the best way to describe training tonight was that i had to end it with a big glass of champagne :)
quest finished his UD this past weekend, so we had a party last night and tonight. cakes, cupcakes, pizza, you name it. flashes of brilliance (berlins attention was AMAZING), rah did some really nice things. rah also did some horrendous things, like marking someones glove when we were doing go outs and running out of the ring to steal said glove... and we decided for right now, rah can never do go outs while someone is doing gloves on the other side of the gate, because it BLEW HIS BLUE LITTLE BRAIN.
AWESOME articles. AWESOME broad jump. AWESOME dor.
berlin was rockin. rockin rockin rockin. we worked attention with terry throwing the db next to us and she was like "excuse me, im doing heelies with my mom, i cant look at you right now" she's such a good girl.
then rah had to have splodey butt.
we're all tired and i had to work this morning so thats the disjointed sort of update you get right now - hopefully there will be a more fleshed out version tomorrow. maybe.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
picking out the shows
so, ive been trying to decide where im going to enter for the next 2 months. dont even get me started on may, etc :)
3/7-8 Berlin and Rah are entered in an APDT trial
3/12-13 - considering entering rah in the AKC trials out in york, PA - the judge on the 12th is iffy, but they have graduate novice i could enter instead. i haven't decided, but i want to try for another leg.
3/14 - probably going to enter rah in an ASCA trial (still need to send it in)
3/15 berlin and rah are entered in a CDSP trial
3/20 i think im going to enter rah in the AKC trial in edison, NJ
3/22 i was going to enter rah in the AKC trial down in lower camden, but i heard the open ring is going to be super super tiny, and im not going to push it with rah, especially knowing how big and fast he makes it all. so i think im going to cancel going to this trial. i cant remember if i sent an entry in or not yet though??? (oops)
4/5 -- rally APDT in exton PA for both Berlin and Rah
4/18 - lower bucks AKC trial - but its outside???? minimally ill try graduate novice, but maybe ill try open too? if they offer prenovice ill enter berlin.
4/19 CDSP trial in horsham PA for both Berlin and Rah
then the 8th through the 11th, there's the blue and gray cluster out in harrisburg. i guess it will depend on how many CDX legs he has and if i need another leg. if i dont need the leg, i will probably just hold off and focus on the other venues for a little bit? unless his scores are nice...
3/7-8 Berlin and Rah are entered in an APDT trial
3/12-13 - considering entering rah in the AKC trials out in york, PA - the judge on the 12th is iffy, but they have graduate novice i could enter instead. i haven't decided, but i want to try for another leg.
3/14 - probably going to enter rah in an ASCA trial (still need to send it in)
3/15 berlin and rah are entered in a CDSP trial
3/20 i think im going to enter rah in the AKC trial in edison, NJ
3/22 i was going to enter rah in the AKC trial down in lower camden, but i heard the open ring is going to be super super tiny, and im not going to push it with rah, especially knowing how big and fast he makes it all. so i think im going to cancel going to this trial. i cant remember if i sent an entry in or not yet though??? (oops)
4/5 -- rally APDT in exton PA for both Berlin and Rah
4/18 - lower bucks AKC trial - but its outside???? minimally ill try graduate novice, but maybe ill try open too? if they offer prenovice ill enter berlin.
4/19 CDSP trial in horsham PA for both Berlin and Rah
then the 8th through the 11th, there's the blue and gray cluster out in harrisburg. i guess it will depend on how many CDX legs he has and if i need another leg. if i dont need the leg, i will probably just hold off and focus on the other venues for a little bit? unless his scores are nice...
i know i didnt post about training this week. can i even remember what we did? open on wednesday... so long ago! so many classes ago!
on thursday berlin was good in class, we got some nice drives into heel and some good transitions playing the "ready ready? " game i use.
open class rah was wired and we had to force him to take breaks he was so crazed.
utility class was the best class he's ever worked. did 4 articles and he worked the pile like a pro - even with a toy next to the pile, with terry out there by the pile, and working 20 feet away to a gate with the other dog in class on the other side of the gate. GOOD BOY - need to butt scoot him and bring the front box out for articles from now on.
go outs - GREAT WITH NO TOY. fast turn and sit. the last time he turned on his name. AMAZING> at the reward he jumped up and fanged me in the finger and i bled everywhere.
everything else was perfect marvelous wonderful good. i was very very pleased. and very very sore.
on thursday berlin was good in class, we got some nice drives into heel and some good transitions playing the "ready ready? " game i use.
open class rah was wired and we had to force him to take breaks he was so crazed.
utility class was the best class he's ever worked. did 4 articles and he worked the pile like a pro - even with a toy next to the pile, with terry out there by the pile, and working 20 feet away to a gate with the other dog in class on the other side of the gate. GOOD BOY - need to butt scoot him and bring the front box out for articles from now on.
go outs - GREAT WITH NO TOY. fast turn and sit. the last time he turned on his name. AMAZING> at the reward he jumped up and fanged me in the finger and i bled everywhere.
everything else was perfect marvelous wonderful good. i was very very pleased. and very very sore.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
a healthy dose of health
no training today - the dogs and i went to the health fair i put together for my dobe club.
happy to report rah's echo showed no signs of dilated cardiomyopathy (phew!) and his ticker is totally normal, and he CERF'd clear!
berlin has a very tiny punctate cataract of no known clinical significance (no problems in regards to vision, no problems in regards to breeding, etc) in her left eye, and her right eye is normal.
im exhausted, my head hurts, and we had very very very good food for lunch and dinner. saw good people, hung out with berlin's breeders, some other good people from the tristate schutzhund club, and many other dobe-folk, had some good talks with dr. morris and sue krom, and then went out to eat with training friends once the clinic was over at 6
happy to report rah's echo showed no signs of dilated cardiomyopathy (phew!) and his ticker is totally normal, and he CERF'd clear!
berlin has a very tiny punctate cataract of no known clinical significance (no problems in regards to vision, no problems in regards to breeding, etc) in her left eye, and her right eye is normal.
im exhausted, my head hurts, and we had very very very good food for lunch and dinner. saw good people, hung out with berlin's breeders, some other good people from the tristate schutzhund club, and many other dobe-folk, had some good talks with dr. morris and sue krom, and then went out to eat with training friends once the clinic was over at 6
Friday, February 20, 2009
le sigh
ill update on classes from the past two nights, but i was considering starting berlin on scent articles this week.
turns out, despite the fact that she likes to chew on metal articles, she doesn't want to retrieve them - her retrieve doesn't have enough of a foundation to go through this yet, so im just sticking with working the basics on the metal articles, the leather she loves right now.
so im sitting here on the couch, home from work and everyone is milling about, and berlin is pointedly facing away from me and chewing on something on the dog bed... and she chews, chews and looks over her shoulder at me- an she's got her leather zero article in her mouth!!!!!
i have to actually change the tune of my song, i always tell people berlin has never destroyed anything as a puppy. the only thing she EVER ate was scent articles ;)
turns out, despite the fact that she likes to chew on metal articles, she doesn't want to retrieve them - her retrieve doesn't have enough of a foundation to go through this yet, so im just sticking with working the basics on the metal articles, the leather she loves right now.
so im sitting here on the couch, home from work and everyone is milling about, and berlin is pointedly facing away from me and chewing on something on the dog bed... and she chews, chews and looks over her shoulder at me- an she's got her leather zero article in her mouth!!!!!
i have to actually change the tune of my song, i always tell people berlin has never destroyed anything as a puppy. the only thing she EVER ate was scent articles ;)
Sunday, February 15, 2009
the play by play
ok... we got there at 12 or so? maybe 11:30 -- our class didn't start until 1 and we didnt end up going until 2:30-3 or so (maybe later - i lost my watch a week ago and still dont know where it is!).
it was SO TIGHT in there - the facility is barely large enough for three rings, and there wasn't much space for crating. luckily people were leaving, and when kathy took down her crates (she stayed to apprentice for utility A) she let us take her space, so we were actually able to bring the dogs in rather than leaving them in the car. warmed up rah for a few minutes here and there but that's about it.
of course, the judge had to take a pee break right before i went, ack! rah was ON ON ON though, so i was pleased. of course, the steward was blocking our ring entrance and stepped on him as we went in, so i wasn't so happy with that. he sat nicely, great attention, i took the leash off - he dropped his head as we moved th ering length away - but he set up perfectly and was eagerly watching me as we waited. i had some moments of not perfect attention on the heeling, and he's had better days - but it wasn't bad. he wasn't too pushy - and he got REALLY forgey on the fast, which hasnt' been an issue for us recently, but it was today - he strode out to his shoulders! the pattern was really nice - first time in awhile i didnt have the forward-halt-forward (WOOHOO) instead it was a forward right turn slow, which i was fine with.
fig 8 was ok - rah hit me at one point, but he wasn't too pushy. DOR- he was crooked for the front and i think i gave too much body movement with the signal because she gave it really late as for how fast he was moving (and the ring was short) so he was close, i needed to make sure he would drop and not come in all the way. poor mercury had to drop right in front of lydia!
ROF - i waited for my db, and waited... and it wasnt there? i turned and looked and the steward thought i was telling her to wait? im like GIVE IT TO ME! i get it and reset rah up (just wanted to break him out let him see the db and know we were going for the retrieve now), he was shaking again. threw it, it took a right turn (SHIT). sent him, and he's coming in REALLY wide and he's not looking at me and im like FUCK he's going to run around the ring with his db and not come in at all... and then miracle of miracles he comes in and FIXES his front. he comes in and realigns his body. and makes himself straight(er). it wasn't straight enough, but considering he was three feet off to my right up until about 5 feet out, it wasn't half bad. then... rah wouldnt give me the db. at all. i said out. he wouldnt out. he clamped down and wouldn't give me the db at all. for real. i essentially had to rip it out of his mouth. asshole. finished him and moved him to the high.
we were back up to our full height (everyone at the show was like... wow, we've never actually seen a dog that had to jump 28!!!!!!), i threw it and i was so afraid it would turn to the right and he would miss the jump on the way back like he did in training. but it went straight... about 8 feet. shit SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT - that's so not that far! come ON, just roll a bit further... no go. so i sent him. and god bless his soul, he goes out, gets it, and comes in for a mostly straight front, too! hand off the db, and i MOVE WITH A PURPOSE...
over to the bj. set him up, he was crooked so i fix it and he sets up nicely the second time (have i mentioned im very happy with his set ups in the open ring, he did these all so nicely willingly and happily?), leave him and get to my spot. i send him on the word and he jumps and is going SO FRIGGIN FAST he almost fell again. cant hit the straight front, but we're done.
he's high as a kite so i platz'ed him there and put the leash on him because we were so close to the ring entrance. and the steward was the tard that wouldnt give me my db before.
got him up for stays and i repeated "its just stays, we can do it, its just stays". left him for the sit and when i looked at him he was a perfect statue (i peeked). came back and he was happy and left him for the sit - the ring next to him (in front) was doing pictures and squeaking a toy and lydia said he wanted to get up so badly to get the toy but he didnt and...
WE QUALiFIED!!!!
we got a 193 -- not bad!
2.5 off on the heeling/fig 8
1 off on the DOR
1.5 off on the ROF
1 off on the ROH
1 off on the BJ
im pretty proud. unfortunately while that would have kicked the classes ass last weekend at that show, this weekend it wasnt even a placement (i was 5th in the class i believe looking at the scores?) first was a 197.5
its our fronts and finishes that are killing us. and i gotta work on the heeling and how much he bumps, and how straight he is on the sits. thats where we're losing our points. the points are in the minutia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
everyone was happy with him - i think the photographer got some shots of him jumping because he was telling me how high rah has to jump and how he flies. a few people came up to compliment me on his performance and what a fun dog he is, someone else asked me if he's taken HIT's (I WISH!). i wish i had found out the photographers website. hopefully someone else knows it...
so that's it. one leg down, two to go. i think ill enter him in the ASCA trial now. need to find the money for all of this...
it was SO TIGHT in there - the facility is barely large enough for three rings, and there wasn't much space for crating. luckily people were leaving, and when kathy took down her crates (she stayed to apprentice for utility A) she let us take her space, so we were actually able to bring the dogs in rather than leaving them in the car. warmed up rah for a few minutes here and there but that's about it.
of course, the judge had to take a pee break right before i went, ack! rah was ON ON ON though, so i was pleased. of course, the steward was blocking our ring entrance and stepped on him as we went in, so i wasn't so happy with that. he sat nicely, great attention, i took the leash off - he dropped his head as we moved th ering length away - but he set up perfectly and was eagerly watching me as we waited. i had some moments of not perfect attention on the heeling, and he's had better days - but it wasn't bad. he wasn't too pushy - and he got REALLY forgey on the fast, which hasnt' been an issue for us recently, but it was today - he strode out to his shoulders! the pattern was really nice - first time in awhile i didnt have the forward-halt-forward (WOOHOO) instead it was a forward right turn slow, which i was fine with.
fig 8 was ok - rah hit me at one point, but he wasn't too pushy. DOR- he was crooked for the front and i think i gave too much body movement with the signal because she gave it really late as for how fast he was moving (and the ring was short) so he was close, i needed to make sure he would drop and not come in all the way. poor mercury had to drop right in front of lydia!
ROF - i waited for my db, and waited... and it wasnt there? i turned and looked and the steward thought i was telling her to wait? im like GIVE IT TO ME! i get it and reset rah up (just wanted to break him out let him see the db and know we were going for the retrieve now), he was shaking again. threw it, it took a right turn (SHIT). sent him, and he's coming in REALLY wide and he's not looking at me and im like FUCK he's going to run around the ring with his db and not come in at all... and then miracle of miracles he comes in and FIXES his front. he comes in and realigns his body. and makes himself straight(er). it wasn't straight enough, but considering he was three feet off to my right up until about 5 feet out, it wasn't half bad. then... rah wouldnt give me the db. at all. i said out. he wouldnt out. he clamped down and wouldn't give me the db at all. for real. i essentially had to rip it out of his mouth. asshole. finished him and moved him to the high.
we were back up to our full height (everyone at the show was like... wow, we've never actually seen a dog that had to jump 28!!!!!!), i threw it and i was so afraid it would turn to the right and he would miss the jump on the way back like he did in training. but it went straight... about 8 feet. shit SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT - that's so not that far! come ON, just roll a bit further... no go. so i sent him. and god bless his soul, he goes out, gets it, and comes in for a mostly straight front, too! hand off the db, and i MOVE WITH A PURPOSE...
over to the bj. set him up, he was crooked so i fix it and he sets up nicely the second time (have i mentioned im very happy with his set ups in the open ring, he did these all so nicely willingly and happily?), leave him and get to my spot. i send him on the word and he jumps and is going SO FRIGGIN FAST he almost fell again. cant hit the straight front, but we're done.
he's high as a kite so i platz'ed him there and put the leash on him because we were so close to the ring entrance. and the steward was the tard that wouldnt give me my db before.
got him up for stays and i repeated "its just stays, we can do it, its just stays". left him for the sit and when i looked at him he was a perfect statue (i peeked). came back and he was happy and left him for the sit - the ring next to him (in front) was doing pictures and squeaking a toy and lydia said he wanted to get up so badly to get the toy but he didnt and...
WE QUALiFIED!!!!
we got a 193 -- not bad!
2.5 off on the heeling/fig 8
1 off on the DOR
1.5 off on the ROF
1 off on the ROH
1 off on the BJ
im pretty proud. unfortunately while that would have kicked the classes ass last weekend at that show, this weekend it wasnt even a placement (i was 5th in the class i believe looking at the scores?) first was a 197.5
its our fronts and finishes that are killing us. and i gotta work on the heeling and how much he bumps, and how straight he is on the sits. thats where we're losing our points. the points are in the minutia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
everyone was happy with him - i think the photographer got some shots of him jumping because he was telling me how high rah has to jump and how he flies. a few people came up to compliment me on his performance and what a fun dog he is, someone else asked me if he's taken HIT's (I WISH!). i wish i had found out the photographers website. hopefully someone else knows it...
so that's it. one leg down, two to go. i think ill enter him in the ASCA trial now. need to find the money for all of this...
Friday, February 13, 2009
destiny's biopsy came back.... sorta clear? no obvious signs of cancer, but the types of cells they saw were considered precancerous. but she doesn't HAVE mammary cancer, which is nice :)
the dogs so far today haven't been trained - though i am considering taking berlin into the other room and starting her on scent articles and working rah with some scent articles as well. i think ill do that a little later, should be interesting. berlin still isn't 100% with a retrieve but we shall see how it goes. if it doesn't i can stop. i realized that destiny's expen set up in the middle of the living room has been the main reason i havent trained a lot at home right now, its a pain in the butt to take it up and down. and im lazy.
im a little intrigued by the hypocrisy in the doberman world where its ok to breed a bitch with no titles at all (and sometimes their structure seems to be questionable at best), but i would (will?) be strung up if i breed berlin, because she will not have breed ring titles on her, only obedience (and potentially working) titles. it's funny to see how the world turns. maybe i should care less what people think. and i am not sure i even want to breed her, and it's so far away and i'd have to talk things over with her breeder, since she's a co-own and pick puppy belongs to them anyway... its just wondering what is really best for the doberman breed, and is it possible to really breed that "total doberman" out there. and discussing with some people who she could/would be bred with, the combinations out there...
speaking of the little imp, her daddy was featured in this issue of the UDC focus. he's such a good dog. we need more like him.
time to sit on the couch more and nurse my knee - 100 lbs of rah hitting your knee is painful and results in a constant dull ache, for the record.
the dogs so far today haven't been trained - though i am considering taking berlin into the other room and starting her on scent articles and working rah with some scent articles as well. i think ill do that a little later, should be interesting. berlin still isn't 100% with a retrieve but we shall see how it goes. if it doesn't i can stop. i realized that destiny's expen set up in the middle of the living room has been the main reason i havent trained a lot at home right now, its a pain in the butt to take it up and down. and im lazy.
im a little intrigued by the hypocrisy in the doberman world where its ok to breed a bitch with no titles at all (and sometimes their structure seems to be questionable at best), but i would (will?) be strung up if i breed berlin, because she will not have breed ring titles on her, only obedience (and potentially working) titles. it's funny to see how the world turns. maybe i should care less what people think. and i am not sure i even want to breed her, and it's so far away and i'd have to talk things over with her breeder, since she's a co-own and pick puppy belongs to them anyway... its just wondering what is really best for the doberman breed, and is it possible to really breed that "total doberman" out there. and discussing with some people who she could/would be bred with, the combinations out there...
speaking of the little imp, her daddy was featured in this issue of the UDC focus. he's such a good dog. we need more like him.
time to sit on the couch more and nurse my knee - 100 lbs of rah hitting your knee is painful and results in a constant dull ache, for the record.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
thurrrrrrrrrrrsday
twas a good training night.
started with berlin, who again was protesting having to wear panties in class. speaking of said panties, i cant seem to find them now, where did they GO little miss????
we started with working attention individually through a channel of dogs, berlin of course had to go first, and she rocked. didnt once glance at any other dog, she stayed staring at me no matter how close the dogs were. the second time we transitioned from the attention work straight into heeling out and she did well there too.
then we did heeling, first as a group- but for some reason there were about 1212312312 dogs in the class tonight and we ended up having to break into groups of three later to work on fasts since we would all have run into each other, especially since just heeling i had to pass people because they were heeling too slow. we had a metronome out and i matched with it perfectly. nice attention, she got much better with her turns, she's overcompensating with her halts but she's maintaining a much better position without any extra cues from me. her halts are very cute.
moved to SFE - im going to keep doing her against some barriers for the time being since im tired of her popping out so far to the side so she stays straight. shes got a perfect kickback, but she's kicking out so far.
worked fig8 - she needed some pops for the outer post since she lagged and dropped her head once but she came back up. she naturally has such nice tight sits she's a good girl.
recalls were disastrous because she cant handle the pressure of other dogs coming in at her face - since we did recalls in both directions at the same time, the minute she passed another dog she would veer off to avoid them rather than just continuing in on her path. she just cant handle the pressure - need to work on that.
skipped out on her stays to put rah into open stays instead, sorry - she hasnt had stays in two weeks! oh well. rah nailed open stays.
started with individuals again - fig 8 was nice and hes purposefully really avoiding hitting me on the inner post sometimes and it looks marvelous. someone at the last show complimented me on how well a big dog like him can move his back end, i was happy with that. hes bouncing like no other on the outer post though. i dont think im ever going to get him under control.
moved to working transitions between drops and ROF repeatedly, he did nicely for that, i also mixed in some heeling. then we went to ROH with terry - he anticipated a few times, and we worked the transition into set ups, and we discovered if the angle of the db is too far to the right, his wide loop made it so that he was missing the jump back. so im going to have to work on that with him. we also worked on where i will be putting my db for the shows as a signal for rah that he will be finished v. when he will get the db back to play.
utility.....
or futility :)
started with go outs - we did about 60 or so foot go outs. i put his toy out there first and of course he goes out straight immediately, i tell him to sit, and he turns, toy in mouth, and decides to just take off running. butthead. put the toy out on the ground and he spends the next go out (also perfectly straight) trying to dig it out from behind the gate. next time terry tells me to just put nothing out there at all, i send him 60 feet and tell him to sit and the damned dog turns on a dime and just sits perfectly straight. i ran in so fast to reward him!!!!!!!!!
we rotated out on that and let the other dogs in - and then went back out. did the same thing - put NOTHING out there and just did three go outs with no reward there at all, and he ddi three perfect go outs with perfect turn and sits that i rewarded with the toy *i* had on me. terry said he just may be like quest, her crazy fcr - that the toy blows his mind so much, i will only need to put a toy out there once every 100 or so go outs because he knows his job so much, he thinks too fast for us. his reward and drive for it is just to great.
still, im going to start drilling random turn and sits everywhere. he SHOULD turn off these things. am i just picking my battles? but he DID do perfect turn and sits :)
went to work pivots, and he did lovely pivots, he's a good man for these. im sure im going to get funny looks since i wont turn him to the right at all, ill be turning to the left the entire time, but he gets his butt in so well.
then we put out 9 gloves and had all the dogs work them at the same time - they were just all over the room and we walked around at the same time and pivoted and sent our dogs for random gloves that we wanted. rah needed more work on leaving the gloves than retrieving them - because he sees a glove and he just wants to retrieve it. but he's marking very well. i think he's a lab on the inside.
moved to moving stand - he still needs a back leash to prevent movement, but he did lovely. i on the other hand, screwed up his call to heel both times. one time, i had to use a left, since i had scout on my right and rah couldnt get a right finish. the second i gave him the VERBAL for a left and the signal for a right - his mind was blown and he tried both and i think i saw steam.
signals - not bad, nothing spectacular. he's taking a few steps, or at least moving his front feet, while i walk away. need to work on that. its not that he's not locked in, maybe its stress? anticipatory? who knows.
then... jumping. rah got to jump.
at least he stayed out at the go out spot this time. i got across the room and again he was picking a jump already, and terry saw that it was clear he wasn't looking for my signals he was just waiting for any motion from me at all as a signal he could break and jump. so we started teaching rah some patience (ha ha ha) and then made him think and wait for the actual signal. it took awhile but he did three actual right DJ's, so good for him.
then we did articles, and he worked the entire pile and was completely right, which i was thrilled about.
sooooo all in all a very nice training week. im pleased. and looking forward to the show on sunday. maybe.
started with berlin, who again was protesting having to wear panties in class. speaking of said panties, i cant seem to find them now, where did they GO little miss????
we started with working attention individually through a channel of dogs, berlin of course had to go first, and she rocked. didnt once glance at any other dog, she stayed staring at me no matter how close the dogs were. the second time we transitioned from the attention work straight into heeling out and she did well there too.
then we did heeling, first as a group- but for some reason there were about 1212312312 dogs in the class tonight and we ended up having to break into groups of three later to work on fasts since we would all have run into each other, especially since just heeling i had to pass people because they were heeling too slow. we had a metronome out and i matched with it perfectly. nice attention, she got much better with her turns, she's overcompensating with her halts but she's maintaining a much better position without any extra cues from me. her halts are very cute.
moved to SFE - im going to keep doing her against some barriers for the time being since im tired of her popping out so far to the side so she stays straight. shes got a perfect kickback, but she's kicking out so far.
worked fig8 - she needed some pops for the outer post since she lagged and dropped her head once but she came back up. she naturally has such nice tight sits she's a good girl.
recalls were disastrous because she cant handle the pressure of other dogs coming in at her face - since we did recalls in both directions at the same time, the minute she passed another dog she would veer off to avoid them rather than just continuing in on her path. she just cant handle the pressure - need to work on that.
skipped out on her stays to put rah into open stays instead, sorry - she hasnt had stays in two weeks! oh well. rah nailed open stays.
started with individuals again - fig 8 was nice and hes purposefully really avoiding hitting me on the inner post sometimes and it looks marvelous. someone at the last show complimented me on how well a big dog like him can move his back end, i was happy with that. hes bouncing like no other on the outer post though. i dont think im ever going to get him under control.
moved to working transitions between drops and ROF repeatedly, he did nicely for that, i also mixed in some heeling. then we went to ROH with terry - he anticipated a few times, and we worked the transition into set ups, and we discovered if the angle of the db is too far to the right, his wide loop made it so that he was missing the jump back. so im going to have to work on that with him. we also worked on where i will be putting my db for the shows as a signal for rah that he will be finished v. when he will get the db back to play.
utility.....
or futility :)
started with go outs - we did about 60 or so foot go outs. i put his toy out there first and of course he goes out straight immediately, i tell him to sit, and he turns, toy in mouth, and decides to just take off running. butthead. put the toy out on the ground and he spends the next go out (also perfectly straight) trying to dig it out from behind the gate. next time terry tells me to just put nothing out there at all, i send him 60 feet and tell him to sit and the damned dog turns on a dime and just sits perfectly straight. i ran in so fast to reward him!!!!!!!!!
we rotated out on that and let the other dogs in - and then went back out. did the same thing - put NOTHING out there and just did three go outs with no reward there at all, and he ddi three perfect go outs with perfect turn and sits that i rewarded with the toy *i* had on me. terry said he just may be like quest, her crazy fcr - that the toy blows his mind so much, i will only need to put a toy out there once every 100 or so go outs because he knows his job so much, he thinks too fast for us. his reward and drive for it is just to great.
still, im going to start drilling random turn and sits everywhere. he SHOULD turn off these things. am i just picking my battles? but he DID do perfect turn and sits :)
went to work pivots, and he did lovely pivots, he's a good man for these. im sure im going to get funny looks since i wont turn him to the right at all, ill be turning to the left the entire time, but he gets his butt in so well.
then we put out 9 gloves and had all the dogs work them at the same time - they were just all over the room and we walked around at the same time and pivoted and sent our dogs for random gloves that we wanted. rah needed more work on leaving the gloves than retrieving them - because he sees a glove and he just wants to retrieve it. but he's marking very well. i think he's a lab on the inside.
moved to moving stand - he still needs a back leash to prevent movement, but he did lovely. i on the other hand, screwed up his call to heel both times. one time, i had to use a left, since i had scout on my right and rah couldnt get a right finish. the second i gave him the VERBAL for a left and the signal for a right - his mind was blown and he tried both and i think i saw steam.
signals - not bad, nothing spectacular. he's taking a few steps, or at least moving his front feet, while i walk away. need to work on that. its not that he's not locked in, maybe its stress? anticipatory? who knows.
then... jumping. rah got to jump.
at least he stayed out at the go out spot this time. i got across the room and again he was picking a jump already, and terry saw that it was clear he wasn't looking for my signals he was just waiting for any motion from me at all as a signal he could break and jump. so we started teaching rah some patience (ha ha ha) and then made him think and wait for the actual signal. it took awhile but he did three actual right DJ's, so good for him.
then we did articles, and he worked the entire pile and was completely right, which i was thrilled about.
sooooo all in all a very nice training week. im pleased. and looking forward to the show on sunday. maybe.
very good training last night, i felt good about it.
started with stays - rah was collared just in case he decided he to repeat his performance from last week. terry said it was totally my fault he broke too - she said the minute she saw my face getting him ready for the ring she knew i was too freaked out over him. we also have a plan for next weekend (may get me excused, but if hes breaking ill already be NQ'd anyway) to double command him from across the room if he's breaking. of course last nights stays went well just perfect. im wondering whether i should even do any stays tonight.
started with heeling while we had all the jumps out in the middle of the rings. i need to start being more consistent with my halting cues because sometimes he's halting too early. but hes been largely straight, which is nice. fasts were nice, slows were better, he's still sidewinding when he's getting too pushy. which is, really - always. rah exists pushy :) i will have to set up a private for that and where to go from now. flickering my fingers isn't helping.
moved onto individuals. this time it was nice - we worked transitions between two things. broad to high and high to broad, and flat to drop and drop to flat, and rinse, lather and repeat. i also did some fig8's in between, which were very nice and he was straight there, so that was nice. terry got on me for the transitions - says i really need to have a clear picture of where we are going. don't just "leave it, up here!" him to get him off his db when i hand it off, i need to have a clear picture of where i am moving him and do it with a purpose - too much wishy washiness and he's going to just meander around. i also had a lot better success turning into him away from the db rather than him having to walk by where he could take side swipes :) she was really helpful working those transitions and she just reiterated numerous times that i need to stand up and take charge from him.
all in all it was a nice training session.
started with stays - rah was collared just in case he decided he to repeat his performance from last week. terry said it was totally my fault he broke too - she said the minute she saw my face getting him ready for the ring she knew i was too freaked out over him. we also have a plan for next weekend (may get me excused, but if hes breaking ill already be NQ'd anyway) to double command him from across the room if he's breaking. of course last nights stays went well just perfect. im wondering whether i should even do any stays tonight.
started with heeling while we had all the jumps out in the middle of the rings. i need to start being more consistent with my halting cues because sometimes he's halting too early. but hes been largely straight, which is nice. fasts were nice, slows were better, he's still sidewinding when he's getting too pushy. which is, really - always. rah exists pushy :) i will have to set up a private for that and where to go from now. flickering my fingers isn't helping.
moved onto individuals. this time it was nice - we worked transitions between two things. broad to high and high to broad, and flat to drop and drop to flat, and rinse, lather and repeat. i also did some fig8's in between, which were very nice and he was straight there, so that was nice. terry got on me for the transitions - says i really need to have a clear picture of where we are going. don't just "leave it, up here!" him to get him off his db when i hand it off, i need to have a clear picture of where i am moving him and do it with a purpose - too much wishy washiness and he's going to just meander around. i also had a lot better success turning into him away from the db rather than him having to walk by where he could take side swipes :) she was really helpful working those transitions and she just reiterated numerous times that i need to stand up and take charge from him.
all in all it was a nice training session.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
im kinda in a training rut. or not even a rut - but i just dont want to do it right now. the dogs are happy just being crazy and working teeny little things, but we havent worked some things we need to be doing and i have no desire to be working them right now. im tired and exhausted and havent felt good in about a week and a half.
blogger is acting weird and it wont update my page.
destiny is stoned on her fentanyl patches and her incision is over a foot and a half long. she's got 60+ staples from where here 4 mammary glands used to be. sag-no-more --- her biopsy results will be delayed by the lab because they need to do special fixation, blargh.
hows that for no training updates. um. a training update? destiny now comes when i call her when she is wandering loose in the clinic? thats a good thing.
blogger is acting weird and it wont update my page.
destiny is stoned on her fentanyl patches and her incision is over a foot and a half long. she's got 60+ staples from where here 4 mammary glands used to be. sag-no-more --- her biopsy results will be delayed by the lab because they need to do special fixation, blargh.
hows that for no training updates. um. a training update? destiny now comes when i call her when she is wandering loose in the clinic? thats a good thing.
Monday, February 9, 2009
no training updates - instead just thoughts. too tired and sick to train. yesterday we just had fun in the yard and worked on house manners that included whenigivecookiestoonedogtheotherdogsmustnottrytostealthem.
there is nothing more useful than having dogs trained to retrieve things when you are incredibly lazy. when i drop things, throw things ( like the collar i tossed at the wall to stop bunny from humping berlin), or someone is chewing on a toy they shouldn't be (a dead stuffy shell), all i have to do is tell rah or berlin to get it and they will bring it to me. or berlin will, rah needs some encouraging to bring it back to ME versus sometimes just carrying it around going "LOOK WHAT I GOT LOOK WHAT I GOT".
destiny had her boob job today. she had a pretty radical mastectomy - took off 4 of the 5 mammary glands on the left side. she's got a foot and a half long incision with about 60 staples, and she's got a drain. she's dripping blood all over my house, she's got pain patches, IV drugs, and she's refusing to lay down and act like she has the worlds largest incision. she jumped out of my truck before i could catch her and she ran up my stairs before i could stop her.
both berlin AND destiny are now in heat, too. 2 bitches in one house. thrilling. destiny has a full body wrap from the incision right now, but in a day or so ill put a tshirt on her, and she will have to wear panties as well. poor girl.
there is nothing more useful than having dogs trained to retrieve things when you are incredibly lazy. when i drop things, throw things ( like the collar i tossed at the wall to stop bunny from humping berlin), or someone is chewing on a toy they shouldn't be (a dead stuffy shell), all i have to do is tell rah or berlin to get it and they will bring it to me. or berlin will, rah needs some encouraging to bring it back to ME versus sometimes just carrying it around going "LOOK WHAT I GOT LOOK WHAT I GOT".
destiny had her boob job today. she had a pretty radical mastectomy - took off 4 of the 5 mammary glands on the left side. she's got a foot and a half long incision with about 60 staples, and she's got a drain. she's dripping blood all over my house, she's got pain patches, IV drugs, and she's refusing to lay down and act like she has the worlds largest incision. she jumped out of my truck before i could catch her and she ran up my stairs before i could stop her.
both berlin AND destiny are now in heat, too. 2 bitches in one house. thrilling. destiny has a full body wrap from the incision right now, but in a day or so ill put a tshirt on her, and she will have to wear panties as well. poor girl.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
the trial... (duh duh dunnnnn)
no CDX leg for us yet!
we got there, and realized immediately - the show was on carpet, (ironically - GREY carpet that perfectly matched rah's color - he blended!) - and rah slid EVERYWHERE it was so bad. i saw terry (my trainer) who was judging NovB, OB and Elsie, who owns the training facility and they immediately warned me how slippery things were and to watch rah. Luckily, my judge gave us all 4 inches off our jump heights if we wanted, but rah still slid all over the place.
Molly, who was there with her shiba Mashi, qualified for their first RN leg!!!!
warming up he was on, but right before we were going in the ring i had a leash malfunction and thats when the judge called us in, and stupid me i just walked in - and had no attention from rah. i should have regrouped before we walked in the ring, but we got in and he was in la la land. i got him back immediately though for the set up and he was with me, so i didnt need any games there.
heeling wasnt bad - i still got a no sit !!!!!! for the first halt i think - no one could remember for sure if he sat or not -some said he did, some said he didn't - i thought he didnt, and looking at the score, it does not appear that he did :) terry thought i was probably too nervous and just didnt give my nice signals, which is the most likely reason for the no sit. however, once we started moving after that he was on - right up in me and raring to go. nailed everything else after that.
transition over to the f8 wasnt bad, but he didnt want to set up, he was distracted by the people coming in - it was a tricky set up because we ended heeling right by the entrance, and they had to come in right around us and set up the posts, so he glanced at them a few times but i backed out and got him back with me and reset him up and he was much better. fig8 was pretty good! if i do say so myself, especially for being off leash - much less pushy on that inner post and he moved his hind end like no other for it. slightly crooked halts though i think, but nice. i knew exactly where we were going for the DOR, so i didnt even wait for the judge to move me, once we were done, i just gathered him up and motored.
transition over to the DOR wasnt bad either - we had to move across the entire ring though, which should have been scary, but i heeled him over to the other corner of the ring like it was nothing, set him up and didnt look once at the judge, just kept my eye on him. DOR was perfect, nothing off, and when he dropped he slid at least 10 feet on the carpet. i mentally thought the entire time strong signal strong signal strong signal strong signal and when he was sliding he considered not putting his elbows down, but i had my nice strong signal still up and the judge was laughing he was moving so fast, he moved the carpets! called him in for the front and he nailed the front, perfect finish.
then, ALL HEAVENS OPENED UP AND...
RAH"S DUMBELL ENTERED THE RING. i swear to god his eyes lit up, his ears went as far foward as they could, and he almost jumped on me. he looked at me and he was like, ARE YOU SERIOUS? we play this game here too??? he set up like a dream, believe me :) he was like, THROW THE DB WOMAN I WANT TO GET IT. he was shaking so hard at this point i could feel it against my leg. which is why, when i sent him, he went to pick the db up like he always does - rah essentially goes out and picks up as he's turning many times - he doesnt stop, pick it up, then turn - he gets there, stops his front end, but the back end keeps going. so on this floor, when he tried to stop, he hit the db, tripped over it, and went flying an additional couple of feet (HEARTBREAKING). he finally gets it in his mouth and comes in for the front - and mr butthead and sat far when he came in - i had to lean far to get the db, and he was crooked - but i got it from him :)
quick transition over to the high - he's high as a kite right now, he's dripping drool. set him up, i had a good 12 feet, i throw it (nice thing about carpet, db's dont bounce much). miraculously somehow he managed to get the db without sliding much on the pickup like he did on the flat, but once he got over the jump, he slid about 2-3 feet trying to hit the front (left skid marks on the carpet!) and ended up crooked, kinda far again, but didn't fight me to give up the db. this front he also didn't come all the way around me - he needed to come up a bit and looking back i should have fixed it.
then rah was the saddest dog ever - because the db left. and he spent a good 3-4 seconds watching it longingly, and i think for a fleeting second considered going after it. but i called him back, set him up for the broad. since we had a reduced height, it was 8 inches shorter than normal which probably contributed to him cutting it, but he cut the corner and he almost went down he slipped so much - this was his worst one, he literally almost went flat. but he came back and he did a pretty good front after all of that, and a nice finish. once we were done, he jumped up on me, i breathed, and waited for someone to bring me something for him to tug on!!!
but i was so stressed by the out of sights (and had been telling everyone that all week) that i ruined it for us , and he had to have his back to everything (the entire show), we went back in the ring and he was a total stressball. he didnt want to set up - i got him set up once, he popped up, set him up again, he got up, set him up a THIRD time finally andi knew we were screwed, didnt want to sit, he was shaking, and i didnt even make it across the ring before he stood up. he did a three minute stand . he flipped from side to side on the down, but he held it. terry and elsie said he just looked like he wanted out of there - he just wanted to get up and find me. i dont know why he was so freaked out about the whole thing - but it was abig show site and i know i havent trained out of sights enough in situations like that - and i was so stressed about his stays. ugh. so i killed that for him. he was a totally different dog going in for the stays than who i had for the other parts - and that wasnt always pretty. on his down he held it but flipped hips, which he also doesnt normally do. he even went down flat on his side (judge joked "i think he finally gave up" and my trainer said "that dog? never!")
had he held his stays, we were working a 190 - which would have given us first place
we lost 5 on the heeling (3 for the no sit alone). 0 off on DOR (my pride and joy for the trial!), 2 off on the ROF and ROH, and 1 off on the BJ.
im hopeful but also stressed. im entered next sunday, and if my trainer thinks its ok we will show then - but im not sure how i feel about the trials i had planned in march, ill have to consider how well he's doing v. the chance to get to repeat mistakes. im definitely entering CDSP and APDT stuff, i was considering some ASCA trials too, so not doing 2-3 AKC trials won't kill us... but who knows. we definitely need to work on our front issues with the db still - this fighting him to give up the db is ridiculous, and its clear to everyone that he simply doesnt want me to have it, he wants to keep it. but i gotta see about these stays too.
on the other hand, many people came up to us and commented on what a nice class he worked, and what drive and enthusiasm he had, and how nice it was to see a dog still have that.
all in all, while it would have been nice to have that leg, im happy to have q'd all the individuals - the stays have come back to haunt us, but we will work through it. but working a 190... on 3 weeks of no training!!?? and 1 match, ever? at his first show? would have been nice :)
mental note - also have to work that first halt.
and bigger mental note. berlin is a dirty dirty dog and she is most definitely in estrus right now. i keep telling her 1) she's too young for kids and 2) its like incest for anyone here and 3) everyone here is either altered or of the same sex anyway but berlin doesn't seem to care. she's a dirty dirty girl.
we got there, and realized immediately - the show was on carpet, (ironically - GREY carpet that perfectly matched rah's color - he blended!) - and rah slid EVERYWHERE it was so bad. i saw terry (my trainer) who was judging NovB, OB and Elsie, who owns the training facility and they immediately warned me how slippery things were and to watch rah. Luckily, my judge gave us all 4 inches off our jump heights if we wanted, but rah still slid all over the place.
Molly, who was there with her shiba Mashi, qualified for their first RN leg!!!!
warming up he was on, but right before we were going in the ring i had a leash malfunction and thats when the judge called us in, and stupid me i just walked in - and had no attention from rah. i should have regrouped before we walked in the ring, but we got in and he was in la la land. i got him back immediately though for the set up and he was with me, so i didnt need any games there.
heeling wasnt bad - i still got a no sit !!!!!! for the first halt i think - no one could remember for sure if he sat or not -some said he did, some said he didn't - i thought he didnt, and looking at the score, it does not appear that he did :) terry thought i was probably too nervous and just didnt give my nice signals, which is the most likely reason for the no sit. however, once we started moving after that he was on - right up in me and raring to go. nailed everything else after that.
transition over to the f8 wasnt bad, but he didnt want to set up, he was distracted by the people coming in - it was a tricky set up because we ended heeling right by the entrance, and they had to come in right around us and set up the posts, so he glanced at them a few times but i backed out and got him back with me and reset him up and he was much better. fig8 was pretty good! if i do say so myself, especially for being off leash - much less pushy on that inner post and he moved his hind end like no other for it. slightly crooked halts though i think, but nice. i knew exactly where we were going for the DOR, so i didnt even wait for the judge to move me, once we were done, i just gathered him up and motored.
transition over to the DOR wasnt bad either - we had to move across the entire ring though, which should have been scary, but i heeled him over to the other corner of the ring like it was nothing, set him up and didnt look once at the judge, just kept my eye on him. DOR was perfect, nothing off, and when he dropped he slid at least 10 feet on the carpet. i mentally thought the entire time strong signal strong signal strong signal strong signal and when he was sliding he considered not putting his elbows down, but i had my nice strong signal still up and the judge was laughing he was moving so fast, he moved the carpets! called him in for the front and he nailed the front, perfect finish.
then, ALL HEAVENS OPENED UP AND...
RAH"S DUMBELL ENTERED THE RING. i swear to god his eyes lit up, his ears went as far foward as they could, and he almost jumped on me. he looked at me and he was like, ARE YOU SERIOUS? we play this game here too??? he set up like a dream, believe me :) he was like, THROW THE DB WOMAN I WANT TO GET IT. he was shaking so hard at this point i could feel it against my leg. which is why, when i sent him, he went to pick the db up like he always does - rah essentially goes out and picks up as he's turning many times - he doesnt stop, pick it up, then turn - he gets there, stops his front end, but the back end keeps going. so on this floor, when he tried to stop, he hit the db, tripped over it, and went flying an additional couple of feet (HEARTBREAKING). he finally gets it in his mouth and comes in for the front - and mr butthead and sat far when he came in - i had to lean far to get the db, and he was crooked - but i got it from him :)
quick transition over to the high - he's high as a kite right now, he's dripping drool. set him up, i had a good 12 feet, i throw it (nice thing about carpet, db's dont bounce much). miraculously somehow he managed to get the db without sliding much on the pickup like he did on the flat, but once he got over the jump, he slid about 2-3 feet trying to hit the front (left skid marks on the carpet!) and ended up crooked, kinda far again, but didn't fight me to give up the db. this front he also didn't come all the way around me - he needed to come up a bit and looking back i should have fixed it.
then rah was the saddest dog ever - because the db left. and he spent a good 3-4 seconds watching it longingly, and i think for a fleeting second considered going after it. but i called him back, set him up for the broad. since we had a reduced height, it was 8 inches shorter than normal which probably contributed to him cutting it, but he cut the corner and he almost went down he slipped so much - this was his worst one, he literally almost went flat. but he came back and he did a pretty good front after all of that, and a nice finish. once we were done, he jumped up on me, i breathed, and waited for someone to bring me something for him to tug on!!!
but i was so stressed by the out of sights (and had been telling everyone that all week) that i ruined it for us , and he had to have his back to everything (the entire show), we went back in the ring and he was a total stressball. he didnt want to set up - i got him set up once, he popped up, set him up again, he got up, set him up a THIRD time finally andi knew we were screwed, didnt want to sit, he was shaking, and i didnt even make it across the ring before he stood up. he did a three minute stand . he flipped from side to side on the down, but he held it. terry and elsie said he just looked like he wanted out of there - he just wanted to get up and find me. i dont know why he was so freaked out about the whole thing - but it was abig show site and i know i havent trained out of sights enough in situations like that - and i was so stressed about his stays. ugh. so i killed that for him. he was a totally different dog going in for the stays than who i had for the other parts - and that wasnt always pretty. on his down he held it but flipped hips, which he also doesnt normally do. he even went down flat on his side (judge joked "i think he finally gave up" and my trainer said "that dog? never!")
had he held his stays, we were working a 190 - which would have given us first place
we lost 5 on the heeling (3 for the no sit alone). 0 off on DOR (my pride and joy for the trial!), 2 off on the ROF and ROH, and 1 off on the BJ.
im hopeful but also stressed. im entered next sunday, and if my trainer thinks its ok we will show then - but im not sure how i feel about the trials i had planned in march, ill have to consider how well he's doing v. the chance to get to repeat mistakes. im definitely entering CDSP and APDT stuff, i was considering some ASCA trials too, so not doing 2-3 AKC trials won't kill us... but who knows. we definitely need to work on our front issues with the db still - this fighting him to give up the db is ridiculous, and its clear to everyone that he simply doesnt want me to have it, he wants to keep it. but i gotta see about these stays too.
on the other hand, many people came up to us and commented on what a nice class he worked, and what drive and enthusiasm he had, and how nice it was to see a dog still have that.
all in all, while it would have been nice to have that leg, im happy to have q'd all the individuals - the stays have come back to haunt us, but we will work through it. but working a 190... on 3 weeks of no training!!?? and 1 match, ever? at his first show? would have been nice :)
mental note - also have to work that first halt.
and bigger mental note. berlin is a dirty dirty dog and she is most definitely in estrus right now. i keep telling her 1) she's too young for kids and 2) its like incest for anyone here and 3) everyone here is either altered or of the same sex anyway but berlin doesn't seem to care. she's a dirty dirty girl.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
i think im getting sick. its about 120123123 below zero in my house or at least it feels that way. last night in class i felt so sick that i almost left, but i made myself stick it out because i need these classes we show in two days. i came home fed animals and passed out on the couch. woke up at 3:30 am and couldnt get back to sleep, and now im exhausted.
i have a rental today at 1 pm, and then more classes tonight - and then TOMORROW IS SHOW DAY. im not sure how we will do, we will see!
yesterday we started with stays - he held them, but he sat up immediately when i returned to him and waited, rather than waiting for the exercise finished. it didnt occur to me that my trainer is judging novice while i will be in open, and that it may affect him? he better not listen to her. he should be proofed for that.
started with individuals. his ROF was nice, i was using his front platform. worked straight fronts, then restrained,a nd then regular retrieves. he was nice, collected and drivey. very accurate. beautiful even.
went to broad jump - the only guides im using is a thin go out guide on the jump and two cones - worked some games to maint. the jump and a few whole jumps - twice he was crooked coming in, but once he fixed himself to make it perfect (GOOD BOY), and the other time he was distracted and i stared at him the entire time around so that could have been my fault. but no anticipation and no breaking. good boy.
did drops - the first one, someone hit the high jump when i called him in for the second front and hemissed front positoin completely because he had to look. lets hope that doesnt happen in the ring. i just ignored him and set him back up - worked a few drops and straight recalls and he was pretty good. im going to go with only signal drops so i dont have to worry about him hearing me - but i forgot to practice where i look. need to remember to do that today.
fig 8 - he was a weirdo for the first inner post - and he darted away to STEAL A DB??????????????/ and i grabbed him and he was totally back with me after that because all i caught was an ear :( but his fig8 was VERY nice if i do say so myself. i need to remember not to cut that outer post though, if it had been a person it would have been ugly. give him time to get around, dont let him push me over.
went to high jump - this was the first time we had put the platform, the db, an the jump together. the first one he totally missed it - went over, got the db, came over, and he just didnt have space. made me realize that he really needs more than 8-10 feet. backed up to 12.
he came over and litterally LANDED on the platform and used my body to stop himself for the front. OUCH. but we worked through it and kathy was VERY pleased with how the platform is working for him - hes FINALLY looking as to where he needs to go and lining himself up before he even jumps. my biggest issue is that hes going to need at least 12 feet after the jump to get himself into front. at 8 feet we have no chance - he's LANDING at 8 feet- and if he lands past me, he is likely to just put himself into heel position. ill see how far i can get. i dont think i can ask him to collect himself anymore - its how big he has to jump to get over a jump that big when hes moving that fast.
heeling was... crazy. dont heel rah when he hasnt heeled for 3 weeks - he was off the wall. literally. jumping, popping all over the place, crazed. and this was AFTER working for 40 minutes already - i cant imagine what it would have been like had we heeled first - we ended up doing circles because rah was so bad. he finally settled down, but damnit, im going to have to heel him to death before we get in the ring
!
!!
im nervous. and maybe sick.
and rah is chasing lights off my computer.
i have a rental today at 1 pm, and then more classes tonight - and then TOMORROW IS SHOW DAY. im not sure how we will do, we will see!
yesterday we started with stays - he held them, but he sat up immediately when i returned to him and waited, rather than waiting for the exercise finished. it didnt occur to me that my trainer is judging novice while i will be in open, and that it may affect him? he better not listen to her. he should be proofed for that.
started with individuals. his ROF was nice, i was using his front platform. worked straight fronts, then restrained,a nd then regular retrieves. he was nice, collected and drivey. very accurate. beautiful even.
went to broad jump - the only guides im using is a thin go out guide on the jump and two cones - worked some games to maint. the jump and a few whole jumps - twice he was crooked coming in, but once he fixed himself to make it perfect (GOOD BOY), and the other time he was distracted and i stared at him the entire time around so that could have been my fault. but no anticipation and no breaking. good boy.
did drops - the first one, someone hit the high jump when i called him in for the second front and hemissed front positoin completely because he had to look. lets hope that doesnt happen in the ring. i just ignored him and set him back up - worked a few drops and straight recalls and he was pretty good. im going to go with only signal drops so i dont have to worry about him hearing me - but i forgot to practice where i look. need to remember to do that today.
fig 8 - he was a weirdo for the first inner post - and he darted away to STEAL A DB??????????????/ and i grabbed him and he was totally back with me after that because all i caught was an ear :( but his fig8 was VERY nice if i do say so myself. i need to remember not to cut that outer post though, if it had been a person it would have been ugly. give him time to get around, dont let him push me over.
went to high jump - this was the first time we had put the platform, the db, an the jump together. the first one he totally missed it - went over, got the db, came over, and he just didnt have space. made me realize that he really needs more than 8-10 feet. backed up to 12.
he came over and litterally LANDED on the platform and used my body to stop himself for the front. OUCH. but we worked through it and kathy was VERY pleased with how the platform is working for him - hes FINALLY looking as to where he needs to go and lining himself up before he even jumps. my biggest issue is that hes going to need at least 12 feet after the jump to get himself into front. at 8 feet we have no chance - he's LANDING at 8 feet- and if he lands past me, he is likely to just put himself into heel position. ill see how far i can get. i dont think i can ask him to collect himself anymore - its how big he has to jump to get over a jump that big when hes moving that fast.
heeling was... crazy. dont heel rah when he hasnt heeled for 3 weeks - he was off the wall. literally. jumping, popping all over the place, crazed. and this was AFTER working for 40 minutes already - i cant imagine what it would have been like had we heeled first - we ended up doing circles because rah was so bad. he finally settled down, but damnit, im going to have to heel him to death before we get in the ring
!
!!
im nervous. and maybe sick.
and rah is chasing lights off my computer.
Monday, February 2, 2009
cat-dog roles - a nontraining interlude
this is in response to maylissa and leanne's posts.
i now know what is wrong with my house.
my animals have no roles.
both my cats and dogs will eat anything and everything. just last night, the cats broke into the cabinets and ate through a bag of brown sugar (!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!) and cake decorating icing (!??!?!?!?!?!?!!!!?!??!) while i was asleep. rah still steals paper towels and eats them.
rahs favorite toy is the cat wubba. yes, did you know they make cat sized catnip filled wubbas? rah loves them. adores them. carries them around and destroys them. all of them sleep in bed, walk all over you, have no issue zooming across the couch.
the cats and dogs play bitey face.
none of my animals know their places in life.
worked rah outside at work today - something to be said for not working your dog much for 2 weeks or so on much at all - he heeled like a dream even though we were essentially right next to a highway. great attention. worked fronts, baby retrieves. didnt do drops, since we were on asphalt.
more work to be done tomorrow. hopefully snowstorms that come will not block us out of class this week. im looking at a few rentals this week.
thinking about the show makes me nervous.
i now know what is wrong with my house.
my animals have no roles.
both my cats and dogs will eat anything and everything. just last night, the cats broke into the cabinets and ate through a bag of brown sugar (!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!) and cake decorating icing (!??!?!?!?!?!?!!!!?!??!) while i was asleep. rah still steals paper towels and eats them.
rahs favorite toy is the cat wubba. yes, did you know they make cat sized catnip filled wubbas? rah loves them. adores them. carries them around and destroys them. all of them sleep in bed, walk all over you, have no issue zooming across the couch.
the cats and dogs play bitey face.
none of my animals know their places in life.
worked rah outside at work today - something to be said for not working your dog much for 2 weeks or so on much at all - he heeled like a dream even though we were essentially right next to a highway. great attention. worked fronts, baby retrieves. didnt do drops, since we were on asphalt.
more work to be done tomorrow. hopefully snowstorms that come will not block us out of class this week. im looking at a few rentals this week.
thinking about the show makes me nervous.
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