Ottoman training fun

We actually work table in passing quite often. Today I got ambitious and spent a WHOLE 3.13  minutes building 4 dogs mad table skillz.  The video is very close to the entire session- only edited to move the bloopers to the end and cut the time it took to set up and turn off the camera! Sally really didn't want to get pulled off the table. Brody really wanted to be paid. Sam and Thea both thought the whole thing was fun. I was happy with the way all 4 dogs allowed each to be worked in turn. I suppose I should work Brody and Thea first next time!

My expectations are clear  for Sally and Brody the cue "table" means they will drive onto the table and lie down. Sampson has no cue yet  - though after this session I think he is probably ready. Thea has no real cue either - she hasn't worked table much. The table here is usually Sally's height and Thea doesn't get to work in class. Given I doubt she'll ever run a standard aac class (which has a table) I'm not too worried about saying  "table" and then "down" if the need should ever arise.

Pretty pretty ...

Nice ribbon eh?
I had the pleasure of picking up 4 of them this weekend.
1 for Sally's sister Sophie.

 

That title ribbon belongs on this collection ... but they ran out of title ribbons at the actual trial we were at. 

2 were for titles Sally earned at the last trial. (Perhaps the only standard title she'll ever earn!)

1 was Brody's last level 3 title. 

What good dogs. I wasn't going to pick them all up but then I tried to decide which to take for my guys to pick up and couldn't make up my mind - so laid out my  eight dollars and took them all :)

When you live with a goofball - sometimes all you can do is grab the camera ...

Happy Heart Day ... to you and yours ...

Sally and Sampson got more Valentine's than I did  - by a long shot!!

The colours course from Sunday - we ran the squares as I literally had NO time to walk the course and two of the super neat people in agility ran out with me and yelled their plan at me.. it went well - the number 9 tunnel caught an amazing number of people and dogs but both Sally and Brody zipped right through it all.

Sampson is going through a tearing things up phase ... he was sorely tempted by the Valentines!!

Why does Brody play agility?

He doesn't do it for any great deep abiding love of the sport. 

He doesn't do it because he loves to GO GO GO.

(He is a lapdog after all)

We didn't start agility because of his endless energy or drive. 

We started agility because it was offered in the same church as his puppy classes were and it looked like something different to try.

Brody plays agility to make me happy. 

He loves making me happy. 

He does not like making mistakes and doesn't like leaving me. 

At home or on course - he is happiest at my feet!

Have we done things to help him enjoy agility for agility's sake?

Sure.

He loves a game we call "Bouncy, bounce".  I hold a treat in each hand and I bounce from foot to foot while facing him. Eventually I take off (in either direction) and he chases me. When he catches me - he gets the treat. 

Simple? Very.

Motivating for Brody? Very. 

Playing at Nationals

I can easily play this at the in gate. It has literally become an on switch over the years. 

Clean Run has a great article about help the disengaging dog in the Feb 2012 issue.

 By Leslie McDevitt,  it is for dogs impacted by ring stress but reading it I realized that the same techniques could help build a love of agility. She outlines identifying stressors for your dog and dealing with them directly. She talks about the concept of not using up your dogs energy bank at the start line~ something I have always avoided doing.She further outlines using Mat Work, the Look At That Game and the Gimme A Beak Game. She builds a neat twist onto Gimme a Break Game. 

She suggests doing one obstacle, rolling a treat along the floor and going to sit in a chair as you say "Good bye". When the dogs comes to see what you are doing return to the agility game and do two obstacles; then roll a treat away say "good bye" and go sit down. Repeat, adding one obstacle at a time until your dog has completed a sequence of obstacles and is begging for more work. 

I LOVE this concept. I suspect Brody would adore this game. 

Brilliance I say, sheer brilliance! 

Can't wait to try it. 

I'm a Ford Tempo, She's a Maserati

Brody's a Cadillac.

And another couple of awesome runs ... good dogs.
Colours - arrived late enough to not get to walk course really but had a minute for a good look at it. Both dogs - awesome.  Qs ...Sally's in 4.8 yps or so
Our other class was Fullhouse ... see video above ... great jobs!


Weekend Summary 

Brody
Standard Q level 4 - earned one; missed one when I missed the jump ( #5 earned)
Fullhouse - level 4 Q earned 27 points, level 5 Q earned 27 points ((last one: first one)
Jackpot - level 3 earned - title finished!!
Snookers - level 4 Q earned (last one!)
Colours - level 4 Q earned  (last one!)

Sally
Standard Q - level 2 - 2 dog walks blown - whoops - lovey runs otherwise
Fullhouse - level 3 - 2 Qs earned  (last ones)
Jackpot - level 3 earned  (first one)
Snookers - level 3earned ( 49 points) (second one)
Colours - level 3 earned (second one)

Q rate for the weekend - 75 percent overall ... 85 percent for Brody ... should have been 100 percent if it weren't for the little Ford handler ....

Who knew Buddha was a dog trainer?

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.  

Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.  

Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your (religious) books.  

Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.  

Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.  

But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it. 

 ~Buddha