weave pole work

So i had asked and the first trial that we are entered in has 24 inch spaced poles. No problem, right? Big wrong! I don't have 24 inch spaced poles so I put Deuce through Lori's 24 inch spaced poles before class last week. He acted like he had never seen them in his life. He would hit the entry and make it through about 2 or three poles and just pop out. You could see him thinking and trying but just not able to figure out the puzzle. After a couple of tries, he just refused them period. I didn't want to pressure him on closed poles, so opened my poles up at home again and signed up to take a lesson with Lori on the 24s. I figured once he got on them and they were channeled out, he wouldn't have any issues with them. At the time, Lori didn't have channel weaves, but God bless Alice, she went and had some made so we could use them in class. She got them before our lesson, so I was super excited to use them! I have tried to really avoid using any visual or physical helpers on the weaves. I feel like using them with Miller really didn't fix any of his weaving issues he had, more or less just was a band aid and not a permanent fix. I so far, knock on wood, have not had to use them with deuce so have nothing to wean him off of for competition. It was super cool to watch deuce go from weaving super tight (our poles at home are 21 iches from center to center) to really stretching out and using all of his body to reach. Tony came with and video taped the lesson so it was really neat to watch the video in slomo afterwards and see him figuring out his footwork. I would prefer him to single step but whatever he feels comfortable with is what we will do. He seems to single step till midway, then he hops one time and then single steps the rest. It is so funny to watch. Of course when I went to edit the video in imovie, the stupid version I have doesn't have slomo and I don't want to upgrade so had to just post the video in real time. I have a set of 24 inch channel weaves on order so crossing my fingers we get them in the next few days. I really wish all clubs had 24s and I wish USDAA would consider switching to 24s as the dogs seem to LOVE them. I guess for now, whatever spacing we will have is what channel set we will have out. I am also thinking about making stick in the ground WAMs for his footwork as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=495OSkpqKdY

Here is the video link. Wish freaking IMOVIE v. 6 had slomo!


We also worked on Deuce's a-frame. I had previously been working on a running a-frame but Deuce just couldn't seem to get his striding right and when I would take away the hoop or the stride regulator, I would get the pounce. He would either miss the contact or be super high, plus it wasn't safe for him. I started asking for a 2 on 2 off and he was doing great, until he started creeping and I HATE creeping. Not sure what happened but when I went back to just letting him run to get his confidence back up, he would still creep and stop. We have decided to lower the a-frame again and get him back running and then put the 2 on 2 off back in when he is running full out again. If we are ever going to have a shred of competitiveness in the sea of 20 inch AKC dogs and 22 inch USDAA dogs, we are going to have to take out any slow or creeping. So far I have not seen this behavior on the dog walk or teeter so keep your finger's crossed we don't. While I would love to have running contacts, I don't think deuce's build will ever allow for the correct striding needed. His back is just too dang short and that is okay, we will deal with it. 3 more weeks till Deuce's debut and I am super pumped!!!!

USDAA thoughts for my baby dog

Well, nationals has me thinking alot of about deuce's future and what I expect of him. I am not talking about putting pressure on him, just what goals I have for him in the future. I know there will be a learning curve for both of us and he is a mix of Miller and Harley so running him will be different. I know that I have instilled exactly what contact behavior I want and what weave pole behavior I want and I think that will help me immensely. SO many of my miscues with Miller are because of lack of training in the beginning which is okay because even though I trained Berry to do agility, I still was learning alot when I got miller. I want to instill all the foundation work I can get in him so that he can handle pressure, he can respond to being asked to step it up, and that he can have a nice balance between handler and obstacle focus. I have such high hopes for him, yet don't want to put any undue pressure on him. I will love him even if he never sets foot into the agility ring or wins a class or goes to a nationals. He truly is the sweetest, goofiest aussie I have ever had and I love that about him. He could be a lap dog and I would be happy but I hope he loves agility as much as I do. Here is to the future and what we can accomplish!

Deuce's first entry

Okay, so i decided to bite the bullet and go ahead and enter deuce in one day of agility in wichita. I hope I am not jumping the gun but I figure one day won't hurt anything. I have him entered in an AKC trial in JWW, Standard and Fast. Our number one goal is going to be to have a ton of fun!!!! I also want to see how he is holding to his criteria in the ring versus in class or at the field at home. Criteria is so much fun;) Anyway, will have video for sure to post on here and FB. We are probably going to enter the new years eve trial in St. Louis so he may get to go play in a couple of classes in USDAA as well. My goal is to not rush him so I hope I can stick to this goal (feel free to knock me up side the head if you see me doing stupid stuff with him). I want a pup that loves agility! I also have been firming up some details that include deuce doing some rally and some formal obedience in the very near future. With the help of the clicker, his heeling is really coming together nicely and we just need some polishing now and major repitition to get us ready for the ring. I have always wanted a versatile doggy and I really think i have finally found that in Deuce.

Oh yeah, Deuce did pass his CGC!!!!! I was really worried as he LOVES people and it is so hard when anyone give him attention not to get up and say hi, which usually involves some butt slamming/wiggling and some kissing action. He intially did get up and was not passing that element, but when we got our re-try for that element since that was the only thing he didn't do well, we passed. He managed to keep his furry wiggly butt on the ground. I am so proud of my baby! He actually did better than Harley did! He truly is the smartest aussie I have ever had. Every night he either curls up by my head or stretches out the lenght of my body and I cuddle with till I go to sleep. He is such a good, cuddly baby!

We continue to drill weave as this is the last piece of the agility puzzle of obstacles skills we need to master. We have a ton of other skills to work on handling and running wise but I waited a while to start weaves. The channels are now officially closed and I am still getting very nice speed. If i see him slowing down, I will inch them out a little but so far, so good. He seemed to have hit a little wall for a while as I was nearing those last few inches but as he got over his entry issue, he got over his slowing down and thinking issue. That is not to say he doesn't have puppy brain occasionally and blows past them or skips a pole but I am really impressed about how well he is doing at this part of the game. I am taking him to the USDAA seminar this weekend in KC so hope to see how he does in an unfamilar place with unfamilar equipment, especially the weaves. I have been training on my old set which is 21 inch spaced so interested to see how he does on a larger spaced set.

wow, i need to get into shape

I didn't realize how out of shape i had gotten in the span of one month of no gym or running until i had a nice agility field to run on and three dogs to work (fergs doesn't count)! Lori has sent us lots and lots of drills so I have been setting them up and working them. I so LOVE having a full field to work on! I alternate nights on taking just deuce or deuce and harley or all three (and sometimes four). I really am identifying weaknesses in all three dogs which is awesome! I would much rather figure them out in training versus at a show. Even ole miller has been doing some drill work.

Deuce and I have been working really hard on weaves and weave pole entries. I had been previously worried about this but for some reason, last week, something clicked. Now he is hitting entries like a pro. I have no clue what changed but I am LOVING it! Maybe he heard me talking to Dana about envy and got envious, LOL! We even got to 6 o'clock tonight with a jump and he hit both sides like a pro and with me on either side. It was even hot tonight and he did three of Lori's mental drills and weave pole entries. I also have been working collection because even now, Harley has collection issues and hits the poles with his shoulder. I did some jump chutes going in and coming out of the weaves and he was collecting nicely. I am so proud of my little boy! Am actually toying around with maybe entering him one day at the wichita trial if we don't go to the ASCA trial. We could enter Saturday since we would be there that day anyway. Don't know, still thinking and deciding:)

what a difference a day makes

Okay so I know I just blogged but have to blog again. Decided tonight to go out with just Deuce and I. We had had rain all afternoon so wasn't sure how the field would be and wanted to see how Deuce would do with the lower temps. I think it was 63 when I headed out to the field. Well, I am happy to say that his drive was phenomenal!!!!!! We worked weave pole entry and he was going around the clock like a pro! He was also beating me out of the poles so I was having a hard time just getting there to get to the next obstacle. I was in AWE! He was engaged with me, playing with me and paying great attention. I hate that he is so sensitive to the heat as he is going to have to get over that but I was to say the least, IMPRESSED! We worked on lateral sends and tight turns as well and he was just on! We even played Frisbee for a while and he was very into playing and being with me. Of course, distraction was at 0% and I had doggie junk food. Guess I am learning more and more about my pup!

baby you can drive my car

I need to post pictures of our new training area! I have been talking to my local vet about renting land out at his place for training. His father has a farm out off of 99 which is about 5 minutes from my house. We finally found a good comprimise for what I needed and what he had available. Alot of the land is rented out for hay or crops or cattle but some of it was in need of cleaning up and is now our practice field! We moved equipment out on sunday and have been practicing there every night since then. It usually takes me an hour or two to cycle through all three boys on what I want accomplished that night. I work through alot of drills that Lori provides all star students, but I also try and get a full course set up too.

So, I have talked about in past posts that Deuce just looses drive at Lori's place. I always chalked it up to the heat or the presence of lots of good smelling girlies or the fact that they do open practice when we are doing class but those really are all poor excuses on my part. Yes, he does wither in the heat but he has to get use to this. Well, I am starting to see lack of drive out at the farm as I call it. It is very incosistent so I can't really put my finger on any one thing. I am trying to keep sessions super short as I cycle back and forth through all dogs. I do tons of rewarding (mainly food, can sometimes get tuggies), but I am seeing lack of drive cropping up for sure. I am not sure if we are hitting another phase or it is something I am doing wrong as a trainer. I always have yummy treats as rewards and am very liberal with my praise and excitement. I have never had a dog that really could care less sometimes about working. I have to admit, working all three does help as the other two get jealous while I am out there working. Deuce will try and come out when I am working miller for sure so I have been rewarding his desire to come play with me. I never punish him for anything he does wrong other than a verbal "uh-oh" or "wrong". I am really scratching my head at this. I want him to be happy with what we do and I do see that he likes it, but I am not sure he lives for it like my other dogs do. I know it takes boys a long time to mature and I am sure neutering him will help, but I am open to suggestions at this point!

Weave woes or not?

I have really been thinking alot about Deuce's weaves. I have just really started working them in earnest but I am thinking about them and how I teach them. I have tried to do a better job of teaching deuce that the weaves are an obstacle that needs to be completed no matter where I am at or what I am doing. What i found so far is that I have someone taught him that as long as I am behind him and out of his way, he is okay and weaves good with good drive but if I am anywhere near him or ahead of him, he pops out. Need to rethink this and include him doing them well with me near him, crowding him, in front of him and other scenarios I apparently did not think about. I was so wanting to be out of the picture that I have created a problem in its self. I also have not used wires or gates and so when I do try and incorporate them, they confuse him. I want to stay away from visual helpers but I think I have shot myself in the foot by not including them when I don't need them.

I also do not feel like he really understands entries. I know part of his problem is collection, he is still a baby and is learning to collect in them but does he really know entries? I do like the 2 x 2 method for this but started channels so I have to work through this issue with the channels. How do I make entries more black and white? I have narrowed down this for deuce on his contacts. He has to complete toes with two feet on and two feet off and I can get this behavior on anything at any time. How can I do this for weaves too? Should I teach an entry "behavior"? Would going back and doing just one 2 x 2 set to teach entries with the clicker teach him entry "behavior"? I can't really use the clicker with a full set of weaves because if you click for the entry, you will get a head check and probably a pop out. I don't want to teach him that popping out is a good idea. Lots of things to think about.