Jemma:
I had her ball in my pocket for the novice and gave it to her after the first bit of heelwork and then not until the end. She worked very nicely, I was very happy with her. In the stays she lay down after 49 & 47 seconds, a huge improvement on the 12s from the last couple of times!! This time I really geed her up whilst I was waiting, saying ready ready ready and want your bally and then as everyone gave the last command told her she was a good girl instead of saying sit again. This is obviously the way forward, we just need to work on those extra few seconds!! In the beginners i wound her up with her ball first and then put it in on the table. I felt she worked really well, there were a few wide turns and she sat really crooked on the retrieve present. But apart from that I was really happy with her, she lost 10 over all (3 on the stay) and was in a run off for fifth but was then pushed out of the rossettes, nevermind, there is always next weekend!! :)
Elliot:
I trained his stays, just outside the ring, he was very distracted and kept sniffing the floor and just getting up to wander off, good job he was on his lead :) I also trained his heelwork, just doing the on lead part and then a bit more on lead. I discovered yesterday that I have inadvertently taugth him to stare at the sky and not at me, hence the fact he wanders off, even if I have his ball he stares at the sky and not at the ball. At least this gives us something positive to work on, rather than just his concentration :)
Looks like I am doing to have a busy week!!
Saturday, 9 May 2009
Saturday, 2 May 2009
FLYBALL!!!!
Well...
Bristol Babies:
Bonnie, Elliot, Chelsea and Jamie all did really well, all raced brilliantly with no-one having any wobblies. Elliots box was rubbish, he was only putting two feet on!:( Nat went in on a couple of the warm ups and stood at the side to remind him what to do and he did well in these and ok in the first run of the leg but was then rubbish again. This is something that is going to take lots of work but I am not quite sure how I am going to tackle it on my own over the summer, I will have to consult my trainers on this one!! He didn't look at the other lane at all though and came straight back to me. He was however a LOT slower on the return that on the way out, again something I am going to have to get some help with for how to improve it over the summer!! I got the hang of change overs though and was told they were very tight, I did however only get one light, at that was on the last race when we were losing and I knew I had pushed it! Anyway, overall we came 2nd in the division, only losing one of our races, to the division winners, and their time was 20.46s!!
Bristol Bouncers:
Jemma, Lacey, Luna, Fraggle and Keri also did really well. Fraggle was really tired though and so it was REALLY good that Sarah let us borrow keri for the day so he could have some rests. Jemma, well, there were good and bad points as with Elliot. She didn't go for any of our team (only had a little wabbly when Nat came in with Keri and forgotten not to say ready ready ready!! :p ) which is a good improvement for her, I had her to oneside of me and not between my legs so I could run with her and really encourage her forward. We were going from 25feet as well which was a huge improvement from the 5feet we used to go from!! now, when it comes to the other lane, hmmm, well she didn't do what she did last time and run to the netting to bark at the other lane. However she did a LOT of looking at them and consequently a lot of the time ran straight in to the box without looking where she was going (consequently she did rubbish box turns!!), she did then remember what she was doing and came back with the ball. I also had a second ball, something which I only started in training and I am amazed at the difference it has made in her - In one race I forgot the ball in the first leg and lacey did a perfect change over, the next leg I had the ball and lisa did exactly the same release with lacey but was REALLY late so I shall be definately using a second ball all the time in future!! Anyway, overall they won the division, so a smashing little team with a time of 20.10s.
So all in all a good day and thank you to our trainers!! :)
Bristol Babies:
Bonnie, Elliot, Chelsea and Jamie all did really well, all raced brilliantly with no-one having any wobblies. Elliots box was rubbish, he was only putting two feet on!:( Nat went in on a couple of the warm ups and stood at the side to remind him what to do and he did well in these and ok in the first run of the leg but was then rubbish again. This is something that is going to take lots of work but I am not quite sure how I am going to tackle it on my own over the summer, I will have to consult my trainers on this one!! He didn't look at the other lane at all though and came straight back to me. He was however a LOT slower on the return that on the way out, again something I am going to have to get some help with for how to improve it over the summer!! I got the hang of change overs though and was told they were very tight, I did however only get one light, at that was on the last race when we were losing and I knew I had pushed it! Anyway, overall we came 2nd in the division, only losing one of our races, to the division winners, and their time was 20.46s!!
Bristol Bouncers:
Jemma, Lacey, Luna, Fraggle and Keri also did really well. Fraggle was really tired though and so it was REALLY good that Sarah let us borrow keri for the day so he could have some rests. Jemma, well, there were good and bad points as with Elliot. She didn't go for any of our team (only had a little wabbly when Nat came in with Keri and forgotten not to say ready ready ready!! :p ) which is a good improvement for her, I had her to oneside of me and not between my legs so I could run with her and really encourage her forward. We were going from 25feet as well which was a huge improvement from the 5feet we used to go from!! now, when it comes to the other lane, hmmm, well she didn't do what she did last time and run to the netting to bark at the other lane. However she did a LOT of looking at them and consequently a lot of the time ran straight in to the box without looking where she was going (consequently she did rubbish box turns!!), she did then remember what she was doing and came back with the ball. I also had a second ball, something which I only started in training and I am amazed at the difference it has made in her - In one race I forgot the ball in the first leg and lacey did a perfect change over, the next leg I had the ball and lisa did exactly the same release with lacey but was REALLY late so I shall be definately using a second ball all the time in future!! Anyway, overall they won the division, so a smashing little team with a time of 20.10s.
So all in all a good day and thank you to our trainers!! :)
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Nearly there
Today was Elliots last training session before his first competition at Stockbridge next weekend. I can't say he did great, his boxes were all over the place, when he does full runs he doesn't really think about what he is doing and just puts two feet on the box!! I have brought home a jump to get him doing swimmers turns over it without the box again, just to remind him what he needs to do and to try and stop him being lazy!! My main worry with him for the competition next week is that with all the excitement he will completely forget his turn on the box or that he will find the other dogs all highly exciting and run over to the otherside when he has finished.
Jemma did lovely turns on the box and ran ok, she really steams back to me but we are still aving a few issues with her going out. We found she is better if I stand with the other dogs so she can see them, rather than right near the start gate (she tends to run round me to go bark at them if I do this) but on one of her runs she decided to have a go at Luna when I let her go so she got shut in the car for the next two runs and when she came out again Carol stood further to the side with Luna and so she only had Fraggle to run past and he doesn't bark or anything and she did a couple of really nice runs. My main worry with her for the competition next week is releasing her at the right time because it depends on how much she looks at the other dogs as to how long she takes to get to the line so judging when to let her go is going to be tricky!!
Jemma did lovely turns on the box and ran ok, she really steams back to me but we are still aving a few issues with her going out. We found she is better if I stand with the other dogs so she can see them, rather than right near the start gate (she tends to run round me to go bark at them if I do this) but on one of her runs she decided to have a go at Luna when I let her go so she got shut in the car for the next two runs and when she came out again Carol stood further to the side with Luna and so she only had Fraggle to run past and he doesn't bark or anything and she did a couple of really nice runs. My main worry with her for the competition next week is releasing her at the right time because it depends on how much she looks at the other dogs as to how long she takes to get to the line so judging when to let her go is going to be tricky!!
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Bits & Bobs
I have mainly been working on being able to clicker training both dogs!!! Even my little Jem has managed to get over her fear of clickers thanks to a lot of persistence from me and I can even use it now to actually train her!!
I went to the downs today to do some obedience with them. I trained Jem using her ball and instead of looking confused like normal she was super excitable and kept jumping about and not really concentrating, I perservered with her though and got some nice bits out of her. I did a retrieve with her and she was really naughty, she just ran off sniffing and then didn't really want to work but I pulled her through it and I then put the ball in my pocket (rather than in my hand) and did some heelwork with her and she worked really nicely. She really is and odd little dog bless her, it is really hard to judge when I need to "tell her off" and when i need to encourage her more because sometimes one will work and sometimes the other and there seems to be no real correlation as to when it is which of them that will work!! bless her!!
With elliot I literally just stood on the downs and clicked him everytime he chose to look at me and not at the cars/people/bikes and occasionally I got a few steps of nice heelwork out of him but with him at the moment the main issue when outside is getting his attention so that is all i need to work on when outside for now.
I then did a stay with them and put elliot really close to keri (one of my friends dogs) and he did it until i went back and then he got up so i put him back and left them again, this worried jem and although she had done her stay to this point she then lay down!! They both did the down, again though elliot sat up when i returned - something i really need to work on. He did stay down even though two bikes went past though!!!
On thursday I went agility training at Blaise with Nat and we did lots of one jump work with Asher and Jem to get them really understanding change of arm=change direction, and Jem did quite well at this, I was pleased with her. We then did a few bits with 4 jumps and the weaves, Jemma's weaves were okish i guess, i just need to do lots of work now on her doing them with me moving, I think I need to take myself and just have a weave session with her one day, don't know when though!! With elliot I just did jump focus work with him, sending him over the jump from different angles and throwing the tuggy, he loved it although I still think I need to find a better way of rewarding his jumping and building up the value as he still occasionally ran round the wing. Nat helped me do some 6inch channel weaves with him, he was brilliant on the recalls and then I managed to do "the walk" from the second pole from the end (of 6) no worries, he struggled when I pushed it to the 3rd so I jsut went back to the 2nd :)
Thats it for today, a flyball update after training tomorrow!! :)
I went to the downs today to do some obedience with them. I trained Jem using her ball and instead of looking confused like normal she was super excitable and kept jumping about and not really concentrating, I perservered with her though and got some nice bits out of her. I did a retrieve with her and she was really naughty, she just ran off sniffing and then didn't really want to work but I pulled her through it and I then put the ball in my pocket (rather than in my hand) and did some heelwork with her and she worked really nicely. She really is and odd little dog bless her, it is really hard to judge when I need to "tell her off" and when i need to encourage her more because sometimes one will work and sometimes the other and there seems to be no real correlation as to when it is which of them that will work!! bless her!!
With elliot I literally just stood on the downs and clicked him everytime he chose to look at me and not at the cars/people/bikes and occasionally I got a few steps of nice heelwork out of him but with him at the moment the main issue when outside is getting his attention so that is all i need to work on when outside for now.
I then did a stay with them and put elliot really close to keri (one of my friends dogs) and he did it until i went back and then he got up so i put him back and left them again, this worried jem and although she had done her stay to this point she then lay down!! They both did the down, again though elliot sat up when i returned - something i really need to work on. He did stay down even though two bikes went past though!!!
On thursday I went agility training at Blaise with Nat and we did lots of one jump work with Asher and Jem to get them really understanding change of arm=change direction, and Jem did quite well at this, I was pleased with her. We then did a few bits with 4 jumps and the weaves, Jemma's weaves were okish i guess, i just need to do lots of work now on her doing them with me moving, I think I need to take myself and just have a weave session with her one day, don't know when though!! With elliot I just did jump focus work with him, sending him over the jump from different angles and throwing the tuggy, he loved it although I still think I need to find a better way of rewarding his jumping and building up the value as he still occasionally ran round the wing. Nat helped me do some 6inch channel weaves with him, he was brilliant on the recalls and then I managed to do "the walk" from the second pole from the end (of 6) no worries, he struggled when I pushed it to the 3rd so I jsut went back to the 2nd :)
Thats it for today, a flyball update after training tomorrow!! :)
Sunday, 19 April 2009
SBDTC Companionship Show
Starters - heel on lead, recall, 30s sit/1min down stay
Stays - Jem did her sit stay!!! and her down. Elliot lasted 15seconds then went to say hello to the dog next to him then went wondering out the ring with it and then back in again until someone from outside the ring got hold of him. I then got them to hang on to him and didn't bother with his down
I didn't feel Jem did her best heelwork, when I asked her for a left turn she just carried on walking straight past me and then looked at me gormlously, she lost 3.5 marks. She was crooked on her present but straight on her finish. However she ended up being in a runoff between three dogs for 1st place but sadly I was working in another ring at the time so didn't get to do it and she finished 3rd.
I trained Elliots heelwork so just did little bits and rewarded him. It was good for him, especially as the judge made me do that little bit more at the end to push him and make sure we finished on a good bit and when I wanted and not him!! He was just very distracted with working outside, and has been ever since the first competition where he worked so nicely. On his recall he came in to me but sat next to me in heelwork position so I did it again but used his toy to guide him in and he did it better. He seems to have regressed and got more interested in everything else rather than working but we will get there.
Triers - 1 min sit, 1 min down
Jem broke her sit after 11s, I did a sit again in the down and she broke it as soon as I walked away.
I didn't do the heelwork round in this one, decided it was too hot and would have been too much for her.
Goers - 1min sit/2min down stay, heel on lead, recall, heel free, retrieve
Jem went down after 10s on her sit, I again did a sit the second time down and she went down after about 20s.
I did the round with her ball in my pocket so I could reward her after each section and she worked the best I have ever seen her work. She had some really nice tight about turns, lovely left turns, did a very straight present in her recall and finish. She even did a very nice second bit of heelwork and with her retireve she didn't chomp on it at all (despite holding it at a funny angle) and sat straight with it and finished straight. It was a good insight into what I need to do to get the best from her and where to take our training from now.
Good Citizens - Bronze
Jemma already has hers so this was just elliot. He struggled a bit in the heel work bit as he wanted to wonder off and say hello to all the dogs/people but she let us do it again and second time round he did half of it really nicely. He then tried walking round the gate and didn't go through it but did on the second time!! He was brilliant about me brushing him, didn't flinch or move at all. He was good when we had to walk between the dogs too bless him. For his recall I had to get the judge to hold him as there was a pushchair that he was very focussed on, however once I asked him if he wanted his bally he came straight to me bless him!! Then for his stay, luckily I was able to talk to him and remind him to stay as much as I liked and despite the fact there was another dog in the ring and a car drove past he stayed down for his minute.
So all in all it was quite a good day, just a shame about Jemma's stays but I am sure we will get there, at least she no longer does it in the recall *touch wood*.
Stays - Jem did her sit stay!!! and her down. Elliot lasted 15seconds then went to say hello to the dog next to him then went wondering out the ring with it and then back in again until someone from outside the ring got hold of him. I then got them to hang on to him and didn't bother with his down
I didn't feel Jem did her best heelwork, when I asked her for a left turn she just carried on walking straight past me and then looked at me gormlously, she lost 3.5 marks. She was crooked on her present but straight on her finish. However she ended up being in a runoff between three dogs for 1st place but sadly I was working in another ring at the time so didn't get to do it and she finished 3rd.
I trained Elliots heelwork so just did little bits and rewarded him. It was good for him, especially as the judge made me do that little bit more at the end to push him and make sure we finished on a good bit and when I wanted and not him!! He was just very distracted with working outside, and has been ever since the first competition where he worked so nicely. On his recall he came in to me but sat next to me in heelwork position so I did it again but used his toy to guide him in and he did it better. He seems to have regressed and got more interested in everything else rather than working but we will get there.
Triers - 1 min sit, 1 min down
Jem broke her sit after 11s, I did a sit again in the down and she broke it as soon as I walked away.
I didn't do the heelwork round in this one, decided it was too hot and would have been too much for her.
Goers - 1min sit/2min down stay, heel on lead, recall, heel free, retrieve
Jem went down after 10s on her sit, I again did a sit the second time down and she went down after about 20s.
I did the round with her ball in my pocket so I could reward her after each section and she worked the best I have ever seen her work. She had some really nice tight about turns, lovely left turns, did a very straight present in her recall and finish. She even did a very nice second bit of heelwork and with her retireve she didn't chomp on it at all (despite holding it at a funny angle) and sat straight with it and finished straight. It was a good insight into what I need to do to get the best from her and where to take our training from now.
Good Citizens - Bronze
Jemma already has hers so this was just elliot. He struggled a bit in the heel work bit as he wanted to wonder off and say hello to all the dogs/people but she let us do it again and second time round he did half of it really nicely. He then tried walking round the gate and didn't go through it but did on the second time!! He was brilliant about me brushing him, didn't flinch or move at all. He was good when we had to walk between the dogs too bless him. For his recall I had to get the judge to hold him as there was a pushchair that he was very focussed on, however once I asked him if he wanted his bally he came straight to me bless him!! Then for his stay, luckily I was able to talk to him and remind him to stay as much as I liked and despite the fact there was another dog in the ring and a car drove past he stayed down for his minute.
So all in all it was quite a good day, just a shame about Jemma's stays but I am sure we will get there, at least she no longer does it in the recall *touch wood*.
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