We starting our first class

[rtropeano]

Oh, I'm soo excited - Daisy and I signed up for our first class this fall - inside..... I joined an advanced beginner class because we have already taken 15 hours worth of class through my camp outings....hopefully we'll be okay here - I don't really want to be in beginner because she already knows the equipment.

Any advice? I'll be packin the hefty treats LOL....this will be our first indoor class.

Rose

[Cindy]

So much fun - good luck!

[Lisa]

First and foremost - keep a sense of humor!!

Just a few other things I've learned with Buster...
-He's not a herding dog, and he's not going to handle like one. Remeber you have a bird dog!
-Britts get bored easily. Don't repeat the same thing over and over. If they don't get it the first time, try again, but if they don't have it by the 3rd time, take a break and do something else
- focus work...lots and lots of focus work
- reward often...more often than you think you should...even for jumps.
- decide what criteria you want and work towards that. If you want a 2o2o contact, don't reward for running. If you want a running contact, decide what your criteria for a reward is (like running all the way to the end, not bailing halfway down).
- Keep moving with your dog...even if it's the wrong course! If the dog is still working with you, go with that...getting the course right will come with time. (this one took me forever to learn...I've finally figured how to keep moving with him and get him back on course.)

[rtropeano]

Hey Lisa, thanks for the advice. Can you explain this a little more for a newbie:

If you want a 2o2o contact, don't reward for running. If you want a running contact, decide what your criteria for a reward is (like running all the way to the end, not bailing halfway down).

I'm not exactly sure what 2on 2 off really means and what the difference between that and a running contact is??

Thanks so much
Rose

[Lisa]

I'm not exactly sure what 2on 2 off really means and what the difference between that and a running contact is??

2 on 2 off (2o2o) contact means that at the end of the contact obstacle, the dog stops with their front feet on the ground and their back feet on the obstacle, in the yellow contact zone. Some people train the dog to wait for a release cue, some just train the dog to pause then move on. A running contact is where the dog does not stop...they just run all the way to the bottom of the contact and keep moving. The running contact can be riskier in getting the dog to hit the contact zone, if you don't train the behavior exactly as you want it.

Buster has a running contact, but I made the mistake of not training an exact criteria, so he hits the contact zone about 70% of the time...the rest of the time, he launches from the contact obstacle before hitting the yellow. If I had it to do over, I'd still do a running contact, but I'd make the criteria for rewards be running all the way to the end.

[rtropeano]

Thanks for the explanation - at camp they were training 2o2o - because she was still learning the equipment and we bait the contact at the end. We'll see how she does running - I get so nervous she's going to fall off the dogwalk or the a-frame and get hurt.

WE have not tried the teeter yet - we've done the buja/tippy board and she does fine with that so far......

Rose

[rtropeano]

We finally started out class today - and I'm happy to report she did very well. We had very good focus and no sniffing!!! I guess the indoor class is working for her - so far. We had a tight figure 8 of jumps to do - which I screwed up - but Daisy waited for me to make up my mind which way I was going to cross.....

We will work on 2x2 weaves later on in the class. I'm excited about that because that's one of the few pieces of agility equipment I can afford and have already purchased.

Rose

[Barb Wright]

Oh Rose, it sounds like sooooo much fun This is going to be just great seeing how your Daisy progresses And how Rose progresses too

My hat is off to you both for going and "doing IT"

[rtropeano]

- Keep moving with your dog...even if it's the wrong course! If the dog is still working with you, go with that...getting the course right will come with time. (this one took me forever to learn...I've finally figured how to keep moving with him and get him back on course.)

We did this today.....we were working tunnels and Daisy was so jazzed and having fun that I was walking back because we were done with the tunnel and jump, but Daisy was NOT done....she decided that she wanted to take the tire too on the way back so I was like, YAY Go Daisy! GO! and ran with her back to our seat.

Rose