# Javelin's road to ring ready!



## zooeysmom

I look forward to following this thread to see Javelin's development as a performance champion  

Maizie will tug any time, anywhere--I am curious, what does this predict?


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## Quossum

Thanks for sharing--this should be a fun thread!

I like how you mentioned that some of the things you're doing now are to help build a good foundation for Open and Utility, classes that will come along much later. So important to keep the ultimate ultimate goals in mind when starting with the earliest of training.

I also like how you touched on frustration. I think that a good quality in a performance dog is the ability to tolerate and work through frustration. We handlers can be good or bad influences in that!

--Q


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## lily cd re

zooeysmom, tugging is a game that indicates drive to work. Teaching a dog to tug and then break off the game on your order is an impulse control exercise. After you move and get the lay of the land in Chico you should try your hand at rally or obedience or agility with Maizie. Channel that drive and you will deepen your bond with her in ways you can barely imagine.

Quossum I wish I had done more of this last summer when Javelin was a puppy, but things are as they are. He is still way ahead of the curve that Lily was on at the age of one year, but he could be further along. I think that teaching at my club during the school year put me off continuing what I started when he was a tiny boy. 

In the current thread about dog parks the most recent posts touch on the value of free play for dogs (and children). I also think that learning to deal with and work through stress and frustration is an important life skill for dogs and humans. My current crop of human students has a midterm exam tonight. They are so stressed out over it I am worried that some of them will under perform because of the stress. They are extremely worried about how many questions, what kinds of questions and the like. Very few of them has asked anything about the material, but they keep asking about how many questions, etc.. My reply is don't worry about the questions, spend your energy making sure you know the material and then the questions won't be a problem. They don't get it.

Javelin was interesting when he was confused. Deb had taken him from me to show me an exercise. The activity was to use a treat to get the dog to follow you as you moved away from him without saying anything. The idea was to let him have a bit of the treat when he was giving attention and moving with you, marking the movement with a yes and sometimes a bit of the treat. Since she wasn't talking to him he had no clue what to do and her barked at her and her shoes and acted like he wanted to bite her shoes. The barking stopped as soon as he figured out how to get the reinforcing markers and by the time she gave him back to me he had the game figured out and worked it well. Now we will take that on the road. This made me realize that I have been talking him through many more things than I need to. His learning and understanding will be greatly reinforced by me talking less and letting him work the problem out for himself.


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## TeamPoodle

Oh this is a great thread! I can't wait to see more of Javelin's progress to the ring!


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## lily cd re

Today was my teaching day at my obedience club. As usual I took both Lily and Javelin with me. I generally try to get there at least 45 minutes before my first class so I can work with them before people arrive. Today I spent most of that time with Javelin. I worked on the tuck sit and the kick back stand. The sit is coming along well, but the stand needs more work so I will do at least one more session on it today. His down has already been pretty good and is also getting better.

I also did name reinforcement with distractions. I have a helper who takes care of signing people in and does the log ins for me (and am very grateful to have her). She trains with the same private trainer I have been going to so she understands all of my exercises and proofs so she is easy to work with as a distraction maker. He is giving much better responses to his name now even though he knew it he now is understanding that hearing it to means get ready to work.

We also worked on the follow me exercise. This still needs some work since he is being bratty about trying to get food from me without working for it decently. I want to get more practice on this in the next couple of days. I got an email from the trainer yesterday that she has a cancellation on Monday and can take us for that hour. I want to have him ready to move to the next exercises ASAP because we will not know a set training schedule with her in advance.

Separately I am happy to say that all of a sudden he has been much better waiting in his crate lately. He has wrecked two covers trying to get out of a soft crate and he absolutely hates a metal crate so I have been really working on him with this (some of you may remember that he is an in home crate train failure). I can now even be in sight and he will settle quickly when I tell him to rather than jumping around trying to get to me.


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## mashaphan

I am so looking forward to following Jav's journey. A lot of my fellow "rally-ers" use "with me",and I may with the Spoo. (I have a lot of "stuck phrases" from training in the 60's-70"s, when it was ALWAYS "heel" when you moved. But,rally didn't exist then,either!)

When and where is the July southern tier show? I looked on AKC site,but didn't recognize any of the descriptions.

I should think it would matter more WHAT the exam questions were than how many of them there would be. Was I that naive back in the day?:afraid::ahhhhh:

Martha et al


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## lily cd re

And the new word to move in heel is strut (which I personally really dislike, but whatever works).

It is the Susquenango Kennel Club at Broome Community College in Binghamton Friday July 22 to Sunday the 24th that will be our next stop.

I may give Javelin a rally novice run just for kicks.


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## Streetcar

LilyCDRE, sometimes students really work to learn and do learn the material, and then are faced with test questions that don't reflect the material learned. I understand if one learns material, one can hope to apply the foundations to other situations. That may be where the question requests come from, if students aren't able to decipher how the test applies to the material. I've experienced this a few times. (I'm not saying you do trick questions that don't apply to the material!)

Yay for Javelin figuring out so well what the trainer wanted from him ! He's a smart one, for sure. I'm loving this thread and envisioning your darling Javvypups figuring things out.


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## lily cd re

Streetcar I showed them exams from other courses so they could see generally what my exams look like and to take the edge off worrying about the nature of the exam, yet this group remained possessed with wanting details of how the test was being built. I have a large pool of questions I draw from and try hard to make sure the questions reflect what I've done in class. This class just seems to have a different vibe about that part of things.

Javvy is going to be a great worker when we get his foundations in order.


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## Streetcar

Lily CD RE, I've no doubt you are as straightforward and informative with your college students as you are with us here, and they are blessed in that.

Now, Mr. Javelin is fast becoming uni level himself! I know you are shepherding him carefully and he is going to have a career he just loves like Lily does .


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## lily cd re

We had another private lesson today. In less than a week Deb sees great progress. Javelin's attention is better. He is working past distractions like toys on the floor. 

One of the dogs belonging to the previous students barked at Jav from his crate and scared him but he recovered quickly.

We turned move with me into the beginning of heeling by having Javelin at heel position and moving just a step or two with heads up attention. We started to work on recalls but didn't include fronts. Separately we did start working on having him find front with his head up.

A one hour lesson is a long time working, so we are being careful to give him play breaks. He loves to play with his tug toy so he is staying upbeat even when he starts to find that things are hard because his performance requirements are being upped. I can tell when he needs a break because he starts putting his head down and declining his food rewards as an avoidance behavior. It will be easier to move things along at home and at my club where I can do very short sessions ending always with motivational play releases.


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## TeamPoodle

It is amazing how much you can accomplish in an hour in a private lesson isn't it?! Good for you for watching Javelin's cues and giving him breaks when needed, especially when things are hard. Especially since he's still so young, I imagine he gets frustrated when he's trying to puzzle something out and he's not doing it right and therefore not getting the reward (at least Riley gets really frustrated! ha.)


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## lily cd re

TeamPoodle, all very true about frustration over not understanding, but I really think that when a person or a dog has to puzzle through what is expected and figures it out on their own I think their understanding becomes deeper faster. This is the way to own what you know, as I often say to my human students when they feel frustrated and looking like they are ready to give up.


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## lily cd re

Since part of why Javelin has struggled a bit at our first two privates is because it is an alien location I have been working on the exercises we started at the lessons in other places including home and my obedience club. 

Yesterday I took both poodles with me to my club at about the time that the open class starts. I set up a crate and had Lily hang out there while I worked on the tuck sit and baby steps heeling with Javelin outside the ring but with people and dogs nearby. His sit is getting much cleaner, but I can tell that he still doesn't have muscle memory for it since he is rocking back when I informally ask for sit at home. Any time Lily is told to sit she tucks. We will continue to work on the sit before refining the stand. His drop is a good fold down front to back drop that I will work on a bit to keep him from settling to his hip. I also worked on his baby steps heeling. We are teaching him attentive heads up heeling. On Monday at our private he could do just one or two steps before looking away, but at the club he was able to do 4 or 5 steps before looking away so I think being comfortable with the setting really helped.

I also took Javelin to work with me last night. It is a great opportunity to have him be greeted by friendly strangers as practice for the CGC (which I would like to do sometime in the next few weeks). He did great with all of my students, especially one young woman who he was very hesitant to approach last week (she was wearing perfume last week, but not last night). I also was able to leave him with the technical assistant who was there last night for lab as practice for the supervised separation. Andrew (who Javelin has never met before) told me there were two little half hearted woofs just after I left but that Javelin listened to him for sit and was generally relaxed although looking for me. When he heard me open the door he stood and wagged his tail, but was polite about not pulling on the leash or jumping up at me as I returned to take the leash. On Friday when I am at my club I will have some of my friends there help with the accepting grooming and the supervised separation. If those go well then I will schedule a test for this month.


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## lily cd re

Javelin also had ring time today at the match show we went to.

He was rather a naughty boy barking in his crate while Lily and I took our first run, but some folks I know (with poodles) were crating near us. I asked one of them to tell him to be quiet and to use his name. I think that helped. Usually I set my crates up a decent distance from the rings I will be working in so the dog who is not working can't hear me, but I wasn't able to do that today.

I am happy with how he was in the ring though. I had three runs with Javelin too. We worked on focused attention, attentive heeling, sit for exam (as in beginner novice), novice stand for exam and recalls. We are starting to get decent heeling. He still needs to learn to wait for the recall and if I go full distance he sometimes runs right past me so I need to get him to remember to sit. We played tug and he was happy to do so. Since it is a stress sign for a dog not to play in the ring I am very happy that he is excited to engage his tug toy every place we go. 

I was also happy that Javelin was able to relax out of his crate with me with other dogs passing by. He has occasionally been a little too eager to try to engage other nearby dogs so this was a great success for him.


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## lily cd re

I seem to be getting lucky fitting into Deb's schedule for privates with Javelin. Her regular schedule is booked solid, but she emails me first whenever she has a cancellation, so we have had a lesson for each of the last three weeks. If this keeps up all summer, he will have made great strides by the time I have to go back to the regular fall semester schedule (where it will be much harder to say yes to anytime she has something open).

We took an hour with her yesterday. In the first half of our time we reviewed everything we did in the first two weeks. Javvy did great. His sits have improved enough that we are now chaining them to the kickback stand and that to the fold down drop. During warm up of move with me we had a great set of distractions in the form of a friend who also has a black spoo boy. She came very early to set up for her lesson that started right after us. Since we all know that breed recognition provokes all sorts of silliness from poodles, it was great to see Javelin acknowledge Dino being there, but then quickly refocus on me and doing his own work. We also worked on human distractions with Deb moving with us, talking to Javelin and waving a toy at him. He quickly refocused for that too. While it will be a while before he has the level of focused attention that Lily has he is improving with that too.

As we got toward the end of our time we worked on introducing a good dumbbell retrieve. I feel silly about this since I started teaching him to take the dumbbell last summer and he will happily reach for it. Somehow though I never actually taught him to retrieve anything last summer though. The result is that he is happy to go out and pick up all sorts of thrown objects, but has little clue about bringing them back! Yikes. We will be doing chase games with it to encourage picking up and carrying. The dumbbell will be tied to a string and I will throw it then trot around dragging it and having Javelin follow it. Then we will have him chase it and let it go dead to get a pick up. Then we will trot away from him once he picks it up to encourage him to move towards me with it. That is our homework project for this week.

Lily and I have our utility class this afternoon. I think I need to get a cot to camp out at Deb's training facility.


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## Mfmst

I wish we had a Deb's Training Facility! Are you comparing Javelin to Lily at the same age?


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## lily cd re

Mfmst said:


> I wish we had a Deb's Training Facility! Are you comparing Javelin to Lily at the same age?


I can't really say for sure how I could compare them since I am very different as a trainer now. In many ways though I think he will be better at a younger age than Lily was. Having the opportunity to work with Deb is great for all of us.


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## lily cd re

We were not able to take the cancellation slot that Deb had last week for a couple of reasons, but we were able to fit into her schedule today.

We warmed up with attention exercises with distractions added. After taking a couple of serious looks at the toy being waved in his direction my sweet boy collected his head and got with the stay with mom program.

We worked on tuck sits and kick back stands along with front to back/flat drops. I think we will make a platform to help Javvy know how to hold a good sit. When I get it done I will add pictures and explain how to make it.

We also worked on heads up heeling and now are doing better with keeping him in position and moving at the same time. We got up to five steps before stopping. The emphasis is on telling him yes and rewarding him before he thinks about looking away. Once he really understands that that is the purpose of the exercise we can offer an oopsie for a correction, but until he knows what is right there isn't much point in trying to tell him he is wrong.

We introduced a new exercise that Deb calls spin back which will be an important part of a good retrieve. We put a visible treat on a target and marked Javelin to see the treat. Once he held his look at the target we released him to take the treat. Right after he picks it up we put another treat right in front of his nose as I move away from him. The purpose is to be able to send him to the dumbbell, a glove or the article pile and have him take/find what he is supposed to get and immediately look to come back to me. This will take a while to get organized, but I wish I had known this exercise when I was starting retrieve work with Lily!


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## Myleen

This is sooooo interesting and fun to read!!!


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## lily cd re

He has lots of potential to be a great obedience dog (standing on Lily's shoulders, since she is my first working dog). I think he will be a star who may even shine brighter than his big sister. I hope by blogging about working with them others may decide to dip their feet into the performance pool (for any sport).


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## Axeldog

Catherine,
I am curious how you manage Javvy's tug toy that you use for motivation. 

Is his tug toy only available to him for training sessions? Or is it laying around the house and available to him at non-training times? Do you have only 1 special training tug toy, or multiple ones? What were your criteria for choosing the toy(s) you use?


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## lily cd re

Good question Axeldog. Both Lily and Javelin have one tug toy that is only used for training. I bought Lily's a number of years ago at a big cluster up in Massachusetts. Our agility trainer and I have commented a number of times that I will be dead in the water if I lose that toy. I made Javelin's tug. It was easy to do. I cut strips of three different color and texture fuzzy fabrics. I took the three strips and knotted them together at one end and started braiding. At the other end I made a loop before I knotted it off.

Lily's is the red, yellow and blue one. It is about 18-20" long. Javelin's is the black, white and brown one. I made it longer, about 3 feet.

When we are training I keep the tug either in a pocket or stuffed into the back of the waistband of my pants. They are not allowed to take it themselves. Lily totally understands that, but Javelin has just gotten to love his enough that he is having a hard time giving it up and wants to take it from me (which is fine since it means he is driving to work, but he does have to learn that he has to stop when I stop). I use the tug toys for all of my training, including obedience. Taking play breaks lets the dog release some stress. Also if the dog doesn't want to play in the ring then it is too stressed out to go back to work, so it is a good barometer of their frame of mind.


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## Axeldog

Thank you! This is so helpful. I need to find something for Axel and try incorporating this. I am impressed that you made Javelin's! 

Lily's looks very well used and loved


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## lily cd re

I don't dare wash Lily's since it is a very comforting object for her. I should really make one for her too and switch back and forth as a precaution against the day I lose it or it falls apart.

I have plenty of fabric for making them. PM me if you would like me to make one for Axel and we will work out how to get it to you. I make all sorts of training things for folks, but not enough for an Etsy or ebay store. I can make metal and wood utility articles too.


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## Myleen

:questionmark:

How long do you allow the dog to tug with you? (time frame for puppy and time frame for adult dogs) 

How do you get them to stop because YOU say so?

Love this thread!!!!!!! :love2:


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## lily cd re

I tug for a minute or so depending on the dog's level of concern about the work being done, longer if they are a bit stressed and less if the affect they were showing before tug was good. For Lily, she has always been a very enthusiastic tugger. Javelin needed to build for driving for it, so we started with shorter and gentler play.

When you are starting you should make sure you have a leave it already in place and you can use that to end the session. Sometimes when they start to really like it they have a hard time letting go on just a leave it, so I have used a sit or a down order to get them to settle and then take the toy.


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## Myleen

Ohhh. OK!!! I will use sit when it is time to stop/take it away!!!

We have only gone to 2 classes so far. Sit he knows 

Thank you very much!!!


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## oshagcj914

Just wanted to throw this out here: K9DIY: Make a hard core, square-braid tug | Team Unruly
I made several of these and they've withstood tugging and chewing by a 150 lb Great Dane. They give just enough to keep my giant puppy from yanking my shoulder out of my socket or pulling me onto my face  The square braid is durable, and polar fleece washes well too.


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## msteen

Interesting! Enjoying the blog. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## lily cd re

oshagcj914 said:


> Just wanted to throw this out here: K9DIY: Make a hard core, square-braid tug | Team Unruly
> I made several of these and they've withstood tugging and chewing by a 150 lb Great Dane. They give just enough to keep my giant puppy from yanking my shoulder out of my socket or pulling me onto my face  The square braid is durable, and polar fleece washes well too.


I've seen those, but I like mine floppy enough to be able to squeeze into a pocket folded up. For a more powerful dog they are really good.


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## oshagcj914

lily cd re said:


> I've seen those, but I like mine floppy enough to be able to squeeze into a pocket folded up. For a more powerful dog they are really good.


Yea, you definitely couldn't fit this one in a pocket! My regular braided one lasted until Finn was about 60 pounds, which I think was when he was around four months. After spending about $20 on braided ones at the store I just learned to make my own.


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## lily cd re

We got a cancellation slot this morning. Wow did my boy do me proud in a whole bunch of ways!

The first thing we did was to work on his moving while holding the dumbbell. Deb took him and showed me what to do. I loved seeing him work for someone else as an indication of his trust and comfort in a place that he has only been to about 8 or 10 times. He did a great job with the dumbbell too. I had only been able to get him to go about three or four steps before he dropped it the last time I worked on it. By moving away from him faster that I had done Deb was able to get him to follow her all over the place. I think I was worried about him holding it and didn't want to put too much pressure on the hold, but she showed me that when he is really driving for it he holds it well.

We also worked on heeling and he now can go at least five steps while maintaining his eyes up positions. We worked on his tuck sits and having him wait to be called for recall by having him sit on a low platform and taking an eyes up wait order. He had a flexi leash on him and Deb held him across the chest to keep him from leaving early. I went out just about halfway across the floor and then called him. As I did so Deb let him go and he came like a rocket, but I was running away from him as he left the platform, so he had to catch up to me. We didn't do fronts but instead encouraged him to give hugs for coming fast and treated him while he was up and giving eye contact.

Since it is hot here today, when we got home I took him to the pool to work some more on teaching him how to get in and out and also to cool him off. He is out cold on the couch right now.


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## lily cd re

*Video link for retrieve work*

We have been working on Javelin's drive to retrieve and hold the dumbbell while moving with it. The dumbbell is on a string (light weight nylon). We started by dragging it and having him follow it then pick it up. He got a positive marker for picking it up from a dead (non moving) position. Once he would reliably pick the dumbbell off the floor we started moving with him carrying it. By initially moving quickly and having tension on the line he got motivated to hold the dumbbell. Now that he has some drive for holding onto it I can start to let the tension off the line. Once he will reliably move while holding the dumbbell with slack on the line I will start throwing it and sending him to get it.

Here is a link to our work on this today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_gTc_9BBgM


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## Myleen

That is really awesome! It is fun watching on the video!!! 

How nice of you to share it with us!!!!  
OK, now I'm going to go check and see how old Javelin is! Just curious. lol (curious is my middle name.. hahahaha).


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## lily cd re

Myleen Javelin turned 14 months old two days ago!


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## Myleen

ahhhhh, OK...thank you!! 

I hope you continue to share short you tube clips! 
So much fun seeing Javelin work with you!

What is the positive marker? Just curious, lol


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## lily cd re

I have a three word marker system. "Yes" means that was spectacular and here comes a treat. "Good" means that was correct but you and I are going to keep working without the treat coming right now. "Oopsie" or "uh-oh" means that was wrong and we are going to do it again and dream on there certainly won't be a treat. I also try not to give treats when the dog is right the first time after a mistake. Lily used to be wrong on purpose to get the treat the next time. She now knows that there won't be a treat for the first correct event after a mistake and that being wrong to be told to fix it won't get a treat, but instead delays it. She makes sure she is right the first time if she really understands what to do and is under the stress threshold that tells her it isn't safe to do what she is supposed to. She is still learning to do utility exercises with heavy distractions and sometimes gets too worried to work.


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## Axeldog

I loved watching the video of the dumbbell training process, you are so lucky to have such a nice facility and trainer to work with.

I especially just loved watching Javvy spring, prance and just exude total joy through the training process. Such fun to see him!


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## lily cd re

Thanks Axeldog! I was recommended to to that dumbbell work as the first activity for each of my training sessions when I was with Deb early in the week. He was hungry, so prey drive was easy to generate yesterday when I worked on it at my club.


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## Caddy

Great video, Javy is doing amazing!


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## lily cd re

I have been really lucky that the trainer who has helped me make such great progress with Lily for utility has had a cancellation that I could take almost every week this summer. We are making progress by leaps and bounds. Even when I have to go back to my regular fall class schedule at the college I should still be able to take a lesson with her on a catch as catch can basis. Also so much of what she has shown me with Lily will apply to moving Javelin forward too, even without one on one time with Deb. He has great drive and movement and is going to be a lovely working dog, as his big sister is!


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## Myleen

Thank you! I use "Yes" because I did not want to use a clicker 
I am going to try your words "Good" and "Oops or Uh-oh" as well, no treat but to do again 

It is good to know it is OK not to give a treat to Toby the first time always...
I felt Toby was wrong on purpose at times also!! Little stinker! haha

It is awesome watching you work with Javelin from the sidelines. 

appreciate it!!!

Thanks!


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## lily cd re

I find it easier to mark a good behavior with a word rather than a click since you always have your voice at hand, but not always a clicker. Also as you can see sometimes I have my hands full. Be consistent with that three word system and you will be amazed at how fast they catch on.


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## lily cd re

I took Javelin to the trials this weekend with just a rally novice entry for him on Saturday. It is a big show with four rings running at the same time. He has never worked at such a noisy venue as this one and it showed. He lost his head when he saw a GR in the next ring. I couldn't get him to refocus so I asked to be excused.

I did work with him in the practice rings and we worked on focus, leave it and his dumbbell holds. He did very well with most of it, but his distractability is something we will have to work hard on.

Javelin's biggest accomplishment this weekend was passing the Canine Good Citizen test on Sunday morning. It was no small success after all of the time he spent patiently waiting around in his crate.


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## Myleen

What is a GR? 

I'm glad to hear Javelin also had successes! The Canine Good Citizen test sounds like a very good accomplishment!!


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## lily cd re

GR = Golden Retriever

Yes, I am very pleased about the CGC.


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## seminolewind

Catherine it's so interesting to read what you go through with your spoos. It sounds like alot of work and competition. 
Focus- I've never even thought about that one. How do you go about working on that?


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## lily cd re

seminolewind said:


> Catherine it's so interesting to read what you go through with your spoos. It sounds like alot of work and competition.
> Focus- I've never even thought about that one. How do you go about working on that?



It is a lot of work, but then again not work because it is doing stuff with my dogs, and how can that really be viewed as work? Most especially you have to remember that all of this work makes us have a better human to dog relationship and also makes the management of a multi-dog household easier.

I have to get ready to go teach, but I will take my tablet and hopefully I can get my desk assistant to make some videos that will show how you work on focus.


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## lily cd re

I did get to make a video that shows some of what I do to teach focus. Here is a link to the new thread I put it in.

http://www.poodleforum.com/23-general-training-obedience/210673-focus-attention-training.html


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## Axeldog

lily cd re said:


> I did get to make a video that shows some of what I do to teach focus. Here is a link to the new thread I put it in.
> 
> http://www.poodleforum.com/23-general-training-obedience/210673-focus-attention-training.html


Oh goody! Let me go take a look now  

Thanks Catherine! (Heaven knows we need to improve Axel's focus/attention)


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## lily cd re

Axeldog you can use tug for impulse control but also as a way to get focus. If you tuck the tug toy into the shoulder area on your left side it will be about at the spot you want him to look with just a bit of it showing. Practice heeling and once he has really shown focus and ignored distractions you can pull it out to play with him as a reward for the focus.

Javelin and I took a private this morning. It went very well. He is a diamond in the rough still but I am really starting to see signs of a great working dog shining through. 

We started on having Javelin retrieve the dumbbell. It is still tied on the string, but rather than having him follow after it and pick it up when it goes dead I am having him stand at my side while I hold his collar. I show him the dumbbell and throw it into a corner and send him to it. When he takes it I run away so he has to move with it. We are also doing take, hold and give so that he remembers he has to give it to me when I tell him to do so.

We are going to use a sit platform to teach him wait and stay. I just finished assembling the platform so we spent some time getting him used to being on it. He will be able to learn how to hold a nice tight sit using the platform along with teaching him the wait and stay. He still needs work to get used to being on it, but he was already better on it by the time we finished than when we started.

Heeling is improving by leaps and bounds. He is learning to keep in eye contact with me without forging. I am finding a good pace for moving with him to keep him interested. Heeling with him will end up being an aerobic workout for me I think. Since he is bigger than Lily his stride is longer than what I am used to with her. I will have to pay attention to which one of them I have with me and adjust accordingly.

I have a bunch of things to do for homework and I hope I can get a few more lessons in during August to move my foundations further along before going back to teaching in September.


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## Raven's Mom

What do mean by a sit platforms? My trainer has recommended a u-shaped form out of PVC to use to teach her to sit straight on recall each time. I haven't got it made yet. My son and his family were visiting the past two weeks and it has gotten me behind where I hoped to be by now. Also, the oppressive heat and humidity keep me inside too much!! She is very on and off lately so I am getting nervous.


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## Asta's Mom

Congrats to Javy on his CGC!


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## lily cd re

Asta's Mom said:


> Congrats to Javy on his CGC!





Raven's Mom said:


> What do mean by a sit platforms? My trainer has recommended a u-shaped form out of PVC to use to teach her to sit straight on recall each time. I haven't got it made yet. My son and his family were visiting the past two weeks and it has gotten me behind where I hoped to be by now. Also, the oppressive heat and humidity keep me inside too much!! She is very on and off lately so I am getting nervous.



Raven's Mom the sit platform is for teaching stays and the pvc thing is for fronts. I do have both of them, although I never had problems with Lily's stays so I just made the one I put together for Javelin. I will take pictures of them in a little while and add them here.


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## Axeldog

lily cd re said:


> Axeldog you can use tug for impulse control but also as a way to get focus. If you tuck the tug toy into the shoulder area on your left side it will be about at the spot you want him to look with just a bit of it showing. Practice heeling and once he has really shown focus and ignored distractions you can pull it out to play with him as a reward for the focus.
> 
> .


I actually discovered this a couple days ago! We went to the little park near our house to work on a bit of heeling. I had his fabulous "Made in NY, Javelin-approved" tug with me. At first I was using cheese to reward, then switched to the tug and it worked so much better. I tucked it under my arm like you said, and it works really well!

I was looking at those platforms for training - it looks like a really good tool for getting precise sits.


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## lily cd re

I am so glad that Axel is loving his tug toy!


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## lily cd re

Here is the sit platform on my kitchen floor. My floor tiles are 12" x 12" so you can get an idea of the size. It is about 12" wide. The top is cut from the rubber mat tiles used on playgrounds and in play rooms. The middle layer that gives the height is flower foam. I put non skid rug backing on the bottom so it won't move even when used on my floors at home. You could make a platform that would serve the same purpose just by using the play mats with two layers of them taped or glued together. For a start though I want Javelin to really feel when he is on vs. off it and that is why I made it relatively high.









Javelin is still getting used to using this item since I just finished adding some length to it on Sunday evening. I didn't need more length for sits, but I did for stands for him. Once he really learns his position on it his front feet will be just in from the front edge. Since I added the length it will be good for sit stays, drops and stand stays.


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## lily cd re

Here is my front and finish box that is sized for Javelin even though it is Lily who was the subject for the pictures. She is not in correct front or finish positions in these pictures since the box isn't really set for her and I wasn't really training. She knows correct front and finish without the box. I would not have allowed Javelin to sit in the wrong place at this point since he is still learning where to be.

























You can make one half this by using a second 45 degree elbow in the place of the cross piece in the middle and use it either in front of you for fronts or next to you for finishes. I did not glue any of the pieces together. I can use shorter cross arms to make it narrower for Lily by having it easy to take apart (which also makes it easier to put away.


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## Raven's Mom

Thanks so much for the pics. It is my goal today to get the PVC form made. Of course it still 95 in the shade so I will be going to petsmart or someplace with A/C?


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## Myleen

lily cd re said:


> Good question Axeldog. Both Lily and Javelin have one tug toy that is only used for training. I bought Lily's a number of years ago at a big cluster up in Massachusetts. Our agility trainer and I have commented a number of times that I will be dead in the water if I lose that toy. I made Javelin's tug. It was easy to do. I cut strips of three different color and texture fuzzy fabrics. I took the three strips and knotted them together at one end and started braiding. At the other end I made a loop before I knotted it off.
> 
> Lily's is the red, yellow and blue one. It is about 18-20" long. Javelin's is the black, white and brown one. I made it longer, about 3 feet.
> o stressed out to go back to work, so it is a good barometer of their frame of mind.
> 
> View attachment 345114
> 
> 
> View attachment 345122


LILY CD,
I'm making Toby his tug toy tonight *finally*! How wide are the fleece strips and how long to start?


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## lily cd re

Myleen said:


> LILY CD,
> I'm making Toby his tug toy tonight *finally*! How wide are the fleece strips and how long to start?



I answered your visitor message, but for the record here are the measurements. I cut strips about 2" wide and the width of the fabrics I was using which was 54" to make one with no loop and about 2 feet long loosely braided. For the extra long one I have for Javelin that has the loop handle I sewed two of those strips together lengthwise for each of the fabrics.


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## lily cd re

It has been so hot and humid here we have all been pretty much just lying around for days and days. Javelin has been very good even though I know he has lots of energy to spare. As a result I was very happy to have a private lesson with him this morning so that I could do something structured with him, but also wondering how it would go because we haven't done much during the heat wave.

Well what a good boy showed up with me today! We made huge progress on a number of issues. His retrieve work continues to be happy and enthusiastic. We added more work on getting him to hold until he is told to release. He has a nice pick up in progress and will move well with the dumbbell. Now we are working towards having him deliver it to me. I think he will have great retrieving with the dumbbell (like his big sister Lily) and because I am following a different program with him I think that will easily translate to a great directed retrieve for the glove in utility and also be a huge asset in his scent work.

We have worked hard on acclimating Javelin to wearing a pinch collar over the summer. He has gone from being pretty down over it to being accepting of it to being happy to play with it on. For retrieving we will leave him on a flat collar for the time being but I will see how he works in the retrieve with the pinch collar on, but not active (not leashed up). Now that he is happy to do the move with me and let's go loose leash we started using the pinch collar for formal heeling instruction. When we started Deb thought he might go flat and not want to work, but he did fabulously. He needed just one or two uh ohs when he looked away from me to remember that heeling has to be heads up and that he has to stay in the right position lined up with his shoulder at my pants seam. Rather than having to go back to one step at a time we very quickly were able to go the length of the ring on the pinch collar and heads up.

We worked on his position exercises (tuck sit, kick back stand and fold down drop) using the platform and with the pinch collar active. He did nice sits, but I think I will have to do a lot of sits before I get him to get a good stand. The drop went well by itself though.

Another thing we did was to work on getting him to have a really rapid response to a command to settle (lie down) to get him to collect his head when he is being nutty. The way we did this was to get him revved up and excited (at first just making him trot vigorously, then with his tug toy). I gave him a lie down command and if he didn't do it right away I dropped a throw chain on the floor out in his general direction. The point is not to throw the chain at the dog but to generate a nearby sound and visual that will make the dog break off the behavior that you are trying to end. If he didn't lie down right away I used his flat collar to help him to the down. We repeated this a number of times until he did a good quick down. I think I will do that work with Peeves and probably even Lily in the house to help them all know that they always have to respond right away to our orders. It should reduce the chaotic stuff that has happened with them recently. I need to get BF to be stricter with them too.

We have homework and another lesson next week before probably having lots less private training time once school starts, but we have made huge strides this summer. Homework includes more work on the settle/lie down command, more work on the position exercises with the pinch collar on and active, more heeling practice, working on the dumbbell with the pinch collar on but not active and heads up attention with the pinch collar live. 

For that attention work we will do a game called the five cookie game. Here is how it works. Have the dog sit at heel with leash and collar on. Put five cookies in your left hand. Tell the dog the order for eyes up (whatever you use to get attention) and give the first cookie while showing you have another ready. This gets the dog to eat the first treat with its head up. Wait a second or two while the dog maintains the eyes up look and give the second cookie. Repeat for the third and fourth cookies making sure the dog keeps looking up even while getting the cookie. Release the dog as soon as it has eaten the fourth cookie and invite it to jump up (for Lily and Javvy I say give hugs) and give the fifth cookie when the dog is leaning on you. The cookie has to be something yummie that will entice the dog to offer attention, but not a big thing that is hard to eat. Today I used little bites of cheese but Zukes minis would work well or little bites of some pupperoni type treat.

I know that there are some people here who are following along who will be asking why the pinch collar. I think that many people who question the use of a pinch collar don't understand its use. You never give a leash pop or active collar correction when using a pinch collar. The corrections are imposed by the dog on itself when it pulls out of position. The handler is always totally neutral with the leash and collar. As an example, after all of the great work that Javelin did with the pinch collar the next handler and dogs arrived. There are two dogs one is an older Irish Setter with a UDX and the other is a young English Cocker who on top of all else is now in heat. Typically when they arrived in the past Javelin would have lost his head and stopped working when they were coming in. Today we did the move with me exercise that I have written about previously as my friend and her dogs came in and got set up. He took one or two looks at the dogs as they went by but quickly returned his attention to me when he felt the small collar correction that came with him moving away and putting tension on the leash and collar. When we finished the three people were having conversation and Javelin was looking at the little girl in heat five feet from him and instead of barking, lunging or otherwise being rude he looked at me and I said lie down and that is exactly what he did.

Deb was very happy and I was downright thrilled with all the great work we got done today. Now that we can use the pinch collar as an effective tool I know that I will be able to channel all of Javelin's drive and energy into great work. When I payed for the lesson I said that it was really an hour that had been worth 5000X what I was paying for it.


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## Sammy the spoo

Sounds like a great session! I'm always taking notes, whether or not I comment . I love your write ups, and looking forward to more! 

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## lily cd re

Sammy the spoo said:


> Sounds like a great session! I'm always taking notes, whether or not I comment . I love your write ups, and looking forward to more!
> 
> Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk


Thank you. I am glad you are enjoying this. Even if you don't plan to compete in obedience or other performance sports I hope there are techniques and insights here that will help lots of people enjoy better relationships with their dogs.

Deb and I had a long text chat last night about what I have learned from her and how I try to incorporate as much of her techniques into my classes as I can. When I was leaving this morning, she said I hope you can write down notes as soon as you get home. I told her I am blogging it all here. This way I get to share what I learn and have a record of where we started and the journey to Javelin's first time walking into a novice obedience ring.


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## lily cd re

We took what may be our last private lesson for a while, since I have to go back to work on September 1st. Javelin did great with nearly everything we worked on. And we got lots of homework.

The thing I was most thrilled with was his heeling. He kept his head up the whole length of the ring several times and as a result we have been instructed on how to introduce turns. Deb and I discussed what my goals are for his heeling (good, great or rarified air) and I said I wanted to aim for rarified air. I think he will be a great working dog and that we should aim to be the absolute best we can. Not only will Javvy be great in his accomplishments with me, but working towards that level of excellence will be very informative to my teaching at my club.

In addition to really good heeling we worked on attention at heel position using the position platform. In addition to the five cookie game we worked on having Javelin ignore being petted down the length of his body. This will help me be able to reinforce his position change work and will also lay the foundation for the novice stand for exam and utility moving stand exercises.

As I have described earlier here we have done lots of work teaching Javelin to work with a pinch collar. Yesterday we worked on getting him to understand moving away from me with a flexi leash on. We put the flexi on his flat collar and tried tossing the dumbbell without the string, but when he felt the oppositional pressure of the flexi he stopped moving forward. So we will be doing a get it game with him on the flexi and the flat collar. The way this will work is to toss treats far enough that Javelin has to leave me to get them. As soon as he takes the treat I will call him and throw a treat in a different direction. Gradually I will throw the treats further and further as he learns to ignore the flexi. After he gets this exercise then we will go back to Javelin on the flexi and flat collar and the dumbbell off the string. All of this is intended to teach him that he can't take off and do his own thing with retrieved articles, but instead has to focus back to me. 

He was really tired from all his thinking/learning yesterday morning because even though we sat still on the road for about 45 minutes for a stuck drawbridge on our way to meet Lori G and aasteapots he was nice and relaxed in the seat behind me. Normally if we are moving slowly or stopped he gets pretty fed up and wants to play. I mention this to put in a plug for those who find it hard to tire their dogs, despite long walks and runs. Make them think. The brain at work uses tons of energy and your dog will be tired for having been made to think, and your relationship with him or her will be enriched for the work you have done together.


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## Sammy the spoo

Sounds like another great lesson! It is so true how tiring a dog's mind is just as effective as going for a long walk. When I walk Sammy by myself, it is a "training" session since we are reinforcing the slack leash, sitting at corners before crossing the street, reinforcing him to pay attention to me, sit-stay to avoid being excited when we see dogs, people - you get the idea . (Oh and we definitely have sniff breaks & pottie breaks during our walk ) 

He is pretty happy with a shorter walk because we use a clicker during our walk and as a result he has to think, think, think 

We also love clicker training at home and I would say he is a happy puppy. He has days when he's obnoxious, but for the most part that is reinforced by my kids being excited and high energy too (just a couple more weeks till school starts! Yay!)

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## lily cd re

Sammy the spoo said:


> Sounds like another great lesson! It is so true how tiring a dog's mind is just as effective as going for a long walk. When I walk Sammy by myself, it is a "training" session since we are reinforcing the slack leash, sitting at corners before crossing the street, reinforcing him to pay attention to me, sit-stay to avoid being excited when we see dogs, people - you get the idea . (Oh and we definitely have sniff breaks & pottie breaks during our walk )
> 
> He is pretty happy with a shorter walk because we use a clicker during our walk and as a result he has to think, think, think
> 
> We also love clicker training at home and I would say he is a happy puppy. He has days when he's obnoxious, but for the most part that is reinforced by my kids being excited and high energy too (just a couple more weeks till school starts! Yay!)
> 
> Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk


One of the things we talked about over lunch yesterday (aasteapots, Lori G and me) was the concept of the thinking walk. We agreed that all walks should be thinking walks!


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## Myleen

lily cd re said:


> We took what may be our last private lesson for a while, since I have to go back to work on September 1st. Javelin did great with nearly everything we worked on. And we got lots of homework.
> 
> I mention this to put in a plug for those who find it hard to tire their dogs, despite long walks and runs. Make them think. The brain at work uses tons of energy and your dog will be tired for having been made to think, and your relationship with him or her will be enriched for the work you have done together.


This is good to know and be reminded of.


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## lily cd re

Myleen said:


> This is good to know and be reminded of.



Myleen I truly believe that the shelter, rescue, euthanasia and re-homing crises could all be solved by and large if people did the following: gave their dogs meaningful "jobs", in other words made them think and commit to that being a life long process; were realistic about whether they could be good dog owners (do they work long hours, have enough money not just for routine, but emergency care, are they at a life stage where their physical health might make a certain kind of dog unsuitable for them, etc.); and that people did serious preparation before they get a dog (learn about why not to buy from a pet store, learn about the needs of the kind of dog they want, prepare in advance to train responsibly).


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## lily cd re

I am pleased to say that my trainer had a cancellation today so I got one more hour packed full of new things in with her and Javelin before classes start on Thursday!

As usual we started with work on the dumbbell to get him in prey drive and to do something he likes that doesn't require food for parts of the practice. Since I did a lot of the get it game last week with Javelin wearing a flat collar and a flexi leash we have taken the dumbbell off the string. Our current work on the dumbbell retrieve is divided into three parts. The first part is done on the flexi. I have Javelin at my left side and hold him by the collar while I show him the dumbbell and get him jazzed up by it. I then throw it into a corner and am now adding the order "get it" to going and taking the dumbbell off the floor. With it in the corner he will learn not to go past it to pick it up and to make a good tight turn to return. As he picks up the dumbbell I go away from him with the leash held high so he doesn't get tangled on it. This will develop his hold through oppositional reflex and also help him understand that once he has the dumbbell he has to turn and find me. The second part of the exercise is to continue the marking exercise we have don previously so he will always look to the place or object he is being sent to. The third part of the exercise is to develop a forced fetch (something I don't have with Lily but absolutely see the usefulness of). For this I set Javelin up in a sit next to me on my left side. I slip four fingers of my left hand through his flat collar and use my thumb and index finger to hold his ear (thumb on the inside). No pressure is applied until I have had him mark a treat or the dumbbell with a treat in front of it that is held in my right hand. As he drives to the treat (on order) I apply just a bit of pressure to his ear and as soon as he takes the thing he was marked to I release the pressure and give his ear a gentle rub. Eventually the forced fetch will only be used if he has failed to do as ordered with respect to the thrown dumbbell, a directed retrieve to a glove or to complete a scent exercise.

We worked on loose leash next. He did so great with this that we quickly moved onto heeling and he was brilliant. We only did straight lines, but it gave me a chance to work on my pace and posture that I will need to get the best out of Javelin. He is taller and has a longer stride than Lily so I will have to pace my normal and fast differently with Javelin than with her. Once I find that pace and get my part of it down better I will work more on the right turn.

Next we did some work with the static positions of sit and stand. Deb had her hands on Javelin while I kept his heads up attention. She sees it as being much better than when we started, but still needing work (agreed). She was able to move him from a sit to a stand without him losing attention (dropping his head). I will be asking lots of people to put their hands on him in the next weeks.

To finish we added some exciting new things. First we started using his mark to show him how to do baby go outs. We set up two broad jump panels to create a channel for him. At the far end we had a target with a bit of food. I stood with Javelin at my left side and lined up to go down the channel and marked him to the target. Once he marked well I told him "fly away" and he was to take the food while I told him to wait at the go out and came up along side him. While he was there I gave him a jackpot of several yummy treats. We will continue doing this over short distances and when he gets to really understand that part of the exercise I will start to back away bit by bit and switch from a flat leash to a flexi when I really have distance. Eventually we will reduce the channel to white sticks, then to sticks that match the floor.

Next Deb showed me some things to work on related to finding fronts and having hind end awareness so that he will have nice fronts where he comes close and straight and does a tuck sit instead of rocking back to look for my face. Once he has improved on this and his wait in position on his platform we will start to put together a good performance recall (he has a good around home recall already of course).

The last thing we did was to introduce jumping. With the high jump and bar jump out as they will be in utility but low enough for me to walk over we started with Javelin on a loose leash and we went over the middle of the jumps together from both directions several times. Once Javelin understood that we switched to me holding the leash high and going around the outside of the jump. Once he started really jumping we asked him to collect and come back to me after jumping. He clearly is going to love jumping and was already ready to fly out ahead. that will come in handy eventually, but for now he needs to know that he can't use having jumped as an excuse to go berzerkers.

As always we have lots of homework, but this is lovely homework to do. He is a smart boy and a willing worker, just like his big sister.


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## Sammy the spoo

What a great lesson! I'm glad to hear you were able to squeeze one more lesson before the start of the new school year. Your detailed lessons give me ideas and steps in what I could be doing in the future to exercise the mind. Thanks!

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## lily cd re

Sammy the spoo said:


> What a great lesson! I'm glad to hear you were able to squeeze one more lesson before the start of the new school year. Your detailed lessons give me ideas and steps in what I could be doing in the future to exercise the mind. Thanks!
> 
> Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk



I am a strong proponent of brain work as meaningful exercise. Javelin is out cold on the floor next to me, hopefully with neurons firing to increase the strength of his synapses devoted to his lessons.

The trainer I am working with has a FB page for her business that has some videos showing much of what we have been working on done with her two poms. PM me if you want the name of her business so you can look at her videos. I also will be adding some more video links here for my YouTube channel too.


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## Sammy the spoo

lily cd re said:


> The trainer I am working with has a FB page for her business that has some videos showing much of what we have been working on done with her two poms. PM me if you want the name of her business so you can look at her videos. I also will be adding some more video links here for my YouTube channel too.


Thank you! I would love to watch your YouTube channel! I'm really a newbie at this, and I love learning. If only I had more time  the kids certainly keep me on my toes, and oh they are expensive too!!! Hehe can you tell we just had to buy them school shoes?


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## lily cd re

I will probably add a couple of videos over the weekend, but there are also links to my YouTube channel earlier in this thread and you can find it that way very easily.


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## Myleen

Good for you getting an hour in because of another cancellation!! 
I think having a head start before classes start will give Javelin a heads up. 

Like you and Sammy I have been doing 'thinking walks' with Toby. 
I started the STOP; SIT; OK to cross street when we walk.
After using other release words my husband and I agreed to use the same one. 

Being a visual person I also would love to see the videos you speak of lily. In my mind although I feel like I am following what you say, I know I really don't know. lol .


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## lily cd re

Here is the link to my YouTube channel, but there are already links to the Javelin videos earlier in this thread too and to Lily training in the "Long Road to the UD" thread that is linked to in my signature.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvg0UyN051LpJ436IDB8KNQ


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## lily cd re

I got lucky and fit in a lesson this morning since Deb had a cancellation at 9:00 AM. Javelin needed to work since yesterday the dogs were on their own for a long work day for the first time since the end of the spring semester in May.

As we have been doing we started with the dumbbell. Javelin loves his dumbbell so much that we have now freed most to the work with it from food. Taking and moving with the dumbbell have become very high value behaviors for my boy.

After the dumbbell we did position work on the platform. The things I really need from him are to keep heads up while on the platform and to allow people he doesn't know well to put hands on him while he remains focused on me. We worked also on having him move from the sit to a kick back stand without dropping his head. We decided that he doesn't quite understand what we are asking for, so I will need a helper so that I can work on keeping his head's up attention and the other person can move him from the sit to the stand. I think he will learn quickly and hopefully I can get to the point where I won't need the helper or try to grow a third arm pretty soon.

We also used the platform to work on his wait while keeping eyes up attention. He knows wait, but again we want focused attention. I will be able to work on this a lot since I won't need a helper.

The next thing we did was to work on his set up at heel, again while keeping heads up attention through all of his movement to position. This will end with him setting up at heel with eyes up so that he stays connected and looking for me to inform him of what is coming next. This also is work I can do without a helper.

Since things are going well here at home and at my club with go outs we worked on directing his jumping as our last activity today. We set the ring up with the bar and high jump very low (just at 8"). Clearing the jump is not going to be a problem for this big guy. We put ring gate sections between the jumps and from the jumps out to the edge of the ring. At the start I left Javelin set up at the go out spot with Deb holding him. I walked out and stepped over the jump I wanted him to go to, turned and called his name and reached down and tapped the top of the jump. Then I moved out to a point biased towards the jump I wanted him to take and gave an exaggerated signal (arm out and leaning) and told him bar or over (bar for the bar jump and over for the high jump). We did both jumps several times at first with the tug toy as a reward. Once it was clear he was very enthusiastic about this I switched to a treat and used it to tell him to come to an approximation of heel and to move him back to the go out spot.

We continue to work on manners issues like a settle command and impulse control. He did have some wild moments today, most likely because he did no work at all yesterday.

He is starting to understand the question "do you want to go to school?" and is clearly showing that he thinks going to school is just the best thing since sliced bread. I have plenty of good homework to do and hope that we will be able to get at least one private a month as cancellations become available at times I can take them.

After having a family birthday and her wedding anniversary, my assistant will be back with me at my club tomorrow. She takes class with the same trainer I go to and I saw her this morning. We made plans to meet early tomorrow and work with each other before people come for routines. We should be able to have each of the three dogs that the two of us are training work for about half an hour, so we will be able to get a lot done. I will try to remember to bring my tablet and tripod so I can set up to do some videos. If I get good material I will post links here over the weekend.


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## Sammy the spoo

Awesome training session! I chuckled when you talked about how Javelin gets excited when you say "do you want to go to school?". For us it's "Do you want to do clickers?" Then Sammy perks up and he's in his sit position 

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## Asta's Mom

I do so enjou this thread with your vivid descriptions of Javy's training - what a good boy. Found it interesting that you have a settle command - I use that with Asta too!


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## lily cd re

Sammy the spoo said:


> Awesome training session! I chuckled when you talked about how Javelin gets excited when you say "do you want to go to school?". For us it's "Do you want to do clickers?" Then Sammy perks up and he's in his sit position
> 
> Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk


Lily perks up when she gets asked if she wants to go to school too! And when we get there Deb always says hit to them by asking if they are happy to be at school, so it carries across from leaving the house to getting set up to work.

Asta's mom if I tell Lily to settle she will stay in place for what could be seen as an eternity by most dogs. Javelin still need to learn that settle means don't do anything until I tell you something else to do. But it is improving. I think it is an important thing for a dog to be able to do easily when told.


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## lily cd re

Because Hofstra University (site of Monday's debate) is very close to my campus we had lots of class cancellations on Monday and I also cancelled one class that could have met late in the afternoon Monday I had a chance to take Javvy to the vet for his annual check and a three year rabies booster. But more to the fun end of things I was also to take a cancellation hour with our private trainer for him. I brought Lily too in case Javvy seemed punky from his shot, but he was a very happy worker for the hour. We got a lot done.

First we worked the dumbbell and got huge progress on getting him to hold the dumbbell even if I had my hands on it, so now we can start to make the retrieve more structured with a front and not dropping it. He has been taking it with enthusiasm, but has been sort of faking me out by dropping it since he wants me to throw it over and over. So getting him to hang onto it was great.

We worked on go outs. I have been getting him to drive for it by ignoring anticipation, but for this session we did a fair amount of work on making him wait after I marked him to the go out. Deb gave the orders as they are given by a judge in utility so Javvy can get to understand that he has to wait to be told to go. I think letting him anticipate was helpful to build his drive for it and now keeping the drive but learning not to send himself is the correct next step.

We worked on his wait while sitting on his platform and then used the vastly improved wait to be able to work on directed jumping. As is the case with many dogs (Lily included) the high jump seems to make more sense to him than the bar jump. When we next practice we will put out two bar jumps (and will continue doing it that way until Javelin gets it for the bar).

We did not do anything with heeling, but his heeling is really coming along well, with the exception of him being so bothered by the shar pei at the match we went to last week. I did talk with Deb about this and she said she has seem lots of dogs lose their heads over them. Her thinking is that they often may smell really different because of all the facial folds. She was happy to know that Javelin refocused when we moved away from the corner where the shar pei was and that we had a chance to work near this dog and handler after our ring time was over.

Javelin slept really well that night. It might have been partly because of the rabies shot, but I think he came home with his brain hurting from that training session. He faced and worked through a number of important issues.

I have two hours with our trainer on Yom Kippur since there is no class that day and Deb had a couple of cancellations. I will take both poodles so that Javelin doesn't have to work until his head explodes.


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## Sammy the spoo

Oh another great session! I especially love the part that said "Javelin slept really well that night. It might have been partly because of the rabies shot, but I think he came home with his brain hurting from that training session". So funny!!! 

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## lily cd re

I really think he had no reaction to the rabies shot since on Tuesday morning he woke up full of vinegar. He is really happy that the weather is starting to cool off!

I wish more people would take it to heart that they don't need to run miles with their dog or ride around and around their neighborhood on a bicycle trying to wear an energetic dog out to get a dog to be happily tired. The brain is a huge consumer of glucose (energy) all of the time and all the more so when it is a thinking, problem solving brain. I have written a bit in the past about my neighborhood not having sidewalks and sometimes (like when there is snow) being hazardous to walk on the streets with dogs. There are always lots of cars parked at various curbs. Several streets are not straight and there is poor line of sight around the curves. Plus many drivers pay little attention to stop signs and fewer even come close to staying near the 30 mph speed limit. I am not a fan of walking my neighborhood except in the middle of the day on weekdays, so most of the time my dogs get their exercise from playing in the yard and from training in the house and yard. They are well exercised even without many loose leash walks because every day they each have multiple training sessions of thinking brain work.


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## Sammy the spoo

I am very appreciative all the attention work & working the mind exercising techniques being talked about lately. Being in Ontario, we can get harsher weather and with a 3 year old in tow, walking with a rambunctious Sammy is not my kind of fun. Instead, I feel good that I'm still working with Sammy by doing attention work and impulse control training. I enjoy a lot of the games that are being talked about (although the five cookie game hasn't been too successful yet. We can get up to two), and from the video Judy posted the other day with Jess & Summer's thread. I wished more books and training videos/websites talked about the importance of exercising the mind and it being a good alternative to a 3mile run


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## lily cd re

Well since people used to think it wasn't worth even attempting to teaach a puppy anything until they were six months or older and we now know better, there is hope for better understanding of the importance of starting to work on giving a puppy a nimble mind and filling that little brain with good social skills and behavioral manners from an early age. The more we talk about it here the more people will start to see that message.


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## Myleen

Totally agree!


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## lily cd re

Since it was Yom Kippur yesterday we had no classes at my campus and also our private trainer had cancellations that I could take. We spent two hours with her and we worked with both Javelin and Lily. I also am taking an hour of agility training on Tuesday mornings, so here is an update for Javelin on both of those.

At agility right now my main focus is Lily since I plan to enter her at a set of late November trials. She ran well but I do need to improve her weave poles by working on them at home. For Javelin we are working on his impulse control for start lines. He is improving very well, but Tuesday he was a wild man at first. It was a very nice cool morning and it was early (9:00 AM), so he was very full of zippiness. It was worth it to spend time on the start line stay issues since waiting and impulse control generally are important in so many area.

The other thing we worked on was two on two off contacts using the dog walk. We will be teaching the contacts (other than the seesaw) in the direction of exits to entries. Lily had poor contact criteria early in her agility experience and would do wild things like jumping off near the top of the A frame over a tunnel (very scary) so I want Javelin to be very solid about the exit criteria for these obstacles. He clearly wants to learn more since he loves to jump and loves tunnels since I always have one up in the yard here.

Yesterday we started with his retrieve work. Although we don't play fetch at home he does have great love for the dumbbell and is doing a good job picking the dumbbell up from the floor after I throw it. We work in corners of the ring so that he will learn to go straight to the dumbbell, pick it up and then make a good tight turn to return with it. Right now when he gets it I move away from him with Javvy on a flexi leash. When he comes in to me I put my hands on the dumbbell and encourage him to tug with it to improve his hold. Once his taking and holding are solid we will add the front with the dumbbell as the last part of the exercise.

The next thing we worked on was heeling. He is doing really nice straight line heeling and I am getting a feel for what my pace has to be to get his pace to be good and consistent for him for a normal. We are working on turns now too. His right turn is pretty good, but I have to work a bit on my body cues to help him. Deb worked with him so I could see what to do to get a good left turn. She remarked on how quickly he figured it out. He really is a very eager learner. For those who are interested in good heeling here is what we did. We set up two cones right next to each other to lay out a rectangle around which to work. We moved slowly (not normal heeling pace) and Deb (then I) made our part of the turn while Javvy was encouraged to keep his heads up attention at the correct position for his front end. We then waited for him to bring his back end into alignment. Once he had straightened out we moved to the next corner. Within just two times around the rectangle he figured out what he was to do, such a clever boy! We then started to build the basics of the about turn (which will also play a role in the figure 8 and the left turn as well). Deb drew a U shape in chalk on the floor about 3 feet across on the legs. The exercise was for me to walk the U without looking for Javelin, but instead concentrate on showing him how to move by turning my head to look in the direction of the curve. As long as he stayed in the correct place we kept moving. If he fell off the path we stopped and went back to the beginning. If he was moving well we stopped on the path and rewarded him. All of the heeling work is still being done with him able to see a treat just above his head with my hand held against my left side. We are working on getting stellar heeling and the key to that is heads up at all times. We stop as needed to mark and reward that level of attention.

We then worked on his sit, stand and down. His sit has become a really nice tuck sit at heel, but he is still having a hard time with the stand from sit. He doesn't totally understand the kick back movement. We are putting him on the platform for this and this will keep him from trying to move forward to stand. However he still wants to stand by moving forward and coming off the platform. I will need a partner to help with this, so BF will work with me in the next few days to get him to allow for being touched on his sides and belly so that I can keep control of his head while also being able to make him move his back end without resistance.

As the last thing we did we used his platform to set him up at the go out location and have him wait while I walked out over the bar jump (we set up two bars) and turned to direct him to the jump I had stepped over. Eventually I will go over one jump and direct him to the other. Once he is reliable for bar jumps we will put back a high jump in place of one of the bars.

I am sure his brain hurt and he was obviously really tired (and actually still is since he is asleep at my feet right now). Clearly he got a lot of physical exercise, but he also had to do tons of thinking. I hope he is dreaming about everything he did yesterday while he is taking this nap.


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## Sammy the spoo

Another fascinating session. I'm trying to picture it in my head and my brain is starting to hurt!  I have heard that in human babies, they are rehearsing what they have learned during their sleep, so I would not be surprised if Javelin is dreaming and rehearsing in his dreams. 

Another fascinating find in this post is that you don't play fetch at home. I'm thinking there is a special (obedience) thinking to it, but as a newbie, that was the first "play" we taught Sammy. I'm now using it as a reward after working together in the yard, and I also find it a great tool for impulse control. He must drop, sit, look & maintain eye contact, distractive behaviour etc, and it's been great. Love your updates!!!

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## lily cd re

Sammy I just never really got to teach him to fetch his first summer because Lily got in the way of letting him learn to bring the ball back so many times he never quite got the whole picture of the game and now I have so many other things I do with him he doesn't really need it. Lily is an obsessed fetcher who was taught to put the ball down when she brought it because she was ridiculously mouthy when we tried to take balls from her that we taught her to put it down instead. It actually bit me in the butt to have done that since she used to put her dumbbell down about four or five feet away from me rather that sitting at front with it.

I will try to make some videos tomorrow to show some of the things I talked about from yesterday's session.


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## Myleen

lily cd re; [I said:


> For those who are interested in good heeling here is what we did. We set up two cones right next to each other to lay out a rectangle around which to work. We moved slowly (not normal heeling pace) and Deb (then I) made our part of the turn while Javvy was encouraged to keep his heads up attention at the correct position for his front end. We then waited for him to bring his back end into alignment. Once he had straightened out we moved to the next corner. Within just two times around the rectangle he figured out what he was to do, such a clever boy! We then started to build the basics of the about turn (which will also play a role in the figure 8 and the left turn as well). Deb drew a U shape in chalk on the floor about 3 feet across on the legs. The exercise was for me to walk the U without looking for Javelin, but instead concentrate on showing him how to move by turning my head to look in the direction of the curve. As long as he stayed in the correct place we kept moving. If he fell off the path we stopped and went back to the beginning. If he was moving well we stopped on the path and rewarded him. All of the heeling work is still being done with him able to see a treat just above his head with my hand held against my left side. We are working on getting stellar heeling and the key to that is heads up at all times. We stop as needed to mark and reward that level of attention.
> [/I]
> 
> Please I would love to see this on video! I read, and reread....I have to admit I am a visual person.
> I volunteered at the Dog Club 4 hrs as a steward (who knows nothing about anything, lol) I enjoyed it so much. (Although I was exhausted from lack of sleep, lol) Just seeing what dogs learn. I witnessed a few things that you mentioned. The handler threw a dumbbell, the dog jumped over a pvc thing that was set up...retrieved the dumbbell...and a few other things. I got to be one of two human pillars that a dog walked around ( figure 8) One dog was a beautiful HUGE great dane with beautiful markings!...so many other dogs as well (only one SPoo) I trained Toby to "front" during the past month...he caught on to that so easy...heeling is an entirely different story.
> Oh, and I noticed the handlers kept one hand up on their chest as they walked with their dog . No leash


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## lily cd re

Okay so it sounds like you stewarded open (which is all off leash and has a figure 8 and a retrieve over a high jump which is usually made of PVC). The dogs there will all have earned their novice (CD, companion dog titles) and if you were in the open B ring most of them are probably UD dogs (utility titled dogs) who are working on UDX titles where they have to qualify in both open and utility to earn legs. Ten double Qs gets you and your dog the UDX title.

Many people do heel with their left hand in front of their midline at the level of their waist line. For Lily I leave both my hands naturally at my sides. Either position is allowable for your left hand. Your right hand has to be naturally at your waist no matter what you do with your left hand.

I do hope I will be able to get some video tomorrow, but either way you can see some of this work on my YouTube channel along with those of many excellent trainers.

Happy training everyone.


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## lily cd re

I made sure I got to my club early enough this morning to set up my tablet on a tripod to make it easy to get some videos of the things we worked on on Wednesday at our private training. The person who is with me also goes to the same trainer so we both use the same techniques. For all of the on leash work the leash is attached to Javelin's pinch collar.

Here is the work on left turns. What I am looking for is for Javvy to bring his back end around at the corners to line up at heel. He does not actually have to sit at this point. I actually think I need to do this with bigger cones, but I didn't bring mine today.






Here are two clips that show a wide U turn that will eventually become two things, the outside leg of the figure eight and the about turn. This is about keeping him in proper heel without me looking for him which would cause a lag.











Here are clips that show wait on the platform and direct jumping. Eventually this will use the go out to send the dog to the far side of the ring rather than leaving the dog and then calling them over. We are using ring gates to make sure he goes to the jump rather than recalling and bypassing the jump. He is starting to really like the jumping though so it may not take too long to get him to not need the gates.











As you can see he still has some crazy moments, but as my friend who I train with and get help from on Fridays and I both agree we would rather have high drive and exuberant enthusiasm much more than a mopey lagger.


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## snow0160

I am loving these video updates!


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## Sammy the spoo

Thank you so much for posting these videos! You guys are an amazing team!!! Your written descriptions are always right on and easy to read, but it is so great to see how it is done in videos. For example, it's interesting how Javelin's foot came off of the metal platform and I can see how that needed to be corrected. We appreciate you getting to the club earlier on your day off(?) just to help us (even a newbie like me)!!! Thank you!!!

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## lily cd re

The platform isn't actually metal. I made it using flower foam, children's interlocking play mats, non skid rug backing and tape. It is nice and light, so easy to transport. It is 12" wide so that if Javelin is in the correct position on it nothing hangs off. I want him not to sit like a lazy puppy. It is a bit over 24" long so that he eventually will be able to do not just sits but position changes like stand to down, down to sit (utility signal preparation) without moving off it. I used the flower foam (3" thick) so that it would be more obvious to Javvy if he "fell off" and the non skid rug backing so that when I recall him or send him to a jump it won't move as he leaves since I don't want it to startle him.

Many people I know use variations of that scheme for a platform for helping the dog to take the right position and hold it as needed. For Lily when we started leaving her for the stand in the utility signals and the moving stand I just used a bathroom hand towel since she was already very good about staying where I left her and understood she was to not move past the front edge of the towel.


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## Myleen

Very interesting about the platform you made for Javelin to learn to sit as you want him to. I like how you kept making him start over until he got it right.

I spent last Saturday, and this Saturday/Sunday at the dog club volunteering to earn hours. We are now members of the club...met the criteria... and by volunteering 24 hours we will get free classes at the club next year, (starting in January ) Next weekend I will finish collecting the hours I need. By volunteering I have learned and I am learning quite a bit! Not to mention I get to see alot of different breeds...such beautiful animals! So much fun to watch!!

I understand about Javelins directed jumping now, ... I witnessed people being judged with this exact thing ...I now know how they trained them by setting up the gate thru the middle to keep the dog from going across the floor. 

I love these videos Catherine. It is very nice of you to to take the time and effort to do this for us. It means alot. I know as the months go by...and when the time comes for certain training I will go to your youtube videos again and again!!

I still giggle when I watch you pull out treats from your mouth, lol. .. I can not do that. 

Thank you for letting us learn from your Videos!!....Oh, and I also noticed something else! I visually learned how to signal "wait"!

another gift from watching your videos! 

Thank you Catherine!! Hugsssss!!!!


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## lily cd re

Well this time the treats were boiled white meat chicken so it was no big deal to hold them in my mouth! 

Myleen thank you so much for telling me you find the videos helpful. There are any number of ways to teach these exercises but what I am showing in my videos are the ways I have learned from my trainer who has earned an OTCh (obedience trial championship), so they are well tested and produce results. I also thank you for taking your time to volunteer for your club. My club also has incentives for people to volunteer, but there are still members who don't. It takes a community of generous and knowledgeable people to make a match or a trial happen.


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## lily cd re

I took two 10 minute time slots in the utility ring for Javelin. I combined them into one long session so I could dig deep on a couple of things including getting him to have some impulse control and learn to wait for judge's orders on things like the go out. This was the first time he hhas been asked to do any utility related work anyplace other than at home, at my club or at my private trainer's ring. He has been to this place before, but only to play in the novice ring to help him adjust to being in a ring with a stranger and in a new place. If you can get yourself to watch the whole video you will see he had some pretty mopey dopey moments, but also some things that were good. Right now what I am happy to see is that when he gets worried or stressed he comes back to life in reasonably quick order and that much I can say he did. Here is what I would call the hairy ape man crazies.


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## Axeldog

lily cd re said:


> Here is what I would call the hairy ape man crazies.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feyLceGipj8


Catherine, is this the video you meant to link? It is one with Lily? 
Looking forward to seeing Javvy in utility!


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## lily cd re

Uh duh! That is not the right one. Here it is. You will see he shows some stress, no sits, mopey head, but he recovers.


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## Axeldog

In the new post, it says the "video has been removed by user"... hm... darn technology.


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## lily cd re

Axeldog said:


> In the new post, it says the "video has been removed by user"... hm... darn technology.


Oh dear. I'll fix it in the morning I guess. Sorry about that.


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## snow0160

I Love love your videos. I am so inspired that I got my own toys from Amazon. I got cones and a platform bed. Lucky knows place now


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## lily cd re

I finally got a chance to fix the upload of Javelin's video from the October match, so hopefully this will now work.


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## lily cd re

When I posted earlier I didn't have a tone of time after I fixed the video link, so I didn't get to talk about Javelin's agility foundation work. Since his impulse control has improved significantly I have been taking him along with Lily to our agility lessons. Last week we started to make real progress with things like having him wait on the table and wait for a release from there to me as well as to a jump. Previously we have also worked on teaching him two on two off contacts with the dog walk. 

Since that has also improved tremendously, today we started working on getting him used to the idea that obstacles can move, but that he controls that movement and to understand that two on two off can happen at places other than the dog walk. With the seesaw as low as possible I walked him across with him on my right and left sides several times. Interestingly just as happened with Lily he was quite at ease with it at first and then got nervous. It was obvious he had figured out where the tip point was and started wanting to bail off, so we moved to the moving end past his tip point and rewarded him abundantly for putting at least one foot firmly on the board and making it move. I will pull my wobble board back out to improve his confidence on a moving object. We finished with two on and two off at the A frame.

Lily did a great job in her part of the session as well. I was happy to see that since last week she really didn't try very hard at all. The course that was out for the advanced dogs for this week had some nice challenges and importantly for Lily's level had a lot of places where there were big sends to the dog walk and to a tunnel along with a complex series of jumps followed by a pretty interesting weave pole entry.

It was a beautiful day to have the opportunity to start it outside under a lovely blue sky.


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## lily cd re

We were fortunate to get a cancellation with our obedience trainer yesterday morning. It gave me a chance to talk about how Lily did in last weekend's trial but it also gave me a chance to clarify some things about how do work on some of the exercises I need to get Javelin to understand better. I told Deb that I was having a hard time maintaining his focus when other dogs were walking nearby, so the recommendation was to get back to basics on his attention exercises. We did a lot of loose leash movement with distractions and it really helped. We also worked on impulse control with the go out as our core exercise. Javelin worked on a flexi leash. Deb put out the treat on the target I use and we had two three foot long pieces of gutters as a channel. She gave the orders for the start of the exercise and I worked on making sure he was marking the target well. She was able to see that Javelin had his mouth open when he was not committed to the exercise but that once he started to really understand that he had to be patient he closed his mouth. From my perspective I could also see that once that happened he starting to lean forward with his head pointed straight at the target. He loves the go outs and since this is an exercise Lily struggled with for a long time I am thrilled with his progress.

We stuck around while the people for the class that started right after us came in and got set up. While they did their warm up we stayed and did our loose leash attention exercise ("With Me," described earlier in this thread). Since he wags his tail pretty profusely when he understands and stops waggin when he is confused I have an easy barometer to read. I saw a lot of happy wagging. He also was willing to play, another good read on being stressed or not, so he left happy even though he had to work very hard to think things through.

The woman who helps me during my classes on Friday mornings also trains with the same person I work with so she understands exactly what needs to be done. We continued yesterday's work this morning. He gave better and better marks for the go out, showed he now understands that he can't send himself to the go out location and we were able to move back to almost half ring distance. He also maintained good focus while she worked her dog nearby. He has done very good work all week!


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## Sammy the spoo

Another great session! I loved the piece about how he wags his tail when he understands what's going on, and stops when he's confused . Such a cool guy!!

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## lily cd re

Body language is a dog's native way of telling us what they are thinking and feeling. Being able to read them and all of their subtle signals is a great skill to develop. I know many people who only see overt signals and therefore miss a lot about what their dogs are saying. Part of my beginner class work is about reading their dog's body cues.

Javvy's tail is really a very good barometer, but whether he has an open or closed mouth is important too. It is just too bad that I don't have a mirror wall that would let me see it myself more easily.


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## lily cd re

It was very quiet at my club yesterday, so I was able to do some video of my work with Javelin. I apologize in advance for the dead spots in the video. Since my helper wasn't even with me yesterday I didn't have an easy way to quickly stop and start since the tablet was on a tripod outside the ring. In the first segment we worked on the "get it get it game" to get focused attention. The we worked on a small platform to teach hind end awareness. All Javelin had to do here was keep his front feet on the platform and move his back feet as I moved around. He was very excitable so he gets some time outs along the way. We then spent some time on the "with me" game. In the later segments we were working on the dumbbell, heeling heads up and the right turn.

Obviously in the long term we will extinguish the bouncing, but for now I would rather keep him enthusiastic. Great heeling is super hard to get and can easily become drudgery for the dog. I am also at a transition point in terms of helping him to understand he can't send himself to the dumbbell and to jumps. He has lost his automatic sit since I think he is impatient with the concept of waiting for orders.

The occasional high pitched whining is Lily complaining about not being allowed to play the game.


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## Raven's Mom

Hi, thank you so much for that video. Those are some things I can do in the house now that there isn't much light by the time I get home from work.

Could you PM or post a more up close pic of the round platform? I have tried various things around the house but I think they were all a bit too high and she didn't feel stable enough. Remind me again what the long platform was for. Sitting in heel position? I know I am am not being creative enough about coming up with games to teach the needed skills. I feel so insecure about the whole process.


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## lily cd re

The long platform is for sit at heel, sit to wait, sit for the long sit as well as learning and practicing position changes such as sit, stand and down by themselves and also stand to drop, drop to stand and such as in utility signals.

The round platform I got from Max200, but I know a lot of people who use the bottom parts from flower containers and other contrivances. Since it was an off time of year for gardening supplies I just went for it online since I was more interested in using it than spending tons of time trying to improvise. Here is a link to the page at Max200 for it. It is called a balance perch. Max 200 Agility Catalog Obedience Catalog, Agility Trial Equipment, Obedience Training, Flyball Competition, Wood One-Piece Dumbbells | Leashes, Agility Tables, Tunnels, Dog Walks - Max 200 Obedience, Agility, Flyball Performance Equipment Wood One-P

Some of the exercises in that video may help you with Raven. I am glad you got to see it.


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## Sammy the spoo

Thank you for a great update. I loved the video, and we reviewed it with Sammy. 

I especially enjoyed watching the exercise you did with the round platform. I had previously seen a similar exercise on snow's service dog training thread. I had gotten as far as getting Sammy to get up on the platform with two front paws. But I hadn't had success with him moving his hind legs. After watching your video, I tried it with Sammy and we had a few success! He can only rotate in one direction (seems to have a favourite direction, just like his spin), but I'm sure he'll get it in time. 

For the platform, I use the step stool that the boys use for their bathroom sink . It's pretty grippy on top. It is a bit slippery on hardwood floors, but it works well enough for us. 

I also love your shirt!! Thanks again for posting the video. I like reading your training, but it really makes it 10x better with the video


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## lily cd re

Sammy, Lily and Javelin both have favored directions for things like the work on the balance platform. Lily, for example, turns to the right 100% of the time when sent for a go out. She also spins counter clockwise very easily but has no clue about doing a clockwise spin. You may also have noticed that Javelin did better moving one way vs. the other. I want him to understand to go which ever way I want him to so I did change his direction. I have been teaching this by moving in towards him so he has to get out of my way and I mark that with yes and a treat. When he gets more confident about it I will name it.

That shirt has tracking as its theme (although it is hard to tell in the video). I also have rally and obedience shirts from the same woman. They are really nice.


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## Skylar

Thanks for posting the video - it was fun to watch Javelin with his poodly bounce as you trained.

I was shocked how expensive that pivot bowl cost (30$). I had to scramble to get one myself. When I started the advanced small dog class, I was shocked when I showed up to the first class and everyone pulled out a small bowl - except me, I didn't know we needed one. I ran to TJ Maxx and Marshalls to look for something appropriate - several people in my class were using dog bowls turned upside down. None of the dog bowls were flat or appropriate. I was walking around looking for inspiration when I found this stretchy somewhat sticky shelf lining material - generic Con-Tact Brand® Grip Premium Non-Adhesive Shelf Liner. I took a heavy Pyrex glass bowl and wrapped it in this shelf liner - pulled tight around the bowl and tucked it inside, no tape or glue. This makes the perfect pivot bowl and I can always use it when I need for the original food storage purpose. I know you teach so some of your students may find this useful. Turned upside down the bowl is flat and covered in that surface gives a nice grip for the dogs front feet as they train for pivoting. Plus, we have wood floors and so many things slide on the floor - not this bowl wrapped up with this material - it sits securely on the floor. I'm so glad I found it because once I had her trained to pivot on the bowl, I discovered - because I'm a newbie - that now I had to also train her on a lower surface as we transitioned to doing it on the floor. Used it again to cover a plastic lid. It's wonderful to spread out on a table for brushing/combing her. My trainer also had us putting our small dogs on the table to work on sits and downs - again this is a great surface and when I'm done I just roll it up to store it away. 

I have Babykins spinning in both directions - but clearly she also has a favorite too so it's nice to see that other dogs are like that too.


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## lily cd re

Skylar that sounds like a great improvisation for your pivot platform. I will keep it in mind as an idea for students!


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## Skylar

lily cd re said:


> Skylar that sounds like a great improvisation for your pivot platform. I will keep it in mind as an idea for students!


The beauty of it is I can use anything for a pivot platform.


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## Axeldog

I just got the chance to watch your latest video Catherine. I enjoyed watching you working with Javvy pups, and admire your patience. It is instructive for me to see. When he doesn't get something right, you patiently persist with him until he succeeds. 

Thanks for posting!


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## lily cd re

Well we ended up having much of December off without having intended that to be, but we are back at work. I did do a private lesson with Javelin in between Christmas and New Years. We worked on go outs (took him off the flexi and switched to a slip leash and took the food target down to an intermittent schedule). We started to add in the turn and sit for the directed jumping as well. Additionally we worked on turns for heeling and for set ups, making sure to show Javelin that he doesn't have to look at the floor to turn himself around, but instead to have him keep his heads up connection to me.

At home I have worked on his dumbbell hold so that we can really get him to move with a reliable hold. Then we will be able to connect the pick up to the return to front with it.

Javelin came with me and Lily to Syracuse this weekend and I took him in the practice utility ring a couple of times. We worked on his go out and turn and sit exercises as well as heeling and turns. I also had the steward do the beginner novice sit for exam and a novice stand for exam. He did great with both and I also put him in the novice group stays. He held his positions well and ignored a young and happy lab right next to him.

I am starting to think I may have him ready to do beginner novice later this year.

We have a private lesson this Wednesday afternoon.


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## zooeysmom

Fantastic work, Catherine and Javvy! Do you have any new video of him schooling? I love watching those.


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## lily cd re

I took my tablet this weekend, but never made any videos since I didn't want to impose on the stewards, but I will try to get some at our private this week and/or at my club on Friday. I am glad you enjoy my videos. I don't do much to polish them up, but hopefully they show some good nuts and bolts. Even Lily's utility videos have good stuff regarding attention and focus in them along with the more foundation oriented material in Javvy's vids.


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## snow0160

I'm on a waiting list for versatility class! Maybe if I do some training on my own prior to class Lucky will be top dog and not get beaten by another border collie 


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## lily cd re

Today is the last day of our winter break. I was lucky to be able to get two cancellation slots with our trainer in the past week (last Wednesday and midday today). We got good work done between the two sessions. Last week we worked on go outs and teaching the turn and sit at the go out spot. Today we worked on the directed jumping. This, for a while was Lily's hardest challenge, so I am grateful that Deb is keeping me from making the same mistakes with Javvy.

We looked at the dumbbell hold and talked about the idea of trying a couple of other sizes/styles of dumbbells since Javelin shows signs of wanting to chew/mouth it.

We also worked on position changes, particularly the sit to stand. And we spent a fair amount of time working on keeping heads up connectedness from Javelin including as we move between exercises. The things we spent time on last week were much better this week. Javelin is a quick study and we did do a lot of homework in between our two sessions. Now if only I didn't have to go back to my own classes tomorrow. I would much rather train poodles!


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## MollyMuiMa

I saw this and thought of you when you mentioned winter break being over LOL!


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## lily cd re

That is too funny! Thanks for the great giggle Molly.


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## Axeldog

Glad you were able to get a couple nice training sessions in before going back to work.

I agree 100%, training poodles is better than going to my job . Far better! Now I just have to figure out how to get them to pay me!


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## lily cd re

Javelin came to the match to work too today. I took him in the utility ring for one long 20 minute training session. We worked on go outs (getting to full distance) and worked on adding the turn and sit for that exercise. I also had the judge help me with jumping him. Javvy is so excited about the jumps that I don't want to put them together with the go out/turn and sit yet since I don't want him to think he can send himself. I had the "judge" hold him on a slip lead while I walked to the other side of the jump. He really only had to go in a straight line to get back to me but I showed him the signal to direct him. He was so fast that he could have knocked me over if he hadn't sat. We did both jumps.

I did a fair amount of impulse control work with him. He so loves learning and doing that he gets very charged up and will start jumping up and trying to grab my hand in his mouth. He gets lots of tiny times outs on downs so I give him a signal and order for the down when I want a TO and then I signal/order him to a sit before I release him. This will later be useful as baby steps towards signals.

We also worked on heeling with distractions. His heeling in quiet environments is now really nice so we are upping the ante. I had the judge just move loosely near us and rewarded lavishly for keeping his attention as eyes up for me when he ignored her. I saw good improvement.

For both Javelin's working time and Lily's we had great proofing distractions outside the ring in the form of two obedience/rally judges that Lily knows (one of them very well) who were sitting near the ring with their own standard poodles. So aside from people she likes, both Lily and Javelin had to ignore those members of their own tribe.

Sorry to say no videos since no one I knew well enough to impose on was there.


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## lily cd re

We have been to a number of matches recently, but today is the first time I was able to get any video on our runs (and I only got Javelin's, not Lily's). This is in a utility ring even though much of what we do is not utility. Here are YouTube links for Javelin's two runs.

First time in this morning...






Second time in this morning...


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## Sammy the spoo

Hi Lily! I watched both videos, and well done!!! It was so neat to see you guys in action. Thank you and to your friends who recorded the videos.


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## snow0160

Wow that is some seriously good focus. I love how he sits. Butt down and chest out like a good little proud poodle. I know you've mentioned this before but how old is Javelin? Is he about 2 years?


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## Click-N-Treat

I love the joy your dog gets from working with you. He's a happy, happy, happy guy and I love that. Nice work. Really impressive.


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## lily cd re

He is still a baby boy in many ways. He won't be two until mid May (actually 2 months from today). He is really getting a lot of benefit from going many different places as a youngster. His confidence never waivers even though he may not be familiar with the place (a problem Lily has). He had never worked at this venue before. He still gets distracted, but is getting better at coming back onto focus quickly. I love his go outs!


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## lily cd re

Here are links to some videos I made early in April at my club before anyone else got there.

In the first one we worked on some straight line heeling and also on left and right turns. For the straight line work I was still working at finding the pace and stride length I need to work with him. He is a different size that Lily and really needs a different level of movement out of me. I don't love all of his set ups, but he has improved them.






In the second video we worked large circles around cones in both directions. The purpose is to help Javelin learn how to stay in position when we are moving in a different path. When he is outside his path is longer and he has to go faster to avoid lagging. When he is inside his path is shorter and he has to go slower to avoid forging.






I have started Javelin on the broad jump (for open). This actually was the first time we did much with it. He gets very charged up about jumping, so his impulse control flagged along the way.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=hTpK7gUjdpg

The last thing we did was some work on go outs and the utility jumps.


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## lily cd re

I don't know why this video didn't embed when i posted it last night. Hopefully this works.

https://youtu.be/hTpK7gUjdpg

Huh, I don't get why this one doesn't want to embed, but I tested the link and it works, sorry.

One of the other things we work on is to keep connected as we move around between other things. He is getting much better at sticking with me rather than going off to snorkle the floor and other goofy things.


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## Skylar

lily cd re said:


> One of the other things we work on is to keep connected as we move around between other things. He is getting much better at sticking with me rather than going off to snorkle the floor and other goofy things.


I love the term "snorkle the floor" and it's so true.

It's wonderful to watch the videos of you with Javelin training.


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## snow0160

I really appreciate these training videos. I need to resume training. I love how patient you are and will wait.


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## lily cd re

snow I try as much as possible to let my dogs make their own good decisions, but they have to stay connected while they do that. Snorkling the floor for minute scraps of treats and wandering away are not allowed. I also would never work on heeling without a lead even if it is just a small one as I use with Javelin now or a piece of string or a shoe lace as i use with Lily.


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## Sammy the spoo

I finally finished watching your videos, and I enjoyed them! Lily - I see a huge progress in Javelin since a few months ago!!! He's looking really good!! I'm glad I have been following this thread since I see how he progressed.

I love seeing Javelin's excitement in flying away. I think Sammy would be most enthusiastic in that exercise as well.


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## lily cd re

Thanks Sammy, he really has come along. Even in the month since I made those videos his heeling has gotten lots nicer. I will try to get some update video material this week. If he does what I know he can I think you will be amazed, but some of that could be the impending 2nd birthday grown up boy showing up along with the benefits of training.


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## snow0160

I am very amazed by his heel. It is perfect! I wish his heel was this good. Lucky and I worked on the focus command to get a proper heel but he doesn't like to look at you in the eye. Kit excels at the focus command but has very short attention span like all puppies. It is interesting to train two dogs at the same time from two different breeds. Lucky is very fast when you tell him anything he would do it literally immediately and Kit is very slow like all LGDs. Lucky is slower to learn but retains everything and Kit is quick to learn and retains a lot less even when they were the same age. 


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## lily cd re

snow that is a nice compliment, but his heeling is far from perfect. He is starting to get good, but I need to be better on my cues for him and I need to make sure my lines are straight. We will get there.


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## Axeldog

I had a chance to watch the heeling video this AM, and he is doing so well. I am interested in your technique of holding your left hand flat, almost horizontal to the floor while moving with him - I think you have a treat in your hand (between your fingers) to help him focus and keep his head up. 

I just sort of hold the treat in my fingers in a random manner, but your way seems more deliberate/consistent. 

Thanks for posting the videos - Javvy pups is developing into a top class obedience boy.


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## lily cd re

When we are actually heeling, yes, I do have a treat which is a strip of string cheese that dangles a bit so he can see it, but not on his nose anymore. In between actual work I just hold my hand in the place I want him to target with no treat at this point as a way to start to decrease the presence of the treats overall.

Thanks for the nice words. He is a great and happy worker.


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## lily cd re

It was pouring rain here for much of the day so I had a very quiet morning at my club with just two folks for regular classes along with my beginners. As a result my assistant and I had a lot of time to work with our dogs. Lily and I did a utility routine. I did work on heeling and go outs with Javelin.

He is improving his heeling and I am still working on having a good stride and pace for working with him. Since my assistant and I take our privates and classes with the same trainer (an OTCh handler) she knows what my goals are and we share similar methods. We talked quite a bit about our youngsters while we worked. Javelin's attention is improving as well. He stuck with me despite Cathy and her older dog working right outside the ring for parts of the time I worked in the ring with Javelin. 

This video is long and it has a fair amount of our conversation. I decided to leave it in since the conversation is relevant to what you can see us working on.


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## lily cd re

Go outs and jumping along with impulse control were the main focuses of the other work I did with Javelin yesterday. He loves go outs and they get him very charged up so now as I start to connect the jumps to the go outs he often doesn't want to wait for the jump order. I unfortunately don't have the high jump in the frame of these videos (it is just out of frame to the right), but you can surmise what I am doing with having him wait as I leave him at the go out and go out to the jump and eventually to the far side of it to give him the jump order. Any time he gets overly excited I make him take a little time out on a down. Also you can see how his attention and focus are improving not just during set ups and working but moving in the ring between exercises. You can also hear some of our distractions in the background, my assistant working with her dog just outside the ring behind us.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=5kRFufbnxo4

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=L4n28Bu5LjE


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## Sammy the spoo

Reost #145 - I watched the whole clip, and good job Javelin! Also it was very interesting to hear your conversation with the other lady. 

I liked how you put Javvy in a down stay to recollect his focus. It is hard for these high-energy dogs to recollect their focus and calm, isn't it? Sammy loves training as much as Javvy, and yes at some points he gets so riled up. I have to follow your steps and see how he does in down-stays. 

Always great to see how you train Javelin!


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## lily cd re

I need to get him static to collect his head since when he is frustrated and over charged he grabs my hands and arms with his mouth/teeth, not a bit of course, but uncomfortable for me because he is so bouncy. Also I bruise like a banana and he will leave marks all over if I am not let go of.


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## lily cd re

Between our trip to Indianapolis and our trainer not having any space for us until this week and next week I have fallen behind here. Despite the lack of updates we have been working on things.

I have done a lot of work on fine tuning part of his heeling. He is great at a normal pace in a straight line, even without any food around so now I am spending a lot of time on turns with heads up and pace changes without forging or lagging. I don't have any video just now, but we did a lot of work on these activities this morning for our private session. He did great. Not all of it was beautiful, but he really tried hard and since I make a really big deal out of the excellent performances and ignore the less than stellar moments he made a lot of progress.

We also spent time working on the broad jump (an open exercise). I was a bit stuck with it, but now that I had time to work on it with Deb there watching I think we will make good progress in no time

The last thing we worked on today was super heavy duty proofing of the sit stay. There were people and dogs behind Javelin and Deb was in the ring talking to him and clapping her hands inviting him to come. He failed a couple of times and went to her, but it took a lot for her to get him to move so even in his fails he showed that he understands what he is supposed to be doing. He has improved greatly on this activity.

When I can I will do some video to show his progress.


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## lily cd re

We got another cancellation appointment this morning. I wish I could get on the regular schedule, but I get tons of value out of the time I do spend. Javelin wishes we went every day I think. He gets very excited when I get of the expressway and he know where we are going!

We worked on warm ups and ring entrances with proofing and made lots of progress, but the best thing in the first part of our time was that Deb told me to make sure I get someone to video his heeling since she said it was stellar today and has gotten to be very consistently excellent. It is hard to get a compliment like that from her about heeling, so I feel like that is a huge plus for how things will go for us when we finally go into trial. If I can be organized enough tomorrow morning I will have my assistant do some video.

We also spent time on the broad jump again today. It was hard for him to control his desire to send himself especially since there were lots of distractions behind him since the people and dogs for the 10:00 class were arriving, including a puppy at the start of her first heat (light, but still meaningful to a two year old boy with all his parts). Once we got him to wait for orders he did wonderfully and I should be able to start moving myself back to my correct position the next time I work on this exercise.


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## lily cd re

Oh my I can't believe how behind I've gotten here. August was busy with the two four day workshops I did. Javelin got lots and lots of good work and happy crate practice out of the intermediate workshop.

I got him properly measured for a dumbbell while we were at that workshop and I ordered on which should arrive soon. I am looking forward to doing some serious work on the retrieves.

I had a private lesson with my trainer today. After some warm up games and a conversation about getting his set up to work better, we did directed jumping. He is really starting to understand this very well. I can send him to the opposite jump from the one I step over with pretty good reliability now. He has also learned that he has to wait at the go out spot or he doesn't get to do the thing he loves which is the jump. His impulse control is vastly improved. I still am using ring gates between the jumps to prevent him from making the mistake of recalling rather than jumping, but I am really pleased with his read of the signal since I can flash it to him and he still does the right jump. Lily went through a phase where I was having to hold the signal so long it was going to cost points or even be an NQ.

After the directed jumping we set up for the broad jump. We have a bunch of extra things we put with it to help direct and shape the exercise: sticks to mark the take off runway, a very low set bar to help him know where the backside of the jump is so he clears it fully and an extra board along the side he turns to for the front so he doesn't cut the corner. I had put it up at my club last week and also had worked on it at a match there the previous week and was having a very hard time with him wanting to go around rather than over. When I set it up last Friday he again went around and since Deb walked in while I was working on it I had her watch to see what she thought the problem was. Her conclusion was that he was worried about hurting himself on the landing. We had put up blocking gates and Deb stood on the side to watch and when he landed he skidded about 2-3 feet, even without me trying to get him to do the turn. And I just thought he was having a hard time generalizing the exercise in a different place! 

Our floor is slippery in spots. Today when we were working at Deb's facility we put the jump diagonally in the middle of the floor and did not put up any blocking gates. He did the jump right every time we set him up for it and even started moving my position to start introducing the turn for the front. I think I will have to put sticky paw/show foot spray on their feet. Lily has slipped on her directed jumping landings a few times recently. She doesn't seem bothered by it, but I don't want either of them to hurt themselves. Aside from the obvious horror of one of them being injured it is a major confidence killer for the dog to be afraid of the jumps. Now if I can just find the can of sticky paw that I know I have somewhere...If I can't lay my hands on it tonight or tomorrow morning nobody is jumping tomorrow.


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## mashaphan

i hope it doesn't take too long for Javs to see he won't slip anymore. Probably a key reason SOTC got new matting a year or so ago, (On the other hand ,MY shoes get caught, and I have taken a couple of headers there!:argh

Ah, dumbbells! I was having a little trouble w/Otter lately,whereas he used to go for the dumbbell fine. (I was using Che's custom made ones.) Last week, Holly said they were too small for him now,.no wonder he was reluctant! BUT,too soon (he is almost 9 months) to have his own custom made. So,we are getting some cheap-ish ones (one is purple,I couldn't resist:angel2 to use in the meantime. i am pretty sure he will need Great Dane size,the way he is growing!:adore:

Martha et al


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## lily cd re

Yes I love the mats at your club Martha. Deb has similar mats at her facility and Top Dog has the same flooring as at my club, but our place is near a gravel quarry and we get a lot of rock dust on our floor and it is slippery. I couldn't find my old can of show foot the other day so I ordered 4 cans since it seems to say on Amazon that it is no longer made by that same company. I also ordered one of an all natural wax based product that had good reviews for helping older dogs not to slip on wooden floors, so I will see if that does the trick too and then decide which I like better and stock pile it.

I feel so badly about being locked onto the idea that Javelin was just having a hard time generalizing the broad jump to other places. I think I should have realized what the problem was much sooner given how many times and creative ways he tried to tell me he didn't want to do it at that place, not that he didn't understand what to do. I think the big issue for him is making the turn to come to front. If he starts to turn right after he lands then his footing isn't solid and I am sure he is worried about that hurting. My OTCh golden retriever friend suggested putting a target way out past his landing point to teach him to get himself on solid footing before he turns. Once I have my sticky paw I will try that too.


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## lily cd re

My order of sticky paw stuff came in time that I could use it last week at my club (where it was very quiet because a lot of people were at an agility trial). I had lots of time to work with both Lily and Javelin.

I put sticky stuff on Javvy's feet and set up the broad jump. I ran past the jump to send him the first time so he would understand his footing and I am thrilled with how well it worked. He did exactly the right footwork and take off and cleared the jump and landed safely on the other side enough times that I moved my position just enough to start to get him to make the turn to come to front. This boy totally understands what he is supposed to be doing and now feels safe enough to do it correctly. Now I can work on getting it to be the complete exercise which is really a recall over the jump. I can gradually move into position next to the jump and get him to do the front before adding the finish. Since I had the sticky stuff on his feet I also sent him on go outs (to the two opposite ends of our ring the long way). After getting successful go outs both ways I put up ring gates to prevent him from recalling and instead directing him properly to the jumps. I had him jump both jumps in both long ring dimension directions too. He did a lovely job. For information on Lily see her long road to the UD thread.


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## Skylar

I'm catching up on reading posts and came across both Javelin and Lily's where you mention using sticky paw stuff. I never realized it could be used inside for better footing.

Do you have to wash it off at the end of the training? Do the dogs want to lick it off? Are you only using it while training? I've had problems with Babykins slipping on the wood floor for things like training long sit - I put a sticky shelf lining fabric down for her. She also slips when we do recall exercise - although with age she has gotten better.


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## lily cd re

Skylar I put a fairly light coating so I didn't wash it off. I think it wore off pretty quickly through the training and then ooutside when we were leaving.


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## lily cd re

I did sticky paw again this week at my club and both Javelin and Lily did great jumping with it. I am thrilled since I was worried Javelin didn't understand the broad jump, nope, he totally gets it. I am starting to move myself to the location I will stand when we do this exercise in trials. He will have a flawless broad jump when we are ready for it.


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## MollyMuiMa

I couldn't resist sending you this bit of humor LOL!


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## lily cd re

ROFLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

That would be quite the final exam. There used to be an outdoor summer obedience and rally trial that I never entered (Lily and Peeves were very young when it moved inside) but that I did steward at. It was at the Riverhead campus of Suffolk County Community College (if you don't care to Google map it, it is way out east surrounded by farms). Anyway they have lots of ticks out there and so the campus had guinea fowl wandering all over as tick controllers. Well you never know where or when they are going to come strolling by. I remember them walking through the ring during open sits and downs once. It was actually pretty remarkable that none of the dogs broke their stays, although a couple of them were sorely tempted. The other steward and myself tried to help the handlers (who were out of sight) by giving the dogs that seemed closest to getting up the evil eye.


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## lily cd re

Here are a couple of videos we made today while it was quiet at my club. The first is of heeling and shows pace changes, halts and turns and has figure 8 at the end. The second is of go outs.

I think you can see how his heads up attention on heeling has improved since I last put up video of this exercise. His turns have come a long was as has the figure 8, which I still do a bit big and loose, but am ready to tighten up. For the go outs you can see that his mark of the go out has improved and he gets out to the spot really nicely and we have now connected the turn and sit to the go out.


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## Click-N-Treat

Those were fun to watch. I love his slow heel. Such a happy, happy boy. I see quite a few dogs in the ring that look like they would rather be somewhere else. Javelin wants to be there. I can see it in everything he does. Road to ring ready indeed. He's doing great.


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## lily cd re

Click-N-Treat he does love to work and there is virtually nothing that worries him (in contrast to Lily who has long worried about many things, but has had experiences that give her reason to I suppose). One of the things I work hard on with him is making sure he doesn't get into trouble with other dogs so that he retains that happy warrior attitude. When he is ready to go he will be a great partner.


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## Click-N-Treat

Agreed. I think Javelin is going to be amazing when he is ready. Keeping them happy and making training fun is so important. There's a doberman in my class. The handler pops him on the chin before the Stand for Exam. I think he's trying to remind him to stay, but guess what the dog does when the person comes to examine him? Growls. And he gets popped on the chin for growling.

I see dogs who do the exercises very well, but they don't have their tails up and happy faces. I want Noelle to be happy. I need to connect with her. We work together to bless us both. I see that joyful spirit in Javelin. I see that in Noelle. Our dogs will make us proud. I believe it. I really do.


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## lily cd re

Oh my that is sad about the dobe. Growling will disqualify them. What a stupid strategy. The joie de vivre is very important.


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## Axeldog

Just catching up on these latest videos of Javvy. He is doing so well! I love his attentive heeling- it's so nice to watch your great team work.


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## lily cd re

Yesterday one of my OTCh friends came to train so I was able to pick her brain about a couple of things and use her as a person for a sit for exam set up. I have been working on having him maintain eye contact throughout. My friend convinced me that eye flicks to acknowledge the presence of the judge were natural to expect and nothing to train away since trying to do so could create more problems than it might solve. She did several approaches for sit for exam and Javelin did well with just a little glance at her. Since he doesn't know her so well I think he did just great.

We also did some heeling during my novice "class" which was just my mom with her mpoo, my assistant with her adolescent aussie girl and Javelin. He did very well at ignoring the distractions of people and dogs he knows. We also worked the figure 8 with a chair as one post and a person with dog as the other, so a challenge of odd posts. He did really beautifully with it being a loose open path with about 10-12 feet between the posts. He is ready to tighten it up to the normal 8 feet and I will work the footwork carefully for him.

To finish we did current (old style) groups for sit and down. Javelin did really nicely with holding the sit and a nice relaxed (but no sniffing) down.


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## Skylar

Click-N-Treat said:


> Agreed. I think Javelin is going to be amazing when he is ready. Keeping them happy and making training fun is so important. There's a doberman in my class. The handler pops him on the chin before the Stand for Exam. I think he's trying to remind him to stay, but guess what the dog does when the person comes to examine him? Growls. And he gets popped on the chin for growling.


Wow - there are much better solutions for training Stand for Exam without popping your dog on the chin. Why would someone want their dog to be fearful of them and potentially show aggression to a judge? There was a woman, who has been successfully competing for many years that hit her dog in class - trainer was shocked and told her to stop and said it's against club rules. I haven't seen her back and this was several months ago.

I love my current trainers - we always do something fun at the end of class, this week we were in the agility building and ran the dogs on the agility equipment after working on our dumbbell retrieves. My other trainer sometimes has us hold toys and throw them after we do a heeling pattern. 

This session ends next week and I'll have a new trainer next session - in a larger class, more dogs and it should be interesting to be training the new group stay. I hope Babykins is okay with it - we have done some weird stays such as lining the dogs up in a line so one dog was behind the other while we walked away at a right angle.

How nice that you get to work Javelin with your mom with her minipoo and your assistant with her Aussie.


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## lily cd re

Skylar I would tell someone who hit their dog not to come back to my class too. I also don't generally allow people I don't know very well to use unlimited slip chains on dogs. Especially for beginners with dogs that need to learn impulse control the temptation to yank them around is just too great. Even people who nag and yell at their dogs in class or in a match rub me strongly the wrong way. I was judging an A match in rally for a club that was applying to be able to hold obedience and rally trials (already approved for agility). One of our local crazy people entered with a very sweet little papillon in rally advanced. The dog never pays any attention to her and she harasses and harangues the poor thing terribly when she starts sniffing and wandering. The ring next to us was doing novice stays while the owner was chasing the pap around the corner of the ring near the dogs on stays. I told her I was excusing her and to leave the ring. She was very miffed, but when I spoke to the novice judge later she thanked me on behalf of her exhibitors. Thankfully she doesn't show up when I judge anymore since she argued with me over being excused. She complained that I should have let her use food. The only problem is that in an A match the conditions have to be the same as a trial! She should have read the rules before she entered.

This is definitely one of those catch more flies with honey than with vinegar situations. Have fun with your dog and he or she will think it is fun to be with you and they will enjoy the challenges of training and trialing.


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## Charmed

All the Dobermans I have met have such tender feelings. They do need to understand what the owners want, though. Ugh, people do dumb things! I am glad to see that Javvy remains so happy; everything else is easy to teach.


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## lily cd re

Charmed all the dobes I know are cupcakes too. Actually in some ways they are a lot like poodles, tough when needs be but very sensitive at the same time.

And yes this boy is a happy warrior.


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## lily cd re

I was very happy to be able to get a private lesson with our trainer yesterday. It had been a while since she had an opening that I could take. 

I had her look at his heeling (which is generally really nice) and she said I need to work on halts to keep him from throwing his back end out and forging. He does heads up heeling so the tendency to wrap in front of me a little contributes to those small things. He does great pace changes and his turns are pretty good (need to get him not to look down on abouts). Deb said it would be worth it to work on the little bits since other than 1/2 points for things like crooked sits she see no faults in how he moves! What a nice thought to be close to perfect heeling.

We did the broad jump (an open ex) since he does not like doing it on the floor at my club (has slipping issues on the turn to make the front). He loves doing it at Deb's and also does it well at home, so since it has been cold I haven't practiced it much. He did a great job with it.

I haven't worked on utility jumps recently and I had still been putting gates between the jumps to keep Javelin from recalling to me instead of taking the jumps. The method suggested (and that is working) was to put the two jumps closer to the go out spot than usual and to turn them at angles of about 30 deg. facing in towards the center of the ring. Rather than sending to the go out we set Javvy up so he was lined up with the inner jump stanchion. I left him on a wait and walked out just to the inside of the jump and then turned to face him straight in line with him. For the order to jump I put out my signal arm and also took a side step towards the jump to give an exaggerated sign that he was to take the jump. We did this with both the high jump and the bar. Our plan is to stay in that position until I don't have to take the side step and can give the normal utility jump signal. We will then move 6" at a time closer to the center of the ring and the normal go out spot until we are both in the center of the ring. Then we will decrease the angles of the jump set ups. I worked on this some more today and I am already able to leave out the side step for the high jump (although I will have to proof that over the next few weeks.

I also showed Deb the progress we have made with the dumbbell. He is now happy to pick it up, but doesn't yet understand that he has to bring it to front. We have a few different things to do with that, but I think we should get that put together pretty easily.

The last thing we did yesterday was a novice group sit stay with two rows of dogs. The first couple of times I worked on this with him he was very concerned about having a dog sitting behind him, but yesterday he was much more chill about it. He took a couple of short glances over his shoulder, but quickly turned back to look at me and did no shifting around to try to see behind him. I am sure that the down stay will not be an issue.

Today I worked again on the utility jumps, heeling fine tuning and practiced ring entrances and between exercise focused movement before anyone else arrived. Then a friend came and did a utility routine. She then ran me and Lily through a utility routine (she did great). After Lily and I finished another friend came to do a utility routine with one dog and novice practice with another (she has CKCS, both dogs are her breedings). When she finished her work with her novice dog she stayed and helped me do a couple of other things with Javelin. I had her do beginner novice sit for exam, beginner novice sit stay/walk around the ring, a novice stand for exam and a novice heel pattern. Javelin did really nicely with all of those exercises. She said his sit halts were straight and really like his heeling all around (although we both agreed he had one forged halt). She thought he would qualify in both beginner novice and novice.

My plan is to enter him for beginner novice at two (maybe three) trials this summer. One is two days in early June in Syracuse and has match time available on Friday before the trials on Saturday and Sunday. The other that I will definitely do is three days in Binghamton and also has match time available in the later afternoon of each day before the three trials. Both are four ring events with great set ups and generally creme of the crop judges. I will likely just do beginner novice for both of those events even though I could end up with five Qs if he does really well. I think it will be good to let him build confidence and learn to ignore what is happening in other rings around us rather than pushing ahead to novice. If he succeeds and shows me the kind of work I think he has the ability to do then I will plan for novice in the fall.


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## Click-N-Treat

Whoo hoo! Thank you for the update. Javelin certainly is on his way to ring ready. Nice work. I can't wait to hear how he does in his first trial. I bet he does great.


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## lily cd re

Click I feel like we have made great progress recently but he still is easily distracted so he will either stick with me and be magnificent or he will go crazy and jump into the ring next to us to visit another dog.


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## Click-N-Treat

And don't you just hate when they go from focused, perfect, wonderful, to mentally just gone in a split second? He's on his way, though. I know he is. Noelle and I are cheering you on from here.


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## mashaphan

Glad to know Javvy's coming along well! I can kind of mark Otter's timeline w/Javvy's progress and remind myself not to expect too much too soon:argh: I was thinking you had not said too much about the private lessons of late-glad you were able to get one in!

In other Upstate news,Stacey is about to retire,so there will be NO stopping her and Mick now!:adore:

Martha and WildMan (who was sick this morning-Che yesterday-great weekend,eh?)
Speaking of Javvs,how is the service dog training and his acceptance at school coming ?


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## lily cd re

Martha, don't rush a boy! He will be great when he collects his head.

I was aware that Stacey was going to retire soon. She will get an OTCh with Mick for sure, now sooner than if she was still working.

Javelin is coming along at work. He is excellent at being chill in class, has relaxed enough that if a student has to step over him to get to something in lab he stays and is much better going up and down busy hallways that in September. I have adopted "no flirting" as his order to not let himself get involved with other people. It also says something to impulsive people who want to interact with him. We continue to have days where he acts like Cujo in my truck, but they are few and farther between and generally less psychotic in the level of nuttiness. I think that as his performance obedience work gets better his out in public manners also improve.

Sorry you are having a sicky weekend with your pups. I hope things are already improving.


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## lily cd re

It was a snowy morning here today (not much really, but enough to keep a couple of my usual teams at home). As a result I got to work on a fair number of things with both Lily and Javelin.

For Javelin I did some work on utility jumping with distractors (You will see white spots on the floor that are pieces of stuffing from old toys. There are also chalk marks on the floor like judges often put where they want you to set up for gloves and such). It was very hard for him to leave those things alone, so I let him get away with some sidewinding and small position things I didn't love, but as long as he ignored the fuzz and the chalks I was making progress with some things as needed.

Here is a link for the jumping work video. 




I also did some work on getting Javvy to move with the dumbbell. He loves to pick it up and will carry it, but tends to drop it and doesn't really understand he is supposed to front with it (my bad for not doing more of this when he was a puppy). We definitely made some progress with this. Although you will find it how funny he is walking towards me with it. He definitely is struggling with the walk and chew gum at the same time concept. Here is a link for video on that. 




I also did some work on his "ring choreography," meaning things like set ups, moving in the ring between exercises and such. We also did some work on about turns (don't want him to drop his head to make the turn). Again this all had fairly heavy distractions on the floor which made it all harder than it would otherwise have been. Here is some video on that. 




I will post some game type video with Lily in a fresh thread.


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## mashaphan

Javvy would be good at freestyle with that prance on the dumbbell walk!

Martha et al


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## BeauTheSpoo

I'm so excited to find people who compete with their poodles! I am reading this thread with so much excitement and I really hope to compete someday with my standard poodle, Beau. 

We have been taking weekly classes in our dog club after we got our CGC, in addition to heeling classes through the Fenzi school, right we have some issues that we're working on: 

1. Interest in other dogs: Beau's first thought upon seeing a dog, specially a new dog in class, is to pull towards them. I think his brain has gotten this idea that "dogs = play = best time of my life" and somehow I'm incapable of fixing this, regardless of how hard I try. I don't like his pulling towards other dogs or showing interest, I always call him back to me and say "leave it", and I never allow him to greet or say hi to dogs in the class. To be fair to him, after his initial interest, he works fine the rest of the class, but then I have to go through the same routing from scratch next week. Despite doing this for 6 months now, he still shows interest in other dogs. He is 1.5 years old so maybe he gets better with age, but his sister is already competing at this age... so it can't just be the age, right? 

2. Focus: When we do parallel heeling near other dogs, or when we heel near other people, his focus just drops.


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## lily cd re

I have to get ready for work right now, but I have a break later in the day and will address your issues. The clinic I did this weekend was all on target for dealing with distractions.


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## Click-N-Treat

1.5 is young yet. Noelle, at that age, was not ready for the CGC let alone obedience competition. Some dogs mature slower than others, that's all. Maturity will take care of some of this. 

Wanting to say hi is better than wanting to attack the other dogs, so keep that in mind as you go through the ritual of, no, leave it. And yep, you'll be doing this over from scratch every week until suddenly he'll get it. And you'll be so proud.


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## BeauTheSpoo

Oh, for sure. I have seen reactive dogs and I thank God every day he is so friendly and well behaved. Passing another dog in the CGC test was easy for him, because he still listens to me despite the fact that he is interested. We took CGC at 9 months old. 

We have been going to group classes since I got him, and he had better focus in his pre-teen months. He was not interested in dogs as much. I think he is improving a tiny little bit recently but nowhere as handler-focused as he used to be, but I don't want to sit back and say age will take care of it. I want to make sure I fix my training/approach to this problem  

I was hoping he would choose me over other dogs by default, not by me always coaxing him or telling him to leave it. Will it ever get a default behavior that he chooses to play and interact with me, not other dogs?


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## Click-N-Treat

Will it ever become a default behavior? I don't know. Each dog is different. Will it get much better the more you work with Beau? Absolutely! Maturity does seem to help training stick better, if that makes sense. Thing that were so hard for Noelle a year ago she does much better. A year ago, she had to sniff the ring for a good 10 minutes before she remembered I existed. Now, we enter the ring and she's ready to go. A year ago, sit for exam turned into slide on her back for a belly rub. Now, she can sit and stand for exam. It took work, and is still a work in progress. But, the joy of training is the little bits of progress along the way.


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## BeauTheSpoo

That's really great to hear. Beau is actually my first dog so I'm not quite sure about the impact of maturity. I'm going to read up on Noelle's adventure to see how you got Noelle to be so ring ready  



Click-N-Treat said:


> the joy of training is the little bits of progress along the way.




:amen:


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## lily cd re

Ahh finally I have a few minutes... 

I am glad to see you have had interesting discussion on this in the meantime.

First a 1 1/2 year old male spoo is an idiot in many ways and probably somewhat less so than a girl of the same age. Just because Beau's sister is competing doesn't mean she is truly ready to compete. Nor does it mean that you are a poor handler or that Beau is somehow behind the curve. Is his sister's handler a high level competitor who already has had a UD or OTCh? Remember you are a novice A handler. Lily was my novice A dog and she has accomplished a lot, but her outcomes eventually will pale by comparison to Javelin's (dog willing) because I am not the handler who first entered with Lily knowing nothing other than the novice exercises. Also is Beau's sister really ready to compete. Does she know something of all of not just the novice, but the open and utility exercises? I know some people here are itching for me to start throwing up trial results for Javelin, but he is just now maybe ready enough for us to power through to the higher levels which is what I want to start the lower levels.

Next, yes the behaviors we want can become the defaults, but as Click well knows only after many many repetitions in many many different places. Dogs are simply not good generalizers. The don't have enough forebrain to be such.

The clinic I did over the weekend was well timed to this conversation since much of it dealt with the neurophysiology of learning. I will start a new thread about the workshop later (or tomorrow since I need more time to process some of the material for myself before trying to explain it all), however here are some tidbits related to attention and focus for 200 heeling.

You need a huge number of correct executions of a behavior for it to become a default, but eventually it will become a default. One training book I have somewhere says something to the effect of "after you have sent your dog to 6000 go outs, add the turn and sit." When I first read that I thought who in the world possibly has time to send a dog to 6000 go outs before adding turn and sit? Surely only the insanely wealthy and healthy retired people can do that. Well I have found it might not need that many go outs before you add the turn and sit, but you do need to have gotten good go outs way more than 60 times and in many different places to have a kick ass go out. Same for heeling. Same for gloves. Same for drop on recall....

One of the key concepts emphasized by the workshop leader this weekend (Brenda Aloff) was that you can't consider an exercise to be well practiced if you allow the dog to make mistakes without giving them information to make them right. 

Here is how this applies to heeling. Sit your dog at heel, gazing at you adoringly and say/signal heel and step off. If the dog looks away after your first step, stop, mark to the dog that their execution was incorrect and set it up all over. Take one step and if they are still looking up adoringly, mark that with a yes and give a treat. Soon you will take two steps then four then eight before they look away, but don't go forward if they break their focus. Every time you let the dog break focus you are telling them that you will accept that as okay. The same applies to loose leash. It took almost a year to teach Lily and Peeves not to pull and I barely ever got more than one house away because we were always starting, stopping, turning into a tree and so forth. For Javelin and heeling it meant we hugged a wall or ring gate and rarely went more than three steps for ages. You want the dog to generalize that heel means walk along looking at me like your eyes are laser beams to my eyes not matter what else is going on. Trust me to keep you safe and not crash you into the ring gate or another person and dog. Read my body to tell you to go faster, slower or to turn or go straight.

This weekend was a big test of that for Javelin. He is pretty good around lots of people since he sees lots of people with me at work, but he doesn't see a lot of dogs he doesn't know. He didn't know any of the other dogs at the clinic this weekend, but he does understand to trust me to keep him safe and that safety is anchored by our eye contact. We demonstrated where we were in that communication on Saturday afternoon and Brenda found Javelin to be a nicely attentive and stable dog from that demonstration. Sunday morning we tested that behavior with other people doing funny things near us. The critical part of this was pushing the dog's thresholds between front brain thinking and hindbrain (limbic, flight or fright) instincts. The novel people walking in, touching the handler, touching the dog, etc was repeated over and over until the dog showed calming signals that said it was back to front brain thinking. Releasing the pressure of the external at that time was the marker for the learning and helps to put the new knowledge into the front brain and lets the dog stay in front brain mode even when stressors rise.

To apply this to the distraction of other dogs requires rehearsing it correctly many times around other dogs and teaching your dog that you control everything, including his or her safety. Use your eye contact/focused attention as an emotional anchor. This will help your arrivals at class or transfer to a new class with new dogs. It will also help you hold your attentive heeling, but remember you need to rehearse it all correctly over and over and over and...


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## Click-N-Treat

As a young cellist, my teacher used to insist I play every passage three times perfectly. This sounds simple enough, but there was a catch. I had to play the music three times perfectly in a row. If I made a mistake, however tiny, back to start.

There is an eight note passage in the Haydn C Major Cello Concerto where the music requires the cellist to balance their thumb across two strings, using the side of the thumb like a guitar capo. From here, the hand must stretch into incredibly insane places to get the music correct. I spent five hours a day for several weeks trying to perfect those eight notes in a row. It was grueling and stressful trying to get it right. But, I learned something else in the practice rooms at boarding school. The more you strive for perfection, the more you require precision, the more delicious the outcome. I could play that section like it was the easiest thing in the world because I practiced, and practiced and played that spot thousands and thousands of times. 

Doing a go out 6,000 times correctly seems like a very high number, and perhaps an exaggeration, but thousands of times, absolutely. I've called Noelle to come/sit in front at least a thousand times since we started training at our new club. Noelle is now finally able to run straight toward me, find her brakes and sit. If she does not sit, no reward, reset, try again. The higher my demand for excellence, the more excellent her performance. The more we rehearse getting it right, the more often she does it right. 

Noelle is my Novice A dog as well. We are going to compete for a BN this year, but I think making sure Noelle can get a CD in her sleep before we move on is a good idea. I also think it's a good idea to introduce all the puzzle pieces of CD, CDX, and UD before trialing. All the exercises connect like learning scales in one octave, two octaves, three octaves and four octaves. My beginner cello students learn one octave scales before I introduce two octaves, but as they come down the scale, guess what, they're repeating what they already know. Just like heeling on leash during BN, leads to heeling off leash for a CD. And I get how the dots connect. However, I watch the UD dogs practice and think, never, in a million years can Noelle do that.

Then I remember listening to the Haydn C Major Concerto and thinking never in a million years can I do that. Until I could. Will Noelle get a UD? The road we are taking leads that way. Noelle can learn all the exercises. Noelle enjoys the challenge. I enjoy working with her. So, we're heading on the road to a UD. Will we get to our destination? Who knows. We're just having fun on our way.


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## lily cd re

The practice of music analogy is excellent. Thank you for sharing your gaining the understanding that the practice and precision that results from it is self rewarding (even if it feel punishing along the way).

I had virtually the same conversation with two microbio students today. Both of them were very disappointed with their lecture midterm exam grades. As a refresher for those of you reading here this exam was originally scheduled for March 21st, but postponed to April 2nd because of snow and spring break. Both students told they they had studied hard to be prepared for the 21st, but not so hard after the 21st. One of them in fact said he studied to be ready for the test but not to remember the information after the test. Huh? Studying is supposed to lead you to own your knowledge whether it be microbiology, how to play a cello concerto or how to get your dog to be your partner in heeling despite distractions.


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## Click-N-Treat

Scroll to 19:27, watch what he does with his left hand up to 19:41. You can see the thumb across his strings. All five fingers engaged on the strings and landing in exactly the right spots without fail. What a joy it is to live in a time when I can watch one of the greatest cellists who ever lived play whenever I want as much as I want. Misha Rostropovitch, thank you for your music. Rest in peace.


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## Click-N-Treat

I get why your students were ready to go and then stopped. It's hard to keep the discipline going. In training Noelle, I'm trying to make time every day. I like having a class because I don't want to look like a total buffoon in front of everyone, so we practice to keep that from happening.


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## lily cd re

That is also part of why matches are very helpful. A guy I know who has had UDX goldens uses the formula that the dog has to do qualifying performances in three matches before one should enter a trial. There is that magic number three again. 

It is hard to sustain practice, training and learning if there is no measure of progress and I was really sad and frustrated for them the day the exams were supposed to happen, but didn't. My night class seems to have thoughtfully used the delay as an opportunity to refine their practice since 7 out of 16 of them got B+ or A grades and two of them used the bonus opportunity to break 100.


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## BeauTheSpoo

Thank you lily cd re for the comprehensive answer. Beau's sister is indeed being handled and trained by a professional who has put numerous titles on dogs  

It's really eye opening to hear how many successful repetitions is needed for perfection (6000! haha). I think that's what I'm missing, we need more and more generalization in newer environments (I wish I didn't have a full time job ), and just keep practicing more :alberteinstein:


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## lily cd re

BeauTheSpoo said:


> Thank you lily cd re for the comprehensive answer. Beau's sister is indeed being handled and trained by a professional who has put numerous titles on dogs
> 
> It's really eye opening to hear how many successful repetitions is needed for perfection (6000! haha). I think that's what I'm missing, we need more and more generalization in newer environments (*I wish I didn't have a full time job* ), and just keep practicing more :alberteinstein:


Being able to spend more time on serious training is one big reason I want to retire. But I do build little bits of training into our every day routines. Lily has to do utility signals to be released to her food as an example. The focused attention games also fit easily into everyday activities. For example if you expect your dog to sit at the door to go in or out, don't just ask for the sit, but then make them wait and offer eye contact before releasing. Javelin has to sit and offer eye contact every time he gets in my truck (which is at least twice every day) and he has to lie down and offer eye contact before I allow him to get out (also at least twice a day). At first I accepted just a glance at me and now he has to offer sustained eye contact.


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## lily cd re

*Getting Ready to Take the Plunge*

I just mailed out a bunch of entries for spring and early summer.

Lily and I will do a rally master run and then the next day utility (assuming we got in) at a Long Island location. I am hoping that getting a nice rally run on Saturday will yield a qualifying utility routine the next day. This event is the first weekend in May. Although it is on Long Island it is at a place we don't get to very often, so fingers crossed on that one.

The first weekend in June the three of us will go to Syracuse where we will be able to rent practice ring time on Friday and then show on Saturday and Sunday. Lily is entered for rally masters and utility both days. Javelin is entered for beginner novice both days. I think he is ready. My biggest concern actually is still having him settle in the crate. We will practice getting him to chill in a metal crate at my club since I think that is what I will need for this trip.

At the very end of June my club is having two days of trials and I entered Lily for utility and Javelin for beginner novice. She doesn't always like trialing at our club since I think she finds it weird to have it feel different than usual, but we'll see. I don't think Javelin will care.

Assuming all of that goes well I plan to go to Binghamton in July. I will probably focus on rally with Lily (maybe one day of utility). This is a big four ring trial in an ice rink so it is sort of echo heavy and she has found it a bit stressful for utility (although she has Qd in both novice and open and many times at all levels in rally there). Since it is busy there I plan to stay in beginner novice with Javelin to help develop his confidence for a busy trial environment.

Although I don't rely on luck in such matters I will happily accept crossed fingers and paws from all of you nice folks and your lovely poodles when we get closer.

Separately I have made huge progress with the dumbbell (I think). I will try to post some video if I can get it over the weekend. 

I have been having my novice class do the groups in the new (May 1st) style with two rows of dogs back to back. Javelin initially found this a bit freaky but it has improved tremendously recently. He did break the sit today, but it was because a less than one year old Rhodesian ridgeback boy (also an intact dog) was being pretty naughty next to him. Then even though he had broken the sit I got him back on it easily and then he did a nice calming signal for the down and went over on his side in a direction to show his back to the ridgeback boy. I view the baby boy's antics as good proofs and opportunities to see how he handles this with a decent number of dogs.


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## Asta's Mom

Wow, sounds like you have a busy time ahead. Rest assured you have fingers and paws crossed here. Best of luck.


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## mashaphan

yes,very busy! Note our "practice" will now start at 11,running 'til 7pm-guess they didn't get enough traffic between 10-11 to have us there timing. ;ppking forward to seeing the spoos!

Martha and the troops


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## lily cd re

Martha thanks so much for that heads up on when the practice rings will open. Starting at 11 gives me a little wiggle room to think about getting up and traveling Friday morning instead of Thursday night.

See you soon. I look forward to meeting Otter.


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## zooeysmom

Wow, four shows! You have trained hard and now it's Javelin's turn to shine. And I have no doubt Lily will do great, as usual.


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## Streetcar

Tons of good thoughts and fingers, paws, and toes crossed here for all three of you to have a delightful, successful competition season !!!!


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## lily cd re

There is an AKC agility trial going on this weekend near home and the judge is a measuring judge so I took Javelin down to the trial site this morning and got him measured for a jump height card. He measured him as exactly 24" which is about what I expected. Hopefully we will get a jump height card off that one measurement. The judge wasn't totally sure since there are new rules on jump heights, but I think that one measurement should be sufficient. I wanted the measurement so I can show it to obedience judges down the road. If Javelin has a lot of coat on he may look like he should be a 26" jumper to an obedience judge. I took off most of his coat late yesterday so the measurement would be as accurate as possible.


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## LizzysMom

Wow! You're going to be busy - what fun! Can't wait to hear all about each of the events as you conquer them!


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## lily cd re

LizzysMom said:


> Wow! You're going to be busy - what fun! Can't wait to hear all about each of the events as you conquer them!



I will update as we go. Right now I am trying to figure out if I got intothe local trial the first weekend in May for utility with Lily.


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## lily cd re

It has been a while since I updated here. Training got interrupted by our annual trip to Indianapolis for the 500 which was book ended by finishing the spring semester and starting summer class. Now that hings have settled back down and my days are pretty open I have committed to renting the ring at my club on Mondays and this past week we had a breakthrough with the dumbbell.


Some of you who have been following along know that I have been trying to convince Javelin that he is perfectly capable of doing the canine equivalent of walking and chewing gum at the same time for a while now. He has been fine with taking and holding for ages, has been interested in the thrown dumbbell and picking it up but has been an utter dunce as regards bringing it back to me. I have spent tons of time giving him the dumbbell and backing away from him for just a few steps and telling him to front when I stopped to show him that the picture is supposed to be move with it in your mouth, sit in front when you get to me and wait for me to take it from you as opposed to dropping it on the floor.


This week I had played around with it at home and had seen glimmers of understanding, so I put his flexi on and set him up at heel. I showed him the dumbbell, waved it around a little bit and held him close while I threw it. I took my thumb off the lock on the flexi and sent him. He went enthusiastically, scooped it up and got all the way back to me without spitting it out, only about 8 feet, but as far as I am concerned it could have been a mile. We did more repeats and he was pretty consistent in presenting the dumbbell to me at front and even worked hard to dig out a couple of bad throws that had gone under the ring gates.


Now I can really work this exercise. Once the dumbbell is good I can add gloves and start articles. This is also going to help me with his task training for picking up stuff that I drop.


What a good boy I have!


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## Click-N-Treat

Yay! That's such a wonderful update. He's really coming along. Fantastic!

I have the opposite problem. Noelle will enthusiastically fetch, bring it all the way to me, and release into my hands. But, Noelle cannot figure out how sit with something in her mouth. I like the image of walk and chew gum. It really is a coordination issue, isn't it?


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## lily cd re

Click-N-Treat said:


> Yay! That's such a wonderful update. He's really coming along. Fantastic!
> 
> I have the opposite problem. Noelle will enthusiastically fetch, bring it all the way to me, and release into my hands. But, Noelle cannot figure out how sit with something in her mouth. I like the image of walk and chew gum. It really is a coordination issue, isn't it?



It is a coordination thing for sure. We are asking them to multitask, and let's face it multitasking is mostly overrated. What I would do with Noelle is part of what I did with Javelin. Have her on leash so she can't go off and do her own thing. Get her to take the dumbbell and back away from her just one or two steps and tell her sit as you stop. Hold the leash under her muzzle to make it hard for her to drop the dumbbell. Have a jackpot ready for her holding it until you tell her to give it to you from the sit front. Gradually you will be able to take more steps and let the leash have slack in it. I think there is a video higher up in this thread of me doing that work with Javelin. It was pretty rough looking when I made that video and for quite a while afterwards, but now it is tarting to look very nice.


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## Skylar

Good boy Javelin.


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## Skylar

Click-N-Treat, have you tried calling "front" when Noelle is returning to you with the dumbbell?

Babykins was returning her dumbbell but refusing to sit - she'd stand in front of me and was dropping that piece of plastic as if it were hot lava. (and if it hits your toes, it hurts, it's heavy). I discovered that if she was retrieving over a jump she was more excited and energized- and perhaps so distracted so she forget that she was chewing and walking - when I called front she did come in and sit. We struggle with hold.


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## Click-N-Treat

Skylar, 

When I ask for a sit, she spits out the dumbbell and sits. If I hold it and try and help her she stands there looking completely baffled. Noelle is sighing next to me. I think she wants to explain it for you. Noelle, type, okay?

Hi, this is Noelle. 
I just want you to know that sit means sit. It means put your butt on the ground with your tail sticking out straight behind you. It does not mean sit when you have something in your mouth. You humans do not know what you are talking about. Sit can only mean sit if my mouth is empty. If there is something in my mouth, I drops it because I am a good poodle and I always drop the toy I have in my mouth. Then I sit so you can throw the toy again. Mom wants me to run after a dumbbell, come running back with it, hold a dumbbell and sit. Sit or carry something, but never both. Both makes no sense at all. I am exasperatified. 

Love,
Noelle


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## lily cd re

Use the leash under the muzzle and up along one bell of the dumbbell and make those girls learn that they can sit and hang onto their dumbbells. That was how I got Javelin moving with the dumbbell not getting spit out every time he took a step. I haven't had a problem with him holding it while sitting. The video for dumbbell work that shows some of what I've done is in post 177 on p. 18 of this thread.


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## lily cd re

I caught a cancellation appointment with my private trainer yesterday. It was the first time we have worked together since April (end of semester, trip to Indy, etc.). I was so happy to be able to get some one on one with her and Javelin.


The first thing we did was a run thru for beginner novice since we have trials at our club this weekend. As long as he doesn't have a freak out before we get in we will qualify. Some of it could be prettier than yesterday went, but it was serviceable. Thankfully Javelin's errors were really my errors: not looking forward into the turn on the about turn and looking for him on the outside of the figure 8 both resulted in lags. I will practice without him today and tomorrow try to put that back together to see if it will be better over the weekend.


The next thing we worked on was the dumbbell. I showed Deb where things were and asked her what to do to get a nicer return. He sits and waits for the throw and the order to get it. He goes out fast and picks it up with no problem, but then he walks back. He has mostly stopped dropping it on the way back, but if I threw it far enough that the walk back was taking too long he would drop the dumbbell. Deb;s solution to both of those issues was to get him to make a brisk return. We used the flexi leash to keep him from running off on his own and after I sent him and saw him get there for the pick up I turned and ran away. Since she has mirrors on one end wall I was able to see that immediately sped him up. When I saw that he was moving briskly I turned and stopped to face him and told him to front. It improved the whole thing really by orders of magnitude. The retrieve on the flat improved so much I asked to start the retrieve over the high jump. We did a quick run thru of all the steps for shaping the retrieve over the jump so now I have a plan that I can implement in the next few weeks to get both of those retrieves in shape. The only open exercise that really needs big work is the command/signal discrimination exercise, so the last thing we went over was how to get that in shape.


My plan for where to be with him at the end of the summer is to get Javelin used to working with dog show noise going on, get all of the open exercises in shape, revisit directed jumping so I can connect the go outs to the jump orders (they are still separate things for him), and to work on the foundations of the two big utility exercises that are largely untaught for him (glove retrieve and scent). I need to get him gloves and I expect his new articles in July.


Phew, I think we will be busy over the next couple of months.


Oh and hopefully to get a BN title with him.


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## Mufar42

Sounds like you a Javelin will be quite busy, but it sounds like a lot of fun too. Looking forward to hear how he does!


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## mashaphan

good for Javvs! In the meantime, Wildman struggles on. We are going to work on targets and dumbells next class. I can get a grab,but no hold at all-Lisa wants me to wrap a towel around the dowel to make it cushy,but I don't know about that. AND, i got 2 sticks to indicate a straight line to front-he picked them up,ran and chomped them!:2in1: Sigh-18 months tomorrow/today..long way to brain. (BTW, the border from SOTC was #7 at rally nationals, 397 out of 400 score!)

Martha (who is tired of awaiting brain kick-in,though at home he is great!):ahhhhh:


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## lily cd re

Martha do you have a forced fetch? You can use that to correct dropping the dumbbell too. The thing that made the breakthrough for Javelin was to get him to be moving fast on the return. I sent him just 6-8 feet for the pick up and had him on a flexi. As soon as he made the pick up and started to turn I turned and trotted away from him for about 20 feet and then turned to face him as he was catching up with me and told him to front. He held onto the dumbbell the whole way and was happy to get himself moving with it.


That BC was beautiful in rally at SOTC. I am not surprised that they did so well at nationals. Good for them!


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## Skylar

mashaphan said:


> In the meantime, Wildman struggles on. We are going to work on targets and dumbells next class. I can get a grab,but no hold at all-Lisa wants me to wrap a towel around the dowel to make it cushy,but I don't know about that.


Someone in my Rally class did that to her dog's dumbbell - sewed fabric from one of her dog's toys around the dumbbell. And it's sort of working. Her dog was completely refusing the dumbbell and now she will pick it up.....and then drop it. I too wonder if I sewed fabric around the center if it would help Babykins- she loves running around with soft toys. Has anyone see a dog compete with fabric sewn to their dumbbell? Is that forbidden?

I'm going to try Catherine's method of using a leash to keep her head up while I practice "hold" separately. I'm loath to try the updated ear pinch method. One of my clubs is having a seminar this summer by Matthew Twitty - he has a gentler ear pinch method, I may audit


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## lily cd re

Skylar I believe Matthew Twitty hijacked the ear pinch method that I use and was taught to me by Betsy Scappicchio and Linda Brennan. You hold the ear leather firmly between thumb and index finger but not using a fingernail or anything else to really pinch the ear. Also have your hand through the dog's collar (same hand pinching the ear and should be your left hand). Use your hand on the collar to push the dog towards the thing you want them to take (cookies first to make it fun, then dumbbell, glove or scent article that has been taken out of the pile (no pressure in the pile). As they take the thing you release your fingers off the ear. 



I do not believe you can have anything sewn onto the bar of the dumbbell (only for training) but you should experiment with plastic vs. wood dumbbells to see if the dog likes one better than the other. Javelin has a plastic dumbbell but Lily's is wood. I used vet wrap on the bar of Javelin's dumbbell during the take hold give and teaching of the forced fetch.


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## Skylar

lily cd re said:


> Skylar I believe Matthew Twitty hijacked the ear pinch method that I use and was taught to me by Betsy Scappicchio and Linda Brennan. You hold the ear leather firmly between thumb and index finger but not using a fingernail or anything else to really pinch the ear. Also have your hand through the dog's collar (same hand pinching the ear and should be your left hand). Use your hand on the collar to push the dog towards the thing you want them to take (cookies first to make it fun, then dumbbell, glove or scent article that has been taken out of the pile (no pressure in the pile). As they take the thing you release your fingers off the ear.
> 
> 
> 
> I do not believe you can have anything sewn onto the bar of the dumbbell (only for training) but you should experiment with plastic vs. wood dumbbells to see if the dog likes one better than the other. Javelin has a plastic dumbbell but Lily's is wood. I used vet wrap on the bar of Javelin's dumbbell during the take hold give and teaching of the forced fetch.


Yes, that sounds like what Twitty does - he starts by touching and feeling the ear and giving treats first so the dog gets used to having the ear touch and associates it with treats. If I'm in town I'll probably take his seminar, but I'm not taking a working spot.

we have a wood dumbbell and Babykins has zero interest in it - and I'm surprised because it's lighter weight than the plastic. At some point I have to get my act together and order gloves and scent articles.


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## lily cd re

Try a plastic dumbbell. Even though they are heavier she might like it better. You can get nice dumbbells and articles from Training Treasures, although the wait time on scent articles is long. I ordered articles for javelin at the end of January and apparently as of a week or two ago there were still a couple of orders ahead of us. Have somebody help you measure so you get a good fit (which matters more for the dumbbell). J & J and Max 200 also make plastic dumbbells and they come pretty quickly since they are not customized.


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## Skylar

I bought both a wooden and plastic one from Max 200 - and it's the plastic one that she loves to fetch and return to front with. Which is one reason I've held off buying the Utility Scent Articles because I originally was going to get wood and leather - and she ignores the wood dumbbell. I put the wooden one away - so I guess I should take it out and try again - maybe now she will like it.

I also learned about getting a good fit - one trainer told me to follow the measurement guide which I did - and the dumbbell was too big. My other trainer told me they were too big and Babykins actually fit the one they had for their dog - so I ordered that size and it was perfect. Big difference when it fits properly - clearly easier for them to hold in their mouth.


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## lily cd re

I think you can order single articles of each type at Max 200 if you want to test her with the different materials. Lily hated aluminum. I think she was having a galvanic reaction on her teeth. She would take and hold while looking at my as if I was poisoning her. I made steel mason jar ring articles and almost instantly she would get the right one out of the pile super reliably. All that was before wood was an option. I made my wood articles for her and she like leather better, but reliably does wood. In fact this morning she did the wood correctly and then went to the pile for leather and came back with nothing really strangely.


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## lily cd re

Summer is my best time of year to make progress on teaching new exercises since I can take any day time cancellations that my private trainer has, so I am happy to have been able to take three sessions with her in the last two weeks.

The week before my club's trial we focused on the beginner novice routine and the day after the trial we spent some time doing a post trial analysis and as a result of that discussion we spent that session working on the recall and on our exercise to exercise transitions. I am seeing improvements with both of those activities.

This week I decided we should work on fronts and finishes. It was really helpful to have someone else looking at Javelin's fronts for me. We don't have mirrors on the wall at my club so it is hard for me to evaluate how he is lined up and whether he has his back feet tucked in nicely. Javvy often sits with his left leg sticking out and I want to fix that. We decided that using the stay platform would be the best way to work on that. I spent time at my club working those issues yesterday with my assistant there to look at his position. He is still sloppy sometimes, but by rewarding only the correct positions I think he will get everything neat and nicely tucked pretty quickly.

I also worked on his dumbbell this week and he is doing really nicely with it now. He loves to go dig it out from under the gate so if I throw badly down the road (which I am prone to do) I am sure he will work to get it. In addition to working on the flat retrieve I also did some work on the retrieve over the jump. Last week I started on sending him out and back with cookies to get him to see the picture of the exercise components without the dumbbell. This week I moved to having him recall over the jump with the dumbbell to teach him that he can jump with it in his mouth. He did very nicely. We will reinforce both the send and return over the jump with cookies and the recall over the jump with the dumbbell for a couple of weeks before starting to throw the dumbbell.

Once the dumbbell is more solid I will introduce gloves. I just ordered a couple of sets of gloves. Lily's old gloves are pretty worn since she has a tendency to want to kill them. I got her one set and two sets for Javelin. The new gloves are flannel fleece and a bit stiffer than Lily's old gloves so they should both make cleaner pick ups with them. Lily often returns holding the glove by one finger (a little scary since it is so easy to drop a dangling glove). 

I am still waiting for his articles to come. Hopefully they will be here in the next couple of weeks. I will be doing the Janice DeMello around the clock method.


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## mashaphan

Ok,on the remote chance we get that far,where did you get fleece-y gloves? Otter loves to steal the gloves from my pockets,so I sense a lot of "kill"activity w/any sort of gloves  .

Martha


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## lily cd re

Martha I'll have to get back to you on the gloves. I am trying to get us ready to hit the road for Binghamton.


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## mashaphan

no hurry! good luck! We were going to Binghamton,(took the time off,hence the reason I am at the library in the daytime!) but we are a long way from ring-ready!

Martha


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## Skylar

Catherine, I too would love to know where you ordered gloves. I've been told, several times to buy them - I look on google and then get confused and give up.


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## lily cd re

Here is the info on the utility gloves. http://www.justrightgloves.com/


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## lily cd re

No rest for the weary...

I rent the floor at my obedience club on Mondays during the summer and this week was no exception. I usually take both Lily and Javelin, but Lily did not want to get out of bed when I needed her to get up, so I respected the queen's desire to sleep in and just took Javelin.

We got lots of interesting things accomplished. If you recall I recently took note of the need to train him with lots of noise happening so I was happy when we got there and my friend was vacuuming. I did a bit of LAT with the vacuum and very quickly it faded into being a non-issue for him. 

Also we had an untoward encounter with a nasty dog at our Sunday trial right before we went in for beginner novice, so I am now working extra hard on his attitude and behaviors around other dogs. My friend who manages the rental times on Mondays has a rather anxious GSP (she is the one who talked me into trying CBD oil for Peeves, she just started her dog on it) who she brings with her. They were sitting behind the desk while I was setting some equipment up and Javelin went over to say hello to them. He approached very politely, but more importantly came back instantly when I called him. Then near the end of our working time he heard the next person come in the front door (with her two rough collies). I am not thrilled that he broke an off work down stay to go to see who was approaching, but despite some barking from him and a bit of energy (more playful than anything else) he returned right away when I called him. He really has an awesome emergency recall!

In between the two times of calling him away from other dogs we worked on his figure 8 heeling and he did much better than on Sunday so I know he hasn't forgotten what the exercise is about. I really think his poor execution on Sunday was out of concern about where the nasty toller was. We also worked on his heads up attention at heel position so that I can keep him connected and hopefully allay his distracted concerns in the future.

I did a couple of recalls to make sure he waited for but then also came on my first order and that he sat at front. His answer to my question about that was also "got it mom!"

We worked on the retrieve on the flat and retrieve over the high jump as well. His retrieve on the flat is really improving by leaps and bounds. He goes with enthusiasm and returns fairly nicely too. He can be a little slow on the return so I am doing short throws and then trotting away from him just as he turns with it after the pick up so he has to come further and catch up to me to get to front. This still needs quite a bit of work, but is improving. For the retrieve over the jump I am still alternating two aspects of the exercise. I am doing cookie tosses to send him over and have him return over the jump to show him that he has to jump in both directions. For helping him to see that he has to hold the dumbbell and jump at the same time I am setting him on a sit and giving him the dumbbell. I have the jump lower than his actual jump height so I can step over the jump when I leave. I then recall him over the jump with the dumbbell. I feel sure we will be able to put the two parts together sometime in August. Once that is more solid I will start on gloves, but before then I will start to work on the pivots by themselves. I also hope his scent articles will arrive before the end of July.

The other thing we did was to do some go outs. Even though I hadn't done much work with the directed jumping exercise recently he still kicks ass on the go outs. Separately I also worked on the jumps. He loves to jump, but he still needs a lot of work on understanding that he can't bypass them on the way back to me. I am still setting the jumps at angles rather than straight and shortening the working distances. I sit him so that his path over the jump to me is closer to straight than as steep as the normal angle. I really need to keep working on this during the remainder of the summer so that he gets to truly understand this exercise.

I am thrilled with how well he is showing impulse control for the things he loves to do. When I first started teaching go outs, recalls and got him to love getting the dumbbell he used to send himself because he was so excited. I am now really able to proof him on the waits by saying silly things like "banana" instead of get it or to wiggle my arms around before recalling him. I can also wait for a 10 count in silence and still before sending him for go outs and the dumbbell.

My main goals for the remains of the summer are to work on the open command discrimination, put the directed jumping together better, and to start on the glove retrieve and scent articles. We will do some matches during the fall and we will also be going to the advanced workshop that I did with Lily last year at Top Dog Obedience.

I will enter him in beginner novice at a Long Island trial at the end of August and also at my club's trials at the end of September. He only needs one leg for his title, but I will keep him in that class just to work on getting his best work in trials. After those trials I will be able to make plans for when to start showing him in novice. It might be November, but it might be later than that if he can't show me that he is really ready.


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## lily cd re

*Great quick update...*

I just got a shipping notification for Javelin's articles. I can't wait to see them. I think they will be great.


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## mashaphan

lily cd re said:


> Here is the info on the utility gloves. http://www.justrightgloves.com/


OMG,they have PURPLE!!:cheers2::dancing2:

Martha


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## lily cd re

I got pink for Lily and black for Javelin to match their collars, but purple was tempting too since all my gear bags are purple!


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## lily cd re

The gloves came today and the articles should get here tomorrow! As you can see the gloves are very nice. Onward and upward...











I also heard from my trainer that we can get in with her tomorrow.


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## Skylar

lily cd re said:


> The gloves came today and the articles should get here tomorrow! As you can see the gloves are very nice. Onward and upward...
> 
> 
> View attachment 441943
> 
> 
> 
> I also heard from my trainer that we can get in with her tomorrow.


Those are nice - I love that you can choose the band - so you can have fun with color and/pattern. How wonderful to have them color coordinated with the articles. Where did you order your articles? I've finally realized I should buy leather and wood - not the metal. I've also emailed the woman who made your gloves to ask her what size is appropriate for a minipoo.


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## lily cd re

Skylar I got Javelin's articles made at Training Treasures which is also where I got his dumbbell. https://www.dogtrainingtreasures.com/ They tell you up front that articles take 4 to 6 months to produce and it is just shy of 6 months since I ordered so if you think you are remotely close to being ready to work on them (my trainer goes in the order dumbbell, gloves, articles) you should go ahead and get what you want under way. Have one of your instructors help you decide about size since you won't want them to be wrong. I got leather and wood for Javelin since leather and wood are Lily's preferred materials. I will post pictures of them when I get them.


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## Skylar

When I was first told to get a dumbbell - I was told to follow the instructions on line - which I did, measuring with the pencil in Babykins mouth. I bought two dumbbells, one plastic and one wood because I wasn't sure which she would prefer. Took it to my other trainer and they told me the dumbbell was too large - turns out the dumbbell they had for their dog fit Babykins perfectly. I gave the other dumbbells away to other people and bought a new plastic one and it clearly fits her perfectly. The bells are large enough to get her mouth around and the width is correct because unlike the other dumbbell, there's no room to slide around in her mouth but not too tight that it pinches. So I know I have the correct size for dumbbell. 

I'm ordering the gloves - I've been working with treats to send her out in different directions - so it's time to add in the gloves now.

Wow 6 months wait for articles - they are beautiful. I guess at some point I should order them so that when it's time I have them.


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## lily cd re

Javelin's articles came today. I am very very pleased with them. We are not quite ready to start working this exercise, but at least we have our tools in place for when we are (which should be sometime in August). He readily took a leather and held it for me so I could make sure they fit right. Good boy Javelin!


Here are pictures. I got leather and wood. The leather bits are silver, black and royal blue, ends royal blue and laces black. For the wood the numbers are royal blue leather.



























Excuse his somewhat disheveled appearance. Aside from needing a groom we both got soaked last night and since it was after 10:00 PM he air dried.


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## snow0160

Oh that looks fun! I’ve been training Lucky to fetch different objects and we’ve mostly been working with plastic bottles. I’ve been having him bring remotes, shoes, his toys, and bottles. He literally helps me clean the house haha. 


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## lily cd re

snow0160 said:


> Oh that looks fun! I’ve been training Lucky to fetch different objects and we’ve mostly been working with plastic bottles. I’ve been having him bring remotes, shoes, his toys, and bottles. He literally helps me clean the house haha.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro



That is interesting as a contrast to Javelin and retrieving objects. He is a funny boy and doesn't play with toys other than a tug which I use to give him a break during long rounds of training. He has never played fetch with balls or anything else, so I have struggled until recently with retrieves, but he has finally had a light bulb moment and has gotten really interested in his dumbbell. Thankfully that seems to be starting to transfer over to other objects and I can now at least get him to take and hold many things, walk while carrying things (in addition to the dumbbell) and return to me with some high degree of reliability with them. Now that the dumbbell is good we will be working on the utility glove retrieve which I think will really help me move his service training along since it will teach him how to pick up flat and soft objects.


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## snow0160

It’s ok. I can’t get Lucky to roll over. This dog only likes to be on his back on his own terms usually during sleep. Haha


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## lily cd re

Thing is I need him to be able to pick things up for me as one of his tasks, so I am happy we have had a breakthrough. Nobody does roll over at my house either.


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## snow0160

What are his three task for Javelin’s service work?


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## lily cd re

Retrieve dropped objects, stand stay related to balance and alert if I have an emergency and am alone (needs a ton of work, but the other two are making progress).


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## Skylar

Wow, those are gorgeous - and I just adore that photo of Javelin holding the leather in his mouth - he looks so happy and so proud of his new article. Works of art.

Snow, Babykins is another dog who doesn't like to roll over. When she wants a tummy rub or she's sleeping she will roll on her back but she never rolls completely around. When we were testing for trick dog - all the other dogs had a roll over as one of their tricks.No need to force her to do something she doesn't like to do when there were plenty of other tricks to choose from.

I also have a dog that won't retrieve and I have no idea how I finally got her to retrieve a heavy plastic dumbbell - and now she is retrieving her wood dumbbell. But we're struggling teaching her to retrieve anything else and I also want her to retrieve things that fall on the floor that I might need. It's a work in progress. Still struggling on getting her to hold it long enough for the judge to give the command to hand the item over. She wants to drop it in my hands fairly quickly - which is good if she picks up my cell phone, but not so good in a competition. I'm impressed Snow that you have Lucky picking up so many things.


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## Mfmst

Those really are training treasures! Very attractive and distinctive equipment. Looks like they will last forever.


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## lily cd re

Mfmst said:


> Those really are training treasures! Very attractive and distinctive equipment. Looks like they will last forever.



Given what I spent for them they better last forever! Thankfully he doesn't roll and chew his dumbbell so I don't think he will molest his articles either. I have never seen quite that color combination even though many people I see at trials have articles from Training Treasures. It can be hectic getting out of the ring and picking up your gear. Hopefully the metallic royal blue will be hard to miss.


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## snow0160

Skylar said:


> Snow, Babykins is another dog who doesn't like to roll over. When she wants a tummy rub or she's sleeping she will roll on her back but she never rolls completely around. When we were testing for trick dog - all the other dogs had a roll over as one of their tricks.No need to force her to do something she doesn't like to do when there were plenty of other tricks to choose from.


Haha Trick class is also where we learned Lucky won't roll over. He will also roll over for a tummy rub but only when he wants it. I'm having serious trouble getting a non retrieving breed to fetch. Lucky taught himself fetch mostly. I think it depends a lot on the dog because I had the same procedure. 

Kit will not fetch for me but will fetch to bring Lucky toys. She enjoys teasing him and playing tug. Lucky fetches naturally because he is a klepto and just likes to take things and hide them under his bed or sofa. The fetch came very handy when Kit steals paper. I have ptsd from Sahara, who probably would have bitten me if I tried to yank paper towels out of her mouth. I made Lucky fetch paper from Kit's mouth. Kit has never demonstrated aggression but I just can't bring myself to do it. Lucky and Kit constantly steal toys from each other's mouths so this was actually a really useful skill.


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## lily cd re

Skylar to proof the hold at front with the dumbbell while waiting for the judge to tell you to take it there are a couple of things you can do. One is to keep your hands down at your sides so she doesn't start to spit it out at you. You can also try having her on leash and calling her front with it already in her mouth and using the leash under her chin to keep her from dropping it. The main thing I do though is to put my hands on the bells of the dumbbell and tell the dog to hold it while I tap on the bells or twirl it a little. Generally this will make them want to hold it more tightly.


Another thing is to make sure that you make the dog pick the dumbbell (or glove or article) up if they drop it. This is where the force fetch can come in handy. If the dog doesn't pick up the thing they dropped you use the ear pinch (gentle method discussed above) to compel them to take it and then to hold it until you tell them to give it to you. You also need an order to give it to you and teach them to wait for that command.


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## snow0160

Here is Lucky sassing me. Just recorded this a few min ago. He thinks it is a game of chase which I do play with him sometimes. He likes to tease me and I tried to outsmart him with a treat! hahaha


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## lily cd re

My second summer session general bio class finished Thursday night and I should be able to mostly finish off the grades today or tomorrow. Now I have most of the month to spend on some intensive work with Javelin. I have been renting the ring at my obedience club on Mondays all summer and doing catch as catch can privates with my trainer. I now have reservations for the next three weekends at her facility as well. I also will call another place I can rent some training space to try to get some time there since we are entered for beginner novice at that location the last weekend of August and he hasn't been to that location very often.


I have two close time frame goals. The first is the August 25th and 26th trial weekend. The next one is the advanced workshop that Lily and I did at Top Dog Obedience in New Jersey last year. This year it will be me with Javelin. I want to get far enough along in August that we can do some meaningful work on gloves and articles at that workshop.


The two poodles and I got out the door early this morning and headed to our rental hour. Lily was very nice and polite to wait her turn to work while Javelin and I worked on fronts and finishes (he needed a right finish installed since I almost always left finish him). After fronts and finishes we did recalls with his sit platform to work on his recalled fronts. Then I sent him on a couple of go outs (probably his favorite thing, and was always Lily's dreaded exercise). I still have not connected the go out to the directed jumping since the jumping is still a major work in progress. We spent time on the jumps after go outs. I still am having a harder time with the bar than the high jump. I have to angle the bar towards him and have to line him up just out of line to the stanchion of the jump so his approach and landing angles are very shallow, but I see improvement there since I was able to take out the step and lean and just give a regular hand signal for the bar jump. I can set him closer to the actual centered go out spot for the high jump and can give a regular signal for it. I think we will spend a lot of time with the jumps in the next few weeks.


When Javelin's articles came last week it was pretty easy to see that he likes holding the leather better than the wood. I can see that it will take some work to get him more comfortable holding wood articles. To help with that I took a wood dumbbell to work on retrieve on the flat this morning. Well he was having none of it. He went and picked it up but never held it firmly and dropped it twice without bringing it back. Since I didn't want to do anything to corrupt his work with his other dumbbell I stopped after that and then got his nice plastic dumbbell that he loves and did retrieve on the flats with it. This exercise is really coming along. I am so happy since it took such a long time to get any semblance of a good retrieve out of him. I have taken him off the flexi after we do a couple of on lead retrieves and he is being very good about getting back to me with it. I finished with Javelin by working on having him go out and return over the high jump with cookie tosses. Then I gave him his dumbbell and recalled him over the high jump a few times. I then tested the retrieve over the high jump and can see that he is still not ready to put those parts together so I did a couple of extra recalls over the jump with the dumbbell to end on a good note.


Since it is rainy here today I will work on his take hold give of the wood dumbbell once he has had a chance to rest.


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## lily cd re

Saturday and Sunday I rented the floor at my trainer's facility and took both Lily and Javelin, but not my tablet so no video from those sessions, but I also rented at my club today. As I was getting ready to leave I looked at Lily sacked out on the sofa and asked her if she wanted to go to school and she barely picked her head up. It is super hot here and I think she was tired so she stayed home.


I did a number of things with Javelin and I did set up my tablet and took some videos. They aren't great productions, but they do show some of our work with retrieve on the flat (much better than the last time I posted video of this exercise). We also did sends over the high jump to work on going out and coming back over the jump (still a work in progress) for a cookie. We also did some recalls over the jump with the dumbbell. This was the last thing we did and I think his brain was cooked by that point so it doesn't look great.


This is really the second video of work we did later.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_referrer=watch&video_id=2U6UBhF-aRI


The first things we worked on were go outs and separately directed jumping. The go outs are really nice. The jumping has a way to go. For those not familiar with the exercise of directed jumping, the first part is the go out. The dog is then ordered to sit and should do so as Javelin does in the center of the far side of the ring. From that sit you then under the judge's orders direct the dog to take one or the other of the jumps and come to you at front. In its final form you are facing the dog in the center of the front side of the ring, the jumps are not angled and the dog has to take the angle out to the jump and then back to find you at front. The signal has to be made standing straight, with no lean or side step and it is a flash signal not a held signal. There is then another go out and the judge orders you to direct the dog to the other jump.


This video was really made first as we started with the utility jump work.


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## Click-N-Treat

I love watching your dogs work. They have such joy in the ring. I've seen way too many dogs who just don't seem to enjoy training. After the first jump, when Javelin got it right, and then lost his mind with excitement, sorry, that made me laugh. It reminded me so much of Noelle when she joy explodes. Javelin is doing fantastic.

We have not introduced any part of Open or Utility in our training yet. Your videos are helping me not only learn what is coming, but gives me ideas on how to train. Keep up the excellent work.


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## lily cd re

Click, thanks for your compliment on my dogs' working attitude. Javelin especially is a happy warrior and that jumping up at me was out of excitement, but he also has done that general mouthy behavior in trials as an up stress behavior, which is clearly not acceptable and is why I put him on a down to get him to settle and collect. I don't know if you can see this in either of those videos but now if he is up and I give him a stern no he just puts himself on the down.


As to training for open and utility, even if you don't think you will go on to those classes, start training those exercises. They are fun and the dogs love them. Even if you decide to focus more on rally some of the advanced, excellent and masters signs are related to various open and utility exercises.


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## Click-N-Treat

Oh, I wasn't saying it was a good thing he was doing. I just saw a joy overload and it looked, um, quite familiar. Noelle and Javelin are very similar dogs. Intensely driven, but very joyful in it. Remember when Noelle would run to me like she was shot out of a cannon and launch off of me instead of sit? It looked a lot like that. Just too much excitement. And, of course correcting him is the right thing to do. 

Noelle and I are definitely taking the Pre-Open class and Open, too. We're almost ready to change classes. They do jumps in Pre-Open! What fun! I still couldn't believe Noelle gave me 100% heads up heeling all the way around the ring without a treat in my hand. We've been practicing with treats in a box that she gets after doing some work. 

Rally is hugely helpful in the obedience ring. Skills like pivots and hind end awareness from 360 degree turns, have made Noelle a lot smoother on the figure eight. I enjoy rally and obedience for different reasons. Noelle and I are going as far as we can in both, that's for sure.


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## lily cd re

Click I knew you understood that it wasn't acceptable, but that you recognized his eagerness in that silly stuff. I am glad you are going to move up to the next level of training class. Noelle will love jumping as much as my little man does for sure.


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## mashaphan

Didn't have time to watch the whole video,but i like the new clip! Looks a lotlike how my mother did our mini, George- 'cept he had a mustache 

Martha et al


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## lily cd re

He needs a good thorough groom this week and I will have that looking better, but thanks.


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## MollyMuiMa

Thought of you when I saw this on Amazon.........yeah, you need this on your car! Hahaha!!!!


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## Aimiloo

Since I've only been hanging around here a few months I hadn't seen a video of Javellin yet. He is a stunning dog - just beautiful.


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## lily cd re

Aimiloo said:


> Since I've only been hanging around here a few months I hadn't seen a video of Javellin yet. He is a stunning dog - just beautiful.



Thanks a bunch! BTW my avatar and siggy pic are my girl Lily. Javelin is a handsome dude though too. If you look through the pages of this thread there are a bunch of links to YouTube videos of my sweet boy. I may make some more tomorrow as well.


And Molly I like that decal! I have a few poodley decorations on my vehicle, but there may be room for more..


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## Aimiloo

lily cd re said:


> Thanks a bunch! BTW my avatar and siggy pic are my girl Lily. Javelin is a handsome dude though too. If you look through the pages of this thread there are a bunch of links to YouTube videos of my sweet boy. I may make some more tomorrow as well.
> 
> 
> And Molly I like that decal! I have a few poodley decorations on my vehicle, but there may be room for more..


Amazingly enough, I *did* know that was Lily! Hah! I've seen that much! I'll check out his other vids.


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## lily cd re

*Some new videos*

I rent the floor at my private trainer's facility as often as I can. I took both Lily and Javelin today. I put a thread in Poodle Pictures of some of what I did with Lily, but also took videos of work with Javelin. These aren't really in the order we did the work, but they are all from today.


Recalls. I am forever working on not getting crashed into and also trying to get consistent nice fronts.


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## lily cd re

We also worked on the bar jump today. For those who are not familiar with utility obedience this is for the directed jumping exercise where you send the dog on a go out and then on judges order send them to take one of the two jumps. You then repeat the go out and do the other jump. The go out spot where they sit is directly in the middle between the two jumps at the far side of the ring. They have to take an angled approach to the jump and then to front. The high jump is easier for Javvy so we work more on the bar. We are making progress.


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## lily cd re

This video on go out work is long and this actually was one of the first things we worked on today. I have been working at reducing the markers to the go out. I used to use a white folding ruler folded out to make a box to mark the spot, but I have reduced that two two small sticks painted black on one side and blue on the other. At first when I put them out for Javelin I put the black side up on a blue floor and the blue side up on a black floor (for Lily now they are always black on black or blue on blue). I want to transition Javelin to the pattern I use with Lily. This fades the marker so the dog can get to the go out with no marker. Today was the first time I put the blue sides up for Javelin and as you will see he had a hard time finding the correct place to go to. Rather than just going back to putting them black side up right away I moved closer to try to support Javelin to get to the right place. We will work on this some more tomorrow, but I decided since my time was limited to move onto other things.


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## lily cd re

I made some more videos today. I had been thinking about utility go outs and jumps, but decided to do other things instead since I wanted to have Javelin working different sets of muscles.


Here are links to some of what we did, not necessarily in the order we did them.


We worked on a number of fine tuning things related to heeling including making sure Javelin keeps his head up during about turns and cues for halts. For the halts I am trying to prevent forging and working to make sure he is straight in his back when he sits.









We also worked on the broad jump recall (which is an open exercise). This is great at this facility and in my yard, now I have to get him to generalize it. He slipped on his landing while trying to make the turn and must have hurt himself a little and scared himself quite a bit last year, so he doesn't like to do it if he is unsure of the footing. As you can see it is complex for the dog since they have to judge their take off, flight, landing and the turn to come to front in a very short amount of time.


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## lily cd re

Remember how awful his retrieve work was even over the winter? Well we finally have some decent drive for the dumbbell. He could still come back faster, but sometimes his return is lovely. I generally throw into corners so he can't get crazy on the pick ups. I don't want him to run past the dumbbell but to go out and pick it up then turn to return. I also think that now that he likes it throwing so it is on end or under the gate to give him some work to do is helping to motivate him on this exercise.


He got crazy just before the three minute mark. We weren't in view but you will hear me telling him to knock it off and lots of thuds which were him bouncing around while trying to grab my hand and/or take the dumbbell out of my hand.


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## lily cd re

We also worked on our ring entrance and exit choreography. You can't see Javvy so well on the entrances, but the goal is to have heads up attention, just like he should do on the way out too.









The purpose of these doodles is to get him used to moving in place and staying at heel as preparation for utility glove pivots. We also worked on fronts a little bit.








We also played some games at the end of our working time.


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## lily cd re

If I dared to post the video of today's training at my club it would be a total bloopers reel.


We started with go outs and he did wonderfully, but then everything went to he!! in a handbasket when I tried to work on the utility jumps. "What... I am supposed to go over that jump mom? I just want to come back to you!" I tend to not like going on to another exercise when the one I am working is not going well. I like to get to a point where I get one execution that I can have a party about to end on a good note. I can't really say we got there today. Javelin showed lots of stress signs: yawning, sneezing, leaving the ring, breaking his sits, following me as I left to set up the order for the jump, going around the jump.......


Eventually I got him to go over the jump from a close distance and with a lame set up and signal and called it quits. Then I got his dumbbell and it was like I had a different dog, so at least the hour finished on a decent note.


There were heavy distractions of my friend's GSP "singing" almost nonstop. He (her GSP) was jealous that my friend was doing stuff with Lily and then there was the distraction of my friend doing stuff with Lily. I think Javelin should be able to work through those distractions, but I guess not on an empty stomach! I didn't give breakfast because I didn't want to exercise them with full stomachs. I guess the moral of this story is to at least give a half breakfast before expecting a thinking dog will show up.


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## lily cd re

As you all know from above Javelin's utility articles finally arrived a couple of weeks ago, so it became necessary for me to finally finish planning the how to's on a tote bag to hold them and gloves. I had ordered the fabric many months ago and was just mulling how to construct the bag (with no actual pattern). I finalized my plans, got to work last week and finished this afternoon. I am mostly pretty pleased with it, although if I ever do another one I might style it a little differently since the boxy bottom corners were pretty challenging. The ends and the inside pocket are made of mesh so that air can circulate. One always wants as little scent to linger on these articles in between uses.


Here are pictures with and without the items it will be used for and showing the outside and inner lining fabrics. I used magnet closers that I thought were very sweet (little hearts). Hopefully even though the bag isn't for Javelin to use himself he will feel the love surrounding it and make good use of the items inside when he is ready.


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## Skylar

I'm in love with the bag you made. It's perfect with the poodle print fabric.

And Javelin is looking wonderful with his dumbbell work - I love how he looks up at you lovingly with his dumbbell in his mouth.


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## lily cd re

Thanks Skylar I liked that fabric very much when I saw it online and thought it would be prefect for Javelin's articles since is is not frou frou looking. The light fabric inside will be good for the stewards to be able to take out articles with matching numbers (especially since for trials there will be half the number of them).


I am truly happy with how well the dumbbell has improved. He needs to be consistently brisk after the pick up but he does truly understand that he has to come to front and that he should look at me when he gets there!


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## MollyMuiMa

What a great looking bag! I like the idea of the mesh sides for visibility factor! You now need to make him a 'matching' collar from your leftover material! LOL!


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## lily cd re

Molly I probably won't do a matching collar, but will make a braided leash to match the colors of his articles.


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## lily cd re

Well, my young man certainly didn't look ring ready this past weekend! I had two entries for beginner novice at a local trial (Saturday and Sunday). Both days he stressed up as we set up for the heeling and both days I asked to be excused before we finished the pattern since he wasn't settling and I didn't want to let him make a pattern of thinking that it was okay to be a wild man in a trial ring. The Sunday judge (who I know well) told me later in the day that she totally agreed with my decision to stop when I did.


I think Saturday was totally on me. I misjudged when to go over to the trial site and we waited way too long for our class to start. He came out of the crate a bit over the top and although I did warm up with him and get him to focus it wasn't enough. We were truly the absolute last team of the trial. I had estimated that the class would start around 2:30 to 3:00, but we didn't actually get in the ring until a little after 4:00. Had I realistically thought that was going to be the timing I would have gone over around 1:30 instead of 11:30. The ring we were in ran late because of open A running over. It was a big class and lots of people had to throw their dumbbells repeatedly because they were throwing too short or out of the ring entirely (yikes).


I think Sunday was partly about the place and Javelin's feelings about it from the day before. Although it is on Long Island it is not a place I go too often since Lily really does not like it. I am planning to try to go just with Javelin I guess so he gets used to it. There are a good number of opportunities to trial there so it would be silly not to get him to settle in there. Sunday we were the first team in BN, so waiting in the crate was not the issue. I did have a short chance to warm him up and he seemed well focused, but once we went in and set up at the start sign he was pretty bouncy. I even told the judge I wasn't ready and had him do a time out down and released him to a sit at front then set him up at heel, but it wasn't enough. I am now even more than when I signed up for it a couple of weeks ago looking forward to a mental skills workshop in September that I got a working spot for. It is the weekend before our next entries.


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## Mufar42

I think you and Jav. are doing well and will have ups & downs...love the bag too. Anyway as much work as is involved it does sound like you are enjoying it.


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## lily cd re

Mufar, yes, whether we walk away with a green ribbon (Q ribbon) or not I always learn something about the dog I am with, me and/or about our relationship so it is all for the good. 



Thanks for the compliments on the bag. It was an interesting project since I had no particular pattern, but knew what it needed to be able to do for me and having looked at many other people's hand crafted utility bags.


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## Click-N-Treat

=09o-p]]]]]\0po--9oi90

Noelle just typed a super secret coded message to Javelin so make sure he sees it.

I love watching your videos. Javelin is just a joyful guy and he makes me happy just to see him work. You'll get lots of pretty ribbons. I am certain of it. Keep up the great work, even on the off days.


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## chinchillafuzzy

I also love Javelins new bag - very beautiful and all the details that went into it are just amazing. Sorry that it didn’t end up being a great weekend but we are all rooting for you and know that Javelin will get there thanks to all of the hard work you both put in!


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## mvhplank

lily cd re said:


> <snip>The ring we were in ran late because of open A running over. It was a big class and lots of people had to throw their dumbbells repeatedly because they were throwing too short or out of the ring entirely (yikes).</snip>


I can empathize and sympathize! With the new exercise orders, Open runs longer than Utility, and way longer than AKC's recommended time allowed, whether people are good with their throws or not.

We weren't successful last weekend, on an astroturf floor that was irresistable to Neely's nose. But the second day was better...

M


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## lily cd re

On Saturday afternoon I was watching the ring I was waiting for and the rally judge (Karen Wrey, you may know her Marguerite) was sitting with me since she wanted to watch the two dobes (her breed) who were in open. We were chatting about how long the new open routine is taking. We both noted how the 1 minute stay followed by the stay and get your leash is a big time waster. There are rumors floating that the stay will be changing. At the trials in Binghamton AKC had a rep there on Saturday and Sunday. One of the judges this weekend was also there and he said that the rep was there to watch the times for open, so maybe that rumor has a kernel of truth to it. Now if they would fix the point schedule for rally for the RACh (10 for a 100, 9 for a 99 and so forth down to a 1 for a 91)...


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## mvhplank

lily cd re said:


> On Saturday afternoon I was watching the ring I was waiting for and the rally judge (Karen Wrey, you may know her Marguerite) was sitting with me since she wanted to watch the two dobes (her breed) who were in open. We were chatting about how long the new open routine is taking. We both noted how the 1 minute stay followed by the stay and get your leash is a big time waster. There are rumors floating that the stay will be changing. At the trials in Binghamton AKC had a rep there on Saturday and Sunday. One of the judges this weekend was also there and he said that the rep was there to watch the times for open, so maybe that rumor has a kernel of truth to it. Now if they would fix the point schedule for rally for the RACh (10 for a 100, 9 for a 99 and so forth down to a 1 for a 91)...


I haven't showed to Karen Wrey, but I may have seen her around. I can't imagine AKC would want Open to take longer than Utility--the levels should progress up the ladder in both length of ring time and difficulty. I'm glad I'm not on that committee, I can't imagine the hot feelings about changing these exercises and procedures.

I agree that the RACH point schedule is whacko. A good friend lost her 7-year-old GSD very suddenly to hemangiosarcoma in the past week, just a day or so after completing several more QQQs and points toward the title. The dog was the first GSD to finish RM and my friend was very keen on doing well within the GSD national club. She and her husband are understandably devastated.

In the meantime, I passed my UKC Obedience apprenticeships and will make my judging debut in October in Colmar, PA. UKC still has stays, of course, and have made no significant updates to the exercises in ages. The last thing to change, I think, was that any dog may elect to jump 3/4 of its height at the withers. So I always choose to jump my 24" dog at 18". He's a sloppy jumper (though improving). If/when I get a puppy, I think taking agility classes might develop a young dog's jumping skills, even if I never trial in agility. There's only so much money available for entry fees!


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## mashaphan

Love the bag-you will have to make one for me 

Karen Wrey started Che's RN, and finished his RAE2-her husband's dream dog is a whippet!:cheers2:

I will not offer any advice re Javvs,but he did it once,so..what do you think was different the other times? (did anyone do video,by chance?) Anyhoo, I can certainly relate to having a crazy boy-and,what are we, a year and 1/2 behind? Oy! Everyday,I am more and more sure I will not live to see this dog in the ring! 

Keep on truckin', and see you in Nov. Doubt we will enter; Che is doing "Oldies but Goodies" day at SOTC Oct 6,and Otter keeps going to class...whenb it isn't 90+!

Martha


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## lily cd re

Karen is wonderful, isn't she?


I think, based on talking to my trainer today, that we have to put him on a more strict regime for set ups and between exercise work to get him to be less involved with things like: worrying about who the judge is and why they are following us around; what all of the various noises are; why there are so many other dogs there....... One of her comments was that she sees out of all the people who she works with there are just three or maybe four of us who have really talented dogs who clearly understand all sorts of complex exercises and that all of us have let the basics like ring entries, exercise to exercise attention and stuff like that slide into the background. We spent a lot of time today working on those things, like marking the go out, attention at heel, holding stays and such. Everything got almost instantly easier once the rules of how to get set up got tightened up.


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## lily cd re

My trainer came to work at my club with her puppy this morning and she stayed and worked with me and Javelin when she was done. We just did ring entrances and set ups for heeling. His ring entrances are generally always good, but he did a really nice job this morning. He worked hard on the heeling set ups and initially he was confused, but he thought things through. We made sure he set up precisely at heel and that he kept heads up attention. Deb gave the whole judge talk from welcome to beginner novice through to forward. She stayed very close and initially he was distracted since he really likes her, but he collected well and after just a couple of repeats decided he could stop looking at Deb and stick with looking at me. We then added me saying ready and he stood up on that once or twice, but we fixed it quickly. We then added the judge's forward order and he got up a couple of times, but we fixed that quickly too. We then did the whole routine from the ring entrance to forward with perfection and took two steps and had a party. That was it for today, but it was a great intense focused and purposeful session.


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## mvhplank

Great stuff there!


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## lily cd re

I took just Javelin for my ring rental time yesterday. We worked on a number of things. Here are videos of much of our work, not in any particular order.


Here are utility go outs. This shows what I've set up to be able to use as tools to fine tune the go outs whenever needed. I will drop the use of the runway as soon as he stays in it reliably. Those are pieces of gutters at the go out and they will be changed out for white molding pieces very soon. Once he turns in the smaller guides we will go back to using small molding pieces the same color as the floor.








Related to the utility go outs are the utility jumps. We have had all sorts of issues with the jumps at my club where the floor is somewhat slippery sometimes, so to teach the jumps I am only going to work them at other places for the time being. We are working on moving Javelin's sit and wait closer to the center stanchion which is the actual go out spot in the video. He is improving quickly on this and soon we should be able to straighten out the jumps to the way they look in the go out video. After that is done we will connect the go outs and the jumping.


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## lily cd re

We also worked on retrieves yesterday.


For retrieve on the flat I put out Javelin's low platform as a target for fronts. I am doing this so he will have that target once he is ready to go out over the jump for that retrieve. As you can see he is very well tuned to sitting on the platform and wants to get on it before I even put it down. he sent himself a couple of times, but I would rather have an enthusiastic anticipation than a sluggish retrieve overall.









Earlier this week Deb and I tested the waters on whether Javelin was ready to go get the dumbbell over the jump and clearly the answer is not yet so I went back to doing a recall over the jump with it.


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## lily cd re

I want to reinforce Javelin's marking behavior to prepare him for the utility glove retrieve. He marks go outs well and marks the dumbbell too, but I really want to make sure that his mark is impeccable for the gloves. I used cookie tosses to work on the mark. The cookies are slices of string cheese. He has some impulse control issues, but we will keep playing this game in different places to strengthen it before we start marking to the glove.


In all of the videos from yesterday you may notice times where Javelin is doing his bouncing and mouthing behaviors that have been plaguing us lately. Deb's recommendation is to ignore it to extinguish it. She feels that if I respond it becomes very self rewarding and therefore self reinforcing for him. I think the strategy of ignoring is going to work. The longer we worked yesterday the less he did the crazies.


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## lily cd re

I am at an advanced workshop on proofing for the open and utility exercises with Javelin this weekend. We started yesterday and had a little bit of a hard time with some heavy proofs on the retrieve on the flat, but I have a good sense now of what to do to improve that exercise. The big suggestion was for me to get a better pick up since he is tending to bat the dumbbell and pounce on it. Since we worked on that by having the distraction person put their foot on it so he couldn't swat it at he picked it up. Javelin was pretty annoyed by not being able to be silly with the dumbbell so we will have to do something about getting him to get with the new program there. It is my bad since I haven't worked hard on the pick up since he was such a reluctant slow retriever for so long. I let him get away with some stuff since I was happy to see him happy to get it.

We also worked on the retrieve over the high jump which has been very slow to come together. I was thrilled when he went out and got his dumbbell (sloppy pickup aside) and came right back over the jump three times in a row. I can see that the things to do here are to keep the jump very low for now and keep Javelin on a flexi leash so I can ensure he comes back over the jump rather than coming around it. I am super happy about that too.

The first thing we did this morning was to practice ring entrances and exercise set ups with judge pressure. Javelin did great with this which was very nice to see since he lost his head the last two trials we had. This was way more distractions than one would ever run into in a trial since things were set up for eight different dogs to be able to come through separate ring entrances all at the same time.

We also worked on the open command discrimination exercises today. I made a good amount of progress and got some really good insights on this today so now I think it will come along pretty quickly.

Most of the other people did work on articles too this afternoon. I took a pass since I thought it was way too much pressure to work articles with Javvy. He is a total noob on this exercise. It was enlightening to watch how it went for other dogs and I got some great ideas. 

The big thing today that was a have a party moment was that he did four excellent broad jumps in a row. He was a little nervous at first and wanted to break the sit before it, but once we worked through that and got him over once he was just fine. This had been badly broken a year ago because he had become afraid of it after he slipped on the landing and scared himself trying to make the turn to front on a slippery floor. If nothing else works this weekend this was enough. I really needed to see that he would do this in a new place.


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## mvhplank

Sounds like a grand time!

Are you at Top Dog in New Jersey? One of my utility classmates, Marcia, is there with her Welsh Spaniel "Spy." She posted pictures and it looks like an interesting time, and filled with distractions to learn to train through.

M


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## lily cd re

mvhplank said:


> Sounds like a grand time!
> 
> Are you at Top Dog in New Jersey? *YES *One of my utility classmates, Marcia, is there with her Welsh Spaniel "Spy." She posted pictures and it looks like an interesting time, and filled with distractions to learn to train through.
> 
> M



It is generally golden city here, but Betsy and Linda always give great workshops. If you ever have a chance to attend one of their events you would really enjoy. it. For those who wouldn't be able to attend a Top Dog workshop they also have a great blog and videos for purchase. Top Dog Obedience School


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## Mufar42

Yeas and fav have been working very hard, its good to hear you are finding ideas and solutions. Can't wait other how he does next time out.


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## lily cd re

This was day three of four of our advanced skills workshop for open and utility exercises.


Today we started with motivations for the figure 8. Of all of the heeling exercises figure 8 is probably the hardest thing to have be beautiful. It happens in a confined space and there is not all that much movement before you get a halt and then again not too much movement before again you get halt and exercise finished. I have worked very hard on Javelin's heeling, including the figure 8 but in July his figure 8 was terrible on that day right after the dog went after him before our run. He lagged and looked away on the outside leg since he was worried and looking for that nasty toller. As a result and since I haven't had much chance to work it since I was not sure what was going to happen, especially since there were two other dogs in the ring at the same time doing their own figure 8 work. I have to say I am very happy with how engaged Javelin was. He really did a good heads up job staying with me for the most part. The correction suggested was to do a spin or about turn or other unexpected thing right before the spot where he looked away the first time and we did a spin and the next time we went past that spot he stayed with me to see what was going to happen. I have a bunch of ideas that I will use for games to refresh and liven up his figure 8s.


The next thing we worked on was recall/drop on recall proofs. There was a lot of variability in how dogs did with this. We had three dogs in a large ring at a time working in opposite directions. The first time the Irish Setter came in the direction towards Javelin he reacted to the dog and I quickly got him on the floor and then on a sit at front to do some with me back aways and he settled right down. Then we worked on the set up for the recall. Javelin was very concerned (as were many of the dogs) about judge pressure. The helpers acted like the most noxious unhelpful judges on earth by standing right on top of the dogs. It took a few repeats to get it, but we did get to where Javelin figured out that nothing fun was going to happen until he ignored that strange lady talking away at me. Once we got to that point we did several games based recalls that he was very happy to play at. Dogs worked on flexis for this and I told him to wait and went just about 8 feet at first and called him and tossed a cookie behind me as he came in. We did that several times at greater distances. Since I don't want to do too much drop training yet int he recall I just did straight recalls.


After lunch we had a demonstration on a fairly detailed set of games to proof that the dog understands the difference between go outs and glove retrieves. It was very interesting to then watch many dogs who have trialed in utility struggle with the game. I just worked on go outs since Javelin is not quite ready for gloves and this wasn't the place to try to teach it. He did lovely go outs. He marked the go out spot well and went out straight and turned and sat promptly when ordered. Since he has never done go outs in this place before I was quite pleased.


He is now sacked out sleeping soundly on the floor near me. He is really getting quite the mental workout this weekend.


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## lily cd re

Now that I have had a chance to get recovered from all the hard work and driving for the workshop I will tell you about our last day there.


We started Sunday morning by having the people who hadn't done the go out/glove proofs on Saturday finish. There were some very interesting tidbits from watching those last few people and the review after everyone finished:


1. Make sure you have clear criteria and motivators for each small part of the go out and the glove exercises to be able to keep them fresh.


2. Make sure the dog has a good motivation for the go out that makes it want to drive towards the stanchion.


3. Make sure that the dog's marks are clear and strong (we've been refreshing these).


4. Make sure the dog can maintain heads up attention while waiting for the glove pivot. Practice for delays on this part of this exercise.


5. Build opportunities for a bit of stress relieving tension into your trial routine. For example teach the dog to tug on the glove after the exercise finished as you are moving to hand it off to the judge.


After that review, we worked on heeling and signals for utility. Emphasis was placed on the difference between looking at you (through you) and being actively engaged with you (this is what you want). We did a great set of exercises where two teams were in the ring at the same time. They started at opposite corners and did the same heeling pattern (mirror imaged) ending with the dogs stopped for the signals at opposite ends of the ring but between the jumps. At the end of each sequence the teams switched to start at the opposite place. The exercise started with ring entries. First it was heel to stand and a release to a game (cookie toss or a tug, etc) from the stand. Next heel to stand then drop and sit to a release. Finally was heel to stand and full set of signals then a game. Each person had another participant who served as their judge and distractor (aside from the work of the other team). The person I worked with is a very wonderful OTCh handler who had very nice things to say about Javelin's heeling. Yeah Javvys!


I sat out for work on the moving stand and had people do the beginner novice sit for exam instead since we have trials at the end of the month and it didn't seem worth adding new knowledge on that to Javelin's brain.


After that was an exercise on sequencing of exercises that focused on helping dogs to discriminate between the open drop on recall and the command discrimination exercises. Basically this consisted of alternating the two exercises with releasers to cookie tosses or other games in between them. It was noted that one should practice doing those two exercises starting in the same place in the ring and also doing them from opposite ends of the ring in the open alley where the retrieve on the the flat would be, along with doing them in totally different areas of the ring.


That is pretty much it for the workshop.


I got a private with Deb today since someone cancelled because it is Yom Kippur. We worked on retrieve on the flat and over the high jump, glove take and hold and command discrimination. There are lots of things coming along really nicely. Being around a lot of other dogs all weekend did a lot to improve Javelin's focus since I know he understands that engaging with other dogs is forbidden. We often don't have any dog other than Lily around though and that barely counts. I will probably give him a bit of a break from a lot of learning new stuff until after we have our beginner novice entries at the end of the month, but stay tuned....


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## lily cd re

My last post here was in September and honestly that really is the last time I had much new to report. I felt like I needed a break and once we got put off our early November trials because of weather I really took a break.


I was able to take an hour of private training today and had some trepidation about how things would go since we really have been on vacation for about six weeks, but I am happy to say that I think the break was good for us. Javelin was really happy to arrive at our trainer's place. He always gets excited when I get off the highway to go there. I was happy to get in her schedule today since I wanted to consult with her about items that I want to work on during my January break (particularly retrieving and the utility directed jumping). Javelin showed good strength related to the go outs and the jumping so I think we will make good progress with those in January. The other thing I want to work on are retrieves and I have been trying off and on to get the funny stuff out of his pick ups for the dumbbell so I can get on with gloves. As with Lily the throw of the dumbbell really activates his prey drive and he tends to pounce and swat the dumbbell. I have some home work to do to get him to make clean pick ups so hopefully he will clean that up oretty quickly so we can move forward to gloves and articles.


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## mvhplank

I think a break does everybody some good, and we can come back with a fresh attitude, happy to do some work.

I don't have any trials in mind until maybe March. His jumping form needs a fair bit of work. I'll spend some Christmas money on some light hurdles and see if we can follow the Suzanne Clothier "Natural Jumping" instructions. I don't have room for a jump chute, but some careful work (I hope) will be better than nothing at all.

Good luck!
M


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## Skylar

lily cd re said:


> As with Lily the throw of the dumbbell really activates his prey drive and he tends to pounce and swat the dumbbell. I have some home work to do to get him to make clean pick ups so hopefully he will clean that up oretty quickly so we can move forward to gloves and articles.


A break is sometimes the wisest thing to do - then they come back fresh and ready to work again. You too - we all need a break.

I have a question about the dumbbell. Is it a problem if they pounce on the dumbbell as long as they always pick it up in their mouth and return into front? I ask because Babykins does this. We had just finished training for all the trick dog titles. She had two tricks - step on a light to turn the light on and step on a toy to make music. She was too light weight and gentle to bat her paw on them to turn them on so I had to train her to step up on them with both feet. In training I used a clicker. Normally I used the word Yes and not a clicker. The clicker was linked to this motion of putting her front paws on an object. Around the same time I was training pivot using a bowl - another put your front paws on top. 

My rally teacher started us on Dumbbell for Rally. We had to leave it on the floor and click and treat when the dog got close, then when the dog touched it, then their mouth etc - you understand the concept. Everyone else put the dumbbell on the floor and pulled their clickers out and their dogs did nothing. I put the dumbbell on the floor and the clicker out - Babykins took one look at the clicker and she immediately put her two paws up on the dumbbell and looked at me proudly waiting for a treat. Everyone laughed and thought it was so cute. Problem is she still runs to put her two paws up on it before she picks it up. Am I going to lose points? Is this going to be a problem for us? She is excited by her dumbbell -but not like some dogs which are rabidly excited. She does have that playful pouncing, but she always picks it up and brings it to me in front position. 

My trainer had two suggestions to try to break Babykins of this habit - one was not to throw the dumbbell at first - throwing it sets the prey drive in motion. Leave the dog in sit and place the dumbbell on the ground, return and send your dog to take it. The other was to put the dumbbell on top of something so it's at their mouth level to discourage playing with it. You probably know all these tricks but maybe someone else reading this might find it helpful. For WCRL rally, the dumbbell is left on the floor while you perform your rally exercises. It's a distraction in the ring. Then you come upon the dumbbell exercise where you sit your dog and send them to retrieve their dumbbell. I have trained Babykins to retrieve a dumbbell laying on the floor as well as one thrown over the jump and one thrown on the flat. She always pounces and puts two paws on it before taking it. Silly dog. I don't know if I could train her to not do this. Thankfully she doesn't take her dumbbell and zoom with it.

Is that pounce a poodle thing? In the nosework competition, all 4 poodles did a paw and pounce kind of motion on the containers that had the scent. And Babykins does that pounce when I toss a toy for her to retrieve.


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## lily cd re

"Killing" the dumbbell by pouncing on it or batting it with feet will be points off but not an NQ. My goal for Javelin is a clean pick up with him going to it, picking it up without silliness and then turning right around to bring it back. Since it took a lot of work to get him to want to go and get it I let him get away with some crazy kill it pick ups. Now I want to clean it up well so yes we will be using techniques like a dead retrieve and placing the dumbbell on and in things so he can't bat it around. He got pretty annoyed at not being allowed to kill it today, but I think we will get it under control pretty quickly.


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## Skylar

Okay so I have to work on extinguishing that behavior. Back to retrieving the dumbbell on a box. 

If you have any other tips on how to break this pouncing habit, please let me know, I’d appreciate it.


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## Click-N-Treat

I like the idea of putting the dumbbell on a stand, that's a good one, Skylar! Noelle still wants to pick the dumbbell up by the bell ends. I know I need to back up and retrain from the start.

I'm not surprised dear Javelin is doing better after a break. I took a long break with Noelle and obedience, and now that we're back in it she's doing so much better. I hope this continues for Javelin. Keep up the awesome work everybody.


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## Skylar

Click-N-Treat said:


> I like the idea of putting the dumbbell on a stand, that's a good one, Skylar! Noelle still wants to pick the dumbbell up by the bell ends. I know I need to back up and retrain from the start.


Click rub something tasty on the bar so she’ll be drawn to put her nose and mouth on it instead of the bells. I did this early on when I was teaching the hold separately from the “take” and “hand”. Because I’m limited in what Babykins can eat I rubbed hamburger but cheese or meat pâtés would be even better. She will quickly learn the bar is more rewarding than the bell. 

Glad you’re back to obedience again. I find it fascinating how the different sports enhance training in others. They all come down to focus and teamwork.


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## mvhplank

Think about putting the dumbbell inside a shallow box (no deeper than the bells, I think) rather than on a stand. A friend was using this technique with her silver mini poodle, who is (I'm sure) going to be a superstar.

I like to experiment to see what works and what doesn't. I spend way too much time thinking about things like that.


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## Skylar

mvhplank said:


> Think about putting the dumbbell inside a shallow box (no deeper than the bells, I think) rather than on a stand. A friend was using this technique with her silver mini poodle, who is (I'm sure) going to be a superstar.
> 
> I like to experiment to see what works and what doesn't. I spend way too much time thinking about things like that.


Thanks hopefully that will work for my silver mini. If nothing else it’s probably good for proofing. Sometimes I lay it on the floor on one bell to make her work to get it her mouth properly.


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## mvhplank

Skylar said:


> ... Sometimes I lay it on the floor on one bell to make her work to get it her mouth properly.


I do that too. I sometimes do that with scent articles, since he'll occasionally kick one up on end. He he did that within the last month or so, nosed it back over, and kept looking. He did bring back the right one, too. 

Here's a funny story--one of my utility classmates has a silver mini she's working on UDX with. She was at a match and when the dog went out to the article pile, he kicked one over to the ring gating. Without being cued, he went to the stray article, picked it up, put it back in the pile, and kept searching until he found the scented article (not the one he kicked) and brought it back.

M


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## lily cd re

Putting the dumbbell in a shallow box so they can't grab it by the bell and putting something they like on the bit to scent it and draw them to the bit both are good techniques. You can also put it on the floor and either put your foot on one bell or put a couple of fingers on one bell so they can't swat it off to make it lively may prove helpful too. Work on having the dog take it from a dead retrieve (no throw) on leash also can work.


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## Skylar

mvhplank said:


> Here's a funny story--one of my utility classmates has a silver mini she's working on UDX with. She was at a match and when the dog went out to the article pile, he kicked one over to the ring gating. Without being cued, he went to the stray article, picked it up, put it back in the pile, and kept searching until he found the scented article (not the one he kicked) and brought it back.
> 
> M


what a smart and tidy dog. :aetsch:


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## lily cd re

I got a private hour with my trainer this morning. We spent most of our time working on go outs in different directions than usual at her place and also on having the stanchion not be on center. Recently judges here in the Northeast and at Nationals have put the ring gates up with no stanchion marking the go out spot. They also have been looking for dogs to truly stop and do the turn and sit on the handlers' commands rather than having a go to stanchion, turn and sit. I know a lot of people who specifically teach their dogs to go out and touch the center stanchion then tell them to turn and sit. Judges have decided they've had it with that idea. I never taught Javelin to touch the stanchion but I have seen recently that he wants to go all the way there and has started sitting on his own, so it was definitely time to nip that in the bud. He did really nicely with some support of putting the folding ruler "box" back on the floor to mark where to go and where to sit. I will work on this some more tomorrow at my club too and on Saturday we will have some match ring time in New Jersey so we should be able to do more then too. We also worked on the directed jumping in the opposite from our usual direction so to make the jumps Javelin actually had to jump towards the mirror behind me. Since seeing himself in a mirror has sometimes been perplexing to him this was good work for him too. He came straight back to me once and he also was not great about waiting at the go out, but we gave him some clearer directions and he fixed it right up. The last thing we did was to work on the dumbbell on the flat. As you have read above I am trying to take the kicking the dumbbell around, going behind it to get it and some other nonsense out of the picture now that he does love to retrieve. He is definitely annoyed at not being able to kill his dumbbell anymore, but we do have a plan for working on this.


We talked about having him work with heavy moving distractions which he doesn't always see a lot of. If my novice class is small I bring him out to work in the class, but I have been having ten or more teams at that class recently and I simply can't pay attention to him in a constructive way and also watch my green handlers and dogs to prevent bad encounters. My assistant, a friend (my CKCS breeder friend) and I work our dogs near each other in various combinations when no one else is around, but that still is low level proofing since he knows all of the people and the other dogs pretty well. We both really think it is important to get Javvy to hold his focus between exercises when there are lots of other things going on to help develop his skills for handling multi-ring trials. A class really will help to make that happen. Thankfully Deb has a Thursday 10:00 AM class that alternates open and utility. This class used to be very full most of the time (for this facility that actually means 6 teams). Recently though one person finished a UD with her dog and someone else decided to retire his dog from obedience and refocus on rally so they aren't at that class anymore and one or two other people have been irregular attendees, so there is room for us to be part of that class starting next week. I will go for the next three weeks for sure and might be able to keep going even after the spring semester starts if I am organized and take all of my class materials with me when I go to the class. My only class on Thursdays in the spring is a lab from 1:00 to 4:34 PM so as long as I have no early meetings or appointments I should have time to get to work from training. With clear traffic it is about an hour from training to campus.


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## lily cd re

We took match time in New Jersey yesterday. Lily and Javelin and I all got up very early and drove down to the match site. This place is great for proofing since there are three rings running all at once. I started by taking Lily in the utility ring in the middle of the three rings. I wasn't so much concerned about her doing qualifying work, but rather having her work happily and ignoring the distractions. And she did both of those things well.

I put her back in the car and got Javelin for two runs in the end ring near the door for utility once and open once. We didn't do anywhere near all of the open or utility exercises but instead worked on ring entrances, attention between exercises and impulse control. These are all things I think I need to reinforce with him fairly continuously so that he takes it all as non-optional when we are at trials.

He did really nicely! He did very nice heeling despite the distractions. He did really nice figure 8 heeling too. The judge for the ring we worked in did note that his sits were a little slow, but that should be fairly easy to fix. We did go outs (without jumps) both moving towards a mirror and towards the end of the ring that faced the aisle where there were people, dogs, crates, etc. Since Javvy loves his go outs he did awesome. I did put out the folding ruler box since he hasn't been to this place for a long while, but I think I could have taken it away. We also did broad jump which he also loves and he did a great job with the jump. His turns and fronts were a bit sloppy, but since he has had some worries on this exercise in the past I was generally just happy to see him loving the jump. I also know what I need to clean up with that exercise now.

I spent some time sitting in the aisle near the ring where I worked with Javelin with him sitting or on a down next to me. Many dogs passed by us and he got to watch other dogs working in the ring doing utility and open jumps and retrieves. Now that Javelin is gaining confidence and loving working these exercises he often gets very excitable seeing other dogs work but I want him to keep his head collected even outside the ring so I was very pleased that he stayed settled without too much effort. 

I put him back with Lily and stayed to work as a judge/steward for the afternoon. I got to cuddle with a friendly acquiantence's beautiful black mpoo (a Ch) while I was running the table for one of the rings. Joking about her being Javelin shrunk down to another training friend resulted in a possibility to be able to take some private training time with her (she is a multi OTCh, multi-time National Obedience top ten finisher). I am not sure if this will work out, but even if we can do just one hour a month with her I think that would be really helpful.


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## lily cd re

I went to class at my private trainer's facility this morning with Javelin. It is a very nice group of people and dogs and only four of us in total. It lasts 1 1/2 hours and works as dogs and handlers need both utility and open exercises. The class was great for providing some challenges in dealing with distractions of other dogs near us. We started with some warm up heeling with all of us working. After that we did open style heeling patterns with two dogs doing the pattern in mirror images and starting in opposite corners of the ring. Given that Javelin hasn't done that game since our advanced workshop in September 2018 he was pretty darn good. About the only part I didn't love were the about turns so we will work on them tomorrow.

We then did figure 8s and I opted for crazy 8s with pace changes, about turns and such. Since Javelin's heeling is really generally quite lovely and his figure 8s especially tend to be really great I think he thought that was a lot of fun and he did a good job.

We then put up ring gates down the middle of the floor to make two working spaces and split into pairs of people and dogs to work by turns. I served as judge/steward for a friend with a GSP first and then she did the same for me. The other pair of people mostly worked on utility exercises but Joann and I worked on open exercises (retrieve on flat, retrieve over the high jump, broad jump, drop on recall). A lot of it was hard for Javvy since he was clearly mindful of the other pair of people working near us, but that was the point since at a multi-ring trial you could have another dog working right on the other side of a ring gate and you need to keep your dog with you. At the end of class we did utility go outs and jumping one at a time. I think by that point Javelin was tired and close to overwhelmed since he had a hard time waiting on his sit at the go out. Behind me were the other people and dogs, so I think he just didn't feel confident to jump towards all of that action, but he did finally get it together and next week will be better.

I can see that he should benefit greatly from this class and I think I can go most weeks since it starts at 10:00 and ends at 11:30 and most of the time I only have to be on campus for a 1:00 PM lab. Even if we are running late in the class and I have to leave before it is finished it will still be very good proofing for him to work in such a busy space.


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## Click-N-Treat

Javelin is doing things Noelle and I are only dreaming about. I'm really impressed how far you've both come. I'm excited to hear you can keep going to this class, too. It sounds like having things busy in other rings is helping a lot.


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## lily cd re

Click, the distractions in neighboring rings is a big thing I want to conquer ince I want to be able to have Javelin succeed at big multi ring trials. Last spring we had match ring time in New Jersey at the place we went to last weekend. We were in the middle of three rings doing open work and there was a standard poodle in the ring to our left doing utility. We were working the broad jump along the side of the ring closest to the utility ring. Javelin started towards that ring gate and I am sure he was giving serious consideration to jumping it because he saw the other poodle was doing go outs (one of his favorite exercises). Thankfully he also has a pretty bomb proof recall and he stopped moving when I called his name and came back to me when I said come. Last weekend and today he paid very little attention to the other working dogs nearby. He has gotten a lot better, but it will be something we will proof forever.


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## Skylar

Click-N-Treat said:


> Javelin is doing things Noelle and I are only dreaming about. I'm really impressed how far you've both come. I'm excited to hear you can keep going to this class, too. It sounds like having things busy in other rings is helping a lot.


I agree, and inspiring.


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## lily cd re

Two of my friends and I, my training assistant and one of my club's other instructors rented an obedience practice ring at a facility nearby our club this morning for two hours. The three of us often work together at our club on Friday mornings and we are really good friends with very similar training views, so since I have the first three Mondays of January off we decided we would get this time in a different place to proof some of our work. I brought both Lily and Javelin, Kathleen brought two of her Cavaliers and Cathy brought one of her Aussies (yes we are all Catherine, Kathleen and Cathy!). We took turns in our ring space, spent some time with two or three dogs in the ring and did work outside the ring. I think we all feel like our dogs got a great benefit from this time even though each dog did very different work while we were there.

I worked on a number of things with Javelin that I don't always do at my club because he slides on the floor and is wary of jumping there right now (we are planning to get a new floor soon). We warmed up with heeling and then did the broad jump. He did beautifully with it. I was very happy to see that because this place does have trials that I will plan to enter as long as I know he feels safe to jump there. Most obedience trials at this location are three rings, and usually at least two days so it is the kind of venue I want him to be able to trial in. We had great distractions in the form of two other people in the ring next to us also doing obedience work and an instructor and student working on agility contacts behind us. We even had to deal with a dust up where I was pretty happy with Javelin's impulse control. The two CKCS were in a crate and the people in the obedience ring next to us were leaving with their goldens. When the goldens approached the CKCS they started barking and since the goldens are adolescents they responded. I was doing an off leash stand for exam with Javelin. He took exception to the silliness outside the ring and broke his stay and ran barking all the way towards the other dogs. I called his name just about when he reached the ring gate and he stopped, turned to look at me and came towards me when I called him. Although it wasn't exactly something I wanted to have happen his restraint was wonderful.

We also did go outs (rocked it), a little bit with the utility jumps (shaky, so definitely on the list for next week). We did some distracted heeling with two or three dogs in the ring together. I also did some more work on curbing his desire to kill his dumbbell. I am using a dead (not thrown) retrieve from a shallow rubber feed bowl and added the use of two broad jump boards to create a chute to guide him to make a tight turn after a clean pick up. In recent work on the retrieve over the high jump he has shown that he doesn't understand he has to return over the jump. In class last week Deb thought that was because he is making wide turns and not really seeing the jump as his path back to me. He was a little put off by the broad jump boards at first, but quickly figured it out and did some very nice pick ups and straight returns. I suspect we will be doing this for quite a while, but he has picked up a lot of what I am teaching him very quickly.

On our outside the ring time we worked on ignoring distractions (people, dogs and noise). I also took out his block that I use for teaching the open command discrimination positions. He definitely understands the orders at heel position now so I started working on the open A sequence of stand dog/leave/drop dog/leave and sit dog then return. I stayed very close, but he took the orders pretty reliably. Now I think I will next add the PVC box back to this so I can make sure he stays straight for all of the positions and get ready to fade the block to just the box as I move out to the appropriate distances. For those not familiar the final version (for trial) of this command discrimination is to have the dog at heel and order a stand for OA (but could be down or sit in OB). You then leave the dog and walk out 15' then face the dog and order a position change to a drop/down in OA. Then you go out another 15' and face the dog and again order a position change to sit for OA. You then return to the dog at heel. In Open B there are different sequences of the positions. I plan to only do the open A sequence about half the time or less since I can already see some anticipation of the sit being what comes after the drop (smarty pants boy).

Javelin (only) and I also are renting the floor at my club this evening since there will be people there he doesn't know so well (and he does know both of the friends I worked with this morning). Right now he is out cold on the floor in our dining area so I hope he will be up for working. I will work more on the retrieve and command discrimination and maybe do recalls and the stay get your leash exercises for novice and open.

I hope the weather holds for us to make all of the sessions I have booked this month. I think we can make huge progress this month if that happens.


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## lily cd re

I went out again with Javelin for an hour of private rental time at my club. I wasn't sure what I would get from him since he had already done a lot of training work yesterday midday, but he actually was pretty up for it. I mostly worked on things that are happy exercises for him. I warmed him up with some heeling and then pulled out two broad jump boards and my dumbbell bucket to reinforce what we had done earlier in the day with the retrieve on the flat. I checked the learning on the clean pickup for the dumbbell with a couple of short throws up to the edge of the ring and he did nice clean pick ups and nice tight spin back turns. I will still use the chute and the bucket most of the time to keep reinforcing the correct picture, but I do think I can start having someone put the dumbbell in the bucket and send him over the broad jump for it this week.


I also did novice recalls which for some reason were very hard. His wait seems to have gotten very soft so I did do work on just rewarding the wait before adding the recall back to the picture. We worked some more on the open command discrimination too along with the novice sit stay to retrieve the leash at the end of the individual exercises and the open stand stay to retrieve your leash that comes at the end of that routine now too.


We did a bit of what I call crazy eights for the figure eight. Rather than doing the exact pattern crazy eights means you do funny pace changes, about turns in the middle, go around one post several times, etc. Use your imagination.


At the very end of the hour I did some get it get it cookie tosses to let Javelin burn a bit of energy doing something that has very loose parameters and big rewards. He was a very happy warrior after a very long day of work. Here's to good weather to let me keep up the pace for the next two+ weeks.


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## lily cd re

My friends and I spent another two hours at the place we worked last week. In addition to people doing obedience in the ring to our right there was a beginner type agility class in the space behind us. The distractions were very hard for Javelin today, but he hung in with me. We continued to work on the retrieve on the flat with no dumbbell killing behavior (improving). We also did novice type recalls with a platform for Javelin to set up on (which firmed up his wait) and a front box to give him a target to get to so he would slow up when he got close and give a nice front (helped a ton on both counts). We also worked on the go outs (very nice as usual) and separately sending Javelin to the utility jumps He had to sit and wait with the agility class behind him and he really struggled with waiting at the go out spot, but eventually he got it and he did okay with the jumps set low and at angles (the first step for generalizing those jumps to different places).


We are going out again to my club later and will reinforce the recall behavior and work on the retrieve on the flat. Depending on how things go I may do some pivot work to get started on the utility glove directed retrieve.


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## Click-N-Treat

I'm impressed. Javelin is just doing fantastic. I know Noelle would have been beside herself with curiosity if there was agility class going on next to us. Noelle can't even filter out conformation class lately. Good on both of you.


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## Mfmst

That’s a lot of distractions. Good boy, Javvy!


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## lily cd re

I rented the floor at my private trainer's facility this morning. Lily and I worked on both directions of spins as well as back up three steps and its master course variations. I didn't video any of that but the next time I take her to a match I will get some shots.


I did video a couple of things with Javelin today and will post links below. In the first one we are working go outs and his target is formed by two skinny bits of molding placed in front of the center stanchion as the sides of a sit box. I have black sides up but they are pretty inconspicuous (you will barely see them). The second video is about working the jumps. Pretty early he took the wrong jump and even though I didn't give him a harsh correction apparently he was very aware of his error since he started breaking his sit. One thing to keep in mind about training complex exercises like directed jumping is to break it into smaller parts (go outs separately from jumping for example). The other thing to make sure one pays attention to is that if the dog loses part of the exercise (here the sit wait) it means the dog is concerned about the next part of the exercise (in this case taking the correct jump). You have to go back and break it into smaller parts yet, so we worked on the wait at the go out for quite a while before going back to get the jump and when we did since he missed the high jump I made sure that I helped him with an exaggerated set of signals for that jump. Unfortunately my rental time was up too soon to bring this a little further along, but we will work on it again next week.


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## lily cd re

For those of you who had the patience to watch that whole video on the utility jumps from last Saturday you know we had some struggles. I have still been working go outs and jumps separately because I wanted to wait until Javelin was super reliable on the jumps with them pulled out to the correct distance before connecting the go out and the jumps. Saturday I just couldn't make sense out of why Javelin kept breaking the sit stay at the go out and why he had fixated on the bar jump. I worked on it a bit during my private lesson on Monday and our plan for today was to switch the side the bar and the high jump were on to see if it was about the direction Javelin was being sent or the jump he was being sent to. On Monday Deb held him at the go out spot while I walked out to be in position to give the order and that was our plan for today too. He was very excited and having a hard time sitting today. Deb had to do a lot to get him to give a calming signal and then get him to sit. We talked a bit about why he was so amped up and came up with the idea that without the go out (which he loves) he was just too excited to get to the jumps and couldn't wait. We tried something Deb would not normally have recommended and not something I would have done without discussing it with her first which was to send him on a go out and then direct him to a jump with some extra support for the jump direction. I sent him, he sat and after Deb gave the orders I showed the signal and moved at the same time out towards the jump instead of staying in the middle. IT WORKED!!!!!! I think I will still send him to go outs without jumps to keep that fresh, but I am going to work the jumps with go outs very carefully and moving myself back to staying in the proper position in the middle across the ring from the go out. I was worried that I was going to have lots of problems if I couldn't find a new way to look at this exercise.


I am also happy to say that I have greatly tamed down Javelin's desire to kill his dumbbell which mean I can go back to working on the retrieve over the jump and the directed retrieve (gloves). We also did beautiful broad jumps and the novice sit stay get your leash, novice recall and open stand stay get your leash. It was a really productive session this morning.


I wish I could retire since I have gotten so much done in the last week during our winter break. We are taking another private in the morning and then our regular class.


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## Skylar

That was fun to watch. I didn’t hear properly what is your command for send outs? I’m struggling because my command is basically the same I use for training her for kick and cap around a cone for agility, and lately my rally and obedience trainers have been having us send our dogs around a cone while we turn around and walk away calling our dog into heel position. So you can see it’s a muddle of stuff and while it’s working for everything I need to develop a clear hand signal and voice command for the send outs. 

Also with the directed jumping, my rally teacher trained us for WCRLs directed jump which is similar. In WCRL both dog and handler are 6’ to the side of the jump and I can’t remember the distance but it’s at least 10 ‘ maybe farther. One of the tricks she had us do when first training, and maybe you have done this in the past.... before calling your dog to jump over, we were taught to go over and touch the center of the jump. Walk back into position and continue to look at the center of the jump, do not look at the dog at all, just focus on the jump then call the dog. We were also taught the trick you were doing to take that lateral step to the side of the jump and emphasize that arm movement all to draw the dog over the jump. Then of course you fade everything. But I found it really helpful to look at the jump instead of my dog when directing over the jump. 

I must say that Javelin just looks so adorable, absolutely adorable. I just wanted to run up and hug him. .


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## lily cd re

Javelin's go out order is "fly away." When I first introduced him to jumping I did tap the jump, but I think at this point showing him as close as I can the final appearance of the exercise will be the strategy since having him sitting at the go out longer than necessary was part of the problem. The distance for the go out is I think 20' past the jump ideally.

You are right that being clear and consistent in orders and signals is really important especially as things get more and more complex.

And you are absolutely most correct that he is adorable. He also had a great time today. Truly a happy warrior.


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## lily cd re

We are in the middle of another busy and intensive day of training while I am on a winter break. We took a private lesson at 9:00 and then stayed for a class that ran from 10:00 to just about noon.

Javelin's focus and attention continued to be excellent and we got a lot done in the lesson since we didn't have to spend much time at all getting him back to work. He did great with the utility directed jumping with sending him and helping him find the jumps with exaggerated signals, but already he is doing better with a little less support. We will go slowly so as to avoid taking it apart.

We also did some good work for the retrieve on the flat, novice recall, open stand stay get your leash and heeling. While everyone was arriving for class Deb took her younger dog out and we did the novice sit and down group stays together. Javelin did a bit of looking at the comings and goings, but never thought about moving, so I am happy with that.

For class the goal was to keep his attention from wandering with now heavy distractions of three other teams along with Deb. We do warm up heeling in straight lines for everyone at the same time. We had a couple of lost moments, but Javvy came back to attention very quickly and easily. We then do heeling as pairs in mirror image patterns to each other with a "judge" moving with us. This went very nicely! He also did very nice figure eights.

The middle part of the class consists of pairs of people working together with a divider of ring gate down the middle of the floor. We work dogs one at a time and one person serves as a judge/steward. We have struggled with some things in this part of class since we joined about 7 or 8 weeks ago, but today we had a break through sort of a day and Javelin paid very little to no attention to the movement and noises from the other side of the ring gate. This is huge since I do want to be able to enter multi ring trials without worrying about nearby rings and whatever is happening in them.

At the end of the class we work utility jumps by turns. This was hard for him since I think he was tired and not thinking very well, but we got information out of how it went and will use that information to guide upcoming training.

Good boy Javvys!


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## JenandSage

Way to go Javvy!


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## Mufar42

Boy you guys really rock,its way more work than I'm up for but I think its wonderful that you are learning so much together and having fun. I think he will do great!


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## lily cd re

Mufar42 said:


> Boy you guys really rock,its way more work than I'm up for but I think its wonderful that you are learning so much together and having fun. I think he will do great!



I think he has the potential for an OTCh, but I have to keep reminding myself to be patient and be really really ready before taking him in for trials.


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## Mufar42

Yes patience, whats that saying patience is a virtue, time on my side, lol ...you and Jav will do it.


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## lily cd re

We didn't make it to class this past Thursday since I had a department meeting too early to make it through class. There fore I was especially happy to get out to a ring rental at my trainer's facility this morning. I took both Lily and Javelin.

I started working Lily first and did a bunch of rally items that can always benefit from practice now that I have gotten things straightened out with them (spin, twist, spin side by side and all of the variations of back up 3 steps along with jumps). Lookin' good girlie girl. We should have nice runs for our trials tomorrow hopefully.

I got email this week from one of the hosts for our Brenda Aloff workshop which is the first weekend in April. This will be an advanced workshop with all teams having done her regular workshop in a previous year. We have home work to do in the next four weeks. There is some reading from Brenda's Get Connected book, but also two major exercises to teach or reinforce, thankfully I am not in the position of having to teach but rather to reinforce both of these activities.

The first exercise is to have 15-30 seconds of unprompted at heel heads up attention with distractions. This is essentially what is shown in the five cookie video https://www.poodleforum.com/3-poodl...re-my-version-five-cookie-attention-game.html without the cookies but having the distractions. Yesterday at my club we did about 20 seconds with people as distractions. Today I used Lily as the distraction along with the different location and again we got about 20 seconds. I actually plan to try to develop 30-40 seconds in various places so that I can be sure of getting at least 20 seconds at the workshop location.


The next exercise is referred to as a "back away" in Brenda's book. She describes it as useful for various distraction scenarios, including reactive dog situations. In brief if you are walking on loose leash with you dog paying heads up attention to you and they become distracted you start moving backwards without letting out any extra leash. The dog will then reorient towards you when they understand the feeling of reaching the end of the leash. You want them to ignore the thing that distracted them. Backing away is meant to say either "hey I'm still here and I'm in charge," "leave it" or "ignore that thing that has you worried and that you may be thinking about reacting to." Once the dog understands the exercise well as the dog reorients to you they should sit at front. The brilliant part of this is that if this is being used to deal with reactivity the reactions of the dogs are both likely to be diffused since your dog will be making eye contact with you in a reassuring way and by having your dog turn their back to the thing that was worrying them (say another potentially reactive dog) your dog is now sending a calming signal by sitting with their back turned. Our dogs all know this well and for Javelin he turns to face me just as I start to shift my weight back on my first back up step. Since he never gets to feel the collar correction if there are low/no distractions I worked on it with high distractions of throwing cookies out ahead of him just as I started to back away. This definitely got him thinking and it took a couple of repetitions to get him to acknowledge then ignore the cookie as we backed away from it. By the time I stopped working on this he would heel right up to the cookie, glance at it when we stopped and immediately give heads up attention with no verbal or other prompt. We then heeled around it before I let him take it.


We also worked on utility jumps with some decent success. I also worked on ring entry and exit attention along with moving from place to place (what my trainer calls ring choreography) with very nice attention. I think Javelin's impending 4th birthday forecasts a new level of maturity and an awesome 2019 show year.


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## Carolinek

I like the term “ring choreography”! The back away e rescission sounds interesting too, especially for reactive dogs. Happy to hear 2019 is looking good for you and Javelin.


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## mashaphan

First of all,HOW can Javvy be almost FOUR??? Oy,time really does speed up as I age! 

I just ordered the Aloff book,as it is still too icy to get Otter out to class. (Bear in mind I have all the Fenzi books, and have not gotten through them yet!) Love the back away ,but i fear I would be backing out the door with Airhead's love of other dogs. Have to get a new DVD player to get past the first exercise in the TopDog videos-lost the remote!

Martha et al


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## lily cd re

Yeah how can that be? He is really making leaps and bounds in all of his training though. The only things he really has no experience with are gloves and articles, but I want to firm up his dumbbell a bit more before doing them. Gloves will be a spring project (he already has pivots and a good mark). Scent will be a summer project since I will do Janice DeMello's around the clock which you really have to do every day.


The Brenda Aloff book is very dense, but hugely backed up by neurobiological research and principles. There should also be a nice DVD with it.


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## lily cd re

We took class on Thursday morning and Javelin did great with ignoring distractions, of which there were some major ones. First one of the people in class brings her retired intact male dog. This dog is a grouch who does a lot of growling from his crate. He used to get Javelin very very nervous, but now although we don't crate them next to each other since they would both just grumble at each other the whole time for the most part Javelin ignores him. The way the class works we do some warm up heeling in straight lines next to each other. There is generally about 3-4 feet between each team. We then pair off and do mirror image heeling patterns and then by turns figure eights. For the heeling pattern one of the non heeling people moves with you like a judge. For the figure 8 we do exactly as in a trial either as a traditional figure 8 or a crazy 8s version with funny pace changes and about truns, etc. After those things are finished we divide the space in half and work as pairs on either open or utility exercises. I generally work with a friend who has a GSP and the other people both have English Cockers so we don't have to change jump heights. At the end of the class (which is 90 minutes) we put the ring set up for utility jumps and do those by turns.

Javelin did a fabulous job ignoring everyone and everything else around us. I attribute that to having spent a lot of time last Saturday doing ring choreography and focused attention work. All of my friends there have seen him do some pretty goofy stuff and they were all rightly impressed by how good he has gotten. His heeling and figure 8 were wonderful. His set ups were excellent and he did great broad jumps and retrieve on the flat along with novice style recalls. Deb suggested working on marking targets at the glove locations and tossing the glove for Javvy to retrieve as well as possibly starting articles. I may wait a bit before starting the articles since you have to stick with the protocol for it once started. The only thing he really got lost with at all was at the very end of the class when we do the utility jumps. He just wouldn't hold his sit at the go out, even though the go outs themselves were really nice. We spent some time firming up the turn and sit and left off doing the jumps.

Today after working on rally stuff with Lily Javelin and I did some work on ring choreography and the unprompted heads up attention at heel that we need to develop/enhance for our Brenda Aloff workshop in April. We did some heeling to practice about turns and halts (always need work). We did the broad jump, retrieve on the flat, retrieve over the high jump (still shaky) and some motivation for getting the glove along with go outs and directed jumping. We got the turn and sit back in order at low distractions, so need to up the distractions. Once he is truly rock solid on go out/turn and sit, coupling the jumps will be no problem since he loves to jump and now totally understands the directions. 

Ahh the joys of an almost 4 year old brain...


We will all be spending time at a different facility on Monday with my two close training friends. It will be interesting to see how what we did this week translates over to that location.


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## lily cd re

We've had quite a 27 hours or so!

At about 5:30 the fire alarm in my building went off. It woke Javelin from a sound sleep and sort of freaked him out. It is super loud. I took my cell phone and office keys, put on my jacket and off we went down the hall. He was being a spazz, jumping around and twisting around on his leash. I realized that this was the very first time he had ever heard the alarm. I got down the hall to where the elevator and stairs are at which point I realized we couldn't use the elevator and that we were going to have to negotiate two flights of concrete steps with the alarm still sounding. My knees do not like going down stairs and we haven't practiced going up and down stairs with Javelin on a leash. I took up as much slack as I could and one or two steps at a time down we went with me saying slow like a mantra. He did pretty well at taking my pace and we made it. I had a talk with a public safety officer about my experience. He told me if I wanted they would use the emergency evacuation chair for me (bleh, no way). I told him what I really needed was a little warning so I could do some training starting before the alarm sounds to get him to learn not to react to it. Hopefully the fire drill squad will be able to do that for me.

Eventually we went back to my office and Javvy ate his dinner before we went to class. He settled down nicely and was relaxed while I lectured and slept through lab for the most part. We went back to my office, packed up and took the elevator to the building exit. On the way to the parking lot we have to walk past a slope with some ornamental shrubs. The campus has a feral cat colony (well managed trap neuter release and feed) and sometimes we see cats around the shrubs. Sometimes Javelin will give a bit of a reaction if a cat runs by us or hisses at him, but last night I heard really strange animal noises that I suspect was from either a raccoon or an opossum. I was happy to get out of range of the growly hissing sounds (which strangely Javelin didn't take much note of) since I was worried that we were going to be set upon by the critter.

Okay so now we are finally home! Lily was acting funny, went out and then decided not to come in. I had to use a flashlight to find her hiding under our outdoor dining table. I took her by the collar and brought her in only to find she had poop stuck to her butt. Well no wonder she didn't want to come in. Thankfully it was solid and easy to pick off (but I don't know how BF hadn't noticed her distress).

We all went to bed but Javelin and Lily were haggling with each other. He was pestering her since I guess she smelled odd. She was being reactive every time he came too close. Oiy it took until about 1:00 AM before they finally went to sleep and I dropped off.

My private trainer had texted me last night to say that I could get a private hour at 9:00 AM today so I had to get up much earlier than usual to get out there, however I am very glad I did so since we had a great private hour and then a very good class. Javelin showed me a lot of insights into why we have been struggling with a couple of things and we developed really great strategies for fixing those items. Unfortunately I am so tired now that I am going to eat dinner and go to bed rather than to tell you about how today went just now. The key thing is that I have great things to do to make huge progress with several areas that have been challenging!


Check back here tomorrow for the goods on today's work.


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## zooeysmom

Oh my gosh, what a long day! Will look for part 2 tomorrow


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## Skylar

OMG - those alarms make me feel nervous - that kind of jangly tense feeling. I'm not surprised Javelin reacted, but it sounds like you had him well under control and was able to cope yourself. Those concrete back steps are usually so uncomfortable and I have arthritis so I know what you mean about going down them is so hard on the knees. It really is hard on the knees.

It would be wonderful if you had heads up on when they sound the alarm so you could have treats and be in position where you could focus training on Javelin. I hope they follow through on your request.

And it too can't wait for part 2.


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## lily cd re

As I mentioned above we took a private lesson and then our usual class yesterday morning. In our lesson I had told Deb in advance what I wanted to work on in the priority order I wanted to do things.

We started with the utility go out and directed jumping. My problem has been getting Javelin to hold the sit stay at the go out. This was pretty perplexing to me since he loves doing go out and he loves to jump. Generally one teaches the go out separately from the jumps and they don't get connected until the two separate parts are both really solid. We were close, but then I started having the problem of him breaking the sit stay at the go out if I set him up there and left to go to where I needed to be to give the orders for the jumps. I was having a hard time figuring out why this was happening with the three possibilities being (in no particular order): worrying about the jumps; worries at being left and having to wait alone; or impatience to be able to do the jumps.

When we did class I did the broad jump and he broke the sit stay there too (not something he is prone to). At that point Deb suggested setting Javelin up for a novice recall. He sat where I left him with no problem. He came when called, no problem. Then we did novice sit stay/retrieve your leash and he stayed rock solid, no problem. Then we did open stand stay/retrieve your leash, no problem. Do you see the issue? Here it is then, he is so excited to go to the jumps that he is having a hard time controlling his impulse to send himself. With no jump in front of him his stays are rock solid. I taught him sit and down stays with a platform and he values the platform as a high value place so much that I often have a hard time putting it down when I get it out because he tries to put himself on it before I have it flat on the floor where I want it. We tested using the platform with the broad jump in class yesterday and he was rock solid on it. I think the platform will reteach him patience in front of the jumps. My plan tomorrow morning in our rental time will be to put all of the jumps out and use the platform in front of each of them and practice sit/wait. Once his sit/wait looks solid then he will be awarded with the jump.

The other thing that I needed Deb's help with was retrieve on the flat. Ironically after months of struggling to get Javelin interested in his dumbbell he now thinks it is just the "funnest" thing in the world to kill it by kicking it around before picking it up. I made this worse on Monday when I had rental time with my friends and managed to throw several times and have the dumbbell land on end so he had to knock it over to be able to get the bit in his mouth. Holy heck! If he does that in a trial we will lose major points and if my throw puts it close enough to the ring gate that he bats it out that is an NQ. The other concern is that he will extend that behavior to killing gloves and pouncing on articles in utility. This has been an on and off thing with him ever since he decided he generally liked and understood retrieving. I have put the dumbbell in a bowl, on the overturned bowl and such with some success but would prefer not to go that far back in the process if I can avoid it. If I throw the dumbbell close to a wall Javelin is pretty civilized with a clean pick up but I don't want to stay on walls forever either.

Here is the plan we devised and tested yesterday. To start I will have two broad jump boards arranged to form a channel with the dumbbell in the channel between the boards set in different positions (bit facing him, bell facing him and on end as he approaches). We did this a number of times with Javvy in class yesterday and he did not pounce or swat and it also helped to keep his turn back to come front nice and tight. As he improves I will gradually reduce the size of the size of the things that form the channel from the 8" wide broad jump boards down to gutters (meaning house rain downspout pieces) and then down to small skinny pieces of trim moldings and then to a clear corner guard type molding and then to nothing. We will be able to use this for retrieve over the high jump if needed too. He picked up on what this was about super fast, but I will move slowly to really reinforce that nice pick ups are valued but killing silliness is not.

The last thing we did during our private lesson was developing a mark and send behavior for the glove retrieve. Javelin did a great job picking up on this very quickly with one target of a piece of cheese on a small paper plate. When we next work on this we will do it on a flexi and put out three plates in the positions the gloves are put out in. I think this will progress quickly which leaves really just the utility articles to teach from step one. He knows everything else for novice, open and utility (although some of it needs a lot of work). Once he has foundations laid for everything will will tune up the novice exercises and get ready to enter.

I am thrilled! He really communicated with us very clearly yesterday and what he told us wasn't "I am worried about whether I can do this stuff" but more like "I love doing this so much I can hardly contain myself." I worked on the dumbbell this morning with lots of background distractions and he did great. I will try to get some video tomorrow.


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## Mufar42

Thanks for sharing. I think javelin will do great. You both have put in a lot of time a effort. You will succeed.


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## zooeysmom

Good boy, Javvy! Reading about his training makes me itch to get back to our classes in April


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## lily cd re

We went out early this morning for our ring rental time and my first work was rally stuff with Lily.


I worked on three things with Javelin.


First we worked on the wait/impulse control for the jumps. I thought I was recording the use of the sit platform for the broad jump but somehow I didn't get it. I will capture this next time out. It was really very good work. The platform for the bar and high jumps was shakier and I think I pushed him too far too fast. I can see that I will need to teach him a go out to sit on the platform. Do take note that the platform means a lot to him since he tries to get on it before I put it down and really wants to send himself to sit on it. I still think this strategy will work if I give him a little more support and break it down into the smallest parts I can.








After the sit/wait work (in the interest of time I had to stop and go onto some things I thought would be more successful since I want to keep his interest and happy factor up. The next thing we worked on was taming his wild desire to kill his dumbbell. I am pretty amazed to have this problem after I had so much trouble getting him to like the dumbbell at all, but this is easier to fix than a no retrieve situation. As you can see I have two broad jump boards forming a channel and I placed the dumbbell in slightly different positions in the channel to show him different ways it might be sitting for him to pick it up from. If I had a helper I would have thrown it and had the helper position it in the channel if my throw didn't land it where I needed it to be. This is working very well and I think we will be able to reduce the size of the items forming the channel pretty quickly and get down to a very unobtrusive pairs of sticks to use as a proof later on when needed.








The last thing I worked on was related to the utility glove retrieve. Javelin already has pretty decent pivots (although I should refresh that part of this exercise sooner than later). What I worked on was marking him to the glove spots with just a small bit of a turn in place for positions 1 and 3. It is hard to see what is really going on here so I will move the camera next time so you can see us from the front, but to help make sense of this there are three small blue paper plates on the floor at the places you can see Javelin go to. Since I use little slices of string cheese for this and the floor is blue I used blue plates so the cheese was clearly visible. If I had bites of hot dogs or similar I would use white plates. Generally though I don't want him searching the plates but marking and taking the target cheese. The exercise at this point is for him to give heads up attention at heel and then to clearly mark the "cookie" by leaning into his look at it as I show him where to look. I am doing this when I bend down next to him. My direction is given by holding my flat left hand with the back of my hand alongside his head. Once he is clearly looking at it with intention then the order is get it. Eventually the get it is to get a glove (one of three in the same places the plates currently are sitting). In the final exercise you have your back to the gloves when they are being laid out for you. The judge decides which glove the dogs will retrieve before the class starts. Once the gloves are set out the judge asks if you are ready and then you pivot to face the correct glove and direct the dog to it. They have to pick the glove up cleanly and return immediately to front with it. For now I am calling him to come back as soon as he picks up the piece of cheese to get him to make a nice tight turn back to come to front. He did a good job with this since he already understands the marking behavior from work with the dumbbell and the go out.


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## lily cd re

We were able to take a private yesterday, but weren't able to stay for class. I had a couple of questions related to things we had worked on last week so those were my priority items. I showed what happened with the go outs and jumps last Saturday. I got good ideas from Deb on how to build up for the wait on the platform at go out as well as for waiting with a jump in front of Javelin. We will work on those items tomorrow during our private rental time. I showed what we had going with the marking the cookies on paper plates and have some recommendations for adding some proofing on those. We also have a go ahead for adding retrieve over the high jump back into our practice repertoire now that he have toned down the desire to kill the dumbbell.


We also did a fair amount of attention work in preparation for our Brenda Aloff workshop next week. Javelin did pretty well, but it is amazing how duration can fade away as distractions are added. He gives 20-25 seconds of unprompted heads up attention in low distraction environments. Yesterday we saved working on that for when people and dogs were coming in for class. Duration plummeted to barely 10 seconds. We did get back up to about 15 seconds though.


Training is like the "mother may I game." Mother I will take two steps forward in my training with you, then I am going to take three steps backward, then we go five steps forward....sigh, well as long as the net direction is forward it is all good.


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## lily cd re

We took a rental hour yesterday. We are really trying to keep on top of attention and maintaining a collected and thoughtful routine. You will see in these videos that I am trying to keep Javelin giving heads up attention and also working on routinizing a work release to a jump up/give hugs and then immediate return to work. I am going to fade food out of this entirely so that it can be used as practiced between exercises during trials.


Impulse control for recalls (you won't see it but he is sitting on a platform).








Impulse control for jumping (keeping it very unexcited).








Retrieve over the high jump (working on controlled pick up).








And finally marking for directed retrieves (every other plate has a cookie).








If you notice random sounding noise in the background it is a CD of dog show noise. We always play either this one of an obedience trial or another of an agility trial. If you train alone I highly recommend playing dog show noise while you work.


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## JenandSage

It’s so fun to watch! I don’t know much about any of it but it sure is fun to watch their brains work and the puzzles you have to figure out to help them get it. Although, I think it would be fun to see Javvy attack his barbell too


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## lily cd re

Thanks JenandSage. I suspect you can see some dumbbell killing if you look at some of his older videos. It is pretty entertaining, but I am hoping we are getting closer to keeping that out of the ring for good than we are to having crazy kill relapses. Lily kills her dumbbell too and I have always lost points for it. I don't want that to happen with Javelin since I would like for us to be top scorers.


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## lily cd re

Javelin and I went to our usual Thursday class this morning. He did so wonderfully with everything, but most especially the handling of distractions. Brenda Aloff workshop paying back for sure! He did really nice heeling during our warm up which is done as everyone going in straight lines with just around 3-4 feet in between each team. We do pace changes, halts, abouts and such. He stuck with the the whole time, nice heads up work and very few food rewards. After we do the warm up heel we take turns doing an open style heeling pattern and figure eights, again really smart and attentive. I have been working my about turn footwork and body posture a lot and I am seeing Javelin staying with me a lot better on those exercises too. After we all do our heel/figure 8 work we separate into pairs and work on whatever we want to from open or utility. I did recalls and am getting much better impulse control on the wait. After that I worked on the two open retrieves (over high jump and on flat). Here I have been working heavily on cleaning up his over exuberant dumbbell killing pick ups. I had been using two broad jump boards as a channel and today went down to two pieces of gutters instead since he has gotten it under control with the broad jump boards. He took the switch in stride and did really nice pick ups so I started asking my helper to position the dumbbell on end and other positions aside from angled front to back with the left end behind (his easiest position since he always turns right). He thought for a split second about playing with it when it was up ended, but stopped himself and turned his head to pick it up without knocking it over. Awesome sauce Mr. Javvy Pups!!!


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## Muggles

Great work Jav!


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## Skylar

Awesome sauce Mr. Javvy Pups!!! Haha, so cute. He is awesome and it's wonderful that you see clear benefits from that seminar.


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## Asta's Mom

Thank you for all of your training videos - even tho I am training tasks to help me with my bipolar, I am always learning something new in your videos. Glad you included some dumbbell work. Working now on just getting him to pick up & hold the dumbbell. He has got that I want him to pick it up - but holding it is another matter. I must be calm, confidedant and patient with him. Sometimes I think I am training myself, not the dog.


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## lily cd re

Clair I taught the hold completely separately from the pick up and throwing the dumbbell and sending him, same for Lily.


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## lily cd re

We have gotten lots done this week! On Thursdays we usually have a class, but because of the Easter and Passover holidays looming large my trainer cancelled her classes in favor of privates so we spent an hour on Thursday morning working specifically on both open retrieves, go outs and directed jumping.


We had an interesting insight that Javelin has associated some sort of stress with going what I will call back to front on go outs. He keeps breaking the sit when sent in that direction. To test the insight we sent him front to back and he was much more focused and held his sits at the go out. Based on that I will be having go out front to back and both ways side to side on a rotating basis for a while to help him generalize that part of that exercise better. I did side to side both ways during my rental time on Saturday morning and he did really well. He did well enough in fact that I alternated treat rewards, play releases and sending him over the jumps (the last of which made him really happy).


My major focuses on retrieves right now are to clean up him pick ups by damping down his prey drive just enough so he stops swatting the dumbbell around. We started a few weeks ago by putting out a channel of broad jump board and their sides and a piece of plastic rain down spout as a blocker at the end of the channel. Pretty quickly I was able to scale that down to rain down spouts as the side pieces and a skinny stick as the symbolic end blocker. Now we are down to skinny sticks with a person near or standing over the dumbbell if there is a person available and a skinny stick as the end blocker. Every other time I work on this I do one throw out into open space to see is he is starting to generalize the concept of the clean pick up and have reduced batting and swatting. It is getting better but we will keep using the guide sticks for a while until it is well generalized that a polite scoop is hugely preferred but allowing for a foot on the dumbbell to dig it out from under ring gates from my bad throws (and I am a really bad thrower with a pretty bouncy dumbbell).


The other thing I worked on Saturday was marking behavior for the glove retrieves. He is doing a really good solid mark for treats on plates in a circle around up and positioned in the places gloves will be. He can commit to getting the treat being marked, taking it and returning briskly and promptly while ignoring treats on adjacent plates now. I am separately working on the three pivots to the correct glove positions and that is improving too. As far as the actual gloves go he will take and hold a glove at front. I can back up a step or two while he comes with me holding it, but he often drops it, so this is going to be sort of like teaching him to love the dumbbell was. He will have to learn there is value in the hold, then in moving while holding and then in retrieving and returning with it. I always have a glove in my back pack and we work on take hold almost every day. Generalizing this from the dumbbell to the glove (and any other object I tell him to take and he does take and hold many things) is related to his service dog training too.


We also worked on heeling about turns and our end of exercise and between exercise ring choreography as well. He is getting much better at keeping his focus with me and is doing much better at ignoring distractions in various spaces.


On Friday at my club my assistant and I had nobody for our early classes so we did things with our two youngsters. She helped me with Javelin's retrieves and acted as judge for sit for exam, stand for exam (novice level) and sit stay walk around from beginner novice. We also did recalls. He did pretty nicely with all of those things, but needs some impulse control improvement for the recalls. We did pretty much the same work with her two year old Aussie too.


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## mashaphan

Catherine,I am confused about what you mean by "back to front"..recall? It doesn't sound like that is it,though-is it the direction in the ring in which you are sending him?

Martha


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## lily cd re

mashaphan said:


> Catherine,I am confused about what you mean by "back to front"..recall? It doesn't sound like that is it,though-is it the direction in the ring in which you are sending him?
> 
> Martha



The direction in the ring I am sending him is what it's about.


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## lily cd re

A couple of people have recently been talking about the importance of having a good routine for ring choreography that can be used during trials to help a working dog destress and stay connected to their handlers. My trainer emphasizes this as super important and we have been working on it quite a bit.


To be usable in a trial this routine has to be: food and toy free; happen fast since judges will not put up with you doing too much time wasting; keep the dog under control (you will be excused if you get a wild zoomer); and has to allow the dog to release a little energy while also maintaining your connection with your partner.


You should train this the same way you train each of the exercises, in other words as an exercise where you know exactly what you will do. You should do the same in practicing ring entrances and exits, including in a line up with other dogs for the novice group sit and down.


For Javelin once I hear the words "exercise finished" from the judge I release Javelin to a jump up (called give hugs). This lets him have a happy connect to me since we look each other in the eyes. I usually give a little scratch behind the ears and then very quickly tell him to "get close (his order to set up at heel)." To move him to the next place we will start an exercise I tell him "with me (not heel)" and use my left hand flat and palm down as his place to focus as we go to the next location. He then sets up again with his get close.


A friend did a very quick video to show this from two views. I am somewhat embarrassed to show it since his sits are terribly crooked, but it does show the main elements of this exercise.


Here you are!


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## Click-N-Treat

That's fabulous. I like how you connected the dots between exercise finished -> hug -> set up for the next exercise. It's quick and rewarding for Javelin. Noelle's hugs tend to get too bouncy, unfortunately. I'm still figuring out what Noelle would enjoy. That's actually this week's training mission from my class.


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## lily cd re

Click you are absolutely right that it doesn't have to be a hug. It has to be something the dog likes to do while still meeting the other goals like fast and food/toy free I mentioned above. I know people who use a spin and also see many people who have their dog do hand touches while they are still sitting next to their handlers. You will figure out what that is that works for you and Noelle and then just train it like an exercise. If you can't get from one exercise to the next it doesn't matter how good your exercises for the level you are entered for are. You'll never get to do them. This was where Lily really struggled in utility. She worried so much and her default was to go low. I then had no really good set routine to get her back up as we went from place to place and never got one that worked for her.


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## lily cd re

Please note that I did something really dopey in that video I posted above and don't do this yourself. Thank you to the friend who pointed it out to me too.


For a little round of observational skills testing right now I will ask you all to sleuth out what the mistake is (and the person who told me can't tell please). Later in the day I will tell you the answer if nobody gets it.


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## lily cd re

Since I know at least one person watched and hasn't seen it, here are two hints. It is closer to the end than the beginning and it is something I did, not something Javelin did.


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## MaizieFrosty

:ahhhhh: I can't pick it up. I know so little about obedience. If it had to do with rally, I'm pretty confident I'd get it.


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## lily cd re

It could apply to rally too. Watch feet.


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## MaizieFrosty

This is driving me crazy :lol: I have been watching your feet. You are stepping off on the left foot, which I would do during heeling. Maybe this has to do with the half step before the halt? Skylar and Click, please help! Haha.


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## MollyMuiMa

Is it the step back you take when you give him the 'hug' command?


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## lily cd re

MF, nope I do always take a braking step as a halt cue. And Molly nope, that step back is the cue for the jump up release and although there isn't really any audio picked up on the vid that release comes after the judge would say exercise finished. You can do any quick thing you want to right there so long as you don't eat a lot of clock.


Think about straight lines.


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## MaizieFrosty

You stepped toward him on the halt!


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## lily cd re

MaizieFrosty said:


> You stepped toward him on the halt!


We have a winner. That is a scorable handler error! I have no idea why I did it. For heeling it is the handler's job to move in straight lines and keep a consistent pace other than the fast and the slow. It is the dog's job to stay in place, not wide, not forging, not lagging and adjusting pace with the handler along with reading cues to halt. Javelin should have moved towards me on the braking step (not that he should have otherwise been wide anyway).

I will chalk my error up to trying to stay in the frame of the video, but wow that would be a yikes to me if I were ever to do it in a trial.


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## MaizieFrosty

Well thank you for sharing this with us. Very educational and useful!


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## Click-N-Treat

Stepping into your dog is so easy to do, too. I focus so much on Noelle that I barely see where I am going. My big mistake is taking about turns too quickly without making sure I have Noelle with me. I tend to lose her. Handler errors are harder to fix, I think.


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## lily cd re

I was joking with my trainer and the people in our regular class the other day about human vs. dog mistakes. I was saying I should have an ecollar on a get a little buzz for each of my mistakes so I could realize I was making them.

Here is a rough list of things I tend to do that I shouldn't:
talking too much and uttering a monologue that sounds like blah blah blah;
going normal/fast or slow/then not really the correct normal;
giving poor turn cues, especially on abouts; 
giving inconsistent halt cues;
pushing Javelin onto a lag on the outside of a figure 8;
giving a verbal and a signal order when allowed only one or the other; and 
looking at people instead of my dog when I expect the dog to attend to me.

Here is a rough list of things Javelin does that he has been taught and should know not to do:
not wait to be recalled or sent to a jump (impulse control issue); and
checking out on me when he should be paying attention (usually my fault for disconnecting first).

So who needs the training more? It isn't the dog...

If we have been informative in our training, gone enough places to generalize, been consistent in our orders and done enough correct repetitions then errors are generally ours. I own it.


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## Click-N-Treat

I for one could sure use a vibrating collar on me during practice. Can you imagine how useful that would be? Buzz, no, your other left, Click. Buzz, what are you doing with your hands? Buzz, Click, watch her on the about turns.

I lose Noelle during the figure 8. Since she's on leash in Novice I know we have time to clean that up before we trial in Open. In Rally, she doesn't lag at all beause I'm talking to her as we go along. In obedience she checks out a little bit on that outside turn. I also discovered I slow my pace as I go around. Buzz, Click, don't slow down, you'll make her lag even worse.


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## Skylar

Haha, I watched it closely and yes indeed - the infamous step in.... of which I'm famous for doing. It's such a hard habit to stop. I do it on the automatic sits - we were joking about it in class and I said "I need to learn to keep my knees together like my mother always said". I don't know if when you were a kid you were taught a lady kept her knees together when sitting in a chair, especially if you were wearing a short skirt..... men could spread their legs comfortably. Anyhow we were all laughing about that - because keeping your legs together also has "sexual" context too - to stay a virgin.

I think it helped because when I competitive I had that keep my knees together in my head so every time I stop, I kept my knees together and my feet straight ahead and didn't step in. I think we are doing it for balance - as we age we stand with our feet more apart than we did in our youth.

I had one teacher that told us we had to practice walking without our dogs. It took me forever to learn how to keep stepping without really moving for the about turn to give the dog time to get around in heel.

And walking with the metronome is helping me walk better - talk about lagging in the figure 8..... I was lagging - no wonder my dog did too.

It's a good thing my dog is smarter than I am.

Thank you for filming that, it was so helpful. I hope to have good choreography in place when we compete next in Obedience.


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## lily cd re

I have such arthritic issues in my knees and ankles I can't balance well if I keep my knees and feet tightly together so I just try to remember having my feet straight and with my toes lined up if I look down at them. the metronome is great for keeping your pace consistent for the do you are working. Heeling Lily vs. Javelin vs. Peeves is very different.


Skylar yes that is such a connotation loaded memory about keeping your knees together.


Click I would have had my head vibrating for hours after class on Thursday if I was actually wearing an e-collar, but if someone could remote control snap a rubber band on your wrist or something similar I bet I would stop all those silly things pretty fast.


For figure 8 it is really good to practice with a metronome and without a dog. Keep your leash though. The leash should stay at heel rather than swinging around if your footwork is good. Remember that you should think about the figure eight as an X pattern connected at its four ends to two semicircles that have their centers 8 feet apart and their radii being 3 feet.


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## Click-N-Treat

I've always had trainers tell me that figure 8 is an X and semi-circles in the middle. I am seriously going to clip my leash to my pocket and practice without Noelle this week. My about turns need to be both cleaner and more on a square of paper. I tend to jump when the judge speaks and never let myself take an extra step or two. Wait for Noelle to cue in that we're moving. Noelle, heel. PAUSE a breath. Move. So much to remember. No wonder obedience makes me feel like I don't know what I'm doing.


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## lily cd re

Everyone who has ever done obedience for trialing started knowing nothing! If you have sidewalk chalk and room on a back deck or in the driveway you can draw the figure 8 out on that surface and practice with and without the dog. Hopefully you have back deck space so the neighbors won't decide they need to move away from that crazy lady down the block who walks strange patterns.


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## Skylar

I used to panic when someone shouted "right" "left" etc. Working rally courses with a metronome has helped. I struggle with knowing right from left and I'll always struggle with that part. My teachers have talked about turning your head first before the rest of your body to give the dog a "heads up" about where you are "heading". And now I'm turning my head first and then letting my body naturally follow my head and I've found it's made me more comfortable making turns, somehow it's removed the panic.

Catherine, my neighbors already know I'm weird - I'm in the street walking figure 8's and turns etc. Thankfully my street is very quiet.


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## Carolinek

I’m not that familiar with rally or obedience but I can relate to the possible benefits of a human vibrating collar in my agility training!


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## MaizieFrosty

Click-N-Treat said:


> *I've always had trainers tell me that figure 8 is an X and semi-circles in the middle.*


We just learned that last week in our obedience class! I was like, Ohhhhhh. In rally I always did it like a true figure 8. 



lily cd re said:


> Everyone who has ever done obedience for trialing started knowing nothing!


I wish people at trials and on some of the message boards on FB would remember that they were once beginners. I always make an effort to be extra nice to the brand newbies in my class or at trials and not be stuck up like some of the more advanced people (some, not all!). It's funny how that happens in other places too. Like in my graduate program, my peers and I have noticed that the second years think they're better than the first years, and the third years are acting like they're reaching godly status. So stupid!


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## Click-N-Treat

Some people started trialing in obedience before I was born. And it is hard to be a beginner when you're surrounded by people humble bragging. At my last trial I was intimidated by a lady and her golden retriever with a UDX???. Another woman with a poodle critiqued Noelle's groom, and our rally run, and not in a kind way, either. I'm glad there is an A class, but that still doesn't make the chatter stop. 

There are people who enjoy being better than you, and enjoy rubbing your nose in it too, especially in anything competitive. The most discouraging thing that ever happened to me was when I was in a practice room trying to sort out how to play one section of Hayden Cello Concerto #1 in C Major. There's a spot on page 2. Scroll to 2:34. It's only two measures of music.






It lasts a blink, but if you watch Rostropovitsch, the best cellist who ever lived, you can see his left hand dancing on the strings, all balanced by his thumb like a guitar capo. He makes it look effortless. This little blip of music took me six hours a day for three straight months to learn. 

I was working hard to master it and I just couldn't get it right. Stop, breathe, start again, hour after hour. Then, in the practice room next to me, another cellist started playing it perfectly over and over, just to troll me. Every time I stopped, he did it perfectly. I nearly smashed my cello against a wall in frustration. That was the most intimidating thing I've ever been through. I do not want to hurt someone like that. I nearly quit playing the cello because of it.

However, when I met Yo-Yo Ma, and he performed a piece I was learning, Mr. Ma grabbed his cello music and showed me the spot he messed up during his performance. He laughed and told me that part is hard. He told me what to watch out for and how to lift my middle finger out of the way. That encouraged me beyond words.

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." Mark Twain

I try to remember that. Training dogs is hard work and intensely frustrating at times. But, we inch along getting better and better. Encouragement goes a long way and I appreciate everyone who has encouraged me with Noelle. It matters more than you know.


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## lily cd re

I know lots of OTCh level people who are very nice, but just as much as for me it is wise to recognize when they are in their on deck mode. For people who are serious about their events they go into deep focused connection with their dog and may give you a snappy answer if you try to talk to them at that point (me included). If you are in the way for me to get to my ring gate once I am close to going in I will verbally flatten you if your aren't paying attention enough to things around you not to get out of my way on your own. Also I know someone who is a serious agility person who we all know that if her baseball cap is on backwards she should not be approached because she is in the zone (so not just obedience types).


I am not saying there is a reason to be snarky online since you have time to think about what you are saying. I generally subscribe as do the people I train with to a pay it forward frame of thinking. My trainer trains at Top Dog with Betsy Scapicchio and Linda Brennan (both multiple OTCh, 200 and NOC level trainers). They are pay it forward types. My trainer is a pay it forward person too. In other words in the six degrees of game you all are three degrees away from Betsy and Linda. On the other hand I know someone who also has had OTCh/NOC level experience who tends to hold things back, but at least (s)he isn't snarky. There will always be people who run the full range of nasty to nice. Ignore the nasties (especially passive aggressive ones like that cello player) and enjoy those who are nice.


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## Click-N-Treat

Never talk to anyone in game mode, including me. I don't get snarky, but I do get flustered. Noelle can flit from deep focus to completely checked out in a heartbeat. If I'm flustered, Noelle is screwed before we even get in the ring.

As important as it is to warm up the dog, it's even more important for me to warm myself up. I need to spend time thinking about the rally course and study the map. I can't do that as well when people are talking to me. At my next trial, I'm taking the map to my car so I can look it over and visualize it in peace. The more I trial, the better I understand my own needs and Noelle's needs.


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## lily cd re

Click knowing and attending to both your needs and Noelle's will allow you to develop and refine a routine that will bring you more and more success as you move up the ranks. If I am not showing on Long Island I go the day before. I always research my directions when going someplace new. I have distinct preferences about where I put my crate when I have room to do so which is why I always show up to set up as early as possible (think day before sometimes). There is a lot more to showing in obedience and rally than you might think at first glance.


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## Click-N-Treat

You are absolutely right about that. The moments in the ring we practice and practice for. Just like our dogs need to study ring choreography, we humans need to study trial choreography. How far away is the crating area from the ring? Are the crate right up against the ring? Where's the warm up area? Is it too tight and crowded? Would I be better off if I just stayed in the car at first? Can we go early and see what the building looks like and claim a spot? I'm not one to wing it, either. Trialing is stressful enough without having to learn all the little details on the fly.


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## mashaphan

My balance is way off most of the time,whether due to the headaches,inner ear issues..last rally course we had a moving stand followed by a 270 right,and I had to stop every time..amazed Otter doesn't think 270 is followed by halt! 

I am old school obedience (circa 1967) so I am hardwired to do halts ending as right/left,so unless I tip sideways, I usually don't step into dog. (At least I don't THINK so:ahhhhh had no idea it was a handler error,but feel it does cause the dog to swing outward.

In other news,there is now a Spoo RACH, Saphire's Immortal Essence aka Deja,somehow related to the Wildman,so there is HOPE in our hearts,if performance can be in any way genetic!:adore:

Martha


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## lily cd re

I saw that spoo RACh announcement on FB!


So turf? When? I actually really liked doing agility on turf. I think I would like it for obedience too.


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## Skylar

mashaphan, you would have loved the rally course we ran in one competition. It started immediately after the start sign with a 360° right then a 360° left and the next sign was serpentine weave. OMG I though I was going to fall down, my head was spinning and I was seeing stars. Everyone was complaining. I think that one of the biggest complaints of rally is it can make one dizzy.


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## lily cd re

Skylar that is a real yuckers of a course design. There are actually course design guidelines that recommend not using 360s, 270s and other right that involve circular movements back to back to reduce the risk of people falling.


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## Skylar

I know, there are guidelines - there were several other problems with her course. I don't think they will be having this judge back again.


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## lily cd re

I've shown to some of those sorts of judges too. mashaphan was there for one of them! the judge excused us from excellent because Lily looked out the ring exit which had a 270 left right next to it. she didn't leave and nobody touched her, but he excused us anyway, very cranky guy. Another exhibitor who is also a judge couldn't believe what happened. That club put him on their don't have again list.


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## Skylar

lily cd re said:


> My trainer trains at Top Dog with Betsy Scapicchio and Linda Brennan (both multiple OTCh, 200 and NOC level trainers). They are pay it forward types. My trainer is a pay it forward person too. In other words in the six degrees of game you all are three degrees away from Betsy and Linda.


Someone at one of my clubs (the one that focuses more on agility, not obedience) takes privates with Betsy Scapicchio. I can't remember is she drives in once a month or twice a month. She used to live in the area and has been training her dogs there for many years and when she moved her she continued to go back. She does not belong to the club that is known for it's obedience classes). 

She is teaching a Manners class - not obedience. And last year she started to teach agility - I had her when she was assisting and learning. 

Theoretically this could put me 2 degrees right? Except she's not teaching obedience. I asked her for private lessons but she doesn't do that. She also doesn't believe in taking obedience classes - she says it teaches the dog bad habits and they learn to hate obedience. But as someone new to the sport, and no private teachers in the area, I had no choice but classes.


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## lily cd re

Skylar said:


> Someone at one of my clubs (the one that focuses more on agility, not obedience) takes privates with Betsy Scapicchio. I can't remember is she drives in once a month or twice a month. She used to live in the area and has been training her dogs there for many years and when she moved her she continued to go back. She does not belong to the club that is known for it's obedience classes).
> 
> She is teaching a Manners class - not obedience. And last year she started to teach agility - I had her when she was assisting and learning.
> 
> Theoretically this could put me 2 degrees right? Except she's not teaching obedience. I asked her for private lessons but she doesn't do that. *She also doesn't believe in taking obedience classes - she says it teaches the dog bad habits and they learn to hate obedience. But as someone new to the sport, and no private teachers in the area, I had no choice but classes.*



Well now I think that depends on the class! A good instructor and a good group of dogs and handlers is a fun and useful community. A bad instructor who doesn't help the community succeed as a community will make the dog hate obedience. While I really treasure my privates with my trainer I actually think our class with her is more important in many ways for Javelin right now since it is teaching him to not be bothered by distractions. He is also getting lots of positive feedback since my friends in the class have seen him work through so many things to really excel at so many exercises. He adores their feedback. When he does a beautiful figure 8 he knows it not just because I say "yes" and give him a cookie but because everyone else is making happy noise as well.


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## lily cd re

*Two weeks off and oiy!*

Between the mad dash of the end of the spring semester and finishing off grading then getting my summer class started this week while still fuzzy headed from our long drive home Monday I have done essentially no training in about two weeks with either poodle.


Lily and I have a triple Q trial on Saturday and I will do some light training with her tomorrow to be ready, but today marked the start of the summer schedule training push with Javelin. We took a private lesson with him from 9:00 to 10:00 AM then we did our regular 10:15 to noon class (although our usual working partner was absent today for a mother of the groom dress fitting). We got a lot done in our private lesson. My goals this summer are to finish teaching the last two or three things he needs to know for novice, open and utility and to polish up his novice routine so he is trial ready for the fall.


The first thing we did in our lesson was some warm up on heeling. Deb noticed that he was not maintaining heads up attention for his about turns so we took some time to break that down into little parts and improve it. It looked better by the time we stopped working on it.


The first thing I had planned to work on was the glove retrieve since I have been having some concerns about this exercise. He has the basics of a decent take and hold and has also shown he can follow me at front if I give him the glove and walk backwards. He will sit at front and hold it also, but I have been having a hard time getting him to understand that he has to pick the glove up on his own. We tried a couple of different games to increase his interest in getting the glove. He will play tug with it, but gets too enthusiastic very quickly and starts being grabby about it so we decided that wan't likely to work for the time being. We tried doing a short toss and send. He would pick up the glove but then promptly drop it so without some more work on reinforcing his hold that won't be too useful right now. Finally we coupled getting and returning the glove to his strong interest in the dumbbell. We got both a glove and the dumbbell and a ten gallon paint bucket with a lid on it. We set the bucket near a corner of the ring and I put Javelin back on a 6' leash. I held the leash and his collar with him informally next to me facing the corner. I showed the dumbbell and threw it into the corner then sent him to get it as I let go of his collar. since he clearly knows to get the dumbbell and come back to front he did that easily and I fed him for three straight short retrieves of the dumbbell. I then got the glove and did exactly the same thing. The first time he dropped the glove before he returned for which of course there was no cookie (although he was looking for it). He figured out right away that to get the cookie the way he had for the dumbbell he had to get back to me with the glove. He did four correct pick up and returns with the glove and had a big party and moved on to another exercise. I do think this game will really help transfer the value the dumbbell has for him to the glove and that this exercise will come together really nicely and much faster than it took to get him to love the dumbbell.


The next thing we worked on was the very beginning baby steps of the scent articles. One of the most commonly used methods for teaching articles is called "Around the Clock" by Janice DeMello. You can find lots of YouTube videos that show how to do this. Today all we did was the warm up part of the exercise. First I did take hold give with a wood and a leather article. He really wants to roll and chew the leather so I clearly have to settle that down, but he accepted both types without a big fuss. The real warm up part is to start with the article type you think the dog is less comfortable with. Since in early take hold work i thought he was more resistant to hold wood I started today with wood. However he held it more calmly so I think I will do the leather first going forward so I can get the mouthiness to fade. Deb though he was mouthy on the leather since it is much lighter that his dumbbell or a wood scent article. You take the dog on leash to a place where you have a bit of room to work and have the dog sit at heel. Show the article and tell the dog to wait and toss the article about 4'5 feet and have the dog wait until it stops moving then tell them to get it. They have to do a nice pick up and come back with it. If they do so you reward that. You repeat that one time. This builds the dog's interest since it has the feel of a retrieve, but since scent discrimination is not really a retrieving exercise the nest thing you do is sit the dog on leash at heel and you tell them to wait while you step out and place the article on the floor. This now is a dead retrieve with no movement of the object to drive the dog to it. You return to heel and send them to pick up the article and they again must return with it You do that twice. After that you do a whole series of moving articles through a series of positions to find the article which will have squeeze cheese on the bit initially. You repeat that the same way every day for a week. You do essentially the same thing using your second article material for another week and then you transition away from the cheese to scenting the articles. If you follow the directions properly you should have well formed scent discrimination in place at the end of seven weeks. After that you use a tie down mat or board where all articles except the correct one are tied to the mat/board. You have the person serving as your judge move the articles to different locations on the mat. Gradually you transition off the tie down and then practice with all the articles able to be picked up and work on using different patterns like circles, Xs and straight lines on diagonals and running from 6 to 12 or 3 to 9 to make sure the dog knows to methodically pattern searching for the right article. Starting now should get me close to taking the articles off the mat near the end of August when I have to go back to the fall semester.


The last thing I wanted to work on today in our lesson was the open command discrimination which I had thought didn't look too good the last time I formally worked on it, but since I have been helping him work on drop to sit with hands on guidance in the bathroom of all places the part it didn't like a while ago actually looked pretty decent today. Deb did have good ideas about cleaning the actual position changes up a bit more and I think I will be able to start adding the distance aspect of this in fairly soon


After all that great stuff everything we did in class was bleh. We had just two other dogs, both English cocker spaniel bitches. He knows them but he usually also has a male GSP in class and changing the balance threw him for a loop. We did our warm up exercises with one of them on either side of us and it made his head fall off to change the picture of that so much. When we split up into teams after our heeling and figure 8 work Deb helped me work on recalls. I couldn't go the full distance because he kept getting up whne he saw movement on the other side of the gate. We fixed that by reinforcing and heavily rewarding the wait. Then my friend who bred the cockers worked with me on the broad jump while the other person worked her cocker on articles. The article pile was just immediately on the other sie of the gate next to the broad jump also right next to the gate. He did two nice broad jumps and then once more his head fell off when I left him for the jump just as Lexie got sent to har articles. I thin since we had just been working on the articles he was now way more interested in watching her do the actual exercise than just sitting waiting for the broad jump orders. He didn't try to get to her or her articles, but I think they just held newly found interest for him. Now I had to do a fair bit though to get him back to working the broad jump (he did).


This class is marvelous for him since it always proofs him for all sorts of distracting things. He needs this so that he can function in multi ring trials.


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## Click-N-Treat

That was... wow. You really did accomplish a lot in your training session. I'm still working on teaching Noelle to pick up a dumbbell by the stick. I'm impressed by how far you've taken your dogs. When Javelin shows up for Novice, he'll be beyond ready. I was telling my trainer how you're working on all the pieces of the obedience puzzle before showing in Novice. I think that's the smart way to do it. Novice, long break to train Open, CDX, long long break to train UD. This way, you're taking advantage of Javelin's youthful energy and excitement for training and building on it. I'm not showing Noelle in Open until I know we're ready to trial for UD the following month. 

Now that we've moved on to Open exercises, Noelle is a lot more interested. Today we did the broad jump with a front/sit for the first time. And she nailed it. I'm miles, and miles and miles behind where you are, but you left a fine trail for us to follow. Thank you for this update/inspiration. I would not be where I am without you.


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## lily cd re

Click thank you for those kind words. Don't underestimate how helpful I find your training blogs to be either now.


BTW I am not particularly planning on taking big breaks between CD, CDX and UD titles, but rather by teaching everything now hoping to only need short fine tuning breaks between classes.


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## Click-N-Treat

That's my plan, too. We're going to work on Open and Utility as one single unit and then trial back to back and get CDX in one month, and UD the following month. Until I am 98% certain Noelle could qualify in both on the same day, we're not entering. We're just...

FLAILING, OMG, NOELLE CAN'T JUMP AND HOLD A DUMBBELL AT THE SAME TIME! She drops the dumbbell politely and then jumps over the jump. I have a stick on the ground for the time being. I'll raise that gradually. I know what to do to fix it, but man we are miles and miles and miles behind you and Javelin. 

Also, Noelle likes Mr. Fox way more than she likes her dumbbell. So, Mr. Fox is going to start staying at home when we go to Open class. Today, Noelle launched herself over the broad jump, I turned, she came front and sat. YAY! Like I always say... ONWARD!


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## lily cd re

Click that is exciting about the broad jump for Noelle!


We will head out to my club in a little while and we will see how much he really learned about gloves and articles yesterday.


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## mashaphan

Well,I expect to see Mr J in Nov,weather permitting! We do lots of varied things in the Wednesday class,though it is supposed to be beginner rally/obedience-masters signs,jumps...actually very little NOVICE rally:adore:. We will at least be able to move through the rally classes quickly! (I have given up on the dumbell for now!)

At 2 1/2, I am starting to see SOME focus,control of impulses. Otter has a bulldog girlfriend :ahhhhh: on Wednesdays,and this week he actually stayed in a down (well,he crawled a little:aetsch when she came in! I know he has a long way to go,and I am TRYING to be patient....sigh.

Martha et al


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## Skylar

I’m also learning so much reading about Javelins training. I regret that my local club doesn’t teach this way. They still have an old fashioned approach of training each level and you stay there until you earn your title. Those classes are for people like me with our A dogs. Most of the people in my club are very sophisticated trainers with many years training and they train like Catherine starting as puppies. They may take my Novice class for proofing but they are training far beyond. 

I’m lucky that my WCRL Rally taught me a version of dumbbell retrieve, signal exercises etc. early on, without that class we’d be far behind. We’re now in an open class and Babykins knows the exercises, we just need to solidify them. But we have barely scratched utility exercises and I don’t have access to trainers to teach me until we are ready for the utility class. 

So it’s so important to read how you are training Javelin.


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## lily cd re

Skylar you should try to go to the intermediate workshop at Top Dog the next time it is offered. You would be able to learn great techniques for training all of the open and utility exercises. There are many parts of most of those exercises you could work on your own in the background.


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## lily cd re

After our great lesson then head falling off class last Friday I wanted to work on the glove activities with Javelin at my club on Friday but I didn't have time to do so since some unexpected folks showed up for routines and utility. I don't usually take him out to do anything during novice since I often have about a dozen teams in that class and some of them are quite green. I wouldn't be able to pay Javvy the attention he would need for it to be useful while trying to pay attention to my green teams. I ended up waiting until Monday when I rented the floor at my club to try to do anything with him. Since I had an hour I also took Lily. He was a lunatic and would not settle to wait his turn so I put him in the car and worked with Lily instead. Ugh.


I went back to my club on Tuesday and worked in our lobby on the dumbbell as a glove movitator as I had done last week during our lesson. My friend was teaching her agility foundations class, so we had distraction in the form of background noice but no visual distractions. He was pretty confused so rather than make things worse I put the glove aside and did a bit with articles instead. that went quite well so I was satisfied and had something to show to Deb today and get clarification on about the glove.


I then took him in for my friend's novice class. She had about five teams, one an experienced (great handler) with a green dog, a woman who has MS and looks like she is always going to fall over, a green handler and green dog team where the dog is dog reactive and two other sort of in between teams. Javelin did wonderfully with ignoring the other dogs and keeping his head up (my main goal in being there). His heeling was nice, figure 8 was pretty good and he did nice recalls. He also did beginner novice and novice sit/stand for exam exercises and did a nice job on the group stays. We then stayed for open and just did some work on command discrimination and stand stay get your leash. I talked to my friend to make sure she was okay with me coming early and doing stuff in the lobby during her agility foundations class (she is), so now I have a different place to work on things that need some location generalization.


Today we had our usual Thursday class but with just two of us so the distractions were mild. We took turns working and I did a lot of focused attention work while we did our exercises but also did a lot while my friend was working too. We did our usual warm up heeling then figure eights. After that we each took turns on other exercises. Deb, Barb and I all worked on the glove stuff with Javvy. I got really great insights out of having the two of them as helpers. For her puppy, Deb taught the glove retrieve by back chaining the whole thing which was why she had the idea of tossing the dumbbell then the glove to transfer the pick up from the dumbbell to the glove. Today she suggested taking it back one step further and getting him to start by taking the glove and then calling him to front over a short distance without dropping it. He did quite nicely on this so we will do that and separately reinforce his commitment to holding the glove. then we will add some distance to calling him with the glove. After that we will stand him with the glove facing the position in which he would be just after the pick up to put in the pivot to return until eventually he goes to get it and returns to front. This is essentially what I did with the dumbbell so it shouldn't take too long for him to catch on.


We also worked on command discrimination. He clearly understand the order to stand at heel and also with me in front of him. His drop is in need of some clean up on my orders. I will work on that in isolation from the sit since he already anticipated the A order of stand/drop/sit.


I worked on this while Deb worked with Barb and already saw it improving.


Tomorrow I hope to have time to work on some of these things with him at my club. I am also renting at Deb's place on Saturday and will have both poodles there for an hour and a half. Monday I am renting at my club for 30 minutes and later that afternoon taking a private hour with Deb to start working on articles and continue with the glove and command discrimination.


Busy busy.


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## Click-N-Treat

I haven't started working on gloves, or articles. I like the idea of backchaining the glove retrieve so Noelle learns what I expect from her. I know what you mean about anticipating the Open A orders on the command discrimination. First I stand, you walks away, then I downs, then I sits, and you tell me I am good, right? I got it, I can do that without your help now. Facepalm.

You are on your way and doing great. I'm glad to hear he was able to filter out the distractions in the novice ring and maintain connection. That is not easy. Nicely done.


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## lily cd re

I have two parallel training tracks going with Javvy these days. One is about getting him reading to go into trials for novice, as soon as he shows me he is ready since I would like to have something to show for all of the work. We need one more BN leg and then will do novice. The other track is to finish teaching all of the open and utility exercises so I can proof them up as we are doing the novice legs. This way I should be fine tuning open as we finish novice and then the same with utility while finishing open.


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## lily cd re

I took a private lesson with Deb today and we started by starting the first session of week one of around the clock scent discrimination. One of the major purposes of this method is to teach the dog to search the pile methodically, another is to teach them to pick up the correct article when they first indicate it rather than letting have the chance to second guess themselves. The other thing is to teach them that they are looking for hot scent that is different from the other articles, not necessarily your own scent.


You start with one article that you have warmed in your hands and scented that you then put some squeeze cheese onto the bit of. You then place that article out onto a grid at a particular position. The dog can watch this and you can even show them where it is being placed. You then send them to the article and once they are licking up the cheese say good find and then tell the dog to get it and call them to front with the article. We put too much cheese the first two times and Javelin was surprised it was there and spat everything out. We cut the cheese way down and did the single article placement one more time and he now clearly understood what he was doing so we made it all the way around the clock really flawlessly in one straight shot. Deb was surprised we got so far on the first day of working it. I actually think we could have have made a YouTube video that would have gone viral among newbie around the clock demo video folks. In fact I will make a video on this when I get a chance (although maybe not this week since Lily and I have two rally trials on Saturday so Javelin and I won't train on Saturday).


We also did some work on the back chaining for the glove and then a bit with command discrimination. I got some good suggestions about how to continue to work to the best final picture for each exercise. In fact one of the things we spent time on talking about was always knowing what you want as the finished picture of each exercise, not allowing things to creep in on your training that you don't want and how to break exercises into the smallest parts and perfecting each of them before putting the whole exercise together. For example for the gloves there is keeping connected to the dog while the judge says the magic words, keeping attention during the pivot to face the glove, having the dog mark the correct glove, sending them out, having a clean pick up, a tight turn and then a brisk return without mouthing a good front and not dropping the glove at your feet then your order to finish. In other words there are roughly ten separate parts (at least) to the directed retrieve.


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## lily cd re

After a great start with scent on Monday we had a little bump on Tuesday in that I took Javelin to the club early and did a novice class and a couple of things in the open class then articles after other teams had left. He had to work hard on attention in the novice class because there is a green team of a woman who seems to have little clue about the importance of attention whose dog is reactive and keeps staring at Javvy. I think he was too tired to keep thinking well all the way through the eleven retrieves that are in the first week of around the clock. He made a mistake and left the correct article he had indicated to go look at another article. I stopped him and took the correct one out of the pile and told him to get that one. He laid down in front of it. For Javvy he will put himself on a down when he is concerned about making a mistake so I gave him the article, backed away just a step or two and told him to front with it and we stopped. This happened at the eighth retrieve so he really hung in decently. Wednesday I did not have time to work it (since I went out for lunch with my mom and aunt (her sister) in advance of my birthday (tomorrow). Yesterday we went to class. I talked to my trainer about what happened Tuesday and she agreed that doing it before other things would be best. 



This morning I went down to my club early enough to have time to do the whole thing before anyone would be likely to show up. We got through the whole week one set of retrieves with only one almost mistake. He worked it much more happily than Tuesday. I also figured out that if I put more than the tiniest bit of cheese he gets too involved with licking it and forgets he is supposed to pick up the article and return to front with it. I can't imagine doing what the directions for this say to do which is to put cheese right out of the can over the full length of the article's bit. I will keep just putting a small amount through whatever week it is that you are supposed to get rid of the cheese (or at least that is my current plan) but clearly Javelin already understands that find the different one is what this game is about.


Here is how much cheese I used today. He is really not relying on the cheese to find the right article as much as it seems to be a little reward when he gets to the correct article.


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## Skylar

It's interesting to read how you and Click are teaching articles. I've got a nice vacation coming up and once we get back I'll order the articles. I'm hoping our work in handler discrimination will help Babykins pick it up quickly.


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## lily cd re

Skylar do the around the clock method. Click is doing it a little bit differently than I am (although I think Janice DeMello is the originator of it and it is the method used at Top Dog)., but the underlying principle is to teach the dogs to be methodical in their search patterns and to have confidence to take the right article the first time they check it.


Where are you thinking about getting your articles? And which materials are you planning to use?


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## Skylar

When you posted that you were ordering those gorgeous articles - that take 6 months, I should have ordered a set too. But I didn't. I'm going to order the wood and leather ones from Max200 https://www.max200.com/maxscents-articles-leather-wood-set-lw1s I know she will pick up a wood dumbbell - when I first ordered dumbbells, I bought one plastic and one wood. I've decided on leather, not metal because frankly I don't like putting metal in my mouth - well except for silverware.

Are you using a tie down mat? I've heard about around the clock method and was planning to use that. I don't think I'll start with food. Babykins is already trained to my scent for handler discrimination. In nose work it's a little different - but she got lots of treats for learning to discriminate my scent. In nose work she goes to the container where my scent is hidden and indicates. I'm hoping all I have to do is ask her to "take" the dumbbell and treat her when she retrieves it. If this doesn't work, then I"ll add in food.

Babykins is very methodical in nose work - I'm hopeful that will carry over to the scent articles.


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## lily cd re

One of the things I am working on is enhancing Javelin's focus around dogs he doesn't know and watching dogs doing things he wants to do. To that end I have been taking him to my friend's Tuesday morning class at my club. The place is familiar but the people and dogs are mostly new. When the novice dogs are doing recalls I take him out of the ring and play focus games with him. He did really well today with variations on it's yer choice with dogs recalling behind him. I got him to the point where he could ignore chicken brownies sitting on the palms of my open hands and focus on eye contact with me while people were calling dogs and he could here dogs running behind him. I was very pleased.


Before that though I went to the club early so I could do another round of around the clock scent article training with a fresh brain and low distractions. Two people came in when we were roughly in the middle and he made a couple of mistakes, but I sent him back to the pile and he recovered and went back to focusing on the work while leaving the distractions of initially people then those people with dogs (he knows them which I think helped him ignore them). He ended the 11 rounds of "retrieves" quite successfully and working happily. We are using just the tiniest smear of cheese on the article he is being sent to find.


My friend was offering beginner novice routines since we are having a trial at our club in two weeks. Even though I didn't enter I took a run thru since I don't often train BN exercises, but do have to find a place to show him in that class soon to finish that title (need one leg, maybe in Binghamton in July). I plan to start showing him in novice in my club's fall trial at the end of September.


For the novice class after the run thrus I did the heeling, figure 8 and novice stand for exam as well as the group sits and downs. He did a very nice job. I also stayed for the open class and just did retrieve over the high jump and retrieve on the flat.


I then put Javelin in the car and stayed to help my friend with her baby dog (a CKCS named Lily). Javelin is sleeping soundly this afternoon.


Skylar, sorry I haven't answered your question about the tie down mat until now. No there is no tie down mat at this point. We will do the around the clock according to the directions for it I have from Top Dog through week 5. then as per my private trainer's method we will do the tie down mat and ignore the rest of around the clock. You can't use the mat if you follow the around the clock since you are always moving and adding articles as you do each session.


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## lily cd re

I have been working on the week one of the around the clock method of scent training for almost two weeks now and am closing in on moving to week two. For those who are doing or thinking about doing this method don't automatically move to week two if you have done week one seven days in a row. Make sure the dog is telling you (s)he is ready to move on. I have not been able to do the exercise every single day, but really have just done Monday, Tuesday (maybe Thursday), Friday and Saturday. Today was our seventh time working it and was also the first day where Javelin was perfect! He has been a little distractable/unsure in the middle of the 11 retrieves a couple of times, but today he started happy, went all the way through happy and finished happy. I was able to completely drop any supporting orders like "good find" when he indicated and "get it" as he finished licking the tiny bit of cheese. I was able to give life rewards mixed in with food rewards for the returns with the article. He also is reducing greatly the amount of rolling the article and tossing it to the back of his mouth. We had a great party at the end of today's round! I will do a couple of more week one rounds to work on making sure he can complete the exercise reliably without help and then put a bit of distraction on it before moving to week two which is the same pattern but with leather rather that wood (or metal). I expect we will make it through week 2 much faster than week 1.


We also did retrieve on the flat, broad jump and command discrimination. All of those are looking really nice.


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## lily cd re

I went to my club this morning to do article training with the young man. I have a friend who is there on Mondays for ring rental time offered by the club to anyone. I like using this time in the summer since she can help if needed and since she taught her dog around the clock too I don't need to explain anything along the way.


He once again did a great job with just one tiny mistake that he recovered from super fast. He went through all eleven of the week one retrieves and was wagging a happy happy tail at the end. He needed no help in finding or taking the right article save the one minor mistake (more mine than his). I also did some novice recalls and afterwards stayed and chatted with my friend until the next person came. I asked her if she thought it was reasonable to move to week two and she thought it was. I want to make sure he doesn't chew or roll the leather article since he will ruin it so I gave him a leather and told him to hold it. He held it nicely until I told him to give it to me. I will start working week 2 tomorrow. It is essentially exactly the same as week one except the dog is looking for a leather rather than a wood or metal article.


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## lily cd re

I made myself get out the door early with Javelin to start the week 2 protocol for the around the clock article training. This week is very much like week one with 11 "retrieves" in that same pattern as week one except that the dog is going to find a leather article not wood (or metal) and it begins with adding leather articles to the pile then wood. You still do the same warm ups and you still scent and put cheese on the now leather article you are working with. I think I was too stingy with the cheese, but was still trying not to have him get too involved with licking, but once I had about 6 articles out he got lost and popped out of the pile. I picked up the correct article rescented it and added a tiny bit more cheese. I set him back up and sent him to the same place and that did the trick. He didn't seem super happy/confident but that could have been because of the rain pounding on the roof (really really pouring) as much as it was about having changed the picture a bit. I think I will make a point of going back to the club tomorrow morning (there will be no one there) and working on it again.


I stayed after I finished to take a beginner novice match run. I treated it as much like a trial as I could without letting him go too far into his up energy. I did my standard release to a "hug" (jump up) and quick set up to move to the next exercise. He was excellent all the way to the recall at which point he was obstinate about the sit and then did a fly by at the front instead of sitting in front. At that point he did a bit of his up-stress bouncing, but not nearly so much as he used to be inclined to. He would have qualified except for the set up issues for the recall. I had great head's up attention for our movement from exercise to exercise. I think we will enter in Binghamton in July to finish that title (hopefully). After that I will probably enter at my club's trials at the end of September for novice. We don't have rally at those shows so I can bring only Javelin and focus on him.


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## lily cd re

We did week two of around the clock scent articles for the second time yesterday. My friend who assists with my classes helped us, but we also had distractions for the first time in the form of two different people who were sitting behind us where the gallery would typically be in a trial. They were quiet, but Javelin certainly knew they were there. He was a bit cuckoo for the warm up which uses two throws and then two placements of the article you are working with before you start scenting. This was a bit my fault because I threw it too far and he got into big prey drive over it. I settled him down and then made the warm up placements so close that he couldn't go too up. After that he settled in and did just brilliantly. It is interesting to watch him learn on this. When we are in the first half of the exercise he doesn't scent much but instead just goes to the correct article (which is fine because being right is super important at this point). I suspect he air scents at that point but doesn't show an indication that I can make out. Once we are in the second half and the correct article is being moved around the to of the clock he switches to checking for scent in the pattern of going from 10 to 12 to 2 and three. He really puts his nose down to identify the correct article and it is very clear that he is using his nose. I also think he has to some extent memorized the pattern in which the articles are put out. We will be leaving week two behind pretty quickly. Week three will be interesting since the pattern changes and you start alternating scented leather with scented wood (or metal).


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## lily cd re

We have been concentrating on getting through the around the clock method for teaching scent articles (for utility). I cannot tell you adequately how fabulous this method is! If I had know to do it with Lily I could have avoided a whole bunch of problems. It is gret for teaching the dog how to move through the pile methodically and also how to get out of the pile with the right article the first time they find it and without kicking the articles all over the place.


I worked on week 2 through last Friday and found that Javelin had memorized the pattern of weeks one and two which are identical save for the type of article being sought (leather vs. metal vs. wood, we are doing wood and leather). For weeks 1 and 2 you do a warm up where you toss the article you are working twice as a short live retrieve and then place it twice for a dead retrieve. Javelin was getting very charged up over the live retrieves and entering full prey drive with a tendency to want to pounce on/kill the article. I want clean pick ups so I want to discourage the prey drive while still having a happy thinking dog. 



Therefore on the advice of my private trainer I moved on to week three on Saturday. It was a little klutzy that day since I had to keep checking the directions for the pattern, but taking the warm up out was well worth it. I got a lot more thinking and a lot less killing behavior. We worked week three two times yesterday, once at my club with a helper and once with my private trainer as the helper.  Deb gave me some pointers about how to support Javelin being correct on this the firt time for each part in the afternoon yesterday and that really helped me today. I went to my club with Javvy this morning and worked on focus and attention during my friend's novice class. He did great on this and since it was focus without a lot of physical work I think Javelin benefited from having a little energy scrubbed of through thinking, but not physical fatigue from heeling and such. Once the open people showed up I set up to do the articles with the distraction of dogs working in the ring near us by putting my clock on the floor just outside the end of the ring ina space that was relatively well defined without being confining. For week three you begin with an unscented article of each type on the clock before starting a series of nine "retrieves." There are eleven retrieves in weeks one and two. We had one false start where he indicated the right article and quickly went to pick up an unscented article. I reset for the start and repeated it successfully. we then got all the way to the eighth of the nine retrieves with no problems. At that point Javelin lost focus briefly because tow of my friends and one dog were pretty close behind us near the ring entrance. He decided he had to get in the face of the Cairn Terrier briefly but I got him back super fast and he did the last two retireves successfully. This was the heaviest amount of distraction he has had so far for the articles so I wads not happy he checked out, but was happy about how quickly he got his thinking cap back on to do the end of the exercise.


We have another private with my trainer tomorrow and then class with her on Thursday.


We are getting a lot done this summer.


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## lily cd re

As I have noted above we are working very hard on the around the clock method of training utility scent articles. We took a bit over a week to do week one and then moved very quickly through week two where we had too much prey drive over the tossed articles. We moved on to week 3 which does not have the warm up tosses to calm things down. The first time we did this Javelin still brought a lot of retriever prey drive to the start of the process, but he did collect his head for it once he realized he had a new pattern to deal with.









We have stuck with week 3 since July 5th because Mr. Too Smart for all of this has already learned the pattern and doesn't actually work the pile until the scented article goes around to the back (position 9 and 10). He has just blown by the dead article at 6 and gone directly to the correct article at C or 8. My trainer suggested turning him around so he doesn't see the article being place. As you can see here though this didn't help much today. I think tomorrow when I do this exercise again I will place the articles on the clock in an anti-clockwise (reverse of the pattern he has memorized) direction.








We also worked on keeping heads up attention for the open command discrimination exercises Saturday...









and again today.









For the last thing I did that I caught video of we worked on recalls where Javelin has been tending to break the stay. 










You can't see it on the video, but he is sitting on a platform made out of playroom matting. In the command discrimination work he is using a 2x4 with non skid material on one side and a thin carpet on the top. Both of these strange objects are incredibly valuable to Javelin since he gets lots of praise and rewards for sticking to them. He actually tries to knock both of them out of my hands while I put them out for him.


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## lily cd re

We have been busy with training, trialing, traveling and teaching. I am happy to say that August 1st is the last night of my current summer class with humans. August will give me a more adaptable schedule for working with Javelin, including hopefully some practice in different locations than our usual. When we were in Binghamton this past weekend he showed me very clearly that a new and busy place was pretty mind blowing to him. In practice rings Friday and Saturday evenings I thought his head would fall off. He could not look at me for more than a second or two because he was so obsessed with watching dogs practicing open obedience on on side and rally on the other side in adjacent rings. It took a lot of work to settle him down and we didn't do too much other than that, but even that was worth if because it told me a lot and did give me a chance to remind him to stay connected when he feels over the top. I did not bring him in for his entries either Saturday or Sunday. I had a private with my trainer today and she said she thought I did the right thing for him and for our team connection.


If you are following Lily's rally thread you probably know that he barked all the way through her Master routine on Saturday morning. Lily found it very distracting and stressful. I was very unhappy with him for it. He normally is fine in his crate, but I almost yelled at him to shut up while I was trying to keep Lily with me. I had a friend stand next to his crate during excellent. She kept an ear on him during advanced too, but he had settled down by then and Lily shed her stress too.


On Monday I had to come to campus to get the exams that my friend administered for me on Thursday night and then I spent most of the day grading them, so our usual rental time at my club didn't happen. Yesterday I went to the club during my friend's novice class to do scent articles with a bit of distraction. We did week 3 in the anticlockwise direction and he did quite well, but I could see that he had memorized that pattern at that point.


I told my trainer when we were getting organized about his having memorized week 3. We both felt it was time to move on to week four which has four articles already placed at the start (as opposed to the two pre-placed articles used in week three). He did really nicely and scented for all of the trials in the new pattern. We both think he will get through week 4 quickly. After that we will do week 5 just enough times to make sure he will scent through the pile, commit to the correct article when he finds it and bring it back promptly and with no coaching. After that I will go off the clock and switch to the tie down mat. I will post a picture of how to arrange the tied down articles when we get there so you can see how to arrange things to make it an appropriate challenge without being so hard as to break the work already done.


We also worked on command discrimination for open and recalls today. We have our usual class tomorrow morning. Friday my friend will cover my classes at my club again so that Javelin and I can go to a well timed distracted dog training party at the facility I go to for class on Thursday. There will be six teams. Three dogs will start in their crates while their handlers serve as judges for the other three teams. The ring will be divided lengthwise into three working areas. Judges will stay in one place and teams will rotate through the three lanes two times, first with just an open floor and the second time with equipment like the broad jump and the utility jumps. Everyone will then switch. I am looking forward to this since he will get judge exposure, dog exposure and also have to take quiet time. Dealing with all of those things is essential to his long term success with me. For the most part his exercises are really very nice or coming along well. He has to stay connected (which has improved dramatically recently with low to moderate distractions, but went to hell in a hand basket with high distractions while we were away this weekend). Stick with me Javvy Pups!


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## Click-N-Treat

Sounds like you have a good handle on what Javelin needs to succeed and a plan to get him there. I hear what you're saying about high level distractions. Wanting to just go in the ring and watch dog tv is a huge temptation at trials.

I just enrolled Noelle in a distraction class. Liz put a sock monkey on the floor and Noelle didn't notice. Liz turned a switch on the toy. The toy started laughing and rolling on the floor back and forth. Well, that Noelle noticed and she completely lost her mind. Are we in the right class? If being humbled and embarrassed counts as being right, yes. Facepalm!


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## lily cd re

I "broke" an OTCh dog in my open class one day with a little battery powered chihuahua that walks, barks and has flashing red eyes once. Those are heavy heavy distractions. Needless to say the friend whose dog couldn't ignore that little toy bought one for herself and fixed her dog.

My private trainer threw a distracted dog training party today. It was super awesome, just what Javelin needed. There were six teams us, Deb with her young pom, a mini poodle who is only a year old, a border terrier who has a novice title and two youngish goldens. There were three lanes and each team rotated through the lanes two times with three different judges. The first rotation you could do any flat work you wanted. For the second rotation one ring (middle) had no equipment and the two outside rings had jumps, broad in one and high in the other. The rules were that the judges had to do exactly what the handlers wanted and that the handlers had to do whatever was needed to keep their dog in the right lane.

Since the Pomeranian had a black GSD go after her a few months ago Javelin and I worked next to Deb and her little girl. Javelin was very attentive to me and ignored her movement and Deb's pom did what she was told to, even coming pretty close to the ring gate a few times with no distraction or fearfulness. He did do one reactive response to one of the goldens, but got a quick and heavy correction. Although he still was finding her attractive he left her pretty well alone the rest of the morning. 

For our first lane we worked on focused attention for ring entries, exercise set ups, moving from one location to another with attention and did a tiny bit of heeling mostly working on not anticipating and making sure we got sits.

For our second lane we worked more on entrances and set ups, but specifically for recalls emphasizing holding the wait before the recall. We also did just a couple of short recalls with emphasis on nice fronts.

For our third lane we worked on keeping heads up attention on set ups for the command discrimination as well as the position changes required before you leave the dog. We also did drops and sits with some more distance than I have used during the time we are extinguishing Javelin's tendency to look away while he waits for the order. He needed a little bit of help but was generally quite good.

After all of that Javelin went in his crate while I was a judge. I had the penny bottle on top of his crate and also had told everyone that if they heard him bark the should say "do you want the pennies." After the barking last week that pulled Lily of working in rally last weekend I did also want to work on extinguishing his barking which virtually only happens when he hears me working with other dogs. Progress was made.

For our second round through the lanes we did set ups at the broad jump where Javelin has been anticipating the order to jump. I had my judge hold him loosely on a slip lead and gave the wait order and left, went back and rewarded good waits a few times before giving the jump order. He was pretty good, only giving Jane a tug once when he tried to leave. He then put himself back on his platform. We then hit the high jump ring where we did retrieves over the jump. I had not worked on this recently since Javelin had crashed the jump in class a few weeks ago. He did a good job there and showed no signs of worrying about the jump. Javelin showed signs of being tired near the end of that lane since he put himself on a down at one point. This means one of several things: tired, need a short break; worried about making a mistake; or too excited and need to take a break. This was pretty obviously about being tired. In our last ring (on the flat in the middle lane) I returned to working on the command discrimination since I had made progress on distance in our first round. I had been planning on retrieve on the flat, but since he was running out of steam I also thought it would be a better exercise for him at that point. 

I think everyone found it to be a great way to work and Deb said she thinks she will try to do it twice a month, but on Saturdays. Since I usually rent at this place on Saturdays I did say that I would be happy to give up one or two of those private rental times in favor of this great distractions training.


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## Click-N-Treat

You have put so much work into Javelin and it shows. That distraction party sounded tough. Wish I could have come.


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## Skylar

Those distraction parties are a lot of fun. Great training.


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## lily cd re

Click if you explain that distraction party to Liz, perhaps she could put together something similar. For all of us this session was at least as good as a match. In many ways the proofing was almost more rigorous than a match.


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## mashaphan

Distractions can be brutal! we have not had the Wednesday class for several weeks due to the heat/humidity (no ac!) and last week Otter was crazy to see all his friends again. He DID finally do a sit/walk around with me going the whole ring perimeter but Lisa kept a foot on the lead. (He also started anticipating the 'come" which he has never done before (that anyone noticed) so-it is always something new!) Looks like there are now only 2-3 teams in my Sunday class,so that may or may not be helpful.

BTW I loved how Javvy pivoted on the 2x4 to get to heel position-Otter would get off and back on,I fear.


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## lily cd re

Martha there are two things that I think Javelin loves even more than me! At some level it is sort of insulting, but at others it is an homage to his training that he adores that 2x4 and his sit/wait/stay platform above all else. Right now I am actually working on not letting him get on either of them unless I tell him to go to it since getting there makes him disconnect from me. He will actually try to knock both of them out of my hand so he can put "feets up."


I am sorry that the heat of summer has put a dent in your training time with Otter. It was brutal last weekend in Binghamton.


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## lily cd re

I did some new sorts of distractions this week.

On Thursday this week there were only two of us for class (instead of the usual four). the other team was a very good handler and her English Cocker Spaniel who is very handler and exercise focused and therefore not a big time distraction for us since she is so involved in her work. We did articles side by side at the same time. She was doing some light proofing and Javelin and I did week 4 of around the clock. He did a very nice job and really stayed focused on doing the articles easily. He had never done articles with other working dogs so close before and not with a dog who was also doing articles. I was very pleased with how he did. 

We are working on more utility exercises this month than we have been recently, but also reinforcing open exercises and adding some proofs in the form of having left the articles out on the floor while we did the broad jump this morning, plus a lot of chalk marks around the floor to resemble how judges often mark the floor at trials.. Today we also had the doors at the opposite ends of the training space open to the out of doors since it is a lovely day today (more like June than August). We had just gates between us and chirping birds, seeing birds, outdoor smells and sounds of things being blown by the breeze. All I can say is awesome sauce!


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## lily cd re

I did aericles today at my club with a helper. We are in week 4 and I was feeling sort of stuck on fading out assistance orders like "good find" when Javelin indicated the correct article (which has been fine) and "get it" to break him out of looking to find more cheese and to pick up and return to me with the correct article. This has worked fine with the wood articles, but he was being very hesitant about taking the leather articles without the "get it." I thought he was less certain about the leather, but once he takes it he is fine. My friend noticed that he was only needing the help with leather. I put out just two leather, one unscented and one scented and scent him. He checked both and took the correct one with no extra words. I texted my private trainer to tell her about this issue and asked if she thought putting only leather out was a good idea. She suggested putting 4 or 5 leather a couple of times and then going back to the regular pattern. We will try this tomorrow and hopefully it will do the trick. I barely have 3 weeks before I have to seriously get ready for the fall semester. I would really like to get through week 5 and move onto the tie down mat before that happens.


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## lily cd re

Well summer will be over before I know it. We have gotten a fair amount done and I made a couple of videos last week to memorialize where we are.


We worked on the broad jump last week, mostly to improve his stay to wait for the order to go and a bit to work on fronts.


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## lily cd re

We are still working through the "weeks" of the around the clock method of teaching scent articles. Last Monday when I had rental time at my club my friend noticed that Javelin was relying on an extra order before picking up his leather articles. So we worked just leather articles in various lines, box and diamond patterns to boost his understanding and fade that extra order. I last did this last Saturday at my rental time and he did nicely.








So at the end of that rental time we went back to the full week 4 pattern and he had pretty good success as seen here.


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## Click-N-Treat

He's made really good progress. What I notice is he's more attentive to you. Javelin is only a few months older than Noelle, so it's fun to watch videos of him. They are so similar in their drive. How's his stay before retrieve on the flat? Noelle get so excited when she sees the dumbbell fly that she's launching herself after it. Stay? Why would I stay when my dumbbell is tumbling on the ground? I'm still at the, bend down, hold the dog by the chest, GO, stage. 

She struggles with leather items, so thank you for showing me the video of Javelin with his articles. He's come a long way. You should be proud.


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## Skylar

Click-N-Treat said:


> He's made really good progress. What I notice is he's more attentive to you. Javelin is only a few months older than Noelle, so it's fun to watch videos of him. They are so similar in their drive. How's his stay before retrieve on the flat? Noelle get so excited when she sees the dumbbell fly that she's launching herself after it. Stay? Why would I stay when my dumbbell is tumbling on the ground? I'm still at the, bend down, hold the dog by the chest, GO, stage.
> 
> She struggles with leather items, so thank you for showing me the video of Javelin with his articles. He's come a long way. You should be proud.


Click, what I found worked is to have Babykins sit, then after I throw the dumbbell she has to turn her head and look at me for the command to “take”. For a long time and still randomly I treat her for that turning her head focus on me. I found when she learned a treat came quickly with that returning focus, I didn’t have to have a hand on her collar anymore to remind her to stay. 

I was so slow ordering scent articles, they should come in a few weeks. Watching your wonderful progress is making me regret I waited so long. (I know you told me a long time ago and so did others so it’s my own fault) but I get the benefit of learning from your experience.


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## lily cd re

If Javvy takes off for the dumbbell without orders I either put him on a flexi or a slip lead so that he gets stopped in his tracks before he gets to the dumbbell. You cannot allow the dog to self reward by killing the dumbbell on an anticipation of being sent. This will quickly deteriorate into a wild hot mess. I only do this on a flat buckle collar and I also do articles on a flat buckle collar. Although he wears his pinch collar all the while we are training I only use if during heeling (and not always then). I have worked very hard on his attention. If you notice he has to set up properly at heel even for articles, so while learning one thing (articles) we reinforce the very essential skill of heads up attention.


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## Click-N-Treat

I think I'll stop throwing the dumbbell all together for a while, and just work on the send and pick up. I don't think she's ready for the excitement of watching it fly. I like the reinforce the attention and sit. I hadn't thought of that. And the leash, too. Once we add the throw back into the picture, I will always have Noelle on a leash so she can't go get the darn thing.

Scent articles are a blast for Noelle. Putting the hot one on a shelf above the pile really made finding it exciting. I brought them to the club and did a formal send yesterday. Kevin even put the hot one in the pile with his notebook. She took off, found the hot one, and flew back. On Thursday, Liz scented all the other ones very deliberately, trying to fool Noelle. Nope.

There are many ways to teach the scent articles. You need to know your dog and which one will work best for your dog. I knew if I put cheese on the article I wanted her to find, Noelle would learn this is a hunt the treat game, not a hunt the scent game. I taught her articles as a match to sample game. 

A single drop of vanilla extract on my palms, rub my hands until the vanilla was gone. Rub one brand new scent article with my vanilla scented hands. I offered her vanilla on a paper towel, and sent her off to find that smell somewhere else. There was only one dumbbell on the floor. It smelled like me and vanilla. Success, because there was only one choice, the right choice. After a few repeats, I added two dumbbells. One that smelled like vanilla and my hands, and one that did not. Find the right one. Success! I added more choices. The right choice is as obvious to Noelle's nose as a stoplight is to my eyes. I only put vanilla on my hands once, months ago. This is where we are now.






I learned about this method at https://clickertraining.com/node/1121

It's only one way, and may not be the best way for every dog. It worked for Noelle. Might completely backfire for a different dog. Best to try the game with a non-dumbbell item to see if the dog likes the match the scent game, because if it doesn't like the game, you haven't poisoned your articles.


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## Skylar

Click, when I started training the dumbbell I didn’t throw it, rather I placed it on the floor and slowly added distance placing it farther and farther away. I did this for two reasons, 1 that’s how it’s done in WCRL rally where it’s out on the floor and you heel around until it’s the sign for retrieve. But a more important second reason was Babykins was too exciting by the toss, I needed to lower that threshold in early training. She still has a tendency to pounce so I’m still putting it on top of things or in a box and sending her. 

In my favorite proofing class we do a lot of dumbbell throws, all kinds of ways including into piles of toys. Since we sit in a U shape all the dogs hear and see the dumbbell which helps get them used to seeing and hearing tosses that they are not allowed to retrieve. I think that helps. 

Click thanks for that link. I may use the vanilla aid if my scent alone isn’t enough. I did train in Handler Discrimination for nose work so I’m hoping she understands the concept and knows my scent. But I can’t assume she will generalize to scent articles and looking for the freshest scent. In nose work it’s finding THE SCENT and not the freshest so I may have my work cut out for me. 

We’ve been working on go outs. My trainer likes to stick cheese on the gating to start. But my dog can’t eat cheese so I had her run to the gate and I followed to treat her near the gate but not on it.I think that worked better because now we’re working on her turning around to sit without touching the gating. Some of the other dogs are still looking for their cheese on the gate. For that reason I don’t think I put food on the scent article. I think vanilla is a better choice. Smells good too.

Edited to add, I loved watching Noelle bring the scent article dumbbell back to you. What a beautiful job she did.


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## lily cd re

Whether it is just your scent or you plus vanilla or you plus a dab of squeeze cheese doesn't matter at all. I never used anything more than the tiniest blob of squeeze cheese to reduce the interest in the cheese and to instead rely on it as an assist to find the correct article. Now I use no cheese on wood articles most of the time and just a film of cheese on the leather since I still need to support taking those. What the dog is really doing is finding the one that is different, not specifically your scent. Although that will be the default thing to identify.


I personally would be very cautious about making articles overly exciting with too many games. Poodles are pretty natural retrievers and you don't want to turn this into a wild game of go grab something out of the pile and come running at a tilt. A very experienced poodle handler friend of mine struggled with articles for a long time because her dog had decided it was a retrieve and was doing no work in the pile. I certainly recognize that there are different methods of teaching this exercise but I like around the clock best and know more great dogs who have learned it this way than any other. The core of it is to teach the dog to scent the whole pile in a methodical pattern than to go running out to grab something. You can see in that video of the full week 4 that there is no running through the pile. That is the goal.


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## Click-N-Treat

I've been really worried about how articles can go wrong. I'm glad what we've done is working so far. And from your video, I can see Javelin is getting it, too. I have to admit, I was a little worried seeing Liz rub her hands vigorously over the wrong choices. I thought Noelle would get confused. We both laughed when Noelle ran to the pile, got the right one, and came back to me in under a second.

Directed retrieve with the three gloves makes me very nervous. I have no idea where to even start. We haven't started the go out, either. Does Javelin do those things? Do you have any newbie suggestions?


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## lily cd re

Javelin knows all of the parts of directed jumping, but for some reason does not want to do full distance goes outs at the moment. Distance generally is a concern of his at the moment. He has rudimentary knowledge on gloves as well (take and hold as well as moving with the glove). I don't send him to take gloves right now since I am currently working on getting beautiful heads up pivots. Heads up attention is essential for directed retrieves. If you look back to posts in this thread from last summer I think there is a fair bit there on how to teach go out. One key is to start close and make sure the dog understands where to go before adding distance. Also don't couple the sit too soon or they will decide to sit automatically when they aren't supposed to sit until you give an order to do so. Don't teach them to go right to a stanchion either. The order to go out should mean go away from me briskly and in a straight line until I tell you to do something else.


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## Click-N-Treat

Thanks for helping me! You're right, they shouldn't be trained to seek a stanchion. I have seen judges send dogs in between stanchions for this reason. We'll work on go outs in small pieces. And we'll also work on the turn around sit completely separately. Noelle has pieces of these behaviors from the rally sign go to cone and sit. Perhaps I can build on those. 

So many pieces to the obedience puzzle. We'll build it one piece at a time.


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## Skylar

We’ve worked on gloves and she does well in a trail like setting when the gloves are far apart. We can pivot, mark and send. However in our proofing class they have been putting out 8 or more gloves about a foot away from each other in a line and we’re not doing so well with that. I haven’t practiced gloves so close at home. We’ve done this twice in class and I had to go close to each glove and cheerlead a return so she wouldn’t run to pick up nearby gloves. I bought some extra gloves to work on this home. One lab Was so excited he ran out and picked up several gloves before his owner could stop him. I know in trials some dogs do this. 

As for go outs, we’re just doing it from a few feet away now. I’m sending her to walls and kitchen cabinets as well as to the stanchions on folding gates which is what we are likely to see locally in a trial as well as the fancier heavy PVC Gates my other club uses.


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## lily cd re

Late last night I got a text from my trainer to let me know she had a cancellation late this afternoon for a private hour. I was happy to get it since my chances to say yes will shrink significantly once classes start on September 3rd. Since I knew I might not see her other than for our Thursday morning class after today I told her I wanted to do a beginner novice routine and to work on some things I have worked on with mixed results and that I needed an observer to clarify how to fix. Well wow did we work hard for that hour. Javelin is out cold and I might go to bed very soon too. I got a lot of good insight about how to make my criteria much clearer to him and Deb is very certain that if I apply the correction criteria we used today that Javelin will be much less confused about what he is supposed to do and have many fewer uncertain moments and be successful the first time every time in just a couple of weeks. We made substantial progress on fixing his go outs among other things. We will be entering to finish beginner novice at the end of September.


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## lily cd re

Here is one more video from last Saturday. OMG I have to walk straight since you can see we end up with him wide or crowding or some other out of position. I still struggle with giving him good cues for about truns too, but today in class we did a much better job on a regular heel pattern and the figure 8 with other sorts of distractions. It is the hard work of yesterday already paying off. Maybe I will make some more video of similar things tomorrow to show what yesterday did for us.


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## Click-N-Treat

I love his heeling. He's come a long way, hasn't he?


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## lily cd re

Click-N-Treat said:


> I love his heeling. He's come a long way, hasn't he?





Yes he has! I am so glad I haven't rushed into the ring with him.


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## lily cd re

I had my club pretty much to myself this morning. There are obedience and rally trials this weekend (we aren't entered, stewarding instead) and lots of people don't usually work their dogs the day before trials, hence the quiet. Therefore I did a fair amount with Javelin and made a couple of videos.


Here is some noodling for heeling. The main focus was to have him keep his head up, read my cues and particularly to keep his head up on the about turn.






I also worked on recalls where my shake up on stays/waits the other day has improved things nicely. The front is still rocky, but at least he isn't taking me out at the knees anymore.






Unfortunately most of the article pile is out of the frame here, but you can still see most of how he is working.


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## lily cd re

Javelin and I went out at about 8:00 this morning for an hour and a half ring rental time where we take our classes and private lessons. There was a passage of a nice strong cold front yesterday so I opened the doors at both ends of our working space for fresh air and the distraction of outdoor noises (as opposed to AC drone). We worked on a number of different things under our new regime of there are no optional exercises. We accomplished some good stuff along with me discovering I don't like the shoes I wore today. Here are the videos in evidence.


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## lily cd re

After we did our September workshop I did some regrouping with Javelin especially regarding distractions and review of fundamentals. I realize while he has great exercises and knows nearly all exercises for novice, open and utility he was having a hard time with getting through a routine. That bit us pretty hard at a trial at my own club in the last weekend of September when he up-stressed getting set up for the beginner novice sit for exam to the point that I asked to be excused.


I have decided I am not going to waste time on beginner novice training or trialing at the moment, but instead to focus on ring entries and exits along with exercise to exercise moments with judge pressure when I have someone to work with. This is challenging since I mostly train alone and when I have Javelin with me and there are people present they mostly wouldn't understand how to help with one or two exceptions.


I did teach him these fundamentals ages ago, but haven't kept up with training and refreshing them. Now that we are doing a lot of those "non-exercise" exercises Javelin is showing me that he really remembers them and I think being clearer on criteria for these things actually has made his actual exercises much better.


I have several rally trials coming up in the remainder of the year with Lily. We should finish off her 20 triple Qs. That is my immediate focus. Then I will polish up Javelin's novice and go back to trials with him in early 2020.


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## mashaphan

If you come to our Nov ring rental,we can work on this. There are many who attend who are more than willing to help!


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## lily cd re

Oh and I forgot to mention we finished the around the clock for articles. This is our 2nd week using the mat. It took a couple of rounds for him to figure that out, but we are making good progress now.


Martha I PM'd you about our November plans.


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## lily cd re

In October and November I did a lot of work with Lily getting triple Qs out of the way for rally. We got 5 of the 20 triples at trials between mid October and early December and as a result Javelin had a little holiday from intense training other than our Thursday class, Fridays at my club and some Saturday ring rentals. Sadly after that I had some horrible weird illness around Thanksgiving that knocked me out of the world for about a week and which has still left me with some level of intermittent vertigo that has shot the heck out of my part of heeling. Honestly we've only had about 2 or 3 good training sessions since turkey day.

We went to a match at a very nice place in New Jersey on Saturday. I took three ten minute sessions in each of the three rings that were set up. I mostly focused on ring entrances, dealings with distractions and staying connected as well as two rounds of heeling that weren't great because I was off balance and not holding my lines well. Javelin did a lot of work to adjust to my issues and did a nice job off leash. I also did some about turn work near the ring gate to another ring with a working dog for attention. We did articles and retrieve on the flat and novice recalls too. We will actually be at the same place next Sunday for a 10 team limit training party which should be very good for focus and ignoring distractions. We will also match at this same place at the end of each of the next several months to prepare for a poodle specialty (obedience and rally) in the same place the first weekend in April. If anyone here is interested in watching or entering it is Poodle Obedience Training Club of Greater New York on April 4th for AM/PM trials at Up Front Farm Dog Center near Allentown, NJ.

Tosay I got a private with my trainer and worked on gloves (utility) and pivots along with a little heeling so Deb could see what my footwork issues are like. I will be doing some relearning how to walk in straight lines and do turn footwork with no dogs for a while until I can get my balance back. Javvy was very excited to be out working in the last couple of days.


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## Click-N-Treat

Oh, I bet he was glad to be back! I'm sorry you're feeling off balance. Yes, practice the heeling pattern without your dog until you get how it feels. I often have to adjust my gait depending on how disability is throwing me off. Noelle does seem to do a good job of hanging in there. Glad to hear Javvy did such a good job of adjusting. 
Not that I'm surprised. He's a good boy with strong working drive.

I checked out the trial. Wish I lived closer. It sounds like fun.


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## lily cd re

Click that trial is fun. I get it that it would be a hike for you though. I will have to look to see if there is something close by to Up Front for that Sunday that might entice you to think it is worth the trip.

Javelin did a great job, but I don't want to introduce issues into heeling since it is a good exercise with just a couple of things to tweak, so until I can walk straight lines and get my part of doing turns back in order I will heel alone.


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## Skylar

Sorry to read that you are still suffering from your illness. Being dizzy and feeling off balance is not good. Is this going to put a damper on Rally with Lily?

I had a hamstring injury this fall and had to go for physical therapy. The physical therapist gave me some exercises for balance because I told her how I get dizzy sometimes in Rally (I think most people do when there’s too much circling). They were helpful. Basically I was training my brain to accept more head movement. Do you think something like this would help you?

Sadly our local poodle club only does conformation. Wish they had rally and obedience. What fun to trail surrounded by poodles. i hope you are back to feeling normal well before this trial.


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## lily cd re

Skylar I did rally at my club the first week in December at my own club. I did have a couple of times where I felt like I was going to trip over Lily on things like 360s and 270 turns, but made it through them, but that was right after the full bad illness week. She did well moving a little when I wasn't going straight and thankfully there wasn't any side by side spinning. I think rally will be just fine. My concern is to not install the idea that Javelin thinks he has to watch out for me while we are heeling. I have some PT colleagues whose offices are in my building and will ask one of them for some balance exercises. It sounds like a good idea.

We should be able to put it all in good order by April for that POTC trial.


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## BabetteH

Thanks so much for writing this up. It's really helpful!

What is the motivation for training open and utility exercises before trialing/titling novice? Would love to understand the pros and cons of this.

At what age did you start with longer training sessions? It looks like you do a private and a group lesson on the same day (same morning). We used to go to a 60 minutes class, and it was hard, for my pup but also for me. Usually I do just a few minutes max but multiple times a day.

Thanks for all the information about workshops and poodle specialties. I hope I'm not traveling in early April and can attend the specialty trials.

If you have time, I'd love to read your thoughts on trialing in Rally vs Obedience vs both.


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## lily cd re

With Lily I trained for novice, titled in novice then trained for open and titled in open. After that we trained for utility and by that time she had had some experiences that left her not confident for the away work in utility. She knows all of the exercises for utility but has never been able to hold it together to qualify them all in a trial. In the meantime I had also been doing rally with her so I decided that would be my focus with her. She likes rally since there aren't exercises that involve long distance away work and I can talk to her.

Most of the excellent handlers who I am lucky enough to work with train all their dogs all of the novice, open and utility exercises early on even if they aren't all perfect and trial ready. They then trial in novice and title. Once they have at least one novice leg they then whip the open into shape so they can move right on to trial there and then do the same with the transition from open to utility. This is my approach with Javelin and I think he is already much more confident for open and utility than Lily was. He knows everything at least in concept. I am currently working on getting his novice trial ready for that poodle specialty in April. We are going to matches at that trial site (went last week) and will be going there for a training party on Sunday this week. Then we will go back there for matches at the end of January-March so he will feel like that is almost like home. Even now though we are working on open and utility exercises even while prepping to trial novice.

Since I still work a real full time job (college professor) my training times and days are at a premium. I was saying to a friend today that if I didn't have to work Javelin would already be a UDX and working on an OTCh, but alas such is not my lot in life. I have to fit my training into my Thursday morning class (open and utility level), privates when I can get on the schedule since my trainer is in high demand, and rental time on Saturday where I take an hour and a half so I have some time to review rally things with Lily. Javelin is a happy warrior and as long as I don't drill him too much on any one exercise he will keep going as long as he gets short play breaks at intervals. Those long sessions I do with him are exhausting but productive.

Where are you usually going for classes? And where do you live? Tell me by a direct message if you don't want to give all of that information in the open. If you can easily get on the Long Island Railroad, my training club is very very close to the Deer Park station. In nice weather it actually is a longish walk from the LIRR. I teach thre on Fridays and have all levels of obedience on my schedule every week. Many weeks I also have rally run thrus at 1:00 PM (although for the next four weeks I am running a CGC class in that time slot.

Feel free to ask me anything at any time.


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## lily cd re

Javelin and I took training time at my private trainer's place this morning.

I did not do much with heeling since I still want to make sure my sense of balance doesn't go out of whack while moving with him so we worked on a bunch of things that are more static for me (but still let me pay attention to my body language and how different positions fell (pretty goo actually)).

We did retrieve on the flat for an opener. He loves to retrieve his dumb bell so I used that to motivate a flat retrieve. After that we did gloves. We don't do the pivot yet, but I do set him up facing the glove position I want him to go to and with him on a flexi attached to his flat bucle collar I make sure he is looking at me before I toss the glove into one of the three positions and make sure I give him a good signal and that he does a good mark to the glove. I then send him to it and call him to front as he turns with the glove. He doesn't always make it back to a nice front with the glove, but he is doing nice pick up and he does return with the glove. We will isolate the front with the glove at home to reinforce his picture of the end of the exercise.

Since we haven't done it in a while we then did the broad jump. This will be one of his best open exercises I think since he never has problems judging his take off. Here we also have to clean up his fronts, but he worked hard to get them today.

We then did some work on the retrieve over the high jump. He totally understands that he has to go out over the jump to make the retrieve, but if my throw has spin on it and the dumb bell lands out of lie with the jump he still think he can go around it to come back over the jump. I think there are two things to work on there. First I need to try to make sure my throws go straight as often as possible and Javelin has to understand that where the dumb bell lands shouldn't matter. I easily trained Lily to know that she had to get off to the side throws and return over the jump by throwing the dumb bell out to the sides, but don't think Javvy is ready for that proof yet.

Since we still had time, we then worked on go outs. The go outs were great so I decided I would see if he was ready to reconnect the jump to the go out, nope not today. Now I was running low on time so I decided to move on and worked on the open command discrimination where I am finally seeing some progress in getting Javvy to keep his attention on me instead of dropping his head when I leave him in the stand. He also is now letting me leave further to give the drop and sit signals/orders.

All in all we got a lot done and I am looking forward to going back down to New Jersey for a ten team limit training party tomorrow.


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## Click-N-Treat

That sounds like a productive day! Noelle also thinks if the dumbbell lands to the side of the jump she can go around it. Then again, she also thinks she is supposed to set the dumbbell down, jump over, and then come front. We have a long way to go for sure. I wish you good luck on your training party. I can't wait to hear more.


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## lily cd re

Yes, it took Javelin a while to figure out that he could take the jump while holding the dumb bell too! Have you tried sitting Noelle in front of the jump (lower than her normal jump height) and giving her the dumb bell telling wait and hold and then stepping over the jump and calling her over? That helped Javvy tremendously.


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## Skylar

We also have work to do with my tossing of the dumb bell and Babykin’s understanding that if you are sent to jump over the jump for a retrieve it means you jump back no matter where the dumb bell lands. Wish I was a better tosser. I did learn to step in or move to always encourage a return back over the jump while training.

Catherine did you teach a forced retrieve? I haven’t but most people where I train do..... a gentle one, not the old fashioned painful one.


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## lily cd re

Yes, I so wish I was a more consistent thrower, but I am not the worst I've seen. I know one or two people who let go at just the wrong time and send their dumb bell up towards the ceiling. My problem is throwing curves.


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## Skylar

Haha I started as someone who threw to the ceiling and was shown how to hold and release it. The darn dumb bell bounces so no matter how perfect you throw that bounce adds uncertainty.


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## lily cd re

It is interesting to me that some people make very consistently great throws no matter what the flooring is like and no matter what kind of dumb bell they have. I am not one of those folks!


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## Click-N-Treat

I practice throwing my dumbbell into a hula hoop so I can get a feel for how to throw it. The trick to it is looking where you want it to land, or at least where you want it to take the first bounce. And yes, I have practiced calling Noelle over a tiny jump with the dumbbell. She is getting better. Not great at it, but better.


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## Skylar

Click. That’s brilliant practicing throwing it through a hoop. Okay. I have to buy a hoop.


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## Click-N-Treat

The hula hoop is flat on the ground and I have to get the dumbbell to land within the circle. I'm getting better at it. My trainer insisted I practice dumbbell throwing after face palming a thousand times and shaking his head. Dave is a riot! I'm the only student who signed up for his open class. I get a private lesson once a week. Dave trains basset hounds, so he has lots of patience. Lots and lots of patience.


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## Skylar

Click-N-Treat said:


> The hula hoop is flat on the ground and I have to get the dumbbell to land within the circle. I'm getting better at it. My trainer insisted I practice dumbbell throwing after face palming a thousand times and shaking his head. Dave is a riot! I'm the only student who signed up for his open class. I get a private lesson once a week. Dave trains basset hounds, so he has lots of patience. Lots and lots of patience.


 I‘m glad you explained, haha. I was thinking where Nd how I was going to hang a hula hoop up so I could toss the dumb bell through it. Makes sense it’s a target on the floor.

You‘re also lucky to be the only student in your open class. Mine varies but not unusual to have 12 people. There’s less people in the utility class that follows. Being the only one means you can concentrate on what you and Noelle need.


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## lily cd re

Wow I really wish I never had to go to work again. Our winter break ends on Tuesday the 21st and of course that will restrict our training opportunities.

In the past two weeks or so, Javelin and I have been to New Jersey twice to a location where we will trial in April. We also had private lessons twice in each of the last two weeks and took our regular Thursday morning class, worked at my own club and rented my trainer's ring each of the three Saturdays of the past three weeks. Phew!

I have worked on so many things it is hard to remember, but highlights include:
1. in New Jersey: working ring entrances and focus with other dogs working nearby; heeling on and off lead, figure 8s; articles; broad jump, retrieve on the flat and gloves.
2. in our private lessons: open command discrimination; gloves; pivots; ring entries; articles; novice stand for exam; judge pressure; heeling; go outs; recalls; fronts and finishes; exercise to exercise attention and movement......plus
3. in our class: focus, focus, focus; heeling and figure eights; broad jump; articles; novice stand for exam; ring entries
4. at my club: ring entrances; heeling with heavy judge pressure; retrieve on flat; gloves; novice recalls; exercise to exercise focus

I have to give Javelin a lot of credit for working hard and having fun at the same time. He is definitely a dog with a waggly tail when we are training. If I could do that much work every week we would be in open or utility by now. If my mortgage would just disappear I would be all good to retire. So sad...


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## Click-N-Treat

That sounds like some fantastic practice. I'm really happy you have such a focused and willing partner. And, yes, it's a bummer that bill paying reality gets in the way. As you are approaching your next trial, what's your biggest concern for Javvy? Judge pressure? A strange dog wandering too close to the ring gate corner on an about turn? Every dog we train is different. Learning what distracts one dog, and how the trainer works through it, helps me train Noelle better.


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## lily cd re

Judge and steward pressure are my biggest issues. He has improved drastically in terms of ignoring things the next ring over but I still have concerns about people in the ring with us. He was actually very concerns about Deb on Monday which was very odd since he knows her very well and he likes and respects her (but maybe that was why he was attentive to her...). I don't think location will be a problem since we will be back at the April trial site ar least two or three more times before the event.


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## lily cd re

I haven't kept up, have I? We did make tons of progress on the last couple of exercises that Javelin really didn't understand since January. He will now make a dead glove retrieve and rarely goes to the wrong glove. His attention for pivots needs a lot of work both for the glove and for scent articles so I am currently working on pivots in isolation and we are starting to see progress. I am also starting to get distance into the open command discrimination A order exercise.

I am planning to attend a poodles only AM/PM set of obedience and rally trials in April for novice obedience with Javelin and rally master for Lily. To prepare Javelin I have been at matches at the trial site with him. We practiced attentive ring entrances this past Saturday, along with ring choreography (getting from exercise to exercise without losing the dog). He did relly well, especially with ring entrances. He started on one practice ring to go loosey goosey getting from place to place off leash but since it is practice not trial I collected him (hands on his collar) pretty quickly and gave him a meaningful correction and he stuck with me for all the other off leash work the rest of the day. He did a nice novice routine (with a short distance recall because he had crashed into my knees at class last Thursday). We took time in the three available rings (one each for novice, open and utility). I didn't do routines for utility or open but instead worked on ring entrances and other similar success between exercises work for the most part. For open we did heeling and figure 8, plus retrieve on the flat and command discrimination and for utility we just did heeling and articles.

I was really proud of how well collected and unphased by all of the busyness at the match (three rings and tight room to move around) this weekend. I have one more chance to go to this place before the trials so I think I can finally say I think Javelin is to make his first big stop along the ring ready road towards what hopefully will be many Qs and lots of titles to add to his name.


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## Click-N-Treat

Yeah. That's what I wanted to hear. Keeping his head together during a busy match like that is a real accomplishment. I struggle, still, in all the corners where Dog TV switches on and Noelle just gets interested in everything else except what we are doing. 

Funny that you are working on the pivots. Noelle and I just added the pivot for the scent articles. Do you send directly, or after a sit? And what's the advantage of either one? I send directly, which is a right turn and cue simultaneously. It seems to give Noelle some momentum and gets her charging towards the pile. 

I am so rooting for you both at your upcoming trial. You know that. I can't wait to hear how it goes. Onward!


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## lily cd re

For Lily I sent her directly to the pile since she had poor position if I did turn and sit. I also do think it motivated her to get to the pile and work it. For Javelin at the moment I am doing turn and sit since he is just coming out of a wild hairy ape man thing with articles (which are far and away his favorite exercise). He was running full steam to the pile and were not that he is still on the tie down map he would have been blowing the pile apart. He was deciding the exercise was more like a retrieve with a grab and go. Toning down getting him out there by sitting him before sending and putting him on a flexi has toned all of that down. Of course then he was slow to return but running away to get him running after me to give me the great thing he found has helped fix that up. Oddly enough when i was new in obedience with Lily I read the rule book for all levels and thought utility didn't sound all that hard. Wow was I wrong. Each exercise has so many little parts to it that it always feels like you fix one thing and break another in the process of fixing the first thing.


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## Click-N-Treat

Funny that Javelin goes bonkers for the pile. Noelle tiptoes through the pile and carefully selects the right dumbbell. However, Noelle turns into a wild prey stalking monster when she gets the glove. Run to the correct glove. Pick it up. Shake to make good and sure it is dead. Turn, sprint back to front. Smooth delivery to my hand. Her enthusiasm for the gloves is incredibly high. Glove killing is .5 points off. Thank goodness it's not an NQ or I'd be screwed. I'm gonna look into getting some Just Right Gloves. Maybe those will be less flappy. The gloves I have are flappy and Noelle just goes bananas with them.

It's always something. Always.


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## lily cd re

You will really like the Just Right Gloves. They don't flop around and tend to be easier to pick up. Get the flannel fleece ones.


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## Click-N-Treat

Ok. We're getting a size small. The floppy gloves she has now are just too toy like and she murders them 90% of the time. I don't want to dampen her enthusiasm for grabbing the glove off the floor and running with it back to me. She really likes this exercise. A stiffer glove will help a lot I think.


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## lily cd re

Well Javelin and I got pushed of the road just as Lily and I did because of the virus. We had no place we could go to train for most of March and early April. My trainer and the building owner where I take private lessons have allowed private rental since mid April and I have been there many Saturdays working on my own. It was better than nothing, but pretty sterile and hard to fix things without being able to do classes and privates with Deb. Deb decided to come back to doing only privates in late April and since not everyone wanted to come back she has now been able to put us in her regular schedule on Thursday mornings (as opposed to me relying on catching cancellations). I am really happy for that but do miss having weekly classes where we had distractions of other people and dogs. Now that trials are starting again Ihad been thinking of entering Javelin in novice for the same trials that Lily and I will be doing rally in next week. I was really stuck on the fence on how to manage showing both of them with all of the new protocols on crates and getting out of the building after your class was done. It seemed like I would have to go in the morning with Javelin, show him, take him home and get Lily and then go back. Managing all of that sounded exhausting, stressful and not a good plan for succeeding with either of them. I talked it over with BF and with Deb and decided to only show Lily until we finish the RACh. I am using the time to clean up things that would eat points with him so I am taking a number of exercises apart to polish them up to perfection. Hopefully once Lily becomes RACh Lily I will have his work all put back together and can just go quickly through novice, open and utility and then get onto UDX and OTCh work.

The strategy I am using is something Deb is having great success with in her training with her young dog that we call back chaining. So for example there is a utility exercise called the directed retrieve. Dog and handler face the front of the ring with the dog at heel. As you are witing there a steward puts out three gloves along the back edge of the ring in each corner and at the center right behind you (distance is really about 20' from you to the glove). The glove positions are referred to as 1, 2 and 3. Once the steward is out of the way the judge orders to retrieve a specific glove and you pivot to face that glove and with a signal and an order send the dog to retrieve it. They should make a clean pick up, tight turn and return with the glove directly to front. You then take the glove and send the dog back to heel. There are a lot of moving parts to the whole thing and each little part can break badly enough to be an NQ (dog anticipates, gets wrong glove, tries to kill the glove, doesn't return to front, doesn't let you take the glove, fails to finish...). Javelin loves his gloves so much that he is prone to steal them if I leave them out. He wants to play with them like toys (and he doesn't play with toys) so his fronts are haphazard and his pick ups involve pouncing on the glove before the pick up and shaking it like a dead critter on a looping return to front. We have worked on his impulse control at the pivot and now we are working on his behavior at the pick up along with getting him to return directly to front. We put out a runway to direct him to a nice front and started with him standing facing me with the glove. Now I am working on teaching him to be at the pick up locations facing away from me so I can have him stand with the glove and facing away. That will then get connected to the pivot and send to have a clean exercise front judges' orders all the way through to judges' exercise finished.

I made some videos of several things we worked on today. We had a very good session including some really beautiful heeling where I actually kept to straight lines and didn't interfere with him unfortunately didn't record, but here are links to much of the other stuff we did today.

Go outs: 




Open command discrimination: 




Retrieve over the high jump: 




Directed retrieve back chain work: 



 and


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## PeggyTheParti

Soooo cool getting to watch your process. How long can Javelin work like that without needed a break?


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## lily cd re

PeggyTheParti said:


> Soooo cool getting to watch your process. How long can Javelin work like that without needed a break?


On those days like today when I rent that space I use an hour and a half. Some of that goes to moving things around and getting organized for the next session. A couple of those videos are about 9 minutes so generally I will work on one activity for up to about ten minutes before I move on. So he is left on a settle between each different thing we do and those are his primary breaks. I generally try to get a really good execution to end a particular activity, but if he does three good reps in a row I generally stop and go to something else more quickly. If I see him looking worried or disinterested I either go on to something I know he really likes (anything having to do with jumps) or if he really is ready to check out I pull out his tug toy. It isn't obvious but I really watch his tail to read him. He was really pretty happy all the way through today, so no tug time. He was actively doing something for about an hour of the hour and a half today, but there are days like last week where I had no business trying to teach him anything since I was very tired and hot since we still didn't have power where we only actually worked together for about 30-40 minutes total when I got mad, apologized to him and stopped. Sometimes I have Lily along too and will have to bring her more now that we are starting back to trials. With her there is little to teach and what I do with her is choose rally signs of a similar theme (every version of signs with jumps for example) and do each of those tricks twice and then we are done. She is a good distraction for Javvy and the same the other way around.


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## PeggyTheParti

Amazing focus—both of you!—which I know you've worked hard for. Love that you're so tuned into him, you can sense when he needs your foot to come off the pedal a bit.


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## lily cd re

I've been busy since early September adjusting to yet another remote learning style with lots of Zoom meetings and so we have slacked off a bit, but still working. Yesterday I only had two people come for my novice class. Normally I don't bring Javelin (or Lily) out during class since the class is for me to be helping my teams more than training my dogs. I asked the two humans (both good friends) if they would mind if I brought Javelin into the ring for the class and they said no so we had a class of 3. Since most of my training has been pretty sterile (no other dogs aside from Lily and once a week my trainer's dogs hanging out) I was a little concerned about how Javelin would do. He flirted a little bit with a very pretty parti spoo and he got distracted by my other friend's very up energy 15 month old wheaten male, but mostly he was really really good. His heeling and figure 8 were really nice. Stand for exam took a couple of tries since my assistant who he knows super well was the "judge." He did well with recall, the sit stay get your leash and the groups. I was pleased. And since dogs aren't robots today when I took both poodles to rent some training time he was just a mess. I got pretty annoyed. About the only thing that went well was some warm up heeling. Oiy.


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## lily cd re

A Temporary Wrench in the Works...

About 2 weeks ago Javelin was showing signs of what seemed like an allergy. Clear runny mucus and a lot of sneezing, but he otherwise seemed fine. Last week in the middle of the week the mucus became very thick and cloudy and colored. He still seemed fine so I took him to our regular private training where he struggled with the scent articles and now was snorting like he was trying to clear his nose during the session so we stopped a bit early and I called to make a vet appointment for him at the earliest possible time which was late in the day a week ago. He came home with a 10 round of doxycycline and a diagnosis of upper respiratory infection. 

He has improved but is still having the runny nose issues (mucus cleared up though). He seemed enthusiastic to go out to our training yesterday so we went. Well now it seemed like anytime he put his head up to heel or to set up for an exercise he was having bad post nasal dripping or something along those lines so we stopped very soon after we started with one round of open command discrimination that does not require more than just normal posture attention and no movement to finish with something happy. I did not take him to my club today, nor will I train with him tomorrow. We are going back to the vet again today and this time I will ask them to do a culture.

It is very important for the training we do to be a happy happy joy joy experience. He loves to heel (and really to do many many different exercises). Deb and I agree that he should not work more in any formal way until this is totally cleared up. We don't want to poison his love for the work. I hope for others who train for sports that you will be careful to watch the physical health of your partners so that they can get better without getting put off from the sport by having stress related to health.


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## PeggyTheParti

Poor Javelin! Was it here that I read about a poodle with a blade of grass or foxtail stuck up his nose? I recall that it took ages to diagnose. Hope this isn't the case for Javelin and that he's back to loving life in the ring with you soon.


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## lily cd re

Yes that piece of plant matter up the nose was on PF. I don't think that is what is going on. We did not see the vet who first looked at this last week, but since I really didn't think he was better enough so to speak (and doc from last week didn't have an available appointment until Tuesday) I took an appointment with whoever I could get for today. This Dr. upped his doxycycline dose from last week and added clavamox to cover potential Gram positives in the mix. Needless to say as hard as the Dr. tried Javelin wouldn't do any of the little hacks, snorts, sneezes or anything. I hope he will improve significantly over the weekend. BF will have to give morning meds on Sunday since Lily and I will be at rally trials in New Jersey.


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## PeggyTheParti

Good luck in New Jersey! It sounds like Javelin will be in good hands.


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## Skylar

Poor Javvy - I hope this takes care of it quickly. With all those antibiotics, it could affect his digestive tract.

Wise to take a break from training until he is not feeling well.


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## lily cd re

PeggyTheParti said:


> Good luck in New Jersey! It sounds like Javelin will be in good hands.



I hope I can find Velveeta slices tomorrow! I use up the last I had this morning, but I had Kraft white American slices. They are not as pliable as the Velveeta and it was crumblier as a pill pocket and he dropped one so I just dropped it in the back of his throat and he swallowed. Then I tried to get him to eat the chewable clavamox tablet and he wanted nothing to do with chewing it, so I really need that Velveeta (or a brand really very similar if someone has a recommendation), otherwise things may be pretty ugly between BF and Javvy on Sunday morning. BF is just not so artful at giving pills as I am.


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## FloofyPoodle

lily cd re said:


> I hope I can find Velveeta slices tomorrow! I use up the last I had this morning, but I had Kraft white American slices. They are not as pliable as the Velveeta and it was crumblier as a pill pocket and he dropped one so I just dropped it in the back of his throat and he swallowed. Then I tried to get him to eat the chewable clavamox tablet and he wanted nothing to do with chewing it, so I really need that Velveeta (or a brand really very similar if someone has a recommendation), otherwise things may be pretty ugly between BF and Javvy on Sunday morning. BF is just not so artful at giving pills as I am.


I know some stores might have off-brand Velveeta cheeses, so maybe that would work? Costco maybe?


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## lily cd re

Oh yes maybe Costco. I was planning to go there tomorrow anyway. Thanks Floofy.


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## PeggyTheParti

String cheese is also pretty good for rolling into little balls and other shapes. Just warm it up a bit in your hand. The smell and flavour might not be strong enough, though.

My technique is to make five little balls, and number three contains the pill. I feed them rapidly, one after another.


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## Asta's Mom

I keep medicines in my treat box - Asta figures that he is getting a treat cause in comes it
from the box. I also have used butter balls that he loves - just take the meds and wrap the butter around them.


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## lily cd re

Claire I have a neighbor whose dog takes her synthroid in a butter ball. That might be a good try. Peggy I usually use cheddar cheese sticks broken into bits for training. I can try it in place of string cheese. Since his sense of smell is off I don't think string cheese would be appealing enough but well worth keeping in mind.


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## lily cd re

Butter balls worked for this morning. I still need to food shop today so will be on my Velveeta quest since I think that will be easier for both BF and Javelin tomorrow morning.

As an aside I plan to do some stock pile shopping (not hoarding mind you) but a bit extra so I don't have to go to super (spreader potential) markets. Everyone wheres masks around here since you can't get into the store without one, but they often pull them off their noses when they are off in the aisles and back corners. Yuck.


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## lily cd re

I was able to get a smallish brick of Velveeta at my supermarket today in my big trip to the regular food store and Costco. I filled my downstairs freezer with plenty of meat for the dogs and for us. I also got a lot of frozen steam in the bag veggies, milk, bread and so forth. I think I will only need to go in for fresh produce and milk until all the way up against Thanksgiving. The total bill was about $750 and it has been exhausting, but I feel very good about not having to go out much while the fall COVID surge starts.


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## lily cd re

Well guess what? Javelin didn't eat the morning clavamox. BF crushed it and mixed it into a big blob of Velveeta. He saw Javelin investigating it and walked away. I found the uneaten stuff in Javvy's breakfast bowl at 3:30 when Lily and I got home from our NJ trials.


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## PeggyTheParti

Argh! Does he do better when it's not crushed? I imagine a crushed pill is very bitter.


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## lily cd re

The doxycyclline is bitter I think since I had cut a few of them in half for the initial dose and accidentally got a tiny bit in my mouth and even just that tiny shard was awful. Now he is taking two whole ones at a time instead of the 1.5 and they are small so BF didn't crush them. He did eat that cheese pocket. The problem arose when BF (reasonably enough) decided he would crush up the edible clavamox (so can't taste that bad, right?) and mashed it into the cheese. I don't think he really thought out the idea that if Javelin wasn't going to eat it as a chewable he was not likely to eat it crushed into a piece of cheese. Add onto that that he had seen him eat the doxy that way so he didn't stay to watch him eat the clavamox and it didn't get into him at all. It had been sitting in his bowl for about 6 hours by the time I got home so I just threw it away.

He does finally really seem much better, so hopefully that one missed dose won't be a problem. I want him to get back to work and he does too.


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## Carolinek

Hope Javvy is still on the mend. It sounds like you had quite a road with him.


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## lily cd re

Carolinek, thanks for your good wishes for my sweet boy. He has had a couple of punk weeks, but I have no doubts that he is nearly back to happy warrior status.


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## lily cd re

Well it has been longer than I thought since I posted here. I guess it goes to show that COVID shut the road for a while. In some ways that is really a drage, but in other ways it has been a gift of sorts. Obviously there was a period of complete shut down for all formal training opportunities as for trials and even matches (which are still sparse). Once things opened back up again though my trainer decided not to hold classes so our Thursday morning class has turned into a Thursday morning private lesson. This is good and bad. I wish we had more chances to work with other dogs around, but am super happy for having Deb's one on one attention.

We have worked on improving (significantly) Javelin's focus and attention for me at ring entries and in moving through routines from exercise to exercise. We also worked through teaching all exercises through utility with the exceptions of the open drop on recall and the utility heel to stand and signals. We have those exercises understood in component parts but won't put them together until after titling in novice.

By using Javelin as a demo dog and an additional dog for novice group stays we have been able to significantly decrease reactivity that quietly took hold during the shut down. He also has gotten lots better at ignoring people unless I give permission to interact. But he still has some issues about being touched by people he doesn't know that we need to get in order.

During fall 2021 we worked on getting his beginner novice routine ring worthy. Deb felt and I agreed that it made sense to try to get back into trialing by getting a final needed BN leg to finish that title. I entered a trial for BN with him in November. His heeling and figure 8 were lovely. He was focused and stuck to the program. Things fell apart though when we got to the sit for exam. He showed resentment when the judge approached and she justifiably excused us after he was inappropriate on her 2nd attempt to approach. I wish I had asked her to let us go to the next exercise after he failed for her first approach, but I didn't think to do so and the routine ended there. My approach to fixing this is two-fold. First we are working with as many different people and places to have him succeed at this exercise and I do see improvements. On another front Deb and I talked about taking him into Rally for an intermediate title. It is all on leash and it has been easy to teach him the needed tricks for the signs we could find on an RI course. It might not be beautiful, but it will get us to trils and into a ring with a judge but no touching. Our first RI trial is this Friday evening. The judge is fine and he knows the place because I have been taking him there almost every Tuesday morning since November. Deb is usually there in the ring next to us so he has had lots of practice at not being distracted. He knows her and knows her dog. Ignoring them has been a real training opportunity. Hopefully he will hold his head together to Q. Even better would be to not be at the bottom of the class.


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## Starla

“First we are working with as many different people and places to have him succeed at this exercise and I do see improvements.”

I don’t want to derail, but can you expand a bit on how you work on this? Phoebe is loathe to have strangers touch her. Honestly it doesn’t bother me too much except it’s a bit embarrassing (which is my problem, not hers!) and I don’t want her to be too stressed when others do need to handle her, say at the vet. Her reaction is just to jump back out of reach, and I haven’t worked on it much so I’m curious to learn different techniques.


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## Phaz23

Starla said:


> “First we are working with as many different people and places to have him succeed at this exercise and I do see improvements.”
> 
> I don’t want to derail, but can you expand a bit on how you work on this? Phoebe is loathe to have strangers touch her. Honestly it doesn’t bother me too much except it’s a bit embarrassing (which is my problem, not hers!) and I don’t want her to be too stressed when others do need to handle her, say at the vet. Her reaction is just to jump back out of reach, and I haven’t worked on it much so I’m curious to learn different techniques.


I feel the same way with Tekno. He is friendly to strangers and loves kids but will run back to me if an adult gets handsy (he’s usually fine with children petting). He really doesn’t want to be pet, he just wants to visit them and wag his tail.


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## Skylar

Good luck Catherine. Shame that there’s not a lot of matches around. My club has them but it’s not the same as it used to be. It’s by appointment and only you and the dog are in the building. There’s no crowd of people and dogs hanging around the ring so you miss all those distractions.


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## Liz

Phaz23 said:


> He really doesn’t want to be pet, he just wants to visit them and wag his tail.


That's how Mia is, too. Some of my neighbors find her unfriendly because she stands just outside of arm's reach, cheerfully looks them in the eyes, and rapidly wags her tail in greeting. Only with people she loves deeply does she rub against their legs to say hello.


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## lily cd re

I am happy to expand on this since it is an important behavior for life skills in addition to performance sport. This is still a work in progress, but the key point is that I can see definite progress. Deb taught me a game we call focus forwrd. She as found it really helpful for her current working dog. Remember she has Pomeranians so vdery small dogs. I have always thought that obedience sit and stand for exams are hard for tiny dogs because we look like giants looming over them. So the trick is to give the dog something to pay attention to other than the examiner. We teach focus to a treat on a target to replace paying attention to the examiner.

1. Load the mark of the target. You put the target a leash length away and put an ovious treat on it. Have the dog on leash at heel look at you and then direct their attention to the target/treat. They have to look at you first, then you point at the target and give a marker word. Stand up strainght again and put your pointer hand (left) at your side. Repeat this until the dog holds the mark on the target whiile you put yourself upright and put your hand down. Once the dog marks and holds then give them a release (just verbal no signal) to the treat. Repeat with low distractions until well set.

2. Practice the next level in a low distraction environment while you start as in 1. You will move to the side, toward the target and behind the dog as the dog generalizes marking the target. Your goal is to have the mark to target hold solidly while you move around in different directions, longer distances and for longer duration. Make sure you use the same get it release word(s) at all stages.

3. Practice the next level with another person present. First just have the person stay still out beyond the target. Once the dog ignores that person without fail they can move to different positions beyond the target. Then you can have the person walk a path from their start point along a line parallel to you and dog from their start point near target. If the dog ignores the person as they pass release to the target.

4. Now with a 2nd person have them curve towards the dog while the dog holds the mark to the target. They should have quiet hands at this point. Release to target as they pass closer. Once the dog ignores the approach the person can slow down as they pass, put their hand out as they pass and eventually stop and put their hand behind then on the back of the dog's head. Still make sure you don't send the dog to the target if they break the mark.

Once you have gotten through those steps so they are really consistent then you can become a substitute for the target. You will go out and stand just behind the target and tell the dog they can get the treat (same marker). As this improves you will stand straddling the target and eventually get rid of the target entirely. At this point you are now the target of focus for the dog. 

Don't skip or rush steps. Go back to the last successful step if needed along the way. Use as many different people as you can but be careful who you use. You need someone experienced enough and trustworthy enough to do exactly what you ask of them. I know a very excellent trainer who is always full of ideas about how to vary this process. She is also trustworthy enough that if I ask her to stick with my exact instructions she will do so. I also have Deb (who taught it to us), another friend who has watched me do it with the excellent trainer and once she is back in regular operation I will have my assistant from my club who has also trained with Deb and even if she hasn't done that game willlisten to and follow the instructions.

Ask if you don't understand a step. Hopefully I haven't left anything out.


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## lily cd re

Skylar I am taking Javelin to NJ next weekend weather permitting. It remains just about the only "real life style" match I can get to, but thankfully it is a place I am happy to trial at, only once a month though...


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## Starla

Thank you!!


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## Phaz23

lily cd re said:


> I am happy to expand on this since it is an important behavior for life skills in addition to performance sport. This is still a work in progress, but the key point is that I can see definite progress. Deb taught me a game we call focus forwrd. She as found it really helpful for her current working dog. Remember she has Pomeranians so vdery small dogs. I have always thought that obedience sit and stand for exams are hard for tiny dogs because we look like giants looming over them. So the trick is to give the dog something to pay attention to other than the examiner. We teach focus to a treat on a target to replace paying attention to the examiner.
> 
> 1. Load the mark of the target. You put the target a leash length away and put an ovious treat on it. Have the dog on leash at heel look at you and then direct their attention to the target/treat. They have to look at you first, then you point at the target and give a marker word. Stand up strainght again and put your pointer hand (left) at your side. Repeat this until the dog holds the mark on the target whiile you put yourself upright and put your hand down. Once the dog marks and holds then give them a release (just verbal no signal) to the treat. Repeat with low distractions until well set.
> 
> 2. Practice the next level in a low distraction environment while you start as in 1. You will move to the side, toward the target and behind the dog as the dog generalizes marking the target. Your goal is to have the mark to target hold solidly while you move around in different directions, longer distances and for longer duration. Make sure you use the same get it release word(s) at all stages.
> 
> 3. Practice the next level with another person present. First just have the person stay still out beyond the target. Once the dog ignores that person without fail they can move to different positions beyond the target. Then you can have the person walk a path from their start point along a line parallel to you and dog from their start point near target. If the dog ignores the person as they pass release to the target.
> 
> 4. Now with a 2nd person have them curve towards the dog while the dog holds the mark to the target. They should have quiet hands at this point. Release to target as they pass closer. Once the dog ignores the approach the person can slow down as they pass, put their hand out as they pass and eventually stop and put their hand behind then on the back of the dog's head. Still make sure you don't send the dog to the target if they break the mark.
> 
> Once you have gotten through those steps so they are really consistent then you can become a substitute for the target. You will go out and stand just behind the target and tell the dog they can get the treat (same marker). As this improves you will stand straddling the target and eventually get rid of the target entirely. At this point you are now the target of focus for the dog.
> 
> Don't skip or rush steps. Go back to the last successful step if needed along the way. Use as many different people as you can but be careful who you use. You need someone experienced enough and trustworthy enough to do exactly what you ask of them. I know a very excellent trainer who is always full of ideas about how to vary this process. She is also trustworthy enough that if I ask her to stick with my exact instructions she will do so. I also have Deb (who taught it to us), another friend who has watched me do it with the excellent trainer and once she is back in regular operation I will have my assistant from my club who has also trained with Deb and even if she hasn't done that game willlisten to and follow the instructions.
> 
> Ask if you don't understand a step. Hopefully I haven't left anything out.


oh cool this is like IPO contact heeling training in a way. I'll try it out


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## 94Magna_Tom

What does it mean to have your dog "mark the target"?


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## lily cd re

Okay that does need an explanation, especially if one's mental picture goes to pee marking somehow (and understandably). Think of it as being sort of like when a pointing dog indicates a bird. In this case we have a target (like a small plate) with a treat (for Javvy a piece of cheese) on it. We set up about 6 feet from the target and get the dog to give to the handler attention while at heel. To mark the target the handler points towards it and gives an order (look, mark, whatever word you've chosen. The dog now shifts its attention to the target. They have to hold that attention to the target as the mark. In addition to this game as a way to help the dog learn to ignore distractions it is used for utility go outs and directed retrieves. You mark the dog to the go out before you send and also mark the correct object for the retrieve.


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## 94Magna_Tom

lily cd re said:


> Okay that does need an explanation, especially if one's mental picture goes to pee marking somehow (and understandably). Think of it as being sort of like when a pointing dog indicates a bird. In this case we have a target (like a small plate) with a treat (for Javvy a piece of cheese) on it. We set up about 6 feet from the target and get the dog to give to the handler attention while at heel. To mark the target the handler points towards it and gives an order (look, mark, whatever word you've chosen. The dog now shifts its attention to the target. They have to hold that attention to the target as the mark. In addition to this game as a way to help the dog learn to ignore distractions it is used for utility go outs and directed retrieves. You mark the dog to the go out before you send and also mark the correct object for the retrieve.


Thank you Catherine. I kind of had that in my head but wasn't sure.


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## lily cd re

Javelin and I had our last training before tomorrow night's Ri trial this morning. Deb put out a course with all signs that could appear in RI excluding a jump. We worked on getting into the ring as set up at the start sign. He has been barking there recently so we emphasized being quiet when the judge asked "are you ready?" I tried different responses including ready, yes and just nodding my head. It looks like if I am quiet he will also be quiet. This is just a minor miscellaneous deduction if he does bark, but I'd prefer not to give away points on something like this. 

I see just one or two signs that could be problems. They all have a common element which is that the dog sits and waits while the handler moves such as sitting while I take a step to the right. Dog waits to be called to sit at heel. I can use those as warm up games tomorrow if those kinds of signs are in the course.

We also did heavy but not impossible proofing for general noise as well as things we could hear during our run such as people warming up dogs in the building who are telling their dogs to sit or drop. The next person for a lesson came in while we worked as well. She opened and closed doors, spoke to Deb. Brought her dogs in to put them in crates, etc. 

Ovderall both Deb and Lisa were really thrilled with how he did (as was I). He did a really great job with most of the noises. At worst he disconnected a couple of times but got right back onto attention to me with a light order to pick his head up or on hearing his name. I also went over my plan for getting set up and warmed up tomorrow. Happily we should have plenty of time before the RI walk thru and most of the Master, Excellent and Advanced people and dogs should be gone or leaving by the time we walk the course. We are also the last of five dogs in the class which should work well for us. I will be happy for any Q score but would like to see him show that he can be a great worker. The most important parks of that will be getting to the start line and out of the ring at the end with no silliness.


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## 94Magna_Tom

Best of luck to you and Javelin!


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## Skylar

Good luck


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## mashaphan

How did it go? 
Our class does a similar 'thing" on the stand/sit for exam in that we place 2-3 treats about a foot in front. but don't "mark" with words (dogs seem to concentrate anyway) .Go to end of lead, and now Jess has me get Otter to look up at me instead of the treat, both when I am in front and when I return. She also has us do a 'tap and release" before dogs can get the treats. (boy, this IS hard to explain)Otter's issue is more that he is so food focused that he is more likely to "snap" at judge's approach 'cause he thinks everyone has food for him! MY problem is that I am coming from the late 60's, early 70's training era, and my mama always said "If you aren't going to win, don't bother to play"

Matches are tough to find, but now my club has formed a committee to hold one before every trail, and the local kennel club always has one in March at our building, That may help a bit.

Hoping to hear results soon!


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## lily cd re

Well last night was hugely challenging. I was exhausted and aggravated when I got home afterwards. There were good things and there were some insane things. First the good. Javelin paid great attention when settled on his mat. He paid attention at heel for some warmup time. He had a super hard time chilling in his crate even thogh I had it covered and sat right next to him. He barked reactively several times. It is something we will just need to work through, however it was hard to do any training since one of the people on the trial committee is a witch and a generally miserable one at that. Definitely not a Glenda the good type and she is mean and rude to many of us, but I feel like one of her special targets. She screamed at me from across the room several times and tried to kick us out of the crating area while we were the on deck team. As one of my friends said she could actually catch some flies if she could be generous enough to help people who were facing challenges as green handlers or people with green dogs. Despite the embarrassing and horrid experience for me I did learn some things to help support my young man better the next time.

Also by some small miracle even though we NQd based on too many tight leashes (from my stress) Javelin actually did essentially correct performances of every station on the course. The judge and I tlaked after our run and she had nice things to say about how he did. I also had her ear for how badly abused and upset I felt when I was in her ring. She was very kind to spend the time that she did offer me. We will take our lessons about how to handle his issues with the crate and waiting to run and work to make next time better. We can do this.


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## Sroodle8

First, good for you and Javelin! So tough to get a young dog accustomed to competition.

Second, how awful that you were screamed at! Why are there so many nasty people in dog clubs? I mean, it's a club for people that like dogs, why the power trips and egos? (deleted a paragraph ranting on) 

OK, anyway, hooray for getting him in the ring and having a kind judge.


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## lily cd re

@Sroodle8 yeah I don't get why the mean and ultra snobby folks are so attracted to dog clubs. I belong to a couple of obedience and other sports focused clubs and have some nice friends in each of them, but wow some of the people are just astounding in the depths 0f their psychopathology, many of them worsened by COVID life.

Javelin is a good boy but his social skills in busy situations have suffered during the pandemic but now it is time to get him out in the world again. Now that Lily is clsing in on finishing the RACh after which she can be a couch queen if she wants I need him to step up and be my dance partner. He is trained through utility obedience and I can see he will be an outstanding worker in both obedience and in rally. He loves to heel and seems to think I can do no wrong (silly boy). Go outs make him laugh and scent is just more fun than a barrel full of monkeys... However if he can't collect his head to wait his turn peacefully it is all for naught. I stood my ground to protect his interests yesterday and will do so until he can chill in a crate next to the best of them. The kindness of our judge and the support of my friends will stick with me more than the problems of problem people.


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## Streetcar

I am so sorry for the mean, hateful person who was out.of.control 😡🤬😡🤬. And do hope club might consider setting limits on corrections, especially those uttered publicly, and with such poor timing. She may be threatened by your expertise, but jealousy is no excuse. You still went in the ring and good job on that. Maybe the judge will provide the club some feedback, as the general environment doesn't ring as a positive experience for her, either.


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## Skylar

Awwwww, I’m so sorry that witch was allowed in the building. Poor Javvy picked up her nasty vibes.

It’s a shame there’s not many matches where Javvy can get used to the chaos of trialing .


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## Click-N-Treat

Gosh I'm sorry to read this. No one should be yelling at a dog show. It's supposed to be fun! I'm really upset by that. Yes, I have met some people who take each dog show like it's life or death. Dogs are incredibly sensitive creatures, and poodles are exceptionally so. That much anger and aggression in a room is not good for anyone. Man, that is upsetting.

I had a thought. To practice chilling out in a crate while other dogs wander by, maybe take a beginning manners class. Explain ahead of time what you are trying to do and see if the trainer would let you set up a crate off to the side. He can learn to see dogs moving while in a crate, and learn how to zen nonetheless. You could practice exiting the crate calmly, focusing on you. And if he loses it, well, it's a manners class. Dogs lose it sometimes. No points off, no NQ, just redirect and reinforce. And observe! Antecedent? Behavior? Consequence? How could you set things up differently to prevent his reaction? How big of a bubble does he need? Six feet? Eight feet? What kind of situations are triggers? What kind of situations don't bother him? If you do this in a manners class, the pressure to perform is removed. Make notes, do set ups, practice the other part of trialing: the chilling in a crate while weird stuff happens part. 

Speaking of trials, my alarm is set for 5:45 am. I need to pretend to be ready to sleep. In reality, I'm going to wake up every 40 minutes thinking I overslept my alarm. But, I gotta at least give it a try.


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## lily cd re

The person who is problematic is essential to the running of many local trials and no one else wants to do her job, so until someone else will take on the tasks she handles steps up it is what it is. I accept that and know I can't change other people. I can only change myself and through training my dogs. Click I had a conversation with a friend who was there Friday and also at yesterday's trials. We talked about things to do to support Javelin and have better outcomes. I think I will go back to putting him a crate with a cover rather than in a pen that lets him see things that excite him. I can put the crate in a place where I can give him feedback without having to interrupt my classes. People and dogs will pass by with a buffer zone. I am taking him to New Jersey for match time next weekend and can use some of that time for calm in the car which is another concern with him.

Click I hope things go well for you today.


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## Click-N-Treat

Love it. Practicing calm in a crate is a good plan. Trial 1 was ok. Waiting for two hours now for trial 2.


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## lily cd re

I used a crate at my club with him to teach him how to crate. It worked then and as a refresher it will be easy to get him back to ignoring people and dogs. Rational conversation with a normal person yesterday gave me some good clarity. 

I hope it isn't too cold while you wait. It is snowing here.


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## Click-N-Treat

Home now. QQ, no points. Good weekend.


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## Carolinek

So sorry to hear of the witch, why does every club have one like that? And why do they always position themselves in some sort of indispensable position to further assert authority?

I’ve experienced it too, as have many other folks in my area. It is at best extremely annoying…but truthfully is often soul- sucking, and affects everybody as it changes the tone of the trial. I know this person in my area has been spoken to, and has been quiet lately. Hopefully she has had a reckoning…but time will tell. 

I would never tolerate that behavior from an employee, much less put up with it in a place I go for recreation! It baffles me how this nonsense is allowed to continue. I’m glad to hear you have folks around you for support.


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## lily cd re

Carolinek yes I do have a great support system. As my private trainer said recently it takes a village to train a great performance dog. A local friend of mine and Click both offered some very similar suggestions on how to get Javelin retrained to be chill in his crate. Both suggested making his crate cover provide a very dark space as well as using a portable fan for white noise. Recently on Fridays I have had him in a pen behind the front desk while I am teaching. I am going to go back to putting him his crate that I keep on hand and use the fan and dark cover strategy. As to the pathological people I am going to ignore them as much as I can and focus on my good friends both here and in my local area.


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## Carolinek

As to the pathological people I am going to ignore them as much as I can and focus on my good friends both here and in my local area.

Hope it improves, and it does help enormously to have kind people to ground you. I worry about the effect these people have on those new to the sport. How many new people just never come back after being a victim of this behavior, especially if the club turns a blind eye to it?

Hope you’re able to get Javvy to settle in the crate, I know how frustrating it can be. Gracie can be a stinker during class. She is impatient for her turn and launches into an opera of high pitched howling and yodeling. As my class is in the evening, and I am tired after working all day, I take the path of least resistance and just crate her in the car. It’s a safe area where I can keep the car running if it’s cold. Not so proud of my avoidance behavior, and I have been thinking I should get a handle on this, maybe bring a frozen Kong to distract? I already cover her, but haven’t tried bringing a fan to class.

What is strange, is that she is fine in her crate for 10-12 hour days at a trial….And many trials I go to are at the same facility where she trains. She also is fine at a trial when we travel. Go figure. It does show me she is perfectly capable of settling and her behavior in class is due to me not addressing it. I could go the squirt bottle route but I think I’ll try the frozen Kong first for distraction. Maybe the fan if that doesn’t work.


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## lily cd re

I took Javelin to my private trainer for our usual hour this morning, but instead of doing particular exercises we saat and talked about the aftermath from last week's trial mess. I had him on a settled down stay on his mat where he was very chill. We agreed on a bunch of things to help him get resocialized to places with dogs and people he doesn't know. We will rent ring time at a few different places that generally have single ring trials. This should help him be able to stick with me since there will be fewer distractions. I am also going back to having him in a crate at my club. I usually have him in a pen behind the front desk, but this lets him see various people and dogs. Since my assistant is still off her feet for real walking he has gotten away with some barking that normally would't happen if there were two of us watching him. I have a crate at my club and am expecting a dark cover with today's Amazon truck. I also am charging the batteries for the portable fan that will serve as a white noise source. Deb gave me a set of guidelines for rewarding quiet and cutting him off from seeing things that excite him. I am also charging the batteries for my remote correcting bark collar to get him to settle when he is in my vehicle. He backslid in the car on Friday night so I need to get that resettled to. I can't change the people who were unhelpful Friday night so I better fix my end of things.

One of my friends who takes her lesson right after mine came in while we were still talking. She said she wished she had realized I needed help at the trial and told me I should enlist her for anything she could do. Our plan for the moment is that I will bring out a crate with cover for Javelin and work on his crate relaxation exercises while she is training in upcoming weeks.


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## Skylar

It’s good to have a plan.

Have you thought about taking him places where there’s a lot of excitement and yelling? Maybe not the right time of year but I’m thinking things like Little League games where parents are cheering and yelling. There’s often family dogs in the crowd too.


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## lily cd re

I think it is too soon to try to push that hard. If I explode his brain I don't want to spend months fixing things. I have to remember to help him little step by little step.


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## Click-N-Treat

I like the idea of a dark crate with a fan. Reduce the amount of stimulation in the crate to a low level. At your club, you can crate him and play dog show sound effects as well. Let him learn to ignore those noises. Quiet in the crate, eyes on you on the mat, is a very solid plan going forward. I like it.

Fantastic to have a friend do training while Javelin learns to deal with a crate. Both dogs and handlers will benefit from this. The dog in the ring needs to pay attention with a dog in a crate outside the ring. And Javelin can practice having a dog walk past his crate. Not too close, though. You know that, obviously. 

I'm looking forward to hearing what comes next.


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## lily cd re

I got a darkening crate cover and used it today while I taught my classes. Javelin protested a little at being put into the crate (understandable since last week was so stressful) but he quieted down very quickly. While one person who likes to train on his own worked in the ring I sat near the crate. If Javelin was quiet I lifted the end of the cover facing me, told him good quiet and gave him cookies somewhat generously. If he barked I lowered the end cover panel and told him to be quiet if he barked. After some prolonged quiet I lifted the cover and if he stayed on his down and was quiet he got a good boy and a cookie. I have arranged to do this with a couple of people around in different places. He had to think a lot today even though I didn't do any particular active training with him out of the crate toady. I know it all made an impression on him since he is sound asleep right now.


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## mashaphan

I have a similar issue with Otter getting overly excited at new dogs in class, but he has gotten a little better at 5 (I would HOPE so) Still cannot leave him without Frantic barking, so will never be able to walk a rally course before entering the ring to show IF we ever get that far. (Of course,he is stellar at home)He has no issues with crating at home,it is just my LEAVING him with which he has issues. So, he would probably be ok at the trials if I sat beside him the whole time. I do not crate him at class; I just sit as far from the other people as possible, which is my version of "'easy way out"

there is no excuse for that woman's behavior at the show-bad show of sportsmanship/manners. She was not, by chance, the one who banged on your car when Javvy was young🤬?


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## lily cd re

Hi Martha I am sure you could get Otter to behave in a crate if on his own. See if a dark cover would help. Not that evrerything is resolved but even just one session of a dark crate cover made a big difference yesterday. And no, different crazy person at that trial last week.


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## lily cd re

This weekend I decided to focus on Javelin's tendency to go crazy (read over threshold) with barking in the car. He barks about many things: seeing people waalk passed us; motorcycles and people on bicycles; knowing we are close to our destination and such. Getting close to our destination always amazes me since we go many places and I take alternate routes frequently to try to trick him, but he has learned even the alternate routes and when I get to places where I want to train it takes time to get him to collect his head. I would rather have him get out of the car ready to be focused and able to work.

I put a bark collar on him. I have Garmin e collars that have several settings. One is a tone that I sometimes use as a positive marker for a behavior emitted at distance. Another setting is an automatic bark limiter. There are small probes on the training device that sense the vibrations of the dog's larynx when it barks. That then sets off a vibration from the device that increases in strength if the dog continues to bark. Sensors also count how many times the dog barks. There is no shock, just vibration. Actually I should say I could set the device to give a shock as a signal, but I never have and never will use it that way. I started back with the bark collar on Thursday and he barked through it quite a bit, but I saw today that he is getting the message. If he barks he gives himself the vibration which he finds annoying and when he is quiet long enough for me to mark it verbally cookies fly into the middle seat where he is. Obviously I have to do things to make this safe in terms of driving. For today we went to the parking lot of our supermarket and I parked near a cart corral so he could see and hear things that he normally would react to. He did better than I thought he would and he got lots of cookies. We stayed about 15 minutes today. As the weather improves I will do the same thing but take him out of the car and have him relax on his mat. He loves his mat and has a fairly easy time focusing on me while he is there. Once we have done the mat to the point of ignoring heavy distractions, people, cars, carts and such I will set up a crate behind/under my tailgate and put him in it with the darkening cover. Since many trials near us are still not crting in buildings he needs to learn how to be chilll in or near the cart before we go in to show or to train. This is going to take a bit of work, but in the new normal that is emerging I think it will be important for Javelin.


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## lily cd re

We had a rental hour ar my club this morning. I am happy to say that both legs of getting there and coming home were pretty much devoid of barking although there were a couple of stray barks going there. On the way home I could here some little whines and I know if he didn't have the bark collar on he would have done lots of it when I pulled in the driveway, but he resisted his pattern. I can see that he is still excited, but in control enough of his faculties that he is making decisions not to keep raising his energy. I hope he will set a new calmer travel protocol for himself fairly quickly.

There is a person available during the rental times who can help people set things up if needed and she also collects the rental fees. She has 2 GSPs one of whom is an older puppy who is crated while they are there. He is not always quiet and this morning he knocked his crate down on himself while we were both outside pottying our dogs. When Javelin and I entered he was barking up a storm. I had preset Javelin's settle mat before I got him out of the car. Rather than reacting to the barking baby he saw his mat and went and threw himself onto it. I was very happy with that awesome decision that I didn't give an order to do. We worked attention for ring entry and set up to heel, did some heeling as well as some rally signs. We then practiced leaving the ring and going to the mat. He pretty much ignored the other two dogs and the person so I am quite happy with seeing some progress on the problems of distratedness and reactivity to other dogs. Good boy Javvy Pups!


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## Sroodle8

Sounds like you are making progress!


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## lily cd re

We are continuing to make progress on a calm state of being in the car and in a crate with other people and dogs nearby. I am continuing to use the bark collar and am hearing a lot less barking, but also sensing a more calm settled dog in the car and in the crate. I went to my club again today and rather than bringing him in to put Javelin in the crate I left him in the car while other teams arrived. I asked each person if they had heard barking and they hadn't. I took Javvy out for a short potty walk once everyone was inside and entered the building after the class had started so he could hear activities. When Javelin saw his crate and mat he ran straight to the mat and waited nicely on it while I opened the crate. He went in and immediately settled. The was not a single bark the whole time we were there. I kept him in the crate with me close and in the training room and he was good all along. My plan next week is to work on developing a routine for getting him in and out of his crate with his head on straight. After that we will work on getting to our club's dog on deck for trials warm up space.


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## lily cd re

Last Thursday we had a private lesson where we put out an intermediate rally course. Javelin handled the signs really well and we also worked on ring entries which were really nice. It is pretty low key since the place and Deb are very familiar to Javelin, but everything is really becoming routinized on these things. We had time after we finished the course so we used it as an opportunity to work on focus forward and sit for exam. This is one of his hardest exercises and he did brilliantly. We made some big forward progress. I put a treat on a target at the correct distance for a beginner novice sit for exam and stood behind the taarget. Javelin focused on me instead of the treat. Deb did the exam and he remained focused on me. The first time I release him for the treat without moving then returned. The second time I returned to heel before releasing him to get the treat. We will continue practicing this until we are again ready to trial (need just one BN leg to finish title). I still plan to use rally intermediate to get Javvy to be ble to ignore the presence of a judge as part of the prep for that. Javelin got some time off after that for Lily and I to go to the Friday trial and Sunday match. I also took Lily to my ring rental yesterday to clean up some things that looked soft at the match. He got to go back to work today. I put his bark collar on and took him to my club. I focused on having him relax in the car with people and dogs around. He has previously barked despite the collar if dogs were close, but today everyone told me he was quiet the whole time he was waiting...exactly what I wanted. Later this week we will have a private with Deb and he will come to my club Friday and will crate in the club. While there he will also work with me on developing a routine for calm crate exits to set up for entering the ring.


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## lily cd re

I have been continuing to work on quiet in the car with the bark collar. Things continue to improve greatly. I went to a self serve gas station last week and got out, walked around outside the car and got the gas with zero barks. Yes, he used to bark like crazy at me while I got gas. And now it isn't just that he is stifling barking to avoid the collar vibration, he is actually relaxed enough not to want to bark.

Today I spent some time at our club working on correcting forges on heeling halts and set ups to heel. That had gotten to be a 2 part exercise sit forged and then telling him to fix it. It has returned to being a one part exercise with nice straight sits in the right spot! Good boy Javvys! We also worked on some trick behaviors for a TKI and those are coming along too. On the way home I went to a drive up ATM (never been a deal). Then I got bold and decided to go to an attended gas station (used to be majorly embarrassing and horrible). It went very well. I put down both my front windows at the pump. Javelin (who sits tethered in the middle row) gave a couple of small woofs as the attendant approached. He also tried to stick his head out the window. The man obviously likes dogs and reached to pet him. I asked him not to pet while Javvy was reaching and he took his hand away calmly (clearly has some dog sense). When he walked past as my vehicle was finishing fueling Javelin was quiet and sat back. I got a piece of chicken jerky and asked the man to give it to him as long as Javvy didn't bark or rech for it. The man did a nice job and Javelin was very polite. I consider that a nice big win!


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## Sroodle8

Yay for Javelin! It's always such a nice moment when a random person shows good dog sense.


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## lily cd re

After our success at the gas station as a great measure of car progress I took Javelin back to my club today at a time where other people would be there. There were just 2 people and dogs. One is a very calm Brittany who provokes no interest from Javelin. The other is an intact lab bitch just coming out of season. In the past she has been pretty rude with Javelin and it has taken me a fair amount of work to convince the owner that an obedience club where there are trials is not a place to let dogs to be free to "be dogs." Unfortunately Javelin remembers his rude encounters with her and doesn't particularly like her so I always am careful with his handling when she is present.

I waited until the other people were in the ring working to get Javelin from the car. I brought him into what we use as our on deck area during trials and had him do downs and sits on his mat. I took him off the mat with call fronts so his back faced the working ring and then had him set up at heel facing the ring, but maintaining his attention focused with me. We spent about 15 minutes cycling through down on the mat, call to front, set up at heel with only one or two glances at the ring when there were a couple of loud noises. He never reacted to anything he saw or heard and he NEVER BARKED.

This was a super successful day. I came home with a dog who I feel really good about and no worries or disappointments.


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## Click-N-Treat

That’s a successful training experience for sure! Very excited to hear this. He’s learning what you want from him and it shows. Good job!


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## lily cd re

He knows all of the obedience exercises through utility (not trial worthy but understands the exercises). COVID was just such a mess for him. We had no where to go for such a long time that all of the collect your head around people, other dogs, kids on bikes, etc. went out the window and it has taken a lot of work to fix. If not for the big hiatus we would be getting ready to work on a UDX/OTCh at this point. I can't spend time lamenting those things. It is time to fix what needs fixing and move onto having him trial ring ready. I feel that a bit more now that Lily is essentially retired.


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## lily cd re

We worked on beginner novice course this morning at Deb's. At this point I am looking to polish this up so I can find a couple of trials and hopefully finish the BN title in the next couple of months. I really appreciate running the routine under Deb's critical eye since it informs my planning from week to week. Our take aways today are that his figure 8s are great, sit for exam is really solid (got excused over this last time we entered in the fall); sit stay walk around needs to get firmed up for sitting at unusual places away from the center of the ring; stay for recall needs to get reinforced and heeling has some forging to get rid of. Some of these things don't matter so much for BN, but I don't want to leave them to carry into novice. I still plan to put him in rally intermediate to get him used to trial settings and to help him not mind the presence of a judge. He has been really fun to work with this week in many settings.


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## 94Magna_Tom

It's great you can work with someones critical eye taking notes! Sounds like progress! Is sit for exam part of rally? We've not covered that in any of our classes.


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## lily cd re

Tom you are lucky to have Danette teaching rally. She is a top handler in several sports and a judge! It is really great to make a connection to those folks. Deb has an OTCh with her older Pomeranian.

Sit for exam is a beginner novice exercise that prepares the dog for being touched in a trial ring. There is no exercise with a judge touching a dog in rally.


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## 94Magna_Tom

Is the "trial ring" just for conformation events, or do other events have exams as well? I'm pretty sure Elroy would be (mostly) content with an exam by a judge.


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## lily cd re

There are exams by judges in obedience classes as follows. Beginner novice as a st for exam where judge just touches the dog on the head. In novice there is a stand for exam where you have your dog sit at heel. the judge then orders "stand your dog and leave when ready." It is off leash and the judge touches the head, withers and back near the tail before you return to heel. In utility obedience it is a moving stand for exam where you are ordered to heel until the judge tells you to stand your dog while you keep going. You will turn to face your dog when you are about 8 feet away and the judge runs their hands down the dog's sides. You then call the dog to heel. For all of these exercies the dog cannot show resentment nor can they be terribly flirty.


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## 94Magna_Tom

Wow! A whole bunch of stuff! Need a class on this alone!


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## Click-N-Treat

Those sit and stand for exams were hard for Noelle. She was prone to melting into a puddle of poodle goo on the floor when the judge approached. Rub my belly, please. I had to work very hard at teaching her a focused stay. Even with all the practice, during Noelle's three Novice trials I held my breath.


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## lily cd re

Click is right that this can be harder than it seems it should be! Lily always wanted to flirt with the judge in novice. I have done a lot of focus training with Javelin to get him not to worry about the judge and yet the last time we went into BN he failed this exercise with a majr show of resentment.


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## Click-N-Treat

Either response, resentment or excitement, are hard to fix. I did use a secret stay cue. Touch the dog, say, "Stay." Then the physical act of touching the dog becomes a stay cue. However, there is no fast way to train this. It took me a year. A solid distraction proof watch me helped, too.


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## Skylar

I'm training Theo right now for sit and stand for exam. It's not easy for an excitable dog. Dogs have to keep their paws in place as if they are glued to the floor and calmly stand to let the judge pet them. I'm trying to keep Theo looking at me the whole time and not to look at the judge. He has a tendency to sit on the stand for exam because I was focused exclusively on sit for exam at the beginning. 

I completely understand the worry for this exercise - it looks so simple, and perhaps for some dogs it is - but not for poodles. Catherine, do you have any tips on training this?


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## TeamHellhound

That reminds me... I signed up for the Stand With Me class at FDSA, and I've been so busy that I've only looked at the first few lectures. I mainly got it for my library, since this is the last time it's running, but still...


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## Starla

I have never had a dog that would have done well at sitting or standing and completely ignoring someone coming up to them and/or touching them. Imagine if another person, especially one you had never met, walked up and touched your shoulder and you completely ignored them. 😂 It is a pretty unnatural thing to do, really! I have always been impressed by show dogs focus during examination.


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## TeamHellhound

The Moving Stand for Exam in Utility was started maybe thirty years ago? It replaced the previous Group Stand For Exam, which was exactly what it sounds like. All the dogs in the class were lined up, put in a stand stay, and the judge would go down the line, doing an exam on each dog. Somewhere around here, I've got a training book that has the then current regulations from the (I want to say) mid-1970s, and the Group Stand is still in it, but the AKC booklet I have from 1995 has the Moving Stand For Exam.


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## For Want of Poodle

Stand for exam in the rally organization I am involved with was replaced with a stand stay while the judge walks around the dog.

You can imagine how happy I am about that!


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## Skylar

When Babykins was earning her AKC CD, the judge did a the Utility Moving Stand on her instead of the Stand for exam. It's a good thing she was trained for the Moving Stand and did it like a real pro. After I came out of the ring my friends ran up to me and said they were shocked why the judge did that. Turns out she was new to judging and had just come from judging Utility. I was so confused when she did it. Someone must have said something to the judge because the other dogs got a proper Stand for exam.

As for what TeamHellhound describes - it's what we do in class - all dogs stand while the teacher goes down the row and does the stand for exam. Sometimes we do it one dog at a time, other times it's done as a group - good for proofing.


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## lily cd re

I have now trained Javelin for a focus forward to a treat on a target for this. He has to hold the focus to get the treat. Start with the dog at heel and on leash with the target a leash length away. You place the treat on the target and return to the dog. Have them look at you then mark them on the target with the cookie. You only release them to get the treat if they hold the mark. This puts getting the treat under good impulse control. Once they have that part nailed down then you will move to your right out of heel. They have to hold the mark or you start over. Repeat until they hold the mark solidly then add different levels of motion. Move behind the dog, in front of the dog, etc. When those are good add another person to the picture and have them walk parallel along an imaginary line between where the target is and you and the dog are. Dog has to hold the mark as the person passes by, if yes then release dog for ignoring the person. Then have the person move closer and closer as they pass by. Then the person can extend their hand towards the dog as they pass by. Once that is solid then you can go out in front of the dog and keep them marked to the target as the person passes by, then passes by closer, then passes by with their hand extended and gradually get to the "judge" stopping and touching dog. If dog holds mark to treat on target then you will add in returning to the dog before releasing them for the treat. This takes time and you have to be methodical, but I don't actually think it is all that hard. Javelin has benefited greatly from teaching him the focus forward as a way to know to ignore the judge. Patience is your friend here. I also use the oppositional reflex of touching the dog on the shoulder/withers before I leave to reinforce the stay part of the exercise.

As to the old utility group stand it is good it is gone. Each dog should be judged under the same criteria. If there were lets say 20 dogs waiting to a utility stand it is innately a different exercise for the first as opposed to the last dog.


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## lily cd re

Javelin and I went down to my club this morning to work on his focus and attention while other dogs were working in the ring again this morning. The regular instructor of this class has been away tending to a litter of young puppies for several weeks (returns next week) so with 4 people there today (none of whom has earned more than a CD) it was just the right level of busy and disorganized to up the criteria for him. People were doing all sorts of different things at the same time so there was lots of cross talk and dog energy (but for some reason no barking). I used our trial warm up area to work on having Javelin do an attentive but off duty lie down on his mat, alternating with calling him off the mat to do fronts and finishes. He alternated the fronts and finishes with facing the working dogs and showing his back to the working dogs. He did every single thing I asked of him and never barked even though I had taken his bark collar off. I kept it successful by taking him out to my car before the other folks finished up. The icing on the morning was having a nice peaceful trip to the gas station with an attendant. Today's attendant is nice but not so dog savvy as the man from last week so I didn't have him give Javelin a treat, but I probably could have done so successfully.


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