Agility training

[nikkiluvsu15]

Right now we're working a lot on rear crosses and turn commands. This is from last week, she is really catching on fast with the turn command.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWJ55...2&feature=plcp

I'm also practicing with distance at home. She gets to a certain point where she doesn't feel comfortable leaving me, so we're trying to add distance. Also, working on increasing drive in the weaves. She loves doing them, but I can definitely tell that she is holding back somewhat.

[Panzerotti]

Originally Posted by adojrts

Just a suggestion, but we typically train a contact criteria first (regardless of which method chosen) before even doing plank work or the contact equipment (lowered). This is done to avoid bad habits forming that are hard to retrain and often result with inconsistant contacts. Of course I am assuming you want to compete if not, other than safety it doesn't matter.

That was my original plan. I had built a contact trainer with stairs planning to train a 2o2o Susan Garrett's way, then I decided to go with running contacts.

So now I'm following Silvia Trkman's running contact method. I'm definitely still open to suggestions though, and hope to have a fast competitive dog by late this summer. Maybe we'll see at some trials in southern Ontario!

[Panzerotti]

[QUOTE=nikkiluvsu15;1935962]Right now we're working a lot on rear crosses and turn commands. This is from last week, she is really catching on fast with the turn command.[QUOTE]

Nice! You can tell she's into it and having fun. Are you planning on trialing?

[MandyPug]

We're working on my handling style and me practising how i should run my dog as well as the turn cue on verbal (which she knows pretty well, we're just adding it on to things... she'll turn into the weaves actually =) ), backside cue on verbal, weave entries and speed, and contacts.

Advanced, here we come!

[AdrianneIsabel]

We're in a bit of a break right now but I need to rework/polish my contacts and start directionals soon. Looking forward to seeing the videos when I'm on a computer!

[Aleron]

Originally Posted by Panzerotti

So now I'm following Silvia Trkman's running contact method. I'm definitely still open to suggestions though, and hope to have a fast competitive dog by late this summer. Maybe we'll see at some trials in southern Ontario!

FWIW Silvia Trkman is doing the carpet thing first now too, as someone else mentioned Daisy Peel doing. She also includes perch work in her RC class as first week homework. The first week homework, near as I can tell from videos is perch work (front feet on a perch, pivot with back feet, like she does for starting heeling), running (just running, observe your dog running full speed) and running full speed over a long length of carpet. The running full speed from the start is key to her method, I've seen many people in her RC class comment that they feel their dog is running but she encourages them to push for more speed.

I'm hoping to start Savvy on her RC training very soon. I've done some of the foundation already but haven't been solidly working it. I have some video from his foundation class that I have to put together too. Otherwise, lately I've just mostly working on lots of tricks (specifically balance, flexibility and "happy" tricks) with the dogs and getting them out to big places to really, really run. While that doesn't seem to relate to agility, it really does

You can get a lot of good info reading their the comments (800+!) in the RC section on her blog: http://www.lolabuland.com/our-traini...ng-contacts-2/

I also have to say her Ready-Steady-GO! DVD is awesome if you want to know how to have a great agility dog...or really a dog who's great at whatever sport your like. It might be my favorite dog training DVD ever and is IMO a "must see" for anyone wanting their dog to be as fast as they can be.
http://www.lolabuland.com/training-v...dconditioning/

Good luck with your training! And don't worry about trying to set a deadline for competing. It's better to take your time now then have to rework problems later on

[Dekka]

Depending on where you trial we might see you too.

Just an fyi.. if you have a very fast dog those stop contact behaviours are fantastic lol.

[Panzerotti]

Originally Posted by Aleron

FWIW Silvia Trkman is doing the carpet thing first now too, as someone else mentioned Daisy Peel doing.

Hmmm. Now I'm wondering if I should pick up some outdoor carpeting tomorrow. In her FAQ it says that she recommends it if the dog is a retrain...I wonder if she's recommending it as a starting point for all dogs now? I was kind of figuring that she taught her dogs with a board right away so it must work. But I do want to do things right....I should really sign up for the RC course with her.

Originally Posted by Aleron

The running full speed from the start is key to her method, I've seen many people in her RC class comment that they feel their dog is running but she encourages them to push for more speed.

Thanks for the insight on the course, and this is particularly interesting. I'm going to move to a larger area so that I can get some better speed.

Originally Posted by Aleron

...getting them out to big places to really, really run. While that doesn't seem to relate to agility, it really does

I have to do this more as well. I take Pan out to a big open field at least once a day, but she'll often run a bit, sniff around, etc. We play fetch, but it's not like she's booting around full speed for extended periods.

Originally Posted by Aleron

You can get a lot of good info reading their the comments (800+!) in the RC section on her blog: http://www.lolabuland.com/our-traini...ng-contacts-2/

I read through them all when I was deciding to switch to RC, lol! But I'm going to give them another go through, and now I'm off to read the comments for the Ready-Steady-Go DVD.

Originally Posted by Aleron

Good luck with your training! And don't worry about trying to set a deadline for competing. It's better to take your time now then have to rework problems later on

Thanks for the reminder. I rushed through the training of my old retired guy and don't want to do that again, especially now that I have a pup with potential.

[Aleron]

Originally Posted by Dekka

Just an fyi.. if you have a very fast dog those stop contact behaviours are fantastic lol.

And if you have a very fast, driven dog RCs are just beautiful...and probably more fun for the dog!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ4H-...1&feature=plcp

Really this method of RC training depends on the dog being fast and driven. They have to accelerate on the down ramp.

I've gone back and forth on Savvy but I think a RC will be right for him. And he is going to be very fast. It is going to present different handling challenges for sure. My reasons for going with a running contact are, well first off because to me that has always been what agility should look like. I have never liked the idea of stopped contacts. My last two dogs have been taught stopped contacts because I had a very talented dog who had major issues with hitting contacts. She had a "natural RC" (aka "HopeNPray Contacts"), and well, it didn't last for more than a couple years The dogs before her didn't have any contact behavior - no one taught those at the time. One was slower and contacts weren't an issue. The other was faster, although not fast by today's standards and he did get called a few times, although it wasn't a big issue with him. But when people at the training club first started teaching stopped contacts, I thought it was a dumb idea to want to slow your dog to a stop mid-course (to be fair, I was a teenager LOL). Now I don't think it's dumb but it still isn't the ideal for me. The ideal for me is still the dog running as fast as they can through the course I think it's right for many people/dogs and I'm not unhappy that Whim has a 2o2o and had my reasons for going that direction with her when I was training her. Although who knows, I may end up retraining her for a RC too

Besides all of that, I sort of have images in my head of Savvy doing face plant 2o2o after flying over the equipment. Or repeatedly knocking himself into a handstand, which I don't think is quite the same as the dog doing a handstand on their own I'm not entirely sure if 2o2o is always physically the best for very fast dogs, at least not really wild, very fast dogs.

Originally Posted by Panzerotti

Hmmm. Now I'm wondering if I should pick up some outdoor carpeting tomorrow. In her FAQ it says that she recommends it if the dog is a retrain...I wonder if she's recommending it as a starting point for all dogs now? I was kind of figuring that she taught her dogs with a board right away so it must work. But I do want to do things right....I should really sign up for the RC course with her.

I think she's tweaked her method since writing that FAQ. Not that the FAQ doesn't still cover her basics but she's taught a lot more people since writing that, so probably has some new insight. I figure it couldn't hurt to start on the carpet right?

Here's a video of someone's first homework from her RC course. You can see she started with a plank too but switched to the carpet because she wasn't getting good running on the plank. Also shows cavaletti work and perch work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgzJ_...eature=related

I'd love to take one of her online courses but it's not in the budget right now (saving for the Belgian National!). There's a lot of videos and free info though that is certainly enough to get started. One thing her course would be great for though is training the turns. And well also because she's probably the most successful trained RC person out there.

Originally Posted by Panzerotti

Thanks for the insight on the course, and this is particularly interesting. I'm going to move to a larger area so that I can get some better speed.

I think that would help too. She may be more willing to really run if she had more space?

Originally Posted by Panzerotti

Thanks for the reminder. I rushed through the training of my old retired guy and don't want to do that again, especially now that I have a pup with potential.

I think it can be even harder if you have a dog that you just know will be great! I can't wait to see your progress with the RC and everything else.

[Panzerotti]

Originally Posted by Aleron

Here's a video of someone's first homework from her RC course. You can see she started with a plank too but switched to the carpet because she wasn't getting good running on the plank. Also shows cavaletti work and perch work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgzJ_...eature=related

Thanks for the link, and of course it's a Belgian.
I'm going to go out today and try the plank one more time in a larger area, and possibly with poles on the sides like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB8VC..._order&list=UL.
If I don't get good running then I'll go with carpet for sure.

I'm really excited to have "real" running contacts. I agree that agility should be full out and fast.

Dekka, I give you permission to laugh at me when I wipe out trying to keep up to my dog. When we're ready to trial, I'll probably be going to the Barrie area a lot. I'm up in Sudbury, so I'll also try go to the trials that are a bit closer, like Powassan and Huntsville.