In Thursday's class, Spot was the only one there! The weather was iffy and traffic horrible, so I was 15 minutes late.
We warmed up, did some contacts and some weaves. We did 2 sets of 2x2s, and he did very well. He's definitely improving.
Then we did some jump grids. First we did a 2 jump grid with a single and a double, which we raised and lowered. Then we tried some with me running with him, which he did fine with.
Then we did a 5 jump grid, starting out all at the same level, then changing the height of every other one higher, then back down. I also did some running with him on this one.
Finally we did a grid with 5 jumps. The first 4 jumps stayed the same distance away from each other, but the fifth jump we moved closer and then further away. This was to teach him to evaluate distance and figure out how to determine a set point. We also wanted to see how much of a distance he could bounce jump. We got it to about 12 feet.
Overall Spot did very well. He's a natural jumper. He actually would sometimes not wait for me to give the ok. He would self release and take all the jumps.
The next step will be setting up turns.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Serpentining the tunnel
So in Spot's class on Thursday we worked on some serpentine handling. We worked on serpentining the tunnel entrance and exit. I don't think I've done that with a tunnel before. I've done it with the A frame or dogwalk. So we had to send the dog to the tunnel, then call and feed with the outside hand, then send again and throw the reward toy. The timing was hard! But Spot got it.
We also worked on weaves again. I used 2 sets of 2x2 poles. Both pretty open. Spot did better than I thought. I tried not to send to the poles, but instead position myself so that he would take the poles on his own. Surprisingly he did better on the right, which is the off side. I'm happy that he is making progress. If he can get weaves, I can enter him in level 2 standard.
We also did the jump grid again. Spot did some grids with jumps at various heights so he could work on collection. He loves to jump, so much that I had to have him held back at the start. He has some good form, I think part is natural and part is from flyball, which we did a few years ago.
I sent in 2 entry forms for upcoming trials. I am hoping to get into the trial Feb 13th at All Dogs Gym in Manchester and the Bo Gee trial at American K9 Country in Amherst. But All Dogs is always tough, and I messed up sending in the Bo Gee entry. I sent it in postmarked by the 18th, but they were doing first received by the 18th. I only entered the Friday classes, so hopefully I will get in!
We also worked on weaves again. I used 2 sets of 2x2 poles. Both pretty open. Spot did better than I thought. I tried not to send to the poles, but instead position myself so that he would take the poles on his own. Surprisingly he did better on the right, which is the off side. I'm happy that he is making progress. If he can get weaves, I can enter him in level 2 standard.
We also did the jump grid again. Spot did some grids with jumps at various heights so he could work on collection. He loves to jump, so much that I had to have him held back at the start. He has some good form, I think part is natural and part is from flyball, which we did a few years ago.
I sent in 2 entry forms for upcoming trials. I am hoping to get into the trial Feb 13th at All Dogs Gym in Manchester and the Bo Gee trial at American K9 Country in Amherst. But All Dogs is always tough, and I messed up sending in the Bo Gee entry. I sent it in postmarked by the 18th, but they were doing first received by the 18th. I only entered the Friday classes, so hopefully I will get in!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Spot agility January 14th
So, Spot had agility class last Thursday. I decided not to take Shelby, since she doesn't have any competitions coming up, and hopefully Spot will get into either the next All Dogs trial or Bo Gee trial.
This class we did some work on weave poles. Spot isn't great at them. He could do 6 poles if they were open. When we closed up the first set, he missed them and went to the second set. He gets so hyped up, it's like he just doesn't see them. It doesn't help that we don't work on them at home, but I just don't have enough space.
Next we did a jump grid. This is where you set up 4 jumps at a low height in order to encourage the dog to bounce through them. This means landing and taking off right away without a step in between. Like flyball jumping. This helps the dog learn their optimal take off point and learn how to jump more efficiently. The first time we tried it, we had 2 jumps. Well, Spot took off and jumped both at once! Once he understood, he did really well. He had no problem with 4 jumps. Some dogs don't plan well, and by the time they get to the 4th jump, they are off balance.
Then at the end we did a small sequence. Part of the sequence was a rear cross. I feel like Spot's rear crosses are suffering the longer we train. Like before, he just charged ahead and didn't care, but now he's actually paying attention, so he sticks with me. So I need to do some rewarding for going ahead.
This class we did some work on weave poles. Spot isn't great at them. He could do 6 poles if they were open. When we closed up the first set, he missed them and went to the second set. He gets so hyped up, it's like he just doesn't see them. It doesn't help that we don't work on them at home, but I just don't have enough space.
Next we did a jump grid. This is where you set up 4 jumps at a low height in order to encourage the dog to bounce through them. This means landing and taking off right away without a step in between. Like flyball jumping. This helps the dog learn their optimal take off point and learn how to jump more efficiently. The first time we tried it, we had 2 jumps. Well, Spot took off and jumped both at once! Once he understood, he did really well. He had no problem with 4 jumps. Some dogs don't plan well, and by the time they get to the 4th jump, they are off balance.
Then at the end we did a small sequence. Part of the sequence was a rear cross. I feel like Spot's rear crosses are suffering the longer we train. Like before, he just charged ahead and didn't care, but now he's actually paying attention, so he sticks with me. So I need to do some rewarding for going ahead.
Monday, January 04, 2010
Bissell MVP Contest is starting
Bissell is starting their MVP contest again. You can enter a photo of your dog each week, and then people vote. Your dog could end up on the packaging!
I entered Spot, but voting doesn't start until next week.
I entered Spot, but voting doesn't start until next week.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
New Year's Day Agility
Wow-can't believe I haven't posted in a month! We had a little break from agility class, but New Year's Day Spot and Shelby both had a session.
In Spot's class, we are up to running courses of 16-20 obstacles now. It feels weird because to me he is still a beginner! The course we did opened with 2 jumps in a row, then a jump diagonal to the right, then left to the A frame. I opted to handle it on the right, and call Spot to me, then send over the jump and handle the tunnel on the right. I did that rather than the front cross, because Spot is so fast, and I just don't have the timing down right. My instructor didn't really like the way I did it, because I used the Linda Mecklinburg system of calling to heel position, and I didn't cue the turn well, and Spot slid, which can be danerous. So to make it work, I ust needed to cue like a serpentine, so Spot knows the turn is coming. I did it a second time, but tried a rear cross, which Spot usually does well, but he was super slow this time.
The second section of the course was A frame to a tunnel underneath on the left, then weave poles, a jump with a 180 to the dog walk. I ran the A frame on the right, and then did a front cross to the tunnel and the weaves on the right, to the jump and dog walk. That worked fine, but my instructor suggested doing a post turn-type move off the A frame to make it easier for me to run to the other side of the A frame to get the weave poles. That did work better!
After the dog walk, it was a left turn, over 2 jumps, to a tunnel, then a 3 jumps in a pinwheel, to the final jump. I ran it so that I was past the jump after the dog walk when Spot was hitting the contact so I would be able to call him over the jump. That worked well and he held his contact. The sequence went well, until the pinwheel. I tried to send, and Spot missed the last jump. For some reason, I feel like I should send whenever posible, because it's more advanced or something...when in reality, running with the dog works better.
For Shelby's class, we had the same course, but in different order. We added a tunnel after jump 3. Then we went to the tunnel under the A frame, the A frame, then a jump, and the dog walk the opposite direction from the first class. We worked a lot on how to handle the tunnel/A frame combo, like rear crossing the tunnel, running the tunnel on the right and flipping to the A frame, front crossing the tunnel, etc. The end section was the same, so I actually skipped out, since we had been there more than 90 minutes and I had to go get ready for the party.
We talked a lot about matching your stride to the dog's stride, and I have to say, it worked. I felt like Shelby and I were more connected somehow. Like we were running the whole thing together, I wasn't sending her to go run and standing there. Shelby seemed to be having more fun too.
In Spot's class, we are up to running courses of 16-20 obstacles now. It feels weird because to me he is still a beginner! The course we did opened with 2 jumps in a row, then a jump diagonal to the right, then left to the A frame. I opted to handle it on the right, and call Spot to me, then send over the jump and handle the tunnel on the right. I did that rather than the front cross, because Spot is so fast, and I just don't have the timing down right. My instructor didn't really like the way I did it, because I used the Linda Mecklinburg system of calling to heel position, and I didn't cue the turn well, and Spot slid, which can be danerous. So to make it work, I ust needed to cue like a serpentine, so Spot knows the turn is coming. I did it a second time, but tried a rear cross, which Spot usually does well, but he was super slow this time.
The second section of the course was A frame to a tunnel underneath on the left, then weave poles, a jump with a 180 to the dog walk. I ran the A frame on the right, and then did a front cross to the tunnel and the weaves on the right, to the jump and dog walk. That worked fine, but my instructor suggested doing a post turn-type move off the A frame to make it easier for me to run to the other side of the A frame to get the weave poles. That did work better!
After the dog walk, it was a left turn, over 2 jumps, to a tunnel, then a 3 jumps in a pinwheel, to the final jump. I ran it so that I was past the jump after the dog walk when Spot was hitting the contact so I would be able to call him over the jump. That worked well and he held his contact. The sequence went well, until the pinwheel. I tried to send, and Spot missed the last jump. For some reason, I feel like I should send whenever posible, because it's more advanced or something...when in reality, running with the dog works better.
For Shelby's class, we had the same course, but in different order. We added a tunnel after jump 3. Then we went to the tunnel under the A frame, the A frame, then a jump, and the dog walk the opposite direction from the first class. We worked a lot on how to handle the tunnel/A frame combo, like rear crossing the tunnel, running the tunnel on the right and flipping to the A frame, front crossing the tunnel, etc. The end section was the same, so I actually skipped out, since we had been there more than 90 minutes and I had to go get ready for the party.
We talked a lot about matching your stride to the dog's stride, and I have to say, it worked. I felt like Shelby and I were more connected somehow. Like we were running the whole thing together, I wasn't sending her to go run and standing there. Shelby seemed to be having more fun too.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Thursday night agility
Spot and Shelby both had agility class on Thursday night. They were both super happy to be there.
In Spot's class we worked on sequences. I still don't have good timing with him. He is so fast and headstrong that he likes to drive ahead and do what he thinks is right. We did a sequence a couple different ways, using serpentines. My instructor thinks maybe Spot is nearsighted, because sometimes he just runs by obstacles-in particular jumps and weaves. She even hard a hard time at one point getting him to take a jump. I knew it wasn't all my fault!
Shelby's class was really fun. We didn't run a course. Instead we worked on determining if our dogs truly understand obstacle discrimination cues Come and Out. At first we tried to send our dogs over a jump to the far end of a tunnel, which the dog could not see. Only one dog out of 4 got it. Shelby got the near tunnel entrance. I used my Flip command to actually tell her to take that one, and she did, so she does know that.
Then we set up the dog in the center of the tunnel and used just a verbal command to send them Out to the far entrance. Shelby was really confused! She didn't quite know what to do with herself. It was kind of funny. She just looked up at me, like what are you doing? So I had to give a tiny hand motion and she got it no problem. Same thing with Come.
Then we worked on sending to the weaves. We sent the dog over a jump to the weaves about 12 feet away. Then we added layering, so that there was a jump between us and the weaves. Shelby was a champ at that-no issues at all on either side. That really taught me that I need to not babysit her weaves. She knows how to do them and I should stay out of her way!
In Spot's class we worked on sequences. I still don't have good timing with him. He is so fast and headstrong that he likes to drive ahead and do what he thinks is right. We did a sequence a couple different ways, using serpentines. My instructor thinks maybe Spot is nearsighted, because sometimes he just runs by obstacles-in particular jumps and weaves. She even hard a hard time at one point getting him to take a jump. I knew it wasn't all my fault!
Shelby's class was really fun. We didn't run a course. Instead we worked on determining if our dogs truly understand obstacle discrimination cues Come and Out. At first we tried to send our dogs over a jump to the far end of a tunnel, which the dog could not see. Only one dog out of 4 got it. Shelby got the near tunnel entrance. I used my Flip command to actually tell her to take that one, and she did, so she does know that.
Then we set up the dog in the center of the tunnel and used just a verbal command to send them Out to the far entrance. Shelby was really confused! She didn't quite know what to do with herself. It was kind of funny. She just looked up at me, like what are you doing? So I had to give a tiny hand motion and she got it no problem. Same thing with Come.
Then we worked on sending to the weaves. We sent the dog over a jump to the weaves about 12 feet away. Then we added layering, so that there was a jump between us and the weaves. Shelby was a champ at that-no issues at all on either side. That really taught me that I need to not babysit her weaves. She knows how to do them and I should stay out of her way!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Dogged Pursuit
I just finished reading Dogged Pursuit: My Year of Competing Dusty, the World's Least Likely Agility Dog.
It was entertaining, but nothing that special. I think it captured pretty much what every competitor goes through at the beginning. I could definitely relate to having a dog who is great in training but not so great in competition.
One thing that did ring true was his relationship with the other competitors. I definitely still feel like an outsider at trials, even though I have agility friends and have been trialling for a couple of years. Each time I go, I think "Are these people really enjoying this?" I love the challenge of competing, but I can't stand the hours and hours of waiting around between runs. Also, getting up at 5:30 am to drive 90 minutes to the trial site, get set up and be ready to go at 7:30 am is barbaric to me. Wouldn't everyone have more fun if the trial started at 10am and runs were more limited? If I enjoyed it more, I would go to more trials. As it is, I can only handle one day every 2-3 months.
It was entertaining, but nothing that special. I think it captured pretty much what every competitor goes through at the beginning. I could definitely relate to having a dog who is great in training but not so great in competition.
One thing that did ring true was his relationship with the other competitors. I definitely still feel like an outsider at trials, even though I have agility friends and have been trialling for a couple of years. Each time I go, I think "Are these people really enjoying this?" I love the challenge of competing, but I can't stand the hours and hours of waiting around between runs. Also, getting up at 5:30 am to drive 90 minutes to the trial site, get set up and be ready to go at 7:30 am is barbaric to me. Wouldn't everyone have more fun if the trial started at 10am and runs were more limited? If I enjoyed it more, I would go to more trials. As it is, I can only handle one day every 2-3 months.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Spot Making Progess in Agility
Spot's been back at agility class for 2 weeks. It's been going well.
Last Thursday we worked on a 10-obstacle sequence and he actually could do the whole thing! I don't know when that happened! And I can tell he knows what crosses mean, which I didn't think he totally got yet.
At the beginning of class we worked on weaves. We're still at 2 poles, but I had them strait and he did well. He totally understood that he needed to go between the poles for reward. We had a little trouble with the off side entry. He did fine at first but as we kept on, he stopped doing it correctly. So I got him to do one more correct one and then stopped.
Then we worked on our sequence. It was 3 jumps to a tunnel, then the dog walk, then the tunnel which was under the A frame, then the A frame, then 2 jumps, tunnel, and 3 jumps. For the opening, I started with Spot on my left and tried to run the tunnel on the left, but Spot ran into me on the way to the dog walk, so it wasn't great. So we practiced it with a front cross before and after the tunnel. I couldn't quite get the timing right. Spot did a good job with the obstacle discrimination, taking the tunnel no problem. Then we did the A frame, an handled the 2 jumps and tunnel like a serpenine. The end section was a little tough, because coming out of the tunnel, the next two jumps were parallel to the tunnel exit. I tried a post turn and then a rear cross, but Spot didn't understand. It could also be a serpentine, but still not exactly easy.
Overall, Spot did well and I'm happy with his progress.
Last Thursday we worked on a 10-obstacle sequence and he actually could do the whole thing! I don't know when that happened! And I can tell he knows what crosses mean, which I didn't think he totally got yet.
At the beginning of class we worked on weaves. We're still at 2 poles, but I had them strait and he did well. He totally understood that he needed to go between the poles for reward. We had a little trouble with the off side entry. He did fine at first but as we kept on, he stopped doing it correctly. So I got him to do one more correct one and then stopped.
Then we worked on our sequence. It was 3 jumps to a tunnel, then the dog walk, then the tunnel which was under the A frame, then the A frame, then 2 jumps, tunnel, and 3 jumps. For the opening, I started with Spot on my left and tried to run the tunnel on the left, but Spot ran into me on the way to the dog walk, so it wasn't great. So we practiced it with a front cross before and after the tunnel. I couldn't quite get the timing right. Spot did a good job with the obstacle discrimination, taking the tunnel no problem. Then we did the A frame, an handled the 2 jumps and tunnel like a serpenine. The end section was a little tough, because coming out of the tunnel, the next two jumps were parallel to the tunnel exit. I tried a post turn and then a rear cross, but Spot didn't understand. It could also be a serpentine, but still not exactly easy.
Overall, Spot did well and I'm happy with his progress.
Positive Small Dog Interactions
I've had a little bit of a challenge working on Shelby's sometimes agression towards small dogs. I always walk her on leash now at Willards Woods, because I want to be able to control any situation. Shelby doesn't seem to mind it, except sometimes when Spot runs off into the bushes.
Last time we went to WW, there were a lot of dogs there. There was a woman who came up behind us with a jack russell mix who was off leash. I told her right away that Shelby can be agressive, but she said her dog was very mellow and never had a problem with anyone, so I let Shelby say hello. I tried not to be stressed! The jack mix was friendly, but calm and confident. He and Shelby met and it was fine, and then he came back and they sniffed again, and it was totally fine.
Then we came across a rat terrier and another little dog, I think it maybe a schauzer mix. I was a little worried because the rat terrier was a little high strung and I thought Shelby would jump on it. But it went fine. Shelby greeted both dogs calmly, and then both groups parted ways. I was so proud of her.
However, it wasn't totally positive, because just after that we met a shitzu puppy, and they greeted, but the puppy was a little bit in Shelby's face, and she growled after a minute, so I pulled her away.
But overall, it was a step forward and I have hope that we can resolve her issues.
Last time we went to WW, there were a lot of dogs there. There was a woman who came up behind us with a jack russell mix who was off leash. I told her right away that Shelby can be agressive, but she said her dog was very mellow and never had a problem with anyone, so I let Shelby say hello. I tried not to be stressed! The jack mix was friendly, but calm and confident. He and Shelby met and it was fine, and then he came back and they sniffed again, and it was totally fine.
Then we came across a rat terrier and another little dog, I think it maybe a schauzer mix. I was a little worried because the rat terrier was a little high strung and I thought Shelby would jump on it. But it went fine. Shelby greeted both dogs calmly, and then both groups parted ways. I was so proud of her.
However, it wasn't totally positive, because just after that we met a shitzu puppy, and they greeted, but the puppy was a little bit in Shelby's face, and she growled after a minute, so I pulled her away.
But overall, it was a step forward and I have hope that we can resolve her issues.
Some Hunting Video
Here is the video I took at Willard's Woods last weekend. You can see that Shelby is really into it. She's sniffing and digging and really working. It's obvious she has the natural talent and inclination for earthdog, but hasn't yet gotten "turned on" in the artificial environment that earthdog provides. I love how in the video you can see Spot inside the hollow log.
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