This was our last class before all the social distancing stuff started. We thought it would only be a couple weeks, but just learned it's going to be another month. My instructors are starting an online homework group. To give us all ideas we can work on. I've already signed up and it starts tomorrow, March 30th. Those of us who want to can video our homework and share it with the group. So I'll be blogging about that. Gimme will be verrrrry happy to do some nosework.
Interior 1 video - Gimme was busy all over the room before she decided to settle on the tables. I do think the odor was channeling a bit to the left side of the crack - you will see her stop at the end of the crack and look at me. In a trial I might have called "alert" there, so this was a good opportunity for me to wait her out until she went to source. I was surprised to see her spend 1:25 on this search.
Interior 2 video - She finds the first hide in just 14 seconds this time - apparently much easier. When I said "you can't be serious?", it was because Gimme went under the wheelchair and was crouching as if to jump into the area where the hide was. I wouldn't normally expect her to jump into a spot she couldn't see into, but sometimes she can be damned bold and classmate August (GSD) did jump in right there. So they added the wheelchair, but there was still enough space for her to physically make the jump. I was glad she opted out. When she came around she found the way in.
Interior 3 video - Gimme finds the first hide in just a few seconds, but doesn't really commit to it until 13 seconds in. From there she decides to go check out the hide in the corner maze. When she comes out she gets right to the hide on the chairs.
I guess I should have blogged about this sooner, as I have no memory what all the laughter was about. At least you can see Gimme pays no attention to it. She can be very focused when she's hunting odor.
Monday, March 30, 2020
Friday, March 27, 2020
RFE practice (113)
Sorry to be so far behind - as everyone else, things are topsy-turvy and blogging has fallen off the back burner. This is the last practice for awhile since the training center has temporarily closed its doors. J'Anna and I considered meeting to do a nosework practice, but decided not to.
Heel/Side warm-up video - I wanted to start with heeling and other position behaviors to encourage Gimme to focus and did seem more focused than recent weeks. She could be entering her false pregnancy at any time, so I was happy to see this.
"West" video - I started working in the corner where I'd have two mirrors to see what Gimme was doing. You can see she starts by trying to turn it into "otto". I've realized having her back into position is too much like "otto"; she gets moving and then habit takes over. And backing into position, even when she realizes what I want, the position isn't aligned as well. I brought a grooming table over to create a barrier. She wasn't too sure about the table at first, but then got used to it. I find it works best when I start with a barrier and then move forward a bit, so she has to sidestep to stay in position. Gradually I then start the behavior without a barrier. So in two other sessions we used the wall and then worked away from it. She's getting it.
Backward weaves video - I'm still using barriers to get a backward weave. This has been the most impossible behavior to train, but I need it if we are going to get the next level RFE title. I used the wrong cue for the third try starting on "side" position. She doesn't really know the cues yet, so it doesn't matter. I am making a concerted effort to only do a few repetitions with her most favorite reward of all - peanut butter.
I've been working on these at home and may have discovered a way to do them where she is more comfortable. I need to tinker with it some. It'll probably cost us points, but not nearly as bad as if we can't do the behavior at all.
Container - myrrh video - J'Anna and I are both trying to move up in UKC nosework, so we are adding some nosework practice when we get together. One of my concerns is how Gimme would do with myrrh in the presence of odors she has a longer track record with - because lingering odor messed us up on our first myrrh odor recognition test, which UKC doesn't do anymore. So, I wanted to have multiple odors out. I don't know what happened, but J'Anna didn't record when Gimme found the first or second boxes. What you see is the myrrh box - which I know because I rewarded Gimme with peanut butter for it. Gimme did really well, despite my concerns.
Interior - myrrh video - This is the first time Gimme has search for myrrh in any element other than containers. She got the first hide in the corner in just 25 seconds - corners are hard. Just 21 seconds to the high hide in the windowsill. I loved how she passed it, then turned rapidly back to it. Another 21 seconds to find myrrh under the edge of the matt. It was just over a minute to find the last hide, which was a hard one. It was in a little basket, in the shelving in a tight space. She likes to get her nose right up to them, but there wasn't space enough for her to get up there. I thought she did a great job.
This was a good training session. Gimme did so well, despite her impending false pregnancy. Interestingly she still hasn't started. It may be because she's getting older. Maybe, since I'm home from work and she's getting daily walks, possibly it's helping relieve stress/tension. I do notice she is more guardy about outside noises, but nothing else yet. Time will tell.
Heel/Side warm-up video - I wanted to start with heeling and other position behaviors to encourage Gimme to focus and did seem more focused than recent weeks. She could be entering her false pregnancy at any time, so I was happy to see this.
"West" video - I started working in the corner where I'd have two mirrors to see what Gimme was doing. You can see she starts by trying to turn it into "otto". I've realized having her back into position is too much like "otto"; she gets moving and then habit takes over. And backing into position, even when she realizes what I want, the position isn't aligned as well. I brought a grooming table over to create a barrier. She wasn't too sure about the table at first, but then got used to it. I find it works best when I start with a barrier and then move forward a bit, so she has to sidestep to stay in position. Gradually I then start the behavior without a barrier. So in two other sessions we used the wall and then worked away from it. She's getting it.
Backward weaves video - I'm still using barriers to get a backward weave. This has been the most impossible behavior to train, but I need it if we are going to get the next level RFE title. I used the wrong cue for the third try starting on "side" position. She doesn't really know the cues yet, so it doesn't matter. I am making a concerted effort to only do a few repetitions with her most favorite reward of all - peanut butter.
I've been working on these at home and may have discovered a way to do them where she is more comfortable. I need to tinker with it some. It'll probably cost us points, but not nearly as bad as if we can't do the behavior at all.
Container - myrrh video - J'Anna and I are both trying to move up in UKC nosework, so we are adding some nosework practice when we get together. One of my concerns is how Gimme would do with myrrh in the presence of odors she has a longer track record with - because lingering odor messed us up on our first myrrh odor recognition test, which UKC doesn't do anymore. So, I wanted to have multiple odors out. I don't know what happened, but J'Anna didn't record when Gimme found the first or second boxes. What you see is the myrrh box - which I know because I rewarded Gimme with peanut butter for it. Gimme did really well, despite my concerns.
Interior - myrrh video - This is the first time Gimme has search for myrrh in any element other than containers. She got the first hide in the corner in just 25 seconds - corners are hard. Just 21 seconds to the high hide in the windowsill. I loved how she passed it, then turned rapidly back to it. Another 21 seconds to find myrrh under the edge of the matt. It was just over a minute to find the last hide, which was a hard one. It was in a little basket, in the shelving in a tight space. She likes to get her nose right up to them, but there wasn't space enough for her to get up there. I thought she did a great job.
This was a good training session. Gimme did so well, despite her impending false pregnancy. Interestingly she still hasn't started. It may be because she's getting older. Maybe, since I'm home from work and she's getting daily walks, possibly it's helping relieve stress/tension. I do notice she is more guardy about outside noises, but nothing else yet. Time will tell.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Field Tracking (64)
On Thursday, March 5th, Nadine and I met at Flaming Geyser Park for tracking. We used the plan I had devised last week. Nadine ran her track (purple line) twice. Her first run was with Cricket, who got caught up a couple of times by my crosstrack and then finally ignored it on the last crosstrack. Then Nadine ran it with Sugar, who aced it.
I thought Sugar would be inclined to follow Cricket's deviations, which is why Sil recommends against taking more than one dog down the same track. In this case, I think Cricket came back to the track really close to where she left it. So, when Sugar ran the track, Cricket's return footsteps were younger than the deviation footsteps, so it made sense to her to follow those younger steps. Following from older to younger footsteps is how dogs know which direction to follow a track. As early in her tracking career as Sugar is, she has apparently mastered this concept.
The initial track (the one I laid) was 1:10 old when Gimme started. Nadine laid her track (our crosstrack) at the same time. Cricket ran her track at 20 minutes and Sugar ran it at 40 minutes. So the crosstracks were the same 1:10 age as our track, 50 minutes and 30 minutes. It was pleasantly sunny, about 50 degrees. There was no noticeable breeze until we got to the very end of the track (black line) and came out of from behind the hill.
Gimme did a great job ignoring the Nadine-Cricket-Sugar crosstracks until the last one. She would notice them, but not follow them. This is a substantial improvement. On the last one she appeared to turn down the crosstrack, but not exactly on it, so it "could" have been because of the breeze coming up in that spot and pushing the track scent to her left. She went a little way (dotted red line) and then caught the scent of the final article and turned back to it.
She did such a good job; I'm really encouraged by her efforts. Yayyy Gimme!
Nadine took pictures of us while we were tracking (not in order). Enjoy...
I thought Sugar would be inclined to follow Cricket's deviations, which is why Sil recommends against taking more than one dog down the same track. In this case, I think Cricket came back to the track really close to where she left it. So, when Sugar ran the track, Cricket's return footsteps were younger than the deviation footsteps, so it made sense to her to follow those younger steps. Following from older to younger footsteps is how dogs know which direction to follow a track. As early in her tracking career as Sugar is, she has apparently mastered this concept.
The initial track (the one I laid) was 1:10 old when Gimme started. Nadine laid her track (our crosstrack) at the same time. Cricket ran her track at 20 minutes and Sugar ran it at 40 minutes. So the crosstracks were the same 1:10 age as our track, 50 minutes and 30 minutes. It was pleasantly sunny, about 50 degrees. There was no noticeable breeze until we got to the very end of the track (black line) and came out of from behind the hill. Gimme did a great job ignoring the Nadine-Cricket-Sugar crosstracks until the last one. She would notice them, but not follow them. This is a substantial improvement. On the last one she appeared to turn down the crosstrack, but not exactly on it, so it "could" have been because of the breeze coming up in that spot and pushing the track scent to her left. She went a little way (dotted red line) and then caught the scent of the final article and turned back to it.
She did such a good job; I'm really encouraged by her efforts. Yayyy Gimme!
Nadine took pictures of us while we were tracking (not in order). Enjoy...
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Nosework class (6/42)
These were a very interesting group of searches. They were all paired and started out so simple. They had an intriguing way of folding the box lid, so it left a section for the treats.
Gimme found it very exciting and after the first search she would spend the whole time in the foyer whining. We weren't "supposed" to treat them, since the hides were all paired, but I did anyway. I've learned with Gimme she will take this as a change in procedure and next thing I know she'll start doing touch-n-go hides, not waiting for treats from me. I don't want to risk making her indications less clear.
Interior 1 video - All three hides were out in the open. It's hard to believe it took Gimme 22 seconds to find the first hide, but then she really went to town. Next second took 8 seconds and the last at the far end of the room took 15 seconds. Easy peasy.
Interior 2 video - This time the three hides were under something. This can be intimidating for inexperienced dogs - it never bothered Gimme. She came in really excited and was moving faster than she did during the first search. These "under somethings" were so easy and I don't think she even noticed. The first was the tightest, but it didn't slow her down, 16 seconds. Under the table was eeeeasy, 7 seconds. The last also took 7 seconds.
Interior 3 video - For the third search the hides were more challenging. The one at the front was a puzzle to find the entrance. Gimme had it in 13 seconds. The far hide was against the wall, two tables deep, and she had it in 10 seconds. And the last hide, in the smallest space, took her 11 seconds. The laughter was because, in my attempt to toss her another treat, it landed on the shelf above the hide and the table edge made it a very tight squeeze for her to get to it - but she certainly did.
The last three searches had just one hide each and were more challenging.
Interior 4 video - This hide under the center of two tables proved challenging for all the dogs. She pulled the tables apart by a couple inches, so we could deliver treats from above. I had Dino Chicken Nuggets, so just held one by the tail dangling through the track.
Interior 5 video - Gimme got this really fast. It was on the seat of the chair and under the table, which makes it an intimidating tight squeeze for some dogs. After the nugget-on-the-shelf fiasco, this was very easy.
Interior 6 video - It's hard to see them in the video, but there is an expen across the front and a bit down both sides, so the dogs had to find the channel and then get in for a tight squeeze. There was also a table across the back, to keep them from trying to stick their nose through from the back. Gimme had this in 19 seconds.
This class demonstrated really nice incrementing to teach the dogs a specific challenge. It's a non-challenge for Gimme and August, so they just had a lot of fun with easy searches - great motivation for them.
Gimme found it very exciting and after the first search she would spend the whole time in the foyer whining. We weren't "supposed" to treat them, since the hides were all paired, but I did anyway. I've learned with Gimme she will take this as a change in procedure and next thing I know she'll start doing touch-n-go hides, not waiting for treats from me. I don't want to risk making her indications less clear.
Interior 1 video - All three hides were out in the open. It's hard to believe it took Gimme 22 seconds to find the first hide, but then she really went to town. Next second took 8 seconds and the last at the far end of the room took 15 seconds. Easy peasy.
Interior 2 video - This time the three hides were under something. This can be intimidating for inexperienced dogs - it never bothered Gimme. She came in really excited and was moving faster than she did during the first search. These "under somethings" were so easy and I don't think she even noticed. The first was the tightest, but it didn't slow her down, 16 seconds. Under the table was eeeeasy, 7 seconds. The last also took 7 seconds.
Interior 3 video - For the third search the hides were more challenging. The one at the front was a puzzle to find the entrance. Gimme had it in 13 seconds. The far hide was against the wall, two tables deep, and she had it in 10 seconds. And the last hide, in the smallest space, took her 11 seconds. The laughter was because, in my attempt to toss her another treat, it landed on the shelf above the hide and the table edge made it a very tight squeeze for her to get to it - but she certainly did.
The last three searches had just one hide each and were more challenging.
Interior 4 video - This hide under the center of two tables proved challenging for all the dogs. She pulled the tables apart by a couple inches, so we could deliver treats from above. I had Dino Chicken Nuggets, so just held one by the tail dangling through the track.
Interior 5 video - Gimme got this really fast. It was on the seat of the chair and under the table, which makes it an intimidating tight squeeze for some dogs. After the nugget-on-the-shelf fiasco, this was very easy.
Interior 6 video - It's hard to see them in the video, but there is an expen across the front and a bit down both sides, so the dogs had to find the channel and then get in for a tight squeeze. There was also a table across the back, to keep them from trying to stick their nose through from the back. Gimme had this in 19 seconds.
This class demonstrated really nice incrementing to teach the dogs a specific challenge. It's a non-challenge for Gimme and August, so they just had a lot of fun with easy searches - great motivation for them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)