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Hi!
>.I tie her to a chair while I’m walking and she stays to herself. We also deal with overarrousal when other dogs are running (she is a terrier after all lol) Barking and Lunging…nonagressive just excitement.>>
Terriers rule!!! I definitely suggest a crate or something where she can chill out without watching – what is happening if she is barking while waiting or watching too much is that she is jacking up her arousal hormones, which makes it really hard for her adolescent-self to modulate into a great state of focus. So a chill out spot can help! And we will of course help when she is on leash and watching other dogs or waiting her turn.
>>She is a foodie through and through, toys are meh at class and trials. I do a lot of snuffle mat with her though to give her something to focus on.>>
I am a foodie too, I can totally relate LOL!! Snuffle mats are great, and some dogs really love a bully stick to chew on. Have you used a lotus ball or treat hugger with her? They are for foodies but are toy-like so can help bridge the gap in the ring.
T
Hi!
>.I’m not sure what tonight’s format is. Maybe we can talk about the RTW?
I have added it to my list to discuss 🙂
>> Basically it’s can you take food, can you respond appropriately to your food markers. She should come back and offer eye contact. Then, can you do simple behavior. If so, more complex behavior. She can often do this on the side lines. But, then we have to wait or go through the gate to the jump. That’s when I lose her. >>
This is a classic question and totally on the agenda for the next 8 weeks 🙂 The struggles I have seen with this procedure is that it tends to give the impression that yes, the dog is ready to work… in that location outside the ring with cookies really visible in some way 🙂 And it doesn’t necessarily translate to the change in arousal state that happens when the dog enters the ring because it only covers one attentional state in one context.
No worries, my evil plan incorporates this in ways we can specifically bring her into the ring with the attentional state we want 🙂
>>Also, when I use the tossed food marker cue I can gauge how long it takes her to come back and offer eye contact. It’s almost always immediate with a get food from my hand marker. But, if she needs to get the food off the floor then she’ll often sniff or more likely start looking around at the environment.>>
When she is sniffing or looking around, she is definitely needing to assess the environment. I don’t use words like pass or fail for any of this, because the dog will give us tremendous feedback and communication – definitely useful!!!
For the cookie toss marker – that is rooted in a pattern game which needs to be super super fluent in a variety of contexts. I have it posted here in Week 1 so that is a good starting point to play with 🙂
>> She’s also sometimes grabbing grass as we walk towards the first jump.
That is a coping mechanism for the change internal state. If she can grab grass then produce low latency responses to cues and sustained attentional state? Cool, she can grab grass because it helps her 🙂 But since it seems she has questions, and the grass grab coping mechanism is not working, we will give her other tools to modulate her internal arousal shifts.
Tracy
Hi!
This was totally NOT a cluster!! And, the good news is that he is going to have AMAZING backsides! LOL!!I think you recognized the question and made all of the adjustments that I would have suggested: angle the jump, then throw the toy rather than have it placed. Both of those really helped jumpstart the behavior. You got a whole bunch of terrific reps in a row and we able to angle the jump more and put the toy back down, including some where he really had to work to get the serp line. Super!!!!
You hit the wall of difficulty for this session at 1:23, with the jump relatively flat, toy on ground, and you running… it was tooooo hard for now and he couldn’t pull off the lead change mechanics.
The same goes for the other side – too flat and too much motion is too hard 🙂
I think his sweet spot for now in terms of jump angle and motion is what you did at 1:36, where he was successful.
And because there are so many variables to serping, when you dial one variable up to make it harder (like adding more of your motion), you can dial down another variable (like having the toy on the ground) to make it easier. For him, that toy on the ground is more of a distraction than it is a help 🙂 So it is perfectly fine to NOT have it on the ground.
So overall – you are on the right track, he is doing really well, and you get an extra big click/treat for sorting out how to help in this session to get all of those successful reps! Yay!
Great job!
TracyHi!
She did have fun with this and it went really well!>> I walked this several times before starting and carefully set it up ahead of time knowing we were only making one turn, and I still said the wrong verbal every rep. I just got it in my head wrong. I’m just so bummed and horrified, but I am not sure I can overcome this.>>
When you walked it, did you say the verbal out loud (and really loud :)) while walking it? That migh tbe something to try – saying it loudly. And video the walk through, then checking the video to make sure you’re yelling the correct words. I have totally caught myself yelling the wrong words LOL!
>>. I just got it in my head wrong. I’m just so bummed and horrified, but I am not sure I can overcome this>>
Definitely NOTHING to be horrified about because you and Bazinga had a great session 🙂 We will figure out a system of verbals that makes sense to you and is easy to use.
>>I really worked on looking at her as she came out of the tunnel. When I was able to do that, I think she was able to get the turns. If I am not doing that, I think she is looking for the toy to tell which direction to go.>>
The connection really helped! The Go reps are looking great – you can throw the toy sooner, like you did on the 2nd rep.
For the RCs, you can actually throw later so you can cue the RC and throw after you change sides.
I think on the RCs, you had some reps where you were spot on in terms of getting the pressure on the line like at 1:12 and 1:18 (1:18 was the BEST pressure on the line!) But on those reps, you pushed into her line too soon and that pushed her off the jump. So keep the pressure on the line like you did but keep running to the center of the bar until she is past you and also getting ready to take off… then you can cut in behind her.
After pushing her off the line a bit, you did a few steps of running straight then starting the RC so she did take the jump but she was not quite looking the correct direction until after she was jumping (1:25 and 1:30).
So I think moving towards the center of the bar for longer will be perfect! Let me know if that makes sense 🙂
Great job here!
TracyHi!
She did great here! You two are on a role!I am not surprised that she got it so nicely – you have put a lot of value and understanding into the parallel line games line wind in your hair, so adding the tunnel to it was easy peasy 🙂 Not everything will be this easy, but we will take it when we get it LOL!
You can add a little more distance between the jump and tunnel here if you wanted more challenge! But this game can also be on the back burner for now as we add more games.Great job on these!
TracyHi!
This is also going really well! The stays look good and she is shifting back and forth easily. The next step would be to move the wings closer together, so you both move more quickly 🙂 We add bars to this game soon!>>Question. Do I have the toy in the correct hand? It felt awkward like I should be turning with her and rewarding with the hand closest to her.>>
Yes, it is a bit of an awkward game at this point because there are big hand and foot movements. Which hand you reward her from doesn’t really matter because we will be fading the movements out soon – ideally you would reward her when she is next to the wing (having just finished a lead change) and not wrapping her around it.
>>While setting up she noticed the kids and was barking at them a bit. I just ignored it>>
If possible, during setup, can she wait in a crate or in the house? That way she doesn’t rehearse barking at kids, if possible 🙂 That rehearsal might come back to get in the way at some point. Those kids were loud for sure but she can chew a bone or something rather than rehearse barking at them.
Great job!
TracyHi!
This went well – she held her stay really nicely. You seem a bit worried that she won’t LOL but she did really well and her jumping form looked good too! We build on this game on Wednesday.One suggestion with the moving target: Keep moving the toy til she gets to it, don’t stop to let her catch up when she takes the 3rd jump. You were decelerating a little as she was taking jump 3, so the toy was stationary when she arrives on the first couple of reps. It was moving more on the last rep, which was great!
>>I’ve found sometimes if I look at her with eye contact she comes to me for a treat instead of getting the toy. Maybe I didn’t say Get It and she was very hungry..>
Maybe if you are looking at her too much or the toy is not moving, she doesn’t think she has ‘permission’ to take it? She might be confused, especially if you didn’t say get it 🙂
Nice work here!
TracyHello and welcome! She sounds like a lot of fun (even when she is driving you crazy LOL!!!)
>> Our downfall is judge and ring crew visiting. She can’t hold a start line because as soon as she locks onto someone, she is off to visit.
Can she hold her stay and ignore people in class? That will give us a place to begin planning 🙂
>>Do you suggest stopping trialing all together until we get further into the coursework?>>
Yes, I suggest stop trialing in ‘real’ runs for now, so we can get some more tools in the toolbox. If she likes toys and can stay engaged with a toy, then FEO/NFC runs are great! If not, skip trialing for a bit and we will jump into the coursework.
Have fun!
TracyHello to you and Vinny!! I am excited to see you here!
>> We are still struggling outside the ring although I’ve seen improvement. I would love more solid start lines as well.>>
What type of stuff is happening outside the ring, causing the struggles?
>> Not having a bomb proof start line puts me on edge which doesn’t help him 😉. My goals are to help him learn how to relax, focus, and enjoy.>>
I bet the solid stay shows up when we focus on the outside the ring stuff and relaxing inside the ring too! Does he have a super solid stay at home? (I am guessing he does, but I figured I’d ask :))
Tracy
Whoa 13 months! Time DOES fly!!! But we also have plenty of time 🙂 When is the entry for? We have lots to plan 🙂
Tracy
Hi!
Great idea – give him helpful tools before he starts trialing (and yes, we can totally use these with mae too!)Have fun!
TracyHello and welcome! She sounds like a really fun dog 🙂
>>This location has a much larger field and accommodates both a jumpers and standard course. Nellybelle is not able to focus well at the larger field.>>
Sounds like the larger field is a more challenging environment, internally and externally 🙂 We have lots of games to help her out!
> She also barks when i walk the course.>>
Can she be crated or stationed somewhere that she can relax? That will totally help both of you 🙂
>> Interestingly she is VERY focused during scent class.
That is cool to hear! Scent classes are structured differently, have a different level of arousal, and have very predictable reinforcement. I bet if we can work on the arousal level and predictability of reinforcement, then we can get the same (or better!) level of focus in agility that you do in scent class!!
Have fun!
TracyHello and welcome ! I am excited to see you here!
It sounds like she is doing really well already and we will build on that too 🙂
Have fun!
TracyHello and welcome, I am excited to see you here with your new baby!!! She sounds VERY FUN!!!!
>>but she really thinks decel is for suckers.>>
Well…. she isn’t wrong hahahaha but we will get her to turn by convincing her that it is all her idea to do it 🙂
>> She’s great when I’m up on the jump but turns and decel at a distance – yeah, nah.>>
That might be just an adolescent processing delay. When they are adolescents (til ages 3 or 4, approx) you will see there are delays in responding as the dogs process the cues, when there is a lot more ‘clutter’ than usual in the environment (internal and external, including arousal). We will definitely work on that!
>>I don’t want her rehearsing this as it also leads to bar knocking – she rarely knocks bars on the more controlled type courses. I want to try and work with her, not against her, to get a handle on her speed and my timing, plus convince her that turning is actually a thing.>>
I like your philosophy of working with here! The bar knocking is probably a combination of cue processing delays, mechanics, and lack of training in the high arousal that she is in at trials 🙂 We will work on ALL of that 🙂
Tracy
