And so the fun begins!

This morning I took Split and Tangle for a long walk. Split has had a strained muscle and we are trying to work it out with walks, message, and chiro. Things seem much better today. Then I came home and went for a 1.5 mile run with Tip which she completely enjoyed! She loves being the ONLY dog getting attention.

This evening I took Tangle and Split over to the agility field for a workout. This is when the fun began. It has totally clicked that great things happen at the agility field and Tangle was completely over stimulated!! So, I get to figure out how to get BC #3 in focus and ready to work. Tip and Split both took something slightly different. With Tip it took 10 minutes of fetch, with Split it took mental work.

After I figured out that I was going to have to get Tangle focused first, I started with simple games that he knows really well. Touch, lay down, and the bang game. This seemed to get his head in the game a little better (not completely). Then I began with the startline work again.

Startline proofing--on advice from friends from my last round, I need to make the game look as much like a startline as possible. That is, when I lead out, start running as fast as possible and then release. I was just kind of trotting because I was trying to set him up for success.

So, today, I lead out maybe 3 feet. "On your mark, get set (I started running), go". I release maybe 1.5 seconds after I started running. He did great. Anytime he broke the stay, I walked back, put him back in the original spot and did the game again. The next time I didn't lead out as far, nor wait as long to release. Trying to keep him successful. Once he broke so bad that the game stopped for 2 minutes or so.

We have also been playing the bang game. I have the teeter set for 6 inches off the ground. Tangle hopes on, stays on and get a treat. I work this from both sides, by my side, sending him. He is awesome. Each day we do this he seems to enjoy it more and more.

We ended with a little bit of circle work. He is a natural at this. Runs by my side, recognizes front crosses, post turns, he is just doing awesome.

Startline and stay work

Well, the Tangle-man is proving to be a great student, so we worked on startline and stay work today. I have to say that I was amazed at this 14 week old puppy's ability to stay until given his release word "OK".

Imagine this when you watch the video: We are having work done on our house right behind me. There is the pounding of knocking down walls, there is a skid steer picking up trash, and the GC is watching very close, and Tip sitting at the sidelines. This little puppy is focusing through all of this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUx74ei7LJ4

Loose leash walking

I had to drop my car off at the local automotive place and decided that Tangle and I would walk home. It would give us an opportunity to practice the loose leash walking, getting past barking dogs in a calm fashion and just general have some good exercise.

Tangle got to visit everyone in the car shop, get treats and pets. He also greeted the residing dog and did a fine job saying hello.

Tangle did really well on the walk home. For the most part he respected the end of the leash. I only had to stop a half a dozen times to remind him that he was pulling too hard. Good boy.

We past a Great Dane, a small high pitched barking dog. Both times when Tangle approached the area where the barking was coming from he began to yawn. I was really proud of him, with the GD his tail stayed down and his walk was very calm. The smaller dog was a little harder. Again, yawning, but the tail went up. He then began to sniff and hang out in the area. Never once did he decide to bark! We are making progress :)

Side notes: Tangle got to go to agility class last night. We worked on running over a plank, watching nicely while other dogs ran.

Skid steers, dump trucks, and agility

This morning we went over to the field to train. I suspected that we would have some distractions, and the construction people didn't disappoint me!

There were skid steers, dump trucks, people pounding and walking around. This was actually great for two reasons: Split and Tangle. Split does not like loud noises and machinery, and Tangle is to the point where training with distraction is good.

With Tip and Split I worked on jump grids, contacts, and lateral sends. Tip has been knocking bars and not acknowledging that she knows she is turning. We worked on that and it only took her 4 tries to get back into shape. Split was perfect from the beginning.

When I get a second I will post the jump grid that we worked on.

Tangle was stellar this morning. It took him about 30 seconds to get over the distractions (mostly the other dogs actually) and figure out we were training. Once he knows we are training he is ON THE JOB!! We did a little bit of teeter work. That is the teeter was about 5 inches off the ground and he was just on/off it making it move. My goal was not the teeter, but the movement! He still does not have control of his hind end (not surprised) so keeping his hind end on the teeter is a bit of a challenge. That will come.

Second we did flat work. We are working at a walk and just following my movement. Although he has always been good, today I noticed more fluid motion in the work. We did front crosses, rear crosses (not natural yet) and walk beside me. We also did recalls to my side.

Starting Monday off right

Tangle and I went to train with a friend and her sheltie. Tangle's growth is beginning to outpace the sheltie, but he is still playing nicely. It will be nice if he can keep his manners and play with small dogs too!

We worked both pups with agility equipment today, but no agility of course! We first worked the teeter. We had the pups walk part way up the down side of the teeter, turn around and come to the end and get fed. When they were at the end, the other person would let the teeter fall the 2 inches that they were holding it off the ground. The objective was to get the pups use to walking on a board, slight movement and turning around on boards. Both pups were unphased and loved getting fed of course.

The second thing we did was restrained recalls through the tire. The tire was completely down. It just really introduced some distraction to the recall and showed them the tire. Just kinda fun and different.

A good weekend

Well, just got back from a long walk with Tangle. We purposely went pass fences that we knew had barking dogs. As we went on our walk he got treated any time he looked at me. When we started to hear the barking dogs, I would tell Tangle "watch" he would look at me and get treated for not barking. If he started barking we would move further away from the fence to distance where he would relax. He got treated for being relaxed again. By the end of the walk he was getting so he could move (not run ) away from the sound to a place that felt safe, he was also looking at me. Good boy!!!

On our walk we encountered: burrito dogs, rude lunging dogs, polite dogs, playgrounds with kids (he LOVES kids)

The older two BCs went to USDAA trial this weekend. We had some outstanding results. Both Tip and Split got Team Q's for Nationals. My most proud moment was when a train was going by and Split went to the start line, waited until I released him, and ran an awesome run with me. He is VERY afraid of loud noises. After we finished he did beg to go to his kennel, but that is fine! Split is now in Master's jumpers as well!!

Of special note, Split made all his AFrame contacts this weekend!!! Remember, we have been retraining from 2o2o to running.

Tip did an awesome job this weekend. I am growing to expect that of her finally!!! Boy, we have come a long way and I wasn't sure I would ever see that day :)

Things we need to work on from this weekend: Split's weaves! He still isn't hitting those 100 percent of the time and he is old enough to be solid on those.

An act of bravery!

Well, this morning I took all three dogs for a walk. Previously, it has been Tangle and one of the other dogs. I knew that I had to have NO goals in mind (like actually getting my heart rate up), deal with things as they come and train what needs to be trained.

Split and Tip did all their usual things. Tip walked nicely on the leash, Split pulled because he NEEDED to run out to his favorite spot, and of course Tangle NEEDED to follow him! So, we trained loose leash walking for a while.

We crossed a very busy street where we have to pause in the middle to wait for the other lanes to clear. Tangle did an excellent job. No trouble with cars shooting past him at all.

The next obstacle that we encountered was the BC mix who herds the dogs at the fence. For some reason this sent Tangle OFF!! Barking, lunging, just generally going friggin NUTS. He wanted a fence fight! Ah, found the next thing I have to train. This morning I just got past the problem and made a mental note to do this again, just with Tangle and totally awesome treats.

Finally we got to the park. I let Tangle off the leash (first time ever in public). I needed to test where he was at in terms of the desire to stay with his pack. He did absolutely magnificent, which was my expectation. He herded, followed and watched. As we walked around he never once strayed from the 30 foot boundary he seems to have with his pack. Good knowledge to have!

Getting back home was uneventful except for the desire to bark and 'fence fight' with dogs.

So, on the list to train--more loose leash walking and relaxing around barking dogs :)