My 2nd USDAA Trial - this weekend

[k9kreationz]

Sorry today wasn't a great day. There are times when you just feel totally out of sync. That's okay--just try to focus on the good stuff. Awesome job on the lead outs--you guys have come so far when it comes to that!

And don't stress about your contacts. They just aren't there yet. Retraining can be a super long process--don't get discouraged. What do they say, "don't complain, train!" And I know you aren't complaining, I just mean to say that you should be motivated to keep working!

Definitely felt off and made some bad choices on my end as the "trainer". Ugh! But y'know, I had a fun great weekend. Koji had fun on his jumpers runs. I sometimes think, maybe I'll just move on with Jumpers and say screw Standard, lol. He has so much more fun running those.

 

[k9kreationz]

Videos!!!

Okay, I'm not posting them all since there are so many, but here's some highlights.

Performance Speed Jumping
I still can't believe I missed the cut off by half a second. That blows. LOL. But honestly, I loved the course, it was fun. I pulled off too soon on the first tunnel (so that cost me time). I was too far behind him on the last tunnel, I probably failed to say tunnel too, so he basically trotted inside. More time gone. But overall, he had a blast and was enjoying it. He got both A-frame contacts, barely, but I don't care. I just had tons of fun. I have a second chance in April. It's two weekends before Regionals, so let's hope there's not a ton of ppl trying to qualify.

Jumpers
This was my "out of it" run, but check out that lead out. You can't see me, but look how long Koji stayed. 9 seconds! What a good boy. I really need to support the obstacles better.

Saturday's Standard
I got a lot of compliments on this run. He ran great and even though we missed the A-frame contacts and I allowed him to finish the last obstacle after his jumped DW contact. The things I loved were his weaves. The tunnel and weaves were like that all weekend (same order too) and he nailed them every single time! Yay! And I loved his down. Not the actual part, but that he stayed down and let me lead out again. OMG, big progress on that!!!

See, I can be positive too.

 

[HopeShelties]

Just curious... if you go on instead of hesitating at the a-frame, does he still bail out early? To me, it looks like he jumps because he's busy paying attention to you instead of focusing as much on his job as he could be.
I can really see where he's still a velcro dog, and doesn't have a very early committment point. I bet with a bit more obstacle focus, you'd run into less of him pulling out/going around stuff. It would probably also make handling for you smoother and easier. I can see where you're waiting for him at jumps, and I do get why you'd be doing that, given he seems to pull out around jumps without you there. It could be so much easier for you if he had more obstacle focus and you could go on and leave him when needed. Of course, that handler focus is also what makes him a nice snooker dog. He is more likely to follow you instead of taking wrong obstacles on a snooker course.

 

[k9kreationz]

Just curious... if you go on instead of hesitating at the a-frame, does he still bail out early? To me, it looks like he jumps because he's busy paying attention to you instead of focusing as much on his job as he could be.

If I go faster, he thinks he has to catch up faster, so he jumps even sooner. This is my band-aid, to slow down, until I really get him working on the A-frame. We've started retraining, but for now, I just let it go, since I have no true criteria for him to know what to do. Also, from what I was told, it's his inching over the top that is the big issue. He was inching down, probably because I was behind him. He doesn't typically do that.

I can really see where he's still a velcro dog, and doesn't have a very early committment point. I bet with a bit more obstacle focus, you'd run into less of him pulling out/going around stuff. It would probably also make handling for you smoother and easier.

Here's the funny thing about Koji and his commitment point. It depends on how crazy he is that day. If he's not crazy, I have a further commit. point. I can send him over 10 feet if I've got speed behind me. But, when he's crazy, for some reason, he becomes even more handler focused (also if I screw up, and he tells me off, it's hard to get him off me again). I'm honestly not sure why he's like that, lol.

I can see where you're waiting for him at jumps, and I do get why you'd be doing that, given he seems to pull out around jumps without you there.

I never noticed that I do that. Can you tell me in what run and about where?
I'd love to see myself, so I can watch out for it more. Or maybe see what the heck I'm doing. I don't THINK I wait for him, but I could be, lol.

It could be so much easier for you if he had more obstacle focus and you could go on and leave him when needed.

You're telling me!

Of course, that handler focus is also what makes him a nice snooker dog. He is more likely to follow you instead of taking wrong obstacles on a snooker course.

So very true. And on tight courses when there's obstacles that are there to pull the dog to it. I rarely have issues on those, lol. There's pos and neg to a velcro dog, that's for sure.

 

[ortegah]

Sorry, but Koji doesn't look like a slow dog to me. I can see that he does like to stay with you.

Have you tried targeting at the bottom of the A-frame? I found when Trax was about 3 years old and we had been trialing and NQ'ing over and over, that when I tested him on his contacts by sending him to a contact, he had NO CLUE what the contact was. Only when I started using a white circle target with a treat and would send him over the A frame and let HIM find the contact, that he realized what in the world was expected of him. To me it does look like Koji doesn't exactly understand what you're asking of him.

Otherwise, he definitely has the ability to be a fast dog! You gotta start pushing him to go faster. When he goes in those tunnels, I would clap and say, "lets go let's go!!!" and see what happens! Why not try it? Can't always play it safe ;-)

 

[corbinam]

Otherwise, he definitely has the ability to be a fast dog! You gotta start pushing him to go faster. When he goes in those tunnels, I would clap and say, "lets go let's go!!!" and see what happens! Why not try it? Can't always play it safe ;-)

I agree! I was about to post about how I think that you are running way too passively. It's like you are always trying to hold Koji in check. Get a little crazy, and let Koji get a little crazy, too! As you're heading into a tunnel, as Heather suggested, throw him in there with authority!

When any situation calls for obstacle focus (straight line, pinwheel, tunnel, etc...) you should use all of your obstacle focus cues, and get going. Your entire run I think you guys are going the same speed. Koji can't read acceleration (or deceleration) cues if you're never doing either.

I am always guilty of running too passively, so it's something I can identify with! It definitely feeds into Koji's natural handler focus because now he thinks that he should check in at all times.

 

[ortegah]

I agree! I was about to post about how I think that you are running way too passively. It's like you are always trying to hold Koji in check. Get a little crazy, and let Koji get a little crazy, too! As you're heading into a tunnel, as Heather suggested, throw him in there with authority!

Exactly! Can't be afraid to get him riled up! It's better than him being hesitant and unsure

 

[corbinam]

Exactly! Can't be afraid to get him riled up! It's better than him being hesitant and unsure

Yep! And the negative, of course, is that you may get a few off courses to begin with, but when Bentley started getting off courses I was actually happy! It meant that he was thinking and driving on his own. Once you know what sends them too far away, it's easier to try to find the balance.

 

[ortegah]

Yep! And the negative, of course, is that you may get a few off courses to begin with, but when Bentley started getting off courses I was actually happy! It meant that he was thinking and driving on his own. Once you know what sends them too far away, it's easier to try to find the balance.

Oh yeah, that's always bound to happen. I really think that Koji has tons of potential and could really be a fast dog. You can see the spark when he gets to running!

 

[k9kreationz]

Here's a funny photo of Koji.....
after his long weekend trial and his horrid scary bath.

Actually, after his bath, he was a wildman the entire time I bathed Miko. When Miko was done, they were chasing one another for like 5 mins straight. Crazy boys. But I love them.

Oh, and yes, he's sleeping with his head up. LOL.