Agility training

AdrianneIsabel

Glutton for Crazy
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
8,893
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Portland, Oregon
Do you have a video to help explain that? I have used a table next to the aframe for a clients dog and just stopping the dog for Arnold (however i cant beat Backup in a race and i cant pressure him like that) but I've never used a jump and would love to try it. The turning around is a concern of mine even though thus far he's never spun if I asked for "climb it" or just moved with him.
 

Finkie_Mom

It's A Red Dog Revolution
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Messages
1,794
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Bensalem, PA
So Kimma's weaves have been SLOWWW in class. I'm not sure if it's because we just started doing full courses and she's overwhelmed or what. So I finally was able to get some of my weaves to stick in the ground and I got some video of our going back to 6 in the hopes of getting faster/more confident entries and more speed overall.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Gnz0vYSrE

I don't want to stay with 6 for long at all, so I'm hoping to build 12 in the next few days. A few of my stick in the grounds are all broken (the soil here is SO ROCKY) and I hate that they never quite end up straight even with the guide thing I have - so building new ones is my goal LOL.

Any tips/comments?
 

Emily

Rollin' with my bitches
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
2,115
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Illinois
So I'm back on the agility horse again. Keeva is enrolled in classes and doing fabulously. Last class we worked a ton of handling skills and I love that stuff. Helps that I have a great partner!

At home, I'm really focusing on 2x2 weaves with both girls. Right now we're just working "around the clock" to perfect that entry. Both dogs can go just beyond head on to the first pole, enter correctly, and wrap the second pole. Yay!

Anyway, a question for those more experienced: Our instructor was having us work on non-verbally communicating to our dogs whether they were going to extend into the "jump" (ok, so it's like 4" for Keeva, LOL) or collect and wrap. She says she prefers the dog to read that from your motion rather than a verbal, as she likes to save her verbal commands and use them sparingly. I have starting teaching Keeva to wrap on a verbal cue, and was planning on using this from jumping. What are your thoughts on the pros and cons of verbal or non-verbal cues for wrapping/collecting?

ETA: And yeah, I know, I seriously owe some video on this thread, but right now I'm literally wearing what could be described as a wife-beater and sweatpant shorts, soooo... probably not tonight. LMAO
 

BostonBanker

Active Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Messages
8,854
Likes
1
Points
36
Location
Vermont
What are your thoughts on the pros and cons of verbal or non-verbal cues for wrapping/collecting?
I'm teaching Gusto as much as humanely possible off non-verbal, because I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have enough breath to speak once that boy gets cooking on course :D

I'm going to a camp next month where one of the instructors does a super job cuing collection/extension off physical cues. I'm excited! And will thus probably have a better answer in a month.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
Agility is going fantastic lately. Summer's foundation class wraps up next week and we're all taking a month break. Im super sad about that but it's just too hot without an indoor training ring. It was 106 last week when we got there. They have a small training room but not big enough for any real agility work.

Both Mia and Summer will be on break for a month and I'm going to really work things at home. I just spent quite a bit on Clean Run buying some new jumps and contacts.

Today Summer started out class like she was on crack. I don't know what possessed my good little dog but she was everywhere all the time. Once she settled, she did fabulous. We're introducing the dogs to the tunnel in that class. She did it well. I always feel like I'm cheating because the other dogs are totally green and Summer is not (I didn't fess up though. Makes my dog look pretty awesome though lol) We did some sequencing of foundation work, and she rocked. Stays were awesome. My biggest problem is she is in LOVE with the instructor and wants to be in her lap all the time.

Mia is rocking on! The foundation work is coming into application beautifully for all the dogs. We've started throwing some things in that they haven't seen and they're all getting it first go around. Adding distance has been the big thing. I'm really seriously impressed with the other dogs in her class too. I should have brought a video camera so you could see these dogs' first time with distance. They're all awesome. I may try to get video next week. She's still sometimes cheating her start lines <--- bane of my existence.
 

crysania

New Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
76
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
NY
I just want to celebrate a little! Weaves were SUCH a struggle for Dahlia and I. Once we got to 4 and then tried 6 it just fell apart. Well, she's FINALLY getting it. This past weekend we did a "speed circle" with weaves (6 poles). So around in a circle it was tunnel, weaves, jump, weaves, jump weaves. Each time we went around it she NAILED the entrance and the poles and did them fast. I was so proud of my girl.

Along with that, I thought I'd share her first, somewhat hesitant video of ever doing 12 poles. Yes she's SO SLOW here. But she is starting to speed up on her 12's. This was, literally, the first time ever she did 12. I just happened to get it on video thanks to a friend of mine!

I suggest watching it on mute because my "yes!" at the end is wicked loud and annoying.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crysania4/7576696782/
 

crysania

New Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
76
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
NY
What are your thoughts on the pros and cons of verbal or non-verbal cues for wrapping/collecting?
I'm not sure about pros vs. cons, but I'm big into training my dog to do most everything through body language (in fact, one judge asked if my dog were deaf...oops).

I think dogs read body language better than they hear verbal language and so showing the motion forward vs. the body coming up and indicating collection is better for me. It works very well with Dahlia and she wraps jumps beautifully without a word.

I also like it better because I don't want to have to remember a ton of verbal commands and I think that could quickly get confusing. I have verbal things so far only for "touch" (2on/2off) and I'm working for one on teeter in an attempt to stop Dahlia's crazy teeter behavior (first time she sees it she runs up it like it's the dog walk and then it freaks her out so I figure if she learns that teeter means "the thing that moves and I have to rock back to keep my balance" she might do it better the first time). But otherwise I'm mostly non-verbal (except the occasional "yes!" or "GO GO GO GO!!").
 

Panzerotti

New Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2011
Messages
976
Likes
1
Points
0
Location
Grande Prairie, AB
Along with that, I thought I'd share her first, somewhat hesitant video of ever doing 12 poles. Yes she's SO SLOW here. But she is starting to speed up on her 12's. This was, literally, the first time ever she did 12. I just happened to get it on video thanks to a friend of mine!
Good job! It's such a blast watching them once they get the idea of what weaving is all about. I'm in the middle of training 2x2s with Pan right now, still on the 4 pole stage though.

The other day I took my old man out for an agility play. It makes me sad that he was my training guinea pig. He is so smart and would be an amazing dog if I could start all over with him now. Here's a pic of him weaving at 12 years old. :)

 

crysania

New Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
76
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
NY
It's VERY exciting when they just get it. Dahlia has decided the weaves are awesome fun (especially sets of 6) and just flies through them, one-stepping it all the way (instead of the two-stepping you saw in that video). It's such an amazing thing to me because weaving is so NOT natural for dogs to do and yet she does it!

This was my favourite weaving picture I have of her (taken by my partner this summer).

 

Panzerotti

New Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2011
Messages
976
Likes
1
Points
0
Location
Grande Prairie, AB
I think dogs read body language better than they hear verbal language and so showing the motion forward vs. the body coming up and indicating collection is better for me. It works very well with Dahlia and she wraps jumps beautifully without a word.
This is so true. I was recently at an agility seminar with an awesome trainer (Jessica Martin) and she was saying that the vast majority of the time, even if you think the dog is responding to a verbal, they are actually responding to body language. I do think it's worth training both though, the more info you can give to the dog about where they're going next the better. :)
 

crysania

New Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
76
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
NY
I will also admit here that I do mostly non-verbal because I have exercise-induced asthma and when I get out there and really moving I may not be ABLE to say much. lol
 

AdrianneIsabel

Glutton for Crazy
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
8,893
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Portland, Oregon
New announcement, Zuma is now officially The Zuminator NA NAJ. Finally grabbed that last novice standard leg last Sunday!
Congrats!!

Sloan is on a break too. I'm bummed and I may steal her for that last jumpers Q this fall though. Meanwhile she's going for her CDX in a few weeks so she's busy enough as is.

Backup and I took a break and this morning revisited our weaves. We're still having trouble and I'm not sure how worth it it is right now. Slightly open he can hit 6, closed he wraps on 4 and never gives me the chance to throw his reward to the end. I switched to the manners minder though which seemed to be helping because he was having a hungry day, he rarely is hungry though, hopefully this continues.

In other news his distance and hand signal sits and downs are getting stronger so I guess that's cool. LOL
 

SaraB

New Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
5,798
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
St. Louis, MO
Congrats!!

Sloan is on a break too. I'm bummed and I may steal her for that last jumpers Q this fall though. Meanwhile she's going for her CDX in a few weeks so she's busy enough as is.

Backup and I took a break and this morning revisited our weaves. We're still having trouble and I'm not sure how worth it it is right now. Slightly open he can hit 6, closed he wraps on 4 and never gives me the chance to throw his reward to the end. I switched to the manners minder though which seemed to be helping because he was having a hungry day, he rarely is hungry though, hopefully this continues.

In other news his distance and hand signal sits and downs are getting stronger so I guess that's cool. LOL
One step at a time! Distance sits and downs lead to distance obstacle discrimination in the future!

I feel you on the weaves though. Zuma nails every entrance I throw at her in training but put her in a trial setting and she misses 85% of the time. Right now I have her watching fast dogs weave and then sending her in difficult entries right after trying to get her high and she's nailing that too even though her brains leave the second she sees another dog running. One day we'll get it, just need to keep practicing until it's second nature.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
You can come work Mia's sit/stays. She does GREAT with certain obstacles then stick her in front of something else and she's creeper. The tire jump seems to be the worst. Second half of class we had to have someone hold her.
 

Finkie_Mom

It's A Red Dog Revolution
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Messages
1,794
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Bensalem, PA
Wah, we're on official break right now till September. :(
Ugh I hate breaks from class - I look forward to them so much every week. It feels so odd to not go.

New announcement, Zuma is now officially The Zuminator NA NAJ. Finally grabbed that last novice standard leg last Sunday!
YAY! Go Zuma! That's awesome :)

How do you guys feel about Fun Runs? I've sort of decided that I was going to do as many as I can with Kimma essentially until next Spring, but I've had a few people saying that I should just start trialing her. But really isn't a Fun Run a trial without so many people? Once she's not anxious, she's pretty good/responsive, and she's at the point now where she's confident on all equipment (even at new places). The only thing is her 12 weaves are still a bit slow, but we're working on them and her 6 are relatively fast. I've done 3 so far (2 runs at one location, and one at another), and after she got her sniffing done here www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbLoy9McXgw she was good. (I shouldn't have let her go near this turf beforehand - while we were waiting to go in the ring, she was smelling it and trying to roll in it as it's a surface we've never been on so I wasn't terribly surprised when she went off to sniff). Our instructor seems to think we should be competing (she was surprised when I said I hadn't entered us in our club's trial in Sept), but I just don't know. Am I answering my own question here? :p
 

MandyPug

Sport Model Pug
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
5,332
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
32
Location
Southern Alberta
Oh I guess I should mention in here too that Izzie earned two more titles this past weekend. Agility Intermediate Select and Agility Intermediate Jumpers Select in CKC. Only her second CKC trial ever, but CKC isn't as hard as AAC.
 

Shai

& the Muttly Crew
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
6,215
Likes
0
Points
36
Yay Zuma! Yay Izzie!

I guess I should update too? Basically we've been closed out of a bunch of trials becauae there aren't enough trials to support the demand here. We did get into one (Mir & Web) and Mira picked up a QQ, a masters JWW leg, around 50 points, and 3 placements...two 2nds and a 3rd iirc. Tight spreads on the ribbons between her and a friend with two of the best dogs in our height class...there was a 0.5 second spread btw 1st and 3rd for Mira's yellow.

Also pulled Webby out of retirement since Kim is out...apparently he wants to make that permanent because in his first 4days of trialing in ExcB (he got into a trial that Mir did not...closed out) he earned 4 straight QQs lol. And placed 4th twice in classes of 16-17 dogs lol. Running a midsize dog has been lots of fun for me...more strides to work with and definitely less demanding on me as a handler! With Mir, being a 24" dog on tight AKC courses means there is just no margin for error at all...which is fun and a thrill but a little of leeway is good for the handler's soul sometimes lol!

Anyway...novel. Sorry!
 

BostonBanker

Active Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Messages
8,854
Likes
1
Points
36
Location
Vermont
Congrats to everyone on their recent success!

I have nothing against fun runs as long as the equipment/footing is safe (we have some around here that are...sketchy). Great place to practice some trial skills without risking so much money :p

Meg recently went to one of the few AKC trials we do (can't say no to a trial 20 minutes from home). It was her third AKC trial ever, and she finished up both her open titles and got her first Excellent jumpers Q. She NQ for the first time ever in AKC the first class, when she was so high she missed her dogwalk contact by about 18', ran ahead and took the next tunnel, and then came back up the dogwalk to see what was taking me so long. And to think I had considered retiring her completely because she seemed so lackluster in practice! Apparently she believes she should only have to trial, not train. Fair enough, at this point! I'm holding off on trialling her anymore until Gusto is ready to go, just because I'm putting so much into him right now. I'll let her run a bit when he does though, and maybe polish off some metallic titles in our favorite classes.

Gusto continues to amaze me, and occasionally make me want to boot him over the fence. He sets the bar so high for himself when he's on, that when he is a typical 14 month old puppy, I think he's stupid and bad and I'm a terrible trainer and we should quit. We are going to a 2-day training camp next weekend with three great trainers (Terri Cesarek, Monique Plinck and Tracy Sklenar), and I am both excited and terrified! Hopefully he doesn't make too much of a fool of us.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top