Barking during agility

HopeShelties · Feb 7, 2015

To me, it sounds like she needs more information faster, and more training so she knows what you are asking. I would highly recommend Developing Jumping Skills and Developing Handling Skills books. They will help with some of the issues you mentioned.
Barking will likely curb itself once she understands what to do, and isn't waiting for information. Some dogs need info uncomfortably early.

Jess041 · Feb 7, 2015

I have Developing Handling Skills. Developing Jumping Skills is still unavailable on Clean Run in print form because she's coming out with a new edition. It was supposed to come out last summer but now it says late spring 2015. I can get the e-book edition but I kinda want to wait for the latest book.

Jess041 · Apr 30, 2015

A semi-update

Revisiting this thread, Missy's barking during agility hasn't gotten better. In fact, I would say it's gotten worse. We're now at the point where at least once each class, she's biting me! Never breaks skin, always leaves a nice bruise. I want to say it's partially my fault; I don't think she's intentionally biting me, my hands are just getting in the way of her barking mouth.. but I might be in denial. Our agility instructor is like, "whatever my dogs bite me all the time". He has border collies, and I just don't find Missy's biting acceptable, regardless of his dogs also doing it.

She's made a lot of progress with contacts with this new instructor, but I feel like at a certain point, we're not going to be able to progress into competing because she gets so frantic. She's not nearly as frantic when our instructor is running her, and I think it's because he's better about giving cues. But sometimes even he can't get her to work because she's just barking, wound up, crazy dog.

It's not fun being a green handler with a crazy green dog! Thank goodness we've got Flyball all figured out!

corbinam · Apr 30, 2015

Jess041 said:
Revisiting this thread, Missy's barking during agility hasn't gotten better. In fact, I would say it's gotten worse. We're now at the point where at least once each class, she's biting me! Never breaks skin, always leaves a nice bruise. I want to say it's partially my fault; I don't think she's intentionally biting me, my hands are just getting in the way of her barking mouth.. but I might be in denial. Our agility instructor is like, "whatever my dogs bite me all the time". He has border collies, and I just don't find Missy's biting acceptable, regardless of his dogs also doing it.

She's made a lot of progress with contacts with this new instructor, but I feel like at a certain point, we're not going to be able to progress into competing because she gets so frantic. She's not nearly as frantic when our instructor is running her, and I think it's because he's better about giving cues. But sometimes even he can't get her to work because she's just barking, wound up, crazy dog.

It's not fun being a green handler with a crazy green dog! Thank goodness we've got Flyball all figured out!

Can you give an example of when she bites you? I'm wondering if you should be stopping, facing her, and putting her into a down (ie not allowing her to continue working). Enzo can get over the top and we've found that a brief time out does wonders. He can pick his brain up off the floor and start using it again. It also takes him out of that really edgy zone.

Jess041 · Apr 30, 2015

corbinam said:
Can you give an example of when she bites you? I'm wondering if you should be stopping, facing her, and putting her into a down (ie not allowing her to continue working). Enzo can get over the top and we've found that a brief time out does wonders. He can pick his brain up off the floor and start using it again. It also takes him out of that really edgy zone.

Last night we were doing a little sequence and I put up my hand to signal her to go over a jump. At that point she had caught up with me and was barking, so when I put my hand up to tell her to go over, her mouth and my thumb met. This is almost always the case. I put my hand up to direct her somewhere, and she's somehow getting my hand or forearm.

corbinam · Apr 30, 2015

Jess041 said:
Last night we were doing a little sequence and I put up my hand to signal her to go over a jump. At that point she had caught up with me and was barking, so when I put my hand up to tell her to go over, her mouth and my thumb met. This is almost always the case. I put my hand up to direct her somewhere, and she's somehow getting my hand or forearm.

Do you think it might be a question of her learning to focus ahead more rather than on you?

Silaria · Apr 30, 2015

corbinam said:
Can you give an example of when she bites you? I'm wondering if you should be stopping, facing her, and putting her into a down (ie not allowing her to continue working).

I was thinking the same thing, Ashley. Drive isn't the same as over stimulated and learning to tell the difference is important.

I know a number of dogs (mostly Shelties, go figure) who like to talk while they are running. Some of them just like to bark as they go over jumps and will let out a single bark while jumping or landing. Others are simply out of control and constantly bark and spin. When they are in this state they knock every bar in sight and jump every contact. Putting the latter in a sit or down allows them to recollect their brain.

Personally, Jess, your fault or not if she makes contact with skin the game (agility) should stop. Put her in a sit or down immediately after it happens. You may also want to learn to take a step or two further away from the jump so your arms aren't crossing the plain of the obstacle into. You really shouldn't need to be that close if she understands her job is to take the obstacle in front of her.

Jess041 · May 1, 2015

I just want to clarify- she didn't bite me as she was going over a jump, I put my hand out to "push" her over a jump, and she bounced up at the same time and her mouth met my hand. Over excited, frantic, over stimulated, these are exactly what's going on. I think I'm going to have to work with her a lot more at home and I think I could just set up one jump and when she gets crazy excited (yes, one jump is very exciting!), I'll have to get her to calm down. I'm just not exactly sure what I can do to get her to calm down.

Silaria · May 1, 2015

Jess041 said:
I think I'm going to have to work with her a lot more at home and I think I could just set up one jump and when she gets crazy excited (yes, one jump is very exciting!), I'll have to get her to calm down. I'm just not exactly sure what I can do to get her to calm down.

Well, the first thing you do is DO NOT except the behavior. Doing agility in that state is self-rewarding the frantic behavior you don't want. When she starts to get frantic, put her in a down until she calms down. All game play stops; all praise stops. If she doesn't listen I'd go so far as to start walking away from her an ignoring her because she's not playing by your rules. (I had a student do the walk away and ignore with her Dalmatian and it helped her get her head back on. She HATED being ignored.)

I saw an article not too long ago on over-stimulation vs drive on Facebook but I can't find it right now. I'll look for it and share it because it was an interesting read.