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Hi!
Holy cow, you have had a crazy August!!!!!! I hope September is much smoother and with far less stress!
I am not a vet, but I do know that you can treat for Lyme with doxy, even if the bloodwork doesn’t confirm a diagnosis. Symptoms can also be diagnostic. We just treated my Contraband with a course of doxy because we found a bite of unknown origin and my vet felt it was wise to treat.>> but really right now I would like to know when is the end of getting your feedback on the class lessons so I can plan appropriately.
The forum is open for feedback til Sept 15. Onwards to videos!
Hi!
>>So here is how the walk thru should go:
– 1st walk thru: connection points, general handling options, some verbals, spot-check dog’s line
– 2nd walk thru: verbals, connection points
– 3rd walk thru: try to run around people with connection and verbals.>>Looks good!
>>What about visualization? Any advice on what to focus on?
For the visualization, try seeing it from inside yourself, and connecting to your dog 🙂 That might feel really different!
>>I like having lots of time to obsess on the visualization, so I am proving to myself the walk thru is more important, thoughts?>>
Visualization is a great tool, but it is like a file on the computer: you should be able to pull it up in your brain at any time, do it, then put it away (rather than obsess). That way it won’t matter if you are first or last! And a great walk through helps visualization, which is why it went well when you were first – the walk though was fresh in your mind.
The 3 runs looked great! You are running with connection and confidence, and he looks lovely! You were trusting your skills and also using the distance skills which helped you get where you needed to be in just about every moment. YAY!!! Have a fun vacation and I am looking forward to hopefully seeing you in person! I will keep you posted about the seminars 🙂
Great job this summer! It was great having you here and watching you run!
TracyHi! Lots of good work here!!
About that #3 jump in sequence 1…
The good news is that she is developing a really nice independent backside send! As you were driving up the line, your motion was showing a parallel path line to the backside and she got it. Yay! But also, boo! for this sequence that did not want a backside LOL! So turning much earlier will get it, so she sees no parallel path line to the backside.Yes, showing the dog the difference between the cues does help in dog training, as you asked at :57 🙂 But do it with physical cues and not just the verbals. To show her the difference on the line, turn sooner so that as she approaches 2, you are turned and facing 3.
And live by the 2 failure rule: if she fails twice, make it easier. In this case, you can tweak the position of the jump like you did later on, so the front side is easier to see and the backside is harder to see. Plus, call her name – you can be more insistent with her name to get the turn, then cue the wrap.When you had success at 3:00, you were nicely turned to the front side and nice and early. When you tried it again you were more forward on your running line to the backside so she took it. When you changed the angle, she was able to get it nicely. Yay!!! So keep turning your shoulders as you come up the line 🙂 as that will set the line to the front side.
video 2:
The opening of sequence 2 was easy for her, it is what she wanted all along LOL! 1-2-3-4 looked great! Yes, push more to the 5 backside but then after it, stay more connected: At :52 and later on at 1:42 when she barked at you, you were kinda looking at her but your arm was forward so she didn’t really see the connection. Keep your arm low and back, so she can see your eyes and shoulders.And definitely work the Go line – if you accelerate and drive the line, she should go go go 🙂
At 1:10 you got the RC instead of the spin because of your foot position facing the center of the bar which is more of a RC cue. You can decelerate and rotate your feet to help set up the spin. The blind cross worked really well to get her to slice to her right!! And yes, slicing to the right then doing the FC did get you down the line sooner but also work on her driving ahead after the spin by accelerating and staying connected to the back of her head, driving to the last jump so she doesn’t pull off and bark 🙂 And you can also throw a reward early to keep her driving ahead.
Seq 3: This one emphasizes the “out”, which you can do with more arm back/strong connection 2-3, and even and opposite arm. Being further up the line like at 3:08 really helps, but the big connection and outside arm will really help her get on the line. You were starting to do it here nd on the last sequence, so keep working it by keeping your arm up and pressuring to the jump until she goes to it .
Seq 4 starts with the out to 3, so the added outside arm and being further ahead really helped!
At jump 5 at 4:35, that is another place to keep your arm way back and give her lots of connection, to get her to commit to the jump. You arm came up high there, which blocked connection and turned you too much so she barked at you.About the long line at the end: at 4:48, drive hard on the go line at the end and connect like you did at 5:12, but also have a reward placed at the end – even with the great connection at 5:12, she did not want to drive ahead so the placed reward (or a super early throw) will help smooth that out.
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyAha! Captured on video!!!! I think it was more of an arousal error – hard to know if he was frustrated or what, but definitely aroused. And then leaning in and touching his face (or hands towards) triggered the jumping up a bit. I don’t see anything that was what we would see as a typical frustration, but definitely an arousal error. It could be the tugging while we talk shifts arousal, and he needs a moment to breath instead.
Because he is an adolescent, you can help him complete the stress cycle: tug as the reward for a job well done, then do a cookie scatter in the grass (or let him run around with the toy, then cookie scatter). Then either have him down in the shade, or do his engaged chill behavior while we talk. Then, when ready to work again, you can re-engage with his tricks and back into sequencing (and not bend over or do any physical hand play, because it might be too arousing for now. That way we can help him manage the arousal, and as he matures he will not want to jump up anymore.
Let me know if that makes sense! See ya tomorrow!
TracyHi! Sorry for the delay, I almost missed this!!! But it was worthwhile to watch, she is looking great!
>>– I set her a bit closer to the inside of the jump and she came in around it (she could see me outside the jump, couldn’t last session), will need to do some work on that but for tonight I just set her farther over.
I agree, she was a little too far over and made a baby dog mistake when she went around the jump at :14. Setting her up further over was perfect!
>>– She dropped a couple bars (2nd jump), on the blind and then on the LO throwback. I think I was on time on starting the blind? On the LO throwback when should I start doing that?
No worries about the bars – you can lock them in if you want. I agree that it is likely timing that you are still working out. You can try starting the blind as she is over 1, rather than landing from 1. On the throwback, you can drop your arm back when she lands from 1. The lead out push looked great!
>> the LO throwback was more of an issue for the turn this time as the wrap is to the side she doesn’t turn as well to. The look she gave me when she realized we weren’t going to the tunnel on the first one was priceless. And no attempt whatsoever to add a stride on the turn.>>
Ha! She was ON FIRE there LOL!!
>>on the LO throwback I am not at all positive what I whould be doing with my arm here. I am right beside the jump so no real throwback arm wise. It feels a bit awkward, did last time too.>>
For the throwbacks, I think things went best when you dropped your hand to the takeoff spot, looked at her eyes, and did a bit of countermotion by moving towards the tunnel entry. When you gave a little swoosh like at :50 or didn’t have countermotion like at 1:04, she was not quite as good with the collection and turn.
But overall, this went really well! For the blind cross lines, you can try laying a long line so you have something to guide your running line. That will help the bars too because the positional cue will give her early notice that the turn is coming up.
>>I’m jumping her at 10″ (about elbow height) for this stuff – I assume keep her there for now? I’ve had her to 16″ on the set point work but then her teres acted up and we had to stop that work until recently so back at 12″ right now for that as we work back up. I just wonder about her getting too used to jumping flatter at these heights.>>
You can try her at 12″. She is 13 months, yes? So no rush to get the bars up. 12″ on the easy ones, 10″ on the harder turns. Then you can add 14″ on the easy lines, and 12″ on the harder ones, and keep bringing the bars up gradually over time.
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyStay tuned! I am planning some shorter hybrid (online and live) classes to work on skills and sequences as we move into the fall and winter! I will post it all next week 🙂
T
Good morning!
>> Levy did do much better with jumps at 18 inches I shorten the seq. and rewarded with better connection. Funny how that connection thing works LOL He is getting it. I am glad it doesn’t look like he will be 24 that’s just too high I think.>
Super! Connection is magic LOL!! And yes, I would be SHOCKED if he measures into 24. And even if he does, you can jump him at 20 in a different division.
>>I am super excited about this last session with Watson. We did the seq. granted I missed the 1st blind and resorted to a kinda rear cross thing and watson fell on his head but he kept going… bless him and for giggles I tried the rear cross out of the tunnel and he nailed it. Progress is sweet!!!!>>
Totally agree, this session looked fabulous! he read the opening threadle and layering perfectly! You were in good position for the blind but probably not quite used to being that far ahead, so ended up with the RC which was a little late. Great job continuing on, the rest of it was lovely!
And holy cow those rear crosses at the end were AMAZING! You nailed the line and so he read them perfectly. Click/treat to you both!!!Great job!!!!
TracyHi!
First up, Min’s video:
This was really fun to see you set the layering with the RC on the first rep! She was almost perfect, just needed more convincing of the layering to get the 2nd jump on the opening line but then was very happy to do it in the closing!The BC at :10 can be sooner (she was waiting for you to move off her line) – you can start it as soon as you see that she has landed from 4 and looked at 5.
The threadle slice opening worked well but I think getting closer to 2 will help set it too: You got close to the tunnel entry and then had to pull away from the tunnel entry (to avoid falling over, which is a good thing to avoid :)) but she saw it and almost pulled off the 4 jump. The threadle/RC at :33 looked great! She is getting the hang of those. I timed that section – the late BC and the strong threadle/wrap/RC are just about equal! So you might find that as her understanding continues to improve, you can do more with the threadley stuff because it will be as fast or faster 🙂
Seq 2 – less arm on the layer seemed to help! Plus, she is learning the skill and also we can try the go go go and see if it helps.
The BC at :48 was a little late so she had to go around you, so it is another spot where the threadle moves might end up working better 🙂Kaladin: he is also doing really well!
On the opening of the first rep, I think he had the same questions as Min about your line of motion: You got closer to the tunnel entry then pulled away, so he almost came off the line on the first rep and had a big head check at :24 on rep 2 and also at :51 of rep 3. That is a spot to run more to 2 (center of the bar) then move away on a parallel line, so you don’t get caught by the tunnel entry and so he doesn’t see you pulling away from the line.
The ending line has a lot more extension and speed as he comes into it, so he had no questions there even when you were pulling away a bit.On the threadle rear: at :26 this was definitely slower than the BC at the end, but I think it is because he is soooo responsive to decels that you ended up too far ahead – so the big decel put him into big collection. You can set the threadle RC up differently, but going closer to the #4 jump and then accelerating into it (decelerating later to set up the turn). That should get it to be as fast as the blind, especially in these situations where the blind cross line is hard to get on without blocking the dog by accident 🙂
Great job! I hope you have recovered from the food and mead LOL!!!
Tracy
Hi!
He did well on the layering in the opening! It might be even easier to get him on the line by getting super close to jump 1, so when he lands you can really accelerate rather than already be lateral. And, you can try more GO to see if he doesn’t look at you at all on the 2-3 section (same as with Min). With both of them, it is possible that ‘jump’ means to take it and be ready to turn, which is why they were glancing at you. But GO means do not turn, please LOL! So it might be a better option.
The threadle/wrap/rear looked great and put you miles ahead, and he loved the cheer there!And I totally see what you mean about him turning a bit too tight on the tunnel exit, it made the next jump into a harder backside. So you can try no left verbal, and just a name call while he is in it to let him exit a little wider (to set up the straight line ending).
Great job!
TracyGood morning!
The break out looked great!!! He found the backside nicely with the double whammy of the frame & tunnel as part of the discrimination! The handling cues to get the frame instead of the tunnel worked really well too – verbal alone was not enough 🙂 But that is a good future “sitting down” project: tunnel versus a-frame like we did when sitting down with the jump & tunnel!
The layering for 3 required parallel motion which seems to be the big trend nowadays: the distance elements are not sends, they are parallel lines. So the send on the first rep did not work (because the decel as you were setting up to send him pulled him off the line), but the added parallel motion on the 2nd rep sure did, and also alter on at 1:30!
You handed the 4-5 line as a lap turn at :16 and :32, with some running backwards – it worked well on the first one, but you can also try staying in motion and being more forward, so it is more of the threadle wrap/rear, and that will eliminate the running backwards which could inadvertently set the wrong line (or pull him off the line like at :33 & :44). When you pulled him off the line, you had not really told him to take the jump (physically or verbally) – you were quiet and had started drifting into the lap turn. Compare to :52 and 1:02 when every part of the cue told him to take the jump so he did 🙂
The lap turn at 1:05 was actually a little early, better timing at 1:18 to set it up.The blind to the spin worked well there, the spin gets you moving in the correct direction sooner so I think it is a good choice and set a nice line! In fact, when you did it with the post turn, he had a long look at the off course jump before turning to the tunnel. The lap turn was a little slower compared to the blind, but moving forward into the threadle/wrap might be more equivalent to the blind. And the blind to the spin might be the fastest of them all!
Only one more suggestion: Remember to use a verbal before the tunnel at the end of the sequence, so he doesn’t default to turning tight on the exit, You said “left” on the last rep, but the others were a bit too quiet LOL!
Great job! Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning!
I am glad they found the tight psoas issue! Hope the stretching/strengthening will have him feeling great!
On the video:
Walk through: the shape of the handling is looking really good! The next thing to add is to focus on where exactly the dog will be on course. For example, after a FC, he is behind you, so keep looking behind you. You were looking behind you for a heartbeat on the BC 2-3, FC at jump 3 and the FC 6-7, but then immediately looked ahead. Practicing that will help your brain have an easier time remembering all the things while also running him 🙂 You started practicing it on the FC 6-7 a :28, where you had a really clear connection to where he would be. SUPER!!And, by adding the connection to where he is, the timing gets easier. The BC 2-3 starts after he has landed from 1, so looking back more will help it be earlier. It was a bit late on the run at :41 (you started it as he was taking off for 2, which is when it should be finished – he found the correct side but that threw off your timing at :43 for the FC. He got BIG MAD when that happened LOL! He was frustrated and barking – so that moment falls into the category of “keep going, never stop and fix”. When he had the refusal on the jump, skip the jump and cue the tunnel and carry on – that is great for reducing frustration. Giving him a cookie was good but overall staying ni motion will be better 🙂 like you did at 5-6 at :55. He ended up on the wrong side of 6 because you lost connection and pulled your shoulder forward to the wing, so your entire physical cue said front side. That messed up the ending line, but you kept going and he was FAR happier with that.
The focus break is fine… but the errors here were of the human variety not the canine variety 🙂 He was not over-aroused to start and arousal didn’t cause the errors. So, while I am sure the focus break was good, the real key is to keep going and not try to stop and fix something mid-run.
The 2nd run went a lot better not because of his lowered arousal… but because of your earlier blind in the opening and your improved connection. Same with the 5-6 section – clearer cues! So the whole thing ran much better. The challenge now, since you can’t do more than 1 or 2 runs with him, is to get the handling clear like that while he is in normal arousal which means he is faster than after you lower the arousal. We want the speed! But remember that the key is to NOT stop and fix, as that makes him really frustrated.
Looking at the 2 rear cross sequences at the end – he is reading them well! You can put a little more pressure to the center of the bar on the RC lines, so you don’t have to pull as much. And the cross to the last tunnel definitely works better than the post turn, to show him that good line to the last tunnel.
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
TracyGood morning!
I am glad the rain stopped for a bit! Onwards to dry, cooler weather 🙂Nice work on these! You are definitely getting the connection points and how to tweak them as needed if she says they are not enough.
Looking at these for connection:Seq 1
Walk through:On the walk through, you can add more very direction connection on the exit of the wing wrap to send to the first jump and also after the FC – you had it for a moment then you immediately looked forward, when she would still be behind you.The runs reflected that those 2 connections were a little softer than she needs:
she was wide on the wing wrap (bar down on jump 1 as she came back for it) and although you did try for connection on the exit of the FC, it affected your line and she ran past 4 on the first rep and pulled the rail on the 2nd rep. More on that below!On seq 2: Yes, this is a hard one with all the lead changes! You can connect more extremely (BIG eye contact :)) to the push at 3 and after the FC.
The post turn 5-6 on the walk through shows the off course that you got on the run, so either a spin there or a faster shoulder turn to 6 (staying cloer to the line)
On the Runs: You looked forward early to 3 and she pulled the bar at 2 on the 1st and 3rd reps. Much better connection on the 2nd rep, the connection was very clear before she took off for 2 and you maintained it all the way through 3. Yay!
she hd a ar down at 4 – I think we can do a little jumping proofing with her (see below :)) because you had some movement/verbals over the bar but that is something she can get used to seeing and still keep the bar up. With her speed, she needs to see that stuff happening over the bar 🙂
You had a little refusal at 6 at 1:08 – cue said both slice AND wrap (lowr body versus upper body). I think a bit more decel before you start the rotation will help her commit there.
Your last run was the best, really good connection 2-3 and getting closer to the 4-5 line totally set you up to be able to turn faster 5-6. That set up a nice line all the way to the end 🙂Seq 3 walk through: I think you need to be a little further ahead to set the line 2-3, because the lead change happens after 2 to set it up nicely. Sending her to the wing from further away will help, and to tighten her exit of the wing you can ue big connection and big convergence towards 2 and 3. You got the on the first rep but she was wide after the wrap which bought you some time to get up there 🙂 On the 2nd rep, she was not wide heading to 1, and you were converging in as she was taking 1 so she was surpsied about the convergence and dropped the bar. But that is something we can show her in the jumping proofing.
Now, look a the ending line: you had better connection 4-5 at :52 when you looked right down at her head to get her to take 6 without you running to it. This is the stronger connection you can also use in sequence 1 in the similar ending line.
seq 4: walk through: This is looking good! The RC was clear, just needed a little decel, but it was a really nice line RC line. The rest also looked clear!
On the run – yes, there was a little drifting on the 4-5 line and the RC line. You got it done nicely but it was more of the tadem turn style to set up the switch away & wrap. That is fine, as long as you use the tandem turn cues (like your hads) to help set it up). The rest looked good! Yay!So for the jump proofing: you can make a list of thigns that might cause her to drop a bar (disconnection, verbals over the bar, handling happening over the bar) and starting on one jump, ask hr to jump a low jump then show her on the distractions: and BIG reward for not touchign the bar. Then you can add more and more speed, and eventually more height, while still rewarding her for keeping the bar up while you present the distraction 🙂
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
TracyOoh the Renaissance Fair sounds FUN!!!
Min’s run was SUPER lovely! She did the layering like a pro, as long as you don’t try to breath LOL! When you stopped saying jump jump jump, she looking at you and started coming off the line, so you had to give her an ‘out’ to get back on it. Maybe a GO GO GO verbal would work better? And I wonder if, at this stage, she can do that layering all on verbals and a little bit of parallel motion from you, fading out the arm cues. That would allow you to easily get a blind 4-5 then a spin, which is a little faster for her at the moment. She is reading the threadle wrap nicely, so definitely keep working on that! And yes, nice turn on the tunnel exit there; excellent timing of your left verbal!
The 2nd video is Min as well 🙂 Can you repost the Kaladin video?
Nice work!
TracyHi!
Congrats on a successful weekend, and I hope your knee treatment went well!!!>>Looked at map to understand course, determine connection points, verbals and potential handling.
– 1st walk thru, look at dog’s line
– 2nd walk thru: connection points, general handling options, some verbals
– 3rd walk thru: verbals, connection
– 4th walk thru: try to run around people with connection and verbals.I think with only 7 minutes, you need to look at the dog’s ine before the walk through and only spot-check it during the walk through. It takes too long to do the dog’s line then the rest of the walk through. That way, you are jumping right in with handling and connection, then maybe add verbals later on.
I am looking forward to the trial videos!!
TracyHi! This looks really strong!
Walk through: yes, the clearer verbals totally helped because you also were more naturally connected. The only 2 spots in the walk through that needs more connection is the 1-2-3 line at :05 and:25, and at the 6 jump at :11 and :33. In both of those spots, your connection was ahead of where she would be (before she would have been taking off for 2, you were already looking ahead past 3), and before she exited the 5 tunnel, you were already looking ahead at 6 (plus your arm was a little high).
She did get 1-2-3 each time, but you had to change the pace of the handling, which changed the pace of the next session so that might’ve contributed to not connecting at 6. You were much clearer on the 2nd run with the connection at 6. So that is the next thing to add to the walk throughs: looking a your invisible dog for longer when she is behind you (you are doing it really well when she is ahead of you).
Looking at the invisible dog behind you for longer will also help one little question she had, which was at 1:00 when she almost cut behind you after the FC 10-11, so remember to keep your shoulders open back to her after the FC til she is past you.
>> So run #2 I focused on that piece, and then didn’t give her the handling and cuing she needed on #9 so her turn was wide
Yes, that is the brain multi-tasking all the things LOL! The more you practice the connection, the less your brain will need to devote energy to it so you can work the RC lines too.
And yes, it does feel odd to work the loud verbals without the dog, but it is totally worth it because it gets things into our muscle memory so nicely 🙂
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
