What did I learn Sunday? Run the whole course and work even the parts you think are easy. I focused so much on the hard parts and worried about them, that I messed up the easy stuff.
My first run was Exc JWW. I did a 2 jump lead out with a call the heel but I didn't lean back far enough and Miley missed the 2nd jump and then things fell apart for a few seconds. I didn't know what to do, so I just started running and Miley came. The rest of the course she did great. I wish I hadn't messed up the beginning. I was so worried about the double pinwheels and making my front crosses that I didn't worry about the beginning.
Then I was was watching the Exc Standard. The big dogs were running. So after I watched Meagan run, I figured I would get something to eat. I didn't eat yesterday and went 12 hours before I ate. So I wanted to make sure I ate today. I walked over to the stand. No one was in line. I ordered a hamburger and walked back to the agility ring. Crap, they were already walking Open standard. How did I miss it? They couldn't have rebuilt the course already. I guess they didn't have to change anything. When I got down to the ring. They blew the whistle to make everyone leave the course. Crap. I missed the walk thur. I did get to run it once very quickly between jump height changes. Anyway, once again the things I wasn't worried about, I had problems with. We missed a jump, I should have made sure I pulled Miley toward me on that run of jumps after the a-frame. Then she didn't go off course into the tunnel after the dogwalk. So that was good. She got into the weaves but her legs slipped out from under her and she came out of the weaves. I felt bad for her. She was trying so hard. Lots of dogs slipping this time unlike the last time I ran here. But this is a 4 day trial. I think last time I ran the first few days and not last one. It must get slicker as the days go by. Anyway it was then chute to the table. I would be in front of her for the table. I really thought she was going to get on and stay on. She slowed way up and got on, then she jumped off and I caught her. It really was just a reflex. All of a sudden I realized I had touched my dog on course. I think I had surprised look on my face because the judge started laughing. And we walked off the course. I wish I had thought to quickly put her back on the table but I didn't. I'm not mad a Miley, I really wish I could make her understand she has to stop on the table.
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A Walktober summary
1 day ago
10 comments:
Miley did an awesome startline stay in the JWW run! I've never seen her stay put so well! (I couldn't tell if she held her stay in the STD run). So congratulations on that! Then your JWW run was beautiful after the second jump. Really, really good!
In the STD run Miley did great contacts! Poor girl slipping in the weaves (must be that artificial grass-type surface). I thought she would stay on the table too and was surprised when she jumped off. Maybe you made a real impression on her and she will stay on next time!
I think if anything will make a dog realize they HAVE to stop on the table on course, that should do it! Catching the dog after it has run laps I don't think is very effective, but that was a pretty immediate "punishment", which is the most basic requirement of a punishment. I once saw a tiny toy poodle who thought it was much easier to run straight off the end of the teeter rather than wait for it to drop. The handler caught the dog in mid air and walked off with her. Lesson learned for the little pooch.
wow, the front crosses and your timing and placement was really nice in the first run and you ought to get a prize for catching Miley, you must have lightening fast reflexes!
cool!
(i would love to run an indoor trial on that surface)
PS I have to say that looks like the neatest place to run agility, no gopher holes, no splotchy grass, no fast cars whizzing by 30 feet from the ring, that really looks like a cool place.
Just had a thought as I was dozing on the couch. What if you put the touch and go on cue? One way to extinguish an unwanted behavior is to put in one cue then not give the cue... don't know that I've ever heard of it being used in this context but maybe? Turns the table into a sort of discrimination game?
her startline stay was beautiful, she's such a fast, fun dog to watch. and your JWW run was gorgeous after she got her little zoomies out :)
sometimes I get the urge to grab Riley to get her to focus again in the ring, but then I realize that I'm not supposed to touch her. It's such a natural reaction type thing, that sometimes you don't even think about it. sounds like you learned a lot this weekend, which is always good!
Very nice startline! No movement at all that I could see. :-) That is a bummer that Miley slipped in the weaves. Your catching her coming off the table was priceless.
We always work so hard on the difficult sequence and forgot all about the easy one. Miley did great in the Jumper.
About the table, do you think you could teach her separately with high reward? Maybe you can find something she really like but must perform on the table, hopefully she will learn to like the table and think the table is great. I would start asking her to do trick on the table, then reward for being on the table.
You should be really proud of your startline stays this weekend. It's been only a week since you started working on improving those.
I know you are going to figure this table stuff out.
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