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He sounds amazing! Sorry to hear about the previous owner’s health issues. If you have a moment, can you email a photo of him? I can pass his info along to some folks who might be interested. The email is agilityuniversity@gmail.com
Tracy
Good morning!
>>so they were riding roombas >>
Do you have video of this? It bet is is adorable and hilarious!!!!
She did really well smacking the pillow. She also thought the fit bone was harder – she looked at it (nice timing on that “yes!” there) but was not as sure about getting on it (and told you about it LOL!) You can brace it with out feet, maybe extending your legs and having it between your knees so she can jump onto it and get some of the motion and not all of the motion at first. You can also under-inflate it for now because that makes it easier to get on, then gradually re-inflate it back to normal.
Your platform in the 2nd video was great! Attacking it did seem like a good plan for a moment LOL but then she started offering really well. You can sit even closer to it, with it right in front of you, so she is more sure that it is what you specifically want her to interact with. She seems really tuned in to your body cues, so if you are angled away, she is following that angle and not necessarily thinking about the object near you. But if you are facing it more, it will more obvious of a cue to interact with it.
>>I can work on building something better later on. >>
If you build something, you can build another one like this so you have 2 of them. That way you can use them side-by-side next to each other to create a wider playing field (easier to get all 4 feet on) or put then together length-wise to get a long, skinny ‘balance beam’ effect 🙂
Looking at the tugging: Part of this is figuring out the individual play style for each pup. She does seem to really like toys and I see what you mean about her liking the chase-and-grab more than the hard pulling and clamping down on them.
>>Djinn doesn’t bite and grip like her brother or her mom does, she doesn’t bite and tug hard. >>
You can get her going with the chasing (she definitely interacts with the toy when you do that) and the longer the toy, the bette based on her level of interaction. That long snake toy that she grabbed and shook is a definite favorite!!! That had great tugging!!
You can build up more of that hard grab-shake play style by letting her win it and run off with it, when she grabs & shakes like she did 1;43 🙂 And because she has a small mouth, you can try using flatter toys (maybe ones that squeak a bit) and you can try flat toys with real fur, if you have any. But letting her win will definitely help build up the grabbing and pulling.
>>Wing wrap foundations try 2: Since toys are EXTREMELY EXCITING>>
Yes! She really got into it with the toy! You can use 2 toys, one in each hand, so you can get her going back and forth without having to switch the toy around. And also yes, she will be very fast and stimulated which is good 🙂 She recommends that the hedgehog is one of the toys LOL!!! I think that is what she went and took from the toy box. It was adorable! But also you can pick up the toy box during training, so she doesn’t have access to choose the option of leaving the session to grab a different toy.
>>I tried using treats instead. She was a lot slower and sometimes didn’t hear the treat drop, so I moved the bowls further out>>
Smart adjustment to move the bowls further out to make them more visible. Using treats is a great way to play this. Yes, she will be more methodical but that is fine: being more methodical will give her brain more time to process the pattern of it and the mechanics, so you will see her be able to get it right and then pick up speed.
>>Djinn does everything EXTREMELY FAST which is fun, and I also have to be so fast with my rewards. >>
Yes! The faster the pup goes, the quicker we have to be… and I personally find that hard with small dogs because they are SO QUICK!!! But you are doing really well – the trick is to have the rewards ready so that you can get them in quick, and use marker words like ‘get it’ to mark the correct behavior and then tell her where to look for the reward placement.
>>I think she could probably be moving faster in progression than I am but she’s being very kind to me lol>>
I can relate, I think my puppies are the same way LOL!!! At least 75% of what we are doing at this stage is working on human mechanics, so the puppies get rewarded for letting us figure out how to handle our hands/treats/toys, feet etc.
Great job here!!
TracyGood morning! It is fun to see you playing along 🙂
The strike a pose on the flat with the toy on the ground went well! He seemed to understand the assignment as the chain that is it: come touch the hand then onwards to the toy. Yay!
When adding the hoop (which is a smart jump-replacer for a smaller space!) you can place yourself closer to it (close enough to casually reach out and touch it without leaning at all, so he has to turn as he is approaching it) and for the hoop also, more in the center of it so the hoop itself is more salient. In this session, more of your body was past the exit of the hoop so he was having to think extra hard about finding the hand versus following the rest of the body. You can also put a wing on each side of the hoop, which will help guide his focus to the center of it.
And he was totally getting the idea of the in-then-out chain here too – you can see on the last rep that he came towards your hand then turned to the toy, which is exactly where the behavior is going.
You can add in different angles when you get more space, he is definitely ready for the various start positions, as well as the reward on the ground.
Rocking horse game is off to a great start! Be sure to let him finish chewing and swallow before starting the next rep LOL!!! The toy works better for him in this game because no chewing is needed 🙂 plus he doesn’t look at a cookie in your hand. Super! He did really well when you did a couple in a row with the toy – really fast with lovely commitment! As you add more speed and distance to this game, you can stay connected after the FC with your hand back to him for one heartbeat longer – let him get almost to you and then send him to the next barrel. When you send a bit early, he hesitates (probably looking for the connection) so I think staying connected for one or two more of his steps will support his line even more.
Next steps on this one would be taking it outside if the weather is good, so you can spread out the barrels a bit more (add another 6 inches to a foot every couple of reps). And then if that goes as well as it did here, you can move to the advanced level!
Great job on these!!
TracyWow!!! Not only is his backing up looking really strong but he was doing it in a really distracting place with other dogs watching and barking. WOW!!
Doing coordinated things in a highly distracting area is hard for puppies and I am proud of him! I think you ended up getting a little too far away so he turned around in the middle of the session. But then you got a little closer so he was able to back up.
And it was a short, sweet session. Well done to you and Henry and to your videographer who was giving you good advice.
How is he feeling about wobble boards and moving objects? If he is happy with them, you can start him backing up onto something that moves a teeny tiny bit. Start it really easy, so he is not surprised that it moves – I like to start with all 4 feet on, lure 2 front feet off, then let him step the 2 front feet back on. When he thinks that is easy, you can lure all 4 feet off and then let him step back onto it, like he was doing here but with fewer steps at first because the object is moving more.
If he is NOT happy with wobble boards, don’t do the backing up yet – let him get lots of treats for getting a wobble board that only moves a tiny bit (you can prop it up with lots of towels under it to limit the movement).
Great job here!!
TracyGood morning!
Oh, he is just so cute doing his tunnels!!!!
He seemed very happy to go through the tunnel. To really isolate the tunnel verbal, try a different start to each rep: line him up next to you and near the tunnel entry, and gently hold his collar (not pulling back or anything, just holding). Then while holding him, you can say ‘tunnel tunnel tunnel’ several times… then let go of him so he can do the tunnel. You were saying the tunnel verbal but it was getting hidden in a lot of conversation like “Henry ready go tunnel go good” So be careful with the chatter and isolate the cue – then during the reward, you can talk to him like a proud momma 🙂 And then get quiet again for the next rep so he can really isolate the tunnel verbal.
Because he really loves the tunnel now 🙂 You can use a cookie to bring him back to you and line up at your side. On the 2nd video, he went into over-achiever mode and was doing it without you LOL!! So a cookie at your side will clarify to him that you would like him to start next to you, rather than offer it independently 🙂
You can also use a toy for this game! Great job!
TracyGood morning!
>>As you will see he now has started to take off with the prop, so I am going to try a different prop moving forward.>>
Rather than change props, you can play with him at the start of each session with a toy that he likes. He was feeling stimulated here as you started the session and needed an outlet for that energy (teenagers, especially sporting breeds that like to run around with something in their mouth). So rather than change props (he is likely to pick up a new one too), you can direct his teenage energy to playing with you! And it might not be a normal toy, it might be an old towel or something, but playing interactively will provide an excellent outlet and start to the session.
For the parallel path, I think there was a lot of conversation about whether he should interact with the prop or not – you wanted him to touch it, he wanted to pick it up LOL! So I think starting the session with play and then putting the prop down can hopefully direct him where to put his mouth (on a toy) and where to put his feet (on the prop :)) That will smooth it out when you add the parallel line motion.
>>I am also using Cheerios to see if they will be a lower value food reward to minimize his looking at my hands for the food.>>
Smart choice! You can also break them in half LOL! He was good about not really obsessing on your cookie hands here, so I think the Cheerios might end up being the best choice.
>>I have also been able to enlarge the training space and have a room upstairs I can also use when I need a smaller space.>>
Perfect!! And hopefully we all have a very mild winter so you can go outside and to the training barn, etc.
Nice work here!
TracyGood morning!
Excellent first session with the parallel path game! He totally got the ice and seemed to have no trouble finding the jump (even when he had to go out of his way to get it when approaching on an angle). Love it!!!
So for the next session: now that he has the understanding percolating, we can isolate the looking ahead as well. On the first session, the correct timing of the click was when he was basically arriving at the jump. That does get the pups looking at us a little because there is nothing else to look at when the arrive at the jump and the toy has not been throw yet, plus clickers often get them looking at us. The next step has 2 things to help him look ahead:
– use a ‘get it’ marker rather than a clicker. The ‘get it’ both marks the behavior and tells him where it will be, so he is less likely to look at you
– mark and throw the reward for his intent to go to the jump, as opposed to his arrival at the jump. That means when you see him look at the jump and take that first step towards it, say ‘get it’ and toss the reward past the jump.You can also use a toy for this, if there are some that are easy to throw 🙂 like a hollee roller.
The barrel work is looking really strong – I agree, the left turns look really great and now really match the right turns. So fun! He was doing a great job of ignoring the toy on the ground to wrap the barrel and then leaving you in the dust to get the toy. You can add in running faster to the toy to see f you can get there first (toy race-style).
And he is ready for the advanced level of this game, with the decel in between the barrel wrap and the drive to the toy.
Great job!
TracyGood morning!
>> Just because I think playing with the toy is the warmup to a working session doesn’t mean she thinks it’s the thing to do>>
Right! She is very quick to recognize indicators in the environment of what is coming next. I am 100% sure she knows the ‘getting ready to train’ things you do, smells the treats coming out, sees shaping items, knows that going into certain rooms mean training, etc. So that indicates a training session which is fine – but the toy play at the start is conflicting with the environmental cues she is processing. Conflicting indicators = frustration or maybe not frustration, but maybe an arousal state change that she is too young to regulate yet. We want to add the toy play for the arousal state changes, for being able to use it for reinforcement, etc – but we just need to crack the code of when/how it works best for each individual. And they sure do all have individual codes LOL!!!
So let’s add the bridge behavior for now and see what she thinks of it 🙂 She was great hopping onto her cato board here! I don’t think she needs to be in a down or a sit – she can offer them but doesn’t need to hold the position. I am happy if they just stay on the board then transition into the training. That way you don’t have to worry about criteria maintenance as you get ready for the next part of the session. The board was a tiny bit of a distraction at first, so going right into the rotated sending was hard at first. She did sort it out (yay!)
You can stand up more for this, to help prep her for when you are going to be moving faster (and also so she doesn’t jump up at your hands). Because it is new and hard, try the next session just like this and let’s see what latent learning tells us 🙂
<> Had mixed results getting her to tug in away from the training area after she came off the mat at the end.>>
Possibly because the mat as a step-down out of the arousal was effective and then stepping back up to tugging was a weird flex for her. So you can leave the training area, throw the toy around, then come back to the mat for the final step down 🙂
For turn and burn – Her commitment is looking really good! Both directions were looking really strong! You can add your verbals 🙂
Since she was using the only mat here, you can definitely pick it up so she doesn’t ask if she was supposed to offer getting on it (that might be part of her big opinion here – looking at then later standing next to it). Then, when switching from cookies to the toy, put the mat back down (stepping up into the arousal of the toy) so you can make the transition from the food into the toy – then release her to the thrown toy or dragging toy. Going to the toy presented right near the mat a 1:24 was definitely too hard for an instant switch (even the scrunched mat is still recognizable as a mat to get on LOL!). I think the more she sees the transitions, the easier it will be for her to regulate arousal (which eventually means the transitions will be easier so you won’t need to use the bridge :))Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning!
The stay video is the same video as 12/10 – let me know what you post the one from yesterday, I am excited to see it!
Looking at the parallel path video – I think she is getting the idea and has a high success rate for finding the jump, but doesn’t really see the reinforcement so that is the source of some confusion. If she has trouble seeing the food, you can throw it in a lotus ball or treat hugger. That will be big and obvious. You can also throw a toy! That will be more fun than thrown treats 🙂 Plus, a more obvious reinforcement will help solidify the marker, which will help solidify the reinforcement.
>>A few days ago she could eat Charlie bears but today she could not.>>
If she was tracking them and not wanting to eat them, it could be that she is teething and they are hard to eat, or could be that they are not that interesting in that environment.
On the rear crosses, she was interested in the treats but not really drviing to them – so you can go up in value for a session with small bits of white cheese to see if that helps. And you can also start to use the target without anything on it: tug beforehand soshe is really stimulated, making it easier to ignore the distractions of the great outdoors. The rear crosses went really well when you were moving, so definitely keep moving 🙂 Basically, you want to move as soon as she starts to move. If you wait to long like a send, she will see you on the wrong side and turn as if it was a front cross like at 1:37.
Have fun at the invitationals! It will be easy to get right back on track when you get home. Safe travels!!
Tracy
Hooray! I am glad the Topple was so powerful! Was there anything in it, or she just loves the Toppl so much she doesn’t need anything in it? Is it a big Toppl or a little one? For now, keep the Topple visible and a big part of the picture. We want to develop a lengthy history of running really well in classes with it – let’s get some neural pathways really solidified!
>>Someday I’ll need to know how to fade this.
Having it in your hand for now and then going to your pocket is great – spend lots of time doing this! And you can change to a different size Toppl but only if she likes it.
Then it will be put into the remote reinforcement game so she knows where it is outside the ring and eventually can run courses without it in your hand/pocket. Take your time with that – we want to really build up the focus in class that you had!!!
Keep me posted!
TracyGood morning!
It sounds like the FEO is going well!!
>> I also had two options for a fun course- one involved 10 obstacles and the other involved five. I opted for the five since I felt she would be very successful with that smaller course and I wasn’t sure about the longer one. >>
Good for you!!!!!!
>>Boy that was tough from the human perspective since I drove all the way there and sat around to basically run for 20 seconds lol!>>
Yep – the voice in your head was probably saying things like “do more, it will be fine!” But you made the right decision.
>> Pepper did great on both days but she did amazing on Sunday. She seemed to completely understand the concept of where the treats were outside the ring- which I was very impressed with. >>
Freakin’ awesome! And it is so cool to see the dogs say “I got this!” It definitely helps ease them into their trial careers.
>>I love how you walk through this process because at where I trial there are very few people do anything like this and it can take some courage to go against the grain. So, even as an auditor, I’ve gotten a ton out of this class.>>
I am glad you enjoyed it! And yes, you are going against the grain for sure (people give me a lot of sh*t when I do a lot of FEO with my youngsters… I just ignore it because I have no interest in rushing my pups).
>>We have a NADAC trial in January where I can do FEO on every single run. So my thought was to bounce back-and-forth on whether I bring a toy in, put it in my pocket or do short sequences without. I was also going to use this trial to do FEO with her weave poles in contacts since those are still relatively new for her.>>
The NADAC trial sounds great – definitely do the first run with a toy (just like home) to help her with the environment. And I like your plan to use the toy with contacts & weaves – it will help her bring those skills into the trial environment. For jumping runs, or runs where you don’t need to do contacts/weaves, you can mix in hidden toys or toys/treats outside the ring.
>>After the January trial, we have a three day February AKC trial. The FEO runs are all first thing in the morning and the novice runs aren’t until hours and hours later. >>
If it is close enough to leave then come back, you can do that! It is a long boring day otherwise. You can try a novice JWW run and see how she does with the long wait – she might be just fine 🙂 Novice JWW is easy and fast so even if it goes sideways you can get out fast to the rewards.
>>Maybe you touch on this tonight- if we start competing and things are going great but then we start seeing some stress what is your suggestion? Would you go back to doing the FEO runs, and/or short, small, easy sequences at trials?>>
We did talk about it, I read parts of your post because the questions were so good! Yes, I mix in a TON of FEO early in the dog’s career, so they start out all FEO, then mostly FEO, then maybe half and half… so we fade the FEO slowly rather than stop it quickly.
And yes, if something goes sideways – I will go back to FEO to work through it before trying ‘for real’ again.
I will post the recording in a few minutes. Let me know what you think!
Tracy
Good morning!
>>My perfection seldom happens>>
Same here – it is really surprising when I am perfect LOL!!
>>What is the last day to post? I would like your feedback next weekend – 2 FEO, 1 for real jumpers>>
December 23rd so yes please to posting your weekend videos! I am excited to see how he does 🙂
Tracy
Good morning! This session went well!
Good connection on the exit of the FCs! And she followed you beautifully on the arc to the toy. Great job with your verbals and reward markers. Yay!
>>At 1:10 I think she wanted treats. She’s losing so many teeth so I suspect that may be why she was like “that cheese seems nice and soft for my mouth right now” lol. >>
It is possible that teething was part of it, and also that she had burned a lot of energy in those reps and needed a break. I have found that with baby whippets their motto is that the training session is a good time, not a long time LOL!! They burn through energy reserves VERY quickly so cannot do the same length of session with toys, and even with food if there is running involved. I am not a whippet expert but whippets of these breedings seem to have this in common (and that is fine, I LOVE the intensity of their work, gimme all the whippets!!!)
For example:
I have 2 puppies dogs in training right now – the baby whippet and a baby BC/Croatian mix (100% herding dog). They both work with a lot of intensity but the whippet works so intently with so much explosiveness that his fuse burns brighter but also shorter.The baby herding dog can work for much longer, because genetically it seems that he works with a little less intensity and a little more endurance. It makes sense, based on what these dogs are bred to do both in terms of genetics of the breed and epigenetics. The whippet is from racing lines and dock royalty, so there is explosiveness emphasized over endurance. The Crollie has working BC and working Croatian lines, so there is less explosiveness (because sheep do not like that LOL!) and more endurance in the genetic selection (and more staring at me LOL)
Side note: the whippet’s work in training is better than the herding dog’s work (sorry, baby herdy dog, you will catch up to your brilliant pointy brother LOL!) so these thoughts are NOT intended to say that herdy dogs are better, just intended to say that they train differently so we can take that into account when structuring sessions. I adore training my whippet!
So what does it mean for Vesper? When using a toy and running, do 2 or 3 reps then give her a decompression moment (food scatter, training break, outside for a pee, something like that) then do a couple more reps in a few minutes. That way she can get some glucose and oxygen into the brain and muscles, and be ready for more. And you will be switching to the food or ending the session before she declines the toy, which is good for building up endurance in training (quit before the pup quits!)
The ‘cash’ marker is great and also HILARIOUS.
>>I think her enthusiasm for the machine will increase the more familiar she becomes with the cue and the contraption.>>
Yes, but also she might always think it is something to move to slowly because… whippet. It is not moving and she is not likely to want to smack it (ouch) so she might think it is something to move more slowly to. I see this with my full pointy and my part-pointies 🙂 And that is fine, because we can use it in situations where we don’t want as much speed or quickness.
>>We had a big hike today with lots of running ans exploring so that’s all the training we did.
Fun!!!! If the weather is decent, you can take these combo games outside to add environmental challenges and also to add more room to run run run 🙂 Great job!
Tracy
Good morning!
OOOH this was fun, I think he really liked the action!! This went really well and he gets a double gold star for the impulse control to do the barrel wrap and ignore the toy on the ground. His tugging looked really good!!!!>>I was virtually certain that he was a right turner, but this exercise solidified that view.>>
Yes, there is a slightly better turn on the right as compared to the left (but the left was good too, so the side preference is minimal). You can help him get to your left side on the FCs to the left with more exaggerated handling and connection:
On the exit of the FC – stand up more rather than crouch, and run forward the new direction. You are side stepping and moving backwards a bit especially on the left turn, maybe to try to get him to the new side – but that widens the turn. You don’t really do it on the right turns.
The other thing that will help is if you open up the connection more by keeping the dog-side shoulder back more (putting your hand behind your butt 🙂 ) so he can really see the new side. And, so he can process that more easily, try it with less motion by staying closer to the barrel on the FC and walking through the FC til he picks up the correct side – then run run run to the toy 🙂 You were really strong with the connection and getting the new side on the right turns (I think you are both happier on that side) so I bet if you match that handling on the left turn side, he will be more easily able to get the left turns. I use a lot of opposite-hand-across-the-body with baby dogs – so on the left turn you can exit the FC with your right hand across your stomach so he really sees the new side connection.
Great job here! I am excited to see you on Thursday!!
Tracy
PS – the session looked pretty perfect from the baby dog arousal regulation point of view!!
Good morning!
Yay for new places!! He did great! He seemed very comfy playing in a new place and that is lovely 🙂
>>he was “insulted” by the tiny 5′ tunnel and kept running to take the big curved tunnel instead, LOL.>>
That is hilarious!!!
He is looking really strong with his turn and burn commitment. Nice job with the verbals!
Only one suggestion: you might notice that when you send from your left, he is very smooth. When you send from your right, he has a few questions. That is because your left leg is always part of the send on that side, which really supports it. On the right side, your right leg does not participate in the send (it prefers to hang back LOL!) so there is a bit of a conflicting cue: upper body says to go to the cone, lower body (right leg) is saying don’t go.
So, easy fix – step to the cone with your right leg the same way you do with your left leg and he will be smooth on that side too : )
Now you can also add the countermotion in the form of starting pretty close to the cone, and turning away on the L-shaped line with the FC, so you are working up to essentially running the new direction as he is approaching the cone. You were doing more of an oval shape which went well, so adding the L shape to your line will add challenge.
I think a bigger object to wrap would be useful too – taller cone or barrel. We will be moving to an actual jump wing soon too.
Tandems turns ar going well! Showing the tandem turn hand for a step or two before you started the turn was very helpful for him (like you did at approximately :20). On the other turns you showed the hand and started the turn the same time so he was more surprised by it. You can use the opposite arm to as a way to get him visually locked onto it and ready to turn, then do the turn after a couple of steps.
>>felt a little awkward on the lap turns>>
He was cracking me up on the way back to you for the lap turns – slooooowwwwlllllly coming back. LOL!! I think he just was not sure what you wanted. So as soon as he eats the start cookie, you can call him a little more urgently and have your magic cookie hand out and shaking a bit. That should help drive him back to you. And if he is still careful about it, you can toss the cookie straight back behind you when he gets to you (rather than do the turn) – this helps get the pups rocketing back more.
Both the lap and tandems are ready for you to go to the advanced level of adding the prop after the turn.
>>if I’m starting with Catch, is it ok if Venture comes to me after every treat throw? >>
Yes – if the Catch is a thrown reward, then he can move to get it and then he can come to you to start the next rep when you cue it.
>> In theory I should begin taking half a step away while he’s sitting and slowly build up distance while using catch. Then work his break (drive to me) and get it drive ahead. Am I understanding this all correctly?>>
Yes – and you can work the ‘break’ release concurrently so he learns the difference between the 2 words. Let me know how he does with the stays!
Great job here!
Tracy
