It's time for
the training roller coaster. Especially with puppy training. After two great
training sessions, we trained again the last two nights and they were both....
eh.
Not bad
sessions, just a bit blah. A small step back with the chute as she needs me to
guide her at the opening. Not a big deal long term, just a lack of progress.
Her drive wasn't as high as the previous two nights in releasing off the
contacts or in the "jump" sequences. Just, kind of, eh.
I'm reminded
again that I am not a good trainer at getting drive off the contact release and
start lines. Shasta's start line release is actually pretty good, but not the
contact release. I have great contact bottoms, but I think that something I do
in that creates a little indecision on the dog's part on when it is ok to
release.
Below is a video Kris filmed on Sunday of Shasta doing the teeter. I really do like how the teeter is going.
The last two nights have been really good sessions with Shasta. Complete focus on the tasks at hand, good drive, did the specific tasks well. Fun.
The chute issue is already fading. I had to help her first time last night then she was fine. I didn't even have to help the first time tonight.
Earlier this week we were doing the "pounce" on the teeter and, for reasons I couldn't see, it made her sad. I did two straight-on teeters and then didn't do any more. Apparently a good choice as she has been right back to running it and banging the pounce ever since.
Here is a short video of her running through the jump sequence. I had a tough time beating her to the front crosses. Yea! And another video of her working the puppy dogwalk. She knows her bottom position well.
Life always seems too crazy in May and June. Every year I'm excited to be able to start training outside and every year I realize that I get to do very little training. Between mowing, and a string of shows, and mowing, and work and the training school, and mowing...... Poor puppy has not had much training time.
Oh Chute! It's happened before. Often enough that I should be more careful. I am referring to the "accidental obstacle" in the back yard. I had Shasta, Sonic and Pearle out to run around in the backyard while I grouped our obstacles together, getting ready to mow. I folded the chute up and put it under our short dogwalk. Somehow, Shasta found the opening and tried to go through. Got quite tangled in the chute (maybe a good thing, if she had gone right through, probably would have run into a dog walk leg). Problem was, because it was under the dogwalk, I couldn't unfold the chute for her. After a bit, she finally figured to back out of the chute.
At that point, I have a puppy worried about the chute. So out it comes and we go into training mode. She was hesitant with the first few but was able to do them with minimal help. But I knew it wasn't over, that the next day would really tell the tale. Out she came the next day and she was hesitant again. Running by it when I approached it "normal" but willing to do it when I did a restrained approach. That's all the farther I have gotten, now it's off to another show out of town, so it will be a few days until we get to try again.
Overall, I am fairly pleased with her reaction to this point. It would have been great if she went right back through with total confidence. But the reaction I did get was reasonable and understandable for what she endured. She was not freaky, just hesitant. It will be interesting to see what she thinks next week but I expect it won't be an issue for long.
I have felt bad for Shasta of late, I have not had much time for her. She's been along for everything. And has taken a number of walks during our RV weekends. So that is something. But not the time to spend like I would like with a five month old dog.
Before talking training, I again have to say that I love Shasta the companion. I had to work from home today and she was right there at my feet about 90% of the time. Yesterday I fell asleep on the couch for a bit in the RV watching TV with her sleeping on my chest. So cute!
The minimal training we have done continues to go well. I've added a second table to the puppy dogwalk to create a feel more like a middle plank. I've never done that before but it seemed like a good step. Having seen it now, I like that she has to concentrate on where she is to take the downside plank, a nice side benefit. The bottom position is going really well. Once there she is very close to totally understanding to wait for my release, we are proofing just about anything. Getting into the bottom position is fine for me at this point. If she is going fast she runs slightly off and puts herself back on. If she is going over it slower, she goes to position. I'm good with that interim point.
Teeter has crept up a couple of links of the chain and she is still doing the teeter and doing the "pounce" on the upside great. She really enjoys the "pounce". I need to video it, for cuteness reasons.
Tonight we started working the figure 8 exercise. That is where I have tunnels at the ends and five jumps in the middle, allows me to work on front crosses, blind crosses and rear crosses (when I get to those) on jumps. She did pretty good for one of the first times at it. I try to add a bit of lateral distance already at this point and she gets out to the "jump" fairly regular. I have to focus more on rewarding her more often, I know I am not reinforcing enough but I get a bit caught up in it while I am training.
