Training Talk Thread

[bedazzledx2]

Wise words there Mrs Rusty Bucket :D The most important thing is to concentrate and try to do your part as well as you can. That way you give your dog half a chance and hopefully it will all come together!!! Oh...and remember to breath!!!!!! :D

Huski

I think you're just going to have to give yourself permission to completely butcher your first few trials, and just do it. Because that's the only way you will learn to deal with your nerves. They won't go away but you'll get better at ignoring them or putting them in an imaginary strong box in the corner of your mind and acting as if they weren't there.

At least that's what Russ Harris suggests, also Toastmasters, Rostrum and most actors that have stage fright (is that all the good ones?).

http://www.actmindfully.com.au/home

My dog isn't yet reliable at training - so you're way ahead of me. And if you watch a few trials - even the great teams have bad days. You have to be ok with that.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Hi Huski

I think the difference between a mock trial and a "real" it counts trial... is the mock trial you can be completely blase about the outcome - ie don't care at all - ie what I said about having permission to do really badly. It makes it so much easier than when you really want to do well and get all tensed up about it.

I get this problem with job interviews. The jobs I don't give a 5hit if I get or not - are the ones I do best interviews for. Actually same problem with talking to guys. I can't even be in the same space as a guy I have the hots for, but I can talk all day to the guy I'm not interested in. Argh.

So try for blase - don't care about the outcome - ie permission to do really badly and concentrate on being relaxed and smooth do not think about doing your best or trying to get everything right. And dogs are pretty forgiving. I keep stepping on mine accidentally and she's still right here sucking up to me.

Edited October 16, 2010 by Mrs Rusty Bucket

[Seita]

Ahhh!!!! WIND!!!! What fun!!!! Be prepared for anything and good luck!!!! :D

I am getting more and more nervous about trialling again especially with these new rules!! Grrrr :D It's so irrational, because Daisy is more than capable of working at a novice standard, I don't know why I am stressing about it. But it's not fair to compete with her when my nerves get to me so much because it puts her off

Maybe you need to try wine BEFORE your next trial!!!

I'm a bit nervous about trialling tonight... got some crazy wind happening and am worried that it may cause Ella some trouble with her seekback... I guess we'll see in a few hours!

Well the wind died down and we had to deal with the muddiest, boggiest conditions I've ever trialled in and she found a different way to blow her seekback - by having to poo half way through it! Arrgghh!!! It would have been an OC leg too if she didn't do that!

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

For you Huski

Permission to stuff up from one of the very best.

http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2010/10/...ere-for-anyway/

[Tiggy]

For you Huski

Permission to stuff up from one of the very best.

http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2010/10/...ere-for-anyway/

:D

Loved that

[pie]

What a brilliant blog post :D I enjoyed it and it had some great points!

[kathq]

Ahhh!!!! WIND!!!! What fun!!!! Be prepared for anything and good luck!!!!

I am getting more and more nervous about trialling again especially with these new rules!! Grrrr ;) It's so irrational, because Daisy is more than capable of working at a novice standard, I don't know why I am stressing about it. But it's not fair to compete with her when my nerves get to me so much because it puts her off

Maybe you need to try wine BEFORE your next trial!!!

I'm a bit nervous about trialling tonight... got some crazy wind happening and am worried that it may cause Ella some trouble with her seekback... I guess we'll see in a few hours!

Well the wind died down and we had to deal with the muddiest, boggiest conditions I've ever trialled in and she found a different way to blow her seekback - by having to poo half way through it! Arrgghh!!! It would have been an OC leg too if she didn't do that!

At least she still worked for you Nic. Not like a certain Miss Coco who thought zoomies in the mud instead of doing a SB was a much more fun way to spend the time

[Dova]

I am quite certain it's all me at trials. I know because I am nervous, I stuff around and make stupid handling mistakes I don't make any other time. I can take Daisy out to new places or places full of distractions and she will do perfect run outs under trial like conditions. It's just frustrating because you feel like you are letting your dog down.

Your dog will love you no matter what you stuff up in the ring, I've stuffed up sooo many times & this is how I know , just remember the judge isn't allowed to shoot you for failing , get out there & just enjoy your wonderful dog, this is why we have them . Yeah I know these experts giving all this stupid advice what would they know anyway ;).

[Mason_Gibbs]

I am wanting to go back and retrain heeling from scratch again - our first step I get no eye contact and I am not 100% happy with the heeling. Mason is fine when we practice in the mornings but at club training as soon as it is hot he gives me nothing at all

[RubyStar]

I'd love some opinions on how some of you might go about retraining heel position? Say you've got a dog who gives reasonable attention already, but hasn't got a heel position you're 100% happy with (ie. too wide), how would you go about making that position better while communicating to the dog that it is position we are after, not the attention they are giving in the general vicinity of heel position? Millie's generally got lovely attention as I spent a lot of time rewarding that, but she often goes too wide and I would very much like to tidy it up, bringing her in closer and her maintaining that position even through pace changes (she goes wider on fast pace). She can jump into stationary heel position no problems, so I know I need to go right back and work up from stationary where she seems to know her position better, but I am feeling a little clueless I guess on how to handle the rewarding side of things and keeping the treats out of my hands to do this (as she will stick closer when I pull a treat out). We also use a clicker.

Any helpful tips appreciated!

[ness]

Can she maintain heel while you step sideways/backwards etc. I would go back to insisting on criteria one step at a time. So can she stay in correct position for 1 step C/T. 2 steps C/T et.

[RallyValley]

I'd love some opinions on how some of you might go about retraining heel position? Say you've got a dog who gives reasonable attention already, but hasn't got a heel position you're 100% happy with (ie. too wide), how would you go about making that position better while communicating to the dog that it is position we are after, not the attention they are giving in the general vicinity of heel position? Millie's generally got lovely attention as I spent a lot of time rewarding that, but she often goes too wide and I would very much like to tidy it up, bringing her in closer and her maintaining that position even through pace changes (she goes wider on fast pace). She can jump into stationary heel position no problems, so I know I need to go right back and work up from stationary where she seems to know her position better, but I am feeling a little clueless I guess on how to handle the rewarding side of things and keeping the treats out of my hands to do this (as she will stick closer when I pull a treat out). We also use a clicker.

Any helpful tips appreciated!

Watch Ptolomy and Strauss tonight who are supposedly giving me a demonstration of this

[TerraNik]

I've just recently gone through a similar situation with Jedi. He was forging like a dog on a mission So I had to retrain his position.

What I did was:

- Never accepted anything other than perfect position (would break off and start again if he forged)

- Didn't just go in a straight line or circle... I would side step, walk backwards, etc

- Did a LOT of stationary heel position reinforcement

- Fed right in position with the food coming from behind my back rather than in front

- Had food on the ground and heeled towards it to try and 'tempt' him to forge when I wanted to make it harder

I don't wear a treat bag anymore. I just had the treats in my pocket.

[Ptolomy]

Watch Ptolomy and Strauss tonight who are supposedly giving me a demonstration of this

YIKES I need to leave work early and go home and practice me thinks LOL

Rubystar would you not try what you learn at the recent seminar with one of your girls??? Teaching an extended nose touch, Targeting the hand out wide and then moving your hand into heel position??

I will come prepared to pick on your tonight - so you better watchout

[RallyValley]

I will come prepared to pick on your tonight - so you better watchout

I hope this isn't for me! Lincoln will free stack beatifully for you and show good expression

[Mason_Gibbs]

I'd love some opinions on how some of you might go about retraining heel position? Say you've got a dog who gives reasonable attention already, but hasn't got a heel position you're 100% happy with (ie. too wide), how would you go about making that position better while communicating to the dog that it is position we are after, not the attention they are giving in the general vicinity of heel position? Millie's generally got lovely attention as I spent a lot of time rewarding that, but she often goes too wide and I would very much like to tidy it up, bringing her in closer and her maintaining that position even through pace changes (she goes wider on fast pace). She can jump into stationary heel position no problems, so I know I need to go right back and work up from stationary where she seems to know her position better, but I am feeling a little clueless I guess on how to handle the rewarding side of things and keeping the treats out of my hands to do this (as she will stick closer when I pull a treat out). We also use a clicker.

Any helpful tips appreciated!

Watch Ptolomy and Strauss tonight who are supposedly giving me a demonstration of this

I wish I had more motivation to drive down to K9 on a monday night, my heeling is not progressing at the moment and i know that I am the one to blame, its hard training on your own and at class on a sunday its just way too hot to expect to achieve anything.

[RubyStar]

Can she maintain heel while you step sideways/backwards etc. I would go back to insisting on criteria one step at a time. So can she stay in correct position for 1 step C/T. 2 steps C/T et.

I can move sideways and she usually follows, I can step left or right in a circle and same thing, so stationary is pretty good (but with anything, could be perfected). I actually did heaps of this back when I had lots of waiting around in class (back when I trained in classes )

Rubystar would you not try what you learn at the recent seminar with one of your girls??? Teaching an extended nose touch, Targeting the hand out wide and then moving your hand into heel position??

I will come prepared to pick on your tonight - so you better watchout

I tried some last night, she keeps jumping up at my hand even though its low So yes I need to teach the extended nose touch first I guess I am a bit blind in seeing at this point in time how getting her to do that will translate to having better position at my side. I know there is a way, otherwise it would never have been suggested at the seminar nor by you cos I know you're doing it with Strauss, but I am struggling to see it for myself :D

Pick away, but my forewarning is I become even more clumsy with clickers and treats when someone is eyeballing us I very much struggle with timing of reward and placement of reward. Which are essential in training :D

Edited October 18, 2010 by RubyStar

[ness]

Ok guys maybe you can answer this I can get wonderful duration on a nose target but when I go to put my hand out wide dog doesn't get it. Any ideas? Did they mention anything about that.

[Mason_Gibbs]

Can she maintain heel while you step sideways/backwards etc. I would go back to insisting on criteria one step at a time. So can she stay in correct position for 1 step C/T. 2 steps C/T et.

I can move sideways and she usually follows, I can step left or right in a circle and same thing, so stationary is pretty good (but with anything, could be perfected). I actually did heaps of this back when I had lots of waiting around in class (back when I trained in classes :D)

Rubystar would you not try what you learn at the recent seminar with one of your girls??? Teaching an extended nose touch, Targeting the hand out wide and then moving your hand into heel position??

I will come prepared to pick on your tonight - so you better watchout

I tried some last night, she keeps jumping up at my hand even though its low So yes I need to teach the extended nose touch first ;) I guess I am a bit blind in seeing at this point in time how getting her to do that will translate to having better position at my side. I know there is a way, otherwise it would never have been suggested at the seminar nor by you cos I know you're doing it with Strauss, but I am struggling to see it for myself

Pick away, but my forewarning is I become even more clumsy with clickers and treats when someone is eyeballing us I very much struggle with timing of reward and placement of reward. Which are essential in training

Rubystar I was actually thinking the same thing with the heeling to the side - Mason heeled like a arms width away from me a few months ago and it took me ages to get him to come in closer, now I am scared if i ask him to heel out he will start to get confused and not know what to do.

[FranVT]

I am contemplating leaving training earlier, by the end of the hour Luuka is listless and bored. I think it's too long. What do you guys think?