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Good morning!
>>I might try it again with dragging the toy instead as you said (I forgot about that from last time) and see if that changes things. I suppose it will encourage him to keep his head down and perhaps a longer stride.>>
Yes, let me know how that goes! So far, I am living what we see with the dragging toy – it encourages lovely form and it challenges the pups to think about their mechanics even when trying to move faster and when excited by the toy 🙂
>>We spent most of the time before this just goofing around and playing with toys and working on recalls because he was quite distracted. I think that was a productive way to spend the time.>>
100% smart to play and do easy things, so he can get happy in the new place – that makes the hard stuff a whole lot easier 🙂
The turn aways started off super precise and definitely within the 3 Inch Rule 🙂 I think he responded well and likes these a lot – fast and bendy, watch him whip his head around LOL!!!
Yes – at 1:18 and 1:30 you were too early and he was not sure which side of the wing to go to . That leg patience is REALLY hard! One thing that will help keep your feet together is if you don’t back up at all – position yourself where you want to do the lap turn and send him to the other wing from there (which is a whole ‘nother challenge in a good way!). Then you won’t be in motion backing up to position, you will be there and can then have an easier time keep your feet stationary til he hits the 3 inch spot.
His focus looked great – even if the info was not as clear to him when you stepped back to soon, he was totally in the game and a very good boy!!!! Great job!
TracyGood morning!
>>Oh you know, on a tote bag in the basement.
Of course! I mean, isn’t that how all puppy programs work? Or maybe we should get special branded Agility U tote bags? LOL!!
>>Question on that Lap Turn game – should I be using the backside wrap word with Dellin? With Mari, I use her threadle word, but I’d be facing the jump and also using the arm away from her, so it looks different than this set up with my back to the jump. I don’t think Mari and I have done it this way.>>
The lap turn can be found in different contexts but most often it is a threadle wrap/threadle rear cross – so that is the word I use (basically, the same word if the dog enters and exits a threadle/backside threadle on the same wing because it names the dog’s behavior and not necessarily my behavior – this is the same concept as a front side wrap verbal where the dog performs the same behavior even though the handling could be a variety of different things).
>>Or, when done as a threadle, is it a different skill (kind of) and I should have both?
I think it is it taught as a behavior and concept, you won’t need two separate words for it.
>>Other question – this is week 6 – where do we go from here?
MaxPup 3 Putting It Together 🙂 I think the part date will be in early June but I need to align the dates of the live sessions – it is structured a little differently in terms of the live element but it has lots of grown up stuff for the puppies 🙂
>> It might get to 40 tomorrow >>
40? Ugh! Mother Nature has been really uncooperative lately.
TracyGood morning!
Great job sorting out the binds from the spins and you had very clear connections and reward mechanics. Super!
And HOLY COW she loved the big racetrack around the outside LOL!!! Fun!!!She was a real speedster on these!!!! Her commitment is looking really strong here so yes:
>>Still looks to me that I should be turning earlier on the blind…. still feels kinda slow processing the pattern.>>
You can totally turn sooner on the blind. I think part of the timing here was that you were processing the mechanics, and part of it is not really knowing when a baby dog is committed. So you can totally start to trust her: connect like you did as she exits the tunnel and keep moving like you did (with the verbal too :)). Then when you see her looking at the wing – start the blind so when you finish it, you see her arriving at the wing. With her speed, my guess is that you will want to tart it no later than when she is halfway between the tunnel and the wing.
>> I was late and her really wide turn at 1:36 was my blooper.>>
Yes, the blind can be sooner there but great job staying connected and staying in motion.
Part of the blind cross timing is the complete trust of the dog that she will commit, because we have to break connection to do the blind. That makes us all twitch a bit hahaha! But her commitment looks strong so you can totally begin playing with the earlier timing.
Great job! I am loving her speed and confidence, and her responsiveness to the turn cues!
Tracy
Hi!
Wow! Rear crosses are hard especially with small dogs and you did a great job! It looks like she read every single one of them! You get a little closer to her line for those a little sooner, so she turns before takeoff – you did this at the every end (:41) and she was perfect 🙂
She is doing well with her go lines – just be sure that you don’t accidentally use your go verbal and show rear cross pressure like at :14 and :30. You ran a perfect straight line at :33 for the go, and that is the ideal Go path for you.Great job on these! I think you can add more distance between the jump and the tunnel, which will help her accelerate forward even more.
Tracy
Good morning!
You and Dice looked great with the rear crosses! It looks like he had no trouble with the Go versus rear versus soft turn towards you. YAY!!! Super! And it was a nice, balanced session – a little of everything, so he was truly listening and watching the handling, and not just patterning.
Only one suggestion: You can slow down and draw out the right and left verbals so they not as exciting as the go go go go and the tunnel verbal. They will sounds a bit quieter and be more like “riiiight, riiiiiight” and “leeeehft leeeefht” instead of “RIGHTRIGHTRIGHTRIGHT”. The difference in tone and volume will also help him differentiate when you get onto the bigger courses or when you are handling more from behind or at a distance.
On the Minny Pinny: wow, he is doing really well! Turning towards you is easy and he is getting really smooth at turning away! Super!! You can add wings ti the outside of the bars now, so they kook like complete jumps. And keep revisiting this one, so he can see you getting more and more to the center where the wings meet, and eventually his start position and be between your feet.
>>Is it better if I just cut it out of the video and leave the reps only? I feel like it makes the videos so long to have to watch it all sometimes.>>
It is no problem to leave the tugging in, either sped up or left in real time. That way you don’t have to edit it. The videos here were about 2 minutes which is totally fine, not too long at all! And if the tugging ads and extra minute, no worries at all!
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyThis all sounds good! And getting less snow hopefully means it will be a fast melt when things get a bit warmer 🙂
Tracy
Good morning! She also did really well here 🙂 I am loving her speed and confidence!!!
You can send her to the start wing from a more lateral position so that when she is wrapping, you have an easier/straighter line to run straight past the wing of. the jump (you won’t have to move to of the way at all). The MM was a good aide to get it started, but now I think you can fade it out: using something that is easy to throw, you can throw the reward out past the landing of the jump as soon as you see her looking ahead to the jump. This will be a pretty early toy throw, so she doesn’t look back at you at all. You don’t need to wait til she is between the uprights of the jump, you can throw it as soon as you see her looking forward. You can use a toy, or if she is into food on this game, use a lotus ball or treat hugger to throw the food.
As she keeps getting faster and faster, remember to make really fast connections – at :49 you were a little late on the connection and so she read your motion and went straight to the jump, even though it wasn’t the side you wanted her on. You were much quicker at 1:04 and she nailed it. Yay!
Great job here! As soon as she is happily driving ahead with the thrown rewards, you can add in the rear cross game on this setup 🙂
Tracy
Hi! These are looking really good!! The dragging toy keeps her head down and form good, even as she adds in speed. What was the distance between the bump and the jump here? I think this was best in. the middle rep where you had the toy a bit further away from the jump when you released her. On the last rep, it was a little closer and she is really fast, so she caught up pretty quickly 🙂 You can release her when the toy is maybe 10 feet past the jump (and moving) and that should be great. And her stays were strong, even with a dragging toy! yay!
Because she is so young and a large breed, there is no rush to raise the bars. Over the next week or 2, you can revisit this at 8″. Then after she is 11 months (in a couple of weeks, I think), you can try it at 10″. Then we sit there for a bit til she gets to eb a year old, then we raise it again 🙂
Great job!
TracyHi! These are useful! Yo can start with the happy arousal games, like bringing her into the training environment on leash after watching Jamie run then take it off. You can add in a pool or a baby pool in different places. Or tease her a bit with a ball and then put it on a table nearby as you play the games 🙂
Keep em posted!
TracyHi!
>>Now if only the quite work as well as the barking cue..
Ha! Yeah, that trick doesn’t seem as fun for them.
>>that is an obnoxious tug tied to a leash but I will work it. He knows to pick up his leash on cue. Should I integrate that as well? or since he prefers the active tug game, start there?Now if only the quite work as well as the barking cue..>>
I think start with it as the toy and then integrate the cue eventually, when he loves it as just play and it has no ‘work’ elements.
Have fun!
TracyHi! Perfect, I think she’ll enjoy that big sprint around all the wings. Wheeeeeee!!
The last day for submissions is May 18th 🙂
TracyGood morning!
>>And I’m still not sure I cookie free pattern games 🙂 let me rewatch the lesson, read the notes and your feedback and I’ll ask follow up questions.>>
For the cookie free pattern games, the action trick will replace the ‘get it’ cookie. So on a cookie pattern game, we start the pattern with the cookie toss – then the dog re-engages, then we toss the next cookie. So without a cookie – we start with the spin, for example – then wait for offered engagement, then do another spin. In. The early stages, after one or two tricks, go get a cookie (or pull it out of the pocket) so she still gets the primary reinforcement built in.
>>I ran sequences with a toy today and I *can* do this in a trial (ha!), she does chase it, and the pattern we are creating of bite / get cookie is giving her something active to do outside the ring that she finds value in – but she initiates it to get my attention, I kinda look away as in a Find My Face game. I’m creating a little pushy-ness that I think is going to be good?>>
Fun! Yes! It is a good pattern to begin as it raises value for toy chasing which can be brought into the ring 🙂 And getting her to be pushy? Yes please 🙂 I like pushy because it is generally indicating she is relaxed and wanting to play the game 🙂
On. The video: It was a little hard to see all of the outside the ring stuff but there was a lot of calm stuff right before her turn and on the way to the line – add in more volume dial to bring up her level of arousal. So she was GREAT with her off leash offered engagement. Then take a moment to do some tricks for treats at the start line. Her arousal level was a little too chill so she as unable to ignore the giant distraction of the person sitting on the teeter on her line. It will take 5-10 seconds to get her dialed in, but that will replace the 5-10 seconds of gathering her back up if she wanders off because she wasn’t ready. And it will help get success on the all-important first rep!
Same on the reset after the reward at 2:10-ish: take a moment, take a breath, play with her to dial up the arousal (tricks for treats!) then go again. There is a rushed aspect to the class here which breaks the engagement and connection, and you lose her. It is possible that the rushed aspect of starting again really fast was the point of the exercise, but if it causes errors and disconnection, then you will want to take the heartbeat to set her up for success rather than rush right into it.
Also it sounds like at 2:41 she got a sharp rebuke for being unable to ignore the instructor sitting on the teeter (note Zippie’s startle response)… Zippie had already noted her challenge with ignoring that big distraction (and hadn’t gotten a reinforcement for ignoring it on the 2nd run) so while the rebuke might have seemed to work in that Zippie didn’t go over there on the last rep, it can be SUPER detrimental for that to happen in the ring and associated with that environment. Remembering that Pavlov and conditioned responses are much more powerful than operant responses and Skinner: She is already uncomfortable with that distraction and perhaps with the people in that environment (especially in new environments) so if there is a layer of punishment that happens (or something scary enough to produce a reflexive startle response) – she might not go investigate it, sure… but it increases negative conditioned emotional response and the underlying anxiety, which will cause other behaviors to pop up (like sniffing when she sees new people in the agility environment as an avoidance behavior).
So – if she gets distracted by a person? Just ask the person to ignore her and not apply anything scary, and you take it as a sign that she can be asked to make another choice and then you use positive reinforcement to both reward the choice of ignoring the person, and to build a positive conditioned emotional response.
Keep playing with the pushy games 🙂 And add in more volume dial tricks before each rep and I think you will have nailed the correct balance!!!
Great job 🙂 Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning!
I think the shoe will work well for instant focus – he was getting a little stuck in the down, mainly because of reward placement *plus all the value of being in front of you) so you can change the placement to keep him moving and offering:
If he gets stuck with the shaping, then you are probably rewarding at the source too much (like when he was in a down and barking :)) So you can go to rewarding off to the side with a toss and having him move back to the shoe. This will help him not offer the down as much, or be able to get out of it to keep offering pretty quickly.
Rewarding head up from your hand at 2:17ish moves the focus off the item so either have it on the shoe (head down) or tossed away so he can keep moving back to it.Do a couple more shaping sessions so the shoe is basically magnetic and he can’t help but go to it – then it can go to the next step where you take it on the road 🙂
As a side note – he was ‘offering’ the barking so you can totally keep working to get it solidly on cue as a lovely trick to use outside the ring and on the way to the line 🙂
The 2nd video – that is a leash? Wow! LOL!!!! To really get the leash tugging to be toy-like, use it in little sequences now! Having him play with it like this looked great! So you can do a wing wrap then the leash tug as the reward, then eventually the leash tug gets put into the remote reinforcement game (or in your pocket if you have a big enough pocket haha)
>>Now there’s enough material that I’m not sure where to continue to focus and since you usually recommend off days, is there stuff you think we should prioritize?>>
Several of the games build together into the combo game of remote reinforcement and moving to the line -that is a good one for home because you are basically rehearsing the entire progression from the crate to the start line 🙂 The instant focus game is something that can be done anywhere – home, a park, Starbucks, etc.
And get the pattern games to be so easy and fun for him to that he snaps into engagement. Start thinking about which tricks might be best for the cookie-free pattern game 🙂
And the kryptonite games FOR SURE! Because this include all the different games.
>>Kryptonite games are hard because I’m just have my yard, Carrie’s yard, and occasionally our new field>>Yay for a new field! The pool at Carrie’s is a great Kryptonite game opportunity. And you can get a plastic baby pool for home – even if it is empty, it can still work! Videos of trial sounds can be helpful at home, or Callie running around and Fever on leash so you can work things like the off leash offered engagement, line ups, patterns ,etc. Kryptonite games can be done at home (and SHOULD be done at home first to set up the framework) if you get a little nutty hahaha! My demos are all from home except the flyball tournament demo 🙂
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning!
Got the PayPal, thanks!!!
I love the encouraging classmates 🙂 Is that Kodie? Please send me regards 🙂
Watching the 3 videos, I like to look for patterns, as that will tell us what she thinks of al of this 🙂
Love the jumping into your arms at the end – perfect way t get to the remote reinforcement!
>>We had varied results.>>
The pattern I see on these 3 videos is that the first runs, with clean, clear transitions away from the reward station and into the course looked great! Even when the start jump was MILES away 🙂 she was very engaged. The mild results came on the 2nd run: after the reward, you didn’t engage or get her focused (volume dial tricks). You went back to the jump and moved back into the sequence, and she was not quite ready – so those 2nd runs tended to have less engagement and errors like a bit of sniffing or handling oopsies. That is GREAT information from her!!
The big takeaway is that each run in your turn on course has to be like the first one: reset with play, tricks, engagement (she was doing well with the off leash offered engagement!). So if you run to the reward station and reward her – take a moment to reset, re-engage, even put the leash back on to restart the process, then go back to the start jump. It will take an extra 1 seconds or so, but it will be completely clear to her and totally worth it.
Also, you can mix in running with rewards on you when training. We don’t want to dramatically increase the challenge of agility but never rewarding on course, so you can totally mix in some runs with the toy in your hand or cookies on your pockets, especially if you are going to train something on course.
When training, another thing to consider: If something goes wrong – reward her (your error, not hers), reset with reward and engagement, try again – she got sniffy on one of the videos after a handling blooper because she didn’t understand the handling reset. iThis means that there needs to be reinforcement available on the field when training handling, either in your pockets or the instructor can hold it. The remote reinforcement doesn’t have to be for every run in training 🙂
>>The day after, for my private lesson with Amy Mescher 😉, she put out strange balls on either side of the weaves, and had me run the same full course with NO toy and No treats. Of course there were no other people there. Posh did great.>
Yay! This is great! And you can ask your classmates in the group class to be ring crew, be judges staring at her, etc. Maybe do it once per class where she sees those distractions – and mix in lots of lots of easy runs so that she still has some really easy fun runs out there in the ring 🙂
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning!
This is going well! She is understanding the grid so now we can tweak the reinforcement a bit to get her extending a bit more. The 1m spacing looks good! So if yo car using a food reward, have it 3 or 4 meters away from jump 3, so that she can extend between 2 and 3 and then take a few more extension strides. The reward was close here so she was extended nicely between 1 and 2, but then slowing down to get ready to stop, so not extending as well between 2 and 3.And you can also do the dragging toy (or a lotus ball on a string :)) – start it 2 meters from jump 3, then release her and drag it so she extends between the jumps as she moves to the dragging toy 🙂 And keep rewarding the stay, especially as the dragging toy gets involved 🙂
Great job! Let e know what you think!
Tracy
