he goes in then repeat them as he is exiting – those will help get him to turn away.” What you’re saying is that I start to show him the start of my motion, aka what I expect from him (like a switch off arm) just prior to him entering the tunnel?>>
Yes! Ideally he sees and hears it when he is about 4 or 5 feet before the tunnel entry: at that point, he should be fully committed and now needs to know how to exit. If he enters with out hearing or seeing the exit cues, he is likely to exit straight and a little towards you. So showing it to him before he enters should prepare him to turn away on the exit (without pushing him off the tunnel entirely).
>Also, when doing the #6 Combo 1, when you do the push to the backside and then enter the tunnel (2 to 3), that considered a “switch” but is it also a “switch” at 4 to 5?
I definitely consider the 2-3 line (jump to tunnel) a switch because it is the u-turn for me and the dog, with the layering. I don’t use switch for 4-5, because there is no u-turn where we both turn, I am just pushing into his line and saying ‘jump’ is probably all he needs.
Let me know if that makes sense!
TracyGood morning!
Things you don’t often hear during online classes:
“I’ll see if I can do something out by the camels”
Ha! And it is fun that the training can also be enrichment for the other critters LO! But also it would be GREAT it is stopped raining on you. Lordy. And also, since this weather is really ridiculous, feel free to post stuff whenever you finish it, even if it is after the end of March. The Forum will email me when you post.
On the video – great job refreshing the flip skill! He looked pretty tight on the turn over the flip jump and drove out well even without motion. And turning left over the next jump looked great, even with you behind the flip jump – SUPER! The hardest part was finding the tunnel entry on that, maybe it was because you were starting motion so he was considering coming to you.
The flips out of the tunnel looked great too! Nice timing of the cues for that, it really helped him to NOT have to look at you, even when you added more motion!
Nice job balancing the push without a flip, with the push and the flip! I think you can move up the timing of those cues to be earlier: as soon as you think he is going to do the backside, start the flip cue so he can set up his striding before takeoff. Then, as soon as he lifts off, start the tunnel verbal and motion, so he lands already hearing/seeing it. At 2:40-2:41 and 2:56-2:57, the cues were a shade late so he landed from the flip and went a little wide, waiting for info about if it was the jump or the tunnel.
Everything looks great here – he is happy to work nice and tight AND do big layering, so the only thing with these skills now is to see how early you can cue and leave for the next line 🙂 Nice work!!
TracyGood morning!
I hope they get your home internet fixed soon, that must be annoying!! I mean, Starbucks is nice and all, but I am sure you would rather have your home internet working again. And hopefully the rain will stop – it looks so grey there and usually your videos have lovely blue skies 🙂
Start jump Position 1 – looking great with the tunnel and backside!
Start jump Position 2: also really good in terms of tunnel versus backside. At :40, you had handler pressure forward and looked forward (:41), so she went where you looked. The handler pressure (your running line) was great! To help get commitment with that running line, use your dog side arm and eyes to point at and look at the landing spot. As she gets more experience, you won’t have to do that as much but for now, looking at landing will really help
At 1:01 you changed your path to make it more of a serp, so she got the jump. But the handling path at :40 was a good one (if the next jump was that direction) so you can definitely add in looking at and pointing to landing as you move forward.
Start jump Position 3: tunnel cue was great! At 1:13, I think what she was reading as a subtle threadle cue (as you noted) was your line of motion moving laterally away towards the far wing (note how your feet and hips turn towards the camera). Compare that to the adjustment you made at 1:21, where you moved forward towards the center of the bar, parallel to her line, for a couple of steps before sliding away the next direction. That parallel line motion made a big difference for her and she committed nicely!
Also note on that rep at 1:22 – you were using some of the same handler pressure up the line like you did at :40, but you were looking at the landing spot a little more so she came over the bar really nicely 🙂 and turned beautifully to the new line
Other side – this side was harder for some reason because she kept looking at the tunnel on the backside cue. Maybe it was the angle of the first jump? But no worries, she still processed the verbals and got the correct line each time. Super!!!!
>.Hopefully the rain will stop and I can get the last exercises done. Thank you for extending the class.>>
The weather has really been NUTS. If you don’t get done before the class officially ends, feel free to post whenever you are able to get it done (and whenever the internet cooperates :)) The forum will email me when you post. The rain and the internet issues are just crazy and I want you to be able to have fun finishing the games, without stress or pressure 🙂
Great job here!
TracyGood morning! I hope his recovery is going well!!! These videos look lovely!
Handling 3: good job with revisiting this at the beginning, he was definitely nailing it! Maybe a combo of being fresh and some latent learning from last time – really nice session here. Finding the backside of the jump with the tunnel right there and with very little difference in handling – that is HARD!! You did a great job with the verbals and staying in motion – lovely!
Handling 6 part 1 – this was the switch on the jump – he did switch away on the first rep, but the cue was a little late and there was something else out there so he was a little wide.
Much better timing on the 2nd rep! Then it was a matter of teaching him how to move past the tunnel with you behind him, and not move away from the pressure into the tunnel. So far, every dog thought this was really hard at first! Rep 3 was fabulous and so was rep 4! Yay!I think you can use the outside arm switch cue even sooner, so he sees it happening as he approaches the switch away jump, and can be turning before takeoff.
The camera fell over (I hate when that happens!) but it sounds like he did great when you added the tunnel at the end 🙂Handling 6 part 2 – lovely!!! He put all the pieces together here! Since this is going so well with these skills, the next step is to try to push all the cues sooner: as soon as you think he is heading to the backside at 2, you can bring up your switch arm and start that cue. And as soon as you think he is coming to the correct side of the jump for the threadle, you can take off and move forward to the next jump.
Combo 2, first try: The opening looked great!
He was considering coming in for the threadle, but then at :15 your closed your shoulder forward a little and stepped into the jump a little- which pushed him to the backside. Nice job with the quick reset and carrying on!
At :24 you were clearer with threadle cue, leaving your arm back and staying off his line, and he got it. Yay!Switching from the tunnel exit – you can move to the switch cue sooner, so he sees your switch arm and hears the verbal while he is still 2 or 3 feet in front of the tunnel entry, so he expects it when he exits. it was a little late here at :30 so he was a little wide on the tunnel exit, but he got it.
Nice layering from the jump to the tunnel at :33!!
He had a little question about the backside wrap at :36 – I think you started to step out of it just a tiny bit too early, so he almost didn’t finish commitment. You helped him so he did get it. Nice!!
Combo 2, second try: The beginning looked great! Very nice job on the switch to the tunnel and the threadle on the jump!
the tunnel exit switch was hard – you can move up the line sooner to get more visible at the tunnel exit, and start the cue sooner. I think you were waiting for him to exit before starting the physical and verbal cues, but you can start the cues (the convergence, the arm, the verbal) before he goes in then repeat them as he is exiting – those will help get him to turn away. Then, be patient 🙂 you took off before he finished the turn so he went back towards the tunnel.Very nice job getting that backside wrap at the end!!!
Handling 4: so nice! He was really driving into these and you were doing the perfect “moving but not handling” LOL! That really tells us he is beginning to process the verbals and not just wait for handling 🙂 Yay! I mean, of course we will use handling as much as possible but knowing that the verbals are getting solid will really help too! And the threadle at the end was easy peasy 🙂
Great job on these!!!
TracyGood morning!
>>Why do these dogs even like us sometimes?
Ha! My guess is that they like us thanks to all of the cheese and other snacks LOL!!!
>>So I have been finding these adorable Field Guide vignettes in our videos! I had to share. I bet everyone is getting them. A little conference at the camera as we review our Field Guides!
I love, love, love the field guides – they are so helpful!>>I LOVE the vignettes!!! Frankie seemed on board with the conferences. Keep posting them, they are so cute and make me laugh! I am glad you are finding the field guides helpful, I will keep doing them in our classes (and should probably add them to MaxPup now that things are getting omre complex there too).
The flip to the jump then passing the tunnel is a HARD skill – the dogs have to turn away AND drive ahead AND ignore that delicious tunnel that is *right there*. She did really well! I think all of the dogs have a question when they do this for the first time: they either grab the tunnel once or twice like she did, or they spin and look at with a “WTAF?” expression like mine did LOL!! But Frankie got it really well! This first session was really more to expose the dogs to the existence of this type of challenge (running through these crazy boxes from ahead of the handler is becoming a really popular challenge nowadays). She was super successful here, so I am sure the next session will be even easier – you can warm up with a refresher of this, then add the turn away over the jump to go to the tunnel
On the Part 2 video – the hardest part was gtting her from the jump to the tunnel at the beginning. It is hard handlng because she has to commit to the line to the #3 jump before you can step in for the rear. If you were too quick, it pushed her into the tunnel. If you were too late, it turned her too tight and she ended up over the jump but came right back to the tunnel instead of staying out on the line. It was a little hard to see from this video angle, but it looks like the first rep and the rep at :34 were the best timing of getting the jump AND the line to the tunnel.
On the tunnel exit switches: You got ealier with your verbal timing, which is great! Your arm was a little high on the switch motion, so she had to look up and wait for your feet to move. You can try the switch arm cue a lot lower – it is perfectly fine to bend over and see how low you can get this arm swoosh move. I try to get it as low as my thighs, just above the knee, so the short dogs can see it. Your arm was up at shoulder height, so she was looking up to see it. Somewhere along the way in agility we are all told to stand up and bend over… but that is simply not the case with smaller dogs! For moves like this, get as low as you can without killing your back or falling over 🙂
She was amazing with the switching from the jump to the tunnel at 1:04 and 1:15 and afterways – it looked fabulous and so did the close close
threadles! YAY!Keep moving forward on the switch to the jump after the threadle like at 1:44 (she gave you the WTAF look there, I recognize it from my dogs LOL!) . You had more motion on the last rep and she found the line a lot better.
Great job on these!!!!! Let me know what you think!
TracyOn the video with the Go verbals, you were a little choppy when you were starting them (and had a lot of air) but the more you were running, the longer and more drawn out the Go verbals go. You will find a natural rhythm to them, and my guess is that you will end up stretching them out a bit more because it gives you a chance to take a breath 🙂 I personally think it is better to draw them out to make the GO verbal sound very different from the wrap verbals.
T
Good morning!
The WIYH looks great!! Super driving ahead from her, great hustle and connection from you! And you varied your start position nicely too, so she had reps where you were way ahead, and when she was driving ahead – she nailed them all. SUPER!!!! The only thing to add is starting so close to the wing you can touch it, and waiting til she almost finishes the wrap before you run so she can drive miles and miles ahead 🙂
>> I’m still late saying Go! most of the time.>>
I thought you were really good with the timing! She was hearing the Go cues consistently as she was finishing the wrap – perfect! (more about those below, to answer your question :))
On the discrimination game:
>> It was super hot and should have done it early instead of after lunch>>
yes, hot weather is here but I don’t think she was having trouble in the heat? You can shorten the sessions in the heat but still do some heat sessions, to help build up her tolerance. It will be 80 degrees here today, so I will give the youngsters exactly 1 minute of sprinting in the heat of the day to help build them up.
>>I realized after watching the video that most of the time I’m cueing and releasing at the same time.
Yes, and that is why she took the tunnel on the first two reps: the motion started just before the verbal was processed, so she had already made a decision. On the reps where she was correct, you were showing the wrap motion before the verbal and she was more successful.
When you added the tunnel back after the wraps (like at 1:35) you said the verbal before you released her and she did great!
It is good to have the handling being a powerful element. Holding her longer so she can hear the verbal more will also pump up the understanding of the verbal cue.
One other little detail here: She has a a little trouble turning right to get into the tunnel when you switched sides – you can add a little step to the tunnel after you let go of her collar. Not sure why it was harder, but it was so we can help a little 🙂
>>I didn’t edit out the very end because I thought it was hilarious. My throwing skills aren’t the greatest. 🙂>>
That was SO FUNNY!!! It looks like you were aiming for the ‘stop recording’ button on the camera. Too funny!!
Great job here! Stay cool!
TracyI think you were referencing the link at the very top of the thread here? It opens now – it might have been set as private initially.
This is the set point – we were discussing the set up position, and you can see his striding questions here. By setting up a few feet from the first jump, he either splits his front feet over the first bump ( 1st and 3rd and 5th reps, for example) which makes for harder striding, or he uses his hind end and doesn’t split his front feet, but lands too short over jump 1 and that causes him to land short over jump 2 as well. Try it with him less than a foot from jump 1 (probably 6 inches away) and that will help him power off his rear better. You might have it below; I see a bunch of videos posted.
T
Hi!
I see what you mean abuot her not being as interested in this game – she was doing it, and she was accurate, but she was not hustling. No worries, though! Next time, do this game first, get her really pumped up with some tricks and using a great motivator, then see how she does 🙂 She might have used up all her mental energy on the first game so while she was focused her, she was not as fast. She didn’t have any errors or questions, so next time I am sure she will be speedier 🙂have fun!
TracyGood morning! Her focus here was great (ignoring a lot of birds!) and her understanding of the stay and set point and moving target are all great! I want to adjust the set point itself, because her striding and movement looked a little “crunchy” (too compressed, like there was not enough room to organize herself move off her hind end in the space between the 2 jumps).
A few questions and ideas:
what was the distance between the 2 jumps? 5 feet? And how tall is she? I think I want to try her at 6 feet between the 2 jumps and see what she does.Also, what were the bar heights? I think the first bar was at 4 or 6 inches, which is fine – it looked like she was stepping in really well. The 2nd one looked to be 8 inches, which was a little crunchy – but I don’t think it was height, I think it was the distance between the 2 jumps. So for the first rep of the next session, try the 6 foot distance and the 2nd bar at 6 inches. Then move it to 8 inches and we will see what she does.
One more suggestion: since she is doing well with the stay and the moving target, lead out more before you release her. Be at least 8 or 10 feet past jump 2 when you release, so by the time she lands between 1 and 2, you are 15 feet past jump 2. That should also help de-crunch the striding 🙂
Great job! Let me know how she does with a little more room between jumps.
TracyGood morning!
The wrap proofing game looked great! I love how she was totally into this! Yay! Yes, adding some handler motion totally helped her understand that it was OK to go to the tunnel even with the wing right there (and it was ok to go to the tunnel even if she skipped the wing LOL!) The wing wrap was the easy part for her and she was great with those, even after coming out of the tunnel. YAY!!!
Since the tunnel was harder, you can build up more value to it without your motion by just doing this exact same thing (holding collar, saying verbal, releasing her) but without the wing there for a session to pump up the value and understanding of the verbal. She definitely needing less motion by the end of this!
She was perfect with her responses in the mini sequences! One detail to add: When you are doing the mini sequences, keep connection while she is behind you. If you kept connection and didn’t point forward til she passed you, then she was perfect! If you pointed forward to the wing before she was passing you, then she got a little confused (1:39). But when you maintained connection and didn’t point forward til she got to you and was passing you, she was perfect (like on the last 2 reps).
>>I tried throwing a cheese stick and she looked at me like I was loco! >>
I mean, it is a little loco to throw cheese sticks but it is also loco for any self-respecting Boston Terrier to ignore them! LOL!!!!
>>For this game I stuck a whole string cheese inside the holee roller!!! That got her interest.>>
This was loco but in a brilliant way and it definitely accomplished getting her head lower and not looking up at you! So if you think she was into this and chasing the hollee cheese roller, then go ahead and add it to the set point 🙂
The smiley face game is going really well. Great connection! The handling looked really lovely! And she totally read the difference between the wraps and the soft turns.
She had some misses on the tunnels, and it was because of your feet 🙂 Every time you kept your feet pointing to tunnel til you were sure she was going in, she went to the tunnel and even drove ahead of you to get it. The misses were at :03 and :55 and 1:33 – this was all when your feet turned away from the tunnel entry before she as locked onto it, so she was following your foot rotation. So keep those feet turned towards the tunnel for longer and watch her face: if she is looking at the tunnel and about 6 or 8 feet from it, you can peel away but if she is not looking at it or is still 10 feet away or more, keep moving towards the tunnel.
>>Directionally Challenged Human Alert!!! I need some way to teach my brain to act fast. I got the left & right turns messed up on the post turns & I practiced ahead of time! I’m going to have to remember to yell the opposite directional from the arm I have out for turns!>>
Totally relatable!!! At this stage of puppy training and adding in the 10,000 new verbals, I do a mental walk through of the verbals before every rep. I remind myself which direction the pup is turning, and if it is a wrap or soft turn, and then practice the verbals for them. Sometimes I only practice in my head, sometimes I do a walk through of the little sequence – but I found that by doing it before every rep, I really improved myself 🙂 Yes, I sometimes still screw up 🙂 But the dogs are very forgiving 🙂
Great job on these!! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
