Blog Action Day Takeaways - What Makes A Good Coach/Teacher

From 39 other essays posted by agility bloggers for our 4th Blog Action Day - What Makes A Good Coach/Teacher, here are my favorite takeaways, and sometimes a few comments from me (in blue) about why I like this takeaway.  Some give me a new idea, others confirm what I already believe.  In each case, I link to the blog post underneath the passage I like.

An average coach will make you feel his or her greatness. A perfect coach will make you feel yours!

I also believe that you should probably have several coaches or instructors in your agility career.  Not everyone has a diverse enough skill set to teach everything you need to know. . . . Lately my perfect coach/instructor is my dogs and my favorite tool is my video camera.
http://bcagility.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-makes-perfect-coachinstructor.html

All dogs are individuals, of course. They’re not all typical (or stereotypical) of their breed; they all need to be treated as individuals within their breeds. But breed matters. Anyone who says it doesn’t, doesn’t Get It. Papillons, for example, need a 4 on contact at the bottom of the see-saw for a safe landing and to drive the board down quickly, so don't insist I put their treat on a target 6" out from the board.  In fact, let me remove the target when it's my turn.

http://www.doranna.net/wordplay/index.php/2012/09/05/beagles-arent-border-collies/

First and foremost, a coach’s role is to provide you with information you currently do not have.  I resent teachers who mindlessly teach me things I clearly already know, which just reveals that they aren't actually teaching ME.  "Place your front cross further out" is useful.  "A front cross is a change of sides", insults me.
http://www.daisypeel.com/articles/what-makes-a-good-coach/

What makes a great instructor/coach? Here are some of my criteria:

1. The instructor must be as kind to the student as they expect the student to be to their dog (for me, only positive training would be acceptable).
2. They must be kind, empathetic and have endless patience.
3. There would NEVER EVER be a harsh word muttered towards the student or the dog.
4. They would NEVER EVER blame the dog for ANYTHING that goes wrong, and they would not accept that from their students either.
5. No matter what happens on course, a great instructor teaches their students to smile as they leave the course and be kind to their dog.
6. A great instructor teaches their students to be good losers as well as good winners.
7. They would never roll their eyes at a student, belittle them or use sarcasm when teaching.
8. Instructors should never ever tell tales outside of class. What happens in class stays in class. It would be unprofessional to do anything else.
9. Great instructors gently encourage their students to be more than they think they can be. They never shame them into anything or ridicule their students.
10. A great instructor will not over face their students. They know how to train reliable behaviors and will break things down into small pieces so the students and dogs gain confidence as they learn and never feel overwhelmed.
11. A great instructor is not afraid to search for more answers from others who are successful.
12. And finally, a great instructor will not only answer any and all questions the student asks, they will do so with a smile.

It has always been a mystery to me why some instructors feel the need to shame or belittle students. . . . . .
http://jility.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/teachers-pet/

A great agility coach applies pressure to students in class, pushes them out of their comfort zone, asks them to hurry to the start line, shouts “please go now!” to replicate the trial atmosphere.  First I've heard of "replicating the trial atmosphere in class".  At the advanced levels, I like it!
http://2mindogtrainer.wordpress.com/

A good coach will watch from ringside and mentally will you to work your start-line, reinforce your contact criteria, cue a front cross sooner . . . . . Cue a front cross?????  I've never heard that one.  How do you cue a front cross before you front cross?
http://allstaragility.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/dog-agility-blog-action-day-what-makes-a-good-coach/

Any instructor that suggests the sport can be taught differently if you don’t have “world team aspirations” suffers from a limited vision. Things like body awareness, shadow handling, foundation jump grids, games of drive and control prior to ever getting on agility obstacles all make the “foundation” agility training so easy. Anyone who attempts to teach agility obstacles first without these elements in place is surely inviting frustration to be a constant companion of both the dog and the handler throughout their agility playing career. This is why I offered a Handling Fundamentals class at our club last spring, but it had few takers and was ridiculed by our regular teachers, who claimed they already teach the fundamentals.  But they never taught me shadow handling, body awareness, start line stays, footwork, and games of drive in their classes -- all we did was run sequences.  The only two who took my class had a very respectable Q rate in their first Novice trials!
http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/09/finding-great-instruction-in-dog-agility/

A great teacher "recognizes how agility has changed — Agility continues to evolve. Trends in course design have changed, and different handling maneuvers are needed. Weave pole entries are more difficult, serpentines are prevalent, and wraps are becoming more common. A good trainer recognizes this, and will also alter the focus of training exercises to focus on current challenges in agility.
http://agilityvet.com/2012/09/05/1078/

A great instructor also has an instructor! It's all about continuing education! Never settle for someone who assumes they already know it all and has nothing left to learn. Teaching the same things you’ve taught for years or teaching things the same way you’ve taught for years is just stale.
A great instructor realizes that they are not just training a dog, but a person too! You can teach a dog every complicated move in the book, but if the handler cannot perform those moves, well, you’ve really not accomplished anything.
http://porterandstout.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-makes-good-instructor.html

1. Passion: a true, genuine passion for what they do. . . . . It’s totally unreasonable to expect your students to follow your lead when you’re not particularly enthused about it yourself. . . . . . Happiness is contagious, it excites the pleasure centres of your brain, so you associate learning with pleasure, not a feeling of boredom or obligation. That can’t not be a good thing.

In conclusion, the really great trainers have loved what they did, but understood their craft from top to bottom and had a sense of balance between learning and success.
http://mufaasa.thescruffysite.com/?p=825

And this one saved for last, from Bud Huston, a big name agility instructor, really sums it up.  It's long but well worth reading by any teacher who cares to improve, and by any student who needs a handle on what the teacher is going through trying to manage a class or help a student successfully.  Plus, I no longer feel like a maverick trying to incorporate games into my classes, giving homework, using a stopwatch, or suggesting special events or socials.
Care about your students. Learn their names. You don’t know everything; don’t even pretend. Learn some good jokes. Pay attention to their progress. Socialize with their dogs; and give them treats out of your own hand. If you must set them back to repeat a class, allow it to be their idea and praise them for being prudent and clever dog trainers. Give everyone equal value. Allow everyone equal time on the floor. Don’t bullshit them. They come to you for instruction, so be honest. Don’t forget to get them signed up for the next session of classes early; they won’t take it as nagging or selling, but will feel that you honestly care about them. Leave your prejudices about certain breeds of dogs at home. Smile occasionally and laugh often. Always apologize for being stupid. Don’t try to fix everything at once; it’s okay to take the long view. Try to be clever about finding just the right thing to fix or help with. Remind your students from time to time that agility is just a game. Remind yourself from time to time that agility is just a game. Prepare for every class that you teach. Feel free to state objectives and offer handling advice and remedy; but remember ultimately that they come to get out on the floor working their dogs not to hear you lecture. Be humble about your own accomplishments; but ask your students for their brags every week. Be mindful that you know your students in a narrow context – they may contend with drama and tragedy in their own lives of which you are unaware. Always inquire about dogs and family members who have been ill or injured. Be a student of the game. Don’t express extreme political views to your students. Remember that they come to class to chat and socialize not to hear you lecture; so when you must address the class to take a teaching moment, interrupt politely, be brief, and let them get back to chatting and socializing. Be consistent in your training advice. Remember that teaching is a game of repetition. An adult must hear a thing 28 times before it finally sinks in. You have no choice but to be patient; tearing out your hair only loses you your hair. Never chastise a student angrily. You can make fun of a student in a jovial way, but only if you really did have fun with it and only if you are prepared to help your student with your training genius. Teach with games whenever possible. Follow current trends in the sport; collect course maps and study video. Don’t be afraid to cheer for your students and encourage them to cheer for each other. Introduce new students to your classes. Celebrate graduations. Give your students homework. Honor the accomplishments of your students’ dogs. Hang their ribbons in your training center. Give homework. Check to see who’s been doing their homework. Remember that new students often don’t know simple things or fundamental things. Feel free to teach when you are instructing. Remember that nobody absolutely nobody wants to use up class time listening to you brag about your past accomplishments. Be a mentor. Teach from a philosophical perspective. Use positive reward-based training methods. Teach your students to be clever dog trainers. Remember that they don’t learn much when being spoon fed. Problem solving is good. Welcome back students who have been away for awhile. Always start an exercise with the entertainment round in which your students can solve with their own handling choices; otherwise you won’t be so clear on what you need to teach. Don’t be catty in your conversation about people who are not present; it’s a small small world, and it’s not very attractive to the listener. You are responsible for your students’ dogs’ safety. Don’t allow any dog to be terrorized or attacked by another dog. Get rid of aggressive dogs from your program immediately. Always check the safety and repair of your equipment. Provide a clean and pleasant and safe training environment for your students. Remember that everyone wants and deserves basic respect. Always address or speak of other instructors in front of your students with fundamental respect. Keep in mind that some of your students are actually smarter than you and have more education. It might be possible that some of your students are a lot smarter than you and actually have less education. It doesn’t pay to be pompous. Be skillful with students who interrupt, or disrupt, or undermine. Get rid of aggressive handlers from your program immediately. Your other students deserve a safe place to play. It just doesn’t mean any more than it is. Have special events and socials with your students. Encourage a sense of community. When your students arrive for class be sure to say hi to their dogs too. Use your students as the good example when they are. Have a long range vision for your students. Track progress if you can. Keep in perspective that agility is a game we play with our dogs on the weekend in a park.
http://budhouston.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/coach-2/


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!

Maxie's Near Death Experience



Beware!  These bags can suffocate your dog!

 One of the first stories I heard when joining my dog club was from another member who tragically lost her Papillon one night when he didn't come to bed when called.  She found him dead in the kitchen with his head stuck in a doggie treat bag  -- suffocated!  Ever since, my husband and I have diligently cut the bottoms out of every potato chip, pretzel, treat or ziplock bag before we throw it in the trash.  We carefully secure every chip or cookie bag closed before sitting it down anywhere, push in every chair around every table and desk so the dogs can't get up there, plus I moved my kitchen trash can behind a closed door, and don't allow food trash to go in any other can.  I make sure there are no treats left in the pockets of my pants and jackets, turning them inside out if possible, and throwing them straight into the washing machine where the dogs can't smell the residue and stick their noses in there searching for crumbs.

I check on Maxie and Willow's whereabouts every minute or two.  It's pretty easy as they follow me everywhere, but even if they didn't I would do frequent checks.  I'm less worried about the big dogs, but I lay eyeballs on them too, very frequently.

Nevertheless . . . . . . .

I can't control every situation or other people's actions, and Maxie had a close brush with that same horrible suffocation death last night.  Were it not for somebody else noticing his predicament, I would have lost my dog.  Here's what happened:

On Wednesday nights, I bring Lucky Lucy as my demo dog, and Maxie to run the course after the class I teach is over.  I attach Maxie's 4' leash to the foot of my camp chair so he can jump on and off the chair, reach water, etc.  I can't leave him in the car because it's too hot in summer, and he whines relentlessly to be with me, but he is content to be on the sidelines and no trouble at all.  It's just me and my students on the field.

Unbeknownst to me, one of them tossed her duffle bag right next to my chair, unzipped, with an open bag of Bil-Jak Liver Treats inside.  I'm out on the field teaching, another of my students starts laughing saying "Aw, isn't that cute."  I say what, and she points to Maxie.  I'm far enough away, it's night,  I can't tell what I'm looking at, but as I approach closer I realize he's standing there, like a statue, with his head stuck all the way into the bag, confused and suffocating!  I race over and remove the bag.  Maxie stares ahead.  I find out later the bag was about 1/4 full of liver treats, and Maxie had his head in there long enough to eat them all.

People!  It only takes a minute for a 7 lb dog to suffocate!  What if Nicole hadn't noticed him? I doubt I would have gotten to him in time, though I check on him every few minutes.

Later, I called all my students together and told them, AS I'M TELLING EVERYONE WHO LANDS ON THIS PAGE, PLEASE keep your treats safely away from all other dogs, close all treat bags, zip up training bags, close your coolers, cars, trunks, etc.  Not every dog is crated or leashed every single second.  We all know dogs love food and toys and will grab whatever they can reach.  In fact, our Agility Director came over and commented that she started keeping all the treats in her car locked up in a crate after finding a little terrier rooting around in her open SUV, munching on a bag of treats.  But I know most people aren't that diligent.   People leave their SUV's open all the time. I see open treat bags laying on chairs and blankets, in class and at trials.  I recently witnessed a little potato chip bag being blown off the top of a large crate onto the ground, open and half full.  The owner was nowhere in sight, probably thought it was out of reach of most dogs. Instructors should take on the extra responsibility to teach this.

For my part, last year I began using a red Igloo Playmate after training with Charlie, a pesky little Boston Terrier, who could not resist snatching toys and treats out of my duffle bag.  The Playmate has hard sides, keeps things cold, holds everything, and is the easiest thing I've found to open and close.   No zipping and unzipping.  Just push a button/slide the top to one side.  I like that the lid stays attached. 

Still, despite this due diligence, one day Charlie managed to snatch a tube of string cheese that was sticking slightly out of my pants pocket while I was sitting in my chair, and while we chased him around the field trying to get it back, he gulped the whole thing down.  Miracle of miracles, he passed the plastic a few days later, with all the cheese gone, but he could just as easily have choked to death or sufffocated, as these stories illustrate:

•  At a recent trial, we were sad to hear of one competitor's dog who killed himself rooting around under the seat of her van for a fallen treat, got his head or collar stuck, and broke his neck struggling to get out.  She had gone inside for "just a minute".
•  An agility competitor with Rhodesians (big dogs), was unpacking her car into her motel room.  The dogs went in first, then the food box, then she went out for her luggage.  When she returned she found one of her dogs dead on the floor, choked on a piece of plastic out of the food box.  Can you imagine her horror?????

This morning I awoke to Maxie vomiting on our bed.  We later discovered he had vomited on both couch cushions in the night, on my knitted afghan, and my yellow sweatshirt was stained with bloody vomit.  I had to wash diarrhea off of Maxie's culottes this morning.  I'm still cleaning up the mess, and hope to god his digestive system isn't screwed up by too many rich liver treats.  I'll be watching him all day, and I'm very heavy hearted over our close call.  Too close.

Maxie posing as"Walnut Brain"

Let's face it.  Our dogs are basically dumb about lots of things.  We sometimes refer to Maxie as "Walnut Brain", not because he's stupid (no, he's really smart), but because of the size of his little skull.  I mean, how much brains can there be in there? No way can he comprehend all the dangers lurking about him.  Like a child, his safety is in my hands, and now I realize just how much I must rely on everyone else's due diligence to help me protect him.

The only way we can prevent more dog tragedies from happening, in public especially, is for each of us to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.  We each have to project, and predict, and work together, and vow to be responsible pet owners, including looking out for each other's pets.

So please, when you take your dog to a class, trial, or any public place, accept it as part of YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to make sure nothing you do jeopardizes any other dog's safety.  Store your treats safely away.  Secure all bags.  And don't hesitate to correct other handlers when they do something that jeopardizes another dog's safety.  It really does take a village . . . . .

Upwards and onward!

Monroe Trial 2011

Maxie:  6 runs, 3 Q's XJ, XJ, XS, 2 3rd places XS and XJ, 1 QQ, 39 MACH Points Videos Posted
Lucky:  6 runs, 2 Q's, 1 1st place, 1 2nd place OJ, OPEN JUMPERS TITLE Videos Posted


Lucky, Maxie and Willow cozy in their crates,
bedecked with ribbons, and finally, me in a "crate space" picture.
The black X-pen propped up behind Lucky's crate, rugs
 draped down the back and sides, and the cooler,
gave them a "front view only and almost complete privacy.

This was my second visit to the Ike Exposition Center in West Monroe.  Last year it seemed huge, so this year I made sure I arrived early on Wednesday so I could position my crate space with some privacy.  To my surprise, the arena seemed smaller!  Still, it's a 4 day trial, away from home 5 days,  with 2 rings going at once -- very stressful.  We stayed at Motel 6, a roomy ground floor "handicap" unit with king bed, microwave, fridge and desk, very comfortable, and only 1/4 mile away from the arena.  It was $44.75/night, including tax, and no pet fee. My cooler was packed with 4 Ocean Spray bottle blocks of ice, which actually lasted thru all 5 days.  As it melted, we drank our own Baton Rouge water.

GOALS FOR MAXIE:
1-3 Q's XS, if 3, he earns his Masters Standard Title (3 chances).  DONE! Earned 2
1-3 Q's XJ.  DONE! Earned 1
1-3 2Q's.  DONE! Earned 1
A few Placement Ribbons  DONE! 2 3rd place ribbons, 1 QQ ribbon

GOALS FOR LUCKY:

1 Q OJ, earning her Open JumpersTitle OAJ (3 chances)  DONE!
2 Q's XS - A, earning her Excellent Standard Title AX (3 chances)
More Q's if possible, of course.   DONE! 1st Q in XJ
Improved time.
A few placement ribbons.  DONE! 1st place in XJ, 2nd place in OJ

However, I had another goal . . . . . . .  to run my dogs at all.
Nursing a 3 week old calf injury, I went to the doctor Tuesday Morning, who okayed me to run (nothing seems torn), but fixed me up with Naprelan 500 mg. anti-inflamatory and Metaxalone 800 mg muscle relaxer.  Supposedly, both are non-drowsy.  I took my first pills Tuesday around noon, and by 3 p.m. I was so loopy I tripped and fell once, and felt tongue tied all evening.  But by Wednesday my calf was only slightly tender.  Things were looking good. Left at 10 on Wednesday, and had the highway to myself the whole 200 mile, 4 hour drive.

My strategy for the weekend, therefore, was to take these pills after settling in for the evening, let them work their magic overnight and leave me pain free and alert the next day.  Secondly, recognizing myself as a complete wuss where pain is concerned, I primed myself to ignore any pain I might feel.

This didn't work at all!

THURSDAY: Maxie was the 9th dog to run.  The XS course was easy enough, I walked it several times with no discomfort, and felt confident.  But 3rd jump into the run, I felt my calf rip, pain jammed thru my leg, I winced, Maxie got confused and missed the next jump.  I managed to hobble thru the rest of the course without fault, but of course we NQ'd, and my weekend came to a screeching halt. 

Maxie was perfect, and there he was prancing around expecting a treat.  But the crate area now seemed blocks away. The arena seemed enormous again. My face felt like a water balloon, filled with tears, but none came out.  My heart was so heavy I could barely lug it around. Tracy, who was videoing us, came up and said the camera misfired, so more bad news.  I didn't catch any more videos this day.  That night I discovered the memory stick had become dislodged.  I pushed it back in, and we were good to go.

All of my aforementioned goals -- down the toilet.  All my entry fees lost.  My weekend ruined. Or so I thought, until Tracy offered to run Lucky in XS.  They have never run together but Lucky has played with her at the field.  So, after a bit of bonding and tugging, they headed onto the course, and miraculously Q'd!  It was a beautiful run.  MOST UNFORTUNATELY, I didn't have the good sense to hide, so when Lucky crossed the finish line I screamed for joy, she heard me and leaped over the ring gates to me . . . . . . . and was immediately disqualified.  SHIT! SHIT!  SHIT!   It seems I have to learn each and every single lesson in this sport personally, at cost.

.
I caught this run on my Sony Cybershot, and will certainly add this blooper to my ever-growing list of WHAT CAN GO WRONG IN THE RING.  Here it is:

On their second run of the day, Open Jumpers, Tracy took Lucky around the ring like the pro she is, Lucky Q'd and my first goal of the weekend was miraculously met -- Lucky's Open Jumpers Title.  Plus 2nd place!  Lucky walked thru the weaves and her time was a few seconds over SCT, but she Q'd.  I made sure I was hiding this time, and only screaming for joy on the inside.  My heart was pumping, though.  What an adrenalin rush!

Noel offered to run Maxie's second run of Thursday, and they did amazingly well, too, but not a Q.  Noel has never run Maxie, but she pretty much taught me how to handle so we handle similarly.  They warmed up awhile, Maxie pretty much paid attention to the hot dogs in Noel's mouth, but a few times during the run it seemed Maxie was looking for me and missed a few of Noel's cues. She did manage to catch him after the run.  I videod this with my little Sony Cybershot, but I can't find it now.  Bummer!  I'll keep looking.

Went to dinner with clubmates at El Sombrero Mexican restaurant, next door to Motel 6.  Wonderful enchiladas!

Tracy/Lucky with OJ TITLE ribbon,
1st and 2nd place ribbons

FRIDAY: Again, Maxie was 9th dog to run in XS, only this time Sandy R. ran him.  He ran wonderfully for her and Q'd . . . . . .  BUT, afterwards she couldn't get his leash on, he kept backing up and eventually ran out of the ring looking for me, and got eliminated.  Another perfect run gone awry.  Later, she ran him in XJ and they Q'd with time to spare.  She had practiced slipping the leash over his head beforehand this time, and he sat for her.  Another goal met.  It was a QQ day in my estimation.  AKC disagrees.

Lucky fared about as well, with Tracy running him, and me hiding up in the bleachers.  It was her first XJ - A run and a difficult course.  She ran 3 seconds over SCT, so 6 points were deducted from her 100 score, but she was the only dog to Q at 20", so she got 1st place.  What a frickin' shock!  Another goal met.

Went to dinner with club-mates at Outback Steakhouse.  It was Brittany's birthday (Noel's friend). The spinach/artichoke dip was a big hit.

SATURDAY:  With 4 runs to go and my leg no better, Tracy and Sandy agreed to run my dogs again on Saturday.  Both claimed they were enjoying it, though both were running multiple dogs of their own!



Noel and Sandy pose with Maxie,
wearing his QQ ribbon, 2
3rd place ribbons, and 3 Q's.

To my great joy, Maxie double Q'd with Sandy, and both were 3rd place runs.  So 2 more goals met.  Sandy said Maxie was "lots of fun to run", so now somebody besides me knows that!  I did hobble through the courses with her and gave a few handling tips, such as calling Maxie hard off the dog walk or he will take it every time, not front crossing after the A-frame because Maxie shoots down that sucker very fast, that he sends to the A-frame, dog walk and see-saw from a great distance, and that he has good "go outs". I learned later than one of Maxie's 3rd place wins was only by 1/100th of a second!  If the 4th place dog had exactly tied, there would have had to be a runoff!

Lucky didn't fare so well.  No Q's.  She just couldn't seem to focus, ran around jumps, and walked thru the weaves.  Her time was terrible.  Tracy chalked it up to "doing that hound dog thing".  Plus, by the 3rd day Lucky is always tired.  Tracy didn't seem quite herself either.  I myself was so tired from all the adrenalin pumping and stomach churning, not to mention trying with each step not to limp and make other body parts sore, I fell asleep by 4 p.m. watching TV and icing my leg, and didn't make it to dinner at Olive Garden with the gang on Saturday night.  I didn't even have the energy to download and watch the videos I took, and I always look forward to that!

MUSINGS: RUNNING EACH OTHER'S DOGS:
All of these goings-on this weekend, with the Noel/Maxie, Sandy/Maxie, and Tracy/Lucky teams demonstrating that dogs can run for multiple handlers,  led to various comments among LCCOC clubmates about running each other's dogs once in awhile at practice, for insurance purposes. 
Reactions were mixed:

• Some claimed their dogs would never run for anyone else.
• Others opined that they didn't want to confuse their dogs with different handling techniques.  In my classes we practice each sequence several different ways. How can one know what what works best for you, until you try them all?
• One person claimed she could never concentrate well enough to do the close handling my dogs take. 
• Another said she would never let anyone else run her dog, because she didn't want to be shown up!   Oh, contrare!  I am so happy if someone can show me up, Q my dogs. I have no grand illusions about my skills, and what better way to learn how to improve myself.
• Someone summed it up that dogs who enjoy agility will run for just about anybody, and dogs that don't enjoy agility just do it because they are velcroed to their handler. 

All I know is, Maxie will follow anyone who offers him food.  Lucky will chase after anyone carrying her toy. The hussies!  And having someone else willing to run my dogs this weekend really saved my ass!  All my goals were met!
 

Maxie, Willow, Lucky, Michele

TRIAL SITE SUMMARY:  See links.

LESSONS LEARNED: 

• Make sure to train my dogs so anyone can grab their collar, and put on their leash.
• If someone else runs my dog, disappear.
• Don't tug too long with Lucky before a run -- it tires her out.
• Lucky does best with a long lead-out, where she can see H standing on the landing side of the jump.  If not, she tends to go around the first jump.
• You never know where your help is going to come from.  Someone you might not have expected to be there for you, can suddenly save your day.
• Travel with instant heating pads, and instant cold packs. 
• I learned that for inflammation or swelling, use cold packs (makes sense to reduce the "flames"), for tight muscles or charlie horses use a hot pad (makes sense that a hot bath relaxes you).

Packed up to head home, I wheeled us thru the arena and heard lots of comments how cute Max and Willow look tucked in the caboose, how awesome my red wagon is.  I finally got someone to take a picture of me by my wagon.  On the way out, I discovered Lucky loves to pull the cart.  I had her leash attached to the upright pole (by my shoulder), and she just steadily walked by my side and pulled, pulled, pulled all the way out to the car!  Is she a cart-puller?

NEW GOALS:

• Maxie is 1 Q away from his MXJ title, and 4 Q's away from his MX title.
• Lucky is 2 Q's away from her AXJ title, and 2 Q's away from her AX title.
• Need to attend at least 2 more trials before November to reach these 2011 goals.
• Not exactly a goal, just a fact, Maxie needs 2 more QQ's and 189 more MACH points by November 30, 2011, to qualify for AKC nationals next year (6 QQ's and 400 MACH points required). It would be sweet to qualify, whether we go or not, but I don't think I'm up to that level of stress yet.  
• Heal my leg completely before any more running!  Give it 6 weeks, at least.
• Learn to teach my Wednesday night class without running!  Nedra says I demo too much anyway, just let them run the sequences and figure it out for themselves.
• Get signed up for the Hattiesburg trial on August 18-21, only 8 weeks away.
• Get signed up for the 2 Kiln trials in September and October.
• Find some first aid cold packs and hot packs.  Need a box of each. 

What a weekend!  I will never forget the friendly support extended to me by my clubmates, and their professionalism, which saved our weekend and made it possible to stay on track with my 2011 goals.  They told me to disappear, get lost, etc., and I never worried that they would forget to go get my dogs out of their crates, warm them up, treat them right, do their best.  Even with Sandy, who was running Tango in the same 8" XB class, I was totally confident she would do her best for Maxie, and she did.

Upwards and onward,

Beginners Agility Class - Handling Fundamentals

I taught my first LCCOC Agility Class beginning in January 2011, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday nights.  Due to many rain-outs, this class went on thru March 16.  I had 5 students, Jerri, Jen, Judy, Melanie and Cathie.  All but Cathie had been in beginners for at least 3 previous sessions, and were clearly ahead of Cathie, who just graduated from Intro.

Here's a summary of what I taught in 6 weeks, which I entitled.

Handling Fundamentals - Part 1

After D's are relatively comfortable on the equipment, handlers need some instruction in handling.  How can they guide D over sequences if D won't follow them, turn with them, value their hand motions and arm changes, etc.  So this class will include a good bit of flatwork, and homework that can be practiced between classes, and without equipment. I pointed out that nobody can learn agility in 1 hour a week. I invited students to arrive half an hour early and stay after class to run their dogs over the equipment they already know.
Session #1 - Objectives

3. Build value in D looking at your hand. Touch/Treat method.

4. Build value in the Clicker and learn to use it. Click=Treat. NOTE: This is essential for later distance work, in lieu of running back to treat D.

5. Learn to use the hand nearest D to guide him, and keep the other hand flat against your body, or unused elbow pressed against your body. Only one hand out at a time.

6. Learn to treat from the extended hand. Don't reach across your body to treat.

7. Stand up straight to guide D around. Don't lean down to D's level, except to treat a small D. Make D look up at you.

8. Flatwork/Homework: On the flat, teach the Post Turn, the Pull-Through, the Head Snap at the Rear Cross. Work both sides, identify D's non-dominant side, and practice on that side more.

9. Demonstrate/practice the use of these techniques over 1 jump, then 2 jumps, then combine them in a short sequence of jumps. Students should be able to identify these moves when they see them and know when to use them.

10. Move class along at a fast pace, reduce standing around, give the biggest bang for their buck. Where possible, set up enough stations for each student to work independantly, then gather everyone together to show off what they learned in rapid succession.

I set up this little course.

Session #2 - Objectives

Continuing their previous training from Kay:

Take them to the big dog walk and evaluate their performance doing run-bys, off leash, both sides, both directions.

Same as above with full height A-frame. Lower if need be.

Along with that, practice 2o/2o down contacts on both Aframe and Dog Walk, both sides/ both directions, with treat on target (which they are used to), fading to a touch target/click/treat at target.

Introduce Start Line Stays. Sit. Stay. H walks a few feet away, return, click, treat. Then 6 feet away, then 10 feet away. Then 20 feet away. Then walking side to side as walking away. ALWAYS AT FIRST, return and treat with “Good Stay”. PAY YOUR DOG for a good sit/stay.

Mix & Match H’s behavior, but of course, D always does the very same thing.

If they get that: Try a Sit/Stay/Walk far away/Release D with Come or Over (a jump)/Treat.

Review of last week’s lessons by running the 4 jump course I set up (all bars set a 16”). Then, big surprise, set up the mirror image course and make them do it on opposite side. Rear cross 1 to 2/pull through 2 to 3/post turn 3 to 4. At this point, they are running along with D.

IN ALL CASES, PAY ATTENTION TO STUDENT’S FORM, AS DISCUSSED BELOW.

Homework: Practice sit/stays (no distractions). Also, continue with last week’s flatwork. Continue building value in the clicker (Click/Treat), and value in your hand (Touch/Click).

Session #3
Review of front cross footwork.  Give touch target container.  Practice with sends to target.  Send over jump with rear cross.

NOTE: In session #3, I will build on the Sit/Stay practice, by introducing the Call/RunBy/Send principle of training every obstacle, beginning with Calls, (not yet called Lead Outs). Calls require a strong sit/stay (fading away the need for instructor to “hold D by the collar” until H calls him). May also introduce sit/stays with distractions.

Session #4 Directional Handling with one tunnel and 1 jump, Solid Sit/Stays, See-Saw training w 4 on contacts and nose touch treat, Out command with 4 jumps box.

Teaching First Agility Class

I taught my first Beginners Agility Class last night, taking a different approach to the way I was taught. My first assumption is that an Intro graduate dog can go over all the jumps without fear, go thru tunnels, get on and off the table, go over a low see-saw, baby dog walk, and low A-frame. They are trained to seek out a target at the bottom of the contacts.

In Beginners, they are to brought up to functionality on full-height equipment.  Besides that, the next logical step, IMHO, is that handlers need training in steering their dogs around the courses, and they must learn to do it correctly before much Sequencing of Obstacles is introduced. So I call my class:

Handling Fundamentals

This will include a lot of flatwork in preparation for some basic handling maneuvers (crosses and turns), good posture, etc. After the 6 weeks ends, I'll post a breakdown of what we covered, what I learned, and how I think things progressed.

Musing (new symbol I just added):
Our club is run entirely by volunteers, including our year-round, 3 nights a week agility classes -- a feat of dedication which constantly amazes me.  Instructors have to be club members who have "put a title on a dog" (which now that I've done that, I realize isnt enough of a criteria).  Even a poor performing team can earn a novice title.  If it were me, I would change the criteria to "put an Excellent title on a dog".  You have to get some real experience under your belt to get an Excellent title. Will that make teachers too scarce to come by?  Well, not if we get crackin and start producing more competition teams.  Excellent is only 9 Q's and only the last 3 of those need to be fault-free.

By my calculations, in the last 3 years (since I've been in the club), we've only generated 3 new competitors on the agility scene (me, Lisa, Sheryl Mc).  A dismal record.  We run quite a few students thru Intro, but few continue on.  Those few who continue stay stuck in Beginners and Advanced Beginners, don't seem to advance to competition.  (I'm saying this, guessing actually, because nobody I know of is keeping track.  One thing this club doesn't do is keep statistical records.  We have no real idea how we're doing.  I'm basing my claims on who I see advancing thru the classes and at trials, and it's mostly the same people year after year.)

I ask myself, WHY IS THIS?  What isn't happening?  What could we do differently, or better?  Is it the same in every club?  That's the business woman in me, always trying to improve the bottom line, offer a better product.  And the teacher in me, always trying to encourage people.  And the student in me, always trying to learn as I travel life's road. 

I have some ideas, and now I get to try a few of them out.  Time will tell.

Upwards and onward!

Being A Good Student

I follow Susan Garrett's blog (reachable at the link in my sidebar). She has started an email newsletter series called "Being A Good Student", and has asked for comments on her blog entry What Holds You Back.

So I posted the following today:

I taught Montessori children for 27 years, and many adults in pottery, watercolor and computer classes. I've taught myself many difficult things, like how to build websites, knit, throw on a potters wheel, etc. The one thing I notice that makes a human or canine student easy to teach is if they are "biddable". Willing to trust. Willing to do what you say. Not afraid of "getting it wrong". Not even expecting to get it right at first.

I point out to all my students that "If you knew how to do this already, you wouldn't be here, so don't expect a flawless performance from yourself. I don't expect that of you." It takes lots and lots of practice to even begin to get a "feel" for things (My visualization is the ballet student "at the bar" for hours on end). Do we practice the footwork of our handling maneuvers for hours on end??????

I had a great philosophy teacher who told me "Go to class to ingest. Go home and digest what you ingested." In other words, don't expect every piece you hear in class to fit into your preconceived notions, or to fit all together into a comprehensive system the instant each idea is comunicated. It's like a jig saw puzzle. The pieces come together slowly. Give the teacher a chance to unfold their vision, connect the dots. Be confident that you can explore something new and different for a few hours or days, and still return to your solid base later.

I suspect poor students don't have a solid or wide enough base to venture forth from, so they are horribly afraid to leave it. Prejudice is born of fear. They are uncomfortable with being confused. They raise their hand all the time, interrupt a lot, chatter, pout, cause mayhem, become dissatisfied with the teaching, or quit, because during class they are trying to file each and every piece of new data they hear into their established filing system, and if it doesn't fit immediately, it starts cluttering up their desktop. While attempting to clear up this mess during class, they miss the next bit, and the next, and the next.

My advice to all students: be comfortable with being confused. Enjoy the clutter. Or, establish a mental "For Later Processing" file, and stuff every confusing thing into it. You will find when you go back later and review all the confusing items, half of them aren't confusing any more and can be filed into one of your existing mental files. Plus, you will be able to create new files with new labels, expanding your filing system and your knowledge in rapid fashion, and getting your money's worth out of each class.

I have had so much success with this method myself after so many years struggling to learn and teach difficult things, I have come to trust the process intuitively, and along with reciting my daily mantra: "Patience, Persistence, and Prayer" (the 3 P's), everyone and everything has become my teacher.

I would have liked to refine this hodge podge of thoughts and add more, but the comment was already too long and I was in a hurry. But I've been ruminating about it ever since, and so I add more here.

I wasn't always a good student.  In grade school, I was the one who got ignored when I raised my hand, and called on whenever I didn't know the answer.  I wilted and grew tongue-tied and afraid to participate.  I made decent grades by doing my homework, passing tests, and because my father would have been furious with D's.  I never made an F.  To my father, teachers were liken to Gods and I better not EVER complain about any of them.  Any problem, it was my fault for being a spoiled, ungrateful child.  But I grew to HATE some teachers, whom it seemed were always trying to demoralize their students.  All the way up thru college, I encountered several teachers who started class with "Most of you will not succeed in learning this".  With that approach, that threat, many students didn't even try.  I set out to prove them wrong.

I became a teacher to "protect" children from the demoralizing experiences I had endured.  I love to learn, love to participate, love to stretch myself, and I want that for my students.

As an adult, taking continuing education classes but still mistrustful of teachers, I was always the "clever" one in the back, pacing up and down, evaluating the teacher's every phrase, raising my hand for clarification, justification, or with "points of interest". I don't know exactly when I quit. I recognized that I had changed when, in some class or other, there was a very annoying man in the back of the room, pacing, interrupting the teacher every few sentences with questions. He was a mistrustful student. I saw myself in him, and sunk into shame.

Another instance, I signed up for a class with a renowned instructor.  In the class was another student who was also an instructor of a similar method.  This student spent the entire class trying to teach her own method with "You can also do it like this." or "I do it like this".  I finally told her if she wanted to teach her method, she should put up a flyer or take out an ad, and maybe I might sign up for her class, but at this time I was paying to learn the current instructor's method, so would she please shut up.  She was, of course, highly offended, saying she was "offering her gifts for free." She wasn't there to learn.

Trying to teach pottery and water colors to adults, I discovered many adults are horribly afraid to make mistakes, always apologizing for not doing it right.  With all their negative self-talk, they are harder to work with than most children.  They probably had some fatherly advice along the way, like I did, that "if you can't write like Shakespeare, don't write.  If you can't paint like Michaelangelo, don't waste the paint. The world isn't interested in your junk."  I never accepted that ridiculous limitation, and finally found words to justify my early attempts at art when a fellow Montessori teacher, an art major, told me that the value of doing art is for "personal relevance".

PERSONAL RELEVANCE.  That was the missing key I needed to blossom.  I didn't have to write or paint for others, or to sell product, or make a living at it.  I could do it for personal relevance -- for the pure joy of exploring my capabilities and new media.   Learning is about me BECOMING what I can be, not becoming a world champion, the President, the wife of the president, or any other famous person. I don't have to justify my existance.

FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, I WAS FREE AT LAST.

And I've been enjoying every moment of that freedom from that day on, and yearning to help others throw off the yoke of the tyranny of "perfection as a goal" as well.

Lydia, by Mary Cassatt
(certainly not her first attempt to paint)

Does that mean that I approve of sloppy work, poor performances, ugly messes?  Not at all.  But I am reminded of Mary Cassatt (one of my favorite painters), who, sadly, never kept a single painting she did for the first 10 years she painted.  Compare this with parents nowadays who keep every single crayon stroke their preschoolers ever make, and every little phrase they utter as though it were a completed masterpiece.  There needs to be some balance in between.  Of course one should strive for excellence, but we should all understand that a thousand less-than-excellent executions must flow forth from the inexperienced hand to gain experience, and each execution probably holds some "personal relevance" to the student as they see themselves improve.

To see a progression of Mary Cassett's earlier paintings would be a valuable thing.  Does that mean mediocrity is a creditable art form?  Should it be in museums?  Well, to that I might say NO.  But should it be kept in a portfolio to demonstrate the learning process?  At least a representative sample?  ABSOLUTELY.  I would love to see some of Mary Cassatt's early attempts at painting.  I actually have a copy of the first LP the Beatles cut, and have used it to demonstrate the learning process.  They sounded HORRIBLE!  I mean, it's almost unbearably horrible.  They worked in low down skanky bars for several years, perfecting their craft, before ever even recording that one.

So, yes, I'll keep the videos of Maxie and my 1st year of trialing.  Lots of sketchy performances, barely Q's, and my body not knowing how to run, or move.  We were novices all along, scraping by.  Now working towards our Masters, we are still novices.  But we got out there and did it, didn't give up, and now I know better what to practice.  In my dreams I see myself fit, fleet, and graceful, and me and Maxie connected, focused, and confident.  I know now what it is supposed to look like.  I have a more practiced eye, appreciate more nuances, and that's quite new. I have something to shoot for and if it takes me years of practice to achieve it, what a great way to spend each day.

Now, on to pick up Joy and Puddin', and take Maxie and Lucky to the field for a practice session this overcast Sunday afternoon.  We're meeting Cheryl W. and her Grace there, too.

Upwards and onward!

Addendum:  on 2/5/11, I received another of Susan Garrett's "Being A Good Student" emails.

Good student concept #6;

Be open-minded and brave enough to step outside of your comfort zone.

It seconded some of my points, and ended with these wonderful quotes:

Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning.
~ Benjamin Franklin

One can choose to go back towards safety or forward towards growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.
~Abraham Maslow


Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable while trying something new.
~Brian Tracy


If you always do what you've always done you will aways get what you always got.
~Anonymous

Bad Weather, Tuna Putty, Tug Leash

Last night was rough.  Rumbling thunder, whole sky flickering with lightning, for hours, rain on the roof.  My dogs were extremely restless, FoohFooh pawing and pawing at me, Willow panting so heavily she finally threw up on my bed at 2 a.m. and we had to change the sheets and padding, Maxie hiding under the covers trembling.  Lucky alone was sleeping calmly in her crate.  All of this very untypical, except for Fooh Fooh who has always hated storms.  I didn't get to sleep until 4 a.m.  So today I woke up at 10:30 a.m. feeling tired and disoriented, dogs were starving.

Today is supposed to be my first teaching class.  One student emailed me and said she drives 2 hours to get to class and needs to know before 6 if class is cancelled! I wrote Nedra asking her if she could start letting us know by 4 p.m.  Now it's just piddle around and try to rest up while waiting for an answer. Bummer!  I was all psyched up for class tonight.  Like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, waiting is a skill that requires peace of mind.

Time to fiddle. Tracey sent me a recipe for a dog treat she calls Tuna Brownies so I made it.  I changed the name to Tuna Putty because it's the color of putty and feels like putty in my hands. You can roll it in a ball, tear off little pieces, it doesn't stick to your fingers and doesn't crumble either. Great for storing unwrapped in your pockets. My dogs all love it, and it's acceptable human food as well (especially if you add the cheese -- which I did not). It's such a pain to have to find the opening to a zip lock bag stuffed inside your pocket, or unzip a treat pouch, every time you need a treat.  Easier to reach for the ball.

I've added the recipe to my Dog Treats and Recipes page. Try it out.  It's easy to make, and inexpensive.

Yesterday on the field working with Max and Lucky, and afterwards at Joy's, working with Puddin' and Lucky indoors, I did some more practice with clicker training. Once you get your D conditioned to respond to the clicker as if it were a treat (salivating pleasure response), you can train on the run and from a distance, click good down contacts and great weave exits from 10 feet away, etc. Boy that sure comes in handy! My clicker is going to be a great training partner. I've started hanging mine around my neck with a long enough cord so the clicker fits in my scrubs pocket when not in use.  One more thing to remember to bring.

Sheryl and I think someone should invent a finger clicker that you wear like a ring on your thumb, or like castinettes on 2 fingers.



Lucky hands the end of her
new leash to Puddin'

 At Joys, my objective was to get Lucky, Puddin' and Maxie acquainted so I can start taking Puddin' with us out to the field now and then, see if he'll fetch, run him, train him a bit, and maybe bring him to my house sometimes.  I walked the 2 big dogs around the block so they would form a pack (Dog Whisperer style), then sat them both in the back seat of my car with me and Maxie in front, engine running.  So far, so good.  I've never handled a 75 lb dog, a huge vibrant hunk of Boxer puppy, and still don't know his behavior like I do my own dogs.  Very gentle, but strong as an ox and could knock me over in a second.

Joy gave Lucky a brand new tug leash (never had one of those before, a short felt braid intertwined with strong rope she had ordered from a vendor, and just Lucky's purple color). We put it on Lucky, and within seconds Lucky handed the other end to Puddin, and Puddin started tugging her all around the house. This went on for 20 minutes. It was so adorable. Such beautiful, intelligent, caring, loving animals. Yes, I think they've bonded!



Puddin leads Lucky around
the house.