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OMG I love him! So cute!!! His retrieve is looking great and it is so much fun to do retrieve games when he is so adorable and clever! YAY!! He gets 100000000 style points 🙂
Have fun!
TracyHi!
That is a busy day! She has more of a life than I do LOL!!
On the video:
She did well with the tugging before and after! The shredding the toy at the end might have been a decompression moment after a big long day – she was not leapy (yay!) and so you can actually cue the decompression at the end by either letting her have the toy to shred a bit (this gets expensive, speaking from personal experience from replacing a lot of toys haha!) or giving her something cheap to shred like the cardboard innards of a paper towel roll.The get out is going well! She went to it really well when you cued it (the prop as a LOT of value :)) And she did well moving past it when you were early on her name call. You can break up this cookie-heavy session with some chasing you with the cookies to maintain the high arousal so that it doesn’t get too chill.
>>For the RDW mat stuff, I used the cato board with a mat over it for Kaladin. Would that be confusing if I also sometimes ask her to station on there or does the context make it clear?>>
Hmmm, good question, and since it is a bit grey that means we should not do it. No need to introduce any potential grey areas! Plus, the Cato board and plank are probably a bit too big for her. You can get a smaller boat (I use a small aerobic step for my littles) and put a yoga mat on the top of it (the magic of duct tape!). That should be a good size for her and different from the station spot.
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
It is indeed a balancing act!
>>I have found that she starts to get a bit pent if we do 2 days of no walks, which has happened due to weather or me being sick. But I do think I should keep in mind the length of the walks. She’s so fun to walk with that it’s easy to stay out for a while. >>
That is a good point! She does need physical exercise each day if possible, but does not need a long trail walk or field run each day.
>>Apart from that one day where she was like “tunnels? Never heard of them” she has shown me really great work in our training sessions.>>
That session was also great because it showed us that she needed an extra day or two to cement the tunnel learning before trying it again. That is why I am a big fan of NOT doing structured training every day! Every other day seems to make bigger strides forward in training. Counterintuitive to us as ‘operant trainers’ but completely in line with how the neuroscience of learning works.
They can get burned out if we train every day, or multiple sessions a day. Depletion is a real! I just finished hosting a 4 day seminar where my 15 month old pup had 2 turns per day… he was TIRED! So now he gets multiple days off with ZERO training. Less is definitely more, especially with dogs that are great latent learners like whippets. She has 5 sessions here on this post in the lat 24 hours or so, so now she needs some down time and no formal training sessions. You will be amazed at how much faster she learns!
So at the stage, the best thing to do is schedule time off on the calendar. Every 2 or 3 days, she should have at least one day off of any formal training. It is much harder for us humans than it is for the pups LOL!!
>>Today I got out the inflation and decided rather than throwing it for a retrieve, to just let her have it after some tugging. She laid down with it and shook it and chewed it but after about a minute, she did bring it back to me, climbing right up onto my chest (I was sitting). I was so happy! We tugged some more, I dragged her around (her fav) and then let her gave it again. She ran around a bit, then plopped. More chewing and shaking, then she approached me again with the toy! We did one last tug time then I let her have it and ended the session.
So even though I wasn’t throwing it, she was bringing it back. I’m hoping she’ll connect the tugging and fun with bringing it over to me.>>Sounds like decompression behavior – taking a moment to self-regulate, then bringing it back hen she is ready for more. So keep letting her have that moment because she will provide excellent info about how the session is going: hard? Need decompression? Easy? Doesn’t need decompression? And I also want the dogs to be able to self-regulate like that! Super!
Looking at the videos:
Rotated sends are going well! Try to add in a bit of ‘ready dance’ before each rep to get her even more jazzed up – then send her. That should get her driving to the basket even more! And you can also sue the toy for all of these too bow, she is much more excited by it 🙂 That way you can get even more acceleration to the barrel and add countermotion too by moving away before she arrives at h the barrel.The ‘away’ cue is off to a great start! She did well with you standing still, no problem at all so you can now add your motion. Be sure to have a line on the ground so that you continue to walk straight and not get magnetically drawn to the prop LOL!
Stays: Doing these with a toy is definitely fun for her! She has a little trouble moving into the sit with the toy in the picture, so you can add in instant releases for the sit with the toy in the picture: releasing to the toy the instant she sits! That can help speed up the sit when she is aroused. Since she is doing really well with duration and letting you move away, you can mix in throwing the toy back to her as well.
She is doing well with the rocking horses too! Looking at both videos, the toy is the better motivator for her 🙂 You can see how she runs to the barrels on the 2nd video, rather than trots to them on the 1st video (the cookie video). At this stage, try doing this with the toy as the reward, no more cookies 🙂 That will get her even more jazzed up to drive to the barrels while working the impulse control of ignoring the toy til the marker. Be sure to make strong connection as she exits the barrel, so you can also send to the next one with big connection. When you point ahead without as much connection, she sometimes gets a little ‘stuck’ on your hand, and a little less pointing forward and a little more connection should smooth that out.
Great job here! Now she gets a day off 🙂 to let the learning percolate and latent learning will work its magic!
Tracy
Hooray for warm weather!!
Good tugging before the session! And he was not leapy during the transition to the food – that is huge! Good boy!
He did leap as you walked away with the food held high, so try to make the transition them move into the training without leaving the playing field. And once the food came out, it was harder to get toy interaction so you can start the game when the food comes out. That will also be a more predictable routine for him in training.The session went well! You can start with a few parallel path reps without the rear cross, just to get things going and to get organized in terms of how to tell him to start. When you add the rear crosses, I think a clear “and now we start” moment will help. You can hold his collar and then play the ready game so he doesn’t start without you (he was not always sure when to start, so he sniffed a little when that happened and he didn’t get the reward)
Remember to reward even if he turns the wrong way (it was hard to see all the rewards especially on the first few reps). The next couple of reps got things rolling really well though and he was able to do some rear crosses! Super!! You can mix in parallel path reps without rear crosses, to keep him driving to the prop and not watching you after a couple of rear cross reps.
>>I put a 1lb weight in the prop. He did manage to still carry it off>>
Strong dude! I didn’t see him carry it off here (he did think about it at one point though). When did he make the decision to pick it up? Was he extra pumped up at the beginning? Or was it after a couple of misses? Let me know and we can sort it out.
Great job here!
TracyGood morning!
I am glad you are enjoying the sequences!!! And I admire your record keeping – it is inspiring me to do the same!
The sequences went really nicely! One thought that pops out: in rotation moments, you can decelerate and hold position, rather than moving fast through it or moving backwards through the rotation. Motion is motion, whether it is forward to backwards 🤣 so more decel and less motion and help get the turns even tighter!
Sequence 1 –
She did great with the distance work here!!The distances are really big, so she was going full flat which means the decel on the threadle to get the wrap exit needs to start as she is in the air over the previous jump (:11)
On the 2nd day video, at 1:13 you had been decelerated until she was heading towards 5, then accelerated so she made the turn on landing at 1:15. You can switch that – accelerate through the distance stuff (even if it means staying closer to the line) so the decel for the exit of the threadle is really obvious and she is not cued to accelerate before it.The BC at 1:19 was NICE! The distance skills made that look really easy!
Seq 2: Great timing on the FC! You can try staying nearer to the 4 jump and decelerating to get a little more collection, maybe halfway between the jumps there. And then remain in deceleration to cue the next turn – you rotated but you were moving fast so she didn’t collect a lot before takeoff at :36. She was not looking at the tunnel, she was just reading a lot of motion from you
Doing the opening as a serpentine at :54 –
She has strong distance skills so you can be closer to 5 when you send to 4. That way you can run more forward past the exit wing of 6 to show the line to 6, ideally being past it and on the new side before she takes off. At :55 she saw you moving parallel to the bar so based on that motion and where you were when she took off, she landed wide.Day 2
2nd run – nice opening, she found that line really well! You can be more laterally near jump 3 so you don’t have to run backwards. You were facing her as a collection cue, but running backwards is often a forward cue for dogs so that might be hard for her to process. On the 2nd run at 2:19, you were further across the bar of 3 and that was better already!At 1:45 you pulled her off the line to 5 by disconnecting and turning to 6. If you stop, you need to reward like she was correct (because she was 🙂 ) but it is better to just keep going. Your support at 2:23 helped her stay on the line a lot better 🙂
She found the backside after the tunnel really well and had a super nice turn too at 1:56! At 2:29, you had a lot of movement backwards in the rotation, so she had a wider line on the exit – that is a good spot to be further across the bar and decelerating in the rotation rather than moving back through it.
She probably needs a cue before the round backside verbal (like at 2:34) to her turning to the backside sooner . A backside push is a forward cue, so with the off course tunnel there too much forward can open up a wider line. Based on this set up, I think just a name call or easy is all she needs, and when she turns her head, switch to the backside verbal. That will also allow you to keep moving through past the exit wing and onto the exit line (like you did at 2:35) to set up a really strong ending!
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning!
The sequences looked really strong!!!! Yay!!!The first sequence looked super fast and super focused! Love it! You had great connection and that really helped. Her only question was about the threadle, as you already noted. Yes, it is a bit exaggerated 😁 but the foot rotation and big arm loop caused her to think it was a tandem turn/RC and she looked to her left at :18 and :27. So for the threadles, don’t turn your feet and just keep your threadle arm swinging back as if opening a door. If you keep moving along the threadle line, you won’t have to be cuing her to come in then another cue for taking the jump, she will find it on her own.
On the 2nd sequence: Looking smooth! The only small detail to consider is the timing of your ‘right’ verbal into the tunnel at :49. It was a little late (she was taking off) so she pulled the bar trying to adjust! Also, be sure you are upright and connected there – you were pulling away and bending, which blocks the connection.
3rd sequence:
Super nice opening – really nice job showing her 1-2-3-4 and she had great commitment! She was perfect about coming to the backside after the tunnel at 1:44. Be sure to keep moving and do the blind there as soon as you see liftoff (or sooner!) so that you can be finished with it and connected on your left side. I don’t think you have time to praise her, because it meant the BC tarted after she landed so she didn’t know which side to be on.
>>And I need some help keeping her out of that tunnel, please
Yes, that is the hardest part of the sequence! Making it look different from the cue or the tunnel (at :49) will really help – with the tunnel cue, you can be connected and accelerate. With the backside cue, yes be connected and also be moving towards the backside ump with a little decel. Eventually the verbals will be strong enough that he can do it only on verbals but for now, physical cues will help.
Also, you can add a break arm (outside arm to help with collection) and I would totally use your ‘right’ verbal there and her name. Start using it as she approaches the jump before the backside so that she can collect before takeoff. And keep calling her until you see her head turn to look at the backside jump. Then you can start your backside cue (but don’t say it if she is still looking at the tunnel).
One other thing to consider: start lines! There is a lot of pressure on the start line already, so be super consistent but don’t add pressure on the start line. She was moving forward on them, and you were fixing it a lot – but on the first run, released while she was moving forward (which reinforce it). You put more pressure on the other 2 runs and you can see her looking away from you a 1:31. So try to line her up (I don’t think a cookie in that moment helps because dogs often leave the stay after they get the cookie) and reward for now moving sa you lead out with the release forward or the reward thrown back to her.
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
This was great fun to watch! Sprite seemed pumped up but also having a good time 🙂 The lineups and stays looked great! Definitely a fantastic practice 🙂
Question: did you do any reps where she watched Blu “run a course” go over the jump a few times or something) and then she had to go through her routine? If not, that’s a good reason to invite Blu back for more play! And add a tunnel too, for both of them LOL!>>She went up the a frame then stopped at the top and crept down. Never did that before. But, the instructor was at the bottom with her dog out and another person was on the side close with her Aussie on a cot. So, I think it was unexpected and pressure.>
Yes – my guess is that she froze up with the pressure of the unexpected weird things. Because it was so weird, no worries! You can definitely expose her to a judge being close though, and moving (like squatting down for a good view, or running alongside) on the contacts – all stuff that she is likely to see.
>>She also had trouble controlling her speed on the DW during one sequence. She came off, stopped 4 on the floor then she backed up into 2020. It made me laugh>>
So cute!!! Good girl!! One game I play on stopped contacts is to the tunnel about 2 feet from the end of the board. Then get her excited, and challenge her to do the contact. Either she will stop 2o2o, or she will end up in the tunnel. It is super fun and also very black and white about whether she is right or wrong 🙂 I have video somewhere, I’ll dig it up!
Great job here!
TracyHi! I’m glad the chiro was able to get her back in alignment!
I agree, we want remote reinforcement to be a super fun game, so proceed slowly! Do get her super happy with tricks as you move away, and in different places. Bear in mind that this is just one of the games, so you don’t want to do it all the time 🙂 we still want plenty of rewards with you in the sequence especially the ball and great treats.
For the leash games – yes, have the leash as part of the lifestyle of rewards for not taking off when the leash comes off, and lots of reinforcement for the leash coming back on. This includes shaping her to put her head into the leash loop, and also sometimes putting it on, rewarding her, then taking it off and letting her run.
>>stepping on it quelled her desire to play “Game On!”.
Yes, stepping on it stopped her from moving away but it is also a pop on her neck, which is probably not too comfortable. And she is smart, so we don’t want her to learn to avoid you the pop by moving away faster 🙂
So yes, proceed slowly and keep making it super fun 🙂
Nice work!!!
TracySure!
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Have fun!
TracyHi!
Great seeing you on Thursday – Yuzu looked great!!Strike a pose looks really strong! Great job working the angles, and your body position was great too! Very clear serp cue.
I only have 3 small suggestions:
– make sure your hand is not in your pocket, especially when using food. It draws him into looking at you, and it delays the reward. Note how when he was targeting to your right hand midway through the video, he was super smooth with the in-then-out because the reward hand was not in your pocket. He was not as smooth when targeting to your left, because your right hand was in your pocket 🙂– throw the start cookie further away, so he has more room to run back to the jump (adding more speed!)
He did well with the toy!!!! Nice job getting him engaged with it!
That’s the other suggestion: try it next time with the toy on the ground. You can bridge the gap between holding it and having it on the ground by dropping it when he is coming over the jump. If he likes that, you can move to it on the ground.
Get out is also looking great! Yes, you can definitely add the verbal. The best reps were when you were on the other side of the line on the ground, so your feet were not accidentally moving towards the prop. So keep that line in place for now as a visual to help you walk straight up the line.
>>When I am trying to get him to just walk parallel to me and not hit the prop, is it okay to sort of lure him with the magic cookie hand?>>
Totally yes! A lure is your friend here LOL! The prop and the movement has a lot of value, so being able to fight fire with high value fire will help him know to NOT go to the prop 🙂
Your Jeopardy ottoman sessions sound so fun! A really relaxed way to work the retrieve 🙂
Next step – on a warm day, sit outside with a book and a beverage and work it outside 😀
Great job!
TracyGoooood question!!! I’d wait an extra long time, until you’ve got the behavior with you being able to move and he is consistently hitting with all 4 feet on his mat or box. You’ll want it to look pretty awesome before you name it, so take your time 🙂
TracyAwesome!!! And I’m glad he still loves his prop: that will transfer to Awesome jump commitment!!!
TracyHi!
The parallel path game is going super!!!! I see that little tiny bit of looking at you that you mentioned – try moving back up the line sooner while she is eating her treat, so when she lifts her head up she can already see the next info. When you were next to her and not really moving, she was glacing up at you looking for more info. So moving sooner should help get the info to her sooner, even when you are further away laterally. She might still glance at you when she is re-orienting to the line after eating the treat, and that’s fine as long as she then looks at the line.I agree that she thought the RDW session was easy 🙂 and it sounded like you were marking back feet by the end of it too. Yay!
You can make the mat a little smaller by folding it in half. And you can also elevate it so she is stepping up onto it and across it – making it really obvious, especially when you are marking rear feet.
>>Experimenting with having her chase me for food before and after the session. Then going to another room to play. She did tug without leaping after this. >>
This is great! I think she liked you running back and forth at the beginning! And we haven’t seen the leaping up in the recent sessions, so it sounds like the bridge behaviors are helping her with arousal regulation.
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi! He looks terrific- I think he enjoyed this a LOT lol!!! You can add slightly harder start angles, so he finds the entry from different approaches. Then go back to a really easy approach (and squish the tunnel up so it is shorter) and do the threadle side entries, where he is he between you and the tunnel, turning away from you to get into the tunnel. That will allow you to start setting up the tunnel threadle verbal.
Great job!
TracyHi! She figured this out really well! Yay! Let her sleep on it for a day or two, then add slightly harder angles of entry for the threadle side.
>>initially she was a tad unsure, but not for long. I started with the collar hold…idk why it feels yucky to me. She doesn’t seem to hate it. Maybe it’s just not something I normally do so I >>
She does do a good job of waiting then moving after the verbal, but the collar hold is worthwhile to add for 3 reasons:
– it is a great ring skill! Being gently held around agility equipment is a great “chill” behavior that requires very little impulse control and gives you both a moment to breathe.
– the collar hold start allows you to see where she is looking before you let go of her. That can help raise her success rate for hard skills (don’t let go til she is looking the correct direction 😀). This will be especially useful for when we do harder discrimination skills
– the collar hold can help get her jazzed up and then you’ll get more explosive behavior. You’ll be able to do a ready, ready, READY… pass pass pass then let go so she explodes to the tunnel.
>>The last couple of days we don’t seem to have a retrieve any more. She either lays down and chew the toy right away or runs around with it. Any suggestions?>>
Could be a couple of reasons:
– in training sessions, be sure the play sessions are long after she brings the toy back, and even then don’t always take it away for the next rep (let her run around with it sometimes). If you take it away too quickly, that might be accidentally punishing the retrieve, so it is deteriorating.
– often we see this happen when the pups need more decompression time. The less is more approach is a big help: fewer training sessions, more decompression time. She might need more mental breaks now that she is moving into adolescence. I tend to back off the training time when the pups hit 5 or 6 months old – maybe one little thing a day, and lots of decompression time. Bear in mind that even long walks or runs every day can be depleting, so she might need some more rest time from those too! Adolescence is a crazy time LOL!!
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
