Again I am thinking, running contacts is such a manic-depressive experience! I remember this when I was training Tangle and Split.
We have several sessions where Hoot was kind of leaping off, giving me three strides and generally not hitting the contact. Induced depression in the trainer of the running contacts.
So, I posted to Silvia's site, she once again reminded me that I need to change the starting point. Well, I had been changing it to find the new sweet spot, but I had a mental barrier apparently. I didn't think to change it to the spot that had been her VERY WORSE starting point ever. So, I played with her starting point and we are now at 12 feet (use to be 20). Success!
The sweet spot changes because the dog gains physical strength and confidence.
This is the second session at the new starting point. Also previously Hoot couldn't take much movement on my part, throwing the toy late, static toy, or really much change at all. I secretly thought to myself, "I am doomed". But perseverance is my middle name, I don't give up easily and sometimes not at all.
So, new starting point and something in the air and all of the sudden I can run with her, she can run to a static toy, she can run to no toy, run with a barrier at the end of the DW, what changed? Confidence I suspect. This made a light bulb come on and Hoot has made HUGE progress in just two sessions.
Ah, the manic part of the RDW experience and you are hooked again!
Showing posts with label running dogwalk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running dogwalk. Show all posts
Friday, January 2, 2015
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Holy cow does she love the game!
Been a while since I posted! Probably because I am busy with a puppy and three other dogs.
As the title suggests, Hoot is CRAZY about agility. She loves everything about it.
Today I was working with her on a running dogwalk. We are at the stage where we are transitioning from running on carpet to learning how to run on a plank. She does think that running on the plank is overrated since it makes her think, but she is still a very willing partner.
For the first time today, she decided that she would much rather line herself up to run the plank again then play with a toy. She was too busy to play with that toy or be rewarded. I won't let that behavior persist (because reward and play are too important), but I did find it interesting.
I do adore training this girl, but I am the one who has to have the self-control. She could so easily suck me into very bad habits (not asking for self-control) because she is so fun, willing, and obsessed.
The other big item that we are working on is obstacle commitment. No surprising she always wants to follow motion as she should. But, if I cue it she needs to take it. So we are doing a fair amount of rewarding at obstacles, some Linda Mecklenburg foundation work on the flat to get that obstacle commitment a bit more solid.
That being said, she will send to a tunnel from about 50 feet now (thank you running dogwalk training).
As the title suggests, Hoot is CRAZY about agility. She loves everything about it.
Today I was working with her on a running dogwalk. We are at the stage where we are transitioning from running on carpet to learning how to run on a plank. She does think that running on the plank is overrated since it makes her think, but she is still a very willing partner.
For the first time today, she decided that she would much rather line herself up to run the plank again then play with a toy. She was too busy to play with that toy or be rewarded. I won't let that behavior persist (because reward and play are too important), but I did find it interesting.
I do adore training this girl, but I am the one who has to have the self-control. She could so easily suck me into very bad habits (not asking for self-control) because she is so fun, willing, and obsessed.
The other big item that we are working on is obstacle commitment. No surprising she always wants to follow motion as she should. But, if I cue it she needs to take it. So we are doing a fair amount of rewarding at obstacles, some Linda Mecklenburg foundation work on the flat to get that obstacle commitment a bit more solid.
That being said, she will send to a tunnel from about 50 feet now (thank you running dogwalk training).
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