# Frosty's road to finishing the CD



## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Next weekend we are going for his 3rd leg. He competed twice last summer and got 2 Qs, but low scores (179.5 and 184.5, I believe, and very easy scoring judges). He is perfect (no points lost) for sit/stay/get your leash, stand for exam. He lost points for the recall the first time and lost no points the second time. He lost the most points for heeling on the figure 8, on leash pattern, and off leash pattern (loses connection briefly). Did amazingly well on sits and downs, in spite of a horrible dog next to us in the first trial who was whining the whole time. I'm making this thread to hold myself accountable for working with him this week. If we don't get it this time, we have another shot in 3 weeks at the same venue (these have all been outdoors, which is way more challenging for Frosty to do obed or rally).


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Good luck.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I hope you have a good outing next week. I will be happy to see a CD after his name.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

You can do this Frosty !


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Onward! I'll be cheering you on from here.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

I wish you well! Good luck!


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

:Raises arms in silent cheers for your team 🤩!!!:


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## Sroodle8 (Dec 23, 2021)

Go get 'em Frosty! My girl and I are heading for an Agility Trial that weekend. No titles are on the line, but a couple Qs would be nice.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Thank you all  We went on a hike today and this afternoon we plan to get to work!

Sroodle8, Good luck at your agility trial!


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## Kukla the Tpoo (11 mo ago)

Best of luck!


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Good luck tomorrow!


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Carolinek said:


> Good luck tomorrow!


Thank you so much! We will be going on Sunday morning  Extra day to practice since I've been bad about it all week


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I wish team Frosty great success. Don't work the routine too hard today and trust that he knows the exercises. I am of the school of take the day before a trial off from prepping and just have fun. One of my novice class teams missed several weeks because of holidays and a cople of oddball things. The dog was really good in class yesterday. I think the break from training was good for him.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

lily cd re said:


> I wish team Frosty great success. Don't work the routine too hard today and trust that he knows the exercises. I am of the school of take the day before a trial off from prepping and just have fun. One of my novice class teams missed several weeks because of holidays and a cople of oddball things. The dog was really good in class yesterday. I think the break from training was good for him.


I definitely agree with your philosophy. I have only worked with him once this week, despite having this accountability thread. It's been a crazy busy week. I will work him very lightly this morning. He knows how to do everything; I just really hope and pray he will be engaged in heeling. I'm also going to review the rules.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I have confidence that you will do ust fine together! I am always reviewing the rules these daays. Lily did her CD and CDX under the old rules and Javelin will be doing the new rules. I don't want to blow it up because I had a brain fart on what to do.


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

Good luck tomorrow!


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

lily cd re said:


> I have confidence that you will do ust fine together! I am always reviewing the rules these daays. Lily did her CD and CDX under the old rules and Javelin will be doing the new rules. I don't want to blow it up because I had a brain fart on what to do.


Good tip. They’ve made changes. I’m enjoying the fact that we do figure eight around cones instead of people.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Skylar figure 8 is not the change that I think about at all. I don't know whether that is even written into the rules since it doesn't fundamentally change the exercise. It is a change related to COVID. I am more thinking about the group stays and the sit stay retrieve your leash in novice. And in open the command discrimination and the stand stay get your leash. Those are major changes where I did something different with Lily than I will do with Javelin.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

lily cd re said:


> Skylar figure 8 is not the change that I think about at all. I don't know whether that is even written into the rules since it doesn't fundamentally change the exercise. It is a change related to COVID. I am more thinking about the group stays and the sit stay retrieve your leash in novice. And in open the command discrimination and the stand stay get your leash. Those are major changes where I did something different with Lily than I will do with Javelin.


Yes. I knew about the changes but it feels weird. Babykins got her CD under the old rules too. We were training Open and Utility when they got rid of the out of sight stays after I had her solid with that.

Might feel weird to MaizieFrosty too. The new group stays are basic what the old AKC CGC had. In one of Theo’s first Novice classes we did run throughs and that’s where I realized I completely forgot they added the get your leash. He loves to go for a walk and the site of seeing me grab his leash off the leash holder caused him to break his stay and come running. I knew it would happen and everyone in class laughed….. you know what poodles look when doing a recall… that bounce and speed.

The use of cones was made permanently official in November 2020. We still randomly use people/dogs in class.

Good luck for tomorrow.


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## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

Fingers and paws crossed. Have fun!


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Thank you, sweet friends 🤗 Frosty is so tired from getting bathed, brushed, and trimmed and doing a run-through, so I'll join him in sleep soon!


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Ugh, we failed. And it was on the recall 😭 It was like he didn't hear me the first two times, but by the third time he came galloping. Then I used the wrong hand signal for finish right. He also failed to sit on the heeling, but the judge said we would have qualified (barely) except for the recall. On a positive note, she was very kind and said he was a nice working dog. We also met the sweetest poodle person ever with a beautiful Sharbelle/Penndragon bitch who qualified after the first round and we are cheering them on for the sits/downs  We'll try again in 3 weeks.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Aww I am sorry you had a dissapointing outing. Recalls can be tough for CD dogs if they get distracted and aren't connecting to their handlers. Now you know what to work on for the next couple of weeks. BTW you can do either a left or a right finish. I tend to use left finishes since the dog (to me) seems less likely to disconnect during the finish. On a right finish they can look away while they are behind you and may disappear. And failure to sit in the heeling exercises is one of the most common things dogs do when they are nervous. No sits are just points not NQs.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I’m sorry But now you know what to work on. I’m sure he’ll get it next time and we’ll be cheering team Frosty on.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

lily cd re said:


> Aww I am sorry you had a dissapointing outing. Recalls can be tough for CD dogs if they get distracted and aren't connecting to their handlers. Now you know what to work on for the next couple of weeks. BTW you can do either a left or a right finish. I tend to use left finishes since the dog (to me) seems less likely to disconnect during the finish. On a right finish they can look away while they are behind you and may disappear. And failure to sit in the heeling exercises is one of the most common things dogs do when they are nervous. No sits are just points not NQs.


Thank you, Catherine. I'm relieved that the sit isn't required in the heeling!! As for the finish after the recall, I have always practiced to the right, but I know you can do either. It was so cute, he actually attempted a finish left with my incorrect finish left signal! Then he walked all the way around and finished right. Such a good boy. 



Skylar said:


> I’m sorry But now you know what to work on. I’m sure he’ll get it next time and we’ll be cheering team Frosty on.


Thank you, Skylar!

Oh, and I realized it's actually 4 weeks from today.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

You'll get there and it sounds like a lot went great 💪👏.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Streetcar said:


> You'll get there and it sounds like a lot went great 💪👏.


Thank you, Streetcar. I was very proud of him for some of the other exercises. He definitely did his best figure 8s ever.


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## Sroodle8 (Dec 23, 2021)

Well, poo. It's always something, isn't it? Take heart--the figure 8s, the judge's comments, the other stuff that went right. And you got to spend time with your dog.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Sroodle8 said:


> Well, poo. It's always something, isn't it? Take heart--the figure 8s, the judge's comments, the other stuff that went right. And you got to spend time with your dog.


Thanks, Sroodle8--absolutely!


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Awe sorry. That's too bad. You and Frosty will just have to practice some more and then try again. You'll get there.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Awe sorry. That's too bad. You and Frosty will just have to practice some more and then try again. You'll get there.


Thanks, Tom


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## Apricot mini momma (Dec 22, 2020)

MaizieFrosty said:


> It was so cute, he actually attempted a finish left with my incorrect finish left signal! Then he walked all the way around and finished right. Such a good boy.


That’s just super cute! Sounds like you did very well all things considered. Frosty is a rising star 🌟


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Apricot mini momma said:


> That’s just super cute! Sounds like you did very well all things considered. Frosty is a rising star 🌟


Thank you, Apricot mini momma. The final CD leg will probably be our swan song


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Aw, bummer. NQ's aren't fun. I'm proud of you for showing and happy to hear about what went well. I learn way more from NQs than Qs, and Noelle and I have had our share. NQs are diagnostic information for me, although it took me a while to understand how to use the information. When we NQ, I write down exactly what went wrong, including any possible distractions that contributed to it. From there, I can pick the breakdown apart and start to retrain each part of the broken behavior chain. 

If it's recalls in novel areas, go to new places and practice short recalls. Can you come to front... in a pet store? Can you come to front in the park? Can you come to front if I am standing on one foot? If the answer is yes, jackpot time. If the answer is no, think about why the answer is no and see if you can break it down even smaller. Can you come one step toward me with birds flying around? No. Can you turn your head toward me? Yes. Jackpot that. 

And be patient with yourself. If dog training to a CD was easy, everyone would have one. It's not easy, which is why it's a goal worth striving for. Keep training and keep practicing. You've got this. I know you do.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Click-N-Treat said:


> Aw, bummer. NQ's aren't fun. I'm proud of you for showing and happy to hear about what went well. I learn way more from NQs than Qs, and Noelle and I have had our share. NQs are diagnostic information for me, although it took me a while to understand how to use the information. When we NQ, I write down exactly what went wrong, including any possible distractions that contributed to it. From there, I can pick the breakdown apart and start to retrain each part of the broken behavior chain.
> 
> If it's recalls in novel areas, go to new places and practice short recalls. Can you come to front... in a pet store? Can you come to front in the park? Can you come to front if I am standing on one foot? If the answer is yes, jackpot time. If the answer is no, think about why the answer is no and see if you can break it down even smaller. Can you come one step toward me with birds flying around? No. Can you turn your head toward me? Yes. Jackpot that.
> 
> And be patient with yourself. If dog training to a CD was easy, everyone would have one. It's not easy, which is why it's a goal worth striving for. Keep training and keep practicing. You've got this. I know you do.


Thank you so much for the empathy, as well as the pep talk, Marie! I am going to proof the ish out of the recall in the coming weeks  And I'm definitely going to up the value of the treats.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

You've got this. Onward! If you want $100,000 behavior chains, use your best reinforcement. And remember reinforcement is not only food. You're not a vending machine. You're YOU and you're amazing and the Goddess of Fun. The dog should have no idea what kind of reinforcement is coming. Could be...

Food, a silly trick, running after a squirrel, sniffing a fire hydrant, doing another behavior, better food, a thrown toy, a game of tug, you running away laughing like a loon and the dog getting to chase you, a scratch...

Once you get beyond being a treat vending machine dog training becomes dynamic and fun for both of you. Remember, this is supposed to be fun.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Click-N-Treat said:


> You've got this. Onward! If you want $100,000 behavior chains, use your best reinforcement. And remember reinforcement is not only food. You're not a vending machine. You're YOU and you're amazing and the Goddess of Fun. The dog should have no idea what kind of reinforcement is coming. Could be...
> 
> Food, a silly trick, running after a squirrel, sniffing a fire hydrant, doing another behavior, better food, a thrown toy, a game of tug, you running away laughing like a loon and the dog getting to chase you, a scratch...
> 
> Once you get beyond being a treat vending machine dog training becomes dynamic and fun for both of you. Remember, this is supposed to be fun.


Love that! Yes, I'm all about having fun. He is verrrry food motivated, but he's also very tug motivated, so thank you for that reminder.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Noelle is the opposite. Food is a let down. Toys are whoooo hoooo! I vary my reinforcement to keep training as fun as possible for her.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Click-N-Treat said:


> Noelle is the opposite. Food is a let down. Toys are whoooo hoooo! I vary my reinforcement to keep training as fun as possible for her.


Maizie is pretty much the same as Noelle


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Sorry to hear that it was a NQ but it sounds like there were many good points. The “ good working dog “ compliment is a testament to your connection as a team!


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Today he finished the CD, and not only that, but he also won the class! I am so, so proud of him. He was perfect. The ring was in a terrible location, surrounded by rally and utility rings and people coming close, plus it was a tiny ring. I saw people all around me acting all stressed out, and I said, "Frosty, we are just going to have fun!" I talked to him in a very happy way, and I wasn't nervous at all. Our poodle friend got 2nd place this time and completed their title as well.


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## Minie (Oct 4, 2021)

Congratulations 👏🥇 wise choice about having fun.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

High fives to you and Frosty!


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

👏🤗. I’m so happy for you and Frosty. What nice way to earn your title in first place and happy. Perfect


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

Congratulations, Team Frosty!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Hooray, how nice to take your class in addition to finishing your title. I am glad you played the fun card.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Thanks so much for your kind words, poodle friends. Here's a pic of how he's spending the rest of his afternoon


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Congratulations to you and Frosty! Such a great team!


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## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

Cheering you & Frosty on as you train for a 2nd try.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Asta's Mom said:


> Cheering you & Frosty on as you train for a 2nd try.


Claire, see the updated post--he did it!!!


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Congratulations 🎊 👏 💐 🎊 👏 !!! And won your class, to boot - yay yay yay 🤩🤩🤩🤩!!!


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## TeamHellhound (Feb 5, 2021)

Congratulations!


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## Kukla the Tpoo (11 mo ago)

Congratulations to you and Frosty!


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Yay! Hooray! You did it! I'm so proud of you.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Thank you--y'all are the best. 💗🧡💛💚💙💜


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## EVpoodle (Sep 25, 2018)

I am a bit late, but congratulations Frosty!


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