Dangerous course designs, should we train them?

There has been a lot of conversation lately about what is safe on course and what isn't.  Approaches to contacts, exits from running dog walks, turns out of chutes.  Let's face it, our game is getting faster and faster and we must adjust the design of the course with it.  I would love every course to be fast, challenging and safe, but they aren't.

I am not going to debate if something is safe or not, I really just want to bring up some points that I think about when I spot something that isn't safe and hear "I am not going to train that" from my fellow competitors.

One scenario that I have run up against now three times in the last six months is a table directly after the DW.  If I have a 2o2o DW this probably wouldn't get my attention, however Split has a running DW.  The first time I saw this it was a USDAA Advance course and the table was 12 feet from the end of the DW (technically legal) with a tunnel directly after.  The second and third time, the table was a generous 18 feet after the DW.

12 feet was fairly dangerous in terms of distance, 18 feet isn't that great either.  Think about a 22" - 26" jumping dog and if they don't have time to prepare their take off to the table.  They will hit the table with their chest or shoulder or lower leg.  I don't want to think about the injuries that could happen.

So, people walk away from that and say "I am not going to train that, it is dangerous".  I walk away saying "I am going to train that, it is dangerous".  I don't train it so that I can endorse the dangerous design or so that we can conquer all courses.  I train it so that when there is a dangerous design I have a fair idea how my dog will execute it and if I should pull him from that course. I train it so that they can keep themselves safe if I ACCIDENTALLY cue something unsafe.  I train it because sometimes we can figure out how to do something in a safer manner.  I train it in a manner and scenario that I can keep my dog safe while we learn.

When I trained the table after the DW I can tell you I didn't set it 12 feet after the DW, that would be dangerous.  I set it about 18 feet and at a very low height (8 inches).  We started from a stop at the end of the DW, backchained and then ultimately ran the DW.  I wanted Split to see that set up and I wanted to know how he would negotiate it.  He was treated for ALL his reactions.  He was treated for choosing to run around the table, fly off the table and finally stopping on the table.  I want him to know that what ever option feels safe to him it isn't wrong.

This is just my way of trying to keep my dogs safe in an ever changing environment of dog agility.
 

What are your foundation "go to" resources?

I sat down at my desk this morning and had to laugh.  The desk is full of DVDs, books, and printed papers.   All of these materials are about something "foundation".  This happens every time I train a new puppy.  There is no room for my day job materials.

None of this reference material is new, it all has coffee stains on it, and pages bent over/marked.  The DVDs have been burned so that I can watch them/reference them on my Galaxy Note as I have 3 minutes to burn.

So you ask, what are my foundation "go to" resources?

• Developing Jumping Skills, Linda Mecklenburg - it isn't just about jumping.
• Foundations Fun!, Silvia Trkman
• Running Contacts that Make you Smile, Silvia Trkman
• A ton of material on building drive/impulse control, Tracy Sklenar
• Many articles from OneMindDogs relating to teaching dogs/puppies

Each puppy, something else gets added to the list.

Tip, Tangle, Hoot and Split

Why do I keep referencing them?  As my brother once said to me "because I slept last night", referring to the fact that his memory was bad (I am sure mine is better).  But really, because each time I read/watch/refer to them I pick up something new.  Probably because I have grown wiser as a trainer, but also this puppy is different from the last.  I train them all a little differently.

 Some may worry that I am combining too many opinions, or too many 'systems'.  I am not worried at all.  The puppies understand motion (all of these handling materials are based on motion) and as long as I am consistent in my cues and my puppy understands them, isn't it all good?

Trying to hold on to what is good and human (or K9)

Sometimes life is just filled with "Too Much Information".

We find out too much about our "friends" on Facebook or we are exposed to things that we would rather not know exist.  I can take this kind of stuff in small doses, but I can't take it everyday.

I know that it is shocking, but I don't really want to know about Brad Pitt, nor am I interested in what NFL player beat his wife (happy with my head in the sand).  I don't want to know which Harry Potter character, insect, or gem stone you are.  I don't want to be invited to play games--ever!

I do want to know when my friends have had huge accomplishments, or interesting stores, or babies, or grand-babies, or new puppies.  I do want to know if you are struggling and need support.  I am interested in people and what makes them human. I am interested in the things that "connect" us as humans.

My Facebook feed has been filled with more things from the "I don't really want to know" category then the things that help me "connect" with humans.

So, I created a new Facebook account.  One that has no friends, no family, no personality, but one that I can get my agility information daily.  One that helps me obsess on the good and interesting in my sport.

I read this everyday.  I get news about OneMindDogs, FCI, USDAA, Clean Run, Agility Courses, etc...

Reading about things that help me learn and accomplish more in agility is what makes me happy.  Reading things that help me be a better human for my K9 is what makes me happy.

About twice a week, I put on my armour so that I can wade through all that is bad, in order to discover the little golden nuggets that my friends have posted.  I know I won't be the first to congratulate someone, or the first to console a friend.  But I will be happier and more "human" when I do connect.

P.S. Facebook can't stand it when you don't have "friends".

Building Relationships and Living Life

This is part of the dog agility blog event day "Outside the Ring",  the non-agility training and activities we do to help our dogs and ourselves when we do enter the agility ring.

This is a hard topic for me!  I don't do much outside the agility ring or practice field that is explicitly in the name of agility to be honest.  Perhaps I spend a little bit of time watching video, reading blogs, and generally feeding my obsession of agility.  In general we just live life.  But it is how we live life that benefits us in the ring. And I do believe that all of these activities benefit us in the ring.

I do these things with my dogs, not in the name of agility, but because this is why I own dogs.  I just love spending time with them. 

My dogs and I run probably 4 times per week or we hike on weekends. I generally trail run so that all the dogs can go (without a leash), so that they can be dogs, chase prairie dogs, chase each other, run up hills, go splash in puddles, swim in the lake, and roll in the mud.  It makes me smile to watch them enjoying themselves. Before my pups can go on runs with the pack they must have safety skills.  They must know how to lie down at a distance, stay while I run ahead (is the coast clear?), keep me in their site, not greet if someone isn't ready for that, and recall to stay away from coyotes just to name a few skills used daily.

Benefits to agility: cardiovascular workout, build muscle and speed, cross-training, stress relief, relationship building, body awareness, self-control, recalls, and responsibility

Swimming in Rivers

Running in Fields

Running in Rocks

We roll around on the floor and play!  It makes me smile!

Benefits to agility: Stress relief, building relationships and knowing how to play with each other.

We have a great patio and the spring, summer, fall mornings are lovely in Colorado.   Frequently, we play fetch while I drink my morning coffee.  To keep order in the chaos, I call out the name of the dog that is allowed to chase the toy, the others can move around, they just can't steal the toy.

Benefits to agility: Cross-training, building toy drive, finding the toy, self-control, relationship building and the obvious, knowing their name :)

We spend time with my family and friends.  The dogs get used to babies, kids, other dogs, the elderly, other dog's houses.  When we camp they know how to stay close, play with all sorts of people, recall off of wild animals, sleep in strange places (4 dogs in a backpacking tent makes some close quarters).  They get the opportunity to climb on rocks, swim in lakes, and run up hills.

Benefits to agility:  Well socialized, body awareness, self-control, can be respectful of each others space, they love kids and are respectful of the elderly.

Playing in the snow

My husband and I lead an active life.  Our active lifestyle gives them the cross-training and diverse physical exercise to have a very sound mind and body.

So I guess in short, my dogs are built into my life.  Many of the skills that they need in order to live successfully in my pack are also basic skills that they must know for agility.

The price is right!

A dog will not change its behavior unless the alternative is more rewarding!  Think about that statement for a moment.  Now act of it and pay much better than the self-reward they are already receiving.

Hoot is an excellent example of this.  She is now 5.5 months old, very biddable, but also very independent.  There are certain things in life that she can give up very easily for a piece of kibble and there are things in life that are so self-rewarding that the pay check has to be huge.  Once I have the appropriate pay, she will do anything for me.

What is wrong with paying a high price to get the behavior you want?  You get what you want and they get what they want.  Every time you pay you transfer the value from that high priced reward to the task that you would like them to do.  The reward can be less over time because that activity now has value to them.

I once had a student who wanted the dog to work for them just for the love of working for them.  Interesting thought and in the end you can probably have that sometimes, but is it fair and equitable?  Probably not. 

Would you work as a store greeter for free just because you love hanging at that store.  I wouldn't.  If that store let me pick one item worth $300 for everyday I worked for them, I might.  If my manager came by and said she loved the way I interacted with the customers that would make me feel good.  So, after a year, if my manager said she needed me to work one day for free would I?  Probably because I liked that store, I know they pay well, I liked the experiences, and I liked my manager.  That goodwill did not come for free, it was earned. 

So, does it cost you anything to pay with a high value reward for what you want?  I don't think so.  I think it costs more in the end if you don't pay well.  You spend a lot of  training time establishing that your pay scale is crappy, and only getting mediocre behaviors back. 

I want every training moment I have to count toward getting the most awesome behavior I can!  I pay well above union wages.

P.S. Think outside the box to design your high paying rewards.  Spraying a hose, chasing you, chasing a ball, running out a door, helping vacuum, jumping into a pool.  What does your dog love more than life itself?  Use that as rewards!

Why training puppies is great for big dogs!

Hoot is now 5+ months old and I am beginning to do a little more with her.

We are going around cones/uprights.  I am trying to lay down the foundation well, so we are taking our time.  I watch the path she takes, her commitment to what I have just cued, how soon she commits, response to motion, drive out of the curve etc...  Not really that I am choosing to perfect each one of these items now, but I take note and we will perfect them as well go along.

When I am training a puppy I automatically assume that the puppy doesn't know anything.  I introduce it, we take baby steps and I am very good about rewarding each step of progress in the right direction.

However, when I train my older dogs I get lulled into thinking that their foundation is done, we only have to review, they *know* all the steps along the way, and we are only working on those tweaks that will take our team work  from good to great.

I am sure I am not alone in this bad assumption.  I think many of us fall into this trap.

When I am training a puppy, because my head is in a different place, I am much quicker to recognize a lack of understanding in one of my adult dogs.  Because I am training the puppy and paying attention to all the micro steps along the way, it bleeds over to the adult dogs.

I LOVE THIS!  It improves the quality of the adult dog training as well.

Specifically, I was training Tangle.  We were working on a sequence that was hard.  But, we were having trouble with a spot that I didn't expect (1-2-3).  What should have been a simple backside of a jump.  One of those that should *almost* be a gimme.

So I isolated that particular sequence and it hit me.  He has a lack of commitment problem on a backside of a jump.  The moment got better!  I have been working this with Hoot (who comes by the problem out of ignorance) and I know how to solve this one!!  I know how to teach it, and how to reward it to get results quickly.

Split had his foundation issue (come to hand) from 3-4.  Again, I am working this with Hoot, I have my mechanics honed, and I can work through this issue quickly.

I love this synergy!  It makes it better for the dogs, it makes it better for me.

Happy (only) 4th Birthday Tangle

Could it be?  It seems like I have only had Tangle in my life for a short time. 

Those Eyes

Happy Birthday my Tangle-man!

All of my dogs have exceptional qualities and Tangle is no exception.  Tangle has done agility before, I am sure of it.  He also was born into this world knowing how to love.  He has such a playful and loving quality about him.  A true gentle giant.

Tangle got his ADCH at the age of three, has qualified for three USDAA Cynosport competitions, competed in two.  Attended many USDAA Regionals, always walking away with metals.  He has attended a World Team Tryout.  He has placed in "High in Trial" several times.  All of these competitions he has done with grace and a calm head.  He has traveled this road before.

Photo by Ken Gee

Tangle is a good teacher for me.  Patient and  forgiving.  Willing to let me struggle until I figure out what he needs. We are beginning to develop a common language and now our conversations go much more quickly.

Thanks Tangle for choosing me!