We're starting with real sequences today, you'll get a new sequence every time and we'll always be running them in parts, starting with a small part and then adding more&more obstacles, just as you can see in the video - reward where I rewarded and then start from 1 again, meaning that you'll always be doing the whole sequence only on a 4th try or so. Whole sequences will be pretty long, to get the flow, but do NOT run a whole sequence again and again - you can run little parts several times, but the whole sequence only once or twice. Always run it without the dog first and only when you really know it, try with the dog. After every try, PLAY, give a dog a break to rehearse the next sequence on your own and only then try again.
Don't keep running the same sequence for 2 weeks!!! You can either think of another sequence on your own or keep working on multi-wraps and sends (from lesson 1 and 2). Also, don't forget to keep working on weaves and contacts, we'll get back to that later!
And Bi on the same sequence to show how things should look like on a low and then higher height:
1. introducing straight lines: after all the cik&cap work, it's time to introduce some straight lines and extension jumping too. Set a straight line of 2 or 3 jumps between two tunnels (or simply use one if you don't have two), start with some cik/cap to tunnel, cik/cap to tunnel, then straight over the first jump to cik/cap on a second jump back to tunnel, then two straight jumps to cik/cap on a third one, cik/cap again on a next jump etc. - just think of something, putting more and more straight jumps in between one and another cik/cap. See a video and again another example here:
2. sequencing: start with cik on 1, run in for a front cross between 2 and 3, ask for cap on 2 from the landing side, RUN for cik on 5 (extension jumping on 4), another cap on 6 and finishing with cik on 8, rewarding in the direction of 9.
3. bang the see-saw game: if you did the "closing drawers and doors" trick, then you're all ready for this new game. If you don't have a see-saw, you can use a small plank with something underneath so that it moves when the dog pushes it with front legs. If you have a see-saw, either lower it almost to the ground or support it so that one end is 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) off the ground and have them push it down with front feet - you can then raise it somewhat more off the ground. Do not promote 4 feet, 2 feet is better to teach them to push. Jackpot for most powerful pushes and eventually stop rewarding the gentle touches. Reward away from the see-saw, you want a push&go (I'm not doing very good job on that in the video, I forgot to bring better treats for that - a toy would actually be even better). ONLY work on this part (step 1 and 2) for next 2 weeks (no 4 feet yet!) - I included next steps in the video just to give you an idea what's the plan 🙂
I'll be answering your comments till Friday 29th. Then I'm leaving for EO and have the camp after that, so we'll be on break till 15th August so that everybody can catch up AND you can practice cik&cap some more. We're introducing straight lines too today, but if you only started with cik&cap when the class started, you still need to do quite some work on that anyway - especially exercises 1 of lesson 1 and 2! You can also keep adding height... So, plenty of work for everybody! The second week of this lesson will be from 15-21st August, with no video commenting in between. I like those breaks as they take some pressure off and I can always see a huge progress after the break!
HI there, I have just logged in to let you know that Darwin and myself are still on holidays and we wont be back till next monday but we can wait to start over again with the classes….See you soon.
Eva and Darwin.
Enjoy the rest of the holidays! See you then!
Hi!
Just 2 videos of my training of the last week.
Cik/cap with some surprise:
v
and some stright lines with throwing the ball how you suggested me:
v
We will continue to work on that. I know we still have a lot of work 🙂
br
GREAT progress! Keep up the good work!
Hi,
Here’s a bit of us trying to do our turns. I think i’m ging to long at a time but it seems to take a couple to get her thinking rather than just wanting to run. Stil not sure i’m getting the compression on the turns at all. It just seems that the minute we go outside excitement takes over and she loses focus but inside she has less room to build speed. Just feel a bit confused at present and know we have lots to work on We also did some of the running to toy over mat: am I getting this anyway correct. On a plus side she’s now much more nto a toy outside: so that’s going in the right direction.
She sure looks fast and happy to run! Some turns were actually really nice and some could definitely be better, so I would still try to do lots of basic cik&cap exercises, like multi-wraps, sends to one jump and figure 8s. But you can of course also work on sequences meantime. To see her striding, I would need a side video of her running over the mat. It looks pretty good, but would probably be even better with a thrown toy vs. static toy.
Thanks Silvia,
I’ll try and get some side on photage of her running side on. I find that if I do more multi wraps she starts anticipating the turn and slows down and all her strides then shorten. I suppose that shows she’s really thinking about what we are doing but it makes it harder for me as I have to keep everything really short and snappy:-)
I also better start trying to throw a toy straight: my accuracy isn’t very good at present!
Cool, this is exactly what you want: shortening the strides and slowing down to prepare for a turn and then be able to do it real tight -- can’t do it with full speed!
Hi! Here is the cik/cap sequence. Arrow is getting more confident but not me!
Wow, you two are just getting better&better! Great job! That sure was fast and confident, with great obstacle focus and still very tight. Looks like you can raise the bars some!
And here is the collection and extension. Still under construction.
Great! Did you say Arrow only started with agility training when this class started??? He sure has great obstacle focus! Some wraps were somewhat wider in this exercise as he is coming in with that much speed, so you could simply redo those. But most wraps were still beautiful, definitely time to raise the bars some!
Great! I hope I can get better timing as the bars get higher and he has to collect more! I am so proud of him.
He came to me in May and unknown history at 7 months old!!
You should be proud of both of you! You’re sure doing a wonderful job, he sure looks to have lots of fun!
Hi Silvia and classmates, i’m back after some holidays. i thought that i could have a lot of time to watch all your videos and comments but thunderstorm crashed the telephone line the secund day, so…. no internet nor phone at our holiday home during 9 days… but we did some exercices as you can see.. 🙂
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Great job! Nice and smooth handling, nice speed and good tightness! Only that turn on 2 could be somewhat tighter, she doesn’t collect nearly as good as for other wraps, despite you are cueing collection nicely with your front. Maybe you could stay even closer to that wing to tighten her with closer position and then reward right at the wing. Yo can try without 1 first, just 2, to make her see she can do it also with you on landing side.
I first tried at full height, but I wasn’t pleased with it. At lower bars it’s easier…
Cool, but I don’t think you need to go THAT low with him as he knows cik&cap to some degree already. I think something like medium height would be a good height to start with. Also, make sure your verbal cues are in time, you’re sometimes somewhat late and then he gets wide, of course.
I will pay extra attention on this, thx!!
So, here is our straight line/tunnel work, we only have one tunnel right now. She is so iffy on her turns and the whole A-frame thing was odd!
Swift with the bang game 🙂 She’s always been terrified of loud noises and movement, so this is good progress for her.
For Swift, I would keep the see-saw lower for now, so that it moves less and makes less of a sound. She is not completely comfortable about it, she seems to especially not like the sound when the see-saw goes back up as she can’t control that sound. Maybe you could soften it some by putting the pillow under it. On real agility course, this part of the sound is not as problematic anyway as the dog is already far away as it happens. Indie’s turns got somewhat wider again in this exercise, maybe it’s too much for now, I would maybe start with a tunne to wrap back to the tunnel etc. and then slowly add one extended jump in between here and there, while mostly working on wraps.
Hello All!
I admit my multi wraps are not good. I am having to lure a lot. It stresses me out. I try to work on it daily. Help!
It’s o.k. to lure the multi-wraps some as it’s mostly just to teach them the style of jumping. So don’t stress about it 🙂 -- he is doing great, he is amazingly flexible for a terrier and mostly very very tight (other than 0:48 when he gets thrown towards the middle of the bar too much). Keep up the good work!
Here we are with weaves. There is a tunnel at the far end. Please ignore the bad cik/cap!
Sorry, that should ha e gone to lesson 4? Oh well.
Time to close that channel some more!