[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning!

>> >She really likes the T&T as reward.

Was the T&T on her reward station? Many dogs love love love the T&T on the reward station!

>>I also prime the cup holder of the chair with two to 3 different kinds of treats that she gets to gobble up. We did pattern games, foot target games and she was able to bark before “entering the ring” through all her reps.

Great!

>>About half way through, one of the students, who Tango really likes, brought his puppy out and played tug and did some stanchion work on the jump. Tango and I then entered the ring as he moved away from the jump still tugging and playing with his puppy. That definitely upped the kryptonite for her, but while she wasn’t as ‘up’ as I would like her, she was still able to check in with me on entering the ring and when I took her leash off. She also was able to take the jump enthusiastically. I was pretty pleased overall.>>

This is also great – it sounds like a happy kryptonite 🙂 Yay! Since she had a little bit of trouble (not being as “up” as before) stick with happy kryptonite for now – and we can plan to add some less-happy kryptonite like noise. Does she notice the bang of the teeter at all? I think noise is hard for her and also gates – movement and noise. You can have the previous dog exiting through a gate but she does not see a gate as she enters, if that makes sense.

>>So, here is my challenge and question: Tango’s ball is not enough of a reward for her in the ring or out of the ring to bring enough value to our FEO runs. I have entered her in two runs of a USDAA trial that I want to run FEO, but need some help brainstorming how to do this well for her.>>

Will she interact with it as a bridge to the primary reinforcement? For example: when I was doing a lot of NFC with Nacho, I would throw his ball (he would go get it, but it was NOT a primary) and then as he was getting it, I was running for the exit and then he got his T&T which is a primary reinforcement. I have video of that somewhere that I can dig up 🙂 It is one of the reasons that he is so great at flyball – the ball is the bridge to the primary reinforcement, so he goes to get it as fast as he can, in order to get back really fast for the cheese LOL!! It was a real problem solver in terms of focus and engagement.

I am also a big fan of entering a whole lot of runs so I can have multiple short blasts (thankfully UKI is inexpensive and most USDAA might be too?) So if she really will not interact in a reinforcing way with the ball, you ca do short blasts in and out of the ring to treats. Are any of the USDAA classes the MISC class? Last I checked, you could go out, get a treat, come back in. And I think there are more UKI trials in your area that might be useful and fun!

>>I have been really working hard on the pre-ring offered behaviors and the remote reinforcement as I think these will be key for success with her.

Totally agree! And adding the Kryptonite games will help too 🙂

>>I am trying to build massive value into the delayed reinforcement and get the optimal mental state from the pattern and instant focus things. Any other suggestions? >>

The ball-as-bridge is a good addition, meaning that when you throw the ball, it predicts heading out too get the primary (FOOD :)) You won’t be able to get more than one rep of it at the trial because you are heading put of the ring, but you can prime the pump for it in training with the games you describe above: ball-then-T&T 🙂 Criteria for the ball? Chase it a bit, she doesn’t have to grab or play or love it, just chase it. And at the trial, ask a friend to be ready to go get it for you because she is not likely to carry it out LOL!!

For USDAA, ask the judge if you can throw it – it is generally fine in a 1 ring trial. Who is the judge? (The thrown ball is not fine in AKC – and totally fine in UKI :))

>>I think that because she is aging that I need to be careful with how many times I use the jump up and touch my hand reward. Any thoughts on that?

Good point!! Spins might replace some of that? And barking on cue – only her vocal cords will get sore LOL!

Let me know what you think!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi again!

Is he in a regular group class? Can any of your classmates act as rung crew, or provide some distractions by having their dogs out and about? He definitely can use some more trial-like distractions to practice his games!

Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning!

> I noticed in some of the videos you are able to use food while in line by the ring. What do you do with the food as food is not allowed in the ring? NADAC does not allow food within 10 feet of the ring so i can’t use it when the dogs are waiting in line but I did start leaving something near the ring for between runs since the crate area is far away.>>

Yes, UKI and USDAA and AKC allow food all the way up to the ring gate and at the location where you can see some of the NFC runs – the area was really tight so the only good waiting spot was by the ring 🙂
For NADAC and I think also ASCA where food is not allowed that close? In those instances, I have my reward station out 10 feet (or more) past the exit, and I do almost all of my waiting 10 feet away from the ring where food is legal 🙂 Then at the very last minute, I move into line then basically run into the ring when it is my turn. Otherwise you end up potentially waiting a long time without food and the state of arousal can fizzle out and he might get stressed.

And if the gates steward tries to rush you into line? Smile politely and tell him/her that you promise to be on the line before the judge needs you to be (because you will be jogging in LOL!) It works well – it does require being an advocate for the dog, but that is good!

>> at the NFC runs you will want to not ask for a stay
What would that lineup look like? I usually just take his leash off, wait for him to come back and then get him over the first obstacle as quick as possible. >>

For your first run, position him on an angle or near a tunnel so it is really easy to just go go go. For the first run, try to take off the leash and wait for him to look at you. The instant he looks at you? Cue the first obstacle and run run run 🙂

It is hard to know exactly what he will do at the trial – he has a history of the behavior of moving away then coming back at the start line Ike in the video, but for the last 6 weeks he has had a LOT of reinforcement for engagement when the leash comes off. So – this is mainly an assessment to see how much the reinforcement has shifted his reflexive response, and what else we need to do 🙂

>>Often he will come back and lie down near me so I just spin him over. His last start at NADAC before this class.>>

You can try asking for some of his favorite tricks as you move to the line, before taking the leash off.
So in my perfect happy world, he will immediately engage and NOT leave, like in class, so you can just get started for the first run (and then plan to add more for the next run). But since we are looking to see what he does in the more challenging environment, it is possible he might take longer to engage, or he might leave and come back – it is all good, just information. So if he takes longer or leaves then comes back, you can still cue the first obstacle and run run run 🙂 You can totally make up your own fast and fun course!

And for the first run – run with a toy in your hand so it is just like home! Even if you don’t play til the run is finished, have it visible.

>> with the leash runner and he had trouble staying. I was wondering if maybe he just didn’t have a long stay
The leash was hanging down and caught his attention similar to the run Thru. He does not have a good stay the more excited he gets the more it goes. I just get him to the line and go. At trial that’s the point he takes off and runs around to leash or whatever.>>

UKI is a really competitor friendly organization, so you can totally tell the leash runner that you are running NFC and he is learning to ignore the leash runner… so to please stand still while he is starting and not grab the leash and walk away til he is into his run.

>> I noticed that he stayed engaged during discussion with your instructor and got right back to work
Yes, that’s much improved and I didn’t really have to do much>>

This is GREAT!!!!!

>> What did you enter?
Jump Height: 8 Regular
Event Date Event Level
April 24,2022 (Sunday) Gamblers-1 Beginner
April 24,2022 (Sunday) Agility-1 Beginner
April 24,2022 (Sunday) Speedstakes-1 Beginn

Perfect!! So you can start anywhere you want in Gamblers and I believe you don’t have to start at the start jump if it is hard to find a good line – you can ask them to start the timer for the NFC on whichever jump you need to start on. That first run is an assessment – how does he feel on the start line? And do a short fast run, then out to the rewards. Yay!

If he has questions, do the same thing on the second run.

If he has no questions, we can add in a line up and short stay on the next run(s).

You had mentioned that is might be possible to take him up there the day before to play some games and get acclimated – let me know if that is still possible 🙂

I will be at a flyball tournament so I will be able to get to my email and messenger all day! If you want to send updates and ask questions, feel free to put it here in the forum, or email agilityuniversity@gmail.com or facebook messenger 🙂 That way if you have in-the-moment questions or planning, I am happy to help 🙂

Have fun!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! I am glad you had fun with those challenges! That is how courses trending so it is really fun to work on those skills!!!!
And it is inspiring to work the skills of trusting the verbals 🙂 And StrykR nailed it here! This bodes well for the future 🙂 I am doing the big happy dance about his tunnel-threadle response – he is basically doing that on his own (going to the ‘other’ side and finding it) and you are able to keep your feet running more and more forward. YES!

The session looked great – he had no big questions. One moment where you stopped moving on a tunnel verbal so he looked at you, and one moment where he looked at the ground on an in in because that is where the cookie ball had just been thrown hahaha

Your verbals are super clear in terms of words and style of delivery – that is going to be really effective!! As you add more running, you might find you need to repeat the tunnel verbal because it is hard to hold out the sound on bigger distances while also needing to breath. But that is something experiment as you add more running.

And, speaking of running… add more running now 🙂 You kept a measured pace here to help him process all his verbals. He nailed it! So now speed up the motion – next session can have you jogging the whole time, then you can build to running. You can spread out the distances a bit so it is easier to add more motion.

Great job!!!! Let me know how he does with the additional motion 🙂
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi!

This went really well too! The rear crosses to her right look great! The rear crosses to her left also look really strong – she is doing them but not as smoothly as to her right, she must be a righty LOL!!

She doesn’t yet fully love love love the rear crosses yet so she slows down when she feels the RC pressure, especially to her left. So since she is reading them when you ask for then, you can change the ratio: do far more driving ahead go go go reps for now, and sometimes toss in a rear cross 🙂 So maybe 1 rear cross for every 4 or 5 go go go (and you can add in the mission transition wrap games too, as those emphasize driving ahead too).

The backside wraps look great! Yay! You had one where you rushed a little at 1:16 by moving into her line too quickly and too soon, but the rest were great and she is reading them beautifully. The key to those is the patience to let her get by you and turn her head to the jump, then you can start moving again.

Great job! Enjoy the day off and good weather!!!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning! Days off AND good weather? YAY!!
This was a really good session – yes, she had the error on the first rep but then she had a lightbulb moment and got it all correctly after that. You did a great job breaking it down in terms of motion then building it back up, and lovely mechanics of your serp position!!!
When you were sending to the tunnel while standing still, remember to also use your dog-side leg on the send (upper body was perfect). Keeping the dog-side leg back might confuse her – there were no problems with it when you were running.

And for the next serp session, keep all the good mechanics and move yourself closer to the jump to start – try to be close enough to touch the jump. That makes the turn a little more challenging and the tunnel a little more tempting 🙂

Great job!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! He is sorting this one out – A slight adjustment in how you set it up should help:

Move the start wing closer to the camera here, and also closer to the jump. That way he will have more room to make the decision and also less yardage to travel to get to the jump.

The other thing you can do is reward approximations of the behavior. On the rep sat :35 and :45, he was indeed moving away to the jump… so even though he was not quite taking the jump, he was offering a ‘get out’ behavior of moving away so you can throw the ball out away from you on those. When you fixed it, you were turning and facing the jump so those were more of a send and less of a ‘get out’. Rewarding the approximations will help him understand to move away to the jump as you move forward on the line.

Nice work! Let me know what you think!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! He is doing really well with these turn away/lap turns! Yay!

One small detail: keep your feet together, for longer. You might have heard us discussing the 3 inch rule in the live class – keep your feet together til he is 3 inches form your hand, and *then* step back to start the turn. That is clearest for the dog and produces the best responses. At :21 and :37, you were closest to the 3 inch rule and those were his best turns (snappiest and fastest :)) On the other reps ( :07 and :30 and :41 and :54) you were a bit too early with the step back, so he was slowing down coming in towards the wing and not as zippy on the turns. So it will feel a little weird to stand still that long, but it will produce awesome turns 🙂

Nice work!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! This looked great! And that is the pool near her, which she completely ignored? Super!

A couple of ideas for you:

add in some engaged chill 🙂 You kinda had i tgoing when she was standing still riht before you entered the ring, but you to put it on earlier and also be less energetic about it LOL It will be for the moment when you have a couple of dogs ahead of her, bu you want to look at hte course. Then you can go back to the high energy tricks right before you go into the ring.

Then, to be sure the reward station is significant: let her see you put a couple of cookies down on it, then feed her the last one before you enter the ring.

And… add in a toys now! Using kibble at home is great – and with the remote reinforcement element of it (having to ignore the stuff on the reward station), add in toys, balls, and yes – the APDB (All-Powerful Dumbbell :))

It cracked me up when you thanked the leash runner LOL ! Ha!

You can moe the entire game closer to the pool or closer to the poo 🙂 to increase the kryptonite level.
If you have guests or family come to the house… enlist them to stand around as ring crew in this game (sorry, not sorry haha)

Eventually we can do all sorts of crazy things will friends and family as kryptonite 🙂

Great job 🙂 Let me know what you think!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi!
I think you are indeed running pretty straight on almost all of the get out reps! The were one or two where you moved in towards the jump a bit but those are outliers – I am happy with all the rest! I was going to recommend adding running to the get out… but then you added running and it was great LOL! Yay!! You can fiddle around with how high you need your arm to be for the get out especially as you add more running – you can play with having your outside arm more at your hip level and hot at shoulder level? It will ultimately end up being handler preference, because it will be whatever feels best while you run that she can still see 🙂

And all of the ‘non-out’ reps looked great! Love it!!!

Great job here!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi!

>Tracy yes I made a big mistake leading out without connection. This was all my doing … I’m pretty low as it all went to crap yesterday. Still I have to sort it .. he is my only comp dog atm. In training I don’t need food or ball .. I run to the reward station .. it’s like that start line has been poisoned.>>

Try not to get too low about it – his next run was great! Yes, the lead out is a bit poisoned at the moment… but it is on the way back because he was doing it in short bursts. Just keep making it fun and happy like you did 🙂

He might need the reward station further away in trials than he does in training for now? It just seemed to interrupt his flow to have the cookies right there and then leave them.

T

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! Really good stuff here, he looked great!

At the beginning: The Pattern game definitely helps! Even in a familiar location, he looks around at all the ‘things’ so the pattern game was getting him to whip back into focus.

>>I think I’m learning that fast hand touches with me moving might be a good volume up game. Is it possible that hand touches with movement can be a volume up and hand touches without movement can be a volume down? >>

Yes – when you are moving, the energy really ramps up which is GREAT! One thing I notice is that when you are quiet, it is a big dial down of the volume dial (too far down perhaps). And the more energetic you were, verbally? The more he ramped up 🙂

Talking to him during the moving touches really helped, even just the verbal and quiet praise – I bet he will like an even more energetic verbal (cue and praise) with all the things! You had more volume and energy in the verbals towards the end of the session and I think he soaks that up like a sponge 🙂 And, by contrast… he looks away a lot when you are quiet. So definitely use your voice in the volume dial game!

SUPER brilliant of him for ignoring the reward station during the tunnel-jump-tunnel sequence in the middle and at the end!!! He looked awesome!! It was hard to see him for a moment at the reward station, maybe doing some of the leash off engagement games but based on your response, he was great 🙂

Since we have added cookie-free pattern games, I bet you can use the moving and loud hand touches: so you enter the environment and cue one (moving and loud) then you get quiet. He can assess the environment if he likes… then when he re-engages, cue the hand touch then move and get loud. That can help get even more engagement when you have no cookies AND can help him bridge the gap of offering engagement when you are quiet 🙂

Let me know if that makes sense! Great job here!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Hi! This is all fabulous information!!! Overall – really really good stuff here:

1st video, playing before looks good- he was peppy! Lots of fun tricks!! For now, I prefer his behavior when you feed from your hand rather than toss the treats – right now, after the tossed treats, if there is a stop in the action, he was looking for more treats and doesn’t stay engaged. So, feed from your hands or put the cookie on your shoe for a pattern game, but don’t toss the treat into the grass.

1st run – good stuff here and 2 big lessons!
First – I love how he started to sniff but then lifting his head and moved into the sit!!!!! YES!!! That is a big win.

Then, lesson #1 – you walked away with a complete disconnection, showing the toy to the judge -that ‘popped’ the engagement bubble and he took off. Alright then, easy fix: don’t disconnect at all 🙂 If you need to show the toy to the judge, show it before you take the leash off and line him up so you can stay fully engaged.

Lesson # – he is not quite ready for the food to be delivered that close to the ring then leave it again – he was fine ignoring it at first but then couldn’t leave it to run again. So, he needs to see this remote reinforcement setup around the start line, with the food behind him and you take a step or two away towards the jump, then go back to the reward, then add in more steps an the lines up – the remote reinforcement combo games will teach him that.

When you got him running, he did really well!

And on the 3rd video, he looked great – it might be that he was further away, but also it might be the more connected start.

So in training, the main thing now is the remote reinforcement combo games, first at home, then in the agility environment.

And, for running courses at the trial – just do a one step lead out for now, so he can get released into the run before he gets worried about it 🙂 You can do the leash off game that you did in the 2nd video, but without the long lead out.

Let me know what you think!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning!

>
Can try but this is something I have never been good at picking up on, I am usually paying attention to their head for where they are looking.>>

Lead changes are indeed hard to see – is you see her migrating out towards the jump even if she is looking at your like you ar elute – reward that 🙂 The straight line to you is very straight, so the migration out to the jump after the get out cue is easier to see by comparison.

Lap turn video: Nice shirt! Lol! I am wearing that same on right now too 🙂

These are going well, she really is getting the hang of them! She didn’t have any trouble when you added more speed and when you added the toy, she read them all really well.

One little detail: think you are stepping your leg back too soon which might be making it a little harder: remember the 3 inch rule – hold your lap turn arm out and keep your feet together and stationary until she has come to 3 inches form your hand then you can step back – when the leg moves too soon, she doesn’t drive in as hard and gets a little sticky on the left turns.

Tandems – she did well here too1 Using the inside arm works well – it is handler’s choice as long as it feels comfy and you can keep moving while showing the cue. I am doing a big happy dance about how well she read all of the various cues here )wrap, tandem, etc). GOOD GIRL! And you cued them clearly – click/treat for you!

As you add speed, keep your feet as forward as possible so you don’t end up running sideways. I think it will make more sense to your feet when you get this skill onto bigger courses.

Overall, you might have felt rusty, but the skill is still there and you looked great.

>>Question – Since you mentioned in the video the likely verbal for these would be the threadle command (I think), do you use different verbals depending on the exit line? eg/ 360deg circle vs serp exit (think german type turn) vs simple turn back towards where they came from.>>

Yes, I do have different verbals 🙂 I have 4 backside verbals – 2 for pushing to the back, (when I am coming from the landing side) and 2 from the threadles, when I am on takeoff side.

Basically, they have to do with which wing the dog exits towards – if the dog enters on one wing and exits on the other, I consider it a s slice so I use “back” for when I am on landing side to start, and “close” for when I am takeoff side (2 different words for 2 different behaviors).When the dog enters on one wing and exits on that same wing, such as the 360s or threadle wraps: I use ‘dig’ for when I am on the landing side and ‘in in’ when I am on the takeoff side.

I know there is a middle ground/grey area where the dog might exit on the middle of the bar. For me, I put that into the ‘exit on the other wing’ category because the collection is similar to the slice exits. For the enter/exit on the same wing, those lines have a LOT of collection and I want the dog very close to the wing on the exit line. That seems pretty clear for the dogs and I really don’t want to add more and more verbals for the grey areas in between 🙂

>>And of course we are possibly getting another Colorado low coming through in the next few days, so depending on the temps will either be snow or rain.

UGH! The winter that never ends,

>>Wanted to check on how long we will have to post videos for the course?

I have to double check when I get home tomorrow, but I believe it is late May – I hav the date posted somewhere, just need to find it 🙂

Great job here!!
Tracy

[Tracy Sklenar]

Good morning!

>>like the Pop cue for all the reasons you mention. I have learned to really lower my criteria for this behavior, I hope that’s ok? >>

Yes, totally ok – successive approximations for the win! You can reinforce smaller slices of the behavior and you’ll also get a barometer of how she feels in the environment. Plus, there will be a lot of reinforcement which ends up pairing food into the environment which builds a positive conditioned emotional response. All wins!

The cookie-free pop game is going well , especially in a challenging environment! Good timing of waiting for her to engage! She seems a little better on your left than on your right (in terms of latency and quality of behavior) so keep putting value in on your right by doing this for treats in your hand, then we can fade them back out

Instant focus kryptonite –

She did well with the instant focus part, got right to work! After one or two instant focus rewards… move the game to a new spot or play a different game because the instant focus at that point no longer has the element of immediately ignoring the environment.

>>then food she would need to run by. But my reset cookies (working alone) to get her to run by was not the best idea.>>

This was at 2:04, and the food was too close, close enough that she thought it was a legit reinforcement – the cookie you put down was on her line back to the game so I am not sure how she was supposed to know it was not in play! I don’t think there is enough stimulus control with cookies on the floor that you have placed there (I am sure she saw you place it, dogs see everything LOL!). Pus, because there were lots of reset cookies being tossed all over, it is possible she just thought it was a reset cookie.

So, since scent pools are a kryptonite, change the structure of the session.

One thing to consider as you work through scent distractions is to bring all reinforcement into your hands or down on your shoes (pattern game) to use placement of reinforcement to build more engagement in the presence of the big distractions (rather than toss food into the environment where it creates more scent, so she is working against 3 or 4 or 5 pools of scent rather than one).

>>“easily controlled” food distractions –>>

I would definitely start with controlling the environment. It can be a food container, or behind a fence or open – she can see it and smell it, but can’t actually eat it. Then it can be closer and closer when you have established success. Cookie on the floor right near her didn’t have enough environment control so she ate it (I wouldn’t even call it a failure because she thought it was correct LOL!)

>>What do you think of having a couple of foot targets / platforms to recall her back and forth (reward from hand) with crumbs on the floor X feet off the line between platforms? >>

You can… but the platforms aren’t as much about engaging with you, and I want to lean into the engagement games 🙂 The instant focus is an exception to this because it challenges he dogs to limit their assessment of the environment and get right to work for 1 or 2 reps – but all the other games are engagement games.

But definitely have the food further away and in a controlled environment. Crumbs can easily be eaten, so behind a fence or in a crate or something where she can learn the parameters of the engagement games.

Nice work! Let me know what you think!
Tracy

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