Tuesday was the last night of our 6 week advanced beginner agility class. We started at the beginner level and over the past 3 months have learned a lot. These classes are as much about me learning the best way to communicate verbally and with my body language, where I want Shelby to go, as they are about teaching Shelby how to negotiate the different obstacles.
We've learned to jump through a tire, go over single jumps, through a tunnel and the chute, which is a tunnel with fabric on one end that they have to push through, the pause table, the weave poles, the teeter totter, and the A frame. We'll definitely be working more on the weave poles and the teeter and the A frame in the intermediate class starting next week. Sometimes I feel like we are going too slow, with the backchaining method used by the instructor, but in the end I think that method does work well. Backchaining means you learn the end of the sequence first, so that when you add a new part onto the beginning, you always know the next step.
We've learned to jump through a tire, go over single jumps, through a tunnel and the chute, which is a tunnel with fabric on one end that they have to push through, the pause table, the weave poles, the teeter totter, and the A frame. We'll definitely be working more on the weave poles and the teeter and the A frame in the intermediate class starting next week. Sometimes I feel like we are going too slow, with the backchaining method used by the instructor, but in the end I think that method does work well. Backchaining means you learn the end of the sequence first, so that when you add a new part onto the beginning, you always know the next step.
The last thing we did on Tues was a run through of a full course with 8 obstacles. We were the last to go. Everything was going great-we started with the tire, then a tunnel, then another tunnel, then 3 jumps in a row and another tunnel-and then that's where things went out of control. We had 1 last obstacle, the table. As Shelby exited the tunnel, instead of coming to the table, she ran off, up the stairs and totally ignored me! Then she came back, but she was going around the ring to where another dog was sitting. Now this dog is very reactive and doesn't like other dogs too much, so I was worried. The instructor had me run in the opposite direction all the way to the other end of the ring. That got Shelby's attention! She came tearing over and we were able to run to the table and finally complete the course, providing much amusement for my classmates.
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