Parkour (4/4)

This is our class from Sep 7th.  Gimme was just getting out of her false pregnancy and back to normal.

Pool noodle obstacle 1 & 2 video -  Gimme seemed to start class in the do-do-do mode, all doing and no listening.  This video is two short sessions, she was more able to listen and control herself toward the end.  It helped a lot when I dropped the leash so I was able to get in a better position to show her what I wanted.

Sequence 1 video - She often steps on everything the first time and then skips some things the second time or on the way back.  There's nothing unsafe about what she does, its just the whole idea is to learn and demonstrate confidence doing stuff in a particular way.

Sequence 2 video - I didn't have the best position in the class to catch the whole course on video, so I've cut out the part where we are off camera.  Gimme did really good, except for jumping ahead on walking over the various obstacles, which is where I made her come back and do it right.  She again stepped over the one item, which mostly has to do with stride length.  I am thinking maybe I need to stop her on each one and pay for each of them, to give her a reason to step on each one. 

Sequence 3 video - This is just the very end of the next sequence, which is the part you missed in the prior sequence.  The first time she decided to do the jump-jump-jump-jump on her own, so I cued it this time.  I thought it was a cute solution - very Gimme.

Scaffold 1 video - Given how hard she rocked the scaffold the first time she jumped on, I thought she might hesitate or refuse the next time.  Note how I use her harness to keep her from landing hard on her front as she dismounts.  The second time she seemed to control her landing better, so it didn't rock so hard.  She likes jumping on the scaffold.

Scaffold 2 video - The cross plank was small, so she kinda looked it over before deciding to do it.  Its about the same size as the one we've been working on at home, but ours is only milk crate height.

Sequence 4 video - She started out well, but then was suddenly distracted by something on the floor.  I really think the issue was the load commanding and barking from the agility arena, which is on the other side of the pink wall.  She was trying to work, but after doing so well for much of class, she was suddenly out of listening mode.  She jumped on the barrel (slick surface) when I cued "hands", so she had to do it again.  You'll see she isn't really paying attention and then gets needy for face time before we start the pool noodle obstacle.  When I did get her to do the pool noodles, she just flung herself into/through them - so I took her back and made her slow down for it.

"Box" with big bucket video - The first time I asked her to do it, she checked it briefly and then jumped right in.  Then afterward, I had quite a time getting her to do it again.  After watching the video, I realize she was really just done, her brain was used up.  I think if we'd done this at the start of class, there would have been no issue.  I did finally get her to do it again and then paid her verrrry well (with peanut butter).  And we did it once more before quitting.  In hindsight I wish I'd realized where she was at mentally and then could have paid the heck out of the first time and ended on a high note.  I'm sure there was no harm, since she's amazingly resilient, but I'd prefer not to have to rely on her resilience to cover less effective training.

Gimme "likes" the border collie classmate, because for the most part it pays no attention to her.  Its owner is experienced and I know I don't have to watch them.  Gimme doesn't care for the young black dog because he's always 90% out of control and would be all over her (wanting play) in a nanosecond.  His owners are pet people and have all they can do between the two of them to control him.  I'm always watching them because I think some day there will be a lapse of control and I want to be ready for it.

Overall I thought she did very well.