Lolly-Gagging and Librivox

WOW!  Exactly 7 weeks since my last post.  I haven't exactly been lolly-gagging, just musing, coasting, groping my way, "seeing through a glass darkly".  After watching Maxie's agility performance deteriorate these past 8 months or so (poorer times, skipping the weaves), and observing his erratic behavior at home (skulking off into other rooms and hiding in corners to sleep), I have known something is wrong.  I took him to the doggie chiropractor who said several things were out of place but she said she put them back and gave me the green light to continue performing, with the admonition not to let him jump off the king-size bed any more!

But I lolly-gagged in getting him checked out further.  Plenty of other things intervened.  Finally I had to bring FoohFooh in with an infected toenail and bad limp, so Maxie came along, got some bloodwork done and a general checkup.  I found out he has inflamed gums and a few loose teeth, and perhaps a few compressed disks!  I scheduled a tooth cleaning for the next day. They ended up keeping him overnight because during the cleaning, 8 teeth fell out and they had to pull 8 more.  Little 7 lb. Maxie was on a morphine drip overnight, and lost 16 teeth!  I was absolutely sick.  Also, they put him on some liver meds to see if his numbers there might clear up in a month or so, otherwise they will have to do more!  And he's going back to the chiropractor this weekend, since one will be at our trial.

This has taken the wind out my sails.  I didn't realize how much I feed on Maxie's enthusiasm.  His comportment has always been "teach me something, Mommy, teach me something NOW!".  Most of the time nowadays,  he's just content to rest or look at me. He still runs, plays and eats well, but not with the same intensity.

Of course, there is still Lucky Lucy, always wanting to tug and retrieve, go for walks, etc.  Depending upon me so much for her entertainment.  I throw the ball for her and she stays in shape leaping over the 30" fence several times a day to retrieve her ball.  (Retrieving is great when the dog brings you back the ball -- all you have to do is stand there!)  But it's not enough.  She needs more.

And then there is Pepper.    What a sweetheart, but I'm not sure I can go the distance to train him as an agility dog.  He does all the full height equipment, and we play around, but he just doesn't get the sequencing.  He loves to tug, and to chase the ball, too, but doesn't bring it back.  And, he doesn't beg to be trained like the other two.  It is not imperative to me, I'm realizing, to have a third agility dog.

And then, my vegetable garden has kept me occupied, plus making jellies and pickles.  I'm working on a single post that will cover the entire season's harvest in pictures. Here's one day's worth.  Isn't it beautiful?

And then I've discovered how much I love to record audio books.  That sucks up a lot of my time, but it's so fascinating.  In honor of my deceased father, an avid sailor and seaman, who treasured Moby Dick, Treasure Island, and all the old sea adventure books, I'm solo recording Jules Verne's  Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea for Librivox.  It is a HUGE project, a real challenge, and I'm only half-way through!  It will probably take me through December to complete it.  I also record short stories and segments for several of Librivox's collaborative projects.  What fun, to record, also to listen.  I stream free audio books on my iPhone (through iTunes) almost every night, while driving, in the dentist's chair, etc.  So does John.  I can listen while washing dishes, sweeping, weeding the garden, etc. FREE Librivox audio books have supplanted Netflix as our entertainment of choice!  We are having a blast catching up on all the classic literature we never found time to read in our long working careers. 

For my dog loving friends, here's a wonderful Librivox recording I listened to recently, Jack London's White Fang.  Man, what a dog story! You can download it to your computer, or to iTunes then stream or download to your iPhone, iPad, or mp3 player.  Best of all, it's free!

In any case, this weekend is our local dog club's agility trial and both Maxie and Lucky Lucy are entered.  With little practice under our belts due to heat and so many rainouts, we'll just go and see how we do.  I'm feeling very relaxed and comfortable about it, no matter what the outcome.  But I wouldn't mind a few Q's!

Upwards and onward!

The Lead Leg

Studying Linda Mecklenburg's book, DEVELOPING JUMPING SKILLS, I finally begin to understand what is meant by “the lead leg” and its significance in a dog’s agility performance! For years I’ve asked, and for years no one could explain it to me in a way I could grasp. This book, in Appendix 1, explains it perfectly. Thank you, Linda!

The Lead Leg
The lead leg is NOT the leg that's fartherest forward at a given moment. It's the last front leg the dog lands on in a single stride.  Turns out, it’s the leg easiest for the dog to turn into.



Maxie

It’s the leg Maxie is extending forward in this photo, his right leg, which he will pivot on in making his right turn towards me. The lead leg should be the one nearest the inside of the curve – handling inside the curve cues the dog’s turn, but more succinctly, cues the dog’s lead leg. This behavior is a "natural cue", as opposed to a "trained cue".



Lucky Lucy

It’s the left leg in this photo, for you see that while Lucky’s right foreleg is extended, her left foreleg will be the last leg to complete the stride, and left leg will support her body while her rear feet push off. 

Halliliulih! So, the significance of the lead leg is about balance and direction. The dog landing on the wrong lead leg in a turn tends to spin away to regain balance, or turn wide as they add an additional stride or two to change leads.  Changing leads requires a skill just like when a kid gallops along like a horse, then adds in an extra hop to change lead legs.

Giving turn cues before D takes off over a jump helps D change lead legs before the jump and land ready for a tighter turn. 

I'm making further notes as I read through this "required reading" book in conjunction with Daisy Peele's Online "Agility Foundation" class,  which I am auditing this winter.  I will post my book and class notes when I've completed them, or maybe break it down into different topics like this one.

Upwards and onward!

Bad Dog Agility Podcasts - My Notes

The Bad Dog Agility blog includes links to 29 Podcasts as of now-- interviews with various agility experts on the latest agility techniques.  I can listen to them on my iPhone thru iTunes while lounging in the bathtub, driving, or at a trial with no internet connection!  They are so packed with useful information, unique perspectives, and training tips, I listen to them again at my computer, taking notes to stay focused.  The notes don't even begin to cover the content but at least provide me with reminders of where to find the information.  I encourage every dog agility trainer/competitor to visit the blog and listen to the podcasts.

Upwards and onward!

In these notes, D stands for Dog, H stands for Handler.

Podcast Summaries (in the order I listened to them):

#24 Interview with Sylvia Trkman - Running Contacts - Sylvia is a World Champion Competitor with 3 dogs, from Slovenia.  Trains and competes throughout Europe, and teaches online classes, sells DVD's, etc. Her concept for teaching running contacts is first to teach D to run across the dogwalk as fast as possible without regard for contact behavior.  First teach speed.  Then begin to reward with clicker and higher value treats when feet hit the down contact, preferably rear feet, then exclusively rear feet.  10 reps a day 5 days a week for newer dogs, 20 reps for advanced dogs.  No stride regulators. D should be in a high state of arousal for dog walk practice.  Show them their toy.  Even if they miss the contact, always reward for speed.  Throw it ahead, eventually past a jump after leaving the dog walk, timed so they don't get in the habit of head checking H.  Eventually they will figure out that hitting the down contact earns them a bigger prize.  When that light bulb goes off, they rarely miss again and H doesn't have to babysit the contact. Only if your dog is way faster than you should you train a stopped contact.  If you do teach a stopped contact, except to see your dog slow down on the approach to the contact and a significant loss of speed time. Once you teach dog walk contact behavior, you get the A-frame and see-saw for free!  Lots of good info on how they train/compete in Europe.

#7 Mental Management - Daisy Peel - Think about process and performance, not about winning. This alleviates a lot of pressure, not just in agility but in all of life. The mental game is a skill that needs development and takes conscious effort. It needs to be available on demand, and can be fatiguing. Biggest mistake agility competitors make is "overtrying"-- trying to make something happen rather than letting it happen. Recognize when the adrenalin is flowing and use your arousal state to your advantage. Start down the Mental Management road by asking these questions: what would you like to have accomplished with a particular dog by the time they retire? How do you want other competitors to think of you and your team? What qualities will you need to achieve this goal? What's causing your errors? You can't control events or the quality of those events but you can control the quality of your participation (attitude, behavior, focus). It's all in how you look at it. Video yourself: Splice all of the best parts of your best runs together and watch them. 
Inspirations:
Buck (horse whisperer) movie.
With Winning In Mind, Lanny Bassham's mental management system.  Teaches the mechanics of having a plan how to switch off your conscious brain just before you enter the ring, get in the zone. This is a conditioned response you need to work on.
Clear Mind, a book on goal setting,
Freedom Flight - The Origins Of Mental Power, a story.
Mantra: I can do more than I think I can.

#15 Kathy Sdao - Part I, Animal trainer, marine mammals, then dogs. Clicker expert. Her book: Plenty in Life is Free, opposes the notion that dogs should never get a reward unless they do a performance. Don't take the joy out of living with your dog.
Science of operant conditioning. Clicker Expo teacher.
Classical conditioning works on a dogs reflexive emotional behaviors--barking, charging, cowering, etc.
Operant conditioning works on changing behavior--down contacts, weave entries. Cuing clearly, getting verbal and body cues to match up. Dogs read body cues far better than verbal cues. Humans, though, are largely verbal. It's a mismatch, humans have to take the responsibility to be more clear, more conscious of our bodies -- eye movement, foot placement, etc. -- fewer and clearer verbal cues. High drive dogs are going to make a choice, even a wrong choice. Low drive dogs will wait until they are sure, and may slow down, stop, become anxious.

#16 Kathy Sdao - Part II - Speed
Clicks stop work. Can't use a clicker to reward speed. Your reinforcement has to be a well timed cue. Hard to judge speed, so you have to visualize a bell curve and reinforce for "better than average speed" within an acceptable range, not "fastest speed". Don't poison your cues with positive punishment (lack of positive reinforcement). Dog should always get something. Differential rewards vs. no reward will get you much better performances, keep you engaged with D. Agility Right From The Start. Most dogs will learn that improved performance gets bigger rewards, but trying also gets a reward. Some dogs don't lose interest for non rewards, others shut down. Know your dog. Your power lies in your ability to give plenty of positive reinforcement. You should reward dogs for offering behaviors you don't even ask for. If D is lying quietly while you're on the phone, reward out of the blue. Look for opportunities to reward. You don't reward only for the dog obeying your cue. Don't use the filter of "did you earn it" for dispensing every reward.

#22 Secrets To Super Agility Performance - Part I Sarah & Estaban
Criteria of Reinforcement - Define your criteria - what does D need to do to earn a reward? H must be very clear on this.
Timing of reinforcement:  . E-book: Clicker Training - 4 Secrets Of Becoming A Supertrainer. Use a clicker or otherwise mark the correct behavior BEFORE giving a treat, or dog may come to feel he is being rewarded for coming back to you rather than performing the sequence. Release to the next obstacle is a reward for performing the previous obstacle. Behavior chain training encourages speed. Rewarding for speed means not stopping mid-sequence if D makes a mistake. Differential rewards - reserve higher value rewards for best performances. If D prefers toy to food, reward with food for attempts but toy for great performance. break down behaviors to a single thing. If teaching a 270, lower or remove the bar. Remove the need for D not to knock the bar. Teach one thing at a time, so you can reward one thing done well.

#25 Secrets To Super Agility Performance - Part II Sarah & Estaban
Rate of reinforcement: number of reinforcers D can earn in a certain amount of time.  Keep this high, especially at the beginning. Keeps D trying even when they make mistakes. Try hard to improve this, training not too far above D's current level so they can get it right and get rewarded more often.  Manipulate the environment, not your handling, to make D more successful but still challenged.  Backchain as necessary to keep an 80% success rate.  Hard to chew treats, tugging, takes more time, you can't get in as many reinforcers. Transitions (getting back to the start line) takes lots of time, too.  Tug on the way back.  Length of behavior affects rate of reinforcement, too.
Quality of reinforcement: What does your D love the most?  What puts them in the highest state of drive? Figure this out. Try lots of things. Develop a range, reserve the highest level treats for spectacular performances or long sequences that lower the rate of reinforcement, and deliver lower level treats for attempts, high frequency of delivery, or correct but slow performance.  Praise is also a reinforcer.
Interesting Article: What is "usable food drive", dogs who love treats even when they aren't hungry.   Do All Dogs Have Food Drive?
Placement of Reinforcement: Poor placement can cause head checks, extra strides, slower speed, especially in sequence training. H needs to consider where they want D to go -- toward you, away from you. If D prefers food, can get them a trick to fetch the toy to get the food.  Clicker training helps you deliver the reinforcer at the exact moment the correct behavior takes place without as much need to reinforce on D's line.

#10 - Training with Food, Training With A Clicker, Sarah & Estaban
Trainers forget to reward once their dog is into sequencing. Tugging has taken over as the best reward, but with dogs that don't tug, food is the motivator. Rewarding on D's line is harder with food unless you use big hunks of food that toss far. 1/4 hotdog, 1/3 string cheese, bisquit. Have food ready in hand, don't root for it in your pocket after the sequence is done. Timing of reward is essential to build drive, prevent D from curling into you for their food reward. Treating from your hand builds handler focus, not obstacle focus and encourages head checks. For little dogs who don't eat much or retrieve, can slather a toy with peanut butter, toss toy on line and deliver the food. Or, put target at end of sequence. Downside to this, they get the treat even if they make a mistake. Best to have a helper, or put treats in a container D can't get to treat until H takes off the lid. For big dogs, a big glass jar they can't run off with works.
Luring:  Dog thinks less, drives more.  Targets are lures. Agility Right From The Start.
Clicker Training: Marking a performance in a consistent way. Takes less reps for D to learn to do what you want. Sylvia Trkman clicks everything. Shaping obstacles with clicker gives better results, more confidence, less fear (dogs choose to do the behavior rather than being lured over it). Continue using the clicker with advanced dogs.

#11 - Rear Cross
Not too many rear crosses in international agility. Younger competitors there vs US.  RC important for less atheletic handlers. FC gives you more control over D, if you can get there. Walk courses with both RC's and FC's. Never know when you'll need that RC. Judges are now designing courses where the FC won't work. RC combined with other moves is now sometimes needed to complete a maneuver.
Cons: Not easy to teach D to be comfortable with RC. D has to be in front of you, needs obstacle focus. D looses eye connection with H for a moment. Hard to catch up from being behind D.
Pros: With fast dogs, H is often behind D, the RC is the only way to cross. Sometimes there is no time for a FC. RC gives H more wiggle room.
Read more RC articles at www.baddogagility.com

#14 - What Makes A Good Coach/Instructor (Blog Action Day)
First, what knowledge does an instructor bring? Reinforcement theory? Problem solving? Specific skills training? Mental game? Don't need to be a top-notch handler to be a great coach. Needs a critical eye, be able to watch someone carefully, pinpoint problems. Great handler does not necessarily imply they can teach what they do. You get different things from different instructors, use multiple coaches. Good communications/student interaction is a must -- attitude, tone, level of criticism, articulation of concepts, two-way communications. Ability to inspire, keep students going through the rough patches.

#13 - Agility Calendar Girls, by Katie Long and Cat Clark
Fund raiser for cancer, Katie and Cat lined up volunteer agility competitor models to pose half-nude on agility equipment, one calendar with sexy Great Britian gals, another with US girls, 2013 calendar can be ordered online at http://baddogagility.com/episode-13-the-agility-calendar-girls, 2014 calendar will be men.

#17 - FCI World Agility Championship 2012 Preview
www.agility2012.cz
38 countries sending competitors.
Lisa Frick/Hoss (Watch her YouTube videos)
Linda Martin Hill
Croatian Shephard (Mulch Kennel) - watch this breed
Astonia has a Papillon
Laura Chudley/Rodney, UK Calendar Girl, great team
Nicola/Twister Lots of backwards and bent over running
www.agilityvision.com $19.99 to watch the whole thing, one year access.

#18 - FCI World Agility Championship Wrapup - Day 1
In Europe, Agility=Standard, Jumping=Jumpers.
USA Team Large Dog took 1st place, followed by Slovenia, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, France, Astonia, Italy, Hungary, Canada finishing 10th. Only 1.99 seconds difference between 1st and 4th place. Lower on the scale, 20 or more other countries, but some of their dogs ran very fast, and tomorrow these teams could move back up into 1st, especially if the top teams make mistakes. USA Team members: Daisy Peel and Solar, Solvena Burara? and Tecam, Tori Self and Rip, Tori and Icon. More familiar names: Susan Garrett, Greg Derrett, Sylvia Trkman & Boo (Slovenia). The best runs were all under 30 seconds. Individual dogs who came in under 29 sec: 1st place Austria/Hoss 28.51 sec; 2nd place Croatia/Tip 28.83 sec., 3rd America/Tecam 28.86; 4th Finland/Gia 28.91, 5th USA Tori/Revolution 28.96, 6th Zen 28.97

#19 - FCI World Agility Championship Wrapup - Day 2
Small Dog Teams Jumping. 1st place Hungarians 2nd Japan, 3rd US, all dogs had time faults. Won't run Standard/Agility until tomorrow.
Large Dog Team Standard Results: Gold-Switzerland, Silver-Germany; Bronze -Italy, only these 3 had 3 out of 4 clean runs, US 4th Daisy Peel's Solar fell off the top of the dogwalk. Another American dog jumped over the weaves, maybe thinking it was a broad jump pole. Lots of dogs missed the weave entry. Whenever anyone disqualifies, they play music and start clapping.
Martina Clemisova/KiKi, a Mudi, won gold in Medium Agility, Czech Republic

#20 - FCI World Agility Championship Wrapup - Day 3
Small Dog Team Standard - Gold, Silver (Czech Republic), Bronze
Dog Sports Video provides video overlays of 1st and 2nd place winners in each category, showing the small differences in handling that make the winners win. Also the similarities in handling.
Individual Small Dogs Jumpers - 60 dogs ran clean. 28.97 for 1st place, Tobial Wust and Peanut, 2nd Techna, runs on video, w overlays here.
Only US dog to Q ran 32.9.
Individual Medium Dogs - Natasha Wise/Dizzy 1st 28.98, DeeDee 2nd 29.09.  Video overlay here.
Individual Large Dogs - high Q's, very technical course, Susan Garrett/Feature off course, sometimes a wide turn made all the difference in placement. Daisy/Solar nice run 20th place, could still come up from behind. Lisa Frick and Hoss, amazing run, 1st place, ran backwards thru 3 obstacles, unusual BC's, unique handling style. Video here.

#21 - FCI World Agility Championship Wrapup - Day 4
Final day, both jumping and agility, all dogs. 
Agility: Difficult dog walk entry, tunnel wrapped around both sides, NQ'd a lot of dogs.  Exit was straight to next obstacle, an advantage for those with running contacts.  They run the lowest ranked dogs first.
Small, 1st and 2nd went to the same two small dogs.  Techna and Peanut, Peanut and Techna, with almost identical times.
Medium, Sylvia and Le, beautiful run 1st place agility round, raw speed, tight turns, running contacts. Video. Sylvia also took 8th place combined, with La.
Nathasha Wize and Dizzy (GB), got 3rd place, and combined with 1st in jumpers, gold overall. 3rd world championship with Gold in 4 years.
Large: US all ran 4 for 4 all weekend.
Sylvia and Bu, 9th place going in, ended up neck and neck with Daisy Peel and Solar for Gold and Silver (5th), but got bumped by Cayenne, Silver; and Heat, bronze run, Lisa Frick Hoss and last dog to run, bumps others out to 1st place in agility and 1st in jumpers, gets Gold Combined. 3rd world championship run, video here.

#1 - Using A Crate In Training
Putting dog in a crate, rather than on a leash in class, releases D to pay attention to other things than you, goof off, feel safe.  Gives H time to walk course with full focus, without checking where D is. Crate gives D permission to do other things.  D on leash, he should be paying attention to you.  Putting D in a down or stay becomes an Obedience exercise, which drains some of their energy.  Crated D is safe from interference from other D's.  Also, putting D in crate after their turn imitates the trial environment.
Discussion of conditions at AKC World Agility Team Tryouts, and advantages of attending - see latest handling techniques, only one ring so you get to see it all, lots of cheering. Available on the web at Video On Demand, also available on www.agilityvision.com
Also some runs probably on YouTube.

#2 - AKC Worlds Agility Team Tryouts 2012, Sarah & Estaban with Brittany Schaezler
Discussion of each dog that made the team and why, plus performances by many teams who didn't, and teams to look for in the future. This competition is viewable by purchase from www.agilityvision.com  Illustrates that some people are following agility teams as avidly as other people follow football players' careers.  Interesting! AKC's coverage of the competition was amazing, fast, and thorough, including course maps, running order, videos, and scores.

#29 - 2013 AKC National Agility Championship Preview
Crunching the numbers and stats on who will be competing in Tulsa in March 2013. Very detailed.  Powerscore was used to analyze the stats. Each dog's average YPS in both Jumpers and Standard over the past year is displayed in an Excel Spreadsheet for each height class, and ranked accordingly. Dogs' full name, and call name, are given, nice for doing your own research of YouTube videos of that dog's runs and following their career on dogscores.com.  Great to see someone following agility dogs and handlers the way millions follow football/basketball/baseball/tennis players' careers.

#30 - Analyzing Your Mistakes In Dog Agility
3 basic types of mistakes:  execution, dog's understanding, handler's understanding. After running together several years, execution becomes the main type of mistake . . . forgetting the course, poorly timed cross, tripping, failing to create a line, etc.  Dogs also make errors in execution, yes they do.  Don't avoid a maneuver because you think you're bad at it. Crosses, threadles, serpentines, ketchkers, become easier as you train them.  "Practice like you compete, compete like you pactice."  Whatever criteria you use at home, use at the trial.  Proof your dog for the trial atmosphere.  D needs to understand your cues at speed, at a distance, with multiple distractions, with various spacing between obstacles.  Every cue needs to be distinctive, different from any other cue, so D can understand it at speed, at a distance.  Named handling systems can divide people up, but actually everybody develops their own system.  Can be a different system for each dog you run.  Whatever, H's set of cues should be consistent for each D. Even the most well-known systems evolve as their developers gain in their own understanding of how to execute, and students apply pressure.  Be adaptable, not rigid. Be open to commentary from fellow competitors you trust, who may see things you can't see.  When you change your system you have to go back and retrain your dog in that area.
http://baddogagility.com/analyzing-your-mistakes-in-dog-agility/

#27 - "Off Breed" Dogs in Agility
Defines "off breed" dogs as anything other than Border Collies, Shelties, and Papillons, based on the preponderance of these breeds competing and winning at the highest levels worldwide. Useful distinction because it helps serious handlers choose an agility dog that is easy to train in agility and can win. AKC Invitational described, where only 5 dogs of each breed (and mixed breed) are invited, perfect for "off breed" dogs - grouped by both breed and group. There are also breed-only competitions, where off breed dogs don't have to compete with top agility breeds, and these dogs can earn recognition. Some breeds are harder to train, for example lots of Goldens are sensitive to sound and touch, resulting in not liking the see-saw, others mature late, some have little prey drive. Physical traits come into play based on stride length, stamina, heat sensitivity, focus.  Still, many run an off-breed dog for love of the breed.  Important to find an instructor with experience in your breed, or at least with many different breeds.  As an agility handler's agility goals rise, maybe aspiring to compete at worlds, they may choose a dog with a greater chance to win rather than their favorite breed.  Everyone's goals are valid.  Learn your dog's tendencies regardless of breed and train to that.

#3
Clicks stop work.

#4
Clicks stop work.

#5
Clicks stop work.

#6
Clicks stop work.

#8
Clicks stop work.

#9
Clicks stop work.

#12
Clicks stop work.

#26
Clicks stop work.

#28
Clicks stop work.

"Little And Often" - A Training Strategy

Opened a fortune cookie last evening and it said:

"Little and often makes much."

I thought so highly of it, I taped it to the backboard over my stove where I've collected several others and read them once in awhile. It is more of a truism than a "fortune", as so many fortune cookies are these days if they make any sense at all, but I got this one just at the right time, dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac.  I live in Baton Rouge.

We were fortunate--sustaining no damage, no lost trees, no loss of power, and no flooding, as many others did.  But looking out over my 2.5 acres, it is a sea of broken limbs and twigs which John and I have to pick up.  Yesterday in an effort to clear off the driveway first, we filled John's truck with debris, which pooped us both out, but it only cleared about 1/8th of the driveway.  We have a long ways to go.

These days, I can clean one drawer of my refrigerator at a time, but not the whole thing.  I can state my point once, then I don't care to repeat myself or argue.  My stamina isn't what it once was.  But the hard push, I've learned, is not usually essential.  We keep up with our chores, bit by bit.  "Can't watch another Netflix episode until we've each done a chore" is pretty effective.

An great example of "little and often makes much", managing my azeleas.  I live on 2.5 acres.  My house is set towards the back of a deep rectangle, and our long driveway is lined with 22 huge 50+ year old azelea bushes, so strong and verile they can hardly be beaten down.  Many years ago I hired a team of vigorous young Mexicans to chain saw them down to little stumps over a 12 day peroid and several hundred dollars, and 2 years later they were back, vigorous, bushy, beautiful, and in full bloom.  I called a plant nursery to see if they wanted to dig some of them up for free, maybe for an instant landscape on a plantation.  They didn't want them, but didn't want to kill them.  So I'm stuck with them.  I haven't the means to dig them up, but I can't let them choke out my driveway.

So, years back, I formulated a plan.  Every day when I walked up to the road to get the mail,  I'd break off the 3 or 4 branches hanging out most prominently over the driveway, and carry them up to the front ditch for city pickup.  20 or so branches a week got trimmed back this way.  I hardly noticed the effort, but within 3 months the bushes were trimmed back perfectly.  WOW!  My husband gets the mail now, and I've just about got him trained to do the same.  He still sometimes gets on the idealic track of us taking a long weekend to "get the whole job done", but we tried it a few years back and managed to whack back 4 bushes in a day before exhaustion set in. Then life intervened and we never got back to it.

How This Apples to Dog Training:

Systematically hammering my dogs with perfect sit/stays, reliable recalls, tight turns, perfect weaves over and over, etc., shuts me down. Them too. BUT, by applying the "little and often" principle, we make significant progress.  I've learned to make a training session out of just about every little repetitive thing we do.

• 5 dogs chomping at the bit to go outside can be a dangerous stampede without a "sit/stay wait until your name is called" routine. 
• Coming inside, a great time to reward the fastest recalls. 
• Twice daily feedings, perfect checkpoint for requiring a sit/stay, down, back, wait for my name to be called for release". 
• Loading up in the car upon name call, another checkpoint. 
• Grooming sessions, great for developing long patience and taking turns.  
• Requiring a "sit" before putting on or taking off a leash.
• Prance thru the laddar over there by the fence, sometimes gets me a click and a treat.
• Go out in the yard, take the tire, come back for a treat.
• Back up on command and I may throw a treat.

Little exercises, repeated often, make a world of difference in developing anticipation, focus, awareness, impulse control, coordination, attentiveness to my voice commands and body language.  Some of them only take seconds to accomplish, and many are attached to activities we have to do anyway.

The most important change I had to make to accomplish this "little and often" training strategy was to my wardrobe -- either a shirt, pants or dress must have a pocket with treats in it!  On every table where I tend to sit is a little jar of dry treats, and a clicker.  My dogs will do anything for me for a cheerio.  They will offer behaviors in anticipation I might click, including turning their back to me, which I consider quite sophisticated on their part.



L to R:  Maxie, Pepper, Willow
being good in hopes for a morsel of my sandwich.
Pepper is staring at me, Willow is averting her head, but not her eyes,
and Maxie is totally relaxed and confident he'll get his
treat in due time if he leaves me alone.

One of our oft-repeated daily "impluse control" exercises is when I sit on the couch watching TV, with a plate of food in my lap.  Nobody is allowed to approach me, wiggle around, bark or beg.  All are trained to lie down and "avert their eyes".  They have to be looking away from me while I eat.  I arrange several wee bits of something from my meal on one edge of my plate -- a few butter beans, bits of potato skin, grissle from my pot roast or chicken, a crust of bread, etc.  The light or wet items, I deliver by hand.  The larger heavier drier items (apple or carrot bites), I can toss several feet away to the big dogs on the floor, so now they don't feel the need to crowd at my feet.  Randomly, as I see perfect behavior, I surprise one of them with a morsel.  It amazes me how calm they all become hoping I'll notice their exemplary behavior.  And of course, I DO NOTICE.

I've gradually sophisticated this process to the point where Maxie and Lucky understand they can't even have their ears cocked in my direction.  They have to behave as though they aren't the slightest bit interested in my food.  Willow and Fooh Fooh, who were never properly trained as youngsters, still can't manage that.  Pepper, at 10 months, has become better at waiting patiently, but is still learning to avert his eyes.  He does it sometimes.

"Little and often" eventually translates into some fairly well trained dogs if you start them early enough and keep at it consistently enough, and it requires neither expense nor exhausting effort.  It also applies to a well trained ME, able to step myself calmly through huge tasks. 

The right side of my Puppy Training Yard, big
branches already cleared out.

Okay, back to raking twigs for awhile.  I'll start with the puppy training yard today, which shouldn't take more than an hour.  Rain clouds are gathering, though, so I'd better hurry.

This afternoon maybe I'll tackle another segment of the driveway.

Tomorrow John may go up on the roof to throw down limbs and sweep off twigs, which I will then rake up and take by the wheelbarrowful up to the front ditch.

Preschool lyric going through my head right now:  "Inch by inch, row by row, we're going to make this garden grow . . . " great little song (lyrics below) that has inspired me for many years to be realistic and patient as I work on long projects.



John, that wee white speck at upper center, raking piles.
Up closer you can see the amount of twigs we're dealing with
now that the larger branches have been cleared.

Meanwhile, John is out raking the labyrinth, getting it ready for the odd visitor who may turn up for a meditative walk after the storm.  Not too hard, just tedious repetitive work, of a kind that is going to stretch out for days. I thank God every day for sending me such a devoted and healthy husband who enjoys working out in the yard!

Upwards and onward!

 

 

 

Lyrics to Garden Song :

[Chorus:]
Inch by inch, row by row,
Gonna make this garden grow.
Gonna mulch it deep and low,
Gonna make it fertile ground.
Inch by inch, row by row,
Please bless these seeds I sow.
Please keep them safe below
'Til the rain comes tumbling down.

 

Conformation Class with Pepper

Min-E-Me wins Reserve Winner's Bitch,
6-9 month puppy class,
on June 16, 2012

Tuesday night I took Pepper to his, and my, first conformation class ever, encouraged by cousin Lois who just showed Pepper's half sister, Min-E-Me, and won "Reserve Winner's Bitch" in the 6-9 month puppy class.  The show was in Florida, June 16, the puppy is 7 months old.

We were the only team that showed up for Netta's class so we got a private lesson.  There's more to this conformation stuff than meets the eye. 

• Walking a puppy on leash with their head held high and a few feet out from the handler, not sniffing the ground, wabbling too and fro, or looking all around,
• keeping a steady trot that shows off the dog's structure, in a circle and also in a straight line,
• dog standing frontways to the judge,
• having an "interesting expression on command",
• stacking on the table,
• standing for exam,
• not minding having their teeth and body examined by a total stranger,
• having the dog interested in the bait, but not lunging for it.

That's a lot to train for.  So our first lesson I pretty much got exposed to the lay of the land, but no information on how to train these skills.  My homework is to work on a good stack, which is "front feet near the edge of the table, shoulders straight, and back feet placed so the rear pasterns are perpendicular to the table, pretty much as in the photo above.

I also got a few important pointers on how to behave at a show:

• Get to the ring early and watch how the previous dogs are asked to move around the ring by your judge.  Then when it's your turn you can concentrate more on your dog than ciphering the judge's instructions.
• Make sure the dog is freshly washed and well groomed.
• Handlers are often seen holding the dog's tail in the UP position BECAUSE even breeds who usually carry their tails UP will tend to drop their tails when approached by a stranger or even just ill at ease at a show.
• Get the recommended thinnest possible white show leash for Pepper, so it won't show up in his white neck hair.

There are tricks to every trade!   

Pepper was feisty, as usual, concerned almost entirely with smelling, exploring the parking lot, and getting his chicken gizzard treats.  In other words -- all over the place and pulling hard on his leash.  Netta remarked she wished she had a video camera to film her pupils so we could see our gait, I whipped my brand new 4GS iPhone out from my pocket, and she took my first video on that phone.  Learning to point and shoot with an iPhone takes some getting used to, and all but one position requires rotating in Windows Live Movie Maker, but here's the little snippet she got.



Being as Pepper is trained to sit when I quit walking, I was pleased how quickly he caught on to remain standing, though I couldn't get him to face the judge rather than me.

When I got home, all the dogs were psyched.  They don't like being left behind while I take Pepper places.  Pepper and Lucky began a friendly tug of war, with Maxie watching on.  This went on about 5 minutes before I decided to video that, too.  John held the camera.  We are always amazed at the way Lucky regulates her tugging to suit her playmate (she's very strong and can tug your arm off, shake you up and drag you across the room), and the way she handed the toy off to Pepper time after time.  It was in a darkened living room, so we got to test the flash feature on the new iPhone.  It lit the room moderately well but made the dogs' eyes look like Tasmanian Devils.  Even so, the video is an interesting study of cooperative dog behavior (sharing a toy), and self-regulating behavior, so I'm sharing it below.



Upwards and onward,

The 180 Flip

I Googled "dog agility flip" before teaching my class yesterday, and was disappointed that my blog post from last August was the first entry and there wasn't much else out there.  It was a confusing read.  I had not remembered writing about it.  I didn't know much about it when I wrote it.  I'm leaving it up there, not as an April Fool's joke though I felt like a fool re-reading it, but because it has a sense of history.  It shows I'm making progress, and progress comes dropping slowly. It also has a very interesting course map I'd like to set up again.

Now I know more about flatwork, teach it to my dogs much better, and have more to share.  The main thing is that a 180 Flip is a PUSH away from you, and your paths are like 2 candy canes, both curving in the same direction.  It's more than a straight push -- your arm describes a big circle in the air, away from you.

FLATWORK (SHADOW HANDLING):
Even puppies love this work and catch on quickly if your motions are precise and treats delicious.  You can do this in your kitchen or living room.  Not much space required.

On the flat, (i.e., no equipment), put 3 treats in each hand.  Stand your dog to your right.  Lead their nose out and away from you, enscribing a big circle, so they make a 180 right turn.  Just after they commit to their turn, you also turn tightly, 180 degrees right.  Do NOT cross the dog's path.  When you are both turned and your dog is now on your left, treat from the left hand.  Walk a few steps forward, luring the dog with the second treat in your left hand.  Lead their nose out and away from you so they make a 180 left turn.  As they turn, you also turn tightly,180 left. When you are both turned and your dog is now on your right, treat from your right hand. 

Repeat this sequence, left turn, right turn, until all your treats are gone.  Praise, tug, play.

Repeat this sequence every day (maybe 2 minutes), increasing the walking distance between turns, walking faster, running.  Lure/treat intermittantly, then quit luring.   Treat intermittantly from your pocket, after 3 or 4 turns.

Intersperse flip flatwork with post turn and pull through flatwork.  This teaches D to watch your body moves carefully.  3-5 minutes a day of this is all you ever need do.  They think it is so much fun.  It's also a great warm-up at trials, something more than just putting D over a jump a few times, and can be used to signal that "the game is on".

COURSE WORK:
When the dog can flip out perfectly 90% of the time, take the skill to the agility equipment.

The most common "on course" flip is shown in the diagram above.  D has to turn away from you to make the tunnel entrance off the dog walk or A-frame.  The treat comes after they complete the tunnel.  First, teach the flip alongside the tunnel (see diagram), both sides.  Then increase the difficulty by adding a contact obstacle.

The 180 flip is also used in other ways by a few distance handlers.  Jane Simmons-Moake can send D ahead 2 jumps, flip them over a 3rd jump and get them coming back in her direction with confidence (see diagram).  Her flips are wild to watch.  She flings her arm out so hard it just about lifts her feet off the ground!  Her forward motion is minimal.

Some bloggers say the flip doesn't work for them.  Instead they cross the arm nearest the dog over across their chest, turn towards the turn. roll their shoulder, decelerate.  Others say this results in pulling the dog in towards them rather than a push away.  I suspect it depends on how the dog is trained to read your signals.

I believe a unique signal for a "flip" is important.  It should not look like anything else.

My dogs do the flatwork flip quite well, and today I taught the move in my Handling Fundamentals class.  All teams seemed to catch onto the flatwork fairly fast.  Taking it to the tunnel worked well.  Taking it to the equipment was quite a bit harder, but I was only demonstrating when the flip could be used on a competition course.  They hadn't practiced it for long enough to master it at a greater distance than a few inches.

The trick is getting the dog's head turning away from you.  The body follows.  The other trick is convincing students to do their flatwork at home.

P.S. Some people call the 180 Flip a rear cross, and use the above described flatwork to teach the rear cross. I do not. To me, a rear cross is NOT when the dog propels his backside from the handlers right to left, nor when the dog ends up on the other side of the handler, but when the handler crosses over the dog's path, behind the dog. Looking at the candy canes above, you can see the handler never crosses the dog's path. Likewise, some call a pull through a front cross. I do not. To my mind, to be a "cross", the dog's path must be crossed, and the cross must be made by the handler. A fine but important distinction, and it may look otherwise, but it should be firmly implanted that dogs are NEVER allowed to make crosses.  All crosses are made by the handler.  What might look like D crossing over in front of H, had better always be H crossing behind D! 

P.P.S.  There are other ways to get to the dog's other side besides crosses, most notably, the "180 flip", and the "pull through" (also a 180 turn).  I call each of these a "change of sides" rather than a "cross", and I hope this clears up a lot of confusion for my students, as it has for me.

P.P. S.  There is also a straight line flip over a jump (without a 180 turn and without any change of sides), but I'm not covering that here.

Upwards and onward!

Blog Action Day Take-Aways

Plowing through 40 posts (as of today) by agility bloggers participating in Blog Action Day, on the topic of "If I Knew Then What I Know Now", list linked to here", all the pages put together about as thick as a novel, with hundreds of interesting points mixed in with lots of brags, photos, nostalgia and unrelated ramblings, here are my favorite take-aways and links to the pages they came from:

http://agilitynerd.com/blog/agility/handling/ProativeHandling.html

• Before the dog commits to a jump it must know the direction to the next obstacle and how much effort to exert taking the current obstacle.

http://www.flyingpoodles.com/2012/03/07/if-i-knew-then-what-i-know-now/

• The most important thing that I have learned over eight years of training Elly (and then Dancer, and now Rush) for agility is how important structure is. The dog, no matter how willing or personable or sweet or trainable or smart (or whatever you think matters to you more), can not do what you ask unless she (or he) is fully comfortable in her own skin. The structure is what everything else hangs on.

http://fulltiltbordercollies.blogspot.com/2012/03/hindsight-is-always-2020.html

• When I started, it was more about how to get the dog to perform a given task...that is how I was instructed and how I thought dog training was. If the dog didn't fit into the program of training, they were faulty or not made for the work. And I have been proven TIME and TIME and TIME again...dogs are individuals, dogs don't fit into ANYTHING. We as trainers need to change, adapt, constantly. There is no standard. There is only the path that each dog takes you on. The JOURNEY is very much more important. It's a team sport...always remember that. Dogs WILL put up with a lot to deal with the ones they love.
• The nice thing about dogs....is if you are messing up in that regard...you just begin a new way today...they will begin that new way with you :) 

http://bcagility.blogspot.com/2012/03/if-i-knew-thennuggests-along-way.html

• Success can and should be measured in ways other than a "Q".
• and everything else on this page: 

http://bcagility.blogspot.com/2012/03/if-i-knew-thennuggests-along-way.html

• Many of the nuggets that I cherish can only be acquired on the journey. That is, they don't have the deep meaning if someone just tells you.
• Be kind to those just starting out in agility. The sport is very humbling, we all need support to get through the first several years (and longer).  

http://kathy-agilityadventures.blogspot.com/2012/03/hurrier-i-go-behinder-i-get.html

• My favorite way of logging training now days is using Google Docs. (Details on the link.)

http://nancygyes.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/what-i-know-now-and-wish-i-knew-then/

• Train every behavior long before you ever need to use it. . . . . . don’t train door/gate behaviors when you want to go out the door with four dogs crowding you to go for a walk . . . . . don’t train stays when it is imperative that your dog do so . . . . . don’t teach recalls when you really need your dog to come to save his life . . . . . don’t wait to train your dog to tolerate physical exams while you are at the vet during an emergency.

http://muttsandaklutz.blogspot.com/2012/03/what-my-dogs-wish-i-had-known.html

• The single biggest thing I would have done differently would be . . . . . "go with the flow" approach when first starting out in agility. The biggest example of this, for me, is when the dog goes off course or misses an obstacle or whatnot -- do you go with it and continue on as if it was all according to plan, or do you stop the flow, go back, and "fix" it? I did the latter for my first few years in agility. The result? One dog who was never as fast and enthusiastic as he could have been, and another who eventually said "screw this" . . . .

http://agilitygurl.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/you-are-you-your-dog-is-your-dog/

• We all have strengths & weaknesses but to constantly compare yourself to others is going to always make you feel inferior.
• “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” -Dr. Seuss

http://agileiws.blogspot.com/2012/03/past-regrets.html

• But, as awful as our early days were, I wouldn't change a thing. If I had started off doing all the right things and practicing perfect foundation, maybe I wouldn't be the trainer I am today.

http://dognerd101.blogspot.com/2012/03/if-i-knew-thenits-not-about-what-i-want.html

• Honor your dog for who they are, and remember it's not just about what you want.

http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/dogs-are-amazing-and-will-do-everything-you-want-if-you-have-cheese/

• To know the dog really is just a product of what we know and when we get annoyed at the dog we are blaming him for our lack of ability to communicate what we want. To be receptive to the lessons the dog is sharing by their inability to do what we want and to make sure “every day is game day” when I train my dog.

Rant: I almost didn't add this one, because I don't agree with Susan Garrett that "the dog is just a product of what we know", as though they are nothing but programmable robots.  I don't want to go around with cookies in my pocket 24/7, constantly shaping my dogs' behavior, bribing them to do everything I want until it becomes a reflexive response, controlling every aspect of their lives, depriving them of their natural joy just being the glorious animals they are, depriving me of the thrill of observing their instinctive skills.  My Lucky Lucky needs no bribes whatsoever and no training to kill an armadillo, for example, or to retrieve, or jump a 5 foot fence. She and Maxie equally scamper their feet all day over boulders without a single slip, and Lucky plows thru the woods, briars and brambles without a single scratch.  I find those and other of their skills utterly amazing.  Dogs awe me, and humble me.  Sadly, they will be distracted by a little cookie, and still "be happy".  But taking advantage of this weakness every hour of their waking lives is a violation of their being . . . . . . . as wrong as this hilarious "Sheldon Shaping Penny" video from a popular TV sit/com, Big Bang Theory, where Sheldon tries to train his roommate's girlfriend with chocolates, the same way we train dogs.

We had a beagle when my son was young, chosen because she would be a sweet docile house pet, and she was.  But I hired a contractor once to work on my roof, and I'll never forget his comment . . . . "what a waste of a good huntin' dog."  I had no idea what he meant, until we took Annabelle on a hike to Tunica Hills one Easter and let her run free (no leash law back then).  She showed a totally different side of herself, running up and down ravines fetching deer droppings, circling round in wide arcs, scampering thru streams, tossing her ears about, smiling, baying, never tiring, never hungry, and not wanting it to end.  In 3 years of life in the back yard or on leash, I had never seen that side of her.  More on Annabelle here.

One of "the lessons the dog is sharing by their inability to do what we want" , from Susan's quote above, might be that we are trying to conform square pegs into round holes.  Trying to turn a silk purse into a sows ear.  Hello!

My tendency is more libertarian, to balance teaching them to be good family pets, safe in crowds, to entertain with some tricks, be good agility dogs, etc., and likewise let them be free to be themselves so long as they don't harm anyone!  I am incredulous when I hear agility people say "I can't tolerate a dog that barks", "Hush your dog", "I don't appreciate your dog sniffing my dog".  OH, P-A-L-EEese!

The ball and chain of constantly shaping my dogs' behavior is not for me.  I delight in training, a few short sessions per dog per day, and a few classes, but not 24/7.  Sometimes we're just "in the zone", one papillon curled contentedly under my chin, another laid at my side, my husband in the recliner with our cur dog sprawled out over his lap asleep, quivering and making sounds like she's chasing game in her dreams.

The first rule of life:  "Know thyself."

I suppose that means I'm not a totally dedicated trainer.  I don't feel pressed to hone my dogs to "international competition status" nor to that level of obedience, or keep nose to the grindstone myself.   I'm alpha, reasonably strict, and almost always aware of my dogs' whereabouts, behaviors, and proclivities, but I'm no Nazi nor a dictator seeking to bend every aspect of their nature to my will. Even if my dogs were capable of perfect performance and I enjoyed "always on my toes" training, I can't see myself jet setting around the world with them competing. In all honesty, I can't see further than a locally earned MACH for Maxie, MX and MXJ for Lucky (unless she picks up speed), and who knows what for Winnie Pooch.  These feats will satisfy my mildly competitive spirit, and still give me the satisfaction of teaching, problem solving, "overcoming" obstacles, and heading in my favorite direction . . . . .

Upwards and onward!

Training Problems

Before reading this post, read the header stating what this blog is about, and remember, it's partially about the people involved in the sport.  It's a place for me to vent, and it isn't always pretty.  I do my best not to mention names, because it isn't about anyone in particular, just the principles involved.

The way our dog club is set up, volunteer instructors who have put titles on their dogs and have time available, are our teachers.  They get to practice their own dogs too. This works out well enough, all things considered.

At the more advanced levels, however, instructors are more "coordinators" than teachers, making sure there are courses to run, suggesting sequences, and keeping the class moving along in timely fashion.  Instructors become reluctant to critique a fellow competitor's style, paticularly if that competitor has been in the game longer than they have, has a different training style, a different type of dog with different training needs, etc.

It's also an issue when a seasoned competitor brings a novice dog into a low level class, primarily for the benefits of socialization and learning to take turns with distractions, but has a training style different from the instructor's.  Competitors have firm ideas on how to train. They often ignore the planned program.

Which is why my second agility dog, Lucky Lucy, has thus far never made it through a single 6 week class without some kind of snafu.  Not that it's the instructors fault, it's just a situation.  Nobody knows my dog like I do.  Lucky, above all else, needs to improve her speed.  I don't give a fig if she misses a jump in a full course run, or if I misdirect her to the wrong obstacle, we are going to keep running to the end.  In my attempt to develop momentum, I don't stop for knocked bars or popping out of the weaves, except for incorrect entries.  I plan in advance where I will reward her by throwing her ball: to encourage fast go outs, to come out of a tunnel fast, race over the dog walk, not pause on top of the A-frame, or complete her weaves as fast as she is capable of.  More than one instructor, however, has had different ideas, wanting me to stop mid-run and correct any mistakes, or yelling at me as I run to stop and try something else.  I've learned to make it clear before the first class starts what I'm striving for with Lucky.  I'm willing to try new things, just not mid-run.  (This, of course, does not apply when training specific skills or short sequences, in which case I back-chain mistakes until they are right.)

Last night in Maxie's class, however, the instructor (who shall remain nameless because it isn't about a person but a principle) kept yelling at me during a full course run to stop and pay my dog.  "Pay your dog."  Pay your dog."  I got so discombobulated and Maxie got so confused, I started yelling at her to quit yelling at me, that I always pay my dog.  Which I do at logical intervals -- at the bottom of the see saw, on the table, at the bottom of the dog walk, and whenever we have trouble with a sequence, when I go back and practice it later.  It doesn't make sense to Maxie or me just to stop every 3 or 4 obstacles and throw down a treat.  That would be counter-productive and destroy his drive.  Even though my spots are exactly where she pays her dog too, she threw her hands up in disgust, turned her back and completely lost interest in us the rest of the evening.

In my view, she was way out of line.  Ridicule is NOT a valuable teaching tool.  At least, it doesn't work for me.  I came home wondering how an instructor might handle this differently.  What I'd suggest is:

1. Watch my runs and evaluate my team's performance.
2. Praise something I did right.
3. After my turn, or before the next one, make constructive suggestions and/or ask me to repeat the sequence in that way, if I want to.
4. If I choose NOT to do it that way, realize it's my decision.
5. Don't make derogatory comments about the student running to the other students who are standing around.
6. Keep it fun.  I don't go to class to be made to feel like crap.

Once in awhile, I'd like to give a fellow instructor a tip or two as they struggle with their own dog, but I tried that once and got my head bit off.  That was a year ago and the instructor still has the same problems.  Okay by me.  I did give one tip to a fellow competitor successfully, outside of class, and it's made a huge difference to that competitor's performance.  Critiques must be carefully timed, and never embarassing.

Okay, so I got that off my chest.  Now I finish packing and head for Monroe.   Three days of trialing and hopefully some Q's, or at least some faster course times.  I can't help but remember last year in Monroe, me with a torn calf, in pain, with others running (and Q'ing) my beautiful babies.

Upwards and onward,

The Blind Cross - Part II

I see the Blind Cross more and more often at agility trials and I've come to like it a lot myself, yet the controversy still rages. So here's my 2 cents.

The Blind Cross violates two cardinal rules of agility: 

1. Never take your eyes off your dog.
2. Never let your dog cut around behind you.

I will never forget my first Blind Cross.  It was a complete accident.  I was running considerably ahead of Maxie across a 25' space between obstacles (in class), realized I needed to be on the other side, had no time for a front cross, so I cut across Maxie's projected path to the other side, switched arms and tried to find him in vain.  He had tried to follow my feet and gotten totally confused when I switched arms.  I had to jumpstart him to complete the sequence.  We both felt weird and disoriented afterwards.    I could have tripped over him, hurt him, fallen myself. I almost cried. The instructor wasted no time pointing out to me that this is why the Blind Cross is taboo.  For the next year, I agreed.

But there are times on course when the Blind Cross is the easiest way to handle.  It saves time, wear and tear on knees and ankles, and once your team is used to it, it's fun to do. I wrote an earlier post on The Blind Cross, which now that I do it regularly, and teach it, I can see how much I've learned since I wrote that. 

So here are examples of when I think the Blind Cross is perfectly acceptable.

When D is in the tunnel, you can't see your dog anyway.  And your dog can't see you. So, so long as you have crossed their projected path and have turned so you can see them by the time they exit, all is well. Some handlers, however, fear their dog will collide with them on exit, and this could be a real concern if your dog is lightning fast, or you are slow and  can't get across the path in time. (This can also be said of the Front Cross, though, and I have seen some crazy antics with H and D stumbling around to avoid each other, despite their being able to see each other the whole time.)

Slower dogs may also take awhile to scramble up the A-frame or See-Saw, giving the handler time to blind cross in front of the down side.  Distance handlers can cut more caty-corner to the A-frame on their send (green),  and have time to BC before even faster dogs gets to the down contact.

Dogs on the dog walk can hardly choose to veer off path, so H can afford to run ahead and turn their back for a second before D reaches the down contact.  At least in theory.  I've never tried this.

The hardest part of the Blind Cross is mastering it.  It feels weird, disorienting, perhaps at first sinful, to turn your back on your dog.  It's like a broken connection.  But you soon master the art of quickly turning your head and shoulders towards the dog's projected path.  You are only disconnected for a second.  It feels much like a ballet move -- the pirouette!  Turn your head, your body follows.  Here's a diagram of the blind cross.

The blind cross isn't for very many situations, and may not be for some handlers.  But I'm seeing more and more advanced handlers doing it routinely, and it looks elegant when well executed.

Training the Blind Cross:
Start with Flatwork. 

1. Whenever you take your dog for a walk, on leash, and they happen to fall behind you, cross over in front of them without turning to face them.  Pass the leash behind your back to your other hand.  This naturally desensitizes both you and the dog to the maneuver.
2. Put them in a sit/stay or stand/stay.  Cross over in front of them with your back to the dog.  If they stay put, click/treat out of the hand nearest the dog.  Vary it up by walking circles around the dog, clockwise, then counterclockwise, always facing forward such that sometimes you'll be walking backwards.

So the Blind Cross is coming back into favor.  Dont' be shy.  Give it a try!  If nothing else, it's great practice being out of your comfort zone, and "thinking out of the box".

Upwards and onward!

The Pull Through Handling Maneuver

The Pull Through is one of my favorite handling maneuvers. It is easy to perform, easy to train, very useful, fun, and I've found it to be very reliable.  Dogs and handlers both seem to understand it.  Here's the diagram:

It's basically 2 fish hooks facing each other. Immediately at or after the jump, H turns into D while changing arms, D turns into H, and they run off together going in the opposite direction. H is basically pulling D through a narrow space between H and the wing.

Of course, the pull through can be used at any obstacle to elicit a 180. It is sometimes referred to as a "tight wrap".

This maneuver is often referred to as a "front cross", but to my mind it is NOT a front cross at all because the dog's and handler's paths never cross. It is a "side switch" and a "change of direction", yes, because the dog who used to be on your left is now on your right, and you do switch arms, but it is not a cross.

This maneuver can achieve some really tight turns, provided you signal collection and a turn just as D takes off, or before.  You signal this by your own decelleration to just past the plane of the jump, and I generally bend over forward just a bit as I turn inward, almost "scooping" my dog's nose into the hand closest to D.

TRAINING THE PULL THROUGH:  Easy.  Start with flatwork, indoors or out.  5 treats in each hand.  Walk along with D in heel position, turn 180 in towards your dog "on a dime", that is without stepping "into" their path, and deliver a treat into their upturned mouth as they complete their turn in to you.  Walk along some more.  Turn in again and when D turns the full 180 into you, deliver a treat from the closest hand. Keep walking the whole time, making 10 turns in all.  Repeat several times a day.  You can do this with a young dog on leash, switching the leash from hand to hand as you make your 180 turns, which trains the handler how to switch arms.

Introduce a wingless jump.  Sit D behind a low jump, about 10 feet back.  Walk along as above, give your JUMP command, and when D lands, turn in and make your 180.  Treat.  They will turn into you just as above.   Slowly begin making your turn while they are still in the air, and eventually just as they take off, and finally, before they take off so they'll know what's coming.  Randomize treat delivery, eventually eliminating the treats altogether.  End in a rousing game of chase or tug.

NOTE:  At no time in this exercise (or ever) should you let your dog cross behind you*. If they do, continue your turn inward (don't chase them), DON'T TREAT, reset them and start over. After they turn, the idea is to keep D in between you and the obstacle.

*Some folks consider a blind cross as encouraging your dog to cross behind you, and refuse to do that maneuver.  Others have figured out how to execute that cross in such a way that the dog isn't crossing behind, but the handler is crossing in front.  A significant but subtle difference. More on the Blind Cross later.
Introduce 2 wingless jumps, and eventually add wings.  Same as above, but take the 1st jump, pull through and make a 180 back to the second jump, then pull through and head back to Jump 1,  then back to Jump 2, etc, 10 cycles of this will give you 10 reps on each side.  Have a big party.

This gets both my dogs revved up until we're executing at a fast pace.  They love doing this, and the more we do it, the better they become at collection and tight turns.

Try it.  Enjoy it.

Upwards and onward,

Weave Pole Performance

Studying the still shots taken by professional photographer Michael Loftis from last weekend's trial in Kiln, MS, I've discovered that many dogs have inconsistent stride thru the weaves.  Since the poles are all spaced at 24", you would think over time an experienced dog would establish a stride and maintain it.  But the photos indicate otherwise. 

Here are a group of thumbnails of my own Lucky Lucy, posted with Michael's permission, to illustrate my points.  Lucky is a fairly green dog  who just earned her AX and AXJ titles from AKC in 7.5 months, who can two-step the weaves beautifully in practice but at trials generally slows down to a walk.  Below, she is running, doing a single pass with 3 different ways of maneuvering, all caught by Michael's camera:

Here's a few more dogs with inconsistent stride in a single pass:

Obviously, dogs that can't maintain a consistent stride are slowed down, must often get confused, give up trying to re-balance, pop out, etc.

Now here are 4 shots from a single pass thru those same weaves by my little Papillon, Maxie, who, when he runs instead of walks the weaves, has very consistent "two step" weave pole performance with a "single bounce" stride that is very fast.

On the last photo, it's clear that Maxie completes each pole in a single stride by extending his body.  With these photos confirming his consistency (same degree of lean, same head and tail position, same gaze forward, same shoulder distance from the poles, front feet landing right the same distance back from the pole, outside foot landing first), I now wonder if what makes him walk the weaves sometimes is when he doesn't hit the entry just right and can't hit a consistent stride, and if that's true, how do I train his entry to be at an exact spot?

Here are more examples of the "two-step" stride with different size dogs. Notice their back feet are close together and pushing off simultaneously.

Here are a some examples of dogs using their inside leg to lead in, pushing off with their outside leg, which sometimes (not always) resulting in the coveted behavior known as "one-stepping the weaves":

And shots of dogs using their outside leg to lead in, which has to slow them down and sometimes trip them up as they struggle to cross the new outside leg back in (last photo):

A few trials back, I attempted to video the back ends of a few dogs going thru the weaves, to find out how the back feet are moving.  Viewing each run in slo-mo (50%), turned out the back feet push off mostly simultaneously then hop into the space right behind where the front feet were, even while the front feet are varying as described above.  All the dogs take each pole in a single stride. The larger dogs have to "collect" and land their rear feet farther away from the line of poles, the smaller dogs have to "extend" and work closer to the line of poles to cover the distance. One dog, running with the lady in pink, was "one stepping" on one side of the weaves, and "two stepping" on the other side and mixing up leads, but the back feet were doing just about the same thing all the time.  Watch for that:

(Correction: dogs tend to take each weave in 1 stride, not 2 as stated in the video.)

As to training stride, my hunch now is this: I think we rush to closed weaves.  If we open the channels a bit then give our dogs a lot more time to figure out and develop the muscle memory of a consistent stride, they will eventually be able to do fast and reliable closed weaves.  Problem with that, our club has no 24" channel weaves.  I'll have to use my stick in the ground poles at home, but straight weaves at class.

We should also spend a lot more time doing "around the clock" weave pole entries.

Anyone with other weave stride training suggestions, ideas or comments, please feel free to share.

Upwards and onward!