Moving From Novice To Open

[Dova]

You can do that? I've never seen anyone do that!

I want video - that would be great to watch.

Learned to do it after reading "Feeling out numbered ? How to Manage & Enjoy Your Multi-dog Household". Our heel work is a bit messy at the moment because Delta's only new at it all. Don't think our video's can be put on the computer, yeah you read right "video" not DVD , I'll ask the OH. Have fun next weekend.

[ness]

My two have a nice pairs HTM routines happening. Prior to getting Kenz whenever we had been doing pet expos and Piper had her girl there I'd often end up doing something with both Ness and Piper .

[Zug Zug]

OK, the mock trial was today. Not bad overall, a few things to work on, as follows:

Heel Free - pretty good, she was a bit wide but very quick and happy. I led her out too wide on the figure 8 and the judge suggested I work more closely to the 'posts' next time.

SFE - perfect

Drop on Recall - not bad. She took a few paces to drop though. It was the longest distance we've ever attempted so I was content but will keep working on smart, punchy drops.

Dumbbell on Flat - perfect, except she bounced up onto her haunches into a bit of a beg when I removed the dumbbell, but no big deal

Dumbbell over Jump - perfect and with gusto!

Distance Control - perfect at quite a long distance

So the judge gave me a few comments, said she was a great dog, and I should enter her in the next Open trial. I thought 'but you haven't seen the stays yet'...

Sit stay - she didn't. She kept dropping. The judge corrected her twice by putting her (and a few other dogs) back into a sit position. She then got very anxious and by the time I was returning she just ran over to meet me in a bit of a panic. Oh dear. ;)

Drop stay - Given her reaction in the sit stay I didn't fully attempt this one but walked off and kept popping into and out of sight for the 5 mins (which is what I should have done in the sits - oh well). I never saw her get up but the judge said she hopped up and back down at some point. So she failed that one too.

I have some work to do on the stays. I knew they weren't ready so no big surprises. Not sure how long it will take her, but she was definitely not ready for that bit yet!

Still thinking about some trials in 6 weeks though. Will keep training, enter her, and pull her out if I don't think she's ready.

[ZAUBISTAR]

Well done on the mock trial. Sounds like she gave you a great effort.

We had the same issue at first. Loved the 2 food game, but struggled to translate it into a recall situation. She is generally lightning fast on recall.

Also did a bit of practice at dropping at a distance, by putting her on a table in the backyard to do it. I think this helped also.

hehehe.... don't think this one would work for us

I was still having issues with her moving forward to get closer to me before dropping, so introduced a stick on the ground to mark the point beyond which she would not be rewarded. If she dropped before the stick, she got the reward, if she moved past the stick I immediately said 'nup' and we set the exercise up again from the start. It was partly for her sake, and partly to give me clear criteria so I didn't go soft on her.

She gave that stick one very long sniff after failing to drop soon enough a few times in training, then looked at me and that was her lightbulb moment. Following a bit more practice with the stick, she is now dropping smartly in a formal recall without the stick. I am still rewarding by throwing the treat over her head so she has to move backwards to get it. And I still withold reinforcement unless she drops quickly.

Sounds good. We had a great training session today

Heeling: spot on

COP: did the full drop sit come from about 3m, perfect (clicker has been a god send)

SFE: um..... as good as you can get with one person. I left him did a lap of the room approached did the exam and returned.

DOR: WE GOT ONE!!!!!!! :D and I mean a full one not the run full bore and drop last minute but clean and smart now back to normal recalls and rehearse distance drop.

Retrieve flat: BIG arch on first return NEVER seen him do that before but I did throw it crooked. Next two were good and much less mouthing with the heavier dumbell.

Stays: Good but very short about half time, he broke both stays last time. prior to that the issue had been in between sit and drop was when he I was going to hide something he had to find

Look forward to hearing how you go in the mock trial Zug Zug, sounds like you'll be on a mock pass with the way your both working, keep it up . Took the dogs to the park yesterday & did a bit of work seperately then decided to do heel work with all 4 at once, heeled off did sit, drop, stand, stay & then a recall, lined them all up & called them in one at a time, then turned them all loose to hoon about that's the fun bit.

;)

[ness]

Sounds like a good day Zug Zug. I slept in so didn't get there today . I did do some ROH practice with Kenz tonight and painted my solid jump. Well one side of it and then ran out of white paint so will have to paint the other side another day.

Edited April 11, 2010 by ness

[xena98]

lol what do you mean slept in it didnt start till 9.30 should have been up and there lol

Gabby did well had her in udx failed but I was pleased with her must get people to give me commands though. Gabby is good doing positions on judges commands though and those !#$% multi retrieves one of these days we shall get it right though. She was very good in ud though. It was a good day

[ness]

Well xena98 I didn't wake up until 9:30 . Ness wasn't to perky and I wasn't really in the mood after yesterdays oh so close to being able to retire her run, one bloody mm more on that bloody scramble is all she needed :p and I'd already done a Novice round under Julie with Kenz on Tue night so was no point in paying $5 to do that again . Had considered trying open with her but then decided I might be biting off more then I could chew and we had more important things today to go and practice ready for next Sunday .

Yes somebody is getting a wee bit nervous already and is seriously wondering if I should have done more training :p .

Edited April 11, 2010 by ness

[xena98]

dont get nervous that is when the handling goes crap just enjoy yourself its just like training except you pay money

[ness]

yes but after walking the course yesterday Xena98 all I could picture was how many bars the stewards would have to pick up again when we finished . Would have been easier if a certain somebody had finished off their bloody ADO yesterday too :p .

[xena98]

whose the judge next week. You shall be alright. Might have to bring some more brain power for the girls afternoon that just disappeared especially the black and white one

[ness]

Hmm judges next week are Brian and Vickie are doing the jumping can't remember who is doing the agility .

Never mind the fact we have to get through UD on Saturday - eeek maybe I should have been at the mock trial this morning :p .

ETA. I know I just didn't pay Keith enough for that scramble yesterday afternoon . Might have to up my bribes for next weekend :p .

Edited April 11, 2010 by ness

[xena98]

Vickie no problemo she has nice courses Brian ummm he'll have ummm interesting ones seriously though you should do ok with both of them

[ness]

Vickie's course is supposedly nice not worried about that I have her in her JDO course too . Although my fear with hers is it will be like a race track and all the bars will not be standing when we have finished. Kenz has time, Ness just needs to finish this leg off ASAP so I can focus on the obedience.

Least Kenz can cope with Vickie - hmm Brian not so sure.

Edited April 11, 2010 by ness

[Zug Zug]

Sleeping in no excuse. We didn't get there until 11:45 - just in time to have a run through the ring.

Was perfect timing. Arrived just as the last dog was finishing, paid our money, went straight into the ring and then straight on to the stays.

20 mins later all done and ready to go home!

[ness]

Zug Zug. Yeah I probably could have gone but had no real game plan so wasn't worth it. Edited April 11, 2010 by ness

[xena98]

Yep totally agreed ZugZug she should have come and done Ness there after she got up and got there not going for a walk lol

[ness]

Oh but the walk was for Kenzie's benefit who was driving me insane!!!!!!! She came home from the trial Saturday and was feral. Ness's UD might be in the unobtainable basket (along with this remaining ADO pass!!!!)

[Zug Zug]

Did stays twice today - at lunch time and after work - perfect no problems. There is a very big difference between 'stay at home or in the park with no other dogs around' and 'stay with lots of strange dogs around' isn't there? Harder to practice the latter version.

I have also noticed that when I practice the stays I don't walk as far away - I tend to go to the nearest place out of sight. At the trial we had to go for MILES! So I need to build up the distance as well.

So from now on we're practising 'stay at this side of the park while I walk ALL the way over to the other side and find a spot out of sight'. Other dogs as and when we can. And 'stay at the farthest corner of the garden while I leave you and go inside and a long way away, and come back with the world's most awesome treat when you're good!

[RubyStar]

So from now on we're practising 'stay at this side of the park while I walk ALL the way over to the other side and find a spot out of sight'.

Sounds like a plan, except for this part! Unless you have someone else with you to watch your dog. I don't think I could trust walking to the other side of the park and hiding when a strange dog could come round the corner at any second!

[ness]

I have to say interesting observation with out of sight stays - my older girl struggled to do an out of sight stay at the park (I think she always thought I was going to leave) but seems to understand the drill in a "formal" situation so we would only ever practice them at training with other dogs in the picture.