Team Snooker and Relay

Team Jumpers and Standard Videos

Steeplechase and Team Gamble Videos

Wow! What a weekend!

There are so many awesome things that happened this weekend that I really don't know where to start! First I am thrilled that for the first time Party and I felt like a team all weekend not just for one or two classes. This is huge in my opinion because we have never felt like an absolute team all weekend! I am going to have to put this together by class so I can keep my thoughts together. So lets backchain and start with Relay.
I looked at all 3 pieces of the relay and decided that they were all very do able, so let teammates Ray and Laurie decide which half I would run. They thought I should run the last piece which was awesome. I had walked it doing a landing side front after #2 but after seeing dogs off course after the chute I changed my stratagy. I instead chose to hang back and rear cross #3 which pulled her over #2 nicely then into the tunnels and up the Dogwalk I was sure to tell her touch on The Dogwalk and she slowed down but didn't stop, I drove to the #7 jump being careful not to pull away from it as I wanted to be sure to set Party up for a nice weave pole approach it set a nice line and I just did a small blinker to get her to jump it tight and she did great nailing her poles! The whole thing was awesome. Of course thats my humble opinion.....

Party Grand Prix Run

I am absolutely thrilled right now as we had a great run. Of course, there are areas that need some help but over all the run was great. I felt that we ran as a team and she listened great. But best of all I stuck to my plan. I used all the things that I have been learning to walk the course and boy they really paid off. Thanks Lo! I will continue to work hard so that I may improve. The bonus is this was a Q!

Hampton Beach FUN

We had a blast at the beach today The pictures speak for themselves and I must say a disclaimer right now. Rev and Party love to work each other but not once have they ever touched each other. Just love running and making LOTS of noise!

Jump Handling Seminar Crib Notes

It's Sunday morning and I am at Lo's jump handling seminar. I am excited as I know I will get a lot of great info from this seminar. I took notes the best I could but I tend to have issues taking notes and getting info from the seminar.
The first thing I need to remember is this:
What are my 5 turning cues?
1-Lateral
2-verbal
3-shoulders
4-Decel
5-Help me out here I cannot remember the other cue!I
then I need to look at a course and think which jumps are taken in collection and which are in extension. This is not as easy as it sounds. I will start walking courses with this in mind. So to really break it down Collection is where a turn will occur. Extension is when the dog moves out with no turn. Of course, there are variables to these but I am not getting into that now.
A few basic things I need to remember: When running the course I need to remember to make the steps a dance and smooth them out. Always draw the line of where the dog is going. Hips and feet must face the direction your dog is going. A blinker is a quick right here cue with the opposite hand to tell the dog you need them to follow and turn, not a long drawn out one. The long drawn out is a backy uppy or the claw. When training, placement of reinforcement is crucial. A front cross (FC) is a change of sides moving in front of your dog. Put the FC on the plane of the two obstacles you are between. This is your front cross line. Do not back up into a FC or move out of your dogs way (within reason).Give your dog the space they need, giving to much space will make them wide. A rear cross (RC) is driving your dog ahead of you and changing sides.
The amount of info in this seminar was intense, but I have been taught this before and now really need to retain the information. There are things mentally that I plan on doing also to help myself. I will have a plan in my head before I walk the course. When walking the course I will know which obstacle is taken in collection and which is extension. I will walk the course to know it and handle it. After walking the course I will run the course in my head then shadow handle if I feel its necessary. I have a USDAA team event this weekend and plan on using everything I know there. It is kinda of a self test on myself. I want to run the courses the way I have walked them. So I will be taking notes and then checking to see if I stayed with them. Of course games are different. But thats for another time.

Hiking Fun! (and we meet 2 dogs)

Party and I had the opportunity to get out and hike today so we took it!
This is one of the beautiful scenes.







Such a pretty girl resting after having so much fun!

Somethings in there and I want it!

I'll lead the way Momma.....

I can hear them but what are they?

I've got it but I scared Mom in the process.

See I got it!

Here I come, look out!

We had a wonderful time hiking. Its been a while since we've been able to go due to ice. We did have a big learning opportunity on the way though. As we were going down the hill we meet up with a Golden and Airdale both are good dogs as we have meet them on leash before, but Party had a slight over reaction. Not huge like I would have thought, but she did much better then I expected. She was able to tolerate the Golden but the Airdale was very upright and in her face. His body was very flirty and not threatning in my opinion. She stood her ground after a moment of running in circles trying to get away. However she was giving every calming signal in the book licking her lips, turning her head, etc. He was not threatning but just very forward. When he pushed just to far she snapped her teeth and he backed off for her. It really was amazing to watch. I did not stop but kept moving slowly to encourage then to keep walking on. But I kept watching to be sure everything would be OK of course. The owners were awesome. Party passed her first real test on the trail. In the past she has always had another dog to back her up, she is braver when not alone of course. The owner of the Airdale leashed him after a moment but the Golden's Mom had no leash. He was very appropriate non threatning in everyway and Party just sat or stood while he sniffed at her. She was taking cookies from me and while worried not at all overly so. This entire episode lasted maybe 2-3 minutes and we were on our way to have lots of hiking fun. I am very proud of her for this.

Oh, what a lesson to learn!

Just got in from a great lesson. I learned that I need to treat a trial just like a lesson and trust that Party will do it. She has done everything so beautifully in the lesson because I must say I am relaxed! So I am going to be more like "The Little Engine That Could" I think I can, I think I can. I am going to put myself in a very happy place and imagine that I am at a lesson with Lo in a relaxed atmosphere and just let it happen. No stress no worries and go from there.

I Can Do It!!!!

Shaping

A few weeks ago I started to shape/teach Party to weave between my legs. The behavior I wanted is simply me in a stationary position with my legs set apart and Party doing figure eights between them. I picked this behavior entirely because I felt it would be good for start lines and I could do it anywhere.

When I first started Party was very reluctant to go through my legs at all. It took a lot of luring and coercion to get her to even walk through. It took several training sets for her to start to become comfortable. She did not seem to like the pressure of it.
Once she was comfortable it was getting easier for her to wrap around one of my legs, although it was still being lured. After a few reps of that behavior I started to introduce wrapping the second leg. At first she was confused and would do the original behavior then lie down. So I lured her with a high reinforcer and got the behavior. At this point she is wrapping both legs very well. However, my dilemma is this; she will not offer the behavior. I have the cue down to a tap on the leg alternating legs to keep her going but she will not offer or keep going without it. I made the mistake (or not) when she was younger of not making her operant. I tried this morning to wait her out and had some success. The interesting thing was she lied down, barked at me, shuffled her feet, all operant type behaviors but not the one I wanted or one I could reinforce. If she had come forward at all I could have started shaping it. I will continue to get her to understand that she does not need a cue to keep going but can think for herself.

AKC Excellent A Jumpers at AK9C

AKC Excellent A Standard at AK9C

As I wait to go in I have Party barking. Doing this helps her to keep focused and not to worry. She seems to have a great attitude. We walk in as the dog prior to us goes over the last jump. The leash comes off, I ask for a sit which she readily gives to me. I lead out with confidence to between #2 and 3 as I started to turn to pick up Party’s head to release her she was over the second jump I quickly ignored it and sent her over the #3 jump and then over the frame. The judge (Terry Brown) was on the same side as I was (left)and as Party went over the top she barely took a stride and leapt off the side to me. The yellow was one rung below where Party jumped. I collected her to me asked for a sit and stated "Oh my" before releasing her to the jump. She sent to the teeter nicely but I felt like I was struggling. I cued her to go over the jump to the 180 which she went wide on I am sure its me. She went to the box nicely and sat the judge laughed at her which she did well with a large yawn. She is having issues coming off the box I clawed the jump to the poles. Which she did great in until pole 10 where she came out and jumped up to bite me. I ignored it and said tunnel she hit the tunnel driving up the dog walk with confidence As she was over the top I said touch again, she rocked back slowed and I released he. Off into the chute I slowed up and called her to the 180 she turned and I believe overly so as she had to pop to get over the jump she finished the 180 beautifully and over the triple. Her attitude was good although I was told she broke her stay due to stress. Her aframe wasn’t stress it was fun as the judge was next to me. So the question I ask myself is what do I do to keep her attitude good without having these behaviors.
So as she jumped out of the poles to bite me I have to ask why? Did I do something to cause it or was it just her having fun.
After speaking with Lo we have decided to look and praise her for staying if she stands I will ask her to sit then release. If she pops out of the poles I will swing her around and complete them all the while I am going to be positive positive positive showing no negative at all.

I just viewed the video of the run which I just described and my handling was very detached, I could feel it while running but after watching the video "Oh MY" there were lots of wide turns and when I thought she was with me I realise now it was only because I called her not because she was listening to my very bad body language. Well, I will try harder next time....

I'd be happy to if you were clear.....

Ever wonder what language your speaking? Apparently Party has to wonder at times. Thankfully I have been pretty consistent with my handling with her. However, at my lesson tonight she was not responding as she should have to a rear cross.
Lo was having me do a rear cross with a slight easty westy motion to it going into a pinwheel, throwing her out to the jump while then clawing the 3rd jump rotating to get the last jump and coming out of it to a see saw. Party continued to lock onto the see saw not seeing or reading the rear cross. Lo was awesome (after me trying several times with little success) and took Party to work her and broke the entire exercise down in to pieces for Party and viola Party saw the light and was reading the crosses.

One of the exercises we did ended in weaves. Party was nailing her entries but skimming in the middle. I was a bit to far ahead of her and once I stopped driving so far ahead she did great. I need to remember for the time being that I can only be one or two poles ahead. Something else to work on when the snow melts.

We worked on gamblers some, layering 2 jumps while having her drive out to a see saw that was parallel and then out to a tunnel. She was awesome; totally nailing it.

Overall the lesson was great. I am really trying to retain everything that is being taught. Goodness knows I have the best and most patient instructor. With any luck this blog will help me retain the knowledge better.

I am off to an AKC trial tomorrow and am hoping that Party and I present ourselves as a team. Wish us luck.

I want to Thank Donna Kelliher for allowing me to use some of the fabulous pictures she has taken of Party. Like the one here.Thanks a million!

I am going to have a lesson with Lo this afternoon. Won't do alot of running due to having oral surgery this morning. However, I am confident that I will be able to work on many aspects of handling. Stay tuned...

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Practice, Practice, Practice!
I spent the good part of an hour with Kathy working on my handling. I hesitate to practice my handling independently as I feel like I do things incorrectly. Therefore confusing my dog, so for now I have someone I trust watch me.
I worked on handling threadles and felt like I was getting a good feel for them as I progressed. My problem with threadles is I have always used an open shoulder approach of handling them (inviting her in) and have since found that Party reads…oh my, I don’t know what the method is called! For lack of better words; Iuse the “claw” or backy uppy.. any way Party reads this much better. Because of this she gives me a much nicer tight turn.
We also worked on layering obstacles for gamble purposes. Party read this very well which made me ecstatic as we have had issues with this in the past.
Kathy, Thank you for helping me simply by watching and giving me feed back.

Easy..It's my first time!

Interesting that I would choose this method of writing all my training notes and thoughts. But here we go.

I had a lesson with Lo on Wednesday February 25 and of course it was awesome. However, just prior to the lesson I realised that I have a very difficult time knowing what cues to give Party as I am walking the course. Not that I don’t know what cues, but more that Idon’t choose the correct cues. I have made bad handling choices in the past and truly do not like it. I spend enough money on lessons and my dog is very well trained but alas I seem to have a learning deficit when it comes to handling. I discussed this with Lo and she gave me some different course to walk, of course with choices on how to handle it. After discussing the whys of it she had me run them. Boy, do I have to brush up on my knowledge base. Actually what I need is to remember the various cuing scenarios. i.e. lateral send, lateral push, and so on. So some of my homework is to collect all this data. My other homework is to collect course maps and know how i want to handle it before i get on course. YIKES I never do that and after finding some maps on line i found out it really, really hard for me! Guess I will be doing a whole lot of this