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I totally have a side preference too 🙂 I always knew dogs had side preferences, but watching zillions of videos during covid times really rammed the point home for me – these pups can be great turning one direction, but completely out of sorts going. the other direction. No worries, we can work the training so the skills are learned in the new direction first then transferred to the harder direction.
Tracy
Good morning! This session went really well! There is some real power happening and her head position is great! She had no trouble at all with the increased angles. Super!
One small detail: remember to have the toy in your dog-side arm as you drag it, not across your body (we don’t want a lot of upper body rotation on this one).
The further you lead out, the more power she is able to produce, so lead out at least 10 feet past jump 3 before you release her (her stay looks great, which is why we can add a longer lead out :))Brad asked about marker words: yes, you can use a bite verbal but also it is fine if you let the context speak for itself:
The marker to get the toy is implied in the setup of the session: you would never otherwise drag a toy in this context without wanting her to get it 🙂
>>I still have the bars at 6 inches and don’t know if I should be raising them at all.
The bars on this type of grid never really go up. Maybe 8 inches at the highest, at this distance. We will start introducing height later on, stay tuned for what is coming tomorrow!! I personally delay heights going up until the dogs are older adolescents and also when I have clearance from y sports vet – the goal is to get to full height somewhere between 18 months and 2 years old. The results of waiting have been amazing because the dogs practice great mechanics. Do your best to ignore all the people who raise the bars on baby dogs, that will create issues!
>>Is the goal to continue to get the grid straighter so the jumps are more slice?
Eventually, very eventually, it turns into a wicked hard grid where the jumps are completely “flat” but that is much further down the road and they have to be adults to do that.
>> Should I be doing any of the grids that are straight on?
We add another straight grid tomorrow 🙂
>>Mostly this past week I have just been working on her ability to station while I do things with the other dogs and for her to be able to do some little things while they station. We try to make it lots of fun, and the activities I do with the boys while she stations are very low energy at this point ex. calling to hand touches or perch work. I think it is helping her overall ability to deal with the stimulation of other things going on around her but we have to do baby steps for sure.>>
This is good, but keep it very very easy/successful/baby steps because it can be a big brain drain for an adolescent dog and also can be very frustrating. So do it a tiny tiny bit but there is no need for it to be a lifestyle 🙂 Again, that is where I differ from a lot of other people – but we know a whole lot more about the neurobiology of what is happening during stationing, and too much emphasis on it during adolescence can do more harm than good. Teenage brains can’t handle a whole lot of that challenge 🙂
Great job here!
TracyHi!
Yes, the cooler temps helped and he had some time to think about driving to the tunnel during the training break 🙂 He was able to put together wing-to-tunnel REALLY nicely!!
When you switched sides, I think he needed the tunnel warm up that you gave him on the first side. Also, he might have been a little mentally tired because he had a moment at 1:02 where he took off for a bit. You got him back, but he struggled to find the tunnel so it is possible his brain was done for the day 🙂 I can totally relate! So on the next session, start with the tunnel on that side to do a few reps, then try wing to tunnel, then be done (don’t do the other side in the same session). As he gets used to the heat and working outside, you will see his physical and mental stamina increase.
Great job here!!
TracyGood morning!
>>Most useful really I think was that I can’t work too long. Especially when it’s hot. They are saying is in the mid eighties today. And last weekend at dock diving I swear Kaz was saying… It’s never been this hot in my whole life!>>
He is correct! He has never experienced heat, and never had to train in the heat. Your neck of the woods had a long winter! So short sessions will build up his heat tolerance.
>>ou asked her how cool it would be if in school she gave something a good try and the teacher always gave her an A+. And what what we want for our dogs. They always get a A+ no matter what! I>>
Yes! Can you imagine how good our human educational system would be if we rewarded effort – especially when that effort is based on information that the student relies on from US HUMANS in order to be correct? That is why I reward effort in dogs a LOT because a) they are learning and b) they have to sort through my trashy cues LOL!!!!
On the video – first of all, he was tugging like a fiend here! LOVE IT! He was very keep to play.
Yes, he is still learning the big long tunnel outside. You can stretch it out more so it is not quite as bent – if he can see more light through it and less of a tight bend, he will commit better. Then when he is more comfy driving to it you can bend it more. He is definitely figuring out how to do it, as you can see from his offering later in the video.
The wing wraps are looking AMAZING – fast and tight! He is still sorting out getting started but that will come together with more experience. He did great here!
And yes, at 2:00, he was cooked. Tugging and running is HOT HOT HOT without a lot of time to breathe, so you can do one minute then back into the house to cool off. I also work early in the morning or in the evening before sunset when it is really hot here.
Great job!!
TracyGood morning!
>>Esp after this past weekend… we did one day of a seminar on Saturday that I was told was puppies/ young dog. I asked specifically if he would be appropriate because we hadnt done any sequencing. “the other dogs are all at about that level”. yea, not. The good parts – his stays were AMAZING, he was eager to work and tug in a new environment and on turf which he had never seen. >>
Hooray for the good parts! But booooo on being told one thing and asked to do another. Hopefully the instructor broke it down for him – it sounds like he was an amazing dude 🙂 Love it!!!!
On the video –
On the wraps at the beginning, he was wrapping really well! Try not to throw the reward in a way that tries for a second wrap, that was setting up some awkward movement from him – reward the first wrap (which was beautiful) away from the wing. No need for any multi-wraps at all with him – his first wrap is lovely 🙂 AND he was offering nice ones to the left like at :25 and 1:39!!!!Wing wrap to the tunnel looked great, good boy! Try to say the right verbal like the timing of your go verbal at 2:38
Sitting in the in-between area between the wing and the tunnel was HARD, great job getting reward in.
On the wing send to start the sequence, remember to connect. When you don’t connect and point ahead of him, he has questions like at 1:29. When you do connect on the send, he is lovely (like at 1:45).
Proofing: He did well, this is such a hard game!!!! Starting with two tunnel reps was probably what set up the failure on the first wrap rep on both side, so on the next session, start with the wraps before trying any tunnel reps. Also, hold his collar to start the verbal on the wrap reps so he hears it 3 or 4 times before you both start to move. On the left, you held him but released the and said the verbal simultaneously. On the first right reps, you didn’t hold him, so moved and started the verbal. Ideally, hold him for 2 or 3 fun seconds while you say the verbal before you let him go That will allow him to process the verbal before motion and raise the rate of success.
>>I was giving him a cheese ball as/before I took his collar, He is his mother’s son. Looks like I am pulling him off his feet>>
Ha! He was rarin’ to go 🙂 Good boy!!!!
Both videos were the same here – let me know if there was supposed to be a different one.
Great job here 🙂
TracyGood morning!
She was an absolute STAR on the wraps!!!! WOW!!! It was especially cool to see that happen after you did 2 GO reps in a row. She was tight and balanced and fast on both wraps. YAY!! Well done to you for showing her the distinct transition elements (fast, slow, rotate) to help her commit in collection. Click/treat for you both!!!!!
The get out is going well too! I think the transition at :25 when she disengaged was because things got mellow while you were getting ready. So before the send, do that ready dance to get her looking at you and ready to go like at 1:16. And to help her commit to the start wing (and ignore the jump that is nearby) be a little closer to the start wing to give her the send. The ready dance plus being closer will totally help her ignore the environment and ignore the jump (which is hard, because now the jump has value).
The first get out was a little late and she didn’t expect it (so didn’t process it til she was past the jump) but the 2nd one was earlier and she was more prepared so she nailed it. Yay!!
>>We are hitting that super busy time of the end of the school year! Todays session was last I could do till next Saturday. We won’t be able to do last live class. Susan is doing it>>
I bet things are busy busy busy!!!! I am looking forward to seeing Susan in the live class and then the rest of Team Prytania when things calm down as the school year finishes 🙂
Great job here!
TracyGood morning! Hooray for no puking! Hopefully that is a thing of the past. These sessions looked lovely!
First video:
Nice transition from the toy play to the treat toss! And then back the toy play at the end!
She is doing brilliantly in her transition from toy play to get the cookie to drive to handler focus!!! You can slow down sooner: note how her butt was swinging out wide. That was because you were decelerating as she arrived at you, so she didn’t have time to organize her collection. So start to slow down before she is halfway to you, so she can make the collection. Her turns look great and so giving her earlier decel cues will make help her be even tighter.
2nd video:
The ‘free’ toy out is looking so good! You can totally reward with a cookie! The double turns also looked good – she is being a rockstar about coming into handler focus, staying with you for both turns! Yay!>>We were having toy malfunctions. I put extensions on them and practiced separately but still had trouble making them work. More practice. >>
In these early stages, you are experiencing the awkwardness of sorting out the mechanics and reward strategies. It will all feel smoother with more time in the saddle 🙂 That is why the skills are easy for now, because we have to sort out all the human mechanics 🙂 I think it went well here, even if it felt a little weird 🙂
>>Also I was trying to keep her low on the ground, but I can see watching videos back how much she likes to jump up. Will work on that too.>>
You were great! The toy play was nice and low, so she could choose her play style. Yes, she likes to lift her front feet off the ground to grab the toy, which is fine – the difference is that she is able to keep a natural head/neck position. When we lift the toy up, it cranks her neck up and that is less natural.
>>I’m having to experiment how big to cut her treats. Big enough for her to see, but small enough that she can eat quickly or swallow. I think she would have had trouble seeing them on the turf.>>
The cookie sizes seemed to work well here. Out on the turf, you can use a target: place a cookie on the target while you are holding her, letting her see you do it Then bring her to your starting spot and send her to the cookie target (as if you had thrown the cookie) and then you can be ready for the next part of the game. That can simulate the sending her away like a throw would, without worrying if she can find a tiny treat in the turf.
Plus, as she grows up, she will get used to tracking and finding the one tossed treat, so it will get easier and easier.
Nice work here!
TracyGood morning!
>>I had to practice and practice that without her and still felt like I was doing it wrong.>
When I started doing the blinds this way, I had to practice a whole lot without the dog, then with my adult dogs 🙂 It will feel natural soon!
This session went really well! The goal of the reward across the body is to open up huge connection – and you nailed it! She seemed to have zero questions. And you were on time, so she easily made the side change.
>>My instructors are always telling me I’m late, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m late on these games too>>
It is possible that you are not late, but you are on time and not connected enough (especially with a smaller dog). The blind crosses hinge on the connection on the new side, so try this style of connection and see if your instructors stop telling you that you are late 🙂
Great job!!
TracyHi!
This video gives me a good look at her when she is walking past the camera – I like how she is almost whippety (like a border whippet) in her build and movement. Gonna be fast fast fast and also able to turn turn turn. Fun!! I am excited for your future!The back-and-forth rhythm with the bowls look great, she got right into it. Your mechanics will be easier if you have the bowl on the couch and cookies in each hand, like you started doing at about :40. Adding the upright (foam roller) was absolutely no problem for her. Moving it further away? Also no problem. It was all happening so fast you didn’t have a lot of time to reload the cookies, so you can break it off and play tug for a moment while you reload.
Since this went so well, you can switch to a wingless upright and see how she does (I am confident she will be perfect :)). We add to this game tomorrow 🙂
Great job here!!
TracyGood morning! Really nice session here with your goat 🙂
Getting the toy play going before the disc was in position was the best option here, that thing is huge LOL!! And then you cued the transition from play to shaping by assuming the “international sign to offer” (being quiet, looking at the item, etc). She was great!
Then transitioning back to the toy and leaning the disc up on its side was even better – that was great! And good info to not leave the cookie cup unattended after a search because she assumed it was snack time LOL!
She did really well offering to get on the giant disc – the front end was no trouble at all. She did get her back feet on it towards the end, but she was less comfy with that: note how all of her weight was in her front LOL!
It was probably not totally comfy to stand with balance because the disc is smaller than she is and moves a lot. So to help her out with getting balanced on something moving, you can widen the playing field by putting the big disc in the center of several other things around it – another big disc if you have one, or smaller discs, or even the Cato Plank. That way she can put her front feet on one thing and the back feet on the other thing, stretching out a bit more and feeling more balanced.
The second video was HILARIOUS for 2 reasons:
First, note how she set up the training session to have the treats and toy ready for her to reward herself for the shaping and also have play breaks LOL!!Second, like a good puppy owner, the first thing you did was get it on video rather than get her off the table LOL!! I would have done the same thing LOL!!!!
Great job here, she is a blast!
Tracy
You can try using very soft tuggies and soft food, but generally dogs can work through teething really well.
T
Hi!
>.I am more than happy to delete Its Your Choice from my games. LOL
Ha! Yes, one less thing to have in the rotation 🙂
>>It was when I was trying to work on Delayed Reinforcement. I’d have her sit and then wait to release her to the tug. If I waited to long she would bark.>>
Translation of her barking: “THIS IS TOO HARD! I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT, HUMAN! I AM SO FRUSTRATED” bark bark bark 🙂 So either release her a lot sooner so she fails less, or skip this game til we come to it here in class 🙂
>>But hasn’t barked as of yet for the tug in a training session.
You’ve been great with high levels of success as making transitions really fast – so she has been very successful and not frustrated 🙂
T
