Ladybug is weaving!!!! Tonight was the first time I put the 4 poles together. We are getting accuracy. Over the next week or two we will get speed. Love to train this special dog! ❤️❤️❤️
We teach many Life Skills and important Social Skills in our Puppy and Basic Obedience classes. Two of those skills are the use of the exercise pen and impulse control. We take a lot of "heat" for our use/suggestion of exercise pens with our puppies, rescues and "out-a-control" dogs. We know,however, that this management program prevents most of the unwanted and unsafe behaviors we see in puppies and adolescent dogs.
We also stress the teaching and use of impuse control for ALL dogs. Impulse control is self-control initiated by the dog and taught without any force, punishment or compulsion. Even baby Jack is learning impulse control after only 6 days in my house.
Attached is a great teaching video by Maggie DiLullo in which she clearly demonstrates with Jazz and Buzzy just how important and effective impulse control and exercise pen usage can be for everyday life. Thanks Maggie for a great example of fantastic dog training!!! And the cookies smell terrific!!!!
My favorite way to teach weave poles is the 2 x 2 method I designed and teach through Agility University. Unfortunately my back problems have returned with a vengeance making it impossible to balance and stand perfectly still for longer than a second or two without support. So I could not physically set up Pizzazz for the poles.
At almost 2 years Pizzazz has turned out to have an affinity for agility. So instead of the 2 x 2's I pulled out my old Weav-a-matics. I like the WAM's because they help the large dogs learn to single track. Here's Pizzazz in his 4th training session with the WAM's. I love that he is driving with his head down through the poles. Also, my placement of reinforcement down the line and behind me helps to build that drive. BTW, I asked Stephanie to hold him so we are only training one thing at a time -- the poles. I'll put the sit stay in at a later date.
Thank you Vilma Briggs for this wonderful dog. After a rocky start he is everything I could ask for!!
Here are some videos with Pizzazz. I've had him for only about 3.5 months. It was time for me to give a rescue a good home. Thank you Vilma for a wonderful dog!!
I am proud to put up Classy's FIRST Novice Standard Q which we received yesterday. I have been pretty open with the problem's he has faced. That along with my need for distanced and obstacle discrimination has made this an interesting ride for me.
We are on our way with just a few things to fix...a start line stay which is non-existence, a concern with the loud voices and noises of the trial sites and bad handling on the part of yours truly which sent him for another weave run (which he loves). This is a good start and a first place for Classy.
I also want to thank Diana Serlo for her kindness. She was there for Classy's melt down and is like a god-mother to him.
I truly thought I would never get Classy into the ring let alone be able to run him in agility. Our work is paying off. This was my last run of the day and physically I had no back left. Bless his heart he waited for me and took my cues even when I was late We have a lot of sit stay and distance work to do but I can see there will be a future for us if I can physically hold up. He has the beginning of obstacle discrimination and I'm quite happy with his weaves. Good boy Classy!!
Many people know about the difficulties I have had with Classy, my young dog. In fact, I thought I would never get him into the ring. Well, slowly but surely Classy is starting to show. This video is his first AKC jumpers run. After a distracted start we pulled ourselves together and had a really nice run.
I want to thank Barb Glover for the great distraction game she taught Classy as he waited inside the building. And Classy wants to thank Diana Serlo for her love and support on Sunday. She was there when he "crashed" and he loves her for her kisses and support.
Today was Classy's first day of working 12 poles. I love this new program I am using. I'm looking at setting it up as an online course with DogNostics down the road.
The beauty of this method is it sets up ALL the conceivable entries Class will (hopefully) have. I say hopefully as we take things day-by-day and Classy starts getting emotionally stronger. Here is one of his entries straight on and second more difficult one. Now on to building lots of entries and speed.
In spite of the emotional challenges Classy is working through he is really coming together with his weaves. Here's my little boy taking a difficult entry and doing a pretty fast set of rolling 6's all taught by the 2 x 2 method. I still think this method with the "tweaking" I've done on it for my students is by far the best way to teach weaves. Classy can hit entries from almost anywhere. And my students are also accomplishing the same.
Here's Fly prepping for the Drop on Recall Webinar this weekend. This one of his fun-nest games -- downing out of the weave poles. This game and many more will be on the agenda in Sunday's webinar. Would you like more information?
Here are some of my competition folks working on their Drop on Recall (DOR) for AKC Open Competition. I will be teaching a "Fun and Games" DOR in a PPG Webinar on the 29th. If you are interested message me and I'll forward registration information to you.
As is his pattern Classy wants to do weaves HIS way. The following video is part of our training session yesterday. I want him to learn with "structure" with the entries. He wants to do weaves as he plays with the Frisbee. In the video the first time is my way. The other two are Classy's. I think I have to compromise.
Here's a video of my 2 x 2 weave pole group. They are doing a great job. And it's a variety of dogs learning to weave with confidence.
