Upcoming Daisy P. Seminar - this weekend!

[Silaria]

You know, my trainer doesn't teach distance either, or directionals, or do a lot of naming. I think it's pretty common with a lot of people using Linda's system.

I don't use directionals either and, honestly, I have enough to remember on the course without throwing "turn", "switch", "left" or "right" in the mix.

My club does base a lot of their training on Linda's motion cues but we also believe in teaching distance work. A few reasons we teach distance is (1) your dog will always be faster than you so you may not always be able to get in the ideal position to 'drive' from in front of your dog, (2) well handled distance can shave seconds off a course run because you send the dog and move to another point on course to pick your dog back up again, (3) we host USDAA (and CPE) trials - venues that include distance games in their titling tracks. Distance work has become such a popular thing for our students and members to work on that we developed a class specifically to focus on building distance skills - and it ALWAYS fills quickly.

I'm still of the opinion that a system is a great foundation to start with but as you gain experience you have to be willing to break away from your system and add on other pieces you need for your dog to be successful since not every dog is going to be perfect for every system.

Cheryl, I'm glad you realized you need something beyond the foundations the Derret System provided you and Koji. Keep working on building up your own "toolbox" of agility handling skills and you will develop the "Koji System", meaning the system that works for the team of Cheryl and Koji.

 

[k9kreationz]

Sounds like you learned a lot great stuff, but kind of disappointing that they didn't cover what was advertised. Here's a link to show how another instructor gathers information on the students in her seminars:
http://www.pond-house.com/landshark/Questionnaire.htm

For what it's worth, I've mostly learned Derrett system and we talk about feet and motion all the time. But, I know that we're not Derrett purists, so maybe that's why it's different where I train.

Oh, they did something like that when I registered. There were some people who were happy we didn't do any contacts, some who were quite disappointed. And I don't know if it was really Daisy's fault so much as it was the person who organized it.

As for Derrett, when I trained, we trained purely Derrett. We talked about "if I move, you move, if I stop, you stop" but we never discussed HOW to move or why the movement works, etc. Even when I took the seminar (Derrett) we didn't discuss movement a lot. It's that, or I totally forgot. LOL. It could be that too, I'm forgetful.

 

[k9kreationz]

Cheryl, I'm glad you realized you need something beyond the foundations the Derret System provided you and Koji. Keep working on building up your own "toolbox" of agility handling skills and you will develop the "Koji System", meaning the system that works for the team of Cheryl and Koji.

I sat here nodding my head reading your post. Then after this last paragraph, I thought to myself, "if I get another dog, I have to find a whole other system again. Nooo" LOL

 

[Silaria]

I sat here nodding my head reading your post. Then after this last paragraph, I thought to myself, "if I get another dog, I have to find a whole other system again. Nooo" LOL

Well, by the time you get that second agility dog, you'll have enough experience with Koji that it shouldn't be as difficult to figure out what you need. (The first dog is always the hardest since you are both green.)

We have a few people in our club who run multiple dogs and have to tweak their handling for what the different dogs need to be successful. For one, it may be more support on the weave poles. For another it may be faster cues about where to go next.

Honestly though, if all our dogs where exactly the same where would the fun be? It's their unique personalities that make this guys so lovable in the first place.

 

[corbinam]

Well, by the time you get that second agility dog, you'll have enough experience with Koji that it shouldn't be as difficult to figure out what you need. (The first dog is always the hardest since you are both green.)

We have a few people in our club who run multiple dogs and have to tweak their handling for what the different dogs need to be successful. For one, it may be more support on the weave poles. For another it may be faster cues about where to go next.

Honestly though, if all our dogs where exactly the same where would the fun be? It's their unique personalities that make this guys so lovable in the first place.

You are definitely right, Sheri. After going through such a difficult learning process (from knowing nothing!) with your first dog, you at least feel like you have more "tools in your belt" to deal with your second dog.

Of course, if you're like me, and your two dogs are like night and day, you still are totally unprepared! But hey, I love a challenge!

I have always heard that your second dog almost always has what your first dog didn't...and for me, it's so true! Bentley didn't have speed or contacts, and Lexi has both! She has other issues!

 

[Sharon]

Daisy seminar

Well, by the time you get that second agility dog, you'll have enough experience with Koji that it shouldn't be as difficult to figure out what you need. (The first dog is always the hardest since you are both green. JMO but I do not think think the first dog is the hardest at all and for me Shadow is proof of that.I always have said and this is "JMO"if you train with the best you get the best and if you train backyard you get backyard results.I knew absolutely nothing about agility when I first started.Shadow's obdeience trainer threw it in for fun so when it was time too move on to real agility he knew all the equipment but we knew nothing about contacts and FC'S etc and so when we went to a great trainer at the time we still had to start at the begining.I probably would still be with the first trainer if she did not try to buy my dog.Along comes Sting and yes, I have have had collection problems but that was my fault as I was so sure he was ready to compete that I rushed his foundations and then I got hurt.It is a pain in the butt to have to go back and fix stuff.