sheena

I have just taken on a beginners group & I knew I would have this problem, so I make use of the internet. Each week I plan what I am going to do with them & I do up class notes. I know it takes some time but I usually have to brush up on these things myself, so I know what I am talking about :laugh: Each exercise I explain & do up in PDF Format & email it to the whole class each week. I also include a "Trick of the week" to teach their dogs too. So they have heaps of homework to do & there is no excuse for not being able to keep up if they miss out a session. The morning after class, I also email them with anything I can think of that they need to brush up on or practice...oh....& a little praise goes a long way too :) I am never negative. My new class has 11 students in it & has been going for 5 weeks now & I havn't lost anybody They are all still keen. Any one who wants extra help or I think could do with a bit extra, I invite them to come to class early for a bit of one on one.

The first few runs we did it as a Forced Front Cross with collection to the tunnel, then we all did it as a push behind @ 13 followed by a FC to the tunnel. I think the push behind worked better, but I wanted them to do the former as a training exercise & I think it was probably the better option for the long striding dogs. Surprisingly what they had the most problem with was the exclusion zone. They had all forgotten how to distance handle a back cross I had no problems with Bindi. The only mistake she made was on the first run & she took the tunnel instead of the DW. It was a difficult weave entry for the longer striding dogs as well.

As the dog is coming out of the tunnel (12)I would be positioned on the take off side of 13 just back a little from where you see '13' I would be cueing my dog that I was going to do a FFC with my hand closest to the jump. With a "FFC with collection" you cue the dog with the hand closest to the jump (similar to a LT but you are more perpendicular to the dogs path) You flick the dog over & walk backwards & either bring the dog around the opposite wing (where you see 4) & either front cross or blind cross to the next obstacle. In this case I would do a blind to bring the dog around the wing & send it straight to the tunnel (14). The broad wouldn't even come into it. This is a FFC with collection using a Blind

Ok....so we all got over that. Here is the one that I am putting up for the class tonight. Same map as last week, but I have reversed the numbers. Obstacles 12, 13 & 14 I am wanting the class to practice a Forced Front Cross with collection to the tunnel. There are other ways of doing it & I would value your input, but for my class, they will be doing a FFC @13. :) Have fun :D

Maybe she is finding it too hot in the crate over summer

Yay! Tassie you must post some videos - I would love to see your progress! Yes...me too...

That is how i would have approached it also. Me too, except I'd probably lalala blind at 6 rather than front. :) Yep. Like that option too. You could really send and leave with that. kelpiechick - think you are speaking the same language :D :laugh: All this funny talk....you could call it 'firetrucks' if you wanted...as long as the dog knows the cue. I just taught my dogs that a push behind was just simply "push", & a tight wrap from the front is a "Go Round". Whatever comes natural to me is the cue that I teach them. La la la & Na na na, just dont' come to mind with me :laugh: When you are all finished with this one, I will put up the one that I have done for this Monday night :)

There are very short videos included on the PDF File that I have made up. I don't have an actual video of me running the course. I did however, make EVERYONE in class do a Lap Turn there, just for practice. :D

OMDog you guys...I have to go & put a baked dinner on :laugh: Any one who wants the notes, send me a PM :) With a bit of practice, I could just about distance handle both my dogs on this, & not move past 6. :laugh:

No you don't have to out run them...by the time the dog is performing the jump, you are already heading towards 7 by the time he lands. It's more hand & eye cue than verbal. Some people put a verbal on it, but by the time you say it the dog is already performing the obstacle because of your strong hand & eye cue.

I've done a PDF File up on how to train the Lap Turn but you would need to PM me your email address, so I could send it to you. But basically, as the dog is coming out of the tunnel, you are behind the jump & left of the wing closest to the tunnel facing your dog. You cue him to come to your right hand as if holding a treat bringing him around the wing, then you flip your hand over & that puts him over the jump. All the time you are facing forward ready to race to the next jump. It does require a bit of training, but if you can do Lap Turns, then you don't have to run so far :laugh:

Assuming you mean to do object 6?.....I would be on the take off side of 6,(D/Walk side) ready to do a Lap Turn as soon as the dog came out of the tunnel.Or if you are not doing Lap Turns, then as TSD says.

Oh yes....I forgot about the blind cross. Yep you could do that instead of the front cross at the tunnel exit. I must try & practice my blinds more :)

You've got your dog on the left as it comes out of the tunnel, you send it over jump 4 to the tunnel, keeping your body pressure on ie arm extended till it enters the tunnel, but you don't go past 4 Once the dog is committed to the tunnel, you get to the landing side of 6 ( LH wing) & do a lap turn,(dog is now on your right) which if performed correctly, will bring the dog around to the take off side & flip it over to then perform 7 then it's a backcross at 8 to bring the dog into the weaves :) If your dog is no good at being sent (distance handled) &/or you don't know how to do a Lap Turn, then you would run with the dog at tunnel 5, front cross at the exit(dog now on your Right), & do a push behind at 6 ...front cross on landing side of 6 (dog now on your left) & perform 7 & 8 with left arm bringing him into the weaves. I try to do as little running as possible :laugh: ETA...you would not be getting this at your first trial. You wouldn't get this till you were up in the next levels :) Novice agility courses are pretty simple & most mistakes are made with knocking bars, missed contacts, refusals & the weaves or jumping off the table. You get given heaps of time...you just have to hope your dog is accurate. Just remember that about 90% of runs are either disqualified or not clear. It took me twelve months to get Cricket's three novice passes, mainly because I didn't want him to move up too quick :laugh:

My guys get a very special treat in bed at night. At the moment they are getting a dried green lipped mussel. They have a routine of dinner, followed by fun games (training) with Mum or Dad in the lounge, then its out the door for a pee & then they race to their beds to get their special treat. I use dried treats though as I wouldn't fancy a wet chicken neck in their beds...could get a little smelly :) No worries about having wet chicken necks in the bed to get smelly. They are crunched up and swallowed immediately. Both dogs used to get a smakoos to go to bed (like SM I figure one a day will not hurt them) and they liked those but the chicken neck is a much more valued treat. Maybe variety is the key and I will need to supply something else in due course. Problem with my guys...when I give them a nice meaty bone to chew, which is usually a turkey neck, they finish it, then sniff the ground & then pee on the spot where they ate it They both do this...not exactly sure why, but I have my ideas They don't do it with quickly eaten dried treats. I keep my bed-time treats healthy & special, that's why I go for something like mussels, fish, kangaroo or turkey bits.

My guys get a very special treat in bed at night. At the moment they are getting a dried green lipped mussel. They have a routine of dinner, followed by fun games (training) with Mum or Dad in the lounge, then its out the door for a pee & then they race to their beds to get their special treat. I use dried treats though as I wouldn't fancy a wet chicken neck in their beds...could get a little smelly :)

Every week I make up a new challenge for my advanced Agility class & thought that maybe a few DOL's might like the challenge as well. So each week I will post the new challenge & you are free to give it a go if you have access to the equipment. I will start with the challenge I put up last Monday night as it was a real hit with the class & was a lot of fun to run. It had a Lap Turn (European Move) in the middle. As we have a trial coming up I tried to incorporate as many challenges as I could while still keeping it flowing & fun. My 'usually slow as a wet weekend girl' loved it & cleared each time. While 'rocket boy' who normally creeps off at the start, let me lead right out to the back tunnel. We have been doing a lot of proofing with his stays over the holidays, & it showed Have fun :) ETA 13 to 14 was a real challenge for some...secret was to keep the pressure on the dog to stay out with forward motion towards 14 which then put you in the position to block the tunnel. Some handlers instinctively took a short cut from 13 to 15 & pulled the dog off 14 & straight into the tunnel.

Thats not lazy...thats smart :laugh: Just make sure he doesn't self reward with the treat. Just start off sitting in the chair & dropping it right between your feet & click him for getting it, then put the next treat a little further in, click him for getting it, then a little further & this time click him while he is moving backwards & he has to go back in to get the reward. Make sure you click while he is moving, otherwise you are not marking movement :)

Oh wow that looks like fun Jules :) They have a couple of those set up at Mylestom Caravan Park on the Bellingen River, but I've never stayed in one. I am currently getting a lot of help from a guy at The Rainbow Power Company at Nimbin. He has a very similar set up to what I want to do...same size cabin & everything Maybe we could build a glamping next :laugh:

I am working towards a handstand. In that last video you will notice that the first time she deviated off the mat, I accidently clicked, but the next time she did it, I didn't click & she came back & did a straight one. She will also back around my legs. Loves that one so much that I can't do a reverse heel, cause when I start to move my foot backwards, she reverses around me & I have to watch I don't step on her :laugh: She will also do a reverse leg weave & a reverse away from me followed by a spin & reverse back between my legs...though she often misses my legs in that one....but we are working on it. The way to get 'straight' as well as 'distance' would be to put a rolled up towel behind, starting off close behind..clicking & treating when her back feet touch the towel, then gradually move it further back etc. etc. Once you have distance you can then reduce the width of the rolled up towel, so that they have to concentrate on going back straight. :)

This is her doing a REAL Back-up :)

Send your details to Black Hawk [email protected] & ask for some of their samples :) Other companies might hand out samples too...I don't know.

Your welcome too BL :laugh: I have just been talking to an engineer friend that makes solar panels & he said that the quote I got was a rip off. Interestingly he said that a microwave uses the equivilient of 60 LED lights. So I think we will do away with the microwave...it doesn't really go with the environmental ambiance any way :laugh: I am going through ideas for names but at the moment it will be 'Corkwood Cottage' :)

Definately going to be using gas for cooking, fridge & hot water. I have even suggested to OH that we could run a seperate black poly pipe from the house 500 meters & that would heat the water. No good on a cold day though :laugh:

Don't you just hate that...only small dogs allowed. They are the ones that make all the noise :laugh: I hope one day you realise your dream. I think though unless you do all the work yourself, just a small cabin will set you back 100 grand That's a lot of money to try & recoup. We will be doing all the work ourselves & hope to get out of it for about $50,000. I would never live long enough to recoup my investment. Flashsmum...your in :)