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Puppy October 6

And here comes your last list!

1. add duration and distractions to heeling – try it in different environments, reward a lot there, but apart from that, start adding more duration: reward every couple of steps with a small reward first, then do a really long distance and big jackpot for it – then a couple of steps for a small reward and a really long distance for a great reward again – vary it a lot for them to be able to see the pattern that the longer there is no reward, the better!

2. pick up the object to hug it – if the dog can already hold an object independently, put it on the floor and see if he can solve the problem and pick it up with a muzzle to get a hold of it with a paw

3. get a ball for kids, hold it with your feet so that it doesn’t move too much at first and click for front legs on – then release your feet a little bit so that it starts to move and the dog needs to balance on it. Now click for little steps on the ball, the final goal is the dog walking ahead with hind feet on the ground and front feet rolling the ball. Great for balance and coordination and for getting used to objects moving under the feet.

4. “sit up” to “stand up” and back and “down” to “sit up” and back – great for strength in the back, especially important for those who will be doing agility. Down to a sit up and back should go easy, use a hand signal together with your verbal cues. First, reward even if the dog goes into a sit for a second, but then try to get rid of it and go for direct transitions from one position to another. Sit up to a stand up is easy too, you can use a lure for that one. Going back to sit up (without falling in sit first) is hard, so offer your hand as a support so that the dog can lean on it and then click for any knee bending until actually going into sit up. This is conditioning exercise, so you can help some more with lures if necessary. As always, don’t do so many repetitions that the dog would be sore after, you need to build muscle and balance gradually.

5. another great warming up exercise to stretch the dog before the run: spins to left&right and figure 8 forward. I teach it with a nose touch, putting a hand for a nose touch on the right spot (somewhere at the dog’s hip) to get a spin, then getting more&more spins in the same direction in a row, fading the hand and putting it on verbal cue left &right – very useful to have those directionals also on a course! I also do figure 8 forward with a nose touch, putting a hand so that the dog comes between the legs, rewarding at the side and then again the other direction. Fade the hand then into a hand signal and then completely, using just a verbal cue. I simply use cik&cap as the dog is wrapping an object again - my leg.

And yes, sure, that nose targeting is almost as luring and if you wanted, you can also shape it instead. I will sometimes lure as sometimes, it is the easiest way to the goal. I never lure at the very beginning stages as I want a puppy to understand the concept of shaping first because many things simply can’t be taught by luring, so at one point, you need a dog who will offer behaviors. If you always help with easy tricks and then count on simply going to shaping when needed, you’ll get in trouble. But I don’t have a problem with going the other way around: first only shape, but later on do some luring or targeting when teaching something as easy as figure 8, spins or sit up to stand up.

6. limping: click for one paw in the air (front or rear, whatever you prefer), add a little bit duration and then start clicking for any movements or weight shift of other 3 legs. Shape towards a real step and slowly add more&more to get limping on front/rear foot.

You again have 2 weeks to work on those exercises and post videos to comment and suggestions for improvements. Then, I will open a new, "graduation page"  and this will be your very last assignment: making a video of everything you learned in this class – without training sessions as such, but finished version of tricks, some breakthrough moments, some playing, city walking and everything else you did with your dog for this class (using what you already taped or taping some more). Those videos will be your graduation work, you will get a “LoLaBuLand puppy class graduate” certificate and as a gift, a download link to a training video of your choice (see the training videos website to choose one). Auditors are more than welcome to post graduation videos too!

And then that's it for this class, but I hope to see many of you also in Foundations, starting 27th February! If you want to continue with tricks too, you're also welcome to join Advanced Tricks. Advanced Tricks have open registration, meaning that you can register and post whenever you want, no time limitations. It would be cool if a group from October Puppy Class joins too! And the third option you have is to join Running Contacts class that started today. Next RC class will probably only start in September - or MAYBE May.


166 Comments

  1. Deb Jones January 15, 2012 at 21:07 Log in to Reply

    We have gotten pretty far behind, but are still working on perfecting some of the previous lessons. Here’s Star’s progress on the ring stack.

    Ring stack

    I think she understands the concept (put the ring over the holder) and she has a basic idea of how to do it, but she is still refining her skill.

    Silvia, that is very generous of you to offer a free download!

    Deb

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    • LoLaBu January 15, 2012 at 23:00 Log in to Reply

      Wow, looks really good to me already!!! Those small ones were really impressive! She will definitely get even smoother with more practice, but it already looks really good to me, what a precision with those tiny little rings!

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  2. Louise Hoelscher January 18, 2012 at 02:27 Log in to Reply

    Trumpet LOVES the *“down” to “sit up” and back* trick, as you can see:

    Trumpet -- calisthenics

    “sit up” to “stand up” and back is a bit harder. He’s a strong dog so he should be able to do it. I think he just needs better balance. We’ll get there.

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    • LoLaBu January 18, 2012 at 15:35 Log in to Reply

      Very cool!!! Loved the drumming he does with front feet in a down position just before he goes in a sit up the first time too! 🙂 Maybe another trick that you can master on the way!

      It’s often hard for them to understand to fold their knees after they stand up. If you can have him reach up just a little bit, stretching knees SOME but not all the way and actually as little as possible at first, that would be great! You can try and post it, it usually works really well and then allows you to progress to standing up more&more before sitting down again very quickly.

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      • Louise Hoelscher January 18, 2012 at 16:43 Log in to Reply

        I did buy a kid’s drum for Trumpet. He uses his feet a LOT so I’m sure he’ll take to drumming quite easily. I just haven’t had time to start teaching it yet.

        I will definitely try to get him to stretch his knees just a little bit. I was asking for a full up position but what you say makes sense. Will give it a try and take videos on the weekend. Thanks Silvia!

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  3. Louise Hoelscher January 18, 2012 at 02:35 Log in to Reply

    We didn’t have a ball for “roll the ball” so we improvised. I used a large roll of shipping paper which worked out quite well. I do some of my training sessions at the office during lunch break :-).

    Both Tat and Trumpet:

    Tat + Trumpet -- Rolling

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    • LoLaBu January 18, 2012 at 15:39 Log in to Reply

      Great! You could even try getting both, forward and backwards rolling as Tat is offering some backwards rolling too at the very end of her turn! Do try a ball too once you get one (you need it for Advanced Tricks too anyway) as it moves in more unpredictable directions. How cool they can come to the office with you!!!

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      • Louise Hoelscher January 18, 2012 at 16:47 Log in to Reply

        I was getting both forward and backward rolling at first but I tried to reward front rolling only. I do have one ball but it’s very slippery so I plan on buying a basketball if I ever get to a store that has one. and yes I am very lucky that I can bring all my dogs to work with me every day. In the summer time I spend my lunch hour walking them outside. In the winter, we train indoors :-). It’s great socialization for my puppies too.

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        • LoLaBu January 18, 2012 at 18:53 Log in to Reply

          So you bring all 6? Every day? Wow! And yes, basketball would be great. I only have a slippery one too and it actually works fine, but less slippery would be even better!

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          • Louise Hoelscher January 18, 2012 at 19:19 Log in to Reply

            Yes, all 6 every day. I used to bring 8 but I lost my two old dogs this winter :-(. Most customers who come in don’t even realize there are dogs here, or they’ll see one and think there is only one then look all surprised when they notice a second one, then a third, etc. lol. Whippets are very quiet as long as they’ve got a comfortable bed :-). In the skateboarding video you can see the compartments I had built in for the dogs under the counter. I have doors so I can shut them if I need to. I have four of these double doors, plus 2 crates in the back of the stockroom (I work in a stockroom) and 3 other beds under my desk :-).

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            • LoLaBu January 18, 2012 at 22:00 Log in to Reply

              I can imagine a surprise! Most people I meet on walks are surprised even by just 4 dogs and outside 🙂

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  4. Louise Hoelscher January 18, 2012 at 02:41 Log in to Reply

    Our second step in hugging. In a sit, and using a wrapped bottle, with handles which helped a bit for me to continue holding. They’re not able to hold anything yet on their own. I think my next step might be to use a small stuffed toy?

    Tat + Trumpet -- Hugging -- 2nd step

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    • LoLaBu January 18, 2012 at 15:47 Log in to Reply

      You can keep working with this bottle or a stuffed toy, whatever is lighter and easier to hold. Trumpet’s hugs look great already, are you sure he can’t hold it on his own? You can try pulling an object away from him gently and click if he pulls it back to him stronger, to get even firmer holds if he can’t yet hold it. With Tat, select for firmer grips too and don’t click anymore when she doesn’t go all the way around the object.

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      • Louise Hoelscher January 18, 2012 at 16:52 Log in to Reply

        He hasnt’ really generalized yet. When I tried holding a bottle for him he kept pawing at my hand (and it hurts!) which is why I like this handle with the toy. I am starting to let it go to see if he’ll hold it but so far he’s dropped it right away. He’s not very good with anything that requires duration, lol. He likes to be moving all the time. I will try pulling it away from him though; I haven’t tried that.

        Yes, careful Tat needs to learn to hold it firmer. She is too gentle about it :-). Thanks for the tips.

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        • LoLaBu January 18, 2012 at 18:52 Log in to Reply

          Yeap, this toy looks great for transitioning from a pole! It also allows you to try to pull it away, it might make him hold stronger. You don’t need much duration for now, just a very firm grip!

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  5. Bobbi January 18, 2012 at 19:06 Log in to Reply

    Hootie and I are still working on his “sit-up”. He’ll sit, and then throw his front paws up in the air briefly, but they never get very high. (I ask for a nose touch above his head). I’ve done another “trick” with him where I clap my hands and he sits up and puts his paws on my hands, leaning on me for support. My hope was that this would create some muscle memory and strength in the muscles in his back. But he still can’t do it independently. Also, when I offer a pole (or even a toy) for him to hug he wants to sit up and hug it, but leans on it heavily. So any suggestions for us?

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    • LoLaBu January 18, 2012 at 22:09 Log in to Reply

      Yes, with a nose touch you usually don’t get high paws, but don’t worry about that, you can train that later. Does his body get high enough that his back is vertical? Can you reward him immediately when he does it and so high that he needs to keep front feet in the air to get it? That would sure speed up the process!

      The hug, you need to shape it with one leg in sit position first… Do you get any of one leg hugs? Maybe after he slides down the pole (use a slippery one!)? Or if you hold a toy very very low? One leg hugs would allow you to work on a firm independent hold (see Louise’s videos of Tat and Trumpet to see next and second next step :)) Two-legs hug is then very easy to get when you have good duration on sit up and a good hold. On the other hand, if you start it too soon and let them lean on it, it’s hard to get rid of the leaning habit.

      Hope that helps some!

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      • Bobbi January 19, 2012 at 23:51 Log in to Reply

        Hey, Silvia!
        No, Hootie never sits up high enough to get his back even close to vertical. He’s pretty sure he’d fall. Even when I hold his feet up for him and put my face down to love on him he won’t get even close to vertical. When I ask him to touch my hand for a sit-up, if he has to get close to vertical in order to reach my hand he’ll jump up onto his hind feet. Is there another way for me to encourage the sit-up with high paws? That might be something new enough for him that he’ll try harder.

        As for the hug… he loves holding the bottle or a toy with one leg while sitting -- he does that very well. I think if I can teach him to sit up he’ll be able to do the two-arm hold easily. He wants to do that. So… it’s all about sitting up. Hurumph.

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        • Kathy January 20, 2012 at 11:12 Log in to Reply

          Bobbi—Maybe it’s a red&white BC thing 🙂 Zephyr can’t do a sit up on his own yet either! Some days he gets close but then his legs grow more & I think he feels like he has a new body & we’re back to square one! 🙂

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          • Bobbi January 21, 2012 at 16:57 Log in to Reply

            Hi, Kathy!
            Thanks for the words of encouragement from another red & white BC person! Maybe that’s it -- -- it’s a redhead thing!
            I love all of Silvia’s good advice -- -- she never runs out of suggestions. She’s so amazing! Can’t wait to try the latest ideas.

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        • LoLaBu January 20, 2012 at 13:30 Log in to Reply

          Yeap, sounds like all you need is a sit up! When you’re trying to get it, make sure he is sitting straight, not to the side. To make it easier at first, you can try to sit in a chair, have him sit in front of you and put his paws on your knees -- and then try it with you standing up too and jackpotting when you feel he is not leaning on you too much. Another thing you could try is to have him sit the other way around, facing the same direction as you, so that he can lean on your legs with his back in order not to fall and then you ask him for front paws on your hands -- first low and then higher&higher.

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          • Diane Whitney January 23, 2012 at 04:35 Log in to Reply

            Oh, Silvia, this idea alone (about putting his paws on your knees and then standing up) is worth the price of admission! Finally I think we will be able to get this trick! Thank you!!!

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  6. Bobbi January 18, 2012 at 20:11 Log in to Reply

    Hootie’s offering a back foot up, so I’m confidant that we can get the “limp”. (He thinks backing up onto the furniture is great fun, and at other times just throws in a hind leg lift for the fun of it!) But how do I ask him to limp on the front foot?

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    • LoLaBu January 18, 2012 at 22:39 Log in to Reply

      Well, you can either shape the front foot up (clicking for shifting weight to one leg etc. all the way to a real lift) or you can use a paw target from the first lesson to have him lift a paw to a target and then fade it into a hand signal.

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  7. Verena January 18, 2012 at 23:59 Log in to Reply

    Here is some footage from todays clicker session:

    Bisou PuppyTraining 18Jan2012

    How should I proceed with handstand? She does it quite narrow to the wall already -- would the next step be something like a table where it is harder to lean against?

    Heeling works well, she adapts to different speeds and keeps position. Transferring it to different environments now to add distractions.

    First try with the small ball -- still work in progress!

    For the sit up to down -- should she remain in upright position for a bit?

    We also did some spins left & right but I didn’t film it -- next time 🙂

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    • Louise Hoelscher January 19, 2012 at 01:58 Log in to Reply

      Wow, is there anything Bisou can’t do? :-). Can’t believe she’s just a pup! She’s so good at everything.

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      • Heini Viitamäki January 19, 2012 at 08:03 Log in to Reply

        Wow, Bisou is so good! 🙂

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    • LoLaBu January 19, 2012 at 12:45 Log in to Reply

      Wow, that’s brilliant! Really great work! Beautiful heeling, great cik&cap and sure a really great strength and balance for a puppy! With extra points for enthusiasm 🙂 For the handstand, you cam next try something like a table leg yes and then go to thinner&thinner objects, finally to the weave poles for example. Down to sit up, you can wait for her to balance in sit up and then ask for down again -- so not much of duration, but enough that she needs to balance some.

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    • Kathy January 19, 2012 at 14:13 Log in to Reply

      AWESOME!!!

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    • Natalie Bayless January 19, 2012 at 18:32 Log in to Reply

      Just got back online after almost a week without internet -- and got to see Bisou’s performance. She is absolutely incredible!!! I love watching your videos of her.

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      • Verena January 19, 2012 at 20:43 Log in to Reply

        Thanks for the compliments -- makes me very proud of my little girl, it is a lot of fun to train a dog so willing to work 🙂

        Oh yes, Louise, there are a lot of things Bisou cannot do, even quite simple things like STAY for example. Thats the reason I never posted it -- she just doesn’t do it 🙂 She can do it in 2o2o position, but we cannot switch to a stay in sit or down position without any supporting object to stand on.
        And if you take a nap somewhere you will always have the risk of a (fortunately) small Tibetian landing right upon you -- and no sign of feeling guilty, she just wags her tail, licks across your face, feeling very right in what she has just done.

        She also starts barking a lot like most Tibetians do -- I am very strict in this, but she definitely has a lot of potential to become a pain in the neck 😉

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        • LoLaBu January 19, 2012 at 22:32 Log in to Reply

          Ah, problems with stays only mean you need to be quicker with rewarding 🙂 -- And then lowering the frequency more gradually.

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    • Bobbi January 20, 2012 at 00:08 Log in to Reply

      Wahooo, Bisou! You’re adorable!!!

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    • Pascal HERMANN January 20, 2012 at 21:54 Log in to Reply

      Bisou & Verena are very good candidate to be at the first place of this puppy class !!!

      All seems to be easy to learn with Bisou !!!

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      • Verena January 20, 2012 at 22:21 Log in to Reply

        Everybody is doing a great job, I can’t tell how much I was looking forward to watch everybodys videos at night 🙂 When I read “this is your last list” I was very sad, I really love this group. It is different in RC class, where there are so many people and people seem to see mostly only their own dog, there is not as much involvement with the others like here.

        And if Bisou reads the compliments, she might get snobbish and even more cheeky brat than she is already -- today she found a dead mole and I don’t need to tell you if the recall worked or not considering the fact that I drove back home with an open window -- in winter… I hate the moment when I call her & she give me this “yes, I heard your call, but I have better things to do”-look and continues whatever nonsense she is about to do… I really miss some more will-to-please then!!!

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        • LoLaBu January 20, 2012 at 22:52 Log in to Reply

          Yes, RC is always the busiest class with less interaction… Another nice small class with lots of interaction is Advanced Trick as everybody came from Puppy Classes. And several people from this class joined Foundations, that should be another small class with mostly students from this class or previous Foundations, taking it again.

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          • Bobbi January 21, 2012 at 19:18 Log in to Reply

            Yes, Hootie and I joined Foundations. We’re like you, Verena -- -- I was sad when I saw the notice that “this is your last list”! More classes with Silvia are just too good to miss. So we just signed up for another class. Yipeeeee!

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        • Kathy January 20, 2012 at 23:39 Log in to Reply

          Oh, YES, Verena…Advanced Tricks is a great class! I’m in that class with my other dog, Elsa. I think you & Bisou would love it! And I would love watching Bisou again. She’s such a SUPERSTAR…even if she does eat dead moles for dinner! 🙂

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        • Louise Hoelscher January 21, 2012 at 01:48 Log in to Reply

          I’ll add my 2 cents about the Advanced Tricks class too. I’m also taking, with 2 different dogs! It’s the same closed knit group feeling, very supportive people, great videos to watch. Yes we want to see Bisou do the penguin!

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          • Verena January 21, 2012 at 22:01 Log in to Reply

            Buhuuuuuu, I am so sad I can’t afford it at the moment, especially as I would love to be together with you guys in the other classes -- and whatever the penguin is, I am sure Bisou woudl try to figure it out :). But the renovation of the doggy daycare nearly killed me financially and I am still struggling a lot, as it is not fully booked yet 🙁 Getting better and more, but still a lot pf sleepless nights (good for training though).
            Thats really the bad side of being self-employed -- I do not miss my old marketing career job, but it was a blessing to get a regular pay check 😉
            We are thinking of you guys, you will surely have a lot of fun!!!

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  8. Heini Viitamäki January 19, 2012 at 07:58 Log in to Reply

    I have a strange problem with cik & cap. Papu learned the clockwise direction during our first session (which took about a minute) but I just can’t get him to go the other way! I’ve done about 15 session so far during the last 2 weeks but no success. He only offers backing, down, lifting his side legs or doing clockwise. No forward movement to the right direction at all.

    I’ve tried rewarding even a head turn to right direction and tossed the treats so that he will take steps to right direction so I can reward that and again reward the movement with a new cookie until he completes the circle. But as soon as I just wait him to offer even one step to the right direction (or any direction as long as it is a forward step!) he’s completely lost and starts offering backing again… I should post a video so you can see what I mean.

    I guess I should be rewarding even tinier things, but I’m worried that I’ll just stuck with the head turn if I never ask for more. It’s so weird that he got the other direction immediately (and we only did that one session before moving to this direction) and now the anticlockwise is so difficult. Any ideas?

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    • LoLaBu January 19, 2012 at 17:57 Log in to Reply

      It’s actually not unusual that if one direction is really easy, the other one is then that much more complicated! 🙂 I think I would keep tossing treats around a little longer or even lure it for a couple of tries and then fade it into a hand signal.

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    • Natalie Bayless January 19, 2012 at 18:36 Log in to Reply

      It took Pippa almost a week to get the second direction. I worked a lot on her heeling during that time so that we could practice turning together in the correct direction. I don’t know if that helped or not, but we went out one day to do a session and she just got it. Good luck!

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      • Heini Viitamäki January 20, 2012 at 07:53 Log in to Reply

        Thanks for the tips! Doing the turn to right direction in other contexts might help -- I’ll try that! And if it doesn’t help, I guess I’ll have to lure… 🙂

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  9. Verena January 19, 2012 at 20:59 Log in to Reply

    Silvia, I am thinking if I switch dogs for RC class… Szia still doesn’t run, acting more reserved than I have ever experienced her. We tried restraining, running with her, buying new toys that we only used for this purpose, trying a food bowl -- I am running out of ideas and for some reasons I think she is not happy with it. I feel I should build more toy drive but with more time than during the class.
    Bisou will be 7 months beginning of next week, so she should be old enough to at least start learning RC. Would you be fine with it if I switch to Bisou as participant of RC class?

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    • LoLaBu January 20, 2012 at 11:37 Log in to Reply

      I somehow missed this post, but yes, you can change dogs. It’s true that those with motivational issues take somewhat longer and trying to get them run under pressure is never good, so it probably indeed the best you work on it outside class and enter Bisou instead. She is certainly old and coordinated enough to do some carpet running! 🙂

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      • Diane Whitney January 20, 2012 at 16:32 Log in to Reply

        Really? Are we sure Bisou can put one foot in front of the other? 😉

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  10. Diane Whitney January 20, 2012 at 02:33 Log in to Reply

    What are some objects that prior students have used for putting one object into another? I know a coin and a credit card but those are too small right now. He easily puts a small tennis ball into a teacup, and he’s working on putting a plastic cork into a demitasse cup, but I need ideas for things to put into smaller cups like a Japanese teacup and then eventually a tiny sake cup. I’ve ransacked the house I guess I am just too good at eliminating clutter because I can’t find anything! Seems ridiculous, I know.

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    • LoLaBu January 20, 2012 at 21:48 Log in to Reply

      Well, I used little pieces of a piece of a Kong that Bi chewed off of a Kong 🙂 I cut it in 4 pieces first and then for the next step cut them by half. It’s small, but much easier to pick up as a coin.

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      • Diane Whitney January 20, 2012 at 21:51 Log in to Reply

        Ah, brilliant, I can just cut the plastic cork down. Sometimes the answer is staring you in the face . . .

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sialaSilvia Trkman is known for bringing every dog, from her first dog on, to the very top of the sport. Her dogs are known for great speed, tight turns, running contacts and long and injury-free careers. Silvia is in agility since 1992 and is
– 3x World Champion (with two different dogs)
– 5x European Open winner, with 4 different dogs (Lo, La, Bu, Le)!!!
– National Championships podium and World Team member with every dog she’s ever had
– National Champion for 22-times (with 5 different dogs of 3 different breeds)

– World Team member for 19-times (mostly with at least two dogs at the time – sometimes four 🙂 )

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