Last weeks class was canceled because of snow, so this was our 2nd class. It went by way too fast.
First of all, we got lost on the way there- it was dark, snowy and my GPS obviously hates me. We left at 4:45pm and got there at 6:32pm. Class started at 6:30pm, but I was hoping to get there early so Tibby could calm down and get use to the space again. Maybe at our next class.
Everyone was practicing with their touch targets when we arrived. Tibby is very good at this now. I started treating her on the target last week. She has started to paw and bow on the target. She can find the target when it is more than 8 feet away and if the target is behind her. One thing I wanted to ask in class and forgot to: When you run with your dog toward the target and you are going to run past the target, but you want the dog to stop at the target, When do you say target? When you start to run? When you are close to the target?
Then we worked on having the dog go to the mat. I started this a tiny bit with Tibby last week, so she did pretty good. EVEN WITH ALL THE DISTRACTIONS! Tibby gets distracted very easily. My Mom says she has ADD. She really likes people and dogs and oooo dirt and oooo lawn chairs and oooo more people and..... Of course I get distracted easily too, so together well....there is a video this week that I'm not terribly excited to show off.
Then we worked on hand touches. Tibby can do this, but she only wanted to do it for about 30 seconds. So I had her do some of her tricks, take a bow, spin, high five. Good proofing practice.
Then we did the wobble board. It was Tibby's first time on a wobble board, but she eats all of her meals on a rocker board, so the movement didn't scare her (too much).
Then we did the Susan Garrett Ready 123 game. Tibby was so happy - we got to RUN! She did good with this game. It only took her 2 or 3 times before she figured out: eye contact = run. She wasn't interested in her toy or treats, so I rewarded with just running!
Then we did something which I didn't completely understand, because Bella's (the goldendoodle) Mom asked me if Tibby gets snow balls in her feet, while the instructor was explaining the game. Argh! I missed the instructions! By the way, yes Tibby does get snowballs in her feet and I have started to spray a little Pam on her feet before we go on long hikes. It seems to work.
The game was something about working the dog on both sides of your body and going through the uprights of a jump.
During the class, when the instructor was explaining something or another team was doing an exercise I worked with Tibby on eye contact, relaxing and doing her tricks. It kept her occupied 78% of the time. I was very surprised with how much eye contact and concentration I got from her. A bunch of times (for several minutes each time) she lay down at my feet with her back to the rest of the group. And then she would stare at me. Yay!
I had fun and Tibby had fun. She has a tummy full of hot dogs. 100% successful class!
Now the horrible video. My Mom had the camera. She couldn't tape when Tibby was doing her wobble board or when Tibby was concentrating on me - Nooooo she had to tape us with me zoned out and lost and Tibby wild and crazy. I was trying to figure out what we were doing. While also keeping Tibby moving and most importantly NOT letting her STOMP on the Papillons. Why oh why couldn't she tape it when Tibby and I finally figured out what was going on and we went through the uprights!?!?
First of all, we got lost on the way there- it was dark, snowy and my GPS obviously hates me. We left at 4:45pm and got there at 6:32pm. Class started at 6:30pm, but I was hoping to get there early so Tibby could calm down and get use to the space again. Maybe at our next class.
Everyone was practicing with their touch targets when we arrived. Tibby is very good at this now. I started treating her on the target last week. She has started to paw and bow on the target. She can find the target when it is more than 8 feet away and if the target is behind her. One thing I wanted to ask in class and forgot to: When you run with your dog toward the target and you are going to run past the target, but you want the dog to stop at the target, When do you say target? When you start to run? When you are close to the target?
Then we worked on having the dog go to the mat. I started this a tiny bit with Tibby last week, so she did pretty good. EVEN WITH ALL THE DISTRACTIONS! Tibby gets distracted very easily. My Mom says she has ADD. She really likes people and dogs and oooo dirt and oooo lawn chairs and oooo more people and..... Of course I get distracted easily too, so together well....there is a video this week that I'm not terribly excited to show off.
Then we worked on hand touches. Tibby can do this, but she only wanted to do it for about 30 seconds. So I had her do some of her tricks, take a bow, spin, high five. Good proofing practice.
Then we did the wobble board. It was Tibby's first time on a wobble board, but she eats all of her meals on a rocker board, so the movement didn't scare her (too much).
Then we did the Susan Garrett Ready 123 game. Tibby was so happy - we got to RUN! She did good with this game. It only took her 2 or 3 times before she figured out: eye contact = run. She wasn't interested in her toy or treats, so I rewarded with just running!
Then we did something which I didn't completely understand, because Bella's (the goldendoodle) Mom asked me if Tibby gets snow balls in her feet, while the instructor was explaining the game. Argh! I missed the instructions! By the way, yes Tibby does get snowballs in her feet and I have started to spray a little Pam on her feet before we go on long hikes. It seems to work.
The game was something about working the dog on both sides of your body and going through the uprights of a jump.
During the class, when the instructor was explaining something or another team was doing an exercise I worked with Tibby on eye contact, relaxing and doing her tricks. It kept her occupied 78% of the time. I was very surprised with how much eye contact and concentration I got from her. A bunch of times (for several minutes each time) she lay down at my feet with her back to the rest of the group. And then she would stare at me. Yay!
I had fun and Tibby had fun. She has a tummy full of hot dogs. 100% successful class!
Now the horrible video. My Mom had the camera. She couldn't tape when Tibby was doing her wobble board or when Tibby was concentrating on me - Nooooo she had to tape us with me zoned out and lost and Tibby wild and crazy. I was trying to figure out what we were doing. While also keeping Tibby moving and most importantly NOT letting her STOMP on the Papillons. Why oh why couldn't she tape it when Tibby and I finally figured out what was going on and we went through the uprights!?!?
Week One Progress
1st Foundations Agility Class
6 comments:
As long as you had fun! There's always next week.
XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & bella
It sounds like a great class. Spike gets distracted/bored in class with me all the time. He does great practicing at home all week and then we get to class and he turns into ADD boy and I spend the whole class trying to keep him from distracting the others. In class he'll try something for a minute or two but then that's it, he's done. Good luck!
Helen
http://spikeanddru.com
Wow, Tibby's getting really big!! Sounds like it was a pretty successful class.
Elyse and Riley
I just wanted to say I am very grateful that my Mom went with me to the class. I was just kidding about the horrible video - she was nice enough to tape us - I should just be thankful! :P More mad at myself for not paying attention.......'cause the class goes by so fast and I looked forward to it for 2 weeks.
That video looks pretty good to me! You did a great job with her, there is a lot going on at once and it is hard for any dog to relax in an environment like that, let alone an energetic puppy like Tibby! So far, so good! I am so glad you are enjoying it. One day you'll both be just as addicted as I am.
I'm glad you're having fun and it sounds like she's doing fantastic!
I've never done any running past with the target since my dogs aren't expected to stick and hold their touch, they just need to touch and in theory could come back to me but since I treat there they usually hang out there. Some dogs are trained to do repeated nose touches though! But I do practice my continual running movement with the table and with stopped contacts. So if I was working on my movement I would start pretty close (like 3 steps), say "touch" as I release the dog, and walk at first instead of run. I would just go 1 step past the target, click and treat. gradually build distance first then speed, giving the cue only once as I release the dog.
When Vito was a pup I also had to keep him continuously doing something in the downtime of other dogs working or the instructor talking. Lots of trick practice and eye contact work! I think it's fantastic you're doing that with Tibby instead of just letting her disengage from you.
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