Here is the jumpers run from last Sunday that I messed up. Ive tried to run it several more times this week and still cant get it. Ugh, its a starters course and I cant run it. LoL When I ran it at the trial I stayed on the right of the jumps until #6 and then rear crossed. Which I thought caused her to go off course. Every time Ive tried to run it at the field I cant get enough ahead of her and she either takes #6 and goes to #9 or takes #6 and then takes #10. Im not sure why. Ive tried to put all forward motion cues to make her take #7 and she doesnt. Ive back chained it but once I run the whole thing, she goes off course again. If I do to much of a lead out she pulls in and doesnt take #4 because Im pulling to far toward #5 to get ahead of her. Any suggestions? Lots of people at the trial front crossed after #4, which at the time I thought was unnecessary, and I couldnt possibly get there to do it. At the field I could get there and it did make a tighter line to #5 but still didnt prevent the off course later.
Our club had a meeting this week. One of the club members gave a lecture on dog body language. It was a great lecture and I learned alot. We watched some video. The one, I wouldnt have seen any of the cues the dog was giving to get the person away from him if we hadnt discussed it first. The dog bit the person invading his space and he tried to tell the person with dog body language but trainer didnt pick up on any of it. So the news crew guy got bit right in the face. Anyway, I learned a lot. I hope she will do a follow up lecture. At the end of the meeting they always ask if anyone has any brags. I usually dont say anything but for some reason I decided to this time. So I say "Miley got two qualifying runs this weekend". Do you know what the person leading the club meeting said in front of everyone? ( and she is standing in front of the whole group) "You mean she didnt circle you around the ring?" And she swung her arm around the top of her head in a big circling motion. It doesnt sound that bad writing here but it really hurt my feelings. It was suppose to be a brag. Why did she have to wreck it? And in front of everyone there. And people wonder why I dont talk to anyone. So when you see me sitting by myself , or not talking to anyone. Dont take it personally. It just feels safer for me not to talk to anyone then get my feeling hurt.
Im still working on Miley's running a-frame. She will do three hits usually the first time over the a-frame. She will also do 3 hits if Im lagging to far behind. Im not sure what to do about that. Because she blew all her dogwalk contacts this weekend , I now end all running a-frame session with practicing dogwalk stops. Im hoping that will remind her to stop on a dogwalk. Will see.
15 comments:
That's a difficult starters course for a fast dog like Miley. If she is ahead going into 5,6, it seems like there would be no way to get her to take the correct jumps. Very tough one. For Ricky I would've done a front cross after 4 and then had to run around the outside of 6,7,8,9 to speed him up - LOL! But if you could get in the FC after 4 (could you even lead out to the landing side of 4 and recall her over but still be moving once she commits to 4 - one heck of a lead out!) and then if you could be a little ahead of Miley, what if you tried to be right next to her before 6 and then move laterally to the left so maybe she would not go to 10 and you would be blocking 9 and you could get her in the pinwheel?
Sorry about that club member's rude comment when you had a great brag! It's that "stealing the joy" thing. Not right at all. But not everyone is like that even though it seems like a lot of people are. I either stay around the positive supportive people or I keep to myself too. I'm there to have fun with Ricky and I don't care what people say. If they have negative things to say that's their problem.
Really looking forward to your visit!!!!
That was so rude of her to do that to you. You are right, it was a brag, and everyone should have been happy for you.
So sorry about that bitchy comment. I just don't get people. If anything, that makes the Q's even more special. You guys impress me every single time I watch a video of you (even the NQs). You're a very smooth, FAST team. I don't blame you for not talking to people if they're going to be that rude. You guys are awesome.
Mean people suck. Some people never get out of high school, and have to make themselves feel better by bringing other people down.
I'm admire what you do on the course with Miley Diana, as I'm sure many others do as well.
I don't go in the faculty room at my school, because all they do is gossip about everyone else. It is ridiculous. Sometimes, it is better to keep to yourself.
Ugh, I can't believe someone had the gall to say that. What is with people? Like Ricky said, it's totally that stealing the joy thing. I hate when people do that.. what are we, 5 years old, that we need to make fun of people or diminish their accomplishments?
I'd like to see that person take a shot at working with a high-drive, highly sensitive dog like Miley. Somehow, I don't think they'd be nearly as successful as you.
I agree with Ricky- this is a REALLY hard starters course for someone with a fast dog. Just because it is starters, doesn't mean it is designed to be easy for everyone. I know you just watched the APHS foundation video and one of the biggest things LM says is NOT to teach your dog to just "go on" despite these types of courses in Novice/starters. You have to stick it out and eventually the dog learns to carry on despite the handler falling behind.
Even though I don't handle a fast dog, I think the key would be to get a decent (but not huge) lead out. More important than getting far ahead down the 1-2-3 line would be to get as far laterally as you can, which will help you get down the next line faster. As the dog catches up to you going down the first line, you still want to be moving forward (not decelerating to turn yourself) hence why you don't to lead out TOO far down the line. Forward send to 4 while you move laterally and hustle down the next line. I picture the handler getting about to the stanchion of 5 when the dog lands off 4. Turn and run... look at 7... don't look back at the dog (eye contact cues collection and turn towards the handler). The dog will have to converge a little (maybe do a bit of a serp) to get 5, but I would hope my dogs wouldn't need too much support to not go around 5. Maybe saying their name when they land off 4 would be enough so I don't have to turn back towards them. But I think that forward and lateral send is the key.
Hate when people cut you down for something you feel proud of. I can remember this one overnight shift where I was so ecstatic that this one GSD that I was managing was still ALIVE the next morning. The surgeon walked in and her first comment was, "Well that dog looks like CRAP!" (Only she didn't say crap.) Totally drained me.
Don't worry about it.
That woman is just mean. I bet she just jealous and wants to find faults in you and Miley.
But we think you're wonderful! Even through all those ups and downs you never give up :)
That looks like a tough course!
I can't believe how rude that club member was to you. You should be proud of Miley's Qs. Congrats!
Very tough course! No way would Katie and I survive it! We must be PRE PRE Novice!
Sometimes people say stupid things without realizing how hurtful they can be. Sometimes people say stupid things because they need to seem superior for their own reasons. Sometimes people say stupid things because they are stupid. No matter what, YOU know that Miley did great and nothing is ever going to take that away!
And besides, you have US who really WANT to hear those brag reports! So don't dispare...we're right here!
One of the rules we learned for the rear cross is the dog has to be committed to the next obstacle, so my first thought would be I wonder if she was truly committed to taking seven before you rear crossed, and so then I would wonder about the rear cross timing. You should get some video. Wonder for Miley who gets into object focus easily if you rear crossed before the back plane of jump 9 and 10 and so she assumed you wanted her to turn tight over them? Just my guess ;-).
How insensitive of that lady, you know that might have been funny if that was not a problem you had worked so hard on, and the fact you got the Q's, she is not a person that sounds supportive at all, maybe just trying to get some attention for herself. I can't imagine anyone under the circumstances thinking that was appropriate or funny, but heck that shows her lack of character.
There is always some bitchy people around like to upset others. You know your dog the best and you know you are doing your best. Ignore her!
I have found that this weekend also; people have just not learned that important "if you don't have anything nice to say....." from their mothers!
I will sit off to the side with you! LOL
Bernadette
PS I have not heard of the term "stealing your joy" but that is such an apt term. And a good thing for us all to remember when someone is telling us something that made them happy.
That's an aweful thing to say to someone! I'm so sorry. I hope you can forget it, since it wasn't worth hearing the first time, but unfortunately those kind of comments seem to stick with us. :-(
I love watching you and Miley. I think you're awesome!
I'm sorry about that comment. You and Miley are an awesome team. I hear you and am often off to the side for other reasons - shut down dog and you should hear the people laugh when we're in the ring. It's hard. Thank goodness for my ipod.
Let me tell you that USDAA starters can be really hard. That is a hard course. We had really hard courses this weekend. I don't have any handling advice. I'm sure Shasta and I wouldn't have been able to get through that course either.
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