2nd Puppy Agility Class -With Video!

Dhali is so awesome!  He's so awesome that I got lost on the way home from puppy class, because I was re-living each moment of class.  We made it home, but it was dark, snowy AND foggy.  Fog and snow - that seems unfair.  Only added another 30 mins. to our trip, so not too bad - 3 1/2 hours total round trip.

This is a video of just a few seconds of class.  We did the same order of obstacles right before the video was taken - except we didn't do the chute.

I feel bad about Dhali getting caught on the little fence by the teeter.  I also feel bad about the dog barking at him when he was going through the tunnel.  It surprised him and he was a little hesitant.  You can see I take him to the table instead of the chute.  That was because of the dog barking at him and also I thought a 90 degree pull into the chute would be awfully hard.

I really wanted to say something to the guy with the aussie that barked when Dhali went through the tunnel.  His dog barked every time another dog ran through the tunnel.  It was a reactive sort of bark.  I felt bad for him though, because he was already being so hard on himself.

This was Dhali's first time on a table.  He jumped right up on it when I asked him to - yay for playing climb on this games!  This week I have been trying to teach him to lie down.  It's really been hard and I've started trying to lure it, because we weren't getting any where.  I really, really want to teach one of the dogs to roll over!  I have had this goal FOREVER and I still haven't been able to do it.  So simple and so difficult.

Anyway.  Dhali did really good at class.  There ended up being 2 classes for puppy agility, because 4 new puppies came that hadn't had any exposure to agility stuff.  It was fun to watch them - lots of people crawling into tunnels.

I crated Dhali for the first break - while the other group was working.  He did really well.  I could watch him in the big mirrors on the wall and he was just sitting there, watching the other dogs.  And there was a tiny baby Toller (same one as before) screaming in the crate above him and another Toller chilling in the crate next to him.

I think I will always crate him, because it is more relaxing for him.  When we had the 2nd break I took him with me into the little waiting room (first I took him outside to run around a little bit) and he whined and was not as happy.

There were 3 puppies in Dhali's class - Dhali and 2 Aussies.  In the new group there were 2 cattle dogs, a BC and a doberman.  The class is fun, but I still don't agree with puppies on pinch collars at an agility class.  I'm glad I have taken a lot of online classes and gone to a lot of seminars.  It makes it a lot easier to pick out what I want from the class and ignore what I don't want.

Last time he wasn't interested in food at all and wanted to play.  This time he was more into food and not that interested in playing with toys.  He still wanted to play with me.  It was a lot busier class and there were more dogs.

This was also Dhali's first time doing a chute with a hard barrel.  He's done the chute in the basement, but that has a soft barrel.  And I think we've only done that maybe....twice?  He didn't have any trouble going through the chute.  Even after the instructor accidentally stepped on him when he came out of it one time.  She feltt so bad and Dhali was like, "What?"  It didn't phase him.

The first thing we did in class was an L shaped tunnel and Dhali was like - I can't do that!  With it straightened a tiny bit he was fine.  So work on L shaped tunnels!  We did table/hoop/red tunnel/yellow tunnel the first time around and Dhali was the only puppy to get the hoop.  :)  Good boy!  Not like I did anything!  I just run with him and if he takes stuff - yay!
I'm glad we didn't have the silly orange cones tonight - I was going to sit that part out if they were doing that again.

I was really proud of Dhali - he makes everything so easy.

Cabin Fever Is Here Again

Now I remember why I remodeled the basement - winter is nasty.  It's dark, all the time.  It's wet, all the time.  It's cold and wet and dark.  I would like to see the sun again!  It's dark when I go to work and dark when I get home and then it gets darker.  It has rained/drizzled for days and days.  I can't remember how long!  That's a long time.  

So it was good to get out of the house tonight with Dhali and go shopping at Runnings again.  We just wandered around and eventually bought some puppy food which conveniently was both on sale and something I needed to get.  Dhali was good, which I sort of just expect from him now.  He got to meet some people, a man and woman that asked to pet him.  He was soooo good.  He sits right down and snuggles up to them and then he wanted them to rub his belly.  He thought the man's cowboy boots smelled really, really good.  LOL!  The check out girl remembered him from one of his first visits when he was a puppy.  They are pretty nice to us there :)  Some of the customers are surprised to see a dog in the store - I had one weird reaction from a woman when Dhali was a tiny baby and I was carrying him, but the store employees are all pretty relaxed about seeing us in the store.

It was nice to be able to walk around in the light and not be rained on.  I am starting to feel like I live in a dark shoe box with two furry WWF fighters.  Bitey games are fun, but not when they go on for hours.  If you have somewhere to take your dog weekly and train - well you are lucky!   It's going to be a long winter of cabin fever for us.

In Runnings we did some 'look at that' Control Unleashed sort of stuff.  I don't really understand the whole game, but Dhali was looking at weird stuff and then I would say, 'yes!' and give him a treat.  Then he was offering looking at weird stuff (tractor parts, chicken feeders, hoses, other farm stuff that I don't recognize) to get his treat, so I think he is starting to understand the game.  We've worked on the beginning steps at home, which are sort of boring and Dhali gets too into it and wants to run at the object or do something like hit it with his paw. 

I made the mistake of wandering into the brush department.  Dhali LOVES brushes, brooms, sweepers, anything with bristles.  He was trying to pick out his favorite one and then he found one he liked and tried to carry it away!  I would have bought it, but it was almost $20 and he has a ton of toys already.  I would like to find a cheaper one, that he likes, to use as a playtime/training toy.  Also, a smaller one would be good too :P

One thing that is good about the rain and mud - Dhali has learned to wait.  I taught him the same way I taught Tibby (and she has a pretty good wait).  After he gets his paws washed off in the bathtub I let him jump out and then I dry him off.  Then he has to wait while I open the door, shut off the light, walk out of the door and walk around the corner.  Then I come back and release him with 'okay'.  He runs out of the bathroom like a shot!  Very cute.  We worked up to all those steps - he gets his feet washed a lot, so lots of practice!  The next step is to lengthen the time I'm out of sight and then I come back and leave and come back and leave - 'ya know proofing stuff.  He's generalized this to other things too - like waiting while Catty drinks her milk snack and then getting released to clean up after her.  

I was drying his feet tonight after a wash off and a tooth popped out of his mouth!  It was a big side tooth.  It just shot right out on to the floor!  His canines are still all there and I wish they would fall out already!  They look so weird.  He doesn't seem to be bothered by his teeth at all - chews bully sticks, bites on Tibby and tugs the same.  I try to be careful when we are playing that the toy doesn't get caught on his teeth.  I don't want him to stop tugging or associate pain with tugging!  

Happy Rad Tech week!  I celebrated with my co-workers today and we had a potluck.  I brought Cha Siu Bao - Chinese barbecued pork.  It cooked slowly all last night and the puppies thought they needed to check on it multiple times during the night.  I swear, Dhali woke me up and I let him out of the bedroom and he ran directly to the oven and stared at it.  I also made the regular recipe for the buns, but I pretzel-ized them.  OMG!  I love pretzel buns now and they are so easy to make!

This time next month we will be getting ready for Dhali's first real dog show!  Very exciting!  If you are in St. Cloud Dec. 8th or 9th come and visit us!    

Wheee!

Dhali is so easy.  Maybe no one else would think that, but compared to Tibby he's a breeze!

Tibby has so many rules/things that she doesn't like/I can't do.  For example, she doesn't like grass or dirt or wood chips or stones or bricks to touch her feet.  This makes pottying in the backyard difficult.  Sometimes I have to either pick her up and carry her to a potty spot or hold on to her collar and walk her over to a potty spot.  1/2 the time she still won't go - even though I know she HAS to go.  She'll evade my grasp and run back to the deck.  High stepping the whole way, because the icky grass is touching her.

Then other times she will happily run around and play.  Not with me, but with another dog.

The other morning I took her out to a potty spot and she didn't go, but she ran over to the tunnel.  That's pretty normal - she likes to hide in the tunnel and it's NOT grass, so a good place to stand.

She was walking back and forth in the tunnel and before I realized that she was doing the 'looking for a good pee spot' walk - oops! she'd peed in the tunnel.  Cleaning out the tunnel at 5am in my PJs is not what I wanted to be doing.

Now the tunnel has both ends bent over onto the grass, so she can't get into it and try peeing again.  I stretch the tunnel out when the pups are playing, but otherwise the tunnel potty is close for business.

Today Dhali was running around, being crazy :) and he ran through the full tunnel (away from me!), went around the outside back to me and then did it again.  So he did 2 'real' tunnels - like a big dog would do.  He's fast and smart and nothing scares him.

Like I said EASY!  :)

Right now he thinks I'm the most amazing thing ever - I want him to think that forever!

He plays about 5% of the time with Tibby and the rest of the time with me.  Tibby's just not that interested in playing with him.  I think she might get more into it as he gets bigger.  Not sure if I want that?  I want him to like me better!

She's shown me that she would happily play with him in the house, but he always wants to run around on the icky grass and she can't handle  too much of that.

You'll notice she's inside the tunnel in almost every one of these pictures.

Is that weird? That my dog hates grass?

Did she just start this?  I can't remember if she's always done this?  I don't think so, but it's hard to tell.

Cribz

"Wanna see my playroom?!"

The white poles are my version of coyote rollers - it keeps him from climbing out of the x-pen.  The white sheet is a garbage bag cut in half.  The idea is to get him used to pushing through things and having things over his head - for agility training.  Lots of toys to play with and make noise.  Chew toys and bully sticks.  It's a long video, but the funniest part is when he tries to get a drink while he's still in the tunnel.  I was going to edit it shorter, but I'm too busy with the puppy!! :)

Just think of it as a web cam LOL!  If you have other dogs in the room you might want to turn the sound down - he makes noises!

This doesn't even show how crazy he can get!  He's so much fun, but I have a hard time capturing it on video, because he likes to run full speed into the camera!

Fighting With Friends

Ruff and tumble play = ruff and tumble hair cut. 

Ellie went all border collie stalky on Zoe here.

"Look at my feet!"  How to judge fun - amount of dirt on dog's legs. 

Ready....Set....

GO!!

Zoe, "Tiny legs don't fail me now!"

Tibby, "Run shorty!  Run!"

Someone adopt this awesome dog!  She's great!  Very sweet, very smart - loves to be with people! 

Minnesota Border Collie Rescue

Sends, Ahead and Fastest

I'm pretty sure this is the first time Tibby has ever run ahead of me on a course. Obviously I wasn't prepared for that! She also had a really nice lateral send on the last tunnel. I didn't have to run her right up to the tunnel. This was the first run of the night.



This was our fastest run of the night (maybe ever) and it was fun :) I started running the wrong direction at the beginning, so Tibby got to go through that first tunnel twice and it made her supafast!

Last Night of Class - Out With A Bang!

Tonight was the last night of class.

Tibby was SO naughty!  She did super amazing great for most of the hour, but for the last run of the last night of class she wanted to remind everyone that she is the ultimate party girl and that AGILITY IS SO MUCH FUN!

Especially if you make up your own course.

She makes me laugh.

I know we have sooo much work to do, but come on! those cute little sits that she pops when I call her back?  Darling!

Ok, yes I had to call her back a few more times than once :P but she eventually came back and did the course.....after she was tired out.  And I guess I have proof that she likes agility!  LOL! 

My Fans Are Feeling Lonely

I love the look Tibby gives to the crowd, "Oh, my fans look lonely over there!  I'd better go say hello and cheer them up.  Be right back Mom!"

Then she comes right back and does the sequence perfectly.  I remembered to spin her - he he he.  Better to do that then what I was thinking about! 

Tried It Again

Last night I decided to see if I could do the serpentine to a tunnel. It turned into not quite a serpentne - until the last one. Tibby didn't want to do what I wanted to do until she was ready to do it. Her speed was really good though. It felt a lot faster than it looked, I guess. Tibby would take the toy and run all the way upstairs with it. Then I would chase her upstairs and then she would chase me down the stairs. It was fun. Although I still don't know if it would work with the A-frame sitting next to the tunnel. I think the biggest problem on Tues. was that I decelerated in front of the tunnel. That is a no-no for Tibby. If I'm not moving she's not moving. 

Tough Tunnels

I'm feeling pretty sucky about our tunnel/distance/discrimination skills training tonight. I asked Silvia what we could do to train this. Then I tried it and it went exactly the way it has always gone. Tibby decides which end she wants to go into and she ignores my directions. Or I have to go right up to the entrance I want her to take.


Silvia said, " What you would need is a better send to a tunnel – lesson 1, exercise 2… You can practice sends from the wrong (back) side and similar to teach her to search for an entry no metter what, even when it’s hidden some as in this situation with an A-frame.

Try a straight or only slightly curved tunnel, so that she can’t choose a wrong entry and you can focus on distance first! Try also strange approaches (tunnel curved away from you, tunnel hidden some behind weaves/see-saw etc.) and similar to have her search for it more on her own. There are so many things you need to try out in training first to be prepared for everything that it’s really not easy… But I’m sure it will just get easier&easier! You came a really long way already."

I said about our newest tunnel video (above), "What am I doing wrong here? Tibby really doesn’t like to be restrained, so I sometimes push back on her chest. She was maybe a little tired from our long hike yesterday (and getting a bath and full blowdry/groom).
It seems like I either have to go all the way up to the tunnel entrance with her or she will just decide that she is going to do the tunnel on her own.
Could this be because we have done a lot of shaping? So she is trying to offer something that she thinks is right?  

“so that she can’t choose a wrong entry and you can focus on distance first!”
Oops missed that part – so I should just let her choose whatever end she wants?"

Silvia said, "No, it’s not shaping, I do tons of shaping with my puppies and they still understand the body language really well. I think it’s partly because you’re both still learning about the body language and because she doesn’t have a will to please that herding dogs poses. Try to use a longer side of a room so that you can set the entries even further apart and she doesn’t see a wrong one. So no, I didn’t mean letting her choose, I meant taking one option out of the picture."

I hope know that someday we will get this and I'll laugh at how worried I was about it. I mean I thought Tibby would NEVER be potty trained! But it's still tough that this is lesson ONE of the foundations class and we are taking the class for the THIRD time and we still don't have it.

Need For Speed

Tibby sequenced tunnel - weaves - jump wrap today!  She also did it the other way and did weaves - tunnel - weaves - jump wrap.  It was in the basement on the good weave poles.  She is getting it!  Fast, happy and 80% perfect.  I tried all sorts of odd entrance angles.  We have lots to work on, but she is doing amazing! 

At class 2 weeks ago, she tried to weave on the poles they have there.  That was 2 weeks ago and now I think she could do it.  I really see her thinking about getting the entrance.  Sometimes she doesn't get it, but she is trying :)

She's also getting better at tugging.  Sometimes I carry a tug around in my pocket and surprise her with a game of tug.  She still likes to steal the tug and run away.  But if I tell her 'show' she will (most) of the time trade the tug for a treat.  I think part of the reward for her is having me chase her.  So as long as she will come back eventually and it's safe, I will chase her.  It's good exercise!

Silvia Trkman Cik/Cap, Tunnel Sends and Pulls

It's true!  We are the never ending story!  Yes, I signed up for another session of ST's Foundation Class.  I thought we should make it a nice round year of training :)  I would feel like the senior that never graduates, BUT I have a lot of fun taking this class.  And I need structure and goals.  Or.....I don't do anything.  It's boring to train by yourself!  I need classmates!  I like watching other people train their dogs.  I don't know any other better way to learn. 

Also, I was worried that we have never gotten cik/cap.  The first time we took the class - I was trying to get Tibby to play with me.  The second time we took the class - I was so happy Tibby was playing with me, but I didn't want to slow her down for picky things.  This time I would like to understand the picky things. 

I explained to Silvia that I was worried about not getting cik/cap.  She said that "I don’t think she will have problems with wide turns."  and  "I would still keep focusing on speed and fun aspect though. I think you can gain more by having her really drive into the turn and out vs. how tight or not she jumps. The great thing about cik&cap is that you can work on both at the same time though!"

Goodie!  I'm not really so worried about Tibby.  It's me that needs work!  I'm trying to understand how I can cue the turns.  Now that I have read (part) of Linda Mecklenburg's book - I want to understand how I can combine both methods.  I don't know if that even makes sense???  I think Tibby is getting it though.  It seems like every time we learn something new, it makes things easier to train.  Hmmmm, maybe that's why there are methods.

IDK  we are having fun though.  It's funny, because Tibby is obviously getting tired in the 1st video, but she doen't want to stop.  I stopped, but she bugged me for 30 mins. after that trying to get me to DO SOMETHING!!!  No Tibby you need to rest now :P






Do you like our snow-gility?!?!

For anyone that is interested here are our 1st videos from the last 2 sessions of ST's class -

1st time around -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TziYC3eKdM4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuIdoy9GIDA

2nd time around -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzKGtltJ574
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLLWEbO05j4

Silvia Trkman Agility Foundations Class Lesson 4

Lesson 4

1. straight line as a serpentine: now that you mastered straight lines too, it’s time to show the dog they can come in different forms Let’s try angling the jumps as you can see in a video, still working on extension vs. collection. Keep angling the jumps all the way to a serpentine. You should still throw in some wraps to keep them attentive to possible collection cues.
Showing the angling in 4 steps, but try to go even more gradually and make it a serpentine in 6 or 7 steps:



2 Sequencing



With long-strided dogs, 10 will be hard – so you can simply take the other entry instead.
3. let’s check how far you have got with weave entries: send in your “top 5″ – choose the 5 hardest entries your dog found, the 5 you are most proud of.

What I said, "I know you said to only send the best weaves, but we haven’t done them at all, so this is all the weaving we have done so far. I don’t really get what I’m supposed to be doing. I think I have to wait until she gets more commitment to doing them before I start with the distractions - right? The 2nd video is what we did today. Tibby was having so much fun! I’ve started doing a ‘dying rabbit’ sound that Tibby likes. Later in the day I tried to do the sequence, but Tibby was too tired. I think she likes the straight running parts the best. I left in a lot of the parts where we are playing.'

What Silvia said, "Yeap, for the weaves, you are trying too complicated stuff too early in the process. I would still work with something at the end for her to focus on and releasing her to it from very slight angles. With something at the end for her to focus on, you should be able to do some work for independence (doing different stuff when she is in), but you sure need something at the end for now to be able to do that. Rewarding from hand is not yet a good idea. And yes, she sure seemed to like that straight line! You can mostly work on that for now if that’s what she loves the most. Still, make sure to not do too much, I think two sessions per day, if they include more as for example one or two straight lines, are too much for her for now. Definitely don’t push her to do it if she doesn’t feel like it! "

Tunnel and RC Practice

My parents came over yesterday and I had them help me with Tibby's "tunnel trouble". My Mom restrained Tibby once and then Tibby had the tunnel figured out. My Mom kept saying, "What was the problem? She goes through the tunnel just fine." Then I showed her the previous video with Tibby going in and out of the tunnel, but not through. She thought it was funny.
Then we had a little 'discussion' about how Tibby is not a border collie. Yes Mom.  I've noticed that. LOL!
My Mom doesn't think any other dogs besides border collies can do agility. She thinks they are just naturally better at it and Tibby is a Tibetan Terrier, so she won't get it. Can you imagine how upset I get when she tells me that? Really upset.
This has been an issue every since I started playing around with Tibby and agility. My Mom thinks it's a waste of time and 'not fair to make Tibby do something she doesn't understand'. No matter how many times I explain that it takes lots and lots of time to train a dog for agility - she just doesn't believe me. She always ends up saying, "But she's not a border collie." Really?
So we don't talk about agility/training Tibby very much. Ah! Silly Mom! It's Ok she's my Mom and I'm used to her. :-)

Anyway.....about this video. It was hot and there were fireworks going off in the neighborhood, but i think Tibby did pretty well. I think she likes an audience. ;)
Also, we did a little running on a plank, but Tibby had to go potty and I didn't realize that that was the issue until we were done. So she walked a few instead of running. It was fun running around for a few minutes. But so HUMID! Bleh!

Green Jumping Bean

Tibby and I had fun playing around with the tunnels today.  It was training, but shhhhh! don't tell Tibby!  I took a ton of pictures.  She's just too cute I can't help myself!

*smile*

Tibby tugged and tugged.  She chased her toy around and was CrAzY!  I love crazy!  She even bit me and my shirt (by accident) a couple times.  Yay for excited!

She did some zooming, but by the end of the evening she had figured out how to go through the tunnel and then chase her toy.  She still slows down a little when she goes through the tunnel, but it is getting better.

"Why are you in my tunnel?"

'Cause it's so comfy and fun!  Yeah I was looking at the tunnel and I thought, "Huh, I bet I could fit inside that."  Yep.  I can.  It was nice inside the tunnel.  Relaxing.  Green. 

Upside down.

I carried the tug toy around all evening.  It drove Tibby nuts.  She wanted this special toy that I would not share with her.  Sure I would share, but she had to demand it or do the tunnel - whatever.

"Here I come!"

Our fort.  Tunnel fort.

"I'm coming back!"

"Time to go now!"