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Hi! Great to see you here!
Sorry about the recordings – I forgot to click the Post button! Eek! They should now be visible here:
Thanks for the reminder!!
TracyHi!
>>For the outside arms, hold it up like large jazz hand style? I’m having a hard time picturing.
Jazz hands would be hilarious but it is more like this:
(The full video has more explanations and some demos at the end)>>His focus has been better and I feel like I’m jumping through significantly less hoops to get him working. Im probably being too critical about speed because I just want all the things >>
His focus and speed are looking stronger and stronger each time you post!!!! Your hard work is paying off!

>>I’ll work on trying to put the toy in a different hand but it usually makes my brain glitch. In the pants might be better.>>In the pants is great, it doesn’t have to be a precision reward for most handling stuff.
T
Hi!
These runs went well!! There are definitely hard parts to this which rely on a lot of handling plus skills.I think the main parts to handle more aggressively are the threadles (at 3, at 8, and at 16). You were tending to move far from the jump so she know it was not the front side, but she didn’t really know if it was a threadle or wrap or slice. And it was hard to tell based on the upper body, so she had some confusion. So keep moving towards the threadle jump while threadling, which will really help her find the line. And make the upper body cues look dramatically different – high single arm for the slice, maybe 2 low hands from the wrap.
At 3 (:08), that works really well as a threadle slice so that she then has a straight line to the weave entry (plenty of room between the jump and the wall there :)) She had a few questions and ended up wrapping so you went with it, but I am not sure if that is what you intended 🙂
Nice weaves! The layering is hard for sure! It was probably easier after the tunnel at the 10-11-12 section because there is so much more speed from the tunnel. You can help build more distance by placing a reward to drive to out past the weaves, gradually getting closer and closer to the jump then between the jump and tunnel, and so on, so you can build up the layering based on your verbals and not needing to move in close to the line.
She had a questions about the #8 threadle at 1:36 – it looked like you were slicing based on upper body but you were pretty far from the jump so it was hard to tell. AS she is exiting the #7 teeter, you can be threadling and moving towards the threaded side of the bar, until you see her head turn to the bar (that is your cue to takeoff to the a-frame).
10-11-12 tunnel-jump-weaves was great! And the flip from the DW to the 14 tunnel also worked great – to get further ahead to the 16 threadle, you can hang back more and also be further away from the bottom of the DW, so you can handle 14-15 from further away – that will allow you to be past the exit of 15 to show the threadle to 16, moving towards the jump and not hanging back or pulling away.
As soon as she looks at the 16 jump – get outta there and run for home (jump 20) with big verbals and some connection 🙂 you helped a bit too much hat 18 by stepping in to it, which changed her line and the bar came down.
On the 2nd video, you ran the 1-2-3 line going the other direction but I think it sets up a harder line (and she ended up off course in the tunnel . The weave entry is easier if the dog wraps the 3 jump closer to the wall, which means the left turn on 1 sets up that whole line better (for a slice on 3).
>>My 2nd try on the course we struggled getting the teeter. Seems easy until it’s not. Then we get into a shouting match and we both get frustrated. >>
That was late cuing, so if you get behind, it biomes more important to give early verbals and accelerate to the line. On the previous video, you were further ahead so she saw motion to the teeter. On this run, at :17 you were behind her as she entered the tunnel and you didn’t give any additional info til after she exited – so she exited looking for you since she had no other info. And you were near a jump, which made it harder to get back to the teeter.
On the reset, the verbal was late at :30 but you were physically in the picture so she got it.
The main thing is that before she enters the tunnel, she needs to know what is next especially if you are behind and there are other options – she gets super BIG MAD if it is unclear and then if you slow down. So in this case, as she was approaching the tunnel, you can use a “go” or “get out” verbal and a teeter verbal as you accelerate – all before she enters so she knows what to do when she exits (then keep saying it when she exits so you can get commitment). Your tendency is to give forward cues when she exits the tunnel, which will cause her to ask questions if you are behind.
After that, you did long stops and rewards on all the contacts but I don’t think it is a contact issue – I think it is a flow issue when you are behind her, so keeping her in flow will be really helpful to practice the timing.
The threadle on 8 worked better there (you stepped to the bar better!).
She had a question at 1:43 – before getting into the tunnel, she didn’t hear any cues so she was not sure what to do – the threadle cue was a but ale (after she exited) and then you stepped to the jump before she got to the threadle side so she ended up on the backside. Be sure to keep threadling til you see her head come to the correct side AND look at the jump – then you can take off.
>>That’s very much trial like behavior but usually it happens after the teeter.
So for this frustration moments at he trial, my guess is that your “what’s next” cues are late and you are not ahead enough to be setting the line. You can make those the top priority: always telling her what’s next especially before a tunnel, and setting the lines with motion as much as possible.
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi! I am. Glad to hear she is almost back to normal!!!
I agree, the handling elements on the video went well! When you are layering, be sure to drive aggressively to the obstacles just as you would if the layered jump was not there. I think at the beginning, you were being a little tentative on the opening line so she hd questions (the distraction moment at :18 might have been more of a frustration moment). Starting at about 1:12, you ran pretty aggressively and she did GREAT! Yay!!
Nice job breaking don the distance elements and using the MM to help teach her the distance skills. That all looked great, and then at the end when you put it all together, it looked lovely!
Let’s talk about the weave skill:
>>With that in mind, I would like to improve this skill, >>
That is a good priority to work on! Question: how did she originally learn to weave? Channels, 2x2s, etc?
The reason I ask is that we go back to the more “open” version of her early learning (meaning that the weaves are not fully closed) so we can teach the concept of staying in the weaves while you hang back, run away, layer, etc – but without doing a zillion weave reps and safe her body.
For example, a couple of my dogs were trained on channels. So to get more independence, I would go back to the open channels (so the dog is going through the channels but not actually weaving) and have the target at the end (MM is a great one). And work on all of the elements of getting in and staying in while I sit in a chair or run backwards or run away laterally, etc.
Then over a series of sessions, you can easily tighten the poles while maintaining the understanding.If you used 2x2s, you cam create a channel of 12 poles by angling the 2x2s open so she is going through but not really weaving.
There are a LOT of reps needed to teach this concept – and we can’t really do a lot of weave reps with true weaving. So you *can* do the concept training using straight poles, but it will take a lot longer because sessions will need to be shorter/fewer reps. But with open poles, the training is safer for the dog because they are running but not really weaving, so sessions can be longer and the concepts can be taught more quickly (plus, it is easier to be correct in terms of the concept if the dog doesn’t also have to think about the mehanics of weaving).
Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
The opening looked great, she seemed to have no questions on the 1-2-3-4 line!
You had a little too much “push” energy on the first rep at 5. On the 2nd rep, you trusted her more and ran the line with less convergence it worked great!!
Running the line with her next to the frame made it too hard to get to the weave pole line… great job adding the double layer on the 2nd run! Nailed it!!!! That made it much easier for you to show the line to the weaves and get past the DW.
She was very close to getting the poles when you did, she just needs to see more of this skill so she gets used to finding the entry with the DW layering. She nailed it when you broke it down and she will get more and more independent with more experience and exposure to this crazy skill 🙂
Wow! Great job getting ahead on the 13-14-15-16 line on the first rep! On the next times through there, you got a little deeper past the dog walk so it was harder to show the line – I think a get out (to shift away) or a right verbal works better there than GO, especially when you are behind.
One other option to consider: because she has very nice independent weaves, you can get her into the weaves then leave her in the weaves, so you can be on the a-frame side of the DW when she is approaching 12 and 13! Do the threadle from close to 13, do a FC on the exit of 13 so she enters 14 on your left (yo will be on the a-frame side of the DW) and then you can handle 14-15-16 on your left, layering the dog walk. That should be very effective!! Yo can set this up in your yard, I bet, it try it out 🙂
Greta job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
Great job on this course! And yes, you totally deserved the cappuccino ice cream afterwards 🙂I am glad you tried that double layering… she nailed it! Looks like she had zero questions there when you sent to 6 and layered the 5 and the unnumbered jump. And that got you miles ahead, to get a FC on 9. SUPER! And that then allowed you to get the tunnel send and support the weaves with parallel motion to the entry (even at a distance).
For the big tunnel send after the FC – remember to be connected til you see her turn and look at he tunnel (then you can take off :)) You nailed it the first time you did the FC there but you were too early at 1:44 (you said tunnel and turned before she had a chance to look at the tunnel, so she came with you).
She is definitely getting the idea of finding that weave entry! Yay!!!
>>Then she wowed me again with her threadle!!! She remembered that from live class!!! I found I just needed to trust her on this and she got it!!! Getting the jump out of tunnel was our next hard point!! >>
Yes! That threadley section after the weaves looked great. The hard part was handling the threadle and then trying to get back around the DW to show the tunnel exit to 15 – your motion around the DW was creating a left turn on the tunnel exit.
Yes, a placed reward helped (thanks Carrie!) and I think a get out cue and opposite arm would help too…. But there is another option 🙂
Since you can get ahead of her after the weaves, you can handle 12-13 AND 14 from the other side of the DW (same side as the a-frame). Then when she exits the 14 tunnel, you will be on a parallel line to 15 and heading to 16 (layering the DW). A front cross on the exit of 13 t get her on your left for 14 should do the trick there! And if you are yelling “GO GO GO” or “GO JUMP” she will go right past the other tunnel and find 15 : )
Feel free to try it on Friday!!!
Great job here! And Yellowstone sounds AMAZING!!!! Have fun!
TracyHi!
The week 12 games are posted next Weds (July 12th). Then everyone has 3 weeks to keep posting – the final video submission dates is August 2nd.And yes, there will be a MaxPup 2! It will start in September. The date is still TBD but probably the 2nd full week of Sept. I will have more info soon!
TracyHi!
>You were talking about visualization. I have been using it since your Mental Management class in 2019. However, I have been really focusing on it since this April and it has helped me find the flow of a course as I visualize actually running the course with Mookie. A judge saw me in the hall as I did the visualization dance and then said to me “I know what you are doing

and I do it all the time “. We went on to nail the run the judge saw me visualizing >>This is so cool!!!!! And having the judge affirm it must have felt very supportive. I love it!!!!

>>As for Boundaries: I have been ignoring any training advise to not reward the dog unless the exercise is done perfectly.>>That is a great application of boundaries – you can simply ignore it, because it is about YOUR behavior and not their behavior. You don’t need to argue or discuss – just do what is best for your dogs 🙂

>>Obedience is mostly where people want perfect or the dog doesn’t get paid. Mookie knows that if he even tries he gets paid >>In any sport, the dog being perfect is contingent on US being perfect in our handling and cues. And since that is rare LOL we can totally reward the dog for their effort and being as perfect as possible with the info we are giving them.

>>He seems more relaxed in class that way >>He is not frustrated, probably. He understands that there is reward and he can keep trying – he trusts you!

>>As for Outcome Goals: I am putting my Big One for me out there. MACH Mookie by the end of this year:) There I actually posted it >>I think the MACH is an excellent outcome goal! You might want to take the pressure of “by the end of the year” off because you have on control over the timeline: if there are weather cancellations, or a pandemic, etc – if crazy things happen and you get the MACH in 2024? You have still accomplished an amazing outcome goal.

>> A good friend at trials told me to just chip away and it will come. I liked that advice >>Great advice: keep working your performance and the MACH will fall into your lap 🙂
So thinking back to the Miracle Question in the reading for this week… you wake up and you have achieved the MACH. How do you feel? What did you do to get there? That is where you start your performance and process goal setting.

>>And that Mookie will be included in our club’s obedience Interclub Competition doing UTILITY. He was in the competition last year doing Open and we nailed it >>That sounds so fun! What is needed to be included?

Your performance and process goals all sound good! And of course you can add or adjust as you move through them.Have fun!
TracyHi!
>>You out did yourself in challenges in week two std 2 lol!! >>You’re welcome!
😂 😝 😂 >>Had two cappuccino ice creams yesterday! Oh my goodness! A coffee lovers dream

That sounds SO YUMMY! I was hoping there would be enough variety in flavors that you would get to have some all to yourself 🙂The pieces you worked on went really well here – they are incredibly challenging!!
On the first rep, with the off course tunnel – she subscribes to the Voodoo Sklenar Tunnel Rule which is he will go to the tunnel he is looking at when I say tunnel, regardless of my position. So my rule is to make sure he is looking the correct direction before I cue a tunnel 🙂 That is same for Promise: She was looking at the other tunnel, you said tunnel, off she went. Good girl! The threadle arm got her head turned and got the correct direction. I think if you give her a name call as she exits 2 and is on the fwayto 3, you will get the perfect turn.
The 5-6-7-8-9-10 line is easy… except for having to get her into the weaves LOL!!! The trick to this line is to send her all the way to 6 and then layer the 5 jump and the unnumbered jump so you can be up at 9-10 before she gets off the a-frame – then you can do a FC there (probably easier to connect with than the blind – your blind at 1:10 did have great connection!). And then from 9, you can send to 10 and easily get around the dog walk. It is all easier if you can do the big layer. But because it is such a hard layer, 2 ideas for you:
– you can put the manners minder out past the frame so she stays on the frame even with you at a massive distance– You can teach her the layer by taking the bars out of the 5 jump and the other jump, and you start the distance element by running through the uprights. Then when she is happy with that, you can run outside the wings, then add the bar back.
The visuals of the DW and the double tunnel made her head explode a bit, lots of bars, lots to process. You can lock them in to the jump cups if your bars are hollow, so you and Promise don’t need to worry about the bars at all, only the insane lines 🙂
And yes, keep training that weave entry so eventually she can do it on a verbal – the more she expects that the weaves will be out there somewhere after a big layering moment, the easier it will be for her to look for them.
>>Again I cheated with the course setup for the weaves. I moved two sets further down making it an easier layer for her so when she curls into me she hasn’t bypassed the entry yet.>>
That isn’t cheating, that is good training!
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
TracyOr, you can pretend it is gamblers and you still get points if you keep going! Wheeee! The other option is to reward yourself with something every time you keep going after an error. Reinforcement builds behavior!
Tracy
Hi! I agree, this went well! He was doing a great job of looking at his lines!!
>>You can see me pushing on his line so hard I push him out of camera range! >>
The convergence was more than he needed so he was a little wide there 🙂 You can run more of a parallel line to the jump behind the tunnel and cue it with the outside arm and lots of connection (your running line at :26 was good!) and say the out verbals before he takes off for the previous jump. If he sees and hears the cue before he lands, he will have an easier time finding the jump.
Also, I think some of his wideness was lack of connection when you were looking forward, so he was drifting a little wide to see your face and get more info there.
>>>>When we changed direction, we had the same head check thing.>>
Yes, it was visible on the left turn exits – Be sure to tell him here to go on the tunnel exit before he enters (like at :12, you were more timely with the cue to carryon to the jump) or he will come out looking at you like at :33 and :50 when the cues started while he was in the tunnel or when he had exited. If you can start cuing the line when he is still 6 feet before the tunnel entry, you will get less had checking on the exit.
The full sequence looked good He found that tunnel entry really nicely! And did at beautiful job with the bars at 16” at the end! Very nice!
Fingers crossed for good weather so you can play on the big course! Great job here!
TracyBehind the tunnel will be great! And the tech can be challenging at first, but I told all the zoom gremlins to stay home tomorrow so it will work perfectly 🙂
Hi!
I was out at 6am this morning and it was fine til about 8am…. Then it was gross! I think tomorrow night should be fine – it is 6:30pm here and already cooling down nicely and the dogs are galloping around outside.
>>Can you explain to me again why I can’t use just one “wrap” verbal for either direction. That would sure make my poor pea brain hurt less. Wouldn’t a single wrap verbal and direction of motion send him in the right direction?>>
You don’t have a pea brain! You have a “new to all these damn verbals” brain LOL!!! The reason is that direction of motion cannot be relied on anymore past the novice levels – courses are really big, we get behind too far, and there is a lot of distance and layering work happening. So the dogs are much happier with the verbals so they don’t need to see us (which is great, because we won’t be there anyway in a lot of cases :)) We are getting happier dogs that are faster and more independent. It is worth the extra brain power needed at this stage – and yes, walking it a lot and practicing it will help it get solidified. I think you did a great job with the verbals here!
The videos looked great! I was laughing so hard at his extra judgey face at the beginning when you were doing the ready dance. LOL!! It cracked me up.
His commitment is looking really good! He is sending forward really well and also doing brilliantly with the backwards sending! And the soft turn racetracks looked great too! And you kept the session super short – it is amazing how hot it gets with the humidity especially with the running and tugging!!!
He had the little blooper at the end partially because yes, you stepped back a little early but mainly because you said “yay!” So he was coming back to the get the toy (which he did a great job ignoring :)) So try not to say Yay (it is hard!!)
On the 2nd video – this also went really well! And he liked those little noises at the 2:00 mark – so fun!
That got him pumped up to finish strong, I know you were probably both hot! You ended it at a perfect time.Just about all of this commitments looked great, so you can add to them a little more:
As he is catching up to you, you can decelerate sooner and start rotated as he is passing you, which means you will send him to the next wing with the backwards send (arm, leg, looking at the wing). You were sending forward then rotating as he was past you, so now this will be one or two steps sooner and the “new” arm will do the send. It is very much like the backwards send you are starting with, but now you are coming into it at a run 🙂He only had a couple of questions on this video:
He had a little refusal at :27, he needed needed more step from the dog-side leg to the wing there. All of your other send steps looked good.At 1:02 – he was funny when he tried to grab the toy and then went to the wing (this happened once in the first video too). Was it a distraction? Was he attempting to do the easier behavior (toy grab) instead of the harder behavior (wing wrap)? Either way, he was a good boy and went to the wing then you said “yes!” So he came back to you. So be super careful of saying yes – if you saying it before he is fully committed, he is going to take it as a reward marker (because it is, whether we like it or not LOL!) and come off the line. It was not an issue when he was finishing a wrap because he could more easily keep moving through it.
Great job here! See you tomorrow!
Tracy
Hi!
You should be feeling really great about how her training is progressing! Her skills are coming together really well and most of all – she absolutely adores working with you.
I think that training young dogs in agility is really hard, especially in sequences. We have to be basically perfect, while running. Lordy! So there will be bloopers and moments of watching the video in slow motion 🙂 But it gets easier as the pups learn the game more.
>>I am really hoping that tomorrow’s live class goes well. The fireworks the last couple of nights have had her very worried. She has had a couple of times in the agility field where she heard either fire crackers or something that made her think about them and she just wanted to go back inside. Fingers crossed. Tonight is supposed to be the last night until the end of the month>>
Poor girl!! In season AND fireworks. Bleh!!! If you are outside and are surprised by a loud bang, you can go into a resilience game (pattern game) with food or toys. I always have food or frisbees with me at this time of year.
See you tomorrow!
Tracy
