We started the morning with RallyFrEe class. Gimme did okay, despite being separated from the baby for a full hour. Each time I set up her station a little different, tweaking it to make it better for her. Gimme was mostly able to do relaxation-is-its-own-reward. She came out of her crate to watch other dogs a few times, but was nicely calm about it (which Kathy noticed and commented on).
Kathy set up the room with two "circles" of five platforms and ring gates between them. Gimme didn't do as well with the first circle because some of the platforms were a bit small for her. She did best at "heel", which we've worked the most. "Side" was more challenging, simply because we haven't done as much of it - so I practiced it the most. I had to remind myself to go back to basic-basics and click/treat attention to engage her brain. I used her special bowl and when she did something particularly nice - I released her to "bowl" for treats. I think running to the bowl adds to the reward for her.
I thought we were going to get a semi-private lesson because only one other person showed up. But about the time we moved to the second circle side of the ring gates, another person showed up with her entire entourage (long story). "Sudden environmental change" is the hardest for Gimme, so I had to go back to c/t basics. By the time we were partway through our work with the second circle, she was getting into it. I think the releases to the special bowl helped too.
For the last part of class, each of us was given some novice signs and one at a time we came out on the floor to demonstrate them and work through any challenges we are having, with Kathy coaching. Since we were the only dog on the floor and the others were crated, I was able to have the leash off when I needed to and discovered Gimme really likes working without it. In many respects she is much better than students who have been training with Kathy for awhile. Once she got into it and realized she could move at speed, she was very flashy. A couple people commented how nice she would look in freestyle.
Our first sign
was the left-side-switch-back. Gimme knows this well and can do it
fluently. Our first try wasn't very good, but when I cleaned up my
hand signal she got it. Then a few repeats and she was fast and
beautiful.
My second sign was figure-8-twice and Gimme was a bit distracted when she saw someone in the hall (an area where she's seen dogs going through). She was tending to make big distracted circles, instead of tight turns around my leg. When I got her making tight ones, she then demonstrated her special version, which is to go through and immediately turn around and come up under me. Kathy thought my hand position wasn't clear, so we cleaned it up, but Gimme did it again anyway. What seemed to help the most was dumping the leash. For one thing, it means I can move more smoothly and then Gimme can move faster.
Our biggest challenge was the bow sign. I only taught her to bow in front of me, facing me - who knew it would ever be an issue. So we worked through it with Gimme next to a barrier and in front of me facing to the side. I've been working on this since then and it is coming along. Sometimes I even turn so I'm just 45ยบ off parallel. I can't do it much right now, since I strained my knee at work and kneeling is painful. So, I am trying to do just a couple short sessions each day.
My current plan is to enter the World Wide RallyFrEe video event - open now for entry. Then shortly thereafter Kathy is hosting a video event, which we will also enter. I don't know how ready we are, but I figure its a good opportunity to work out the taping bugs.
Thursday night was our last agility class for now. Tonya was there when we arrived and I had her check with Gimme to see if she
needed adjusting, which she did. We decided to hold off adjusting her until Friday, rather than risk throwing away the adjustment. We only
jumped 12" so it wouldn't hurt her. The first session she was really good,
responding well and pretty darn focused. She was even playing with a toy we
brought in. For the second session she wasn't nearly as focused and kept
running off to sniff and a few times going to the door. I think two classes in
one day during baby-mode is just too much. So I got her to do the weaves
nicely, rewarded her with all the treats in my bag and then took her back to
MrFroggy baby.
Today we started using a the new stuff Tonya gave us for her false pregnancy.
According to the company owner it works wonders for dog's with false
pregnancies. Tonya said Gimme has the most severe false pregnancies she has ever seen. Its
too soon to see if its really helping, though she does seem relatively calm.
She got them today around noon and was interested in the leaves, sniffing a lot, but not eating them. I poured a
tiny amount of chicken juice on it and she snarfed it all up. I just gave her a second helping. Tonya said to start with the maximum amount. So she gets
it twice a day for ten days and then I go to once a day. After, if its working,
we'll start reducing the amount to find her maintenance. Cross your
fingers.
Showing posts with label Agility - FUNdamentals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Agility - FUNdamentals. Show all posts
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Friday, October 31, 2014
RallyFrEe (5/1) & Agility (5/6)
Yesterday was very interesting, to say the least. We started the day the night before. I went to Auburn to see my Dad at the memory care facility, then joined Mom for dinner out and spent the night, leaving for RallyFrEe class in the morning. I have decided to change this up for next week, will be going to class on Thursday morning, then going to see Dad, followed by lunch with Mom. This way I'll be able to sleep in my own comfortable bed and Gimme and I will be less tired for class.
As it was, Gimme adopted two babies. Mom has the guest room decorated with all her stuffed animals and dolls. I'd been sleeping in my Dad's room downstairs, but the bed is so hard I am really stiff and sore for more than a day after sleeping in it. So I tried the guest room because the bed is a little softer. Gimme discovered a small stuffed lamb and claimed it as her baby and carried it around for much of the evening. Then later Gimme also claimed a brown and white beanie baby puppy. Mom said she could keep these babies because she couldn't let the grandchildren play with them after Gimme dog-slobbered on them. How rude! In any case, Gimme was happy and I didn't tell Mom how many of the other stuff animals Gimme has dog-slobbered on in the past - I just didn't have room to bring them all home, doncha know.
Gimme has been better in this false pregnancy, though its clearly still here. We've added a flower essence remedy for it and I am awaiting the arrival of red raspberry leaf extract. Up until Wednesday night she was only doing a lot nesting. At times the nesting looked more like humping, especially when she managed to move the dog bed out of the office down the hall and into the living room on two different occasions. I kept it in the bathroom with the door closed for a few days. After catching Gimme standing waiting by the door a couple times, I disappeared the dog bed into the back of my walk-in closet. I don't really care about her humping the bed from time to time, but she seemed to be getting stuck in the behavior.
She is in full baby mode now. After we finally got home, she immediately found her SuperCow (the baby last time around) and kept it for most of the day. When we got home from class last night, she decided MrFroggy is the chosen one. She's been carrying him around ever since. She's pretty whiney and clingy. I don't know how this will work for the barn hunt trial this weekend, but time will tell. She has done a trial before in false pregnancy, but I don't think it was this early - when its most intense. I'll be taking MrFroggy, along with SuperCow, NewLamby, and BeaniePuppy, so she'll have any puppy she wants. In the past she's done fine with leaving babies for short periods of time (such as the length of class) as long as they are there when she gets back to the car. So hopefully it will work well for her barn hunt runs. The car will be pretty full of stuffed critters, especially when you consider her four large puppy buddies are already there, and now we're adding four pseudo babies.
About RallyFrEe class, it was again good. Kathy had set up for mini courses of 4 to 5 stations, which we got to rotate through. This meant all four dogs were out on the floor at the same time, which was challenging for Gimme. I ended up having to put the treats back in my hand to help her focus. It was challenging for me because of the treats in my hand AND managing the leash. Kathy said we don't have to have them on leash for Novice, which is good. Its damn hard to do leg weaves and thru's with the leash.
Gimme did a good job with relaxing in her crate. The only time she got really upset was when a person from the next class started to come in with her dog (at the gate closest to where we set up). This was sudden environmental change and Gimme was pretty much maxed out by this time, so I had to move her farther away so they could come in and get to their crate. For the last part of class we each told what we were having the most challenge with during our mini-courses and then the class brainstormed different solutions.
I mentioned how I'd had to put the treats back in my hand (not luring just there) to help Gimme focus. Much of the solutions were stuff I already know, but two ideas were stand outs and came from my classmates. One was to actually move her soft-crate onto the course and use it as a target for her to go to after performing well. She loves her soft-crate; its her safe place. I found it interesting how once its set up in place *I* think of it as permanent, when its really so easy to move around. The other idea was to use a food target to help her focus, know the reward is "right there", and yet not have to resort to food in my hands. Of course, our special bowl would be perfect for this and we'll start by trying it next week and then use the crate on course if its needed.
Kathy is setting up a RallyFrEe video event, so we'll be entering it. I understand the RallyFrEe World Competition is coming up before then, so I may enter it as well. I'm not sure we are really ready, but both are video events and I think it would be a good opportunity to work out the bugs of getting a place to practice, set up the course (I'll get the course 10 days before deadline) and doing the video. I talked to Chris last night and we've discovered I can do it on Wednesday night before agility league and William is happy to video us - an hour rental is just $16 and he doesn't charge for video. I will want to go at least once in advance to train so Gimme knows we can do something besides agility there.
Speaking of agility. Class went pretty good, better than I expected after her clinging and fussy day. In an interesting change of pattern, Gimme actually did better the first run than the second. In hindsight I think this was because she'd already been away from the baby for an hour and a half by then, and this after class in the morning. It might have been different if I'd thought to bring the pseudo baby along.
I have decided to discontinue agility training for the time being. Its clear we are not making enough progress on her reactivity to compete in agility any time soon and maybe never. Moving dogs are a much bigger trigger for her. So it doesn't make sense to keep expending $$ and effort in this direction, especially now since we've started RallyFrEe classes where we can both video and live perform. I am looking into VALOR, a video event for agility as a possible option later.
I told Blynn we taking a break after the last class of this session (next week). It was sad and Blynn said she'd miss us, but also thanked me for telling her in advance. I've had students just drop out without saying anything and I always found it very frustrating, so I didn't want to do this to Blynn. She's a great instructor and I'll continue to refer people to her. If we get really involved in VALOR, then maybe we'll be back.
Well, Gimme is resting nearby with MrFroggy, but its time for me to get off to work and she needs breakfast. I need to check the dose on all her homeopathics and supplements and it'll take time, so need to get going.
Remember we have barn hunt trial this weekend. Given Gimme's condition and the changes I'll be making to our reward system - I have no clue what to expect, so do cross any body parts you can spare for us.
Mini-Courses:
Course 1
Left heel FWD
CCW spin TRX to center
Thru to right heel
Pivot left 360
CW spin
Circle around CCW
Course 2
Right heel FWD
Pivot left 360
Sit stand
Pivot right 360
Course 3
Left heel FWD
Front cross dog
Walking weave x 3
Down stand
Figure 8 thru 2x
Course 4
Circle around handler x3
Circle around CW
CCW spin
Front cross handler
Bow
Left paw lift
As it was, Gimme adopted two babies. Mom has the guest room decorated with all her stuffed animals and dolls. I'd been sleeping in my Dad's room downstairs, but the bed is so hard I am really stiff and sore for more than a day after sleeping in it. So I tried the guest room because the bed is a little softer. Gimme discovered a small stuffed lamb and claimed it as her baby and carried it around for much of the evening. Then later Gimme also claimed a brown and white beanie baby puppy. Mom said she could keep these babies because she couldn't let the grandchildren play with them after Gimme dog-slobbered on them. How rude! In any case, Gimme was happy and I didn't tell Mom how many of the other stuff animals Gimme has dog-slobbered on in the past - I just didn't have room to bring them all home, doncha know.
Gimme has been better in this false pregnancy, though its clearly still here. We've added a flower essence remedy for it and I am awaiting the arrival of red raspberry leaf extract. Up until Wednesday night she was only doing a lot nesting. At times the nesting looked more like humping, especially when she managed to move the dog bed out of the office down the hall and into the living room on two different occasions. I kept it in the bathroom with the door closed for a few days. After catching Gimme standing waiting by the door a couple times, I disappeared the dog bed into the back of my walk-in closet. I don't really care about her humping the bed from time to time, but she seemed to be getting stuck in the behavior.
She is in full baby mode now. After we finally got home, she immediately found her SuperCow (the baby last time around) and kept it for most of the day. When we got home from class last night, she decided MrFroggy is the chosen one. She's been carrying him around ever since. She's pretty whiney and clingy. I don't know how this will work for the barn hunt trial this weekend, but time will tell. She has done a trial before in false pregnancy, but I don't think it was this early - when its most intense. I'll be taking MrFroggy, along with SuperCow, NewLamby, and BeaniePuppy, so she'll have any puppy she wants. In the past she's done fine with leaving babies for short periods of time (such as the length of class) as long as they are there when she gets back to the car. So hopefully it will work well for her barn hunt runs. The car will be pretty full of stuffed critters, especially when you consider her four large puppy buddies are already there, and now we're adding four pseudo babies.
About RallyFrEe class, it was again good. Kathy had set up for mini courses of 4 to 5 stations, which we got to rotate through. This meant all four dogs were out on the floor at the same time, which was challenging for Gimme. I ended up having to put the treats back in my hand to help her focus. It was challenging for me because of the treats in my hand AND managing the leash. Kathy said we don't have to have them on leash for Novice, which is good. Its damn hard to do leg weaves and thru's with the leash.
Gimme did a good job with relaxing in her crate. The only time she got really upset was when a person from the next class started to come in with her dog (at the gate closest to where we set up). This was sudden environmental change and Gimme was pretty much maxed out by this time, so I had to move her farther away so they could come in and get to their crate. For the last part of class we each told what we were having the most challenge with during our mini-courses and then the class brainstormed different solutions.
I mentioned how I'd had to put the treats back in my hand (not luring just there) to help Gimme focus. Much of the solutions were stuff I already know, but two ideas were stand outs and came from my classmates. One was to actually move her soft-crate onto the course and use it as a target for her to go to after performing well. She loves her soft-crate; its her safe place. I found it interesting how once its set up in place *I* think of it as permanent, when its really so easy to move around. The other idea was to use a food target to help her focus, know the reward is "right there", and yet not have to resort to food in my hands. Of course, our special bowl would be perfect for this and we'll start by trying it next week and then use the crate on course if its needed.
Kathy is setting up a RallyFrEe video event, so we'll be entering it. I understand the RallyFrEe World Competition is coming up before then, so I may enter it as well. I'm not sure we are really ready, but both are video events and I think it would be a good opportunity to work out the bugs of getting a place to practice, set up the course (I'll get the course 10 days before deadline) and doing the video. I talked to Chris last night and we've discovered I can do it on Wednesday night before agility league and William is happy to video us - an hour rental is just $16 and he doesn't charge for video. I will want to go at least once in advance to train so Gimme knows we can do something besides agility there.
Speaking of agility. Class went pretty good, better than I expected after her clinging and fussy day. In an interesting change of pattern, Gimme actually did better the first run than the second. In hindsight I think this was because she'd already been away from the baby for an hour and a half by then, and this after class in the morning. It might have been different if I'd thought to bring the pseudo baby along.
I have decided to discontinue agility training for the time being. Its clear we are not making enough progress on her reactivity to compete in agility any time soon and maybe never. Moving dogs are a much bigger trigger for her. So it doesn't make sense to keep expending $$ and effort in this direction, especially now since we've started RallyFrEe classes where we can both video and live perform. I am looking into VALOR, a video event for agility as a possible option later.
I told Blynn we taking a break after the last class of this session (next week). It was sad and Blynn said she'd miss us, but also thanked me for telling her in advance. I've had students just drop out without saying anything and I always found it very frustrating, so I didn't want to do this to Blynn. She's a great instructor and I'll continue to refer people to her. If we get really involved in VALOR, then maybe we'll be back.
Well, Gimme is resting nearby with MrFroggy, but its time for me to get off to work and she needs breakfast. I need to check the dose on all her homeopathics and supplements and it'll take time, so need to get going.
Remember we have barn hunt trial this weekend. Given Gimme's condition and the changes I'll be making to our reward system - I have no clue what to expect, so do cross any body parts you can spare for us.
Mini-Courses:
Course 1
Left heel FWD
CCW spin TRX to center
Thru to right heel
Pivot left 360
CW spin
Circle around CCW
Course 2
Right heel FWD
Pivot left 360
Sit stand
Pivot right 360
Course 3
Left heel FWD
Front cross dog
Walking weave x 3
Down stand
Figure 8 thru 2x
Course 4
Circle around handler x3
Circle around CW
CCW spin
Front cross handler
Bow
Left paw lift
Thursday, October 23, 2014
RallyFrEe (4/1) & Agility (4/6)
What a day this has been. I'm trying very hard not to get a cold, so tried to build a lot of rest into my midday. So far, so good.
We started the day with RallyFrEe class. Because I thought I might be trying to get a cold I didn't go to my parents' - no reason to be sharing, eh. Gimme was unfocused from the moment she got out the car. I tried clicking any offered attention and she wasn't even focused enough to be able to keep attention to get the treat. If I took the treat to her face, she was happy to gobble it down. She was just giving me a whole lot of hit-n-run attention. Plus she was much more concerned about the other dogs than she had been for the last two weeks.
As I was trying to get her brain engaged during our first session, I suddenly realized what the problem was. Miss Gimme is officially into false pregnancy mode. Once I tumbled to her reality, I made it even simpler still and was able to get some attention. By the end of our first working session, she was able to actually work and do the exercises. On our second session, she did some really credible work and then when class was over, she was able to walk to the car on a loose leash. So I was able to get her brain and use it.
I had hoped this new supplement from the reproductive specialty vet would do the trick - for most bitches it prevents false pregnancies entirely. Apparently not going to be the case for Gimme. Its interesting the onset was so rapid - yesterday she was fine, today not. Because I wanted to see what the supplement was doing, I didn't start her on the homeopathic remedies until today after I got home. Normally I would have checked and been using them a month ago. So it'll probably take a couple days for them to take full affect.
Tonight in agility class it was a challenge to get her attention, but I did and it went well. I basically work with getting her to focus and sit in heel, treat and repeat. Then we focus and "set-up" and one jump, treat. Then the same with another jump - adding one obstacle at a time. When we got to five obstacles, Blynn suggested we move to another place and start over. This actually worked very nicely. By the time we got three obstacles there, I had Gimme's full attention. So then we were able to do some longer sequences, about half a course worth.
Our second session went even better. Gimme was still a little distracted to begin with, but came around much faster and after she did, she was really doing some nice work. Although we didn't do anything which was great shakes, I was still very happy to have her working with me much better and sooner than has been the case in the past. To a large extent I think its because we've established a new pattern of attention and working together over the last few classes and its starting to really pay off.
RallyFrEe class was about pivots and combination signs. I found the timing of cues for Gimme and my own handling and footwork challenging for the combination signs. Once I got it, Gimme did a very nice job and seemed to enjoy it. The combinations we worked were:
I'll be interested to see how the new supplement works with the homeopathic remedies. Clearly it isn't going to prevent the false pregnancy entirely, but if it reduces the intensity, I'll be happy. Gimme hasn't adopted a baby yet and usually she would have by now. She got SuperCow out the other day, but just left him on the floor and didn't notice I put him back in the toy basket. She did beat up BrownBunny during the ride home from agility class and since we've been home beat up MrFroggy and DeadThing. So she is clearly more emotional, but is now resting and relaxed. Time will tell how this all shakes out.
We started the day with RallyFrEe class. Because I thought I might be trying to get a cold I didn't go to my parents' - no reason to be sharing, eh. Gimme was unfocused from the moment she got out the car. I tried clicking any offered attention and she wasn't even focused enough to be able to keep attention to get the treat. If I took the treat to her face, she was happy to gobble it down. She was just giving me a whole lot of hit-n-run attention. Plus she was much more concerned about the other dogs than she had been for the last two weeks.
As I was trying to get her brain engaged during our first session, I suddenly realized what the problem was. Miss Gimme is officially into false pregnancy mode. Once I tumbled to her reality, I made it even simpler still and was able to get some attention. By the end of our first working session, she was able to actually work and do the exercises. On our second session, she did some really credible work and then when class was over, she was able to walk to the car on a loose leash. So I was able to get her brain and use it.
I had hoped this new supplement from the reproductive specialty vet would do the trick - for most bitches it prevents false pregnancies entirely. Apparently not going to be the case for Gimme. Its interesting the onset was so rapid - yesterday she was fine, today not. Because I wanted to see what the supplement was doing, I didn't start her on the homeopathic remedies until today after I got home. Normally I would have checked and been using them a month ago. So it'll probably take a couple days for them to take full affect.
Tonight in agility class it was a challenge to get her attention, but I did and it went well. I basically work with getting her to focus and sit in heel, treat and repeat. Then we focus and "set-up" and one jump, treat. Then the same with another jump - adding one obstacle at a time. When we got to five obstacles, Blynn suggested we move to another place and start over. This actually worked very nicely. By the time we got three obstacles there, I had Gimme's full attention. So then we were able to do some longer sequences, about half a course worth.
Our second session went even better. Gimme was still a little distracted to begin with, but came around much faster and after she did, she was really doing some nice work. Although we didn't do anything which was great shakes, I was still very happy to have her working with me much better and sooner than has been the case in the past. To a large extent I think its because we've established a new pattern of attention and working together over the last few classes and its starting to really pay off.
RallyFrEe class was about pivots and combination signs. I found the timing of cues for Gimme and my own handling and footwork challenging for the combination signs. Once I got it, Gimme did a very nice job and seemed to enjoy it. The combinations we worked were:
- starting with dog moving on right side, clockwise-spin-to-center-trx, thru-to-left-heel
- starting with dog moving on left side, counter-clockwise-spin-to-center-trx, thru-to-right-heel
- starting with dog moving on right side, clockwise-spin-to-center-trx, step-back-center-3x, thru-to-left-heel
- starting with dog moving on left side, counter-clockwise-spin-to-center-trx, step-back-center-3x, thru-to-right-heel
I'll be interested to see how the new supplement works with the homeopathic remedies. Clearly it isn't going to prevent the false pregnancy entirely, but if it reduces the intensity, I'll be happy. Gimme hasn't adopted a baby yet and usually she would have by now. She got SuperCow out the other day, but just left him on the floor and didn't notice I put him back in the toy basket. She did beat up BrownBunny during the ride home from agility class and since we've been home beat up MrFroggy and DeadThing. So she is clearly more emotional, but is now resting and relaxed. Time will tell how this all shakes out.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Nosework (5/5) & Agility (3/6)
Quickly about agility class... We worked some more on getting the connection before heading off down the course. Gimme did well, but was slow as mud (at least for her) and not as focused as she'd been the last couple of times we did this. Partway through the first session, Blynn stopped me and asked me if I was hurting or something. When I said "no, I'm fine," then she wanted to know why *I* was moving so slowly. Really I was just tired because of things going on. So then when I moved out, magically Gimme did too and was suddenly very engaged.
So now Blynn has two things to remind me when needed. She already says, "Get your leadership on." Now she's adding "Run like you stole it." ☺☺☺
For nosework, tonight we had another class on containers. This afternoon I heard the front door banging in the high winds we are having and thought to myself, "I'll bet we do a container search outdoors in the wind." You know how much I love to be right... and I was.
We had about 20 containers laid out in a large blacktop area. The wind was blowing about 7mph and gusting to 10mph. I knew Gimme wouldn't have any problem with the search because her very first match was in much stronger winds and she aced it then. We started at a position where the wind was blowing at our backs. She did as I expected, racing around and quickly finding odor. One would think with the strong winds and gusts the dogs would be challenged - it seemed just the opposite from watching them. Several of the dogs found the windy search more exciting.
On our second search of the same setup, we started from the other end of the search area with the wind blowing in our faces. Gimme was eager to go and just as I was about to release her, an even stronger gust whipped across the blacktop picking up half the boxes and tumbling them right at us. Another dog might have been frightened, but Gimme seemed to like the additional challenge of trying to find odor among moving containers. I'm sure she thought Dorothy had arranged this especially fun aspect just for her. My challenge was rewarding at source, since the boxes were trying to skitter away the whole time. Sadly I didn't bring the camera - this would'a been a helluva video to show the world.
The third search was 25 containers indoors, with three distractions. The distractions were catfood (the most favorite), a biscuit with peanut butter (mine), and some dog treats. We had an artificial wind created by a fan. The three hides were in the two closest corners and the furthest right corner (from the startline). Gimme did a great job and found all her odors very quickly. I think she was the fastest to find the odor on the tall bag, which was right in front of the fan and odor on the side nearest the fan.
Interestingly Gimme was not very interested in my biscuit and peanut butter - perhaps because I told her before the search she was going to get to eat it on the way home. ☺ What she was most intrigued by was the new tool bag I brought, which I won in a raffle this weekend. I just tossed a few tools in it, so it smelled of a combination of new and Mom's tools. She was just fascinated by it (and the catfood container). One of the things we often hear at trials is how dogs are sucked in the most by novel smells - its not just about food for them.
From the way the dogs worked it, we think scent was skipping over the top of the tall luggage and then coming down about four feet away. The black box with the blue squiggly is the fan, the 3D black box is the tall bag, the red arrow points to where odor was on the side nearest the fan and the green lines represent what we think was happening with scent. The dog which had the most difficulty was also the shortest and we think he was actually moving under the arch of scent - he didn't find it until he got between the fan and the bag.
Our last task was to search the same area again and let the dogs direct the search and once they have found all three odors, then we were to take control of the search and direct the dog through the area having them check each bag as we indicated it. Even though they might know where the odor was as they got close to it, we were not to let them rush ahead to it and instead, supposed to get them to check each container as we presented them.
I thought Gimme might have some trouble with this - less than a year ago it would have been a big deal, but though she's improved a lot, I still thought she would find this exercise frustrating. Instead she aced it and completely accepted my direction as if it was the way we always did it. I realized halfway through, I was using the same informal wording I use in barn hunt when I need her to check an area. I've only been using this a short time since we got to senior and masters, but apparently she understands the cue. I say "check" this or "check" it and in barn hunt she gets into the area and sniffs wherever I'm pointing. Without thinking I said the same thing in this search and she was perfect, putting her nose down to search everthing I pointed at and told her to "check".
I absolutely love how smart this girl is. The way she takes something from one sport and so readily applies it to another sport is just amazing.
What's not to love, eh.
So now Blynn has two things to remind me when needed. She already says, "Get your leadership on." Now she's adding "Run like you stole it." ☺☺☺
For nosework, tonight we had another class on containers. This afternoon I heard the front door banging in the high winds we are having and thought to myself, "I'll bet we do a container search outdoors in the wind." You know how much I love to be right... and I was.
We had about 20 containers laid out in a large blacktop area. The wind was blowing about 7mph and gusting to 10mph. I knew Gimme wouldn't have any problem with the search because her very first match was in much stronger winds and she aced it then. We started at a position where the wind was blowing at our backs. She did as I expected, racing around and quickly finding odor. One would think with the strong winds and gusts the dogs would be challenged - it seemed just the opposite from watching them. Several of the dogs found the windy search more exciting.
On our second search of the same setup, we started from the other end of the search area with the wind blowing in our faces. Gimme was eager to go and just as I was about to release her, an even stronger gust whipped across the blacktop picking up half the boxes and tumbling them right at us. Another dog might have been frightened, but Gimme seemed to like the additional challenge of trying to find odor among moving containers. I'm sure she thought Dorothy had arranged this especially fun aspect just for her. My challenge was rewarding at source, since the boxes were trying to skitter away the whole time. Sadly I didn't bring the camera - this would'a been a helluva video to show the world.
The third search was 25 containers indoors, with three distractions. The distractions were catfood (the most favorite), a biscuit with peanut butter (mine), and some dog treats. We had an artificial wind created by a fan. The three hides were in the two closest corners and the furthest right corner (from the startline). Gimme did a great job and found all her odors very quickly. I think she was the fastest to find the odor on the tall bag, which was right in front of the fan and odor on the side nearest the fan.
Interestingly Gimme was not very interested in my biscuit and peanut butter - perhaps because I told her before the search she was going to get to eat it on the way home. ☺ What she was most intrigued by was the new tool bag I brought, which I won in a raffle this weekend. I just tossed a few tools in it, so it smelled of a combination of new and Mom's tools. She was just fascinated by it (and the catfood container). One of the things we often hear at trials is how dogs are sucked in the most by novel smells - its not just about food for them.
From the way the dogs worked it, we think scent was skipping over the top of the tall luggage and then coming down about four feet away. The black box with the blue squiggly is the fan, the 3D black box is the tall bag, the red arrow points to where odor was on the side nearest the fan and the green lines represent what we think was happening with scent. The dog which had the most difficulty was also the shortest and we think he was actually moving under the arch of scent - he didn't find it until he got between the fan and the bag.
Our last task was to search the same area again and let the dogs direct the search and once they have found all three odors, then we were to take control of the search and direct the dog through the area having them check each bag as we indicated it. Even though they might know where the odor was as they got close to it, we were not to let them rush ahead to it and instead, supposed to get them to check each container as we presented them.
I thought Gimme might have some trouble with this - less than a year ago it would have been a big deal, but though she's improved a lot, I still thought she would find this exercise frustrating. Instead she aced it and completely accepted my direction as if it was the way we always did it. I realized halfway through, I was using the same informal wording I use in barn hunt when I need her to check an area. I've only been using this a short time since we got to senior and masters, but apparently she understands the cue. I say "check" this or "check" it and in barn hunt she gets into the area and sniffs wherever I'm pointing. Without thinking I said the same thing in this search and she was perfect, putting her nose down to search everthing I pointed at and told her to "check".
I absolutely love how smart this girl is. The way she takes something from one sport and so readily applies it to another sport is just amazing.
What's not to love, eh.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Agility (2/6)
In addition having the puppy buddies join Gimme in her "special place" for rides in the car, I also added a snug coat for her to wear. Overall I would say she did much better. I watched her in the rearview mirror, and for most of the ride, she just lay in the back alertly looking around and silent. Her whole demeanor was very different.
I put all four puppy buddies in the puppy pen and when Gimme got in, I distinctly heard her say, "I didn't know they'd take up so much room." I'd placed one in each corner, figuring it would be the least impact on her space. The two she interacted with were Kermit (naturally) and brown rabbit, so I may try taking the other two out, and they can be nearby, but not inside the pen. I'm thinking the space between the pen and the side of the car will work. She tended to lay right next to Kermit and I noticed later she had moved brown rabbit.
I think she liked the snug coat, once we got it on her. She was unimpressed with getting it on. Its a child's vest and just a tad too small. If she continues to do well with it, I will probably alter it, make it a little larger in the forechest and replace the zipper with velcro. I have another one I will also try on her to see if it fits better with less alteration required. I'm going to wait and see what Tonya says before making changes.
Class was very good. Gimme did really well and was overall very focused. The only places she lost focus were when I made mistakes, not having walked the first course. I started with my plan to get her working with me - it starts out looking very much like obedience, but its all skills she knows quite well and has lots of confidence in how to win. I think it works well to put her in the right frame of mind. Everyone was commenting about how good she was doing. I was not altogether clear-headed myself, though I don't know why, so I also made mistakes on the second course, even though I walked it. Still Gimme did very well and was running fast and was really responsive.
Because Gimme was having so much fun and working so well, we were able to focus on a couple of skills and tweak specific parts of the course to get a tighter line. For the first time since we started agility I was able to send Gimme 20 feet to a tunnel while peeling off laterally and layering a jump. It was very exciting because then I was able to easily get into position for the section of the course which followed. It put me 20 feet down course when she exited the tunnel, so Gimme had fun running to catch up. I also was able to get more lateral and slightly forward of her in the weaves, which also helped me get down course sooner.
Fun stuff.
I put all four puppy buddies in the puppy pen and when Gimme got in, I distinctly heard her say, "I didn't know they'd take up so much room." I'd placed one in each corner, figuring it would be the least impact on her space. The two she interacted with were Kermit (naturally) and brown rabbit, so I may try taking the other two out, and they can be nearby, but not inside the pen. I'm thinking the space between the pen and the side of the car will work. She tended to lay right next to Kermit and I noticed later she had moved brown rabbit.
I think she liked the snug coat, once we got it on her. She was unimpressed with getting it on. Its a child's vest and just a tad too small. If she continues to do well with it, I will probably alter it, make it a little larger in the forechest and replace the zipper with velcro. I have another one I will also try on her to see if it fits better with less alteration required. I'm going to wait and see what Tonya says before making changes.
Class was very good. Gimme did really well and was overall very focused. The only places she lost focus were when I made mistakes, not having walked the first course. I started with my plan to get her working with me - it starts out looking very much like obedience, but its all skills she knows quite well and has lots of confidence in how to win. I think it works well to put her in the right frame of mind. Everyone was commenting about how good she was doing. I was not altogether clear-headed myself, though I don't know why, so I also made mistakes on the second course, even though I walked it. Still Gimme did very well and was running fast and was really responsive.
Because Gimme was having so much fun and working so well, we were able to focus on a couple of skills and tweak specific parts of the course to get a tighter line. For the first time since we started agility I was able to send Gimme 20 feet to a tunnel while peeling off laterally and layering a jump. It was very exciting because then I was able to easily get into position for the section of the course which followed. It put me 20 feet down course when she exited the tunnel, so Gimme had fun running to catch up. I also was able to get more lateral and slightly forward of her in the weaves, which also helped me get down course sooner.
Fun stuff.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Agility (1/6)
Class tonight went great. I worked my plan and Gimme's first session was fabulous. I started with brain-warm-up in the foyer and then just continued parts of the drill on the way to the startline. I lost her briefly at the start, but a touch on her heiney and the cue "set-up" was all she needed. From then on I couldn't have gotten away from her. I did a few lead-out and then return to reward her stay. Then I rewarded one jump, then two jumps, then two jumps and tunnel. After this warm-up on course I was able to do much of the course until my handling threw her off.
I was very pleased with her totally focused efforts and clearly it showed. Everyone was asking me why she was so much better focused (usually her first turn is the worst). They all thought it was some special treats or something - can't believe they didn't notice the difference in what I was "doing". My plan was to heavily reinforce focus - you get what you pay for - and to be careful not to get sucked into trying to do the course before I had her focus.
Our second run was not as pretty because I didn't walk it well and there were challenges I didn't have a good plan for. However, there was nothing wrong with Gimme - she was as focused as I could ever hope for. I just didn't have a plan to get her through the course smoothly.
BTW I have decided to discontinue editing and uploading to youtube our agility class runs. The vast majority of them have no views. So I'm only going to put the time into those with something really special to show.
It does not appear NACSW is going to add a module which includes element titles anytime soon to the breed statistics feature on their website, so I spent a few minutes checking on the trial results for all the trials since inception of element titles/trials April this year.
Gimme is indeed the first Dalmatian to achieve an element title and also the first to achieve an L1I (interiors), on July 13, 2014, in LaCenter, WA. Jennifer Jackson and Steeler, along with Renelle Grajales and Sprinkles, both achieved an L1C (containers), on August 17, 2014, in Uxbridge, MA. Its hard to know who was first without knowing the run order. Wonderful to see two Dalmatians show their stuff in such a nice way. I believe I mentioned I've entered Gimme for another chance at the L1C for a trial upcoming in Stevenson, WA. I've just learned we are 15th alternate, so its just possible we'll get in.
Gimme achieved an L1E (exteriors), on September 21, 2014, in Happy Valley, OR, making her the first Dalmatian to achieve the L1E and the first to have two element titles. The name for the location is certainly appropriate, since I was very "happy" to have success in the "valley".
Tomorrow we'll be driving down to Albany for a weekend of four barn hunt trials in Brownsville, OR. Its a 3 hour drive just to the hotel, so I'm going down the night before. We have to get 5 qualifying legs to get the masters title (RATM) and we don't have any yet, so there is no chance for a title this weekend. Personally I'd be thrilled to come home with a leg since its such a huge skill jump for the human half of the team. Cross any body parts you can spare for us.
I was very pleased with her totally focused efforts and clearly it showed. Everyone was asking me why she was so much better focused (usually her first turn is the worst). They all thought it was some special treats or something - can't believe they didn't notice the difference in what I was "doing". My plan was to heavily reinforce focus - you get what you pay for - and to be careful not to get sucked into trying to do the course before I had her focus.
Our second run was not as pretty because I didn't walk it well and there were challenges I didn't have a good plan for. However, there was nothing wrong with Gimme - she was as focused as I could ever hope for. I just didn't have a plan to get her through the course smoothly.
BTW I have decided to discontinue editing and uploading to youtube our agility class runs. The vast majority of them have no views. So I'm only going to put the time into those with something really special to show.
It does not appear NACSW is going to add a module which includes element titles anytime soon to the breed statistics feature on their website, so I spent a few minutes checking on the trial results for all the trials since inception of element titles/trials April this year.
Gimme is indeed the first Dalmatian to achieve an element title and also the first to achieve an L1I (interiors), on July 13, 2014, in LaCenter, WA. Jennifer Jackson and Steeler, along with Renelle Grajales and Sprinkles, both achieved an L1C (containers), on August 17, 2014, in Uxbridge, MA. Its hard to know who was first without knowing the run order. Wonderful to see two Dalmatians show their stuff in such a nice way. I believe I mentioned I've entered Gimme for another chance at the L1C for a trial upcoming in Stevenson, WA. I've just learned we are 15th alternate, so its just possible we'll get in.
Gimme achieved an L1E (exteriors), on September 21, 2014, in Happy Valley, OR, making her the first Dalmatian to achieve the L1E and the first to have two element titles. The name for the location is certainly appropriate, since I was very "happy" to have success in the "valley".
☺☺☺
Tomorrow we'll be driving down to Albany for a weekend of four barn hunt trials in Brownsville, OR. Its a 3 hour drive just to the hotel, so I'm going down the night before. We have to get 5 qualifying legs to get the masters title (RATM) and we don't have any yet, so there is no chance for a title this weekend. Personally I'd be thrilled to come home with a leg since its such a huge skill jump for the human half of the team. Cross any body parts you can spare for us.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Agility (7/5)
I know the numbering on this class is strange, but Blynn seems to think we haven't finished this round and according to my records we have. I've taken my time before blogging about class on Thursday. It was frustrating and inconsistent and I wanted to think about it.
Our first round was an unmitigated disaster. I never had Gimme's attention for more than a few seconds. I knew she wasn't hurting because we had a session with Tonya the day before and she said she was back to usual physically, though she did put a lot more clean energy in her. Tonya left at the crack of dawn this morning for vacation, so I wanted to be sure we had a "last minute" fine tuning, given the recent discombobulation.
There are a lot of reasons why our first run was so bad. First we didn't have much warning knowing we were next. Then there was a new person loitering between both doors with her St. Bernard, so we couldn't get in the foyer for our usual brain-warm-up. Instead we stood in the dark under the trees. They only moved when the other team came out and told them to move so we could come in (they were ignoring me, being focused on what was happening inside the arena). As it turned out, a returning student had forgotten where to crate her dog, so we couldn't have used the area to warm-up anyway. Then we get in for our turn and someone had dropped a bunch of hotdog pieces on the floor in three different places. I finally had Gimme's attention and we were supposed to come off the dogwalk for a 90 degree right turn to the weaves, except the lady with the St. Bernard is back, standing right next to the barrier at our 11 o'clock. <SIGH> The whole round was a waste of time - i.e. nothing positive gained from it.
At one point Blynn said something to me and I grumbled about the "quart of food" on the ground. I was very frustrated and likely spoke sharply because of it. Later Blynn talked to me and asked me not to "bark" at her. I didn't remember doing it and certainly didn't intend it, but I figure this is what she meant. Along with an apology, I said I hadn't intended to bark at her, but I was frustrated with Gimme and I'm sure it showed up in my tone. To which she commented, she thought I was going to have a lot of frustration "as long as the sun and moon have to be in perfect alignment to get Gimme to work with you".
To say the least, I was stunned by this assessment. Gimme loves to train and tries hard. She has issues and so she does have needs which must be met, but I don't think they are unreasonable. In thinking about this, I think Blynn is making a general assessment covering the last few months. Think about it, I was "broken" for about 4 months starting back in April and how I was doing surely affected Gimme. And now with this recurrence of her barn hunt injury, Gimme has been broken for more than a month. There have been times in there when she was brilliant, but I think Blynn is only seeing one long pattern of inconsistent performance.
I don't think we need perfect cosmic alignment for her to do well. For instance, for our next session, I was told at the last moment we would be up first. I cut my walk through short (never getting to the end), got Gimme from the car, potty walked her briefly, stepped in the foyer and had about a minute to do our warm-up game, then on the course for a near flawless performance. I had her attention the whole time and there was only one place where she erred. I didn't know all of the course, but Gimme went everywhere I sent her and her one mistake could have been my fault - I'll know when I get the video.
In thinking this over, in hindsight, it probably would have been better to take a few months off when my hand problem started. I don't think the time was a waste, but it may have contributed less than great agility training to our history. I've decided for the next couple of months to go back to basics. I'll practice heeling to the startline, practice more of Mecklenburg's six recall-to-heel behaviors, and go back to treating every few obstacles. I may work with the course laid out, but getting through it won't be my aim. I also have some ideas about working through the food shopping and starting work on the reactivity, I'll be using our "whazzat" a lot.
I know my plans will work, I just have to work through them and not let myself be lured into doing the course without the basics in place. Blynn would want me to be stricter with Gimme, but its not my style and for heaven's sake, she's not a Border Collie. So, I'm not going to take Blynn's comment personally, though it sure felt personal when she said it. Instead I'm going to take it as a challenge to get back on plan with my brilliant girl. She doesn't have to be brilliant all the time. Still, I do want to see the less than brilliant moments in the "damn good" category. ☺
I don't think I've mentioned I have signed up for a Rally FrEe course on Tuesday nights, starting in October. The class is in Lynnwood, so it will be a long drive, 1:15 going up and probably longer coming back due to rush hour traffic.
Now I'm going to start packing the car and then we'll leave for the drive to our hotel in Clackamas, Oregon. We have two element trials on Sunday, for containers (AM) and exteriors (PM). I'm not as confident with containers because it'll be a field of boxes and we'll be doing them four times. Gimme tends to get more and more stimulated each time she sees boxes, so she could revert to demolition mode. I think it'll go smoother when we get to level 2 container element and then the search will have a mix of containers, not just boxes. I'm certain we'll do well with the exterior element. In any case, cross any body parts you can spare.
Our first round was an unmitigated disaster. I never had Gimme's attention for more than a few seconds. I knew she wasn't hurting because we had a session with Tonya the day before and she said she was back to usual physically, though she did put a lot more clean energy in her. Tonya left at the crack of dawn this morning for vacation, so I wanted to be sure we had a "last minute" fine tuning, given the recent discombobulation.
There are a lot of reasons why our first run was so bad. First we didn't have much warning knowing we were next. Then there was a new person loitering between both doors with her St. Bernard, so we couldn't get in the foyer for our usual brain-warm-up. Instead we stood in the dark under the trees. They only moved when the other team came out and told them to move so we could come in (they were ignoring me, being focused on what was happening inside the arena). As it turned out, a returning student had forgotten where to crate her dog, so we couldn't have used the area to warm-up anyway. Then we get in for our turn and someone had dropped a bunch of hotdog pieces on the floor in three different places. I finally had Gimme's attention and we were supposed to come off the dogwalk for a 90 degree right turn to the weaves, except the lady with the St. Bernard is back, standing right next to the barrier at our 11 o'clock. <SIGH> The whole round was a waste of time - i.e. nothing positive gained from it.
At one point Blynn said something to me and I grumbled about the "quart of food" on the ground. I was very frustrated and likely spoke sharply because of it. Later Blynn talked to me and asked me not to "bark" at her. I didn't remember doing it and certainly didn't intend it, but I figure this is what she meant. Along with an apology, I said I hadn't intended to bark at her, but I was frustrated with Gimme and I'm sure it showed up in my tone. To which she commented, she thought I was going to have a lot of frustration "as long as the sun and moon have to be in perfect alignment to get Gimme to work with you".
To say the least, I was stunned by this assessment. Gimme loves to train and tries hard. She has issues and so she does have needs which must be met, but I don't think they are unreasonable. In thinking about this, I think Blynn is making a general assessment covering the last few months. Think about it, I was "broken" for about 4 months starting back in April and how I was doing surely affected Gimme. And now with this recurrence of her barn hunt injury, Gimme has been broken for more than a month. There have been times in there when she was brilliant, but I think Blynn is only seeing one long pattern of inconsistent performance.
I don't think we need perfect cosmic alignment for her to do well. For instance, for our next session, I was told at the last moment we would be up first. I cut my walk through short (never getting to the end), got Gimme from the car, potty walked her briefly, stepped in the foyer and had about a minute to do our warm-up game, then on the course for a near flawless performance. I had her attention the whole time and there was only one place where she erred. I didn't know all of the course, but Gimme went everywhere I sent her and her one mistake could have been my fault - I'll know when I get the video.
In thinking this over, in hindsight, it probably would have been better to take a few months off when my hand problem started. I don't think the time was a waste, but it may have contributed less than great agility training to our history. I've decided for the next couple of months to go back to basics. I'll practice heeling to the startline, practice more of Mecklenburg's six recall-to-heel behaviors, and go back to treating every few obstacles. I may work with the course laid out, but getting through it won't be my aim. I also have some ideas about working through the food shopping and starting work on the reactivity, I'll be using our "whazzat" a lot.
I know my plans will work, I just have to work through them and not let myself be lured into doing the course without the basics in place. Blynn would want me to be stricter with Gimme, but its not my style and for heaven's sake, she's not a Border Collie. So, I'm not going to take Blynn's comment personally, though it sure felt personal when she said it. Instead I'm going to take it as a challenge to get back on plan with my brilliant girl. She doesn't have to be brilliant all the time. Still, I do want to see the less than brilliant moments in the "damn good" category. ☺
I don't think I've mentioned I have signed up for a Rally FrEe course on Tuesday nights, starting in October. The class is in Lynnwood, so it will be a long drive, 1:15 going up and probably longer coming back due to rush hour traffic.
Now I'm going to start packing the car and then we'll leave for the drive to our hotel in Clackamas, Oregon. We have two element trials on Sunday, for containers (AM) and exteriors (PM). I'm not as confident with containers because it'll be a field of boxes and we'll be doing them four times. Gimme tends to get more and more stimulated each time she sees boxes, so she could revert to demolition mode. I think it'll go smoother when we get to level 2 container element and then the search will have a mix of containers, not just boxes. I'm certain we'll do well with the exterior element. In any case, cross any body parts you can spare.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Agility Videos
These are some videos from classes. I'm trying to get caught up on them. The first two I never wrote anything about the class, so I don't exactly know what was going on. I've pared them down to a nice sequence or two.
We had a hard time getting the second session going. When Gimme thinks she's done something wrong, then she really has a hard time focusing for a bit. I've learned to do some tricks or something so she can be right and then get back to what we were doing, but I sometimes forget (especially in agility class).
Here are some training clips from the last class I did before surgery. It wasn't the last class, just the last one I handled. Gimme was really unfocused here - probably because I was hurting and in the back of my mind, worried about the surgery. I wanted to show how quickly she picks things up. She understood how to do the turn after two tries and only one successful and rewarded.
She's a very quick study. If she had a better trainer, she'd be a genius by now. Actually she is a genius - it should read, she be more accomplished by now.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Agility (6/5) & Video
I apologize for being so quiet this week. No nosework class on Monday, plus I've had a mild migraine for 10 days. I got back on caffeine to combat the lethargy from the drugs for my hand. Recently I've been so tired, sleeping all the time, but never getting rested. I conclude its because of how caffeine interferes with the quality of my sleep. Whenever I "quit" caffeine, I struggle with migraines for about 2 weeks. Nasty business, but better than walking around in a fog 24/7.
Since our last agility class, we've had two more sessions with Tonya. Its taking a lot of effort to get this neck/back issue under control. I had the session right after the head smacking (the barn hunt tunnel injury) and I thought it would be enough. Clearly it wasn't and the time between then and when this flared up again a couple weeks ago seems to be enough for it to get deeply seated. Our session this Wednesday required the least effort. Tonya is about to go on vacation and will be gone for three weeks, so I'll have her check Gimme before she leaves.
Yesterday for agility class, Gimme did much better. We jumped low and she was quite a bit more focused. Blynn reminded me to move with determination. When Gimme is unfocused and not reliably responding to my cues, my tendency is to compensate - essentially doing more than my "share". This is similar to how I trained her when she was younger and it took a lot of Blynn's coaching to break the habit and teach Gimme to do her part. Apparently its easy for me to fall back into those habits.
Thus our first run was choppy. Gimme was working well, having fun and trying hard, but I wasn't always giving her the cues she needed. Plus when I'm compensating, then I'm also not moving out. In a motion-based handling system, not moving out does not equal good cuing.
Our second run was much better. I was determined to really move and did a bit better. One turn to a jump at the very beginning of the course was quite challenging. Gimme kept bypassing it. I finally got her on the correct side and said "jump" and she did just what I said - crashing into the uprights. I was really surprised because she normally has a very good sense of self preservation. I think she must've been so focused on me, she just followed my verbal cue without really looking where she was jumping. Otherwise the course was really nice and she was focused and doing a good job.
Here are video's from mid April, just two weeks after my hand first went kaflooey. Gimme was focused and fast and back to her usual style; probably because I felt better. We had a few challenging spots and were able to work through them nicely. My verbal cues continue to be late - it would be just as effective to leave them out entirely.
Gimme started out well, but was distracted by treats left dropped someone right near the aframe. Clearly a training hole we'll have to address at some point. She shouldn't be finding food on a course once we are in competition, but sometimes they are held at sites where classes are taught, so she could be drawn off by enticing smells left behind. Once I picked up all the treats, she did well until the 2nd to last jump - its easy to pressure her off a jump unintentionally.
She really is the smartest dog I've ever worked with. Early this year I taught her to send to a tunnel opening turned away from her and it took her a few tries then, but she figured it out quickly. We haven't seen that exercise since then, but it was in tonight's course and she aced it as if we'd just trained it recently. She rarely forgets anything.
Since our last agility class, we've had two more sessions with Tonya. Its taking a lot of effort to get this neck/back issue under control. I had the session right after the head smacking (the barn hunt tunnel injury) and I thought it would be enough. Clearly it wasn't and the time between then and when this flared up again a couple weeks ago seems to be enough for it to get deeply seated. Our session this Wednesday required the least effort. Tonya is about to go on vacation and will be gone for three weeks, so I'll have her check Gimme before she leaves.
Yesterday for agility class, Gimme did much better. We jumped low and she was quite a bit more focused. Blynn reminded me to move with determination. When Gimme is unfocused and not reliably responding to my cues, my tendency is to compensate - essentially doing more than my "share". This is similar to how I trained her when she was younger and it took a lot of Blynn's coaching to break the habit and teach Gimme to do her part. Apparently its easy for me to fall back into those habits.
Thus our first run was choppy. Gimme was working well, having fun and trying hard, but I wasn't always giving her the cues she needed. Plus when I'm compensating, then I'm also not moving out. In a motion-based handling system, not moving out does not equal good cuing.
Our second run was much better. I was determined to really move and did a bit better. One turn to a jump at the very beginning of the course was quite challenging. Gimme kept bypassing it. I finally got her on the correct side and said "jump" and she did just what I said - crashing into the uprights. I was really surprised because she normally has a very good sense of self preservation. I think she must've been so focused on me, she just followed my verbal cue without really looking where she was jumping. Otherwise the course was really nice and she was focused and doing a good job.
Here are video's from mid April, just two weeks after my hand first went kaflooey. Gimme was focused and fast and back to her usual style; probably because I felt better. We had a few challenging spots and were able to work through them nicely. My verbal cues continue to be late - it would be just as effective to leave them out entirely.
Gimme started out well, but was distracted by treats left dropped someone right near the aframe. Clearly a training hole we'll have to address at some point. She shouldn't be finding food on a course once we are in competition, but sometimes they are held at sites where classes are taught, so she could be drawn off by enticing smells left behind. Once I picked up all the treats, she did well until the 2nd to last jump - its easy to pressure her off a jump unintentionally.
She really is the smartest dog I've ever worked with. Early this year I taught her to send to a tunnel opening turned away from her and it took her a few tries then, but she figured it out quickly. We haven't seen that exercise since then, but it was in tonight's course and she aced it as if we'd just trained it recently. She rarely forgets anything.
We had difficulty with the poles because Blynn wanted me to handle it differently and I hadn't trained Gimme to the level required. I still need to work on her commitment to the poles. You'll see once she gets it right - afterward, she just does it like she'd been doing it all her life.
Between her runs, everyone was complimenting her and talking about how
smart she is. They really like watching her learn things because she
puzzles through it and then when she gets it, she's so obvious; like,
"ohhhh, why didn't you just say so..." Then she's cocky about it.
Everyone loves her attitude, and of course, how cute and pretty she is.
The second run was nice. Not a lot to comment on. Gimme was really doing her job, so all Blynn's advice was about me.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Agility (5/5)
Today we met with Tonya for another treatment. Poor Gimme was still really out of whack, though it was mostly neck and shoulders, the hips and low back held the prior treatment. Gimme had a lot of muscle knots. Tonya really had to work on her for a long time to get everything back to normal. I was going to skip class and keep her home, but Tonya thought it would be better to get her moving. So we decided to jump her with the little dogs in class and do no weaves.
For our first course, Gimme was eager to work and attentive, but the first few starts she would not do the first jump. Each time she just neatly stepped around it. I immediately realized she was concerned about it hurting, so I lured her over the jump with a tossed treat a few times. From then on she was fine with jumping.
In fact in both courses I noticed a bit her wanting to just run and jump and not really pay attention to my cues. She was paying attention, but was also focused far ahead and not making some turns which I was cuing correctly. I know she knows the cuing. It was like she was running along, playing and singing to herself, "la la-la la lah..."
I've been wondering what brought all this on and had a thought coming home. When this latest discombobulation started, it was exactly a month from the incident when Gimme ran headlong into a barn hunt tunnel and smacked her head so hard on the wooden tunnel roof. We saw Tonya for a treatment right away. The neck/head area was what needed work then and the same area has needed a lot of focus for these two treatments. So I'm thinking the struggle over being positioned for the x-ray was enough to cause the same thing to resurface. Adding in the affect of the x-ray disruption to her energy/chakra just made it really pronounced. It wasn't such a huge struggle, but I suspect the issue was primed to crop up again and this was all it took.
For our first course, Gimme was eager to work and attentive, but the first few starts she would not do the first jump. Each time she just neatly stepped around it. I immediately realized she was concerned about it hurting, so I lured her over the jump with a tossed treat a few times. From then on she was fine with jumping.
In fact in both courses I noticed a bit her wanting to just run and jump and not really pay attention to my cues. She was paying attention, but was also focused far ahead and not making some turns which I was cuing correctly. I know she knows the cuing. It was like she was running along, playing and singing to herself, "la la-la la lah..."
I've been wondering what brought all this on and had a thought coming home. When this latest discombobulation started, it was exactly a month from the incident when Gimme ran headlong into a barn hunt tunnel and smacked her head so hard on the wooden tunnel roof. We saw Tonya for a treatment right away. The neck/head area was what needed work then and the same area has needed a lot of focus for these two treatments. So I'm thinking the struggle over being positioned for the x-ray was enough to cause the same thing to resurface. Adding in the affect of the x-ray disruption to her energy/chakra just made it really pronounced. It wasn't such a huge struggle, but I suspect the issue was primed to crop up again and this was all it took.
Anyway, Gimme had fun in class, is clearly feeling better. As we speak she is sound sleep.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Agility (4/5)
Class this week was not good. I really expected it to be better than last week and in some ways it was. It started out okay, but I found I couldn't keep Gimme focused and she seemed slow to me. I felt like I was always ahead of her and pulling her along - which is definitely not our normal. I knew there was something else 'off' during our first session, but didn't know what it was.
During the second session it was even worse and I realized what was different about the first session - it was the lack of connection. Even when she isn't focused, I usually still feel connected to Gimme. I can't explain the distinction, but I know it when I feel it. During the second session, we struggled the whole time. We'd get good bits but it wouldn't last.
At one point Gimme came to me and needed a hug and reassurance. I think she sensed how frustrated I was getting. Blynn talked to me and said she thought Gimme was just working me and I shouldn't reward her with hugs. I understand where she is coming from and we talked about it. On the other hand, I know Gimme and I know when something is off.
I thought it might have been because I gave her some rescue remedy before leaving home, to see if it would help with the car whining. It did, but just a tiny bit. I know a lot of people use RR for themselves and many people use it for dogs right before competing. Still I also know the affect is highly variable, so I didn't discount the possibility it had a negative affect on Gimme.
On Friday I asked Tonya do animal communication with Gimme to find out what was wrong in class. Among the many things they talked about, Gimme said about class "I wasn't myself" and "my hips hurt". I didn't know what the first part meant, but was sure a bodywork treatment was in order.
Tonya worked on Gimme today, doing both bodywork and energy work. She did functional corrections from right behind her ears to her hips. She also found a huge ball of dark/dirty energy around her belly and had to clear a chakra. Right after the treatment, Gimme immediately went outside and peed a flood - I didn't know she had room for so much inside her. Interesting, since her full bladder was the reason for the x-ray at the veterinary. Gimme has been back to her usual self ever since her treatment.
Since its only been a few weeks since her last treatment, I've been trying to figure out why Gimme was so out of kilter when she really hasn't done anything out of the ordinary. Then it occurred to me, perhaps this was all set in motion during the x-rays at the veterinary appointment. It wasn't like there was a huge struggle, but she was very tense, resisting what we were trying to do and the x-ray table was very slick, so she was scrabbling for footing at times. Plus the x-ray was of the area where Tonya found the dark/dirty energy and where the chakra she cleared was located.
All interesting stuff. I feel really fortunate to have Tonya so close to us.
During the second session it was even worse and I realized what was different about the first session - it was the lack of connection. Even when she isn't focused, I usually still feel connected to Gimme. I can't explain the distinction, but I know it when I feel it. During the second session, we struggled the whole time. We'd get good bits but it wouldn't last.
At one point Gimme came to me and needed a hug and reassurance. I think she sensed how frustrated I was getting. Blynn talked to me and said she thought Gimme was just working me and I shouldn't reward her with hugs. I understand where she is coming from and we talked about it. On the other hand, I know Gimme and I know when something is off.
I thought it might have been because I gave her some rescue remedy before leaving home, to see if it would help with the car whining. It did, but just a tiny bit. I know a lot of people use RR for themselves and many people use it for dogs right before competing. Still I also know the affect is highly variable, so I didn't discount the possibility it had a negative affect on Gimme.
On Friday I asked Tonya do animal communication with Gimme to find out what was wrong in class. Among the many things they talked about, Gimme said about class "I wasn't myself" and "my hips hurt". I didn't know what the first part meant, but was sure a bodywork treatment was in order.
Tonya worked on Gimme today, doing both bodywork and energy work. She did functional corrections from right behind her ears to her hips. She also found a huge ball of dark/dirty energy around her belly and had to clear a chakra. Right after the treatment, Gimme immediately went outside and peed a flood - I didn't know she had room for so much inside her. Interesting, since her full bladder was the reason for the x-ray at the veterinary. Gimme has been back to her usual self ever since her treatment.
Since its only been a few weeks since her last treatment, I've been trying to figure out why Gimme was so out of kilter when she really hasn't done anything out of the ordinary. Then it occurred to me, perhaps this was all set in motion during the x-rays at the veterinary appointment. It wasn't like there was a huge struggle, but she was very tense, resisting what we were trying to do and the x-ray table was very slick, so she was scrabbling for footing at times. Plus the x-ray was of the area where Tonya found the dark/dirty energy and where the chakra she cleared was located.
All interesting stuff. I feel really fortunate to have Tonya so close to us.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Agility Videos (Apr 11th)
This video is taken from the first class after my finger first blew up and the subsequent stay in the hospital. I was doing my best, having timed my pain drugs so I could drive to/from class. Gimme was bothered by
how hesitant I was, as I worried about what might
"hurt".
Something happened and the video for our first session was corrupted so early in the tape it wasn't worth editing. Here's the second one.
It was okay, but not fabulous, I was slow and so Gimme was not her little speed demon self. Then Blynn had us work on a more efficient turn for the second jump. It took a couple tries for Gimme to understand what I wanted, then she did well. Then we fixed the rear cross on the flat after the aframe. It was clear just how affected she is by how I am.
Something happened and the video for our first session was corrupted so early in the tape it wasn't worth editing. Here's the second one.
It was okay, but not fabulous, I was slow and so Gimme was not her little speed demon self. Then Blynn had us work on a more efficient turn for the second jump. It took a couple tries for Gimme to understand what I wanted, then she did well. Then we fixed the rear cross on the flat after the aframe. It was clear just how affected she is by how I am.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Agility (3/5)
Tonight was most interesting and it started yesterday. I'd noticed during a walk Gimme had the attention span of a gnat. It took most of 3 miles to get her able to focus. Later in the day she worked beautifully with me for two different training sessions, so at the time I didn't give it much thought.
Tonight in class - I swear, the lights were on and no one was home. Usually when she is so unfocused, I can do the Give Me A Break game (from Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt) and it works beautifully. However, it really didn't work for us this time. I finally had her attention for a bit, but it didn't last very long.
She is in season, but its far too early to be "the day" where she loses her brain. Of course, she's had odd seasons before and I notice she's already loosing her puffiness and showing almost no color, so perhaps this will be a shortie. I'll know soon enough.
I decided for our second turn to just work on basic stuff to help her get focused. I wanted to do something where I could reward a lot in a short period of time and I knew exactly what I'd try. (I told Blynn ahead of time)
Recently I discovered Gimme is very distracted when I train in the yard, despite being able to focus and train in other more distracting settings. I think its because she has no expectation of training in the yard. Thus Kathy and I have been talking about using a "set-up" to help Gimme know when I want to start training versus when I'm in the yard for other purposes. So for the last four days I've been working on it. I started in the house to make sure Gimme knew what was expected with no distraction. Then I did it during walks and then a brief session in the yard yesterday. It was one of the two beautiful training sessions we did.
Tonight when I brought Gimme in for her second turn, we just started off doing "set-up" a few times. Then I added a few steps of heeling. Then added a wait and release to a jump. Next thing you know I was able to do half the course with really great focus.
The difference was like night and day. I can't wait to show you the video's - I'll probably edit them together to highlight the difference.
Tonight in class - I swear, the lights were on and no one was home. Usually when she is so unfocused, I can do the Give Me A Break game (from Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt) and it works beautifully. However, it really didn't work for us this time. I finally had her attention for a bit, but it didn't last very long.
She is in season, but its far too early to be "the day" where she loses her brain. Of course, she's had odd seasons before and I notice she's already loosing her puffiness and showing almost no color, so perhaps this will be a shortie. I'll know soon enough.
I decided for our second turn to just work on basic stuff to help her get focused. I wanted to do something where I could reward a lot in a short period of time and I knew exactly what I'd try. (I told Blynn ahead of time)
Recently I discovered Gimme is very distracted when I train in the yard, despite being able to focus and train in other more distracting settings. I think its because she has no expectation of training in the yard. Thus Kathy and I have been talking about using a "set-up" to help Gimme know when I want to start training versus when I'm in the yard for other purposes. So for the last four days I've been working on it. I started in the house to make sure Gimme knew what was expected with no distraction. Then I did it during walks and then a brief session in the yard yesterday. It was one of the two beautiful training sessions we did.
Tonight when I brought Gimme in for her second turn, we just started off doing "set-up" a few times. Then I added a few steps of heeling. Then added a wait and release to a jump. Next thing you know I was able to do half the course with really great focus.
The difference was like night and day. I can't wait to show you the video's - I'll probably edit them together to highlight the difference.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Agility (1/5 & 2/5)
Gimme has done well in both of her last two agility classes. She was in season and wearing the dreaded panties this last week. I can remember for her first couple of seasons how she was so distracted in classes. Now she has plenty of focus, Blynn even commented this week about how focused she was and right away from the first run. Methinks we are making progress.
I have just gotten home from the Enumclaw barn hunt grounds. I discovered I was VERY lucky to have missed the cut-off for mail-in entry. We went at the crack of dawn today in hopes of getting in with a day-of entry. I hadn't realized the trial was in conjunction with one of the biggest local area all-breed shows. This one also sported agility and lure coursing. If I'd known about the lure coursing, it might have been an option for us - I've been wanting to try it and it was in adjacent fields.
There were many things which made this trial unworkable for us. First the parking was a substantial hike from the actual location of the barn hunts. There is no way I could have left Gimme in parking there - way too hot and no shade. With all the chaos, the hike to the barn hunt would probably have fried her little brain. The other option would have been to crate her right at the barn hunt, which also would have been too much.
I do have to say, after nearly 4 years of being so enmeshed in meeting her needs, part of me is just amazed at what we ask of dogs for all breed shows. Watching so many walk along with such composure, completely nonchalant, unaffected by the chaos - it was just an eye-opener.
The trial site itself was nice for most dogs, but would not have worked for us. There was no place for a separate "private" blind and Gimme could not have handled being in an enclosed 10x10 canopy space with four other dogs. I also learned they didn't finish until 10pm last night, so clearly they've got bugs to work out.
Its a shame really, its the only barn hunt site close to home - just a one hour drive. All the others have a minimum of 2 hours driving, and many closer to 3 hours. Ah well.
I'll be looking over the calendar of events to see if there are any other barn hunts coming up. The last weekend of September there's a trial in Brownsville, OR, just over three hours. We have an element trial in mid-September. I may bypass Brownsville, since there are two trials closer in October, St. Helens again and Newberg, both in Oregon, but much closer than Brownsville.
So for now, start crossing your fingers for the nosework element trial September 21st.
I have just gotten home from the Enumclaw barn hunt grounds. I discovered I was VERY lucky to have missed the cut-off for mail-in entry. We went at the crack of dawn today in hopes of getting in with a day-of entry. I hadn't realized the trial was in conjunction with one of the biggest local area all-breed shows. This one also sported agility and lure coursing. If I'd known about the lure coursing, it might have been an option for us - I've been wanting to try it and it was in adjacent fields.
There were many things which made this trial unworkable for us. First the parking was a substantial hike from the actual location of the barn hunts. There is no way I could have left Gimme in parking there - way too hot and no shade. With all the chaos, the hike to the barn hunt would probably have fried her little brain. The other option would have been to crate her right at the barn hunt, which also would have been too much.
I do have to say, after nearly 4 years of being so enmeshed in meeting her needs, part of me is just amazed at what we ask of dogs for all breed shows. Watching so many walk along with such composure, completely nonchalant, unaffected by the chaos - it was just an eye-opener.
The trial site itself was nice for most dogs, but would not have worked for us. There was no place for a separate "private" blind and Gimme could not have handled being in an enclosed 10x10 canopy space with four other dogs. I also learned they didn't finish until 10pm last night, so clearly they've got bugs to work out.
Its a shame really, its the only barn hunt site close to home - just a one hour drive. All the others have a minimum of 2 hours driving, and many closer to 3 hours. Ah well.
I'll be looking over the calendar of events to see if there are any other barn hunts coming up. The last weekend of September there's a trial in Brownsville, OR, just over three hours. We have an element trial in mid-September. I may bypass Brownsville, since there are two trials closer in October, St. Helens again and Newberg, both in Oregon, but much closer than Brownsville.
So for now, start crossing your fingers for the nosework element trial September 21st.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Agility (6/4)
So sorry to be so far behind. I've been having some computer woes. I downloaded some recommended software and it came bundled with a bunch of PUP (potentially unwanted programs). "Potential" my arse. They should be called CRAP (completely repulsive absurd programs). They completely messed up my system. I got one removed, but the other was giving me problems. Meanwhile I had to download an upgraded version of another program to make iTunes and company work well and it offered another toolbar and search program - which I declined and then it downloaded it anyway. So altogether I've spent a dozen hours getting rid of this junk and am behind on everything computer because it was too annoying to do things. BTW my younger brother was thrilled to learn I'd purchased an iPod Touch. He says I've now caught up to 2002 and he can't wait to see what I'll do next!
So about agility class. It was interesting. I brought Gimme's special bowl and decided to incorporate it in our course. Things did not go well initially... she self served once when she wasn't supposed to and almost did a second time. The second time around it went much better when I realized I was expecting her to generalize what she knows about special bowl, despite never having used it anywhere except my living room and the front yard. So when I took some time to give her a refresher about what special bowl means and "yes Gimme, the rules still apply in the agility building", things went much better.
When I get the videos... you'll noticed I yell "no" at her a couple of times. I don't have any intention of using it in my training, but still it pops out. Its stupid really - it has no affect on her behavior, she keeps going. I'm not convinced she believes the n-word applies to her. And what is even more stupid is, if I were able to stay in training mode (as opposed to reacting mode) and called her name, she would turn on a thin dime to come to me.
So about agility class. It was interesting. I brought Gimme's special bowl and decided to incorporate it in our course. Things did not go well initially... she self served once when she wasn't supposed to and almost did a second time. The second time around it went much better when I realized I was expecting her to generalize what she knows about special bowl, despite never having used it anywhere except my living room and the front yard. So when I took some time to give her a refresher about what special bowl means and "yes Gimme, the rules still apply in the agility building", things went much better.
When I get the videos... you'll noticed I yell "no" at her a couple of times. I don't have any intention of using it in my training, but still it pops out. Its stupid really - it has no affect on her behavior, she keeps going. I'm not convinced she believes the n-word applies to her. And what is even more stupid is, if I were able to stay in training mode (as opposed to reacting mode) and called her name, she would turn on a thin dime to come to me.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Agility (4/4 & 5/4)
I never did blog about agility class last week, but I'm going to do it belatedly... and then brag about tonight. I did mention in another blog about making a special effort to get to class sooner for an extra walk AND I'm getting her from the car sooner for our turns so we have extra time to get focused.
Its interesting how much better she did on the first run than she had been doing. She still had her initial distraction, but it was much shorter. I'd been editing out about a minute and this time was less than 20 seconds. There were less distractions following error points. Overall the first session was pretty good and Blynn was able to focus on some of my handling.
Note the rousing play session. I did edit out the discussion with Blynn about my experimenting with play. I thought Gimme would like to win the tug by getting it away from me and had tried it the week before. What I found is she really prefers to have me holding up my end - when she gets it away from me she just hangs out close by and waits for me to grab it and re-engage. So I was experimenting by letting her pull me around using the toy. After this tug session, she doesn't really engage with it again, though she seems to want to. I think its just hard to tug when she's hot and panting...
The "3rd time is a charm" refers to Blynn getting my handling right, at which point Gimme did a great job and was moving out. Then Blynn fixed my handling for the turn to the aframe and naturally Gimme was brilliant then. ☺
071014A Agility Class
The second session was a jumpers course set up outside on grass in a fenced agility yard. Because of the setup, I was able to have Gimme out nearby for a long time before we went in for our turn. I had our matt and she was able to "chill" for me and get copious quantities of treats. By the time it was our turn, she was less concerned about the other dogs. However...
She was still distracted by the new setting and the presence of other dogs outside the ring. I used ping-pong treats to get her more focused. Of course, the first jump aimed her right at where a couple people were standing with their dogs... she would see them, loose focus and drift in that direction, missing the turn to the second jump. She wasn't fence fighting or reacting, just loosing focus. It took three tries to get the second jump and I played with her for a reward and to hold her attention. At one point Blynn said something about it not being my handling and so I told her about the dogs there. She started over, directing them to move and I said not to... I wanted Gimme to have the opportunity to work through this challenge. It took five tries to get all three of the first jumps, but given the setting, I was very happy with her for figuring it out.
After that the course just flowed and you'll hear the cheering in the background from my classmates about how fast Gimme was. Too often they don't get to see what I know this girl is capable of, so its nice to hear their appreciation when they do see it. They are a nice supportive group.
The second time we ran the course, Gimme paid no attention to the other dogs. It was so cool to see her totally dismiss the distraction/concern once she had worked through it. I love that about her - the way once she gets something, she pretty much has it from then on. (Tire jump notwithstanding)
One thing I've noticed and think is strange... Gimme will not permit physical/vertical play from Grafton - she gets quite incensed at his attempts. He has a great time teasing her with it, just to make her squeal at him with her high pitched girlie voice. Yet she seems to really like it from me. I've been using it quite a bit and she really responds well to it. Perhaps its because I'm not a dog and she's not a dog, but Grafton clearly is a dog. Who knows...
Anyway, my brag is - drum roll please - Tonight when we went outside for the jumpers course, despite the second jump pointing her directly toward dogs standing in the same place (even a little closer) and Gimme paid no attention to them. I'm sure we have a long way to go, but these two classes give me the most hope to believe she'll one day be able to compete in agility. I can't wait to show you the video.
Its interesting how much better she did on the first run than she had been doing. She still had her initial distraction, but it was much shorter. I'd been editing out about a minute and this time was less than 20 seconds. There were less distractions following error points. Overall the first session was pretty good and Blynn was able to focus on some of my handling.
Note the rousing play session. I did edit out the discussion with Blynn about my experimenting with play. I thought Gimme would like to win the tug by getting it away from me and had tried it the week before. What I found is she really prefers to have me holding up my end - when she gets it away from me she just hangs out close by and waits for me to grab it and re-engage. So I was experimenting by letting her pull me around using the toy. After this tug session, she doesn't really engage with it again, though she seems to want to. I think its just hard to tug when she's hot and panting...
The "3rd time is a charm" refers to Blynn getting my handling right, at which point Gimme did a great job and was moving out. Then Blynn fixed my handling for the turn to the aframe and naturally Gimme was brilliant then. ☺
071014A Agility Class
The second session was a jumpers course set up outside on grass in a fenced agility yard. Because of the setup, I was able to have Gimme out nearby for a long time before we went in for our turn. I had our matt and she was able to "chill" for me and get copious quantities of treats. By the time it was our turn, she was less concerned about the other dogs. However...
She was still distracted by the new setting and the presence of other dogs outside the ring. I used ping-pong treats to get her more focused. Of course, the first jump aimed her right at where a couple people were standing with their dogs... she would see them, loose focus and drift in that direction, missing the turn to the second jump. She wasn't fence fighting or reacting, just loosing focus. It took three tries to get the second jump and I played with her for a reward and to hold her attention. At one point Blynn said something about it not being my handling and so I told her about the dogs there. She started over, directing them to move and I said not to... I wanted Gimme to have the opportunity to work through this challenge. It took five tries to get all three of the first jumps, but given the setting, I was very happy with her for figuring it out.
After that the course just flowed and you'll hear the cheering in the background from my classmates about how fast Gimme was. Too often they don't get to see what I know this girl is capable of, so its nice to hear their appreciation when they do see it. They are a nice supportive group.
The second time we ran the course, Gimme paid no attention to the other dogs. It was so cool to see her totally dismiss the distraction/concern once she had worked through it. I love that about her - the way once she gets something, she pretty much has it from then on. (Tire jump notwithstanding)
One thing I've noticed and think is strange... Gimme will not permit physical/vertical play from Grafton - she gets quite incensed at his attempts. He has a great time teasing her with it, just to make her squeal at him with her high pitched girlie voice. Yet she seems to really like it from me. I've been using it quite a bit and she really responds well to it. Perhaps its because I'm not a dog and she's not a dog, but Grafton clearly is a dog. Who knows...
Anyway, my brag is - drum roll please - Tonight when we went outside for the jumpers course, despite the second jump pointing her directly toward dogs standing in the same place (even a little closer) and Gimme paid no attention to them. I'm sure we have a long way to go, but these two classes give me the most hope to believe she'll one day be able to compete in agility. I can't wait to show you the video.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Agility Videos (Feb)
Gimme was repeatedly distracted, which has often been an issue on our first turns... She was distracted before we started by the people on the sideline (10 seconds edited out)... by equipment on the edge of the ring (which she's seen a million times)... by taking a tunnel instead of watching my cue (could have been clearer cue, but wasn't totally bad - I was still on the take-off side of the jump)... by treats someone before us dropped (no she really wasn't looking for rats, silly Chris made the rat comment)... Third try for the turn was not a charm, but she did get it and I chose to go on to get her moving and in the game. We had a nice sequence afterward, until the turn before/into the weaves.
I find showing her the cookies often helps. I know its "bad" training and Blynn disagrees with it, but overall she lets me do what I need to for training. When Gimme knows what she's working for it helps her focus - its like it cuts through the fog of distractions. We do it a lot less now than we did in the beginning. She really nailed the turn and weave entry then. And the next 3 obstacles was good, my movement pushed too much and she went around the 3rd jump. When I did it right, so did she.
She did well after a reset and made it through to the send to the backside... I was too late to handle it and this is well before the recent workshop where we really started actually learning those advanced sends. Of course, after a mistake, she often follows with "being distracted". I read it as her not liking to be wrong and needing a mental break. She came back strong and did a really nice sequence until the fly-off on the up-side of the aframe. In her defense, my angle was bad and pulled her off. We have not trained a diverging angle, so because of my line of motion, she may have thought she was wrong to go on the aframe.
Of course, then she was distracted by the doggie behind the glass doors. Those doors lead to the foyer I've mentioned so often. The team to follow us is in there warming up brain cells and awaiting their turn. After the second time distracting toward the doors, you'll see me doing the multiple-alternating-palm touches. Gimme likes that and sometimes it works well to focus her - though it didn't this time. When she did come, I went on with the course to get her moving again.
On our second run through it went better. You'll see I started with the multiple-alternating-palm touches. It started well and then I sent her off course. Third try was much better. I love Blynn as an instructor. She's very patient, always positive and works with what we have in the moment. And she ALWAYS lets me know when its my fault - which often isn't immediately clear to me in the moment (though its always brutally clear on the video, eh).
First try 4:30, start to finish... second successful try 1:55... quite an improvement. I wish I could post our run from this week right after this one. The difference is dramatic. You'll get to see it soon enough.
One thing which always impresses me was how long Gimme will work. The original video was nearly 9 minutes... Yes she was distracted and taking side trips here and there, but she never actually quit on me. She is very resilient and really wants to work.
I changed two things this week. First, I made it a point to arrive sooner so she gets a walk when we first get there. Second, when our turn is approaching, I now got her out of the car one dog sooner than I was. This gives me plenty of time to potty walk her and still get a full six minutes in the foyer to get her in her working brain. I don't know why I didn't think to do those things before, to make better use of our time... but it really made a big difference this week.
We are off to a nosework element trial. Hoping to come home with a Level 1 Interior element title. Cross your fingers for us...
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Agility (3/4) & Workshop
Class this week was amazing. Gimme is about ready to come out of her false pregnancy - two clues: ignoring the "baby" for long stretches and being more playful. At this point she is more playful than her usual. She's always willing to play at home, but not so much in strange places. So I've been using her extra playfulness to get her used to the idea of playing away from home.
Last Thursday during the day we went to the fort for a walk. During our three mile walk, I got Gimme to indulge me with some personal play (no food or toys) six times. She's always been more reticent to do personal play, so I was experimenting. She has this scootchy little chase game she likes. I was even able to use play to reward short bursts of heeling (6 steps).
I'm discovering Gimme doesn't much like a frontal approach. I wish I'd never followed Ursula's advice about teaching her to give me my space by using body pressure - which I was told would only affect her in public. Afterward Urs admitted it would affect all her interactions with me. We've gotten some of her physical pushiness back, but not all of it.
The other thing I found was, she is very happy to be pushed away with my left hand, but not my right. I don't know if she's worried about my right hand (the one I've had trouble with this summer) or if I was guarding it and my posture was different. So I'll have to keep an eye on my own posture and whether I'm more frontal next time.
On Thursday for agility there wasn't anything really special about the agility itself. What was special was our tug play. I brought her Skinneez Squirrel and we tugged four times in the first session and once in the second. Last class I started some tugging and concluded the reason Gimme wasn't willing to play more was because she always lost the toy at the end. So I planned to let her win by dropping my end and playing chase and keep-away. I tried it several times and Gimme would bounce away once and then wait for me to take up my end and tug some more.
So now I have some more variables to try. I want to try letting her pull me around the floor while we tug - which I hope will feel more like winning to her. And I think I'll try some personal play for a few moments after her "release", so it won't be such an abrupt end when she gives up the toy. I also want to read all my notes from the Denise Fenzi seminar on personal and toy play to see if there are other options I'm forgetting.
In any case, she was tugging so much and so ferociously, and everyone was suitably impressed. They'd never seen this side of her and so it was a lot of fun to see their stunned looks. I do have to say I see a definite down-side to toy play - it is a lot more work. I got a much harder workout.
This weekend we also had a four-hour workshop on advanced sends. It was mostly about sends to the backside of the jump and the options you can use with it, as well as sight lines for movement and how to teach the dog to understand the cuing. As usual Blynn did a great job teaching it and has a nicely incremented approach using back-chaining to teach the dogs. And, also as usual, she is fabulous about explaining stuff until everyone understands.
It was really advanced stuff and we didn't do as well as we usually do. There were a couple of incidents, due to other handlers, so she spent the day always concerned about the other dogs. It was enough of a distraction, so to keep her focus I used the PB go toob for most exercises.
Also I don't think Gimme fully understood the introduction to the back side send (I have always handled it in class), so she wasn't really ready for the advanced exercises. To be honest most of the dogs were in the same boat, but most of them didn't have a history of doing it with handling to overcome.
Gimme was tired all the way home, but then brought me all her toys, one-by-one throughout the evening. Now I've promised her some training and play time, so I better get to it...
Last Thursday during the day we went to the fort for a walk. During our three mile walk, I got Gimme to indulge me with some personal play (no food or toys) six times. She's always been more reticent to do personal play, so I was experimenting. She has this scootchy little chase game she likes. I was even able to use play to reward short bursts of heeling (6 steps).
I'm discovering Gimme doesn't much like a frontal approach. I wish I'd never followed Ursula's advice about teaching her to give me my space by using body pressure - which I was told would only affect her in public. Afterward Urs admitted it would affect all her interactions with me. We've gotten some of her physical pushiness back, but not all of it.
The other thing I found was, she is very happy to be pushed away with my left hand, but not my right. I don't know if she's worried about my right hand (the one I've had trouble with this summer) or if I was guarding it and my posture was different. So I'll have to keep an eye on my own posture and whether I'm more frontal next time.
On Thursday for agility there wasn't anything really special about the agility itself. What was special was our tug play. I brought her Skinneez Squirrel and we tugged four times in the first session and once in the second. Last class I started some tugging and concluded the reason Gimme wasn't willing to play more was because she always lost the toy at the end. So I planned to let her win by dropping my end and playing chase and keep-away. I tried it several times and Gimme would bounce away once and then wait for me to take up my end and tug some more.
So now I have some more variables to try. I want to try letting her pull me around the floor while we tug - which I hope will feel more like winning to her. And I think I'll try some personal play for a few moments after her "release", so it won't be such an abrupt end when she gives up the toy. I also want to read all my notes from the Denise Fenzi seminar on personal and toy play to see if there are other options I'm forgetting.
In any case, she was tugging so much and so ferociously, and everyone was suitably impressed. They'd never seen this side of her and so it was a lot of fun to see their stunned looks. I do have to say I see a definite down-side to toy play - it is a lot more work. I got a much harder workout.
This weekend we also had a four-hour workshop on advanced sends. It was mostly about sends to the backside of the jump and the options you can use with it, as well as sight lines for movement and how to teach the dog to understand the cuing. As usual Blynn did a great job teaching it and has a nicely incremented approach using back-chaining to teach the dogs. And, also as usual, she is fabulous about explaining stuff until everyone understands.
It was really advanced stuff and we didn't do as well as we usually do. There were a couple of incidents, due to other handlers, so she spent the day always concerned about the other dogs. It was enough of a distraction, so to keep her focus I used the PB go toob for most exercises.
Also I don't think Gimme fully understood the introduction to the back side send (I have always handled it in class), so she wasn't really ready for the advanced exercises. To be honest most of the dogs were in the same boat, but most of them didn't have a history of doing it with handling to overcome.
Gimme was tired all the way home, but then brought me all her toys, one-by-one throughout the evening. Now I've promised her some training and play time, so I better get to it...
Friday, June 13, 2014
I Forgot
I forgot to mention - the other evening I decided to make a simple braided fleece tug. Gimme likes to chew them up until they get so small I throw them away. There's a four way braid I like better because its sturdier and the tugs last longer, but I don't have the dexterity and strength to do that right now.
Gimme was pretty funny when I was making it. She lay on the couch watching as I was cutting the strips. When I put one end together with a knot, her head came up. When I started braiding it, she sat up to watch. When the braid was about a foot long, she attacked it. I had to resort to putting her on a down-wait so I could finish braiding it. Then we did some rousing tugs and she was happy. I finally unknotted the ends and then put them together in one big knot to form a ring.
In the past I haven't brought tugs to classes much. Gimme has very minimal interest and even that is only one time. Thus, its never seemed to be of any value in that setting.
Last night I brought it and at one point where she did a really nice sequence, we had a nice rousing tug for her reward. Of course, after that she wasn't interested. Still I'm pleased that she tugged with such enthusiasm. Someday she'll tug more than once. I need to go watch the clips I have for tugging to improve my technique...
I'm thinking in that setting it might be good to let her win and then chase her down to get it back. Maybe that would build more value...
Gimme was pretty funny when I was making it. She lay on the couch watching as I was cutting the strips. When I put one end together with a knot, her head came up. When I started braiding it, she sat up to watch. When the braid was about a foot long, she attacked it. I had to resort to putting her on a down-wait so I could finish braiding it. Then we did some rousing tugs and she was happy. I finally unknotted the ends and then put them together in one big knot to form a ring.
In the past I haven't brought tugs to classes much. Gimme has very minimal interest and even that is only one time. Thus, its never seemed to be of any value in that setting.
Last night I brought it and at one point where she did a really nice sequence, we had a nice rousing tug for her reward. Of course, after that she wasn't interested. Still I'm pleased that she tugged with such enthusiasm. Someday she'll tug more than once. I need to go watch the clips I have for tugging to improve my technique...
I'm thinking in that setting it might be good to let her win and then chase her down to get it back. Maybe that would build more value...
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Agility (1/4)
Gimme was fabulous tonight. Can't wait to get the video's and share them.
For our first session, I was determined to work my CU plan and be prepared to do Give Me A Break game if she disconnected. It took a few tries to get in the door before she could go through and reorient to me. I was thinking on the way home, because there are people sitting on both sides of the door within leash range and she's so very people-social, its a very difficult challenge for her. Next week I want to try having her do some "whazzat" through the open door before we try to do the reorient between them.
Anyway after the doorway gauntlet, we made it walking nice and controlled to the start. I set her up and released her to the first jump and then she ran amuck. I went immediately into GMAB mode and finally ended up sitting with the people at the side. At one point she came up and gave me hit-and-run attention. Then when she was ready she was back and really insisted on playing together. From then on she was great. We worked through some tough spots and she just kept working and working and working. It was beyond great.
It makes a huge difference to Gimme for there to not be any conflict and then when I have her attention voluntarily, I have all of it and for an extended time. I think it is about meeting her needs. There was a time when this wasn't necessary, but when you consider all the upheaval and uncertainty emanating from me in the last 2.5 months - it makes sense. So, I believe this is a phase which will pass. Time, of course, will tell.
Of course, I was expecting her to be even better for our second session - after all she's always better the second time. I'd like to say the reason she wasn't is because it is so hard to improve on perfection.... Gimme was trying, but really couldn't stay focused. I worked some GMAB and we were able to end on a nice successful sequence. Blynn complimented my patience and my timing at ending on such a good sequence.
When I got her outside she didn't want to go to the car. While it didn't happen instantly, she did have a nice long pee. She had gone before we went in, but I guess she needed to go again and didn't want to go inside. She tried to work, but it was still enough of a need to distract her. She really does try to be a good girl...
For our first session, I was determined to work my CU plan and be prepared to do Give Me A Break game if she disconnected. It took a few tries to get in the door before she could go through and reorient to me. I was thinking on the way home, because there are people sitting on both sides of the door within leash range and she's so very people-social, its a very difficult challenge for her. Next week I want to try having her do some "whazzat" through the open door before we try to do the reorient between them.
Anyway after the doorway gauntlet, we made it walking nice and controlled to the start. I set her up and released her to the first jump and then she ran amuck. I went immediately into GMAB mode and finally ended up sitting with the people at the side. At one point she came up and gave me hit-and-run attention. Then when she was ready she was back and really insisted on playing together. From then on she was great. We worked through some tough spots and she just kept working and working and working. It was beyond great.
It makes a huge difference to Gimme for there to not be any conflict and then when I have her attention voluntarily, I have all of it and for an extended time. I think it is about meeting her needs. There was a time when this wasn't necessary, but when you consider all the upheaval and uncertainty emanating from me in the last 2.5 months - it makes sense. So, I believe this is a phase which will pass. Time, of course, will tell.
Of course, I was expecting her to be even better for our second session - after all she's always better the second time. I'd like to say the reason she wasn't is because it is so hard to improve on perfection.... Gimme was trying, but really couldn't stay focused. I worked some GMAB and we were able to end on a nice successful sequence. Blynn complimented my patience and my timing at ending on such a good sequence.
When I got her outside she didn't want to go to the car. While it didn't happen instantly, she did have a nice long pee. She had gone before we went in, but I guess she needed to go again and didn't want to go inside. She tried to work, but it was still enough of a need to distract her. She really does try to be a good girl...
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