Blood, sweat, tears, and more

AdrianneIsabel

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#1
...have gone into getting this dog this far. I mean, seriously, if that saying "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is true I'll be a gosh darn superhero if I ever get this Lemur in the ring.

I am however exceedingly happy with this. Tonight was Backups first agility class and I did it as a last minute, "eh, can I throw him in and see how he does?" drop in. The first two runs were painful, or first run, maybe it was just one but it felt like 6 or 7 and I swear people were glaring and snickering at me.

However, we kept trying and seemed to work the kinks out. We have a long way to go but I'm really happy with even this progress. He's so fast and messy that he slips a lot (on every surface) and he needs jumping skills, more directionals, and weaves, but hey, if you said 3 months ago I could do a short jumpers sequence with him I'd call you a liar, so... yay! yay for liars!

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ayfvvN_Uqkg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 

anna84

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#2
Aww I really do love this dog. In pictures he seems so excited and happy about everything :).

If you don't mind that I ask what is the difference between Sloan and the Backup that makes her so much easier to work with? I know you've written about how intense and high drive Sloan can be but she seems to be progressing much quicker. I'm pretty interested in this breed, in theory only they're too much dog for me, and curious about the different temperaments and such :)
 

PWCorgi

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#3
GO LEMUR GO!!

For the record: Ryan asks me multiple times per week, sometimes every day, if we can have a Backup. The answer is absolutely no, but he keeps asking. Videos of him though, make me absolutely fall in love.
 

Beanie

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#4
I think you are way too hard on Backup LOL. Or maybe on yourself. Maybe both.

I didn't see any slipping in that video, but have you tried using rosin? People just buy one of those rosin bags baseball players use and slap it against the paw pads a few times. There's also a spray some people use but I don't really like it much. Rosin bags are only a couple of bucks, I would give it a shot and see if it helps.
 

AgilityPup

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#6
I think he looks REALLY good! I'd maybe work on some easier level stuff and just straight lines to get him really driving forward. BUT looking at him, he looks like he's not really running full out yet and I bet he'll be whole heaps of fun when he does!

Honestly, you made the video seem like he was gonna be a mess, lol, but he looks really good! You should be proud!
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#7
GO LEMUR GO!!

For the record: Ryan asks me multiple times per week, sometimes every day, if we can have a Backup. The answer is absolutely no, but he keeps asking. Videos of him though, make me absolutely fall in love.
hahaha, with the work I've put into this dog no one really understands how troublesome he is. That said, I'll sell him for 6 cookies. :p

I think you are way too hard on Backup LOL. Or maybe on yourself. Maybe both.

I didn't see any slipping in that video, but have you tried using rosin? People just buy one of those rosin bags baseball players use and slap it against the paw pads a few times. There's also a spray some people use but I don't really like it much. Rosin bags are only a couple of bucks, I would give it a shot and see if it helps.
He slips after the yellow turning into the front cross, this was honestly though a very slow tired run for him which was what I was trying for. I made an effort to mellow him out in order to work him more easily. He, and a lot of borders at my work, have trouble on these floors unfortunately. I know some people use grippy spray which I may need to try for him.

Aww I really do love this dog. In pictures he seems so excited and happy about everything :).

If you don't mind that I ask what is the difference between Sloan and the Backup that makes her so much easier to work with? I know you've written about how intense and high drive Sloan can be but she seems to be progressing much quicker. I'm pretty interested in this breed, in theory only they're too much dog for me, and curious about the different temperaments and such :)
Sloan is a thinker, completely. Backup is a "do-er", he gets frantic, panics, and does stupid things because he doesn't think. For example in bite work if you correct Sloan she gets pissed/frustrated and we have to walk a fine line as to not demotivate/confuse her too much. Backup however you can correct the crap out of with a prong and he'll still go-go-go, you can't say he's not driven but he's hard to ask to think. Shaping with him has been a travesty, Sloan you can barely lure or just stand with her and she'll start offering behaviors, Backup will start to panic by stress panting, dancing with his front feet, spinning, barking, and slamming into you.

Like I said in the agility thread, you guys are going to be a great team!! I've seen far, far more spazzy mals.
Thanks, that means our work is paying off and we're hiding our spaz well. hahahaha

I think he looks REALLY good! I'd maybe work on some easier level stuff and just straight lines to get him really driving forward. BUT looking at him, he looks like he's not really running full out yet and I bet he'll be whole heaps of fun when he does!

Honestly, you made the video seem like he was gonna be a mess, lol, but he looks really good! You should be proud!
Thanks, we're definitely not doing this stuff regularly but it was an impulsive trial run. I wanted to see how he would react to a class setting in general and how he and I would handle a short course that I did not set up for us. He hung in there pretty well which gave us the much needed confidence boost I needed.

He's not running full out because I am asking for more control now, I can't run him when he's running full out. I presume someone else could but I'm just not that talented yet.

Seriously, I am starting to feel much better about him now, this helps. Maybe I've been so used to failing and losing it with his spazziness I didn't notice when he started to improve.

Believe it or not I've had too many trainers tell me to basically sell him and get a better dog, he's confusing, fast, rough, and frustrating but I do think if we can someday figure things out we can have a lot of fun together in this sport.
 
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#8
Believe it or not I've had too many trainers tell me to basically sell him and get a better dog, he's confusing, fast, rough, and frustrating but I do think if we can someday figure things out we can have a lot of fun together in this sport.
For sure!!! As I've mentioned here before, Pan and I did not like each other from the time I got her at 9 weeks until she was about 9 or 10 months old. Last summer I traveled all over the province for French Ring training and was told time after time to send her back and get a good dog, I totally know how it feels. I was extremely tempted at times because I had waited like 8 years to get a Mal and ended up with a puppy that I didn't even like or connect with.

Fast forward 6 months later and while she may not ever be a great FR dog, we've worked through our issues, I now love her and we work great as a team. Look out for us at the AAC nationals next year! :D
 

jenv101

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#9
The more blood, sweat and tears you put in, the greater the rewards in the end :)

I can totally relate - my two are difficult in their own ways too - Aura is ditzy, and Riley gets stressed out very easily, and is hard to work when he gets that way. We'll get there someday though!
 

Taqroy

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#10
Seriously, I am starting to feel much better about him now, this helps. Maybe I've been so used to failing and losing it with his spazziness I didn't notice when he started to improve.
I do this with my dogs all the time. I'm so focused on what they're doing wrong, I fail to notice what they're doing right. It's hard. FWIW I think he did pretty good. :)

Believe it or not I've had too many trainers tell me to basically sell him and get a better dog, he's confusing, fast, rough, and frustrating but I do think if we can someday figure things out we can have a lot of fun together in this sport.
o_O This seems like a really negative thing to tell someone that's working with their dog. I get that the sporting world is different and maybe this is just my perspective from outside of it but...wow.
 

Beanie

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#11
I do this with my dogs all the time. I'm so focused on what they're doing wrong, I fail to notice what they're doing right. It's hard. FWIW I think he did pretty good. :)

o_O This seems like a really negative thing to tell someone that's working with their dog. I get that the sporting world is different and maybe this is just my perspective from outside of it but...wow.
I've actually tried to shift how I record keep with my dogs for the very same reason. With Auggie it's easier for me to say "this is what went wrong" and harder to look at what went right; with Payton, since he's still a baby, it's easier to say "OMG, he did this right!" and I don't worry so much about what went wrong because he gets the excuse of "he's still a baby." I feel it colours how I look at each training session with the dogs - more negative with Auggie - and it's bad and I need to stop.


As to the latter... you would be surprised at how many sports people view dogs as disposable. If it's not magic and doesn't click right away, if you come up on a challenge, whatever... get rid of that dog, get a new one. And there's always the old standby of "Why don't you just get a border collie?" Ugh.
I've been told repeatedly to replace Auggie, by total strangers even. And I'm sure people will think Payton is Auggie's "replacement."
There's a good reason I mostly keep to myself at trials and it's because people are nasty little ($&(@es about people and their dogs.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#12
In their defense he is a hard dog to deal with but yeah, it doesn't help our relationship at all.

I really can't say enough how much I appreciate the warm reaction from this forum about this. It means a lot that we're actually not as atrocious as we feel. LOL You should have seen me profusely apologizing to the trainer (I've never taken an agility class from her) and telling her I'll leave if she wants, I understand we're a mess and may be below her help. Haha, but, I think we made progress in just that short session.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#13
"Why don't you just get a border collie?" Ugh.

Omg. This.

I swear the gal I did some privates with was so annoyed and it was like pulling teeth to ask her to humor me with a private because I have a malinois. She bluntly told me at one point to just get a border collie [if I want to go anywhere in this sport]. Sucks.

Daisy Peel wasn't much better, she tolerated and said certain things like "being a mal isn't an excuse to not do A,B,C" but she still looked down on the non-border collie-ness of these dogs.

Last Kim Terrell did help recently, she gave me some solid advice that we've been trying to follow and it seems to be helping some. She also said she really did like him, I was stupid to get rid of him, most of these trainers don't understand sch line bred dogs, and if I decide at some point I don't love him I should call her to buy him.

Things are looking up I suppose. (Watch, seriously in two days I'll be upset and begging you guys to take him again)
 
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#14
Add me to the list that was expecting much worse!! I know very little but he sure looks like he's trying and doing pretty good! And you can tell you've just put so much work into him. I'm hope you keep on working and find that formula for working with him that you are looking for!

And I know it's not the same but it's been a constant fight with Traveler to let me get close to him when he's in drive or working. Spent many a training session with him getting him to let me touch him while he was in work mode. I'm now working on him coming behind my legs with his toys because otherwise he drops them and then dances away in circles.
 
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#15
Wow, I surprised you've received such negativity from agility trainers. I love how some people think getting a BC will make everyone automatic agility stars. :rolleyes:

Next month I'm planning on driving 5 hours (each way, lol) to take some privates with an amazing trainer. She's been on our world team numerous times....and not with Border Collies! I trained with her briefly before Solo was injured and she is amazing. I'm super excited.
 

PWCorgi

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#16
If someone told me to get rid of Frodo I would probably have a complete meltdown. That's so MEAN!
 

SaraB

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#17
That is why I love where I teach and train. I was doing agility with danes and never once was told to get a different breed (I was told I had to start trialing if I wanted a job which led me to find Zuma). The owner runs rotts as well as border collies. We have plenty of border collies but the majority of our students run different breeds and a lot of them are very untraditional breeds like basenjis, french bulldogs, leonbergers and the like.

If I ever heard one of our trainers tell someone that they needed to get a different breed of dog to get serious about the sport I would lose SO much respect for that trainer.
 

Finkie_Mom

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#18
I was reading your post in the Agility Training thread, and while I don't have any advice since I'm still new at all of this myself, I think you guys look nice!!! Heck, I've been training with a non-traditional breed (like SUPER non-traditional) for a year and we're still so iffy on a lot of stuff. Mostly getting her to work near me (independent breed is independent!) :p

I've also had people not really TELL me, but hint to me, that if I want to succeed in the sport and begin working as an agility trainer, that I need another breed. Heck, I got the WEIRDEST looks from people when I went to Rally trials with Kimma! The one judge even commented about how they, "aren't a breed you see competing in much of anything," but after we Qd under her twice (two different weekends), she and the other judge found me and said that they expect to see us again soon for Rally Advanced or Obedience LOL.

I've thought about trying another breed, too, but I just don't feel that I "click" with other breeds I've spent time with. So why would I give up the things that I do love about my breed just because it takes a bit extra work and it is abnormal to compete with them, KWIM?

That being said, I think you just keep working with Backup and all of his "issues" and you guys will be awesome. He DOES look like he enjoys the game, so that's good in and of itself!!!!

And a bit OT, but do you guys find that private classes really help?
 

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