Showing posts with label weaves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weaves. Show all posts

Monday, November 18, 2013

Long Over Due Update!

I just narrowed the weaves for Dhali today, which made me want to tell someone LOL!  So here is a very overdue post!  Dhali loves his weaves and he is doing great!
Here is a video from last week of Dhali and Tibby (yes, Tibby!) weaving.  Tibby actually wanted to play with a toy and do the weaves as a reward - it's been so long since she wanted to do that :)






We have been taking walks and hiking.  Tibby has been doing pretty good with going out in public too.  She even walked past a couple men in the dark and didn't freak out.  We won't talk about the times that she barked at a fluffy dog and an old lady carrying a box.




This leash coupler is amazing!  I couldn't walk them without it!



Dhali and his cat :)


So cute! 

Speaking of cute...............


adorable!



Thursday, August 8, 2013

Weaves and Teeter and Tunnels!


This is Dhali in his favorite spot - underneath the plum tree laying in the grass :)  


Weeeee!  A video of agility!  Yes we have been working on something.  
Dhali has been very hesitant about the big teeter.  Of course, when I brought the little teeter outside to just play an easy game of 'bang it' he was all "I'm not scared!".  Crazy little guy.  

He's getting better and better about not biting me and hopefully I am getting better at giving him the right direction.  I'll have to wait and see what the official word is from Loretta, if I'm doing good/bad.

Look at him do the weaves!  He's figuring it out.  At first I had fences on either side, but he doesn't need them any more.  I'm not sure how they figure this stuff out, like running contacts, but they seem to get it.  A little bit every day.  

My goal is to have a fast, smooth running dog.  LOL!  I think that's everyone's goal.  It might take a long time, but I think it will be worth it :) 

Tibby makes a cameo appearance at the beginning of the video.  She really does not like to do agility, but she likes hot dogs, so she will bang that *%&#* teeter until she gets some hot dogs or I take her away.  She is such a funny dog.  Crazy that she is the most willing to do the teeter, when it was THE scariest thing to her in the beginning.  It took a long time just to shape her to look at and take one step toward the teeter.  Now she won't get off it! 



Monday, May 27, 2013

Whole Lotta Stuff


It rained for a long, long, long time....6 days.  I had to make Dhali put on the raincoat.  It actually fit him!  Which is crazy, because it doesn't fit Tibby anymore.  It just goes to show all his height is in his long legs.  Tibby has a longer back and is built differently.  Dhali's bone structure is more delicate.  I can tell this by feeling their heads - Tibby: square and heavy,  Dhali: thin and light (and tiny too).  He has a tiny head.


Anyway.....these pictures were taken on the day he turned ONE!  Then we went shopping.  I forgot to make him wear the raincoat into the store.



Dhali shopping!  Isn't he cute?!?  He loves to go shopping.  I didn't get a very good video of it, but he is rubbing himself on the racks of bones - just like a cat.  He LOVES to rub up on stinky stuff. 


 I took him to a race on Sat.  We watch (and cheered) for my Mom.  After the race we had to stand around FOREVER waiting for the awards.  Dhali did AMAZING.  He sat and stared at me or laid down on the ground and rested.  He was totally relaxed - even though we were surround by tons of people.  My biggest fear was the someone would step on him, because he was being so good and invisible.
Anyway....a man was squatting down in front of us and I wasn't paying attention.  Dhali apparently thought the guy smelled AMAZING and tried to rub the glorious stink on himself.  LOL!  That was his one silly moment.  I don't think the guy realized that he was basically sitting on a dog until Dhali stuck his cold nose into he man's leg LOL!!  I had to laugh at that :)

Oh and P.S.  I didn't have a treat on me and Dhali was still amazing.  

I'm working up to our SUPER AWESOME lesson with Loretta Mueller....so hang in there! 


On Thursday we had a lesson with Loretta at her place.  It was so long ago since our last time up there - 9 months!   A lot happens in 9 months    This was Dhali's First Lesson.
I had forgotten how looooong the trip is.  It takes forever.  The trip wasn't so bad until about 40 mins from Loretta's place I got behind 4 cars that were stuck behind a truck going (at the fastest) 40 mph!!!!  If you can't drive the speed limit - pull over!  I was trying to stay relaxed and calm, so I wouldn't arrive at the lesson all stressed out, but I think I failed :P  

Dhali really liked Loretta's sheep.  I was trying to get him to potty (ha,ha,ha) and Dhali was more interested in the sheep.  "They run away!  Yay!  Let's chase them!"  Um, no.

Dhali was a little nervous for the first 10 mins. inside the barn.  I think that was pretty normal - totally new place with a new person (Loretta) and he did a little sniffing around.  Once he figured out we were there to play - he was great :)  He likes to play!

My favorite parts were when Loretta was handling him - he did so good with her.  He gets it - I'm the one who needs the work!  It was really beautiful to see him running.  Wish I had a video!  

I got a lot of good information to work on and Loretta said I've done a good job with him (Yay!).  After his little nervous bit at the beginning he worked for the entire hour - really hard too.  We were both out of breath most of the time :P  
It was so worth the long drive!

P.S.  Dhali ate like a pound of meat treats at the lesson and then came home and ate his dinner - he also wasn't tired.  I was though!


Working on some of the sends Loretta taught us.  I need to look at the jump and not cute little Dhali!

And this is Dhali's channel work.  This is his 3rd time on the channel and his first time outside with it.  I think he is doing really well.  He's fast.



Saturday, December 22, 2012

Dhali Is 7 Months Old!

Dhali is 7 months old!  He's learned so much in the last month.  I didn't think it was possible, but we are having even more fun playing together :)
He is such a fun little guy!



The first 30 sec. of the video are messed up, so just skip them.

Dhali at 7 months - I LOVE this little puppy!!!!! 
He is so much fun to play with and he LOVES to play.  He makes everything easy.  I finally understand what people are talking about when they talk about playing with your dog.  I can't wait to see him at 17 months - agility is going to be so much fun with him.  Fingers crossed I don't screw it up :) 
He learns SO fast.  It's scary.  He is really easy - he has drive and wants SO BAD to do whatever he can to keep the game going.  I'm very lucky to have him - how did I get so lucky?


Dhali has learned to wait in his crate to be released.  He's getting really good at it.  He learned to wrap around a jump and we started doing figure 8's.  He's also started running through an open channel (beginning weave practice),but I didn't get that on this video. 
I added a 2nd jump, because I found at that puppy class we went to Dhali came in to me after every jump.  Now he's getting better at going through the 2nd jump.  It would help to have a bit more space to run in!  But we work with what we have.  
Tonight he taught himself to set up between my legs and it only took 5 treats.  He's smart.  Not patient, but definitely smart.
I love his little bark at the end when I ask him if he's read.  So cute!  He's done that since he was ity bity.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Party Girl


What a great agility night!  My goals for the night were
  • Have Tibby be quiet in her crate
  • Be a party! and keep Tibby's focus
  • Play! Play! Play!
  • Never let Tibby think she is wrong (or know when I mess up)
All goals met and accomplished!


I love this picture :)  She was being funny.  She knows that she has to be inside the crate to get a treat!  But she wanted to peek out a little bit at first.


So I was totally concentrated on making it really, really, really FUN for Tibby.  I didn't care what the course was like - half the time I made up my own course, just because I wanted to keep Tibby going fast and happy.  Not sure it the teacher liked me making my own courses, but I was in a zone LOL!  I really blocked everything out.  Or tried to!


So this is how every run started: Release Tibby from crate, RUN to start line, do a trick, treat, push back or spin, run course, RUN back to crate, treat in crate - JACKPOT!!  I also gave her a few treats on course - like when she did the weaves.  Or tried to do them.  The weaves are 22 inches and she's used to 24 inch, so she tries her best!

So she didn't wear her leash at all and she didn't run away!  ZERO run offs!  Even when the other class started to come in and she had to run (off leash) right past new dogs (her biggest distraction).
Party!  Party! So Happy!

I tried to be the opposite of calm :)  Happy, playing with Tibby, jumping around, even making her growl at me, like she does when we are playing at home.  I was also trying to encourage her when we were running and also saying the obstacles earlier, before she was done with the last one.



These are the first 2 videos, but I think we got better as the night went on.  Tibby figured out the game.  She really likes having the structure of knowing when she's working and when she's off. 



"Chiiiiickeeeeen?"
"Please?"


Zoe and her Mom had a good night too.  I"m not sure if it was the Calming treat I gave Zoe or having her jacket on, but she was calm and not shaking/panting/stressed out.  Zoe also would like to have my recipe for chicken treats.  Chicken treats: Chicken.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Fast and Happy Weaves

Oh my goodness!  I think Tibby figured out speed.  She is very fast.  I need to learn how to handle her now.  Not in these videos, but we tried a sequence tonight and she was really, really fast.  FUN!! 



Silvia said, "Can’t believe how fast Tibby is running now, great job!!!   Wow, that sure was fast and fun! Great entries and independence too, yay!!! Looks like you can narrow a channel a little bit again!"

Yes!  We finally got a 'great job' from Silvia!  YEAH! 

I also showed her the threadle video and she said, "Your use of arms was very good too, it’s good to use dog-side arm for pushes and serpentine. For threadles (pulling her in in between the jumps), you need the opposite arm."

Friday, March 9, 2012

Take a Trip



Another video from Tuesday's class.  I didn't know how to get Tibby to the dogwalk without running right up to it.  She tried to weave!  So cute!  She got the entrance and one weave, but it was good enough for me!   I was happy that I could get so much distance laterally for the tire and the tunnel.

Friday, March 2, 2012

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

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Yo, ho, ho Weaving In the Snow

The weaves are getting closer and closer to closed.  I think Tibby is understanding how to get the entrance much better. 

These videos were taken a couple hours apart.  The 2nd one  - when I was getting set up Tibby stole 2 hot dogs and ate 1 1/2 of them before I could catch her.  So she pre-warded herself.  After we got done Tibby wouldn't come inside, she did loops around the yard.  Burning off those hot dog calories??



These weave poles are kind of wimpy, but I don't want to haul the good poles outside and get them all snowy.  I think it must be kind of hard to see white poles on white snow - when you are a dog - but Tibby seems to be able to see them just fine. 



We were just playing around and having some fun.  Trying different things.  Some times she doesn't notice me and other times she does and pulls out.  BUT mostly she stays in.  Good puppy!  I really love to see her thinking about the entrances.  I think (hope) once we do this with the good, sturdy poles she will be zooming through.  Also without the snow.  It was slippery.

Fun day!  After her zoomies around the yard - NOTICE the zoomies happened AFTER we were done training!!! -  she was tired.  Well, she was tired after her zoomies plus wrestling with Catty.  So she has mostly slept the entire evening. 

Very quiet, snowy evening.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Weaving Some More



Tibby's weave practice from Jan. 27th. Trying some different things. I asked Silvia why Tibby is so much slower now. I closed the channel one step back in Dec. and ever since then she's been much slower. She said that is normal, as the channel gets tighter the dog has to think more about weaving and then is slower.

At class on Tues. the instructor said that she never teaches right sided weaves until the dog can weave on the left. She also just presents the weave poles and lures the dogs through. I just told her "We're doing channel weaves." She said, "Ok, you can just watch this part." Interpret this paragraph as you like ;)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Weaves Weeks Ago

I haven't posted any agility stuff for weeks and weeks!  Sorry.  Our ST class is on a 3 week break, but it will be back up and running next week.



I made this video of Tibby weaving on Nov. 9th.  Aaaaand that's the last time we worked on the weaves.  I'm hoping for some latent learning.  Actually I have been very busy with an agility related project.  In the video you can see my basement OR what it used to look like.  I ripped out three walls (2 were little walls).  The flooring is gone, the lights are gone.  It's a big empty space.  Starting tomorrow, things are going in - new lights, new floor, new walls and paint.

In the end I will have 65 sq yards (1 sq yd = 9 sq feet)of working space.    Speaking of which....when did carpet get SO expensive?!?!  It's ridiculous!  Good thing I know a guy.  However, shopping helped me realize what a great deal I'm getting.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

ST Foundations Class - Lesson 5

We didn't do this lesson.  This was way too advanced for us, but here are the videos of what we did work on.











So as you can see WE DID A LOT OF OTHER STUFF!!! LOL! We have been very busy. It's fun playing with a dog that wants to play (most of the time).



Lesson 5
O.k., things are getting somewhat more complicated now! Now that you mastered the serpentine, we’ll look into other options with that set up too, but first, let’s train some of
1. out/around/back
Push the dog on the other side of the jump by stepping with your left foot if the dog is on your left side towards the left wing/stanchion (and the opposite), saying your verbal and rewarding after he takes the jump. Every next try, help somewhat less on the take off side and move more on the landing side -- see the video. This is again the question of commitment: the dog should understand to take the jump you showed even if you are already moving away already (helps in serpentines too!)


2. serpentine vs. threadle vs. pushes

Now let’s try two pushes in a row on serpentine setting. If that goes well, you can try a threadle too, using your collection body language, together with cik/cap before the dog takes the jump and then “come” as soon as his front feet hit the ground -- rewarding from your hand for coming to you. Once that goes well, try two in a row: when the dog comes to hand, don’t reward but cue cik/cap for the next jump and then reward the ”come”.

Once you can do two pushes or threadles in a row, try three. And if you manage to do three, you can even try four! It’s harder for every next jump, so make sure you progress slowly so that the dog is mostly successful. Start with a wrap to tunnel to have good speed. Mix in some serpentines too to keep them attentive to your body language and make sure, you train them both ways, so that the dog exits the tunnel on your side of the jump sometimes and sometimes on the other. The pushes and the threadles, sometimes do with the dog on the left, sometimes on the right.

Don’t worry to master it in 2 weeks, it takes more than that, but do try to do some of this.

3. sequence: a little more complicated this time, so again, run it in parts and definitely walk it several times first, rehearsing your body language AND when to say what! -- It gets complicated now as it includes everything we learned so far (wraps, extension, sends, serpentines, out/back/push).


Let’s start with a wrap to the tunnel, then blind or front cross when the dog is in a tunnel, show 3 (you can call it “right” if the dogs knows directionals), cue collection (front cross) and use “cap” for 4, then 5 is “cik”, send to tunnel and cue extension for 7 (meaning: RUN!), push for 8 (say “out/back/push”), RUN for 9, wrap 10, push/out/back for 12 and handle 13 as a straight line (it’s a serpentine from 12 to 13). Have fun!

And here is my video of the sequence without 10 and 11, I completely forgot that part! Looks like I should be printing the courses out too! But I guess it can help some anyway, I also included serpentine, threadle and pushes, I hope I got that part right!