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Good morning!
>>However, I find that my shoulders and or feet tell him more than my verbals are. Should I be more stationary in these exercises? >>
Definitely add motion, because he needs to process these verbals when you are moving. Standing still is cool as a trick š but not super useful when running a course LOL!!!
The key here is to be moving but not really handling, if that makes sense. What I mean by that is you are generally moving on the same line of motion on both of these (slowly at first) and using the different verbals.
So on the first video, you were meandering on a line parallel-ish to your deck, no real handling help on the first couple of reps and he did great! On the 3rd rep, I think the transition into the rep was too quick – you were playing and talking then suddenly you were giving cues. So like a good boy, he didnāt wait to process, he did THE FAST THING which was not correct lol
O after each reward, take a moment to reset, get quiet like you did on the next rep, then give the cues.You stopped moving on the next reps so he got out towards the tunnel but then second-guessed himself because there was no motion (which is indeed a turn cue, good boy). So keep meandering on the line you had on the first couple of reps. And you can put a line on the ground to help you stay super consistent in terns if your line of motion without actually handling.
2nd video had a little more movement which is great! You were giving him a little step towards the tunnel when you wanted it and a little more shoulder turn when you wanted the jump, which definitely falls into the āhelp as much as needed and as little as possibleā realm š So on the next session(s) you can fade the little help steps and then you can add more of the same motion of you walking on a parallel line.
3rd position video also looked really good!! You stayed on the outside wing of the jump the whole time – so now you can add moving past the jump on both the jump and tunnel cue. The difference in physical cues you can use to help him would be to maybe take one step and keep your shoulders open to him for the tunnel til he definitely commits, and turn your shoulders a little more for the jump – but your line of motion can be the same for both, passing the outer wing of the jump.
>>A Quick Opposite Side
I am getting an error message on this video, can you repost? Thanks!
The Wing near tunnel video is going well too – you can use the same motion concepts here too in terms of keep gin your shoulders more open to the outer obstacle but staying in (slow) motion on both cues. Your verbals sounded nicely different too! And great job with the reset reward when something went wrong.
And since finding the jump is harder than the tunnel here, you can reward sooner. The instant he looks at the jump or take a half step towards itā¦ you can affirm his choice by throwing the reward (no need to wait til he takes the jump, because affirming the early decisions will help get more commitment). For example on the last rep, you were really far away (yay!) so he started to go but then had a question – you can throw as soon as you see him starting to go to the jump.
>>o really try to get my OWN verbals down pat! Itās so hard and Iām just standing there!>>
Yes! Totally agree that it is hard! People ask em all the time how to get good with verbals and my answer is to rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, just like you did here š
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning! You have had some crazy weather!!!
>>Would it work equally well to use left and right coming out of the tunnel for these exercises?
Good question! I suppose it would… but I use switch as a compound line cue to indicate that there will be a complete change of direction for both of us (usually heading back the way we came) followed by layering. I guess it indicates super independence on the next line with more detail than left/right would (those don’t indicate more than just a turn).
Kind if like “Go Tunnel” means ‘stay on the line to find the tunnel at the end’, ‘switch’ can name an entire line too.
Here are a couple of videos to look at. One is taken from MaxPup, which is basically tandem turn foundations š And the 2nd one is putting it into context. Let me know what you think!
Good morning!
It sounds like you and Helen had a great day with the pups!! So fun!!!!! What a great experience for both of them š Happy dance!
The session went well and gave us good info!
Moving the barrel to an easier location was a smart move because it allowed him to see the jump and your line of motion
He is learning the verbals for sure, and for now he needs the motion to match them so he doesnāt have to choose verbal or motion. What I mean by that is:
He was very successful finding the jump when you were at a distance and on a parallel line (good example of this are at :32 and :38). He was not yet successful when you were moving away from the line, towards the tunnel exit (a good example of this is at :40 where he ends up in the tunnel). But then when you were parallel on the next rep – he nailed the jump cue).In terms of processing as you move and give the verbal – he is definitely prioritizing motion for now (choosing motion over the verbal) as you can see when he kept going to the jump when you cued the tunnel. Slowing down is good!
And also, seeing him prioritize motion is good for two reasons:
– it is a motion-based sport š
– it informs out training decisions š Ideally, we can pump up the verbals even more so he canSo for the next session, you can try to keep your motion exactly the same (putting a line on the ground to move along so you are not varying depending on the cue) – and slowly move along all the line while giving him the verbals. That can help pump up the verbals even more, which will help when you do the BIG layering (like with a dog walk in the middle of the ring).
Great job here!!! Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning!
>>Whew! Iām so glad that I donāt have to do boring crate games! LOL Yeah, I like some basic manners in and out of the crate, but beyond that, I donāt really care. >>
Perfect! I have definitely moved into the ‘crate manners’ over crate games in the last few years – both the dogs and I are happier š
>>Casper is so awesome crated at a trial. Heās quiet and relaxes, chews his bone, or sleeps. Doesnāt cry at all.
This is perfect, because as he starts trialing as an adult, he is going to need to relax and sleep between runs as well as sleep if you are gone overnight. Being able to relax already is fabulous!!
>>He reserves the crying for the mornings at home when he wants to get up and I do not.
I can relate – I wanted to stay in bed this morning and a certain 7 month old puppy insisted that it was time to get up (he had to pee LOL!)
>>Or when I pull Dreamer out at training and Casper knows heās training, then there is also lots of screaming. š
Awwww Casper is going to love training the more exciting stuff!
>>I love the resilience games for trials. I donāt think or train well at trials, but I do want to do something with Casper while we are there.
Yay! And honestly, there is not much to do at trials with puppies – exposure to the environment and resilience games. I have found it to be a great way to learn about what the pups need so then when it is time to start competing, the pups have all made a pretty easy transition to the trial ring because they were better prepared.
>>So this will be perfect. Yeah looking at my video, I should have just let him look at The Thing right at the start. It looked like a wrap someone had been wearing around their wrist, so Iām sure it had some weird smells. And yup, third day, really tired puppy. I do want to bring him, though, because if I leave him home with the boring spouse he is so energetic when I get home, and I want to sleeeeeeep. >>
Totally keep bringing him! Good things were happening here even when he was needing to explore weird things. He might not have been as perfect with the game, but he was still learning and he had an incredibly positive experience. You are always so fabulous about setting him up for positive experiences, that has been so awesome to watch over the course of this class.
Tracy
>>>
I agree! By allowing him to feel happy around bar setters, etc ā he will have MORE focus in the ring. The dogs that are stressed or uncomfortable are the ones that tend to āvisitā.
<<< That sounds so awesome! Yeah, I donāt want him stressed or uncomfortable. And I love that heās happy and friendly and wants to say hi to people and friendly dogsFound it!
I use this when the starts are relatively simple and I don’t need a complicated lead out. The dog in the video (Hot Sauce) loves it!
Tracy
Hi! Things are going really well!!
On the first video:
The first rep to the tunnel looked great!
On the blind to the jump – he needs to know more specifically which side on that line so the threadle you added at :13 worked great! The sound on the video stopped but you had a threadle arm, so I assume you used the threadle verbal too (it is a threadle because he had to know if it was front of back of the jump)
The blind to the backside and then the tunnel cue on the last 2 reps both looked great!!On the 2nd video – you did a good job getting it flipped!
Here is a theory thing that might help you decide when you need to do a threadle or a backside verbal (or not :))
– on the FC at :11 and the BCs, he lands from the first jump and he can see both sides of the next jump. So he needs specific cues (threadle or backside) to know which side, which is why he dropped the bar on the first rep on that challenge on both videos. The threadle arm helps him get the side next to you (I couldnāt tell if you were using the threadle verbal), and a backside verbal and step gets the other side. A general jump cue is not specific enough, because he has a choice (he did get it with the jump verbal later in the session, but he was patterning by then :))
Now, when he doesnāt have a choice to make about which side, a jump cue works great like at :27 when it was a jump versus tunnel moment with no side change – he nailed it. When you said ābackā at :34, back is generally a āforwardā cue where the dog moves away from us, which is part of why I think he ended up in the tunnel (the other part of it was that I think the cue was later than the other cues had been). At :48 you just said ājump jumpā and it worked well (you said back too, but it was late so he didnāt have a jump to look for to get to a backside).
So he is overall responding really well! Let me know if the ideas about when to use the different jump cues make sense.
Great job!!
TracyHi!
>>Iām starting to think a quieter ājumpā with a louder ātunnelā verbal helps her.
Yes! It helps the dogs differentiate because they are getting more info than just a word – they are getting different pitch and value info as well.
On the video:
>>Also I was waaaaayyyyy to pointy.>>
Yes LOL! You would have totally spilled your water š
When you point high and ahead of her, it changes your body language and she has to choose physical or verbal cue, because they donāt match up.For example, at :13, th really high arm turned your shoulders to the backside line of the jump and that is where she went. So she was prioritizing motion over verbals (motion won, she was correct) in this case.
On the next rep at :15, your arm was lower and raised later, so your shoulders supported the tunnel verbal and she got the tunnel. Yay!
So another way to look at it is to think of saying the verbals to her, rather than to the obstacle. That will keep your hands lower and also help turn your shoulders to the line you want.
When you were not looking at her, she had big questions about going to the jump or tunnel. But on the last 2 reps, you had more direct connection and lower arms – she nailed it!
I think telling the verbals directly will her will also help solve the extra-pointy moments LOL!! And you can keep moving on these too, no need to be as stationary when you add the next positions.
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracySounds like a great trial weekend! The bar was probably just an anomaly. Fast dogs will sometimes jut drop a bar, no worries. I am glad Audie had a great time too!!
T
Hi!
>>I have a question about start lines & Iād love your opinion on this. Do I need to use a sit? Do you have a verbal like āWaitā?āØāØExcellent question! My main goal is that you and Bazinga start as a team and are not stressed or fighting with each other š
The position does NOT have to be a sit, in fact it is fine to let the dog choose the position. For my Contraband, I go to the line, take the leash off, say stay, and he chooses either a sit or a stand, and I lead out. For my others, I cue a sit (it is there preferred position) and say stay (although I think that is more for me than for them haha!).
>>Frankie has some fears (I think she is afraid of big dogs) that we have been working on and they really manifest at the start line. When it gets bad, she shuts down, so I recently stopped putting her in a sit (I gave up on the start line stay all together for a while until she got some confidence back). It really seemed to help to let her stand at the start. Iām not releasing from far away with F (just a few steps) but it is working for her.Ā >>
I think you are making good choices for Frankie! You are recognizing that the situation is really hard and she is worried, so you are setting her up for success! You can also teach her a behind-the-back start where she slingshots behind you at a run – SUPER FUN! I have video of that somewhere if you want to see it.
>>Bazinga is a different personality, but I want to create a routine that works for her. Iām looking for good ideas on how to give her a great start-line experience. Some routine just for her. >>
Think of it as more of a toolbox than a routine. Routines can be too ālocked inā which creates stress when things donāt go according to plan or something unexpected happens. But a toolbox can give you all sorts of fun thing you can use.
>I know some people play with their dogs, some people set the dogs up between their legsā¦ just looking for ideas! >>
I suggest playing with all of these, trying different things and teaching her all of these toolsā¦ then you and Bazinga will find what fits comfortably as a team and use that. There is no way to know at this stage what will work best, so for now the goal is to make it all super fun š
Some dogs love the play on the way to the start line, some HATE it. Some love to line up between the legs, some hate it LOL! The dogs tell us š I am running 4 dogs right now: 2 are very serious on the line and donāt want any play or tricks. And 2 do want the tricks to help them focus. The dogs ātoldā me when I tried different thinks and noted their responses.
>>Iām afraid my hyper-focus on supporting Frankie is making me blind to the possibilities.>>
That is relatable, and it is great that you are thinking about how to support your girlies on the start line!
The decel is going well! She is doing the parallel path extension with no problem š On the decals, you were moving into position so the decel ws a little late on some (like 1:15) so be stationary in position when you release for now, so she can really get her collection going.
It was fun to see the get out game! We build this up in MaxPup 2 so it is good to refresh it. She was a very good girl!! On the ābreakā reps where you didnāt cue the get out, she kinda thought about going to the prop on the first one but was pretty darned perfect on the rest. She started watching you more towards the end on the get out, because the she could see the cookie throws. You can throw sooner on the get out reps (mark with a get it or find it and throw before she arrives at the prop, so she looks at you less :))
Great job here!!!
TracyHi! Mother Nature is being a pain!!
We have til March 14th, unless the weather goes wild then we can always extend it š
Thanks for joining the chat today!!
T
Hi!
>>My timing has gotten worse, so is my handling. Ughhhh
Disagree!!! I think there are 2 small details otherwise it looked really good!!
On the first game – keep moving more for now ,slowly facing the direction you want her to go. You were stopping with rotated feet and the rotation when you stopped was confusing her (a little zig zag at :12 and the jump instead of the tunnel at :23) The verbals are not quite overriding rotation yet, but that is fine for now – she was great when you didnāt turn your feet.
On the 2nd part – the first 2 reps looked great, just remember to use your verbals when doing the blind too, donāt go silent š
She didnāt get the first threadle at 1:00 – she didnāt know she was turning on the first jump til way late. You were earlier at 1:07 but being too early will tart to confuse her about whether or not the threadle is on that first jump or on the 2nd jump. So you can put a turn cue on the first jump – when she exits the wing wrap, you can cue the next jump with a collection cue or a name call to get her to start turning, then add the threadle. The timing at 1:00 would have been fine is she knew she was turning on that first jump.
The tunnel to jump threadle was great at the end!!
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi! This looked really good and I see what you mean about not being able to get between. the obstacles – he has a huge stride!!!
You can release sooner on these for sure to add the motion he would be seeing if you started from the wing. Also, use position cues to help him out: if you want the jump, lead out or run to within an armās length of it (and nowhere near the tunnel :)) On the jump cues here, you were standing right next to the tunnel which makes showing the line to the jump a little harder (and draws his focus to the tunnel). Since you are ahead of him, you donāt need to give him any extra room because you are moving and wonāt be in his way at all – that will give him a better visual to find the jump.
Great job!!
TracyHi!
>>I had to do three separate videos to capture our efforts to succeed. This first video demonstrates that Forrest clearly knows the TUNNEL command. It also clearly demonstrates how my body is NOT supporting the OVER command and once again, I see me relying on my arm. Videos are great teachers, arenāt they?>>
Yes, videos are amazing because what we feel or remember in the moment is often different than what actually happened š One important thing – Good job rewarding even when it was not perfect. These are really hard games!
Looking at the first video – you were facing forward which is fine, almost as if you were going to serpentine the jump – so what he is telling us here is that āoverā is a forward cue (to keep running on the line) and Here is not a valuable word to him (he didnāt respond to it without supporting body language) Try his name! Or a ārightā directional. Those might help!
>>So here is the second video where I thought I was using my body more to support the OVER command and I guess I was sortof but still got that arm out.
On the 2nd video – the shoulder turn TOTALLY helped him know the difference! That is great! Physical cues are important!! So yes, keep supporting him with physical cues as the verbals get solidified.
>>The hardest part of this handling challenge was getting me between the tunnel and the jump where the wrap was located to the LEFT of the jump. I can easily get Forrest over the two jumps correctly IF I stay on the outside (pulling him over jump 2 with a gorgeous slice). But I simply was unable to get myself into position using the wingā¦so I didnāt. I abandoned that and put Forrest in a SIT/STAY and placed myself where I need to be. This probably just practice ignoring the tunnel and doing a nice sliceā¦but Iām OK with that.>>
Do you mean trying to run in and do a blind cross or front cross? Using a stay was perfectly fine to get that š and you can also send away to the wing from as far as possible. But with the stay, you can also add motion – instead of leading out to position, you can release before you get there so you are running into it like you would be on course. And I agree – practicing ignoring the tunnel is a critical and useful skill!
>>We entered our first ever UKI Sweepstakes trial this weekend and we ran it NFC (mostly to dial down my anxiety and to focus on having fun). Forrest did GREAT til we got to the last four jumps lined up for a dog with a great GO commend! Forrest did three of the four perfectly but since MOM was lagging behind, he turned before the last jump to look for meā¦losing a few precious seconds of time. >>
Yay for UKI! And yes, those huge long lines are SO HARD! In UKI, you can have a āhelperā come in the ring on those NFC runs – so when I was training the big GO GO GO lines at the end of a course, I asked a friend to sneak into the ring with a ball and when I was running that last line and the dog was driving ahead, she would throw it to reward him for looking ahead (and not back at my slow self LOL!!) It really helped! Helpers and thrown balls are legal in UKI š
Great job here!!! I see you put the 3rd video in the next thread, I will go there next.
TracyHi!
>>Do you know when the Flyball Invitational will be aired!? I love WEC! Any time we trial anywhere in Ocala we take a trip there with the dogs & have dinner.>>
I don’t know when it will be aired, but I will definitely share the date/time. And WEC is so cool! I still have about 6 pounds of leftover brisket nachos from the Yellow Pony last night – SO YUMMY!
Bummer about the video not working with the verbals game!
I think she is getting the idea that she needs to process the verbals, even if the processing is not perfect yet. Yay!>>because Iām not sure what to try next.>>
Revisit it with you standing – that is where she seems to have the most success, and then eventually you can go to sitting in a chair.
>>She was funny in this session, when she took the jump incorrectly and didnāt hear the MM beep, she detoured into the exit end of the tunnel, like āI got it!ā So I think she is understanding that it is 1 or the other but not associating the verbals?>>
That is a very good thing – instead of being frustrated or deflated, she is attempting to solve the puzzle. Super! I think it is brilliant! Reset cookies can affirm that solving the puzzle is worthwhile, and the MM can reward correct choices.
>>Calm Your Hands with a Drink! I did it. It REALLY made me change the way I was running/moving>>
OMG this is so fun! And it is hot in Florida, so a cold drink should be rewarding for you! Congrats on NOT spilling the water! Also – Note how you never got the wrong end of the tunnel here! I think the hardest part was when you had to do a spin on the wing and move the bottle to the other hand that caused some delays LOL! And at 1:42 when you switched hand, you looked forward so she correctly read it as a blind cross to the tunnel. But then you nailed it on the next rep!
I think the whole running with the drink felt different and weird because it makes us humans have to prioritize connection and running smoothly, instead of going fast and pointing at stuff šYou can also try this with an ice cream cone – vanilla ice cream, so if you drop it then she can eat it LOL!
Great job here!!!
Tracy
