Kavik

Having watched all these running contact videos a few times :laugh: , my conclusion is that SG is most interested in responsiveness to directional signals with her running contacts - thoughtfulness - hence the exercises off the equipment which obviously have to do with turning. Some other methods make speed a priority. Silvia's BC and Quiz certainly look to be going VERY fast!

I've only met one at work. He was a lovely dog temperament wise, though his coat was problematic.

I think that would be more like distraction/proofing - SG's In a Box/Green Eggs and Ham :) testing their understanding that they should do the behaviour no matter what you are doing. Certainly something I need to work on with my weaves - I know there are times when I turn into Kaos or turn my body a certain way and he will stop or pull out of the weaves. I have certainly found my basic commands have improved a lot once I started challenging his understanding with me in different body positions.

Would love to check them out :) I've only had black dogs (just how it happened, not on purpose) - white would be a bit of a shock to the system :laugh:

They were fussing around its head and mouth a lot.

That was a very nice run :) Quick too! Maybe they are different to GSD, many of the GSD people I have talked to, including breeders, have told me they do not see competitive agility as suitable for GSD due to the pressure on joints etc and turning at speed. Certainly my fellow has the turning circle of a bus :laugh: and he is not even very big, and he is not an exaggerated type.

Depending on how competitive someone is, I don't think someone would get a WSS for agility as they are still quite big and heavy. I haven't seen one in real life so not sure about their structure.

On top of Agility Dogs point (which is valid and may end up being true) the system in the UK where you have to place to go up levels also makes it very competitive time wise. Here, since you can gain titles through qualifying and you don't have to place, there is not so much emphasis on time unless you are one of the more serious competitors aiming to place. And it is the desire for faster times which really drives new methods such as reliable running contacts. However it must be extremely frustrating to be a newbie hobby trainer in agility having to compete with professionals kinda glad in a way that there is a more level playing field here. Here is another Silvia Trkman clip showing turns on her running dogwalk

Kaos goes better if I hang back and let him find his own weave entry, he doesn't like to be crowded either - guess I should work on that so he is comfotable with it!

Don't ask me to assess :laugh: I am getting help to assess my next dog :laugh: ETA: I haven't met any White Shepherds yet - I am a bit curious :)

She is looking so big now Vickie! Will be interesting to see how that works. I have taught 2o2o with a paw target as opposed to a nose target. Took me a while and some experimenting to get the target position the way I wanted (pounce with both front feet hitting at the same time) and this is going well on a travel plank but doesn't translate as well to full size equipment, more work to be done there! He doesn't drive into position as well as I would like, not too bad on A-Frame, can be slow on Dogwalk. On the travel plank I am working on getting him to do the pounce when I am behind him and lateral to him and to look straight ahead instead of at me (has been difficult to achieve, but pretty good now) and getting some better drive into position from the end of the plank as well. One of these days I will coerce OH to video it (along with the tugging :laugh: ) and put it up for critique to see if anyone has pointers. Hoping to do SG's stopped contact course to see if that helps.

There could be no harm in going to a couple of trials - at the least it would give the pup some socialising. As White Shepherds are not that well known, I don't know how many people would specifically go looking for one for sports, so going around might be good exposure for the breed. ETA: Though most people are not looking to get a new sports pup NOW - but they may know someone who is. I am researching my next sports dog and it is a little while away yet :laugh: Know the breed, still looking into lines and breeders, and looking to understand breed traits better so I can know what it is I am looking at and how that translates into what I am looking for.

An Ecollar is only the evolution of a check chain :D I disagree with that. They are used in different ways and work differently, and there are places where ecollars are banned, including all competitions. An Ecollar can be used in exactly the same fashion as a check chain amoungst other ways that exceeds a check chain's capability. It's no different than the old days washing board to todays latest front loading automatic washing machine, they both get the clothes clean as a check chain and Ecollar trains the dog, evolution/technology makes it easier to use with better results :) With ecollars the use is often negative reinforcement (from memory this is so the lowest stim necessary can be used), which is not normally how check chains are used. Check chains are a physical tool, ecollars are an electronic tool, they are very different. Both aversives, yes, but not the same.

An Ecollar is only the evolution of a check chain :D I disagree with that. They are used in different ways and work differently, and there are places where ecollars are banned, including all competitions.

You could do some focus work - to look at you. Then add distractions. Games where they chase you. Proof your basic commands in as many interesting ways as you can. Heaps of cool tricks in the trick section of the forum walk backwards bow beg crawl perchwork retrieve an object spin target training - nose to objects or paw on objects

Just running will just make her fitter :D Training is great for mental exercise and helps to wear them out - Kelpies are happy with a job to do. There are a lot of small exercises or tricks you can teach in your house/yard or at the park that will help with this.

How much and what sort of training and exercise and stimulation does she get? How old is she?

I've taught a verbal 'Go' cue by teaching focus forward and throwing a toy (on the flat then over a jump etc) but I don't think I actually use it on course :laugh: Mostly just use acceleration. For lateral work I've only done obstacle focus exercises and this seems to translate well for distance challenges in Open.

This is hilarious! Amazing; the girl runs and the dog runs... I am obviously laughing at my own ignorance - I have no idea what running contacts is. Hope it's worth 5k though. ;) You notice that red section on the bottom of the dogwalk? The dog has to touch that or it is a fault and not a clear run. Teaching the dog to touch that while running at speed is not easy, for the dog the most obvious thing to do to get to the bottom quickly is to jump over that last bit at the bottom. You also want them to do this regardless of handler position - if you are behind them, in front of them, moving laterally away from them, at lateral distance from them, you slowing down, without them stopping or slowing down. That is not easy, dogs like to know where you are to know where to go next, if you are not running right beside them, many dogs (mine included) do not perform obstacles at optimum speed. In order to be able to reward correct reponses where the dog strides over the contact area rather than jumping over it, you have to obviously be able to see whether the dog touches the right spot and be able to reward or not reward the dog depending on what it does. In case you didn't notice, the dog is moving very fast, and it would be difficult to be able to process the information quickly and react appropriately and reward at the right time and right spot so that you are reinforcing the desired response and movement direction. ETA: Add to that different approaches and being able to direct them after the obstacle so that you can turn them away from an obstacle in their path that they are not supposed to take, difficult if they are running along it full speed and they see a jump or tunnel straight in front of them.

If someone can't teach loose leash walking, I think they have no business using a tool such as an ecollar.

Why would you want to? That's overkill don't you think? LLW is not a difficult behaviour to teach, any decent trainer should be able to teach that with normal tools.

Clickers are an awesome tool for capturing a behaviour at an instant in time - like a camera taking a picture. Using one or not is not going to define your success with your recall as it is not a training program, just a tool. I've picked up many helpful tips on training a recall through SG's Recallers online group. Chase you games are lots of fun and useful as well.

Was looking on Clean Run and on their section on coming soon it has all 3 of Michael Ellis's Building Drive and Focus series! I don't think I've ever seen anything from Leerburg on there before!

Sure, if he is keen and I am doing the washing and he is being cheeky and silly I will do some tug with him, but since he does have a history of playing keep away with the toy I have him on a leash when tugging so it can't be completely spontaneous with anything at hand. And I don't like to do tug with all the dogs around at once in case it causes a problem by arousing the other dogs too much and I can't concentrate on the dog I am working with. And yes I do like to plan my training sessions, don't think there is anything wrong with that Being spontaneous is sometimes difficult with little kids :laugh: and I do better when I have a plan and a purpose. And I reckon if even great trainers like SG have DWDH moments with their dogs with tugging, and have to work through distractions, tugging around food and other toys etc (and we have seen video clips showing this does happen with her dogs and her top instructors dogs), then it is not surprising that I will have some moments too. Better even, as it means it is possible to work through it and it doesn't mean my dog is 'broken', lacks drive, or that I am a hopeless trainer, or not fun enough with my tugging.

I agree with Vickie It sounds like she is not comfortable with dogs that are pushy getting in her face to play, some dogs (a lot of the BCs and Kelpies I have met) do not want to interact with these types of dogs. I would respect that and listen to what your dog is telling you about her comfort with other dogs. ETA: from personal experience, if you try to push her into situations where she is not comfotable she may become aggressive with other dogs. They don't have to play with every dog they see. The important thing is to recognise which dogs are likely to make your dog uncomfortable. Some breeds are more likely to be upfront and pushy in their approach and play style.