Distance Seminar

k9kreationz

k9kreationz

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I got to go to a distance seminar today. Most of the basics I knew, but the problem was, no one really ever taught me the basics. It was great to finally understand the basics and then run/work the basics.

The funniest moments was Koji's issue with the Manners Minder (aka Cookie Monster). Basically, he obsesses over it and will run to it from anywhere and basically not focus on anything BUT cookie monster. He did a really nice 50 foot send to the table. Too bad I wasn't sending him, but he took off to visit cookie monster instead. :rolleyes2:

I got to see just what my baby could do. I have to admit, I was impressed. I'm obviously holding him WAY back. There was this one run where I had to send him to a tunnel, then FC and send to a jump, then RC that jump to go to the AF and then straight to a jump. All behind a line. Yikes. He needed help with the AF, which I knew he would, but once his stupid handler got on board with my body movements and commands, he did great! The trainer helped him with the AF, so he got the whole thing! Amazing.

(I just realized the trainer gave me video.....this is his last run after me redoing it a couple of times: http://youtu.be/qsnZ5Mfrz5A
Wow. I actually look like I know what I'm doing)

What I really needed to do was practice my commands. It should have went like this, "Okay (to release), go tunnel, out climb, go over". Instead, it went like this: "okay, go tunnel............" oops. In all honesty, most of my day was trying to remember to give the command. :gaah I rarely give commands in AKC, just don't really need to. Need to work on that.

Another thing I thought was great about this seminar. We tested our abilities. At least I know where Koji's threshold is for distance and I can slowly work on that.

What a great day. I learned a lot too. Hopefully I can work on it a bit as I'll be running FAST in August....in Open.
 
Distant Seminar

k9kreationz said:
I got to go to a distance seminar today. Most of the basics I knew, but the problem was, no one really ever taught me the basics. It was great to finally understand the basics and then run/work the basics.

The funniest moments was Koji's issue with the Manners Minder (aka Cookie Monster). Basically, he obsesses over it and will run to it from anywhere and basically not focus on anything BUT cookie monster. He did a really nice 50 foot send to the table. Too bad I wasn't sending him, but he took off to visit cookie monster instead. :rolleyes2:

I got to see just what my baby could do. I have to admit, I was impressed. I'm obviously holding him WAY back. There was this one run where I had to send him to a tunnel, then FC and send to a jump, then RC that jump to go to the AF and then straight to a jump. All behind a line. Yikes. He needed help with the AF, which I knew he would, but once his stupid handler got on board with my body movements and commands, he did great! The trainer helped him with the AF, so he got the whole thing! Amazing.

(I just realized the trainer gave me video.....this is his last run after me redoing it a couple of times: http://youtu.be/qsnZ5Mfrz5A
Wow. I actually look like I know what I'm doing)

What I really needed to do was practice my commands. It should have went like this, "Okay (to release), go tunnel, out climb, go over". Instead, it went like this: "okay, go tunnel............" oops. In all honesty, most of my day was trying to remember to give the command. :gaah I rarely give commands in AKC, just don't really need to. Need to work on that.

Another thing I thought was great about this seminar. We tested our abilities. At least I know where Koji's threshold is for distance and I can slowly work on that.

What a great day. I learned a lot too. Hopefully I can work on it a bit as I'll be running FAST in August....in Open.
Click to expand...

That was awesome!!Congrats to you and Kojii!!!
 
Tangents

A funny story. I had a lot of stuff so I had to make two trips. As I was walking back, a car alarm was going off. I was like, gawd, I hope that's not my car. I get to my car and a guy there (there was a dog park right there) said, "your dog is funny. First he starts honking the horn, actually laying on it, then he sets off the alarm". Yup, Koji was busy barking at other dogs, honking the horn (well, laying on it) and it was my car's alarm that was going off. :dead:

I also taught Koji to jump up into my lap and then up, so I could catch him. I actually did it in one day. I was amazed. I had been trying for SOOOOOOOOO long. Then today, I was practicing it. He didn't like when I'd use the command "get up", so I changed it to "bounce" and OMG, he did it so much easier and was having fun. I guess "get up" may have sounded like another command. Now, if I can only get him to jump higher so I don't have to reach down for him.

Okay, that's my updates. I'm working on a TON of things, so obviously I'm not trialing. His DW is looking good, now I need to get working on his AF.
 
Cheryl, that's great! I keep telling my husband that once Bentley gets his last few Standard contacts that I'm going to scour the eastern U.S. for distance seminars.

I also think we're going to get the Bud Houston "Going the Distance" book. I've heard it has some great exercises starting with foundations and working up.
 
If you're going to look for distance seminars, I'd suggest looking for clubs that run a lot of NADAC or ASCA, since they're obviously the distance pros. ;)

The book also has some great things. I have it, but haven't looked at it in so long. Back then, I think I was confused about a lot of things, maybe terminology, etc. I also didn't have a lot of room, so distance was maybe 5'. lol. I have that now, but y'know, back then, not so much, LOL.
 
I forgot to add something I thought was really great. A cue for the dog so they know when to go into "distance mode". The trainer used the sound of the buzzer (like when it's time to do your gamble). I thought that was ingenious. He said the tape also helps them know it's time for distance work. Wow, really? Maybe so.

So, when we did some exercises, he'd set the buzzer off and we'd do our distance exercise. Neat! So they associate buzzer with distance work. Never thought about that. So if you have access to a buzzer, good way to reinforce them working distance.

BTW, I forgot to mention, there was this one part where Koji takes a jump and I send to the teeter. The teeter was maybe 10-12 feet away. I was so impressed, Koji WENT to the teeter, got on and well, I figured he'd jump off and he did. BUT, he went, that's at least the first step, right?
 
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