Moving Treibball Outside

I still prefer to do all of my treibballing in the house, but here is a video of mom working with me outside. I get much better distance from the ball inside. Also I am still a fan of pushing the ball and of skipping the "down" part, so mom tries to reinforce the down first.

Gotta zoom!

Ricky

tRicky T-Day!

I know I haven't posted a tricky t-day video in a few weeks. We have made some videos trying to get some tricks to show you and the videos have not turned out good enough. Today's is not fantastic but it will give you an idea of what I am doing.

Remember awhile ago I mentioned that I was going to learn treibball? Well I know the very beginnings of it. I read stuff on the internet and a friend gave us some information on it and mom and I have been learning. The first things you have to know are go around and go to mat and lie down. I already knew those. So we could then add the ball and I go around the ball and lie down. We have faded the use of a mat. The other main thing you have to do is to push the ball with your nose. You can use your shoulders but never your feet or your mouth. So I had to line up on the opposite side of the ball from mom and touch a small piece of tape low on the ball with my nose. (We practiced touching the tape on other objects first but I got that fast because I knew nose touch already too).

The video shows my progress so far. The hallway is helpful because it channels the movement of the ball a little bit. My favorite part is pushing the ball so I often want to skip the "down" part. So mom rewards me for the down too (I know how to work her for treats!). We are working on the herding cues of go bye and away for my movement to the right or the left side of the ball (although from agility if I am on mom's right, I will head for the right side of the ball, etc) and transferring what I know so far to out in our yard. Yesterday I did pretty well out there but I still prefer to treibball in the house - LOL!

The foundational moves are so important - just like in agility. Everything hinges on the foundation. Eventually I should be able to move the ball straight toward a goal (like a soccer goal net) and also be sent out to multiple balls, get one that mom designates and then herd it into the goal.

It's pretty fun and I highly recommend that you try this game with your own dogs! Here are a couple of links to helpful information:

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/14_4/features/Treibball-Canine-Sport_20234-1.html

http://www.youtube.com/user/livingwithdogs?feature=chclk

Gotta zoom!

Ricky

PS. In yesterday's WW photo, I was on top of that little white aframe they had at the dog park. The photo was taken on the same day as the video of me doing agility there (and the video of crazy mom on the slide). We haven't been back there yet.

Awesome weather!

We have had great weather the past few days (all ending tomorrow with rain and cold)! Mom didn't have to work and we spent lots of time outside. We went twice to the ravine in my favorite park because the wildflowers are starting to bloom down there. Mom is a nut for wildflowers especially in the Spring.

I had to pose again and again. Here I am sitting in lesser celandine. It is so pretty and is just every where!


Miley always poses on tree logs so mom made me do it too! :)

Virginia bluebells are just now starting to bloom - I am sure we will go back in a few days to see them when they really come out!

Lots of dogs walk in the ravine - an entire pack descended on me. Mom didn't save me - she just took pictures. Thanks mom!

More of me and the yellow flowers.

Besides the park, we have been hanging out on our patio a lot. The bullfrog we had in our pond last fall made it through the winter. But we didn't see him yesterday or today and wonder if he hopped away in search of another bullfrog.

We have done a little fun and fast agility - basically speed circles. Just having a good time!

I am working on my retrieve and my tricks while holding stuff in my mouth. Also I am still working on my signals exercise. Mom has been reading about treibball (ball herding) and found a Yahoo Group about it and there are 6 lessons on how to get started. Lots of stuff I already know so mom is going to get me a ball and see how it goes. I would prefer that we get some sheep but mom says No!

Gotta zoom!

Ricky