Monday, November 8, 2010

This and That


We've been doing a little of this and a little of that for the past few days. Last week mom started charting some of my training using Sara and Oreo's log layout. It has been interesting - mom forgets to write some stuff down - but it is useful to see what we actually did in a week. For now our columns are labeled agility, strengthening exercises, tricks, walking with cars and other barking issues, and focus/motivation.

We try to do agility only every other day at most and usually still work on lots of foundation jumping and easy stuff. Yesterday we did agility for targets - I LOVE that - target after the DW = super fast DW. Target after the weaves = super fast weaves. I even practiced a pinwheel sequence with a target at the end (= super fast)! No dog could ever beat me if food targets were allowed in trials - LOL!

For strengthening exercises I am backing up the stairs and doing ball work - but ball work only 2 to 3 times a week and never the same day as agility. Mom also is really careful to warm me up before agility and that includes those cookie stretches that were on AgilityNerd's blog a few days ago.

I am learning a couple new tricks (maybe they will be ready for a video on Thursday) and still perfecting others.

Walking in the morning is still a big challenge for me - some times I can sit and watch a car go by and not bark and other times I just can't. We haven't been able to see any progress on the log yet. We practiced going through the garage past the mower a few times last week and there is marginal improvement there. So many issues, so little time! :)

In focus/motivation, we practice lots of startline stays that don't even include a jump - mom tries to get me to run fast to her - and to work me up she tricks me by saying, "oh boy" or "on man" etc. instead of "OK!" We are also doing the go out to the box trick and a little crate games - which I think are really fun!

The new thing we started two days ago was glove work. Do you all remember the articles in Clean Run last March, April and May titled: Let's Play! A Fail-safe Plan to Teach Your Dog to Love Toys? Well, you take an item that the dog has no association with (in this case a knit glove I have never seen before) and teach the dog through many little steps and lots of reinforcement to love that glove! At first I just have to nose touch the glove when it is presented right in front of my nose and then I get a treat! What could be easier than that? Many repetitions and still so easy! Mom is trying to go slow and not skip any steps. I love the game so far! I play with toys and tug and have fun but I am not at all interested in tugging around agility stuff - in the yard, at class or at trials. I think playing with toys and agility are two completely separate things. So mom is hoping she can change that with the glove!

My class tomorrow was unexpectedly cancelled. Too bad because I was really looking forward to it! Mom and I have to say we are enjoying not going to trials though and having time to relax and just work on our own stuff. We did sign up for a trial on January 2nd. We could be going on January 1st too but decided one day would be enough.

I see that some of you are having cold weather and snow even but here we are lucky this week and it's supposed to be sunny and in the 60s. Don't know what we did to deserve it but we're going to try to get out and enjoy it. Winter is right around the corner.

Gotta zoom!

Ricky

13 comments:

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

Nice pikh to open the post!

We had FURRY WINDY weather here today but the temps were upper 50's - almost 60!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

Noah said...

Thank you for sharing your regiment Ricky. We are also enjoying this special weather here in Indiana, probably the calm before the storm!

Lian said...

Hi Ricky, you know you can change your food target to chasing a toy fill with treats. That will probably make you go even faster?

Love your photo!

Unknown said...

Wow. Lots of things for you to work on!! You must be a very busy dog!! Eva usually just spends her days barking at cars, being nosy and sleeping!

Diana said...

You guys have been busy. When using targets have to keep using them for a while to keep that motivation up. Then when you feel like you are getting consistent drive, keep the targets out there but unbaited. So if I dont show my dog I put a cookie there, I dont feel its lying to them. When ever there is a cookie on a target, I show it to her first and then walk to where I want to start and release. So I may have 3 targets out, put only bait one and show it to her. If she does something really well , like coming off the DW correctly then I may run in and give lots of rewards on the empty target. I hope this is making sense. So if you have done it right your dog will eventually run past the targets because the reward of the targets have transfered to agility. Now agility is the reward. Its a long process and more involved then what I wrote here.
Also there was an article in Sept 2010 clean run on startline stays. It has games to help increase drive off the line. Happy training. Diana

Sara said...

You are a busy, busy dog!

The instructor at our shy dog seminar told us not to worry if our dogs wouldn't play with toys around agility. She said it's just not going to happen for every dog.

Sara said...

PS clean run sells a toy that is mesh-like. You put food in it, which the dog can really see/smell and even taste. I think they mentioned it in that Let's Play article somewhere. I bought one, and it is sturdier than I thought it would be.

Patti and DeBoys said...

You are one busy little dog! Sounds like you are having a ton of success just like Oreo; with the "Carting for Success" lay-out. Way to go Ricky and Oreo. -- Brutus & Tytus

Morganne said...

Wow! What a full training schedule! Love to hear what you are working on. It is always a good idea to take breaks from agility competition. We will be spending the whole month of December hiking every weekend in the mountains.
-Sage, Summit, and Soleil

Marie said...

This and that...wow! I wasn't expecting to read about a full on training schedule. You guys are awesome! Sorry that your class got cancelled this week.

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

You guys have been BUSY, sounds like really fantastic work you have been doing. We did the play article steps with the gloves, I still have the pink garden gloves I found in the dollar store to use!! Hope you have as much fun with that one as we did-sounds like you are doing great at it!!!

Sagira said...

Sounds like you have been super busy over there Ricky!

Wow...glove work huh? Like Michael Jackson's glove? hehe

Dawn said...

Wow. Your Mom is super organized! What a good way to keep track of stuff. Katie is out of control. Again. Sigh.