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