Look at me or Look at the object?

k9kreationz

k9kreationz

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Interesting question. I had said that if I don't keep my eye on Koji, he'll blind cross me, take some other object or disconnect all together. Another poster said if she looks at her dog too much, she's pulling him off of the obstacles, as he's more focused on her (sorry if you're not a her).

I learned at the seminar, that he disconnects from me when I don't look at him. If I keep a slight turned head/eye on him, I was amazed what he'd do for me. I had distance and speed and could do so much more w/o having to babysit the obstacles.

I also learned sometimes I move too fast, lose that connection and oops, there goes Koji. Yes, I just learned this. Sad, but true. LOL.


So, how's it work with your dog? Are you new to the sport or experienced? I'm just curious how people work with their dogs.
 
My problem is that Edan is SO focused on me that if I move a fraction of a second too soon he'll move and either pop out of the weave poles or miss an obstacle entirely. He also has some obstacle discrimination issues; tunnel vs dog walk for example - he'll take the dog walk every time because he LOVES contact obstacles. (As one of my instructors put it, "how much do you reinforce the tunnel with treats vs the contacts?")

If I take my eye off him, I end up with him running behind me instead of where I want him but at times it is difficult to keep an eye on him and where I'm trying to go.
 
Hehe I am a she :)

And Bentley sounds a lot like Edan. He is very focused on me. It's great because he's very in tune with my movements, but it's also bad because it makes distance work really, really difficult.

If I look at Bentley, he thinks that means "Hey, mom has some information to give me" = handler focus. If I don't look at him, he should take the obstacle ahead of him = obstacle focus.

So I've also pulled him off of an obstacle just by looking at him. He sense the movement and thinks I have new directions for him to follow.
 
Wow I wish I had your dogs. I have to point and scream cues (and try to remember to breathe and not run into obstacles) as I run with mine to keep him from running off the course completely! :lol:
 
romeosangiovese said:
Wow I wish I had your dogs. I have to point and scream cues (and try to remember to breathe and not run into obstacles) as I run with mine to keep him from running off the course completely! :lol:
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At the seminar I went to, all the jumps had wings. I never run with wings. I almost took out a few. It was pathetic. So I understand about having to remember to breathe and avoid obstacles.

Koji runs off when he wants. No amount of calling him screaming his name, etc will stop him. That's when I bow my head, retrieve my leash, then catch my dog. lol.

Soooo know the feeling!
 
Sheri and Ashley,

I think we all have the same issues. Maybe I wasn't explaining myself too well. Koji is so focused on me, that I will pull him off obstacles, however, in that same breath, I'm learning ALL ABOUT TIMING!!!

Last night in class, we worked on box work from the Derrett seminar I had gone to, and I would make such slight tweeks and BAM, Koji is doing exactly what I want. Even the fact that my feet weren't pointing in the right direction. To a point I hate it, but I also learned it's a great thing. It means the dog is paying attention. (how to keep his focus is a whole other matter, lol)

Sometimes pulling is good. I thought it was a bad thing, but honestly, at my last trial, it was a godsend. This girls dog flicked a lot, so she had to work with it and push the dog (teaching it pushing/flicking is okay). I had to arrange myself so I could pull Koji off objects and send him where I want him. So much easier than trying to control a flicking dog.

However, for the most part, Koji seems to be doing better with me sending him places. Or telling him to Go (straight and take anything in your path).

I need some obstacle discrimination. Hmmm.....heck, I KNOW he has none. LOL
 
I don't trial with Clancy..we just like to play with agility and go to classes..LOL

I remember our first teacher said to use our boobs/chest as directionals..LOL Also I know just the slightest body language can give the wrong information to our dogs. We did exercises where we couldn't use our voices or our hands to direct them..just our shoulders and how our feet were pointing...very interesting and hard to do!!
I use my hands alot in directing..and of course dogs watch those too..but I really don't talk to him that much..mostly because I'm trying to run..I don't run very fast!! LOL and I can't breath, run and talk at the same time..LOL

We were working on getting him to do distance work the last time we took classes...we would use food tubes or toys..tossing them away from us to the obstacle...He was doing really well with it..he is really focused on me...but very food/toy motivated..food wins over me every time..LOL

Julie
 
Justice is really focused on me he needs eye contact. I could never get me to move very far in front of me. Ember is alttile more object focused she likes eye contact but my body movement will push and pull her will over the place. Diva just runs so far, she doesn't care where I am. I still consider myself a newbie in agility. I don't know much about fine details of agility and am still learning.

In obedience, eye contact is all important. I can teach you how to speed up a slow down a dog on heeling and the figure 8 with only your eye placement. Justice and Ember know that singals exercise they can do it with only eye movement(no head movement). Look at Judge, look at dog-down Look at judge, look at dog -sit look at judge look at dog- come. It amazed me dogs pick up on those subtle of cues.:smile2:
 
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