pie Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 I think it's a big gap from Excellent to Masters too - that was the time when I had to learn the hard lesson after frustration/disappointment that a Q is not the only point to doing agility - and I had to break it down more than that and find positives rather than fall into the trap of 'we failed because it wasn't clear'. Qs are just icing on the cake now I think - and our last Masters Agility run I would say was one of our best runs ever, but she ran around one jump - I still think it's our best so far :) Definitely a big jump! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 I think it's a big gap from Excellent to Masters too - that was the time when I had to learn the hard lesson after frustration/disappointment that a Q is not the only point to doing agility - and I had to break it down more than that and find positives rather than fall into the trap of 'we failed because it wasn't clear'. Qs are just icing on the cake now I think - and our last Masters Agility run I would say was one of our best runs ever, but she ran around one jump - I still think it's our best so far :) Definitely a big jump! Yes, agree completely pie. My tiny lawn can normally fit a max of 12 weave poles or 1 tunnel and 1 jump or equivalent. However, at the moment it has a pile of wood from the recently demolished balcony covering 3/4 of it so we are doing all our training at home on one (homemade) winged jump. I do need to take 3 jumps to the oval and train my homework....tomorrow I think! I'm lucky enough to have access to an agility club on Monday nights and a private class on Tuesday nights but there is an amazing amount of stuff you can do on your own. I've just retrained contacts from an e-book - mostly on the flat and with a contact board plus limited access to full size contacts and all I can say is WOW! Both dogs have improved out of sight and I have entered Zig in his first Open Agility class for ages this weekend. He only needs one more Q for ADO (he has his ADM) but that is about the furtherest thing from my mind....just want to practice fast, accurate contacts in trial conditions. Em won't be entered in any agility (despite her amazing contacts) until I see how she handles the new SG handling system in JDM. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 (edited) So I can actually fit 12 weave poles, 4 jumps + a medium tunnel in my yard so I do have plenty to work with. I have a contact plank in a separate area and I also use the dog walk at the park to help with contacts. Its interesting how poorly my dog generalizes though- since practicing with the plank and dog walk, her dog walk and see saw at trials has improved a lot, but the a frame remains an issue. I think it is because the plank is the same width as the see saw and dog walk. So I'm thinking I will start doing a training diary where I write down what I want to achieve and what sequences/obstacles I need to set up to achieve them. Hopefully this will help our training sessions become more structured and productive. At the moment I'm looking to work on weave entries, tight turns around jumps, speed, and minimizing bar knocking. Any suggestions appreciated... Im actually thinking of re-training weaves entirely using 2x2. Entries have always been an issue and she currently has a very rough weaving style where she knocks the poles out of the way. A few times she has been super enthusiastic and really driving into the weaves and shes actually smacked her face on the weave pole and bounced backwards, then seemed a bit disorientated!!! Although I sounded a bit down before, we are actually going quite well considering, I guess I'm just frustrated it mainly seems to be the little/easy things that I stuff up once i've gotten through all the hard part!!! Edited April 18, 2014 by aussielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 I had the most amazing day of trialling yesterday - pretty much wrote it off as we are only 5 weeks into learning the SG handling system. I was teaching the dogs new commands the day before! Walking the courses is a bit of a challenge and I tried to space the classes out so I didn't have clashes. The folks responsible for the catalogue did an amazing job in that department as well. Ziggy has taken to the new handling system like a duck to water - he's so happy to be getting so much extra information - there were several threadle tunnels in the courses (we'd only ever trained it on a jump!!!) and he nailed all of them. The turn cue is also great for a big striding dog and I actually robbed him of a qually by telling him to turn instead of extend (called a refusal). I swear Zig keeps giving me a look as if to say "couldn't you have handled like this 5 years ago?" Em is a different dog - more confident, faster and she has stopped knocking bars (except when I muck up my handling) - she is still jumping REALLY high but is judging her takeoff as she knows where we are going next. I also tested her contacts in Novice Gamblers (after retraining over the Summer) and she was spot on. Ziggy ended up with 5 quallies from 6 runs: 2 x JDM, 2 x ADM (with a 3rd place!!!) and a Novice Gamblers (4th place). We often just scrape in (or out) for time in JDM but Zig was well under. Em picked up a super JDM pass (she beat Zig!!), missed out on another one as I was too slow and just missed the gamble in Novice Gamblers (distance work out of the tunnel). Handling felt relatively effortless yet I was always ahead of my dogs. Just thrilled to see them so darn happy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Wow that is a great result! Fantastic to hear that the new handling is working so well for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 (edited) Thanks Kavik - I feel like I've been "fighting" Zig on tough tunnel call offs lately as he has such a big stride but the new threadle makes so much sense to him - I didn't even have time to say "tunnel, tunnel, tunnel!" or finish the physical cue as he knew exactly what to do. I also like the fact that we keep moving - it borrows a lot from GD but the big difference is that you don't end up flat footed. Great for those of us who can't keep up with our dogs. Still massive room for improvement with all of us - my timing and correct verbals needs more work, Em will only get faster and I suspect Zig will pick up a few more seconds too. Oh, and all this from training at home with 2 jumps (one homemade wing on each) and 1 traffic cone! Em goes to a lesson once a week and I teach Zig the next day. Edited April 27, 2014 by The Spotted Devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Good work, TSD!!! As soon as semester is over, I think I will investigate this new handling system. I want to be clearer to my dogs and see if we can improve! Is it an online course you are taking? Pippa got her last pass needed yesterday for her JDX title so we'll be playing with the big kids now! But we're still in novice agility with 1 pass under our belt - we seem to be messing something different up each time! Her contacts are awesome though We're either flying off that poor excuse for a table (on 200 height for littlies, ugh!), popping the last weave, or running around a jump. She's doing awesomely well on the very little training she's had, so I am definitely not complaining. I just need to get back to the training, she's so much fun to run! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 (edited) We have a couple of fellow competitors who also take agility classes - they have flown to QLD twice now to learn the system from SG herself. They are great handlers and great instructors. They made it clear that daily training is essential for this system as there are a fair few new verbals. I've been doing 2-3 short sessions per day. Sounds like you're having fun with Pippa! Nationals this year? Edited April 27, 2014 by The Spotted Devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 So you're learning from instructors in person? No, unfortunately no Nationals this year I wanted to, but timing and costs are a factor. Any idea where they will be held in 2 years time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Yes I have a class one night a week (about 12 in the class - we often work in pairs) about an hour from home in addition to my regular agility training night. Em comes to class and I teach Zig myself. Not sure where the next Nats are. Maybe SA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Yeah I heard SA also - not sure where I heard it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Yeah I heard SA also - not sure where I heard it. Lol - me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Finally, I think we've had a break through! Elsie has never been a consistent dog, rarely getting clear rounds (but often winning when she did). We've now moved up a grade, had a few bad runs, but the last two shows have been great, clear rounds, my handling is getting so much better and Elsie is finally, finally nailing weave entries and staying in the weaves! So happy! We have had a whole lot of second places lately, which I am very happy with (we are really not ready to move up a grade!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 SA in 2016. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Finally, I think we've had a break through! Elsie has never been a consistent dog, rarely getting clear rounds (but often winning when she did). We've now moved up a grade, had a few bad runs, but the last two shows have been great, clear rounds, my handling is getting so much better and Elsie is finally, finally nailing weave entries and staying in the weaves! So happy! We have had a whole lot of second places lately, which I am very happy with (we are really not ready to move up a grade!) Wonderful DD! I always had faith in you both :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Sounds like I really need to look at the new SG system .. especially now the Misguided Missile has made it up into Excellent Jumping, and I'm running him in Open just for the extra ring time ... since we never seem to get a chance to train, especially on the contacts. (Largely my problem, as we're usually away trialling in other disciplines, but it' unfortunate that there is no mid week club training down here.). Would love to have the chance to do the training you're doing TSD ????. Do you think an undo old lady/woman could get the hang of it well enough ???? DD, that sounds great. It's magic when it all falls into place. I had some nice runs on Sunday .. Rory's two JD runs (halved course time .. bounced jump, tyre, spread and into tunnel), and Kirra and I had one of our smoothest runs for a long time .. 5 seconds inside time and clear in JDM .. not bad for a 12 year old on her 8th run for the weekend ... she was grinning at me saying why can't you get it right like that all the time :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 For sure Tassie! It's great because the whole idea is to be ahead all the time. The hardest thing is all the verbals - I'm getting better but everyone fell about laughing at my mashed up commands in class tonight. Of course Em still did what I wanted lol - patience of a saint that one! I can't emphasise enough how critical it is to do short training bursts every day. Especially if you're training an older dog that you want to keep trialling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Sorry to be a nuff nuff, but is this the SG 360 handling system or something else? And can you learn it online anywhere without needing to sell a kidney? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J... Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Sorry to be a nuff nuff, but is this the SG 360 handling system or something else? And can you learn it online anywhere without needing to sell a kidney? :) Yes it is H360, no you can't sign up now as it's shut. And it's not cheap but it is incredibly comprehensive. However, if you have a good basic reward foundation with your dog then I would highly recommend shape up agility. Justine Davenport is the instructor who seems to have bought SG across from GD handling, and I've really enjoyed her foundation class online. She has a foundation class opening 4th May, her feed back is very comprehensive (it's all run thru a secret Facebook group) so you can learn a lot from watching everyone else if you only want to audit. It's the same system, I haven't been able to pick any differences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Thanks Jess! I will have a google of Justine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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