I think I found a common theme...advice please?

[ClantyreSheltie]

I'm the same way Someone recommended that instead of using lefts and rights, think of a clock sitting over the obstacle that you are going to take. At the top, is the number 12. 1 goes to the left, and 2 to the right. Instead of saying left and right, they use one and two. It's much easier to visualize as no matter what, it is a very concrete visual. Lefts and rights are very abstract and dependent on perspective. It takes time to think which side, and then "translate" it to a direction. Using ones and twos are immediate.

PERFECT!! My left and right suck, despite many years of classical ballet training, or maybe because of it? This idea is perfect.

 

[ortegah]

I've watched some of your videos and noticed that you do a lot of rear crosses on the flat. I think a lot of the time Trax doesn't know he is turning until after he has already committed to a jump. This forces you to execute a cross on the flat. So perhaps he has learned to anticipate pulling in towards you and read the 'jump--tunnel' as a 'jump--rear cross on the flat--tunnel'.

You both make a fast team! I see quite a few Ryladd shelties competing around here (when I do AKC) and he sure seems like one of the gang.

Oh yeah, I do that mainly because he was jumping 20" and if I called out "back" before the jump or as he was cresting the jump he'd drop the bar. Now that he's back to 16" I should start working on that again! Thanks for the suggestions! Everyone is spot on with their analysis

 

[k9kreationz]

Wow. That dog is super duper fast. Wow. I'm kinda speechless. How do you even keep up with a dog that fast? LOL. Great runs and yay that he can jump 16" now. I know although Koji can clear 20" pretty easily, I'd rather jump 16" too.

My two cents....and I know this isn't going to be easy to fix.....I saw that your FCs are a bit late (with that speed, I doubt I'd be able to do any FCs). You are doing a lot of RCs (to be expected), just make sure he reads you correctly. I kept watching the one where he went into the tunnel wrong, over and over again. You were lining up correctly. My two thoughts was 1. it looked like he was on that path already to the left end and 2. one arm was pointing to the right, one arm was pointing to the left.

I can't do the left/right either. Anything anyone thought of is basically me having to "translate" it in my head. i.e. the clock thing, yeah, I'd have to actually think about numbers then left/right. Wouldn't work. Using replacement words, like turn and spin, I'd have to think, "turn was for left, I think, and left is right, right?" lol. So....I've learned this instead. I say "here" if I want him to take an obstacle nearest me (discriminations or ends of tunnels), and "out" for going away from me. I also started working on using "switch" for him to turn the opposite direction he's already heading, so he knows to turn. People use all kinds of things, but for me, this works. Here (near me) is natural. Switch is me telling him to switch directions.

Just thinking out loud....for that tunnel, you would've needed to push him out to the tunnel. I've seen ExA/B ppl do a RC to lead the dog a different direction. i.e. since you were behind him, you would've have done a slight RC behind him between the two jumps prior to the tunnel. I know it's weird and I can't say its' right, it's just what I've seen ppl do. I thought it was strange, until I realized it was to help the dog "switch" directions a bit, even if they didn't need to full blown turn that way. I hope that made sense.

Like I said to corbinam earlier in my thread, I can spot things other ppl do, but it's so hard to "see" it myself when I'm running. I even think I'm doing things differently, until ppl tell me I'm not, lol. So take what I say with a grain of salt.

 

[Silaria]

I can't do the left/right either. Anything anyone thought of is basically me having to "translate" it in my head. i.e. the clock thing, yeah, I'd have to actually think about numbers then left/right. Wouldn't work. Using replacement words, like turn and spin, I'd have to think, "turn was for left, I think, and left is right, right?" lol. So....I've learned this instead. I say "here" if I want him to take an obstacle nearest me (discriminations or ends of tunnels), and "out" for going away from me. I also started working on using "switch" for him to turn the opposite direction he's already heading, so he knows to turn. People use all kinds of things, but for me, this works. Here (near me) is natural. Switch is me telling him to switch directions.

I haven't had a chance to watch the videos yet (YouTube is blocked at work) but I was going to mention the Switch command as well. I watched some folks from my TDAA trial use it this past weekend. Didn't matter what direction the dog was running in, Switch meant to turn the other way. (Also means the handler doesn't have to be able to think right or left on the fly.)

Having not watched the videos but hearing how fast your dog is, you may also want to start building distance work with him with an "Out" command to work laterally away from you and a "Go" command to go on ahead of you. This may allow you the time you need to get into position for a cleaner front cross other signal for which direction you are going. I've watched people with fast dogs (especially Border Collies in USDAA). The ones with good distance work usually had the faster times and therefore the Qs since the handler and dog could work together that way. It also means you don't have to try to keep up with him. (He has 4 feet; he's always going to be faster than you.)

Just something else to think about.

 

[ortegah]

Wow. That dog is super duper fast. Wow. I'm kinda speechless. How do you even keep up with a dog that fast? LOL. Great runs and yay that he can jump 16" now. I know although Koji can clear 20" pretty easily, I'd rather jump 16" too.

My two cents....and I know this isn't going to be easy to fix.....I saw that your FCs are a bit late (with that speed, I doubt I'd be able to do any FCs). You are doing a lot of RCs (to be expected), just make sure he reads you correctly. I kept watching the one where he went into the tunnel wrong, over and over again. You were lining up correctly. My two thoughts was 1. it looked like he was on that path already to the left end and 2. one arm was pointing to the right, one arm was pointing to the left.

I can't do the left/right either. Anything anyone thought of is basically me having to "translate" it in my head. i.e. the clock thing, yeah, I'd have to actually think about numbers then left/right. Wouldn't work. Using replacement words, like turn and spin, I'd have to think, "turn was for left, I think, and left is right, right?" lol. So....I've learned this instead. I say "here" if I want him to take an obstacle nearest me (discriminations or ends of tunnels), and "out" for going away from me. I also started working on using "switch" for him to turn the opposite direction he's already heading, so he knows to turn. People use all kinds of things, but for me, this works. Here (near me) is natural. Switch is me telling him to switch directions.

Just thinking out loud....for that tunnel, you would've needed to push him out to the tunnel. I've seen ExA/B ppl do a RC to lead the dog a different direction. i.e. since you were behind him, you would've have done a slight RC behind him between the two jumps prior to the tunnel. I know it's weird and I can't say its' right, it's just what I've seen ppl do. I thought it was strange, until I realized it was to help the dog "switch" directions a bit, even if they didn't need to full blown turn that way. I hope that made sense.

Like I said to corbinam earlier in my thread, I can spot things other ppl do, but it's so hard to "see" it myself when I'm running. I even think I'm doing things differently, until ppl tell me I'm not, lol. So take what I say with a grain of salt.

Well let's see. I run sprint intervals at the gym and have gotten up to 8mph but it's still too slow for Trax

OH and my front crosses are definitely too late! I always hesitate instead of trusting him and that messes us up. In class we work on lateral distance and getting front crosses in and cueing obstacles in time, but my poor brain goes to mush when I get out on that field.

I've been competing for 10 years now yet I still shake like a leaf before each and every run. I wish I knew how to get over that

I suppose I could've tried to do a rear cross at that last jump but I bet that would've put me behind when he came out. I swear in class I get the front crosses, the opposite arms, lateral distance, etc. but it all falls apart in the ring. I guess I should've just said "OUT tunnel and used my left arm to push him back. Know what? Now that I think about it, we were JUST doing that in class last week when I was behind. Ugh, see? I need to put into action what I learn! LOL

 

[ortegah]

I haven't had a chance to watch the videos yet (YouTube is blocked at work) but I was going to mention the Switch command as well. I watched some folks from my TDAA trial use it this past weekend. Didn't matter what direction the dog was running in, Switch meant to turn the other way. (Also means the handler doesn't have to be able to think right or left on the fly.)

Having not watched the videos but hearing how fast your dog is, you may also want to start building distance work with him with an "Out" command to work laterally away from you and a "Go" command to go on ahead of you. This may allow you the time you need to get into position for a cleaner front cross other signal for which direction you are going. I've watched people with fast dogs (especially Border Collies in USDAA). The ones with good distance work usually had the faster times and therefore the Qs since the handler and dog could work together that way. It also means you don't have to try to keep up with him. (He has 4 feet; he's always going to be faster than you.)

Just something else to think about.

Thanks! We do actually use "out" and "go on" in our runs. "Back" is actually what I use instead of "switch" and it works well for us. As for being faster than me, yeah I know that's always gonna be the case. I can run 8 mph and to date his fastest run on course that I know of was 11 mph. I'm seriously doubting that I could ever make it to 11 mph, but I'm still trying

 

[Silaria]

I suppose I could've tried to do a rear cross at that last jump but I bet that would've put me behind when he came out. I swear in class I get the front crosses, the opposite arms, lateral distance, etc. but it all falls apart in the ring. I guess I should've just said "OUT tunnel and used my left arm to push him back. Know what? Now that I think about it, we were JUST doing that in class last week when I was behind. Ugh, see? I need to put into action what I learn! LOL

I know its not AKC but I had something similar in my TDAA trial this weekend. When I walked the course I was not sure how I was going to get him from the weaves to the far tunnel entrance. When I was done walking, I still wasn't sure.

One side of the weaves (the side between the weaves and dog walk) I'd have to rely on a pull and for him to turn with me with the opening to the wrong side right in front of him. Bad timing on the foot work and he'd either pop the weaves or be in the wrong side of the tunnel. This side would have also required a front cross at the jump prior to the weaves. It felt uncomfortable through the entire sequence when walked.

The other side, I'd have to rely on a push and risk popping him out of the weaves if I was to early with the step. The obstacle after the tunnel was the dog walk but they were staring at the weaves when they existed the tunnel.

While standing ring side waiting for my turn and going through the course in my head the light bulb went off in my head ... come down side so the weaves were between me and the dog walk, the more comfortable approach from the earlier section of the course. At the end of the weaves, take one step toward him while saying "out tunnel".

It was a "Doh!" moment when I realized I was making it harder than it had to be. On top of that, I just finished the 2nd 8 week distance skills class at my club (I took 2 8 week distance classes back to back) and my instructor was helping at the trial that day.

Needless to day, it worked perfectly. (The video for the run is posted in my most recent "Sheltie TV - Agility Edition" thread.)

Sometimes I think we put too much pressure on ourselves which is where the nerves come from and that causes the brain to shut off. Either its competitiveness, or a desire not to look foolish in front of other people, or just being uncomfortable with others watching us. I know for me its the desire to get the title when I get within 2 or 3 runs of one and know I could earn one in that weekend. THOSE are the weekends when everything seems to fall apart - for me.

With your nerves, maybe you need to take a good look at yourself and really think about what triggers it. Once you start trying to identify it, you can start to combat it.

 

[ortegah]

Oh it's definitely a desire to not look like a moron out there!

It's also a lot that I have this amazing dog and I feel like I'm so bad at this. I get nervous so easily and then make dumb moves and have no clue why or how I did them. I'm definitely a true blonde! lol

 

[k9kreationz]

Ugh, see? I need to put into action what I learn! LOL

Isn't that always the case? And 8mph intervals is amazing. Maybe we need to find you some herbs to calm you down. I hear lavender is good. lol oh wait, that's for sleeping. But then again, when you have to run like you do, I can't imagine being "relaxed" either.

You guys are just too fast! Tell him to slow down so your brain can catch up, that's what I'd like to tell Koji. But of course, we don't want them to slow down! Maybe instead of physical exercise, we need to do mental exercises. lol

 

[ortegah]

Isn't that always the case? And 8mph intervals is amazing. Maybe we need to find you some herbs to calm you down. I hear lavender is good. lol oh wait, that's for sleeping. But then again, when you have to run like you do, I can't imagine being "relaxed" either.

You guys are just too fast! Tell him to slow down so your brain can catch up, that's what I'd like to tell Koji. But of course, we don't want them to slow down! Maybe instead of physical exercise, we need to do mental exercises. lol

I actually do give him rescue remedy sometimes before a run, but honestly I've never seen any difference when we get out there. Sunday I had some sleepytime tea throat tamer(for the bronchitis) but it didn't make me any more relaxed.

The big thing for us is timing. If I get him out there in line too early he just destroys the course. If I get him out there for only a minute or two before then he's better, but then the gate steward is screaming for us It never seems to fail though that there's a delay right before his run and then by the time he gets out there his teeth are chattering because of his excitement level and he gets what I call crazy ears when they both stand straight up and I know I'm doomed

I want to get back to the gym this week and run some more but my lungs are just not back up to par yet.