Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Tuesday's class

Today was the last class for this session so we ran a course! It started out double, tunnel (tunnel, dogwalk discrimination). Mom did a lead out and was easily able to show me the tunnel. I ran like a pro! No sniffing. No problems. When we were done, Jenn said she hadn't seen me move like that in a long time! :)

We worked on several tricky sections of the course and tried running them with different handling options. That's fun because it makes you try out things you probably wouldn't do in a trial. We got advice on how to see angles between jumps to make turns tighter, how to move laterally away from the weaves and keep the dogs in the poles, how to work on the tunnel/DW discrimination at the beginning of the course, and how to decide between front cross or rear cross. I did everything well until the end of class when we ran the course again. When mom lead out this time, I stopped to sniff something before taking the first jump. Then I left the table before the 5 seconds was up ( a first for me and it made mom smile) and then I skipped the aframe because mom didn't say "frame". She was testing to see if I would just take it as the next obstacle and I didn't!

At the end of class, mom asked some questions about discrimination. Remember last week we talked about calling the obvious end of the tunnel "tunnel" and saying "Ricky" for the less obvious entrance? Well, Jenn said a head check from the dog when you say his name is perfectly normal and what you will get in the beginning. Eventually the dog won't look at the handler in that situation and just know he is to go to the other end. Also for tunnel and dogwalk discrimination, Jenn says teach "tunnel" as the most important verbal and it can actually be the only obstacle the dog knows on a verbal. So then if the dog hears "tunnel" he had better take the tunnel. Then you can put a jump and then the DW and run and have the dog do the DW based on your full out running (to beat him to the other end) and later add the tunnel (at a distance first and then move it closer to the DW) and when you say tunnel, you also usually run slower and the dog learns the difference. Make sense? Don't look for a video of us demonstrating this any time soon - we have to learn it first! LOL!

Next week we have a break from classes and they start again on August 10. Mom and I can't wait because we are learning so much and really understanding more and more every time. It's very fun!

Gotta zoom!

Ricky

8 comments:

Sara said...

Umm, so when is your mom going to start writing articles for Clean Run? I expect to start seeing her name in the byline soon! She's really becoming a pro!

Sounds like you had a great class Ricky...even impressed Jenn with your fast moves on the course! Nice!

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Woo are really teaching your mom furry well!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

Sam said...

You ARE teaching your mom very well - and this Jenn lady is, too. I'd be missing class too if I had to take that much of a break from it! Though with this heat, sometimes it is kind of nice to have some time off..

Sounds like you did very well except for the bit of sniffing - it's ok, we all know how interesting you doggies find the floor to be!

Unknown said...

I'm guessing your mom started learning agility with you?
I think both of you have gone a long way and you're doing such a good job training your mom!

Diana said...

Wow, you are learning so much. Thats great!! I havent gotten my new clean run magazine yet but Ill look for the table article when it gets here. Thanks, Diana

Natasha said...

Your classes always sound so productive and full of learning! From your descriptions, I almost feel like I'm taking the class myself! Thanks for always posting about them :)

Wall-e and I just started our class this week too and it definitely is a lot of fun! It really tells you what you need to work on in training.

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

I am sooo glad you do not have a long break from classes, because I will miss hearing about all you are learning, you guys are just learning so much. Wow, glad that lead out was looking so good this week, that is very cool. That tunnel side descrimination and the verbals is very intriging to me...I have been doing a lot of thinking about that!!!

Marie said...

You always learn so much at these classes! I'm really glad your break isn't a long one either. I'd really miss the weekly updates. :-)