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Hi! Basically, it is same as doing auditing in terms of logging in. For working, you would them turn the camera on (pointed at your working area) and mic on for your turn. If you are using a laptop to watch and then a mobile device to stream your turn , you can have them both in the class (we would turn off the sound of one so there is no feedback).
I have you set up for the July 6 and August 2 classes but not tomorrow – let me know if I messed it up!
Tracy
Hi!
This is a great question:
>> Also, I like “dig dig dig” for the wrap. I heard others have 2 words for wraps, one for left and one for right. What is your opinion on that?>>
Since there is so much distance in agility nowadays and since the dogs are fast (and I am slow LOL!) then yes – I do have separate verbals for wrap-to-the-left and wrap-to-the-right and my dogs are happy about it because they don’t have to rely on my footspeed. Both of those are front-side verbals (and they are noises: tststs for left wrap, and choochoochoo for right wrap). That is separate from digdigdig which is for the backside circle wrap only.
Tracy
Hi!
>>Would we ever start adding in our other marker words for this? Like our treats from hand or toy from hand markers? >>
Do you mean in the situation where you gt back to the rewards, pick up the toy, and say the marker to grab the toy? You might not need to (that ends up being a LOT of markers) because the remote reinforcement marker is what marks the behavior in the ring. But, if she might take the toy really hard and accidentally bite your hand then yes – you can ‘cue’ how she should take the toy with a toy-grab marker.
Let me know if that makes sense!
TracyHi!
She did really well here!! Good girl!
There might not have been enough room between the couch and the wing on the first rep plus you moved your shoulder early, so she thought it was the jump bump and not the threadle. But then you were more stationary, she remembered what to do, and it went really well!Great job adding your verbal too! Try not to move your shoulder at all til after she gets to the MM for the reward, so you don’t accidentally build in a second arm cue to take the jump.
She is ready to see the serp and threadle in the same session – you might need to turn the jump to give yourself more room, or take it outside :) Great job!
TracyHmm, that is odd, I must have deleted my reply by accident! Oops!!!
>>So at this point, don’t do threadle and serp in same session, but what about same day? Or concentrate on threadle and review serp now and then?>
The advanced level will tell you how to do both in the same session 🙂 It is perfectly fine to do that as long as the mechanics and verbals are clear.
>>I’m also doing more barrel work. Today we tried three barrels…just sending simple front crosses. At this point is that ok? Three? >>
Absolutely! You can make up your own patterns, work the mechanics, then try them with her.
>>For the tight turns, when do I add the verbal? I mean in the training progression and also graphically in the rep? >>
You can add them when you are quite sure she will go to the barrel on cue, so you can probably add them now. And start saying the verbal just before you start the send to the barrel.
About the barking:
It sounds like you had kind of a ‘perfect storm’ happening with the dumbbell exercises
– she has had a lot of training in the last few days (not a lot of bandwidth left in her)
– you added a new game to an existing game so it was new and weird and probably confusing
– you did it at a time of day when the environment was different (low light)
– you did it at a time of day when her circadian cycle was priming for sleep, not learningSo, it sounds like she was frustrated due to all of those. Based on what I have seen I n the videos, any barking at you or nipping has been frustration so be careful of what you ask her to do (small pieces, lots of reward) and when you ask her to do it (time of day does play a role!)
>>So she barks because she’s excited? She doesn’t know what I want? I’m late starting a rep or a game? >>
All of the above? Lack of clarity, not enough reinforcement – it is all the arousal and frustration. Especially the nipping at hands and face! So be sure to really keep a high rate of reinforcement and live by the 2 failure rule: if she has 2 errors in the session, you have made it too hard and need to make it easier. And if she starts to bar or nip and you don’t know why, it is fine to do something else like just throw a toy or scatter some treats in the grass for her to sniff, to bring the arousal down.
Let me know what you think!
TracyHi! These are looking really good!!!
>>Not sure why that bar keeps coming down. >>
We did see some bars on these and also that one darned bar kept coming down! I will notate why I think some of them were coming down – but sometimes it was just that there was a lot of visual processing happening so he had to multi-task and lost a bit of jumping mechanics, and on that same bar that kept coming down: it is kind of a hard turn, and all it is the end – and on the first couple of reps you tossed the slowed down, praised, and tossed the ball right as he was jumping it… so he dropped it. Then during the other runs, any time it looked like you were turning for home and dropped your arm as if throwing the toy – he dropped the bar. So to help protect those end-of-run bars, be sure to run til after he lands from the last jump, then throw the reward.
Looking at the sequences, I grouped them together:
Seq 1:
It took me a minute to realize 1 was a wing and not a jump, I as trying to figure out why he wasn’t jumping LOL!!!!
Since you were deciding wrap versus slice on 6: If 7 was a jump, a slice to the right on 6 would be better for the ending line – even on the wing, the slice is the faster line.Looking at the BC timing – very nice timing 2-3 on first rep! Definitely early on 2nd rep as you mentioned. Your window to start it is when he lands from 1 and looks at 2. You seemed to do this at :44 and it looked great!
>>I think I tried to go for a little more of a slice on that last #6, but saw it was going to be a wrap and just went with it. I wish I had tried again for that slice though!
The slice is definitely the better line – you would just need to keep him on your left and serp 5 to get it.
For the wrap, you can do the BC sooner 5-6 by seeing him look at 5 after exiting 4, that start it. You were a little late at :09 and :49 (he was over the bar of 5 when you started), which made the wrap cues late.
Step 2, seq 1: fabulous!! He never seemed to look at the added jump. You had great BC timing, fab send to the wrap n 4, and a lovely serp 5-6-7. YAY!
Step 3, eq 1: accidental off course on backside of 2 possibly as a remnant of the reps of sequence 2 which I think you did before you went to step 3 here. No worries! You can line him up on an angle to get it. The rest was great – he never seemed to look at the tunnel or the added jump.
He missed 6 at 1:14: you were connected but your whole body turned away from the 6 jump. Keep moving towards it until he cue you to leave for 7: Look for him to look at the bar and take a step to it, as your cue to leave for 7.Seq 2 –
Nice backsides!! WOWZA! The contact was just a little too close 🙂 but the rest looked great!This is where we saw that pesky bar drop at :13 and :51 because of praise/decel/ball drop as he was lifting off. That seemed to set the tone for the rest of it, anytime you disconnected or moved an arm on that jump, he thought it was ball time LOL!
Step 2, seq 2:
He took the bar at 2 on the first rep but sorted it out on the 2nd rep – I think he just needed a refresher on the jumping form as you get way ahead. Good bo for sorting it out!
One more step was needed at 4 – wait til you see front feet up before you leave. We will be talking about how the dogs will cue us to go to the next spot, and facing the send line til he lifts his front feet will probably be his cue to you on sends 🙂At :15 there was a bar down on 6, probably because of how you turned your shoulders and he thought you tossed the ball.
Step 3 seq 2 : this is where I think the processing of the added obstacles made things harder for him – he didn’t go off course, but he had a harder time with jumping mechanics! The visual distractions can definitely cause that, so he just needs more experience and exposure to these challenges.
And, you can help with massive connection – you had a disconntection at :12 then a big arm drop at :14, for example, and both bar came down.
Seq 3 – he is doing such a great job of NOT looking at the off course obstacles!!!
There was a bar down at 2 on blind not he first rep. It was a good blind! So I think out was a processing question from him, how to process the added obstacles and jumping forward as you were moving fast. The FC on next rep worked better for sure! And more processing questions on 4 (:09) and 2nd to last bar. Sure, you can be ultra connected and extra sure to not drop your arm – that will help! – but also just letting him see this type of cause with the obstacles nearby will help him process his jumping form with the visual distractions nearby too.Great job on these! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
Great job on these, they are looking great!
3 main things I was seeing on these pop outs:* He is doing really well with his jump- tunnel discrims! Handling + verbal , and he is making it look easy. YAY!
* I think you can do more spins to set up turns rather than rotate towards him. That will set great turns and help him ignore off course lines. More below on that!
* If there is an error – rather than stop and reward, just keep going like it was correct (fix it on the next rep). That will help you think on your feet to recover from bobbles, and also it will help maintain a lot of flow – both of which are useful are trials.Pop Out 1:
>>So I numbered this course wrong, #4 isn’t correct. >>
No worries, I think you made it harder LOL!!
Nice send to tunnel 2! Try to keep moving and sending, so you can blind the exit – he had a question there when you picked him up on your left for the RC.
If you do blind (or FC like you did on the 2nd rep) you found out with the off course that you will need to put a turn cue on 4 because the shoulders turn does indeed open up the off course (:37). I think a spin there will be better because it keeps you moving and gets the turn. And if he goes off course, no worries, keep going! It is great rehearsal for thinking on your feet 🙂
Layering worked beautifully at the end!
Pop out 2: I can see his argument for the off course at :08 – you were facing it as he was landing rom jump 4 (keep going) 🙂 You worked out nicely that a spin will work – you did a gorgeous one at 1:07 – otherwise you have to rotate towards him then away and that is too much work when you can be running to the next spot. Think of the spin as a Front Cross-then-Blind-Cross combo and you will nail it each time.
>>I think I successfully completed my first spin???? I don’t think I’ve ever really done those before. He seem to read it really nicely.>>
WHAT?!?!?! You are a spin savant! That one was gorgeous!
Pop out 3: You can add a small turn cue on jump 2 , like a name call or left verbal along with a brake arm (opposite arm as a ‘whoa!’ arm) or a tiny bit of decel, as he is approaching it, so he can tighten the line and not look at the off course. The rest looked great, especially that really nice blind on the backside to get the last tunnel!! Wowza!
Pop Out 4: Super nice, both times!! Loved the blind in the opening Great send into the jump after the blind to get a lovely turn too! That set up the ending line really nicely.
Great job on these!!
TracyHi!
>>ou were using
“back” for the backside slice. Do you use a different verbal for backside wrap? >>Yes- 2 entirely different behaviors, so we have 2 separate verbals 🙂 “Back” is my backside slice cue and “digdigdig” is my backside wrap cue.
>>Also, if I didn’t want to use “back” for the backside slice is there other cues that you’ve used?>>
Other verbals I heave heard used there effectively have been “push” and “pass” and “around”. Let me know which one you choose!
Tracy
Hi!
On the head turns, there is a definite hand flip – my palm starts facing up (as if offering a cookie to the pup) then as I turn the head away, my palm ends up facing down. And yes, you might see the dogs raise their head (especially my bigger merle dog) – this is the dog sorting out the mechanics and probably a bit of “this is WEIRD” too LOL!! But that goes away as we build on this and as we continue to throw the reward on the ground.
Tracy
Hi!
Can I just say that I love that your house has the puppy training stuff stashed in different corners? I am glad I am not the only one LOL!
I totally feel your pain about the head course builder thing!!! I am head course builder at a big event in November each year and it is all-consuming and exhausting!
>>This was met with a bit of a disaster. >>
Definitely NOT a disaster!!! Not quite the full behavior – sure! And great info from the dog – yes! But definitely not a disaster. She got lots of rewards, you got lots of hind end movement even if it was not quite over the bar.
One thing the neuroscience people tell us is that learning is happening in. The direction that we want, even if we don’t see the behavior expressed right away. Then latent learning takes over, sleep consolidates it – then BOOM! It appears pretty soon. This keep me sane during puppy training LOL!!!
She definitely thought that stepping over the pole was ewwwwwwww LOL!!!
It is possible that this style of perch work is a bit too new, or the poles are daunting. You can try just one pole on the ground and also maybe on the turf at the training building or on a big carpet – she isn’t moving fast but she might still find the floor needs to be more grippy so she can ‘trust’ her back feet and balance here.
Young dogs have a LOT of processing to do when we work the mechanics stuff, so in a couple of days you can refresh the perch work with the poles for a minute or so. If she is moving back and forth, add one pole and see how it goes!
Keep me posted – you are on the right track :) Tracy
Hi!
>>Some truth in that as feel more pressure when filming esp when dong for class (but helps make more trial like).>
Good insight! So you can try this:
Run the sequence 1 time without the camera on (no pressure) then run it 1 time WITH the camera on (pressure!!!)>>1 question I do alot of sending, layering and leaving in the ring because she is fast and this is also natural for her – I wonder if this makes it harder for her to read when I want her to stay closer or turn with me (especially when I am late or unclear )>>
It is entirely possible she still needs to learn how to transition from BIG distance back to handler focus/tight turns then back to distance. She is still young and inexperienced, and most dogs things that layering is very stimulating 🙂
I think you will like the sequences posted today, because they are specifically about layering/distance then tight handling then back to layering/distance.
Have fun!
TracyHi! Sorry for the delay, it has been an insane 24 hours of travel!
The lazy game is looking really good!
One thing I notice here is how easily she goes back and forth from food to the toy to food – AWESOME!! I love it! She was also finding her jumps really nicely.
While she is eating, you should keep strolling (you were stopping a bit :)) The stopping made it harder to get the next jump.
>>was using sliced cheese stick for the lazy game but she still losing them in the grass so it wasn’t very smooth. >>
Her response time for finding the food was not too bad at all! If you keep moving, I bet she finds it even faster. And when you get to doing all 3 in a row, you can throw the toy 🙂
Looking at the mountain timber game: she was really good on the first rep when you went with her – then gave a big NOPE when you tried to have her run to you. So you did the 100% correct thing to go help her.
>>She was a little worried about the seesaw. >>
Yes – going all the way up is definitely challenging! But she was not freaked out and happy to do it as long as you were with her. She will get it sorted out – partially she needs to know the mechanics of getting the reward, and partially she needs more experience. If she really hated it, she would not stick around for a full session and definitely would not try to get on without you LOL! So 3 suggestions:
– do fewer reps in the next session (2 reps!) for a massive reward – then go do something else. Leave her wanting more!
– on the end of the board that is touching the ground. Have her go on then turn around then walk off, so she can get used to turning around (so you don’t have to lift her all the time).
– for now, always go with her, and we will come back to you recalling her up the board at a later date. She was getting really confident by the end!Great job!
TracyHi! Sorry for the delay, it has been an insane 24 hours of travel!
She did really well with the challenges here! It was hard to find the jump behind the tunnel AND organize the takeoff – either passing it (a bunch of time or dropping the bar. It is a hard processing challenge for sure! So, that is Josie-speak for training it with a lower bar (like at 12” for a few reps til she has it, then it can start to go back up. She did sort it out a few times, so I know she will be perfectly fine with this 🙂
The layering with you on the other side of the barrier also went well – for the next session, start with RYG 1 (it seems to have not posted at the same time as the others, sorry!!!) which will get her at an even bigger distance on the other side of the tunnel, then come back to this sequence so you can put together the longer sequences here too :) Great job!
TracyHi!
>>I’m a little concerned about the start and if I do a little sling in it’s going to make her question the tunnel. Should I try wrapping a wing before 1?
This is a great idea! You can set up a wing before 1 to do that. And in the other sequences where a random wing might be in the way, you can start with a wrap on 1, putting 1 facing away from the tunnel so she wraps, you do a FC, then you carry on.
T
