Fixing table problems

I found a dvd that was put out by Agility in Motion. I dont know if you can still buy these videos. But they were really neat. Each video has several different teaching sessions on it. One dvd may have some clicker training, front crosses, course analysis, teaching the teeter ect. I think they made 13 or 14 different videos and I bought them in 2006 I think. Inside the case on "Contacts Bridging the Gap", I found one of these agility in motion videos. On this one at the bottom was "Table problems and how to fix them" by Rachel Sanders. So I watched it yesterday and today. Very interesting. She talks about a number of reasons why you maybe having table problems. It could be, positional ( dog cant get elbows down or needs be be taught to roll on to one hip in a down ), over handling, reinforcing inconsistent performance, delayed reinforcement ( no treats in the ring), Stalking behavior,and Excessive fixation on obstacles. There were more but I didnt write them all down and forwarded pass stuff I didnt think would apply to us. Things that may apply to Miley and I were delayed reinforcement ( no treats in the ring, stress is caused by not having food). People with this problem will usually practice downs and sits outside the ring waiting their turn. They are successful outside the ring because you have food and the dog is very focused on you because there isnt anything distracting them.( uh this is me. LoL) But once in the ring , there isnt any food and now there are a lot of obstacles for them to focus on. So they cant do it. To fix this one. You practice first sits and down without a table and no food on or near you. When the dog goes into position, they must stay, why you walk over to where your treats are and come back and reward the dog. Once they are doing this add the table back in. Then when you release them ,only release the position not the table. So they can stand if they were in a down. That way, the release isnt immediately off the table. Then release from the table. If a dog has excessive fixation on obstacles (Miley) you need to brake the chain for the release from the table to the obstacle. In training she releases the dog from the table, the dog has to first come to her and play and then she releases to the next obstacle. Another problem, the dog doesnt want to stop the fun (Miley). So she finds something the dog really likes. Something the dog gets really excited by. Then train downs and sits by that item. For her dogs it was a pool of water and other dogs. Her one border collie likes to stalk the other one. So she uses that. Once she can get the dog to sit or down close to the thing that causes excitement then she adds the table back in. When the dog gets on the table and stays in position, she walks around the table verbally praising, and petting the dog. If the dog stays in position ,she will release the dog to the thing they like, like the pool of water. If they break position, she gently places them back into position without giving the command again. Once back into position, she starts verbal praise again walking around the table and petting them. Then release to what they like. I tried this one tonight. I got Miley's dinner out. She was very excited. I had her get on her mat into a down. I walked around her , praising her and petting her. I really thought the petting her part would cause her to break.( she doenst like to be touch especially when she is excited. ) But she did great. I then released her and gave her dinner. I know this was kinda boring reading but maybe it will help someone.