Was a superwonderfuliscious week for the dog.
I got there ten minutes before class time and had open floor to do a quick loosening up session. This is hugely important if you are getting ready for show. The dog will have a little pent up energy from riding in the car and then arriving in a really cool and fun place. Getting there a few minutes early gives you enough time to get your dog acclimated and warmed up.
So, I switched my guy into his training collar and got him out on the floor. We started out with loose play-walking. This is me talking him and letting him grab the leash and jump around if he wants. Then I do a quick heeling run with attention games (dropping the leash and running away if his attention drifts) and also a few sits.
And that is it.
The type of dog he is means he expends a lot of energy as he works, because he throws his all into it. So I don't really want to warm up too much or risk him getting worn out mid-class.
Same thing is true at a show. You don't want your dog to be freaked out and jittery when you are heading into the show ring. But the other BAD thing is to have a dog who's lagging or tuning you out because he's tired, bored, and/or stressed.
Jack was perfect at everything. Except fronts (boo).
The teacher pulled me aside and told me that he is going to be one of those dogs that I can have a lot of fun with (meaning he will go far and score high in shows), but she wanted me to stop helping him out so much with the recalls. This is so stupid, but when I see him coming in crooked, I use my hands to guide him. <- A very bad habit.
Rather than buld a front machine, I'm going to use the 'front boards', which is essentially setting up a visual parking spot for the dog. He has to focus on getting his butt straight when he comes in, because he's going to be conscious of those boards on either side.
Currently debating if I want to drive to a fun match about 20 miles away from my house. I want to. But argh. I feel so drained today. Need sleep.
There was another guy at the class with a golden. His dog is a little bit showier looking than Jackie, but he's got minor attitude problems. The guy had his dog on a pinch collar because it helps him pay attention in the class. But then through the class the dog acted somewhat stressed out. I think the dog was picking the mood up from the owner. Still, the put the dog on a buckle collar and were going to see if that helped him relax.
I guess that guy was one reason why I felt a little uncomfortable about just joining the class, because I'm really just cleaning up and 'training with distractions'. The other people are still teaching and learning how to do everything, so at different points during class I kinda felt uncomfortable about showing off.
Like off leash healing.
I've been training Jacks off leash since he was a puppy. As a result, I don't need to say anything to get a perfect heel. I can't get away from him. <- Which is how it ought to be, at least in Novice. I'm not sure what he's going to think of Open when you leave the dog behind and go somewhere out of sight for five minutes. !!!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Week 2 - Review
Huh...?
*scratches head*
Yesterday was one of those days when I really kinda felt like I wasted my money - sad to say.
Have you ever gone from a small class learning whatever and gone to a really big class learning whatever and witnessed the teacher running around with her head cut off? That was exactly what it felt like. :O
We started off with heelwork - which was fun, except it was at a lower level than I'm used to. That was OK, because I knew that would be an issue before I signed up with this class. This is a lower level class than the one I completed back in December.
They were just practicing footwork when stopping, which uh-erm... (is boring).
Next we did figure-eights. We had a group of three where I stood, so I stood for the two other people and then grabbed my dog for our turn. By then the teacher was right there rushing us. She said she would stand there and watch. And she watched us go exactly ONE time around (as in I was just completing the eight) when she stopped me and told me "You did that really well" (which we didn't, Jacks was forging and I put my hand back to guide him back into place, mondo points off in show ring, OK?) and told me to work on keeping my pace up and regular throughout.
I was like OK and wanted to try again (as the other people did two times around for practice), but ACK! She moved on to the next exercise - which was still more practicing footwork with sits (boring).
Then the topper was when she wanted everyone to do fronts with the front machine. She leant me her front machine (which is a wooden board glued or nailed to three little blocks of wood) and proceeded to show me how to use a clicker to get him to TOUCH the surface with a toe or whatever. Jacks danced around the board (like I thought he would) trying to get at the food in her hand.
Then she told me to practice fronts - suggesting I could continue to work on the board or do them regular.
I felt like it would have been too rude to shove the stupid board aside after she leant it to us, and I figured I might as well make a show of trying to show Jacks how to get on it.
And my way of doing that btw is reverting to a 'force' (pushed the board up to a wall and stood on the other side with the treat in my right hand to lure him up on the board between me and the wall) and the already taught word 'hupp' (which he knows means I want him to get up on something). After three or four 'touches', he got up on the board.
The episode (including her doing the clicker 'touch' thing with my dog) took about five minutes. I was THINKING about moving on to do at least one regular front (far, far away from the stupid board), when I heard the teacher gathering everyone's attention and moving on to something else.
Oh!
And that something else was 'moving from the stand exercise back to the heeling exercise to set up and heel around the room'. Should have been fun, right?
It almost was, except I was flustered (still dwelling on the fact I didn't get to work on fronts).
He stood/stayed and then I released him and moved him out. Only I forgot the setup part and tried heeling him around the room. I was called back and did a makeshift setup and then heel. But it bothered me that we didn't do it exactly right. So I was hoping for a second try.
But yep - that was when she moved on to something else. Practicing fasts....
And later on she mentioned how she wanted people to think about teaching their dogs tricks to loosen them up between exercises. Then she came up to me and suggested I go on this website to teach my dog a hundred things to do with a box.
Which is fine, because I think teaching your dogs tricks is FUN. But I was trying to figure out why she made a special trip over to me just to tell me. My dog does tricks. *weeps* We aren't slackers in that territory. And yes, I'm thinking about going through our repertoire of tricks in next class. Just because. We aren't slackers. At. All.
*sits down and sulks*
And yes, I know this post makes me sound like one of those know-it-alls who complain about having to read Tom Sawyer (a book about a eleven year old) in eleventh grade (when you are sixteen and really want to be reading about people your age). <- Yes, I sulked-dourly about that too.
The good news is we did get stays in there and Jacks STAYED!!!!!!! <- Yes, line of eps are absolutely evocative and necessary.
I'm also thinking that getting him over to a fun match this week might make me feel a lot better. I MIGHT DO IT.
If my car is safe to drive to either X or Y (both locations which are nearly an hour away from my house).
*scratches head*
Yesterday was one of those days when I really kinda felt like I wasted my money - sad to say.
Have you ever gone from a small class learning whatever and gone to a really big class learning whatever and witnessed the teacher running around with her head cut off? That was exactly what it felt like. :O
We started off with heelwork - which was fun, except it was at a lower level than I'm used to. That was OK, because I knew that would be an issue before I signed up with this class. This is a lower level class than the one I completed back in December.
They were just practicing footwork when stopping, which uh-erm... (is boring).
Next we did figure-eights. We had a group of three where I stood, so I stood for the two other people and then grabbed my dog for our turn. By then the teacher was right there rushing us. She said she would stand there and watch. And she watched us go exactly ONE time around (as in I was just completing the eight) when she stopped me and told me "You did that really well" (which we didn't, Jacks was forging and I put my hand back to guide him back into place, mondo points off in show ring, OK?) and told me to work on keeping my pace up and regular throughout.
I was like OK and wanted to try again (as the other people did two times around for practice), but ACK! She moved on to the next exercise - which was still more practicing footwork with sits (boring).
Then the topper was when she wanted everyone to do fronts with the front machine. She leant me her front machine (which is a wooden board glued or nailed to three little blocks of wood) and proceeded to show me how to use a clicker to get him to TOUCH the surface with a toe or whatever. Jacks danced around the board (like I thought he would) trying to get at the food in her hand.
Then she told me to practice fronts - suggesting I could continue to work on the board or do them regular.
I felt like it would have been too rude to shove the stupid board aside after she leant it to us, and I figured I might as well make a show of trying to show Jacks how to get on it.
And my way of doing that btw is reverting to a 'force' (pushed the board up to a wall and stood on the other side with the treat in my right hand to lure him up on the board between me and the wall) and the already taught word 'hupp' (which he knows means I want him to get up on something). After three or four 'touches', he got up on the board.
The episode (including her doing the clicker 'touch' thing with my dog) took about five minutes. I was THINKING about moving on to do at least one regular front (far, far away from the stupid board), when I heard the teacher gathering everyone's attention and moving on to something else.
Oh!
And that something else was 'moving from the stand exercise back to the heeling exercise to set up and heel around the room'. Should have been fun, right?
It almost was, except I was flustered (still dwelling on the fact I didn't get to work on fronts).
He stood/stayed and then I released him and moved him out. Only I forgot the setup part and tried heeling him around the room. I was called back and did a makeshift setup and then heel. But it bothered me that we didn't do it exactly right. So I was hoping for a second try.
But yep - that was when she moved on to something else. Practicing fasts....
And later on she mentioned how she wanted people to think about teaching their dogs tricks to loosen them up between exercises. Then she came up to me and suggested I go on this website to teach my dog a hundred things to do with a box.
Which is fine, because I think teaching your dogs tricks is FUN. But I was trying to figure out why she made a special trip over to me just to tell me. My dog does tricks. *weeps* We aren't slackers in that territory. And yes, I'm thinking about going through our repertoire of tricks in next class. Just because. We aren't slackers. At. All.
*sits down and sulks*
And yes, I know this post makes me sound like one of those know-it-alls who complain about having to read Tom Sawyer (a book about a eleven year old) in eleventh grade (when you are sixteen and really want to be reading about people your age). <- Yes, I sulked-dourly about that too.
The good news is we did get stays in there and Jacks STAYED!!!!!!! <- Yes, line of eps are absolutely evocative and necessary.
I'm also thinking that getting him over to a fun match this week might make me feel a lot better. I MIGHT DO IT.
If my car is safe to drive to either X or Y (both locations which are nearly an hour away from my house).
Monday, April 19, 2010
Back to Training - Post Week 1
Have been on break over winter - partly because of finances, partly because I REALLY HATE driving around when it's dark out. It makes me feel depressed and windblown inside.
Spring session just started up -
I had a choice between open floor classes or repeating Novice 2 (we cleared Novice 3 and technically are in that fuzzy gray area where you just keep repeating classes until you feel your dog is mature enough to handle the show ring), and I chose Novice 2, partly because the open floor classes can be a zoo.
The new teacher is fun. I definitely like her better than the one we were with all last year. The one from last year was good, except she didn't understand the difference between the way you handle a working dog and handling a sporting dog. Working dogs you have to be more assertive. Sporting dogs, or at least golden retrievers need a softer hand. Especially when they are as neurotic as my little guy.
We are also going to start doing fun matches soon. Probably next month after we finish this 'brush up' round of classes. Yay.
One thing about the new teacher that has me scratching my head... my dog was the only one who completed a perfect front. But she was suggesting I use a 'front machine' which is essentially like a raised 'park it' mat that you have to train your dog to sit on.
I feel like this will mess up his fronts if I start introducing something like that this late in the game. :O
Main problem we face is the stay. He is doing all right, but still isn't solid on the stays. That isn't new, but still frustrating, because he is deliberately breaking the stays when something spooks him.
And with Jacks - just about ANYTHING is categorically spooky.
He's started clawing his way into closets when he hears booms (nearby shooting club) outside. Gun dog he isn't.
Spring session just started up -
I had a choice between open floor classes or repeating Novice 2 (we cleared Novice 3 and technically are in that fuzzy gray area where you just keep repeating classes until you feel your dog is mature enough to handle the show ring), and I chose Novice 2, partly because the open floor classes can be a zoo.
The new teacher is fun. I definitely like her better than the one we were with all last year. The one from last year was good, except she didn't understand the difference between the way you handle a working dog and handling a sporting dog. Working dogs you have to be more assertive. Sporting dogs, or at least golden retrievers need a softer hand. Especially when they are as neurotic as my little guy.
We are also going to start doing fun matches soon. Probably next month after we finish this 'brush up' round of classes. Yay.
One thing about the new teacher that has me scratching my head... my dog was the only one who completed a perfect front. But she was suggesting I use a 'front machine' which is essentially like a raised 'park it' mat that you have to train your dog to sit on.
I feel like this will mess up his fronts if I start introducing something like that this late in the game. :O
Main problem we face is the stay. He is doing all right, but still isn't solid on the stays. That isn't new, but still frustrating, because he is deliberately breaking the stays when something spooks him.
And with Jacks - just about ANYTHING is categorically spooky.
He's started clawing his way into closets when he hears booms (nearby shooting club) outside. Gun dog he isn't.
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