Tweet's stop dogwalk
So lots of people know I'm a bit of a running contact nerd....I love training them,and helping other people to learn them too.
BUT I also love teaching stop contacts too, and I think they are easy to train if you make sure all the layers of foundations are in place.
Here's one of my new students in Peterborough, Steph and Tweet.
Now Tweet already had a reasonable dogwalk, she knew her job. However it was a bit slow, steady and thoughtful.
So we're working on speeding it up and building confidence and independence.
We've got more layers of understanding to build, but I think she'll have a cracking dogwalk eventually π
Positive Agility in Peterborough
π₯π₯ Train with Becci Hodson π₯π₯
At Positive Agility, you are taught by Becci - a Championship handler, Championship judge, and dog trainer with 12 years of experience.
Now based in Whittlesey, Peterborough.
I will be focusing my work on bespoke 121 training, aiming to give specialised coaching that will be carefully tailored to the individual dog and handler.
In addition, I will offer regular workshops and training days at my own venue and around the country.
Teaching agility is something I am passionate about, and I put a lot of care and energy into my students. Likewise, I expect that my students will dedicate time and effort into their training.
You get back what you put in πͺπ
I do not have a magic wand but I do have a lot of knowledge π so if you are prepared to work hard, do your homework, and you want to improve, then please get in touch!
Comment and tell me your favourite bit of the video? π€©
Georgie and Eadie becoming Steeplechase Champs!
Yesterday was a special day, because our Positive Agility Assistant Trainer Georgie took her young dog to the UK Agility Grand Finals to compete in the Steeplechase event.
They delivered 2 fabulous consistent performances and WON the overall title! π₯³π₯³
Georgie and Eadie came to Positive Agility last summer, when Eadie was still a pup, and started basic foundation training with us, and they have worked so hard ever since, laying those essential foundation skills, and following instructions carefully, and doing all of their homework! π€
As you can see, it has really paid off! π€©
Georgie has previously done agility with other dogs too, but in the last 16 months has dedicated herself to learning many new techniques and skills, and so it is easy to see why I asked her to come on board as an Assistant Trainer.
All the students she has worked with have loved her enthusiastic approach! π
We want to say a HUGE congratulations to Georgie for her results so far, not only as the new Steeplechase Champ, but also for winning every single class at her last show, delivering exceptional performances again and again. ππ¦π
Keep an eye out for training with Georgie over the winter π€
Very soggy field π
Gutted to report that the agility field is once again under water, so all training today will be cancelled, and tomorrow is looking unlikely too (I will confirm after ground inspections tomorrow afternoon but I'm not hopeful π)
The ground usually drains quite well but the constant deluge for the duration of May has left it saturated and the rain cannot soak in as quickly.
Sorry to all my students....this is so frustrating. This month I feel as though I have cancelled more lessons than I have run! π
We are optimistic that it will be useable again in time for camp at the weekend as the forecast is improving after today π€π€
Training with Dan Shaw
It's a rare luxury to get to be the student rather than the trainer, but it's something I really enjoy!
I love working with Dan Shaw monthly, who really is one of the best agility trainers and handlers in the UK. I get the chance to focus on my own dogs, be pushed out of my comfort zone, and receive detailed feedback and homework to improve our performance.
Yesterday was wonderful, the sun shone for us, Dan pushed us hard, and I'm so pleased with my dogs.
My Grade 7 dogs Jaffa and Vibe were super....a few hiccups here and there on a brutally hard course but lots to love.
My baby dog Eccles (not much of a baby now at 18m old!) is growing in confidence and understanding all the time. She started a bit cautiously but was much more up for it by the afternoon session, and I'm seeing glimmers of her amazing potential π€©π₯°
I always take it slow with my young dogs, and she is no different. No contacts or weaves completed yet but I'm happy with how all her foundation training is falling into place on the jumps. There's no rush! π
#goodthingscometothosewhoworkhard
Vibe G7 win
It was the first weekend back to competing for myself and Dan, and we had a productive weekend!
My boy Vibe had a Grade 7 jumping win on Sunday (video), and also a win yesterday in the Masters agility which qualifies us for the Grand Finals, and starts our quest for Team England points!
Dan had 2 fantastic jumping clears with Piri, although sadly 1 run had a timing failure, so only 1 win for them, in Grade 4.
One of our students Louise, with her young dog Drift, had their KC debut and had their first win in Grade 2 jumping! π₯³
Another student, Sam, with his borrowed dog Meg, won Grade 4 Jumping and came 2nd in another jumping! π₯³
Any other students been out and about recently and got results to shout about? Or just special achievements to be proud of? Let us know π
Weave training
A little bit of our weave training yesterday π
First up is Piri - I didn't train her weaves (she is my partner's dog) so they weren't very solid when I first met her. We are working to build confidence and independence, and to teach her some harder entries and skills.
Here you can see we are working on the easier 'closed face' entry, but from a harder angle. I am also using scoops and rear crosses because she has previously struggled with these because she doesn't like losing sight of her handler as she turns away. This is BIG progress for her. She is only G4 but will need these harder skills as she progresses.
Then Jaffa is next. She is working on our weaker entry, the 'open face' side. She is a clingy little dog so her training is all about building independence.
Being confident to find the entry without my help, being happy to weave whilst I run in all different directions, and testing her exits if I run perpendicular to her across the exit.
She is in G7 and we meet lots tough weave challenges in champ, so this training will help us blast round the courses even more confidently.
You'll notice that sometimes they only do 3 poles before getting their toy. This is an intentional decision by me, and they are only stopping if I tell them they can. This allows me to reward the all important entry at the exact moment that they complete it, plus it ensures I'm not exhausting my dog by doing 12 weaves over and over if I only want to work on entries. You can do this with just 3 poles too (which I have been doing) but sometimes it is useful to show them the 'whole picture' of 12 weaves and still be able to reward the entry success. You'll see that with Jaffa I finish with an entry reward after doing a couple of full sets where i focused more on the exit skill and independence. But actually she was doing an amazing entry too and I wanted to let her know π
In addition, both dogs have recently had their cue changed from "weaves" to "poles" for various reasons, so the
Eccles zooooooming!! πͺ
Have really enjoyed my return to work this week, it's been great to see familiar faces and new faces too!
Lots of students are now starting to book regular training slots, so don't miss out!
Be like Eccles....and don't hang about!
Message me to book π
Or visit www.thinkpositivedogtraining.co.uk
First A-frame session!
First EVER session on the A-frame π€©ππ€©π
Fresh LOVES contact equipment, he has always loved climbing on them and sitting on them π so he's very happy to now be rewarded for climbing/running over them π€£π€£
This is why i encourage my students to wait until after they have trained their running dogwalk before teaching an A-frame, because in many cases you get it almost 'free' or at least 'half price' (in terms of training effort).
I also don't lower the a-frame or use regulators if i don't need to (some dogs will need it so i adapt for each individual).
Training for a running A-frame when you have a stopped dw is different and then i will use stride regulators and may or may not lower it.
I think the A-frame is the easiest piece of equipment to train (except maybe a tunnel π) but don't be fooled into thinking the dogwalk will be just as easy π¬ππ€£
I don't train the A-frame much with any of my dogs, it's quite a solid bit of kit and strenuous for their bodies, so i limit their repetitions and don't start to train it until they are physically mature (around 16m minimum).
There will be a running A-frame course online soon, plus i can help you on a 121 basis too.
Just PM me on Positive Agility or contact via www.thinkpositivedogtraining.co.uk π
Running Dogwalk!
Online Running Dogwalk Training!
Coming soon!! π€©ππͺ
I am proud to say that my amazing crazy boy Vibe has been selected as reserve for WAO Wildcard!!
Out of over 100 applicants, many of whom have prior international experience and even medallists too....Vibe was ranked in the top 10!!
Only the top 7 got offered wildcards, but Vibe is in line to be called up should anyone have to withdraw.
600 was an incredibly competitive height - with dogs being picked mostly from Germany, and 1 from Canada and USA (and of course our own UK Ollie Tatton who had a great WAO last year!)
Vibe is absolutely the definition of a wildcard - extremely talented and exciting to watch, a young up and coming dog with future potential, but not always the most consistent ;)
This video is the one that was submitted on his application <3
Obviously, with IMCA cancelled, IFCS postponed and many other events looking uncertain in 2020....there is a very big doubt over whether the WAO (World Agility Open) will actually happen at all, or if it will be postponed. It is scheduled to run in the Netherlands in May.
So there's a very high chance that we will still not get to compete anyway, but I am still proud that he was considered to be within the top 10 amongst such talented company.
I hope we will get that chance to prove how talented he really is, either abroad or on home turf this year :D
#supportedbyK9mealsonwheels
#theCPFway #CPFambassador
#positiveagility
Running dogwalk student gets success!!
I had a very special student coming all the way from Essex to Gloucestershire to get some help with her running dogwalk.
Gemma and Rue started re-training their dogwalk last January via my online training course. Unfortunately they weren't able to complete their training due to injury, and then when they resumed training they hit some bumps and were struggling with consistency and confidence.
So after making the trip, we had 2 training sessions on the dw, and went from a flying leap, and very high, pushy hits, to THIS!!
Not just a one off....this morning's session was a 100% hit rate mostly looking as beautiful as this one πππ
Not just a solo dogwalk either, but in sequence too π
I'm very proud of them....all their foundation training has paid off, the understanding is there, we just needed to make a few small tweaks to the set up and training process to help her succeed!
Still lots of work to do (isn't there always?!) but I look forward to seeing Gemma and Rue out competing in medium champ alongside myself and Jaffa later this year! π€©
Happy PigWig! π·
A fun day of lessons today! It's great to be back teaching! π
Little Piri here was just a tiny bit excited to be back at training too π€ͺπ€ͺ
Doing a little handling comparison video for my online training groups.
Just LOVE this boy, so much power, speed and skill and OH those perfect tight turns! ππ
Look at how his head and body curl around the wing? Beautiful π
#vibrantchild #theboycanturn
#positiveagility #onlinetraining #dogagility #bordercollie
Good day at the office! Nice little win for Vibe, in combined g6-7 jumping.
Really pleased with how he ran, lots of power and control in equal measure.
Lovely to have a bird's eye view too....very interesting to watch!
My little Fresh at puppy camp!! Only 6.5 months old, and it is such a joy to work with 2 brilliant trainers setting exercises that were age appropriate!! Lots of fast fun flatwork and relationship games is perfect for our little babies π
Fresh was so cool....his confidence with people has grown so much....he wouldn't even allow proper restrains a month ago. His toy play has improved loads, and is still work in progress!
This weekend saw so many 'firsts' - first wing wraps with me standing AND moving (plus being sequenced with a tunnel too!), first time running through wings AND over poles, first time running from me to another person for a reward (oops no video!), first blinds and front crosses and baby grids!
He's a really smart little chap, he loves his shaping games and I'm impressed with his turn of speed. As his confidence builds, this clever little lad will just get better and better, with solid foundation skills to build on π
Thanks to everyone in my group for the lovely friendly atmosphere, and of course thank you to the fab trainers Naarah Cuddy and Dan Shaw for a super weekend pitched perfectly for pups ππ
Pretty grainy video but here's a little snippet of Vibe's dogwalk and magnificent drive on down the finish line from Sunday!
I appear to be moving at the speed of a π but in my defence, i was very achey from training the day before! π (and i simply can't match Vibe for speed!)
Super deep hit and great drive ahead on verbals π
Wow, just wow! This is Ivy's first time EVER going over a whole dogwalk! She looks like a pro!
Chelsea Hobden has worked so hard on building massive value for the end position and also teaching independence so that she can run past too. For months we've worked on nothing but end games on the down plank, but what a result! ππ
Also did some perfect full running a-frames today for the first time too, easy peasy!
#starsofthefuture
#proudtrainer
Had a great day teaching workshops yesterday! My advanced group really rose to the challenge on a tough course, of 26 obstacles!
Here's Karen and Bert having a go at running the whole thing, after training short sections beforehand.
You'd never know that Karen had never done euro handling until last year when she started lessons with me! π
Bert was still full of running at the end, being a cheeky monkey and ducking the last jump to get to his ball quicker. However Karen is broken by the end ππ
Thanks everyone for giving 100% in your training, you were all a pleasure to teach!
