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?

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.

All things Split

We went to a USDAA trial this weekend (Wasatch Agility).  I ran both Split and Tangle, both were awesome and gave me a lot of things to be proud of.

Funny how sometimes you have a moment however that gets you thinking about where you are and where you have been.  A friend was commenting after Split's Standard run that he really doesn't want to get out of PII.  We have been trying to get out of PII for ever and now we are finally down to just one little thing always.  My perspective on the run was much different since I am VERY FAMILIAR with the road we have traveled.  Only having one issue on course is AMAZING to me!

It was my fault!  I didn't pull Split off the field soon enough when he was injured and he associated many obstacles with pain: teeter, weaves, AF, tight turns, etc...  So when he came back one of the reasons for the re-training was to let him start to have fun and rewards and begin to love the obstacles again.  Not an easy road.

So, I have re-trained a 2o2o to a running AF, a 4 on DW to a running DW, trained him to turn tight again, re-trained the weaves and am working on the teeter and the table.  I have a lot of experience re-training and should now write a book on what works and what doesn't.

These are Split's runs from this weekend.  Having traveled the road that we have, I would say this dog is fairly resilient and amazing!  We will make it, and he will get his Q.



This morning I was working Running Dog Walk turns.  This is the course that I set up.  I am trying to perfect my handling of the RDW.  I am trying to give Split the most information I can so that he can do his job correctly. 

Rocky Mountain Regionals

Overall I was pleased with our results from RM Regionals.  We ended up with the Byes and Bling, how could I complain?
 
Tangle was the only one that I ran in Regional tournaments this year.  Tip is pretty much retired, Split could have run but I didn't enter him this time.  He only got to run titling classes.

This was one of those trials where there were magnificent things that happened in addition to winning Byes and Bling.

I can't even tell you how proud I am with Tangle's AFrame for one.  He ran 11 AFs this weekend and only missed one.  Also we had many deep hits.  Just thrilled!!  He only dropped one bar this weekend, bars are not a problem for us, but noteworthy for sure.  Also, I felt that his speed was improving.

In Regional GP round 2 he would have placed third if not for a teeter fault (guess what is on our training list) and in Steeple Chase Regional Round 2 he would have placed second but he knocked a bar (those silly two bar hillbilly spreads).  Proud of him for making it to round 2 in both Steeplechase and Grand Prix!!

Split had many moments of brilliance as well.  Q in Gamblers and Snooker--yeah Split.  He made all three of his running DWs.  Performed each of his teeters like a champ, and downed on the table.  All of which has been challenges.  Loved that what we have been training is improving in trials!!

5 Strides!

Split and I have been working on a running dog walk for the past several months.  When it got up to full height he decided to start giving me 6 strides and collecting at the end.  I am sure that he knows to hit the yellow and this was his insurance policy.  I also think that it was influenced by teaching him the Rachel Sanders box method on the AFrame.

Silvia Trkman was worried that it wouldn't hold up in a trial when he was uber excited.  So, she encouraged me to see if I could get 5 strides out of him.

So, we lowered the DW, put a carpet on the end and set everything up to get extension out of him.  Super speedy entrances and exits, I was running ahead of him, etc...

A week of running like that, clicking when I got extension and not really worrying if he didn't hit the contact zone (which was covered with carpet).  I would jackpot however if he did hit it.

Finally!  I got 5 strides out of him.  This is his session from today, carpet is faded, not quiet full height.

There is one rep where I think something surprised him and he collecting on the top, but other than that, we have progress.  Huge progress!!

A Great Running Contact Day!

I have been struggling with how to get Split to have 4 strides (5 hits) on the dog walk.  He seems to want to collect at the end and that gives him 5 strides.  Yes, he hits the yellow nicely, but we worry that it isn't maintainable once the trial excitement hits.  I have my theories as to why he is collecting, but don't really know.

So, most inspirational moments in life happen, one thought vocalized, lead to another thought, that lead to the "inspiration".  Tell Split where he is going when he is over the first apex of the dog walk.



You can visit my channel on YouTube if you want to see what he was doing.

So, just for good measure I ran him again this afternoon.  BEAUTIFUL!

Pushing my luck, as I always do, I decided to see what Tangle was going to do today.

Here is his running AF.  I have been working on USDAA height trying to get deeper hits.  FINALLY!  Yep, my golden day.  Really nice hits.



I should go buy a lottery ticket!!

Having The Guts To Change!

There is a ton of conversation about One Mind Dogs, both pro and con.  I guess the way that I look at it, they provide me more tools in my toolbox.  I have enough experience to recognize when something is conflicting with my handling style, and keep what enhances it.  I try on a lot of things to see what fits or doesn't.

OMD in principal is nothing different, but the details underneath the covers are what makes all the difference in the world.  It is not about the fancy moves.  Key details are where you look, and when you look.

I have had a ton of fun this week!  I took the OMD Course 2 and immersed myself in learning and challenging myself in the way I was running my dogs.  Really living with the details of this course, analyzing why things worked or why they didn't work.  Watching video of the experts running the course.

If I had not watched their video of how they ran this course, I never would have run it this way.  I never would have thought to put blinds where they did.  Best of all, I saw it could be done and it gave me the motivation and guts to do it!

Here is Tangle running the course.

To run the course this way took no extra training for Tangle.  But for me, it took the commitment to always be ahead which was no easy task on this course.  For Split, there was just a bit of coaching to come in to me, but really it was about me having better control of his head (more than I need to with Tangle).  Once again, once I get trained, my dogs are going to be fantastic!  :)

Here is my practice session with Split.  I guess I post this to show some of the challenges on this course.  Split is a great dog, but doesn't have the mileage and detail in the foundation that Tangle had.



Look forward to challenging myself more!

This is why I adore Tip

Let me preface this with saying that Tip is basically retired.  I don't have any goals for her, but I do run her in an occasional trial.  She still joins our practices several times a week. It keeps her connected and happy.

I am retraining Split's dog walk to a running dog walk.  It is kind of messed up anyway, so I decided that I might as well mess with it more :)

Tip

So, since one dog gets to do something, Tip must never be left out.  Especially if it involves a thrown ball!!  So, just to entertain her I was letting her do a couple of running dog walks each session as well.  She wasn't bad, but she did leap some.

About a month ago, for some reason I gave her the command "hit it" (curious what she would do with it).  I used "hit it"  for Rachel Sander's box method when I was retraining Split's 2o2o AF to a running AF.  Again, I had no intent to apply the box method on a contact for Tip, but it involved those two ingredients 1) another dog getting to do something 2) a ball being thrown. So, Tip ended up with a stupid pet trick where she can target a box on the run and I will reward it with a ball toss.

Just a side note, if I don't think it is going to hurt any current training I will always teach all three dogs the same thing.  You never know when it is going to come in handy :)

So, for a month now, a couple of times a week when I work Split I will let Tip run her dog walk with the "hit it" command.  Her version of a RDW has been amazingly reliable.  Most sessions she never misses even one contact. 

Now, would I do this with all my dogs--never in a million years.  Tip has some unique skills that make her a great candidate.  She is uber confident, she has a ton of forward motion, and she is amazingly smart.  So, she can actually slow down, hit the contact and then drive at full speed again to the next obstacle.  Split and Tangle would just end up confused.  They would slow at first, but if some slow is good they would slow more.  We would eventually end up with walking at the end.  They are both smart, but don't have the confidence that Tip has.




Here is video of her this weekend and again today.  Notice today I had carpet on the end of the contact.  That was there for Split, but somehow she still knew where she needed to slow down and she did.  She never stops amazing me!!

Tunnels

Nothing really special to say, just thought I would post Split's Tunnelers runs from this weekend.

There are certain things that just make you smile and this is IT for me.

• I love the almost startline. He is on the edge of blowing it but he doesn't.
• I loved that he pulled me out to the startline, just couldn't wait to get started.
• I love seeing him run his little heart out.
• I love the foaming at the mouth and smile at the end.

2

I know, a lot of people try to avoid these overstimulated, not perfect, and well...obnoxious behaviors. I use to as well.  But..

• Any living thing that has this level of elation, how can you not smile?
• I have a dog that worries way too much and is never this eager. Puts this problem into a different perspective.

I no longer look at this as a problem, it is a blessing. I just love to see my dogs smile!

P.S. I got the best question at the trial. "Do you train your dog's to run that fast, or did they just come that way?" Answer: I teach them to love the game.

They are talking, if only we are listening!

Funny, I really try to pay attention to what my dogs are telling me.  But, every so often I get caught up in life and forget to listen.

Trust your dog is always communicating!

My dogs speak to me in so many ways.  They can tell me if they are hurting long before limping appears, they tell me what I have really trained them to do (regardless of what I have asked), and they tell me what they love.

Training...

They naturally understand so many things as evidence of beliefs of several handling systems, APHS and OMD.

The dogs and I were playing this morning.  I was working on some discrimination skills.  Tunnel and two jumps.  Take this closer jump or take the further jump, I was cuing from the far left of both jumps.  Split told me that my cue was incorrect, I was cuing the far jump improperly.  This was the cue for take the backside of the closer jump. He was exactly right!  I had no idea he had that skill!  (basically do a threadle independently to get to the backside). 

Injury...

I was running a trial this weekend and one of my dogs was crashing into jumps in a very unusual way.  Of course I couldn't really see it because I run ahead of my dogs.  A couple of friends brought it to my attention, looked at the video (!!  f.r.e.a.k.e.d   o.u.t  !!), got him adjusted and things became right again.  As a side note, it was the calmest I have ever seen him be while getting adjusted, he knew this was what he needed.

But, if I have been listening, I would have seen this before I got slapped in the face.  There were avoidance behaviors that told me something was up.  If I had only been listening!  Motivates you to be a good listener doesn't it?

Love...

I was working a skill and rewarding with a tug.  One of the dogs was willing to work, but the energy wasn't there.  The lack of energy did have my attention, but I guess not enough to troubleshoot it.  Finally, I decided to listen to the clear message that this was work and not fun.  I got a better, more exciting tug and the game was on.

They can't use words, but I think that is better.  They use a language that anyone can understand if only we care to listen.

Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde - How my dog and I get ready for our run!

Today's blog in a part of the Dog Agility Bloggers Event on Mental Management!  Here is the first article, The How To Guide for Multiple Personalities.  The second article is Rehersals! My mental management


I have developed a split personality disorder on purpose.  To learn how, read on....

I have done a TON of work on this front.  I didn't start out with this in mind, but it was really brought about by self preservation.

The journey started with Tip, my first agility dog.  She would arrive ring side (no doubt way too early) and begin her wind up routine.  She would watch the dogs on course, get more and more wound until it was finally our turn.  I would walk out of course and release the wound up spring.  As you can imagine, we hit every obstacle on course, probably twice and would end up with high points in trial.  Only served me well in USDAA Gamblers where her random obstacles would gain us "good" points!!

Conductor of the Crazy Train

I began my journey with myself, determined that this routine wouldn't get me upset and wound just like her.  It took me a couple of years, finally realizing the calmer I was, the more calm she was.  Our runs began to come together.  Also realizing (way too slowly) that I should only get her to ring side about 3 seconds before our run so she couldn't continue her wind up routine.

Tip is an extraordinary agility dog, she is the only one of my dogs that can be truly handler focused and obstacle focused depending on what I need.  I began to incorporate some of this into my warm up routine with her.  So, if we were doing Gamblers (of which she was already an expert) I would warm her up with some distance work.  If we were doing Snooker I would warm her up with "come to hand" and tight flat work.  She slowly began to understand that this translated to what I was about to ask of her on our runs.

Don't get me wrong, we have not arrived.  Tip is still the conductor of the "Crazy Train", but we do manage to pull it together more often to win our share of races.

I will contrast this with Tangle.  Tangle is the opposite of Tip and my third agility dog.  The closer Tangle would get to the ring the more stressed he would get.  Sniffing, calming signals, never playing, and slowing his pace.  We would go into the ring and he would be very careful, never wanting to be wrong.  Always doing a great job, but never having fun.  This is just who Tangle was (yes, I said "was").

Holy cow, now I had a dog that I needed to figure out how to "wing up"!  This journey also took a couple of years.  I needed to learn how to be happy, relaxed and playful around Tangle.  I am these things in real life, but running Tip had taught me to be more meditative when going into the ring to run.

So, I had to teach Tangle that it was OK to play no matter where he was.  We had to play in the backyard, at starbucks, ring side, every where.  I actually had to teach this!  He had to learn to bark and be wild on command.  We had to learn to take that behavior to the ring (the gate steward hates me now, but I am OK with that).  So, with Tangle I broke all the "Tip" rules.  We stayed ring side, I let him get wound watching dogs, I asked him to bark and spin, and finally he agreed to tug ring side!
I documented some of this journey in the blog -- IYC, and  Training in Crazy Places

Cynosport 2012 - Playing before a run

Tangle and I still have some work to accomplish at really big events, but we are setting patterns of success which is important.  He is having fun, running fast, and relaxing!

Then there is Split, not to be minimized, but he is somewhere in between.  He would stay calm ring side, yes, excited to run but not really showing it.  I honestly don't think the excitement hits Split until he is about 3 obstacles into the course.  Then he realizes again why he loves the game and looses all connection to me (joining Tip on the crazy train).  So, with Split I had to bring his excitement level up BEFORE the run so that he could begin to level out before we hit the startline.  Split (thanking the universe as I say this) is fairly easy to deal with mentally.  We have begun to tug ring side (which I also had to teach him to do) and our runs are beginning to level out and be fairly nice.

Split's Crazy AF

All three dogs get the same treatment at the end of our runs and I am religious about this!  We never stop to talk to anyone, we run to their reward, I smother them with praise and we play!

So, no story is the same in terms of mental management of your dog.  But hopefully, you take away the bits and pieces that make sense for your team and learn to get your dog "in the zone" and become the person that they need you to be!

When practices just suck...

For various reasons, some of which I have yet to understand, I have had several sessions with the dogs lately that have just sucked. 

I wasn't on top of my game, the dogs responded and weren't on top of their game and it just sucked all the fun out of agility.

Nobody talks about this topic too much.  Probably because it is painful to think about and you don't want to admit that sometimes you just suck!

The remedy?  Some of this intensionally and some was just great timing.

I took Split and Tangle to a frisbee competition yesterday.  For me, frisbee isn't about winning, getting high points, it is really about relaxing with my dogs, but working as a team.  I suck at frisbee, I only know how to throw one way.  I never "practice" it, it is just something that, on occasion we do together.  I could probably think of it as one of those team building exercises.  But the key is I can relax, smile and laugh with my dogs always.

Mary, Tangle, and Split

Competition was fun and crazy.  First time ever that Tangle actually darted out on the field to help a dog catch the Frisbee.  Tangle never looses his head in an environment like that, but yesterday I saw a lack of control several times (this is a good thing for this dog).  Split did awesome, he takes Frisbee very seriously.  Actually Split digs anything he does.  He is the best example on the planet of being "in the moment" and enjoying the work.  An inspiration really (which is why rehabing this dog was so worth it).

This morning I went back to foundation and basics with all three dogs.  We did Linda Mechlenberg's one jump work right from the beginning.  Jumps at 8", 12", 16" etc...It was a good exercise.  High rate of reward for the dogs, easy, reminding them not to hit the bar, and helping keep the muscle's toned in their back legs.  And my CnT and throwing treats skills were good enough to make the dogs happy.

Then we did some tunnel and jump work.  Take the tunnel, don't take it, do the backside, threadles, etc... 

My reward...a sequence that we just sucked at two days ago was flawless this morning. 

Most of the time I do a fairly good job keeping things in perspective, not getting too serious about the goals at hand, but sometimes, obviously I suck at it.

We all just needed some time where we  just played, laughed, and let off steam.

I designed this course because I needed the practice!

I am learning more and more that practicing agility is to get me the experience that I need to handle my dogs.  Probably 20 percent of our practice is for them.

 My dogs, especially Tangle know what to do when I give them the proper instruction. Now Tip does snipe sometimes, but I forgive her since 1) she was my first agility dog and my learning curve with her was steep  2)  Until I gained enough experience to feel some confidence in what I was doing I put her through about a dozen handling systems.  It is a wonder she knows what to do (must be one smart dog!).

I put this course together this morning with a couple of different objectives in mind.  Again, practice for me.

Objective 1 - To practice running Tangle, then Tip, then Split all in a row.  Since I trial all three dogs, I need to get better about switching between them.  I am trying to get more practiced with my visualization, make it more real so that it affects my performance in a positive way.

Objective 2 - There are elements in this course that were taken from judges who will be judging at Cynosport.  I wanted to work those challenges.

Objective 3 - Put all the obstacles out there so my dogs would see them all before Cynosport.  The broad-jump is missing, but I worked that in a different session.

 

The opening was fairly straight forward, ran it a couple of times after the initials runs.  I got the tightest turn on 2 when I lead out half way between 1 & 2 and did rapid decel.  All three dogs got the DW/Tunnel discrimination, just used out-walk-it.  #6 was interesting, you could easily get a refusal on that jump depending on the dog's ability to send.  I got a refusal with Split, but Tip and Tangle were awesome.  

7-8-9 I had an error in judgement.  Thinking that I wanted to be on the triple side of the AF, I FC'ed on the landing side of 7 with Tangle.  I did get the tunnel, but bar 7 came down and getting the triple was not pretty because he turned back toward me.  I must have thought I was superman and would be there :).  So, better to handle that sequence on the DW side and rear-cross the triple.  That was actually a great decision because the dog had a clear line of sight from 6-7-8, then turn toward you after the tunnel and a "jump-switch" gets you the jump and a beautiful turn.

10-11-12 was no problem to my surprise, but I did have better commitment to the weaves when I could be slightly ahead of the teeter when the dog was released.  If you can't do that, you better have a very good verbal discrimination!

12-13-14-15-16-17 I learned several things and was reminded of a couple.  1-give the dog more yardage, when you absolutely have to be ahead (rc to the backside of 14).  2-dogs have no clue what to do with a hill-billy** jump when they see it from the side.  The most successful handling strategy was to send the dog to the weaves, layer the tunnel, stay about 1/2 down the tunnel, calling their name so they turn toward you, let them shoot out beyond the plane of 14, rear-cross on the flat, send into the tunnel, run like hell and shape the approach to 16, deceling also so you get the turn for the AF.  Again, run like hell to 18.  You would get a tight turn out of the tunnel if you were down there to catch them but then you are behind when they need you to shape the approach to the hill-billy jump.

All-in-all, I learned some thing, I blogged what I learned and hopefully will retain that knowledge to use it in a competition!!

**Hill-billy jump (not official name) is two single jumps placed 12-18 inches apart to form a double.  I have the winged jump on the back.  All three dogs thought that they should slice between the two jumps.  Interestingly, no bars were dropped, no dogs were hurt, they were amazing.  If the dog had hit the jump, my jumps fall apart by design!

A life long pursuit - being a better listener!

I ran across this blog the other day, Training Border Collies, one post in particular really hit home for me, Psych 101.  What she had to say was very insightful and very true.  Each dog is different and you have to be able to read them to connect with them.

I suppose I am this way because I am the youngest of six, or maybe it is because of who I am.  I approach all interactions whether it is people or animals by trying to read them.  I try to interpret their reactions to me and the world.  I try to "listen" with every sense that I have.  I do a lot of observing.

I am not trying to be a dog whisperer.  As a matter of fact, I don't really even like that term. I just have figured out that I get way more information by reading every form of communication then I do by listening to just words.  I guess I am an information junky.

What I would like to achieve is that my soul is so quiet and listening so intently to my dog that I can hear my dog's soul as well.  I know, sounds kind of hippie like.  That is OK.  Hippies brought about a revolution is America :)

Tip taught me that my attitude influenced our runs.  She is a very drivey dog who reacts to my nerves by getting even more wound.  I eventually learned that I needed to always be calm with her.  From the moment I get her out of the kennel to run, through the end of our run.  If I am nervous it only compounds our problems.

Tangle reminded me that I need to be calm, but happy.  He reacts to the energy in his environment and begins to display all calming signals he has at his disposal.  I learned that I had to play with him in these environments, teach him to relax and enjoy the moment.  It taught me more deeply to enjoy the moment.  Dogs are wonderful teachers, if you are willing to be the student.

Split is right in the middle of these two.  Sometimes he gets more wound, but once he reaches his tipping point, he shuts down. 
 
This statement from that very same blog also hit home, this describes Tip and Tangle perfectly.  Tip being the one who needs a truancy officer :)

"For now – both are a lot of fun to work … different dogs – different issues – different year and yet “all so familiar”. I seem to spend 1/2 my life as a cheerleader and the other 1/2 as a truancy officer :@) "

I want to spend more time observing and listening than training!

Playing with a sequence and Non-Traditional Starts

I was involved in a Facebook conversation the other day.  It was prompted by a comment on how people were handling a certain start at the USDAA Rocky Mountain Regionals.  It was not the first time I had seen courses with this kind of a start (similar, not the same) and I decided I wanted to play with it.

I first started to play with this course with a somewhat traditional start.  That is, sit your dog in front of the first jump lead out.  More on that in a minute.

Traditional Start

I ran this sequence with all three dogs, it always gives me a great idea how things are REALLY going to work.

There are a number of ways to run this sequence.  The handling option that people were commenting on was a Lead Out Pivot, pull through the gap of 2-3 and send over 3.  Of the dogs that I watched this didn't work really well.  Most dogs didn't know they were turning back to the handling after 3, and in general the LOP was not very smooth (smooth = dog knows where he is going).

The options that we were discussing were:
1. push to the backside of #2, push to backside of #3, and tuck in for a blind after 3.
2. push to the backside of #2, handler goes in between 2-3 to front cross and send over 3.
3. push to the backside of #2, handler goes in between 2-3 and does a k-turn over 3.
4. Lead Out Pivot, pull through the gap of 2-3 and send over 3.

#1 - This options was amazingly difficult to get to the blind cross in time.  I could do it, but I was living on the edge and the bars were at risk because of the rush.
#2 - This worked fairly well but I felt like I got a fairly wide turn at 3 going to 4.
#3 - This worked the best.  Dogs read it well, I didn't have so much rotation myself, got a tighter turn at 3 and was ahead to handling a turn at 4.

The Traditional Start 
I was messing with this course for a while.  I found that I could get the job done, but I wasn't as far ahead as I wanted to be.  I had to wait to commitment to the backside of 2.  I tried a running start with the dogs and that went a little better.  The momentum helped me get an earlier commitment, but if I cut over too soon Tip would follow and take the front side.  Also, if you dropped your arm, the dog would take the front side.



Bottom frame is the traditional start, top if a running start

Non-Traditional Start
On the map I put a jump on the course before #1.  I started the dogs there with a running start, the landed a little deeper, my motion COMPLETELY supported the backside and I found that I got ahead better to support a push and k-turn.  In filming this with Coach's Eye it wasn't quite as fast but I am confident that I can work the turn over #2 a tad bit more and get things faster.  I would probably opt for this start in a trial because I would spend less time managing commitment points and more time staying ahead.

So, at least for the moment I am in favor of running into a backside, and thinking outside the box to see if a non-traditional start will give me an advantage!

Split

Split is back!

It occurred to me today that this weekend will be Split's first 2 day (almost all the runs) trial since 2/2011 when he was diagnosed with arthritis and an iliopsoas pull.  The doctors nor PT people were hopeful that he would ever be able to do agility again.  They just didn't think that he could come back strong enough.

It was really hard to come to terms with that news!

I set my mind on getting him rehab'ed with the goal that he would keep jogging with us and doing some "puppy" agility in the back yard for the rest of his life.  He needed to know that he was not forgotten or any less of a member in our house.

I think that this mind set was perfect for today's outcome!  I never envisioned that he would be as strong as he is today.

It wasn't until about 8 months ago that I realized that he really recovered well.  So I set my sights on getting him retrained and seeing were he could go.

While Split was injured but before I really realized it he began to develop some bad habits--mostly popping weave poles and wide turns.  Much like someone who has been limping for years, getting the problem fixed, you have to re-train the body/mind to stop compensating for a problem that no longer exists.

So, I believe that we have the weave pole issue much improved, his turns are much tighter for the most part, his AF has been converted to running, he has stopped (mostly) running a muck on course out of happiness and we are beginning to be a better team again.

He won't ever have a full trial schedule again, but really that is fine, I just want him healthy and happy. 

So, we will see what this weekend brings.  I don't care if we cue, I don't care if we place, I really don't care if he becomes a little too enthusiastic on course.  All I care about is that we can run together again and when the end of the day comes he still feels good and pain free.

I am happy to be running Split again and with a very conservative approach, hopefully we can continue for a long while!

Style points count!

They say in agility is doesn't matter how ugly the run was, it is still a cue.  That is true to a point.

I have witnessed several situations over the past month that have really made me *think* about this and believe even more deeply that style does matter.  I am actually not talking about the run itself, I am talking about how you conduct yourself and your attitude and the gratitude/grace with which we lead our lives in every moment.

I was blown away about a month ago when a competitor who I admire (and this is probably why) was proud to be on the podium with such an esteemed group of handlers.  The attitude wasn't all about how great she is, or how great the dog is, it was about recognizing her fellow competitors as well.  She lifted others while lifting herself.  Was she proud of herself for being there?  I don't know for sure, but I am bet she was.  The statement was classy and I see that attitude from her ALWAYS.  It helps me admire her and learn from her.

Too me this speaks to the moments of competition that I love.

Style points also count outside the ring, walking the course, coming into the ring, leaving the ring, in class, or just alone on the field.

My hero's in agility are truly those people who excel at handling/training, but are also kind and gracious in every moment.  You see them in class and they lift you up, you see them at trials and they lift you up.  They live their lives by doing the right thing ALWAYS.  Being kind to both people and animals.

Some days I am far from a kind person.  But, I always try to re-center myself.  I am the most proud of myself when I am kind and lift others no matter what.

So, a reminder to myself, "Style does Matter"!

Surround yourself with only people that will lift you higher! - Oprah Winfrey

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. Booker T. Washington

Got some new gadgets!

OK, it all begins with an idea.  "I wonder which kind of a start is faster on this course..."

Well, just so happens that I got a new cell phone last week.  Ya know, one of those phones that is as big as a dinner plate (quoting a friend).

Since I had that fantastic new phone with its fantastic new camera I decided to get "Coaches Eye".  It is a snazzy little app that allows you to film, put two films side-by-side, start them where you want each one to start and run them side by side (among other things).  You can see where I am going right?

Well, hum, I was home alone tonight, how am I going to hold the phone (ie, camera) still to video and run a dog?  Well, one trip to REI and I got a GridTight Mount for my tripod.  Great little gadget, fits all sorts of cell phones and hooks onto a standard tripod.

All set!!

So, here is my handy dandy experiment.   I thought that a running start would be much faster.  Don't think that it was.  I thought that Tangle would beat Split.  Split doesn't turn as tight usually, but since he apparently knew it was a race...

Running as "One", confessions of a junky

I went to a  USDAA trial down in New Mexico this weekend with Tip and Tangle.  We were going down to pick up some more qualifications for Cynosport (Nationals).  Not sure if we will make the trek to Nationals, but always want the option for a good road trip (ok, maybe Tennessee isn't the ideal destination).

I was driving back to the motel after Friday's Team events telling my husband about the day.  He asked me how the day went, in which I replied it was "OK".  Just "OK", not awesome, not horrible.  Being the good "ASS" (Agility Support Spouse) that he is he asked me to go into detail about the day.  Why was it just "OK"?  Did you not get your Q's?  Did the dogs get hurt? Were they not wanting to run (I would know Tip is dead if she didn't want to run)?

Tip's team placed 1st in Team and Tangle's team got second (thanks to my awesome team mates).  Why then was the day just "OK"?  I should be thrilled with those results right?

We executed the runs well enough to place high. The courses were awesome, fast and technically difficult. Judge was funny. The club was friendly. What more could you want to feel great right?

I remember having these moments in music.  I would walk out on stage and start to performance.  Yes, I got through all the notes perfectly, but I didn't "feel" the performance.  We get the applause at the end, but you didn't feel that you earned them.

I realized what really THRILLS me about agility and what makes my day.  When I can walk away from the day knowing that we ran as a "team".   We, as a team, "felt" the run deeply and ran with that effortless, fluid motion.  That is a GREAT day for me. 

 When I have the kind of runs with my dogs where we run as "one", I walk away from a day of agility loving the sport.  This is not something that you can see on film and it isn't something you can describe.  It just "is"!  It is that fine dance that you have from the moment you hit the start line.  You look back and your dog is just waiting for that moment when you release him.  From the moment you release him it is like synchronized swimming.  You both execute your part of the run in tandem.  You don't "think" about the cues, there are no worries about off courses, there is just the feeling of fluidity of motion between you and your dog.  It leaves you in a state of pure joy regardless of the outcome.

The pure joy of being together

These runs don't have to be placements, nor do they have to be perfect, they just have to "be".  Although it is not her original idea, Daisy Peel wrote an article on the moment of "Unconsciously skilled". 

These runs don't come every trial for me, but when they do the "high" from the experience is enough to carry you through to the next perfect run.  I am a junky of the unconsciously skilled run!

PS, to give credit where credit is due.  Tip did have one of these runs on Sunday and Tangle on Saturday.   So, was the trial a success?  It was!

Running AFrames!

I will start with a quote that I stole from anne stocum's blog and will probably put on a t-shirt at some point!

"running contact heaven is worth spending some time in running contact hell"

Specifically her post on running contact training

I thought she did a really great job describing some of the feelings that you go through while training running contacts :)

This blog entry has been in the making for quiet some time.  It is a hard one to write.  Why?  Because I am almost always somewhere between heaven and hell on this topic.  My thoughts and what I am learning is constantly evolving on this topic.  What I know for sure this morning, is not what I will know for sure this afternoon.

What I do know for sure (almost always)

1. Training running contacts is more of an art than a science
2. What works for one dog does not always work for the other
3. You have to be diligent and committed to not let the frustration affect your relationship with your dog
4. Explore what EVERYONE has to say about teaching running contacts.  You may need the nugget of advice later on.
5. Have a running contacts support group.  This process can make you Bipolar.

Why the journey?  I love having a reliable running contact.  For me, it adds better flow to running the course.  For the dog, I know they love it more than a stop.  I will admit, also it is about the challenge of learning how to train this!

This is our latest footage on the running AF.  Fairly typical, one thing goes great, other aspects need work.  Tangle had a fairly consistent day.  Split was technically in the yellow, however he was hitting much higher than usual.  My goal is to have them hit between the first and second slate in the yellow.



From this point, I am slowly introducing handling around the AF and trying to get both dogs to have a consistently deep stride.

But today, we will work on other skills that are packed with fun for both the dogs and I.  Again, it is the commitment to maintaining a strong and happy relationship with my dogs.