Petaluma is a fine place with California Cows eating on luxurious plentiful fields of hay and wildflowers. About 40 minutes north of San Francisco it is well known as a vacation destination with it's close proximity to winery's, shopping, hiking, and all else vacationers want out of a destination. Since most agility trials I go to are located in areas of California that are not so pretty, it was fun driving through the beautiful hills and valleys that made up our route to the Petaluma fairgrounds.
Due to the expense of hotel rooms, Laura and I drove up and back both days (about an hour 40 with no traffic). We knew the risks, traffic in the afternoon can be hideous, but it turned out the traffic gods were kind and we got there and back again with minor traffic. In fact, we probably saved a couple hundred dollars and about a billion calories as we didn't pay for hotel or go out to dinner at our favorite fancy places we usually frequent on agility weekends. Getting home before 6pm both days and sleeping in our own beds made the weekend even more sweet. Waking up at 4:30am seemed a minor inconvenience when looking at the big picture.
A huge scare on the first run on Saturday left both Laura and I in tears and Fin recovering from a very scary crash. She sliced jump 3 and hit the metal standard with her left shoulder, taking the jump down on top of her and leaving a massive amount of hair on the jump and holding her foot at a very awkward angle. Two hours later after rest and ice, she was game to go. A miraculous recovery if I ever saw one. I kept her out of most classes that day and ran her in Standard and Gamble. In both runs she was crazy wild and enjoyed life tremendously. Last class of the day was pairs and I couldn't keep it together for my 10 obstacles. She ran off course into her favorite tunnel and that was the end. (So sorry Joan).
Sunday I checked her out and she was good to go. We had an amazing time out there with much brilliance. We just had trouble keeping it together for an entire course. She somehow came away with a standard and snooker Q, but minor mistakes kept us from qualifying in most classes.
The master challenge courses were so much fun! We were one tunnel entrance from clean in the challenge jumpers, but an off course in Master challenge sealed the deal for the master challenge classes. I will say that following the off course in Master Challenge, an amazing weavepole entry made the off course a distant memory for me.
For this weekend I take away that my dog is one hard core, flying, zooming, barking, sometimes biting machine. I won't share the crash, it was horrible and I don't want to watch it again. What I will say is that I am grateful. So Grateful. Fin is healthy and that's all that counts.
Grand Prix
Master Challenge Jumpers
Snooker
Jumpers
Monday, June 3, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Birthdays and Anniversaries
May 21st is Kel's and my wedding anniversary. We've almost been married more years then we haven't been married. Kel is a great man. He is caring, loving, tolerant, intelligent, and kind. I'm lucky that he likes me. The last 25 have had ups and downs and some straights as well. But in all that time, I have felt supported and cared for. He has made my life much better than it would have been had I not been married to him. He has opened my eyes to possibilities of the world that I didn't know existed. He has supported my crazy notions and allowed me to have the life that I have. I am very thankful to have Kel in my life. I'm am looking forward to the future and know that it will be good.
May 21s is also Fin's birthday. She will be six. She is a fabulous dog. Quirky in a way only Fin can be, she makes me laugh and shake my head. I have learned so much from Fin. With Fin at my side doors have been open to me and I have been able to experience dog sports in a whole new way.
Fins favorite thing in the world is to go fast...second only to cheese. Tomorrow Fin will go fast and eat cheese. I adore my Finnie Fin Fin!
Monday, May 13, 2013
The Anatomy of Dog Training for Agility
On a very hot day after visiting my mom for Mothers day, I drove the long, winding, crowded road up to Ben Lomond for a late afternoon of possibilities.
In the car was my little white JRT Olive. She didn't know where we were going, but after spending the morning visiting with her grandma, auntie, and little grand nephew Rohan, Olive was ready for some action.
I was a tad bit nervous. New location for Olive. New people for me. The environment at Heart Dog is exceptional for proofing behaviors. The sounds of birds, squirrels and other interesting things float through the air attracting dogs toward the trees. The gophers are prevalent on the grounds and although I didn't see any on the actual agility field, they were everywhere. I had a right to be worried. With the distractions of the forest as well as the heat, I wondered whether I could keep my little Olive's attention.
When I arrived, it was 94 degrees. Both Olive and I came out of our air conditioned car and started to melt into the ground. I thought...I don't think we are going to be able to do anything until it is cooler. I was a tad bit disappointed because it was a long drive and to see Olive not wanting to interact and very sniffy made me sad.
So I kicked myself into gear and said, "Vici, what would you tell a student that had this problem?"
After a very distracted walk in the potty field, I took Olive over to the water tubs and let her just lay in the water. She was so happy it made me smile. After a good soak, I did some of Olives favorite behaviors and rewarded with hot dogs (hand touch, sit up, right, and left). After some success with that I walked over to see how many dogs before Olive and I would "enter the ring" keeping her focus on me with the reward of a hot dog (variable reinforcement).
Since there were about 4, I lay her down on the cool grass and waited. I rewarded her for laying and when we had 2 dogs to go I started moving. We jogged a little, I got her retrieving her toy, tugging, and most importantly I was becoming Olives center of focus. The work at a fun match does not begin when you enter the ring. It begins much earlier in developing the fun factor while waiting for your turn and then continuing the fun after you leave the ring.
With one person left to go, I reviewed my simple plan.
Not only did I work her through distractions, I was able to reward equally with toys and food. With hot dogs in my hand, she still drove to the toy, brought it back, and tugged!!! Yeah for us. She hung with me at the start line waiting for our turn and stayed with me throughout the 2 minutes we were on the field.
Yes, we had moments of distraction. In round 2, after she got heavily rewarded with hot dogs I tried to tug with her and she decided to ignore my toy and go back and get on the dogwalk. I ended up spending what seemed like 5 minutes but was actually only 10-15 seconds wrestling with her to get her back on the toy and was able to reward some tugging with hot dogs to add value in the tug/toy.
To say that I am proud of Olive is an understatement. It was freak'n hot out there and she is a dog that doesn't like extreme temps. The fact that I was able to reward with food and toys, even if we didn't do any obstacles would have been enough. But she also completed the obstacles that I requested with enthusiasm and joy!
Our road is not a short one. I expect to still be doing agility with this little girl when she is 11 (knock on wood). My expectations now are that she learns to love the game. The only way to do that is to instill value.
I've come a long way since my first agility dog training experiences 12 years ago. I am thankful for all my friends and mentors that have gotten me this far. Each dog teaches me something, but mostly my dogs are teaching me that it isn't about the winning, the praise, the fame, or fortune. It is about relationships. The relationship I have with my dogs. The relationships of friends who share this silly passion with me. The relationship I have with myself.
To sum up my trip to Heart Dog would be to say it was a very successful "taking it on the road" training event.
A summary video:
Working through some sniffy, distraction issues;
In the car was my little white JRT Olive. She didn't know where we were going, but after spending the morning visiting with her grandma, auntie, and little grand nephew Rohan, Olive was ready for some action.
I was a tad bit nervous. New location for Olive. New people for me. The environment at Heart Dog is exceptional for proofing behaviors. The sounds of birds, squirrels and other interesting things float through the air attracting dogs toward the trees. The gophers are prevalent on the grounds and although I didn't see any on the actual agility field, they were everywhere. I had a right to be worried. With the distractions of the forest as well as the heat, I wondered whether I could keep my little Olive's attention.
When I arrived, it was 94 degrees. Both Olive and I came out of our air conditioned car and started to melt into the ground. I thought...I don't think we are going to be able to do anything until it is cooler. I was a tad bit disappointed because it was a long drive and to see Olive not wanting to interact and very sniffy made me sad.
So I kicked myself into gear and said, "Vici, what would you tell a student that had this problem?"
After a very distracted walk in the potty field, I took Olive over to the water tubs and let her just lay in the water. She was so happy it made me smile. After a good soak, I did some of Olives favorite behaviors and rewarded with hot dogs (hand touch, sit up, right, and left). After some success with that I walked over to see how many dogs before Olive and I would "enter the ring" keeping her focus on me with the reward of a hot dog (variable reinforcement).
Since there were about 4, I lay her down on the cool grass and waited. I rewarded her for laying and when we had 2 dogs to go I started moving. We jogged a little, I got her retrieving her toy, tugging, and most importantly I was becoming Olives center of focus. The work at a fun match does not begin when you enter the ring. It begins much earlier in developing the fun factor while waiting for your turn and then continuing the fun after you leave the ring.
With one person left to go, I reviewed my simple plan.
- End of the dog walk - target/reward. Play
- Tunnel jump - reward play
- Weaves - reward play
- Table - reward
- Toss the toy and tug at the end
Not only did I work her through distractions, I was able to reward equally with toys and food. With hot dogs in my hand, she still drove to the toy, brought it back, and tugged!!! Yeah for us. She hung with me at the start line waiting for our turn and stayed with me throughout the 2 minutes we were on the field.
Yes, we had moments of distraction. In round 2, after she got heavily rewarded with hot dogs I tried to tug with her and she decided to ignore my toy and go back and get on the dogwalk. I ended up spending what seemed like 5 minutes but was actually only 10-15 seconds wrestling with her to get her back on the toy and was able to reward some tugging with hot dogs to add value in the tug/toy.
To say that I am proud of Olive is an understatement. It was freak'n hot out there and she is a dog that doesn't like extreme temps. The fact that I was able to reward with food and toys, even if we didn't do any obstacles would have been enough. But she also completed the obstacles that I requested with enthusiasm and joy!
Our road is not a short one. I expect to still be doing agility with this little girl when she is 11 (knock on wood). My expectations now are that she learns to love the game. The only way to do that is to instill value.
I've come a long way since my first agility dog training experiences 12 years ago. I am thankful for all my friends and mentors that have gotten me this far. Each dog teaches me something, but mostly my dogs are teaching me that it isn't about the winning, the praise, the fame, or fortune. It is about relationships. The relationship I have with my dogs. The relationships of friends who share this silly passion with me. The relationship I have with myself.
To sum up my trip to Heart Dog would be to say it was a very successful "taking it on the road" training event.
A summary video:
Working through some sniffy, distraction issues;
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Tough Little Terrier
She just slapped that dog back and got on with life.
Mom...not so much. I think I'm more sheltie than terrier...although Olive is trying to make me tougher.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Fin Photos!
Patiently Waiting at the startline.
Flying over the A-Frame to a perfect contact!
Flying Finnie Fin Fin.
She does love her jumpers!
I know she is enjoying it when her tail is flying.
Telling me about my bad handling!
The cutest dog ever :)
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Olive Weaves!!!!
Here is proof...Not 100% on all entrances, but we are getting a nice little rhythm.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)