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!
Okay-attempt 3-starting to wonder how I ever posted the first video.
You need to add v after http -- it sometimes works without, but usually not, so I added v and it works now, BUT it’s private, so I can’t see it… You need to change it to public or unlisted…
Silvia, As you can see, I am sort of unfocussed. a little sloppy all over the place… but I wanted to put something up here before our break… I am saying cik when I mean cap and cap when I mean cik and so sometimes Stella does what I am saying and sometimes she follows my physical cues… but I think she is trying to figure it out and she thinks this is a lot more fun than cones… although we do need more cone work… and YES I know I need to work on tunnel drive… so on break -- for that more restrained sends? maybe put the tunnel after our mini DW too?
and maybe I should go back to doing single jump sends, racing her… anyway here goes:
Yes, read my reply to Dawn, Stella has the same “not enough obstacle focus ” problem. But hey, the speed is great!!! And yes, definitely try a tunnel after DW! AND, you’re WAY too late with your cik&cap! No big deal if you say the wrong one, just say it in time, NOT when she is already in the air!!!
I sure got schooled last night with a late command. I had Nero racing along in full extension and then gave him a very late “tight” (Cik) command. It was so ugly to see him working to contain himself in his ungainly puppy body. Quite a lesson for me that with a young fast dog that I have to get it right to protect him. By the time Silvia is back and communicating again we may have built up to a full sequence or maybe not. Watching my pup learning extension and collection at this young age is totally a delight and I won’t push it. Thanks for the motivation to teach such important stuff at a young age Silvia. It’s really working for us.
Nancy and Nero
Herded our first escaped cow today with the horse and it went totally awesome. My Pyr Shep who is normally the cow herding star wasn’t listening at all. Nero dropped on command and put pressure on the cow to prevent escape up a lane and then did it again when we were driving towards a gate to return it to it’s pasture. I think that all of the duration work in puppy class is having a total return with my herding goals. Nero stayed really calm during the whole cow herding episode and then had a break out of the puppy sillies when we got home. I think he was celebrating his new experience.
Hi Silvia,
I have been too busy to follow all the posts but wanted to get a quick question in before you go so I apologise if I am repeating someone else’s question! -- how far apart are the jumps?
Good luck for the EO! looking forward to seeing a video of your runs!
Improvize 🙂 From one obstacle to another, the distance should be about 5, 6m.
Ok time to catch up a little on the video’s
This is Play last week doing his first extension line (prior to your homework)
Play doing wraps and tunnels from lesson #2 ( I think)
He can have a hard time as we add speed so often we need to take the bar down and just use stantions.
Added some DW runs, this is his first time running the entire low dogwalk. Here we are working on speed and independance. I will put a stop on later. As much as i would love a running DW there is no way I can keep up with him 🙂
Silvia,
If you have been doing 2o2o on the dogwalk and want to add more speed, can you do an exercise like this (throw ball and have dog run without stopping) or will that be confusing to the 2o2o the dog already has.
Ann that is precisly why I do it. I have the hoop to have him run and a lie down with out the hoop so the speed stays fast. I would be intersted in Sylvias opinion on this.
I think it’s o.k. to do some of that before introducing a stop as a way to teach a dog to run fast across the DW. But just this alone definitely won’t speed up a 2on2off as such. So Ann: I don’t think it helps with speeding up the 2on2off, BUT it can help for speeding up the dog up the DW and over the horizontal plank. For speeding up going into the position as such, restraining and backchaining definitely helps more.
Very cool wraps!!!
Here we are working on wraps/ turns to the table. This was his second intro to the table and I am starting to work on behavior without the speed. As you can see in most of the video he is not putting in a stride before getting on the table.
I should mention that I am also working on running with toys in my hand as you can see he gets a little over stimulated 🙂 But I know it will come.
Finally session # 3 homework. As you can see space is limited. Play is having a hard time with the speed of the tunnel so in the next session I am planning on taking the tunnel out of the equation so he can be more successful, I will then add it back in. Or should I get rid of the bars and simply have the wraps with speed and no height?
Val
Foundation and Puppy Class are on break till 15th August. I’ll be back to reviewing videos and answering then.
I’m running very far behind here, so thankful that we have 2 weeks to catch up! It’s been close to 100 degrees here for the last couple of weeks and we’ve also been showing a lot, so not much time/ability to train. I’m doing things out of order a bit because I’ll be traveling next week. I will have tunnels and jumps with me, so I will work on the sequencing portions of the class while I’m away.
This week, we worked on some more weaving. Mainly I want to reward speed. I’m keeping the channels open to make it easier for her and using a thrown toy. This was the first time I’ve ever used a thrown toy for a lot of our sessions and she LOVED it. Not sure why I haven’t done more with this because I really think it will help her with driving ahead of me. It’s hard to tell from the angle of my camera, but I did work different entry angles and tried not to use my motion to drive her ahead. So did more walking or slowing down or stopping half way. The weave poles are the most stressful obstacle for Rue in competition and depending on where they are on course, her speed in them varies greatly….especially if I can’t move much. So I really want to work on this exercise a lot I think!
We also did some contact work. Rue has running contacts. This was my very first time using a thrown toy for her dogwalk and the first two throws were definitely late. I think I got my timing better after that though. Again, I think this will be a great exercise for us!
I recorded some teeter bang stuff that we’ve done before. She loves this game, as you can see on the video, hehe. Nut bag 🙂
I also put some a-frame footage on there to show you how she handles that and we worked on turn and obstacle discrimination after the frame. This is her FAVORITE obstacle 🙂 I even ended our earlier weave session by sending her over the frame for an extra reward….
Our last training session on this video is kit/kat multi-wraps. Again, this is our first attempt. Rue eventually seemed to catch on, but she sure did try to offer me lots of cute things along the way 🙂
Here’s the video. Pretty excited to get the speed I’m getting out of her in 100 degree heat!
Here’s our latest video with the rest of the assignments from Lessons 2 and 3.
I’m realizing that Rue is giving more and more extension now and it’s harder to get her to collect after extension jumping. Clearly my timing needs improvement!
Cool! I think collection-extension exercise actually went really well, she was collecting beautifully every time you were in time with cik&cap 🙂 But yes, you’re sometimes late and then she either jumps long or knocks a bar. Don’t forget to say your verbal cue (in sequences you often don’t say anything!) as it really makes a huge difference. She clearly understands the exercise and is giving you great collection every time you tell her in time. She collects very nicely on full height with straight approaches. Side approaches, like in a first sequence, are still somewhat hard for her on that height, so we got many bars and some somewhat wider turns, so I would prefer to lower it some -- maybe to 18 inches or something -- and then bring it up more gradually, while focusing on those extreme wraps (you can do straight approaches with higher bars). Last sequence with lower bars looks good: again some great turns, but again some wider ones when you don’t cue collection with body language -- then she can’t do it as you also don’t give your verbal cue at all!!! You need to use it if you want it to work! 🙂
Thank you! I do need to say the verbal, true. Just don’t feel like it’s “trained” yet as a verbal…so do I still say it?
I will work on lower jumps now that I’m home because I completely agree with you. She jumps 20″ in competition, but I will sometimes practice with her at 24/26 as a way to make trialing “easier” for her. However, these tight turns are hard so I will lower them until she is more confident.
Thank you! Did you see my previous post with other parts of the lessons? It has contacts/teeter on there as well as my first time working on multi-wraps and the word “kat” for right.
Hope you enjoyed your vacation,
Kristin
Yes, keep saying the verbal any time you cue collection with body language and at the same time train it as a verbal some more on one jump exercises (multi-wraps and sends into the collection with the verbal). But to me, it looks like she already understands some.
I didn’t yet find your other post, sorry -- I imagined a break somewhat differently as most people and now have tons of videos to watch… Not sure when I’ll catch up with everything posted in that time. I was not on vacations, I had agility workshops last two weeks and there was no way I could follow the classes too.
Ok, the other post I made was right above the one you commented on 🙂
I am sure you are swamped! I knew you went to EO, and that Melanie visited you, but then thought you were on vacation…oops!
Rue was trained to wrap cones, but I never put the verbal to them nor did I ever do multi-wraps until now. We were at a trial this past weekend and had the opportunity to do kit/kat turns and I did use my verbal and dang, she was brilliant!!
Cool! And well, in order to find all comments, I’m answering in comments feed, so it’s not right above from my perspective 🙂
Yeap, really great speed! For DW, try throwing even much sooner as that. You want her see the toy as she is approaching the second apex, to get more extension there -- and therefore a deeper hit. She seems to like flying toys, so you definitely want to use it a lot for weaves too. Keep working on multi-wraps, once she can do them on a real jump, it will definitely help her a lot to get the right style for those extreme wraps that she is not so good at just yet as I noticed in your other video. The rest is all going great, seems like I can go to bed now 🙂
Thanks, as always! I will keep working on my timing of the thrown toy with her DW. She sure does like it!
Good night 🙂
It’s actually pretty easy: it’s never too early. Throw it as soon as she gets to the horizontal plank.
Perfect, thanks!
Hi Silvia, Good Luck at the EO, You are the best 🙂
This is our last training, with the slalom I´m moving very gradually the entry as you told me, Acqua is having much more fun 🙂 The poles are still at the same distance.
We tried the sequence, I saw Acqua is better with right turns
Acqua was doing the see saw work with a little plank, so today we tried today with the real one. I´m not sure if I should say a word to release her or just let her go…
Thank you
You told us just to work on the steps 1 and 2, but acqua was doing this with the samll plank, is that good?
This week I will post another video, maybe I posted a little late on July 29 that I didn`t catch you 🙁
Yeah, I was gone on 29th already, so I only see this now. GREAT progress with weaves, very nice entries, definitely time to close the channel some! I prefer front feet only for the see-saw, but it’s true it’s hard to get them once they know 4 feet… Turns are pretty good -- but could be even better -- make sure you redo the big ones and reward the tightest ones.
Hi Silvia and classmates!
We have moved to the new house couple of days ago. I will have agility field in the next week. We have a lot to do. We haven’t tried any sequences yet. All because us moving. But I am sending the see-saw task to make sure I do this ok. Azja pushes the plank very strongly (I think) but sometimes she pushes somehow from side (not from front). I hope you see that on this video. I am sorry for quality of the video. I have very slow internet connection here for now and I have some problems with uploads. I will send all missing tasks after the break. I hope we will have a progress!