RFE practice (50)

Let me preface this with an explanation of Gimme's broken spins. A few nights before I'd been trying to teach Gimme the rock-n-roll move, which is a series of interrupted spins in "center" position. She did it twice and then decided I didn't know what I was doing and thus she wouldn't "spin" or "turn". I think what we were doing somehow violated her rules about what "spin" and "turn" are and what they are not. We worked on it a few times and I thought we had them back, but I was wrong and we still have some work to do.

During our chiropractic appointment later, we discovered Gimme's atlas vertebra was misaligned on two different axis. If the atlas is subluxated it affects the ability to think and focus.  Between this and the partially broken spins, we have an explanation for our difficulty to begin with. 

Session 1a video - My plan here was to warm up her "otto", which went well, and then go on to add the "spin" in front for her "spinotto". I'd also hoped to video her "turnizzy" for the MDSA workshop. I found her distracted and unsure to begin with - which I now realize was because of the issue with her atlas. I know when mine is misaligned, I tend to have a migraine, so perhaps this is why she was less confident. At one point when she was having difficulty I tried some heeling to help her focus. It helped a little, but wasn't a lasting improvement.

Session 1b video - After a brief break, I resumed with heeling. Gimme was still unfocused, but at this time I didn't know why. From there I did a bit of finding position, hoping the activity would release any stress she might have. Then we did an "otto" and I tried to move on to the "spinotto". The way she was acting, being unable to remember cues and respond to them, reminded me of how she acts after a seizure and I wondered if she'd had one I didn't know about. Finding out later about the atlas issue is a great relief. Gimme has difficulty with "thru", which she knows well. When I got a couple good ones I tried to get her to do an inside "spin" and she just couldn't. What I've since discovered is she really is only doing outside spins in either heel position and even then still needs a lure the first time or two. Spins in center or inside spins from either heel position, are just not back. I see I have a bit of work to do to get them back to normal. Watching the video, I can now see her reaction to the cue for the inside "spin" was to try to get to "heel" side, where she could do a regular spin. It happens a couple of times, so I don't think it was just by accident. We weren't going to get a "spinotto", so I brought out the brick and switched to "pivot" work. We also free-shaped a bit of "tivo" and she did pretty good. She would do better with this free-shaping session if my timing was better - most times I was clicking when she had stopped moving, instead of when she was moving her back feet to pivot clockwise. BTW when she gets distracted and is staring in the distance, I use the stroke of my finger down her side to get her back. She ends with one full "tivo" and gets a jackpot for her efforts. I chose that moment to end the session on a positive note.

Between sessions I sat with Gimme in the van for a little bit, to assure her of my love and devotion. Then I gave her a peanut butter Kong, her comfort food. I'm sure this was more assurance than my words and company.

Session 2 video - I started the second session clicking for offered attention. When I asked her if she was ready to work, she started offering me "back". This was an interesting choice since the last thing we worked on in parkour class the night before was elevated "back". We tinkered with "spinotto" for a couple minutes, but it wasn't coming together, so we went on to work with the brick to teach her the RallyFrEe pivot. For the dog-inside pivot, the dog's front feet are the pivot point. Since we've always done it with the handler as the pivot point, this is taking some training and I've gone back in my notes to find how KathyW taught this. She taught us to step in front of the brick with the nearest foot, turning the toe out (¼ turn per step) and then close with the outside foot. In time you make the step smaller (⅛ turn per step). Then you get to where you can just make a series of small steps around the dog's front feet and she will pivot in place. Meanwhile she's learned the physical cue of toe out means she is to pivot with her front feet in place, i.e. shifting her rear close. This comes in handy when you want to teach a closing sidestep - you just have to learn how to incorporate that particular step into your side-stepping. Gimme picks up the CCW dog-inside pivot easily, it's is her best direction. I quickly go on to work CW dog-inside pivot. The method is really easy and she picks it up well. I realize I am crowding her off the brick and when I give her more space she does much better. We ended with a couple "izzy". It takes a moment to convince Gimme, since she's all ready to go on otto-pilot. She got another peanut butter Kong when she got back to the car.

Session 3 video - During the break J'Anna and I were talking about our hopes to do VALOR agility league and she asked if Gimme knew how to do weaves. I said she used to, but it's been 2 years. Just checked and it's actually been almost 3 years. I'm sure she'll pick it up again with a short refresher course. 

Then we go on to work the dog-inside pivot. I thought it was interesting when I switched sides and Gimme was out of position (i.e. not in "heel"), when I turned my foot as if she was in position, she moved herself to get there. It looks to me as if she is already learning the toe out cue. Then we did one "otto" followed by some "thru" repetitions. From there it was on to inside "spin" work followed by some circles. And then a quick trip back to try getting a "spinotto" and success!

She did well considering her atlas was out of whack.  She worked hard and I am proud of her efforts.