GRCanonandCheddar

****HAPPY 2012

2012-01-04T07:38:00.000-06:00

I am trying to get started with a plan to work with Canon on running a course. We both need to run full courses and learn how to put them together. I am trying to get something setup in the yard to work and to try and run a course each week. I think it will really help.
To run a section of the course each day and then on the weekend try and run the full course. We will see how it goes.

GRCA STD

2011-09-30T01:14:00.000-05:00

This is Canon's STD run. I can see that the way she does her contacts may have caused her to begin to spin. Had she held her DW until I could get setup better, she may have been able to release cleanly and go to the jump/table without the spins. Also, I released her to the wrong side of my body to take the tire. That was awkward for us both. She ran really nicely after that.

GRCA News

2011-09-30T01:06:00.000-05:00

Canon had a wonderful trial at the National Specialty and had some really pretty runs. We met lots of great Golden friends and got to visit and get to know many of them. Canon won the FAST National run and was very close on other runs. Fun time and learned a lot.

Progress

2011-09-21T07:59:00.000-05:00

Canon had a trial this weekend and she did a very nice job with her runs. I only got a few videos cause my friends were all running in the same class.
She got a cue in DAM Team with some individual Q's as well. She also got a Q in Pairs, Standard, Snooker. She finished her Advanced Standard title, and got a Snooker Q, so she got her Advanced Agility Dog title.

I was so proud of her for her contacts. She faulted her teeter in the gamble in one run, but other than that, she was clean on all contacts. She did not do the exact criteria, so we will have to continue to improve, but having all contacts clean is such an improvement. It was so nice to not have to worry about it.

Canon's Standard Run - Huntsville

Fun Weekend

Sit Stay for Canon

2011-09-15T08:42:00.001-05:00

Canon struggles with her SLS so much and I have been working on it in our down time. She is getting stronger and stronger with it and I videoed her staying in the chair while I work with Cade.

This is really good for her. She does stand up once and she barks while she stays. We will see if she can do this at a trial.

***Must mention that I sped up the video. Who wants to watch 2 minutes of a sit stay when they can watch it in 1 minute!!!

2x2????? for Canon

2011-08-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

Although Canon is a strong weaver, I am reshaping her entrances with 2x2's and Kristy's help. She is progressing nicely. We are on angle 3, which is almost straight. She is doing well finding the entrance from the back side. Today is progress. She was not doing that great in the few days we worked last week finding her entrance from the back side. She is having some fun doing this too.

July 6th - Full course run through

2011-07-06T11:16:00.000-05:00

I setup a course to work this week and I ran Canon on it 3 full times and videoed our runs. Issues to work on:

Release on OK - she is not releasing when I say OK from the SL or the DW. She missed one AF and took a few bars. I can see where I was the issue on most of them. I need to work on my cuing while we run. Sometimes I pulled her off jumps and sometimes I did not cue clearly to let her know where to go. On the whole, good runs.

Link is here: Canon's runs on course #1

SLS

2011-07-03T14:26:00.002-05:00

We have been working everyday on the SLS and we had a show n go yesterday at the arena where we train. It was a familiar place, but she was rock solid on her SLS. Once we can get that issue resolved, we are going to have to work on a few other issues with my handling. I am not supporting her and giving her enough information as to where she is supposed to go next and she is pulling off jumps and not letting me show her and then go.

I will post some videos of her doing her SLS work with a bumper.

sp

Monroe Trial - SLS issues

2011-06-27T22:19:00.001-05:00

We had the worst trial ever this weekend. I was horrible and Canon was horrible. We had fun with the puppies, but Canon broke her SLS every run except 2. We ran 8 times. I pulled her 4 of the 6 she broke. I feel like one of the times I pulled her was a really good correction, the others were week. Needless to say, we did not Q at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U39NaEtXo-g

June 21st Canon sequences with contacts

2011-06-21T14:27:00.000-05:00

Here is the video of Canon doing some sequences that include the DW & AF. She is getting lots better at holding her feet and also at getting all the way to the end of the DW.

Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmaGJGPDXnE

June 21st - Canon tight jumps and sequences with contacts

2011-06-21T12:51:00.000-05:00

Today we worked a box of jumps to try and just work some close turns. We need help with some exercises to do here. I will keep trying to work some stuff to make it more interesting and better practice for us.

Here is the link to the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5SvZ3vwYrs

Beginning Criteria for Canon

2011-06-19T22:55:00.000-05:00

Here is the beginning of my criteria list for Canon's performance.

Criteria:

Dogwalk

1. run top speed, full stride over the dw
2. control the down ramp
3. stop in the 2o2o position on the down side.
4. watch me and release on my OK cue to the obstacle I am cueing
5. allow me to rear cross the up ramp
6. allow me to front cross the up ramp and down ramp
7. allow me to blind cross the up ramp
8. allow me to push her to another jump or tunnel
9. get on the end of the up ramp from any angle
10. push to a tunnel that is parallel to the DW or entrance from behind
11. discriminate between the DW and a tunnel

Teeter
1. Run over the teeter full speed
2. pause as it drops
3. wait on the end for my release - OK.
4. Feet can be 2o2o or 4on - just a wait on the end is fine.
5. release to next obstacle

AFrame
1. run up the front side
2. run down the back side
3. hold in 2o2o position and look at me
4. release to the next obstacle on my OK
5. Her feet should be about 2 " above the ground. (see video)
6. discriminate between the AF and a tunnel
7. push to a tunnel that is parallel to the AF or entrance from behind
8. Get up the AF from any angle

Open Tunnel
1. Find the tunnel with verbal command only.
2. Drive to the tunnel at top speed.
3. Run thru the tunnel at top speed.
4. Drive/look forward out of the tunnel and not come directly to me unless called.
5. Find the entrance to the tunnel, even if we are behind the opening.
6. Allow me to rear cross the tunnel while dog drives through.
7. Turn sharply out of the tunnel when called.
8. Call off opening when called.
9.   Take verbal Left or Right, turning away from me, when exiting the tunnel

Chute
1. Find the chute with verbal command only.
2. Drive to the chute at top speed.
3. Run thru the chute at top speed.
4. Drive/look forward out of the chute and not come directly to me unless called.
5. Allow me to rear cross the chute while dog drives through.
7. Turn sharply out of the chute when called.
8. Call off opening when called.
9.   Take verbal Left or Right, turning away from me, when exiting the chute

Weave Poles
1. find the entrance
2. drive forward through the weaves with head down
3. use a rhythm to go through the weaves
4. allow me to run in any direction and finish weaves
5. always finish 12 poles (or 6)
6. move through with top speed.
7. collect before entering weaves
8. allow me to front cross entry
9. allow me to front cross exit
10. allow me to rear cross entry
11. allow me to blind cross exit
12. be able to enter weaves from any angle

Sit stay proofing

2011-06-19T14:09:00.000-05:00

I worked with Canon on her sit stay while Cade played. She did very well with it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XOy0DSMFC4

remote work from Kristy

2011-06-19T09:34:00.001-05:00

I want you to write down exactly what your finished criteria is for each obstacle.

Dogwalk

Teeter

Aframe

Open Tunnel

Chute Tunnel

Weave Poles

Table

Single Jumps

Winged Jumps

Double Bar

Triple Bar

Broad Jump

For example:

Batman and Dabbie's criteria for the Open Tunnel:

1. Find the tunnel with verbal command only.

2. Drive to the tunnel at top speed.

3. Run thru the tunnel at top speed.

4. Drive/look forward out of the tunnel and not come directly to me unless called.

5. Find the entrance to the tunnel, even if we are behind the opening.

6. Allow me to rear cross the tunnel while dog drives through.

7. Turn sharply out of the tunnel when called.

8. Call off opening when called.

9. Take verbal Left or Right, turning away from me, when exiting the tunnel

Take time to work out exactly what you want, not just, "a down on the table". Do you want a fast down? Turn towards you when they hit the table? Think in your mind the perfect table performance and write it down in detail.

Do this for both Canon and Cade and send it to me.

Notes from Lesson with Kristy

2011-06-19T09:33:00.000-05:00

These are some notes from last lesson that need to be saved:

Release Criteria - must be fully defined, practiced, executed
Now or never thinking. I must get the criteria or correct
Correction Protocol - must be defined in practice and in trial situations so Canon does not get away with breaking the rules
Stay on contacts and at start line must be practiced
Course planning
practice planning
mental game

These are things that are to be worked on with Kristy, me and Canon

Jumping - Aframe Practice June 18th 2011

2011-06-18T23:38:00.000-05:00

I setup a practice course from my lesson and ran it, but I must have turned the video camera off by mistake. This is the only video I got from our practice. Canon did a really good job and the course is great practice for what we are trying to proof. This is an exercise to help Canon accelerate around a turn. Nice.

Weekend lessons with Kristy

2011-06-05T19:55:00.002-05:00

For Canon, I need to define and write out my criteria. I need to visualize it and only accept it. I need to train for it as well.

I need to establish my correction protocol and stick to it.

The main challenge for the next few weeks is to get the sit/stay at the start and on the contacts solid. It is close, but not there yet. By the end of the month, it needs to be consistent.

Start line: sit her, walk out, hand up, "Good Girl" release "OK"

Criteria to follow.

Weekend lessons Start Line Stay

2011-06-05T19:43:00.002-05:00

Start Line Stay practice:

7 different criteria for stay
Stay in front of a jump trains start line and table
Sit her in front of a jump, lead out - hand out - "Good Girl" release "OK"
Train by walking out and release her and reward
Also sometimes go back and reward her where she is
Sometimes release her back where she sits, sometimes walk back out and release
So release comes in 3 places during the training - walk out like in a run, walk out and then come back and release, or walk out, come back, reward, walk out release

Contact Stay practice on the flat:

Sit her in a stay, go behind her and run past her, do all the moves you may do in a trial - front cross, push, rear cross, blind cross, fall on the ground and dance, train two different ways: go back and reward, then release, stop out front and from static position, release her with "OK"

As she makes progress, train running past her and doing all the turns I need to practice and release her while in motion. No body cues, just the verbal cue.

Practice on the contacts and throw treat pouch to her feet when she stops and go back and reward her from the treat pouch. Make the treat come to her.
klk

work with collar on aframe

2011-05-31T09:52:00.000-05:00

In this session, I have to grab her collar and make her stop on the end and show her what I want. I think it helped some.

good aframe with speed

2011-05-31T09:45:00.000-05:00

This is a good aframe for Canon. she had some momentum going up on the aframe and still held her contact.

work on aframe run off

2011-05-31T09:36:00.000-05:00

I worked her aframe after she gave me the run off. I got a few more run offs and got to really work with her to hopefully get her to understand that she is to hold it. I had to hold her collar as she came over the aframe to get her to see she was to stop at the bottom with her feet on the aframe. It helped. we continue to work it.

sit stay - af run off

2011-05-31T09:30:00.000-05:00

this is Canon doing a great Sit stay while I walk the course. Also she runs off the aframe and does not hold. We work on it in this session and make improvements. more videos to follow

AFrame and DW work 5-25-11

2011-05-31T09:10:00.001-05:00

Canon is stopping short of the end on the DW. Have to work on that. Her big error on the AF is that she runs off the end and does not stop if she has a lot of momentum. We are working and proofing it.

Marietta USDAA trial May 13-15th

2011-05-16T18:48:00.000-05:00

We went to try and get our GP Q so we can run GP at regional next weekend. BUMMER. We missed the DW down contact so we did not get our Q. Here is a video of the course. She ran a beautiful course and IF she had gotten the Q, she would have placed 3rd. I am really bummed out about it, but NOT about her run. We had many heart breakers this weekend. We did Q on a couple of runs.

May 6th, 2011 practice!!!

2011-05-06T20:14:00.001-05:00

Well, we have been trialing and it has rained for the past 3 weeks such that we could not go out in the yard and practice. Tonight after work was the first time I could work with the dogs in the yard. I setup a series of jumps around the obstacles and worked with Canon on them. We have been working on weave entries a lot because I could work that pretty quickly and she has missed some lately. I have my channels open about 3 inches cause I am repeating her entrances and I want to encourage her to go fast and not cause any injuries. I only have her doing 6 weaves. I will add the other 6 next week when we are preparing for the trial. She is doing a fabulous job with it. She also did an excellent job holding her AFrame contact and her DW contact. I did some sprints through some jumps spread out around the yard and want to do that each day to keep her in shape. I think the Happy Dog trial wore her out with all the runs. She was fatigued by Sun. Good day practicing.

Skills practiced and rating: (1-10, with 10 best)
AFrame - 10
AFrame tunnel discrimination 10
weave entries 10
Start line 7 she left once and I had to put her back

turns and wraps 7 she missed a few turns coming out of the tunnels. I have a 9 ft tunnel under the aframe and she shoots out of it and takes the next jump. I worked getting her to check with me. some success, but we need to work this skill.

Mon 3-28 Backyard dog

2011-03-28T22:07:00.001-05:00

Today, Canon and I worked some of the Backyard dog exercises from Clean Run. They were really helpful. We got through the first 3 out of 10. I will keep working them this week cause they are really helping me with front crosses and handling. Hopefully I can work more this week on it. It is supposed to rain tomorrow.

I did notice that Canon has a bit of resistance going into a tunnel. I am going to have to work on it and make it a higher value for her. She took pushing to get her into the tunnel in the Steeplechase last weekend. What's up with that.

Sun 3-27 DW

2011-03-27T08:53:00.000-05:00

Moved Canon halfway up the ramp and sent her to end. She did pretty well scoring over 90% from there. We will work again this afternoon and see how it goes. She may be moving pretty fast now with it.

Hope so.

Fri 3-25 DW

2011-03-25T10:53:00.001-05:00

Went out to just work DW with Canon for her reps and she got 93% at the end of the contact. One more high percentage, hopefully later today and I am going to move her back some on the plank. She is holding her feet if I am in any position. Now to get her to run for the end from higher up.

Second practice of the day, we worked a 180 to a serp to the AF, then wrap and back over AF to serp to 180. I tried to run my fastest and get Canon to do the same and hold her AF. She did a great job and had some fun. we then did 25 reps on the DW at 1st position and she got 92%. That is the second consecutive >90%, so we are moving her back to half way up the DW down ramp and try it from here. I am going to add more close front crosses. That was what she failed to hold it on.

Wed 3-23 DW & lead out push & AF

2011-03-23T17:25:00.000-05:00

Canon had 77% on her DW and did very good. She got a big percentage of one's where I stayed behind and let her go forward. Hopefully that will improve. That is where she missed any.

Her lead out push was great and she held her contact on the AF very well. She did not hold it when I threw a ball. She could not hold it through that. We will work on that.

Tues 3-22 DW contact work & jump work

2011-03-22T19:05:00.000-05:00

DW, we were 72% holding on the contacts. She does not like her release word I don't think. I may try and change to "Break". I like that one.
Jumping: we did wraps and I practiced using inside hand to support over and outside hand to cue the wrap and I said the word. I used Wrap for tight turn to the left and Hug for tight turn to the right.
I practiced this with one jump, two, three, four and five to try and get it. She was a bit slow anticipating the wrap.

Wed work 3-9

2011-03-09T10:11:00.001-06:00

Canon had a lesson yesterday and we worked on my timing on front crosses, rear crosses and running with Canon in acceleration/deceleration. It was a good lesson. We will go to class tonight as well and have some training. I may take some video in class tonight.

We went to class tonight and worked on a course. we did pretty well and learned lots. After running the course a second time and working on pieces of it, Canon needed me to go closer to the jumps and be much more clear on taking a jump that was out of the path a little bit. She did pretty well on her contacts, but I forced her to return to the contact if she missed it. I think I need to fade that practice so I don't mess her up in a trial. She did a great job.

Tues, 3-8 Work with Serpitines and cues

2011-03-08T10:42:00.001-06:00

I worked with Canon on the same setup we had been working for the serps & crosses. I had her jump 3 in the line and the 4th she had to collect and turn into me and then jump back to the same jump and then across to the other side for a serp out. I worked with this and found that I should cue the 4th jump, but stay back and get a front cross after the 180. That set me up better to be in front of the dog and run with he on to her next destination. We were able to run this line a couple of times without knocking a bar. We may keep it up and work it all week until we can do it without knocking a bar 5 times in a row.

Video to come

Canon has a lesson today and I will see what we have to work on.

Thurs. workout

2011-03-03T18:31:00.001-06:00

Tonight, Canon and I worked a double line of jumps to do a serp with a pinwheel at the top. She had some trouble cutting too close to the jump and knocking the bars. I had to adjust the jumps a little so she did not have to slice every jump. I want her to jump them for now. I also tried to add a front cross at the end of three jumps and see if she could collect enough to keep it going. Kinda-sorta. It was some progress, but we will definitely work this more so we can run all out and then add the collection. That is part of our problem. Video to come

Mon & Tues

2011-03-01T22:31:00.000-06:00

Monday, it stormed pretty bad so the ground was too wet to practice. Cade has obedience class on Monday night, so Canon did not do much in the way of training.

Tues came and I tried to get my work finished and practice in the afternoon when it was warmer. I setup a jump chute for Canon and she did really well. I got a call and we had to end our practice early. We got to go to class tonight and sub for someone. It was a sequence class and it was pretty tough. We did better on the last four jumps/obs. than the first four. I will set this up and work it this week. I was late and unsure of my self on the first four and the second four, I was much better. Good way to end the class.

Feb 24th Long runs

2011-02-27T16:05:00.001-06:00

Today's work was on long lines or jumps in a straight line with a 180 and back. We did ok on this, but I can see in the video that I need to be cueing her much earlier on her turns especially when I am behind her. I think the blind cross worked nicely for us. We did do pretty well with the changes we made to take different courses. I can see where I need to watch this video before I try this exercise again. Yeah for video's in your training.

Feb. 23 Wed - Technical work, cues, short seq.

2011-02-23T21:49:00.001-06:00

Today we worked on start line, lead outs, front cross, wraps on the run & hugs. It was a very good training session. Canon still chose to move after I sat her down, so I had to go back to her and put her in place. I had to put her in the kennel once. She was over jumping her wrap and I used the orange cone to make her wrap tighter. I placed the orange cone where she was jumping so she would have to change her landing spot. It was helpful, but I am going to get another cone to put on the take off side to help her learn to adjust on that side to get the correct landing. I think we made some good progress. The video is still being edited. Tomorrow we may not get to work because it is storming. Regular work would be: serps, jump circles, pinwheels, degree jumps. Lots of good fun fast stuff. We might just do it in the mud!!!!!

Feb. 22 - training shaping up

2011-02-22T14:04:00.000-06:00

I have decided to do a certain set of skills each day and try and build our skill set.
Monday - straight jumping in the chute & 2o2o work
Tuesday - start line work, tight turn work, longer sequencing work
Wed. - short work, technical work, wraps, jump to heel, cues
Thurs - serps, jump circles, pinwheels, degree jumps (90, 180)
Fri - weave entries
Sat. - wild card, tunnel play

How does that sound for some training fun!!!!!
Today we did our start line work and our tight turns and ran 20 obstacles which included jumps, Aframe, tunnel, weaves & table. We did some good work. Our stay really needs work. We will review it each day! Her weaves were not perfect. I think she just gets sloppy on them. Can't wait to train tomorrow.

I may run her again today to video so I can post it.

Canon DW & AF Work 2-21

2011-02-21T12:14:00.000-06:00

Worked on her feet on the end of the DW & the Aframe. She did pretty well. I ran her to the table off the DW and a tunnel and a jump on either end of the Aframe. She did pretty well. I even introduced throwing a ball while she held her AFrame. Progress is made.

Canon Jump Chute Feb 21, 2011

2011-02-21T11:17:00.000-06:00

Well, I will be posting here again as we continue to train with Canon. Best way to journal training.

Back from Decatur Trial

2008-05-05T22:18:00.003-05:00

We don't have to worry about making room for the awards on the shelf! But we did learn a lot about our running at this level. Cheddar and I are very new at running the excellent courses and we are always pretty close on out qualifying, but we have not Q'd yet. We are making course time and that is a huge improvement.

In our spare time, I would take Canon out in the field near the trial building and play with her. They had the most beautiful field of blooming clover so I shot some pictures of her out in the field.

In the Swim

2008-05-01T08:53:00.003-05:00

Canon is having a blast swimming! I am going to post this video, but I am working on making it fabulous to put on YouTube.

April 30th - Retrieving!!!!

2008-05-01T08:07:00.003-05:00

Today we met with a group at the big park that does Hunt testing and we are going to practice with them more regularly. There is a hunt test trial here this weekend so they were out in full force.
Canon will do this in trials and while Cheddar would love to do it, she has never preferred to go in the water over her knees, so she could not do it.

Canon picked up this thing after she runs to get a bumper that she will hold the bumper in her mouth really high with her nose in the air and run circles around me or run back and forth in front of me with it and she won't give it to me. This is no doubt a bad thing. I am working with her on a long line where I throw her a bumper and send her to get it and then pull her to me on the long line. It is helping a lot.

We met with the group and it was led by a really nice man, we were at a small pond and I got Canon out of the van and she ran and jumped into the water. They all saw she was not afraid to get in. I then held her on the shore and the man tossed a series of bumpers into the water and Canon swam very fast and with lots of spirit out to get the bumpers and I danced on the shore with a bumper and she returned to me. She did a great job. She is learning!

this morning when she brought me her usual items she retrieves while I read my email, the TV remote, my house phone, and my cell phone, I asked her to sit and she sat very nicely and then I asked for a drop and she dropped each one in my hand! I think she is putting it together.

At one time, one of the other ladies brought out a real duck for the dogs to fetch. We threw it about 15 feet for Canon to go get and I wish i had my camera for the return. She brought that duck back in her mouth like she knew what she was doing. After that, she was a little mouthy with the duck. It was great.

We missed our agility practice because we were late getting out to the field and everyone had gone by then.

We are off to an agility trial today as soon as I can get packed and go on my way.

Park Practice - April 24

2008-04-25T07:06:00.003-05:00

We set up some jumps at the park today and ran over them. I wanted to practice some tight turns with Cheddar and some fast runs with Canon. Cheddar and I get so tangled up in the tight runs. We are going to have to get a style and work with it. Canon has a pattern of jumping extended way out and she can't regroup and take a jump very well. That is ok, cause right now, I just want to have fun. I can see that she is slowing down at the end of the jumps to wait for me to praise her. I need to set her treats up about 5 to 10 feet beyond the last jump and let her go to them. It was getting dark when I took Cheddar's films.

April 23rd already

2008-04-23T22:26:00.003-05:00

Cheddar goes to a trial May 1st! We have been working, but we need to focus on her issues. They are ME! I need to work with her to be able to run smoothly in the tight spaces we have to run in and keep her going. I have been getting her stuck in the tight turns and even some not so tight. I am going to try and work on this between now and May 1st. I am going to attempt to put up a video of our last trial and give an example of what I am talking about.

Rain Rain go away....

2008-04-15T09:04:00.002-05:00

April 14th Training
I raised the ramp today about a foot. Both Cheddar and Canon enjoyed their reps running to the end of the ramp. Both were 100% for the day. We also worked our weaves. For Canon, I am working on getting her to understand the obstacle. We start with three poles and then add to six. She is doing well. Cheddar understands the weaves, but I am not sure she totally understands the entrance, so I am working with her to give her challanging entries and get her to repeat them. She enjoyed her practice.

Training April 9th

2008-04-09T22:35:00.002-05:00

We ran 10 reps on the ramp and both were 100% on contacts. They did have the hoop to help them. Cheddar did weaves after too. Canon did her weaves separate. She can go into the correct entrance when directed. She is not 100% on this yet. Cheddar is and only missed one time with a pull out.

We then went to the park and setup 10 jumps with two pinwheels and a serpentine to run. Cheddar did well with her fastest being the first run. She then did not put out too much. She got excited when I ran with the bumper in my hand and threw it at the end. She also ran after a squirrel and would not listen to me, so she is going to have to have a long lead on from now on when we are not working.

Canon did a great job. I forgot that she needed a little help getting started, but did some back chaining to help her get going. She had some trouble missing some jumps due to run arounds. I worked on my signals some and made sure I was clear to her that she needed to take the jump. She is pretty good about taking jumps, but will pull off and skip one when she wants to. I will have to work on this. She goes fast! I want to get my timer working and time her on runs.

We are all tired and are going to bed!

Training April 8th

2008-04-09T09:24:00.003-05:00

I set out the ramp and I did 10 reps each for Canon and Cheddar running down the ramp once in the morning and once in the afternoon. For Cheddar I set 6 weave poles at the end so she could run off the ramp and then go to the weaves and hopefully keep her speed up. For Canon I just let her run. I had to place two jump stands with a weave pole across the top to act like a hoop so both dogs would keep their feet down for the contact zone. It worked well. Hopefully I can remove the hoop after some repetitions.

After second set of reps on the ramp, I took the dogs to the park and set up a novice jumpers course there that started out with a pinwheel or almost like a big loop. I ran Cheddar on this and she was able to get some confidence and go pretty fast. I want to reinforce my handling of her in the tighter jumps and the loops so I can be a little more trusting and handle from a distance.

for Canon, I was amazed at her ability to let me steer her. She turned when I cued her and did very well. The only one she did not always get was the out jump of the pinwheel. I had to step into her some and work with her on it. I started out by back chaining the course. That helped her to learn that she was going to have to move at my cue. It was a good practice. I am amazed. I want to get a stop watch so I can record their speeds going through different phases of the course.

I did work with Canon on her weaves some. I want to work on her entrances a bit more before I get her doing anymore than 3 weave poles. So far, she has not gotten it in her mind that this is a set of poles. I am going to have to be consistent with her on this and work everyday on it until she gets it.

April 8

2008-04-08T07:58:00.002-05:00

Cheddar ran two days in an agility trial at home. She ran very well for her first trial in Excellent. She ran with some enthusiasm and followed my cues well. She had a refusal in each run that kept her from getting the Q. We have been working hard on running all out in the ring and she did much better with that. I think her refusals are coming when she gets too tight with lots of turns. That seems to get her stalled. I am going to have to work on that until the next trial.

I finally got one ramp built to work with Canon on her contacts. We started this morning and ran 10 reps with Canon and Cheddar. With Cheddar, I added the weave poles after. I am using a make shift hoop at the end so they will stay on the ground and not skip over the yellow. I did not click today, but I will tomorrow. We will go to the park this afternoon and run some jumps. I got a good course from the trial this weekend that I want to practice with Canon. I will need to have tunnels for the setup.

April 4, 2008

2008-04-04T17:54:00.003-05:00

Cheddar had a trial today in Memphis, so we ran in the Excellent STD and Jumpers. She did an incredible job and was really running well. Her main problem has been going to slow or shutting down totally and not to mention her green trainer. She had a refusal on the double today in the STD, but did really well on her contacts and her weaves. We are leaving the 2o2o method and trying to just run through them in an effort to make time.

In her Jumpers course, I am still going to have to review the film and see what I did. I got tangled up in her path and we collided and then had to regroup. Other than that, we did not take the wrong end of the tunnel like everyone else did. We got the correct jumps and tunnels entrances, but we just got tangled up with each other. She had fun and did great. We will go back on Sunday and run again.

Start Post

2008-04-01T10:42:00.010-05:00

Today is April 1st and I am starting this post to journal my progress with my two Golden Retrievers as we train for Agility, Field work and Obedience.

We train for agility every day in the park and we are hoping to train some contacts at home. I am making a Dog walk ramp and an A Frame to teach Canon how to stay in the contact zone on each of these while running over them.

Cheddar is already competing in Agility and is at the Excellent A level. She is working on getting faster in the ring. She has let confidence slow her down. As she gains confidence, she is getting faster. I trained her to stop at the end of each contact and stay at a 2 on 2 off position, but due to her speed, she needs to begin to just run off the end. She has been particularly slow on the teeter. we have been working on that and she has gotten more speed now. She has a trial this weekend at home, so we can test our progress. She moved up to Excellent after a year in Open. We did not compete the whole year, but we trained and retrained and we also got a puppy in that time, so lots of adjustments were made.

Canon is just beginning to learn agility. She is quite fast and will listen for my cues. So far, we are just doing jumps and tunnels in the ring. She had an injury to her toe that caused us to have to sit out of training from 7mos old to 11mos old. We thought it was OCD, but found it to be torn cartilidge on her toe. We were able to repair this through massage therapy.

We are learning our contacts, but are still on the ground with them. She loves to run, but does not yet know what she is doing on the contact zones. I need to hurry up and get her ramps built.

I have a backyard pool and it is very hard to keep Canon out of it. Cheddar does not prefer to swim! She only likes to get wet up to her ankles!