Gettin' Ready for a Trial!

This evening I received the running order for next weekend's trial.  I am so excited about running Jefferson and looking forward to meeting new training goals for this agility "season."

We attended run-thrus on Sunday and had another successful weekend.  I have identified a few more points needed for additional training.  First off, the running dogwalk definitely deserves more of my training time.  In particular, learning how to better handle the obstacles at the end of the dogwalk.  For example, this weekend's Standard course (all three levels) had a 90 degree entry to the weave poles upon the completion of the dogwalk.  We did get our down contact, but had trouble getting the entry since it was not straight in front of the dogwalk and required  a sharp right turn.  So, I have read Sylvia Turkman's training tips for how to handle obstacles at the end of the dogwalk and have a training strategy to implement as soon as I can get the extra time.  Luckily, I have trained Jefferson verbal directionals so this would be a great time for me to use them.  For some reason, I only seem to use directionals when approaching jumps or tunnels - they work for contacts too so I need to remember that while running a course.  Overall, I am pleased with Jefferson's increased speed; he seems really enthusiastic and happy to be running agility (even without treats on the field!)  I have also determined that I need desperately to get a back in shape with my own running.  With the added stress of work, I have neglected my own physical fitness and can no longer continue down this path if I want to be able to "keep up" with Jefferson and have any hope of completing a front cross!! 

So, for next weekend's trial, I am going to be realistic that I will not have had time to learn how to better handle the turns at the end of a running dogwalk.  Instead, I am going to do my best, have fun and party like a rock star at the end of our runs!   Go team J-Dawg!!





"There are only two options regarding commitment. You're either IN or you're OUT. There's not such things as life in-between."   ~Pat Riley

Ahoy, Mates! A Fun Agility-Filled Week

Ahoy, mates!  In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, I thought I would smartly (pirate translation = "do something quickly") share our week's progress in agility.  We had a blast in Thursday and Saturday classes.  I have been so impressed with  how well Jefferson seems to be reading my cues, even if I  might mess up once in a while.  Looks like Jefferson had been "unleashing his inner buccaneer!"

Thursday night we ran a Master Level Standard course, and Jefferson did a wonderful job in getting his weave poles and staying motivated for me during our run.  I was exceptionally proud of his getting his weave poles; more importantly, if he pulls out at the 10th pole, he "lets" me come back and have a do-over.  This is HUGE for Team J-Dawg since he has been so sensitive to my mistakes and reluctant to any do-overs.  Aye!  Aye! (pirate translation = "I'll get right on that!")  Another training tip I gleaned from Thursday night is that I watched Jefferson run rather than looking at the next obstacle.  My looking at him caused him to stop, look at me, pant and avast (pirate translation = "stop and give attention...get off!")  This is another a-ha moment (as Oprah would say).  Once I focused on the obstacle ahead and trusted Jefferson to run the course with me, he did and we were extremely successful.  So, my goals for the next few weeks are to use more of my peripheral vision and trust Jefferson to take the obstacles.  

Still another learning moment occurred when we were performing the running contact on the dogwalk.  I have to admit, I have not taken the time to train the running dogwalk as I learned earlier this year during the Daisy Peel seminar.  Between work and other obligations, I have not put in the time needed to gain the consistency in Jefferson's performance.  However, I did experiment with some handling moves this week and noticed that when I applied pressure to Jefferson when he was running the down portion of the dogwalk, he got his contact.  In other words, no matter how far out I started when he ran up the dogwalk, when he was on his descent, I pushed the line to apply pressure.  Of course, this will not work if the dogwalk is in the advanced gamble similar to May's gamblers course.  I will need to work making sure J (pirate translation = "Jefferson") knows his criteria and bring out the clicker and a training buddy to help me.

Saturday we ran a Master's level jumpers course and J did so well!  I handled the serpentines and threadles fairly clean and J read my handling.  Arr! (pirate translation = "yes!")  We did not do well the third time we ran the course...Arrgh (pirate translation = "sound you make when you sit on a pin!")  I was tired; J was tired; and honestly, Team J-dawg does not thrive very well with repetition.   We both get easily bored.  If we got it right the first time, why keep doing it over?  Oh, well...

And on Sunday, after an "elimination" 1st run (pooping right before entering the ring and finishing up with peeing after about 3 obstacles....Arrgh), we had a nice 2nd run and J stayed with me.  Only one stoppage on the course, but rather than stand there, I looked at him and used our new command, "Here" and he took off and we finished clean.  Success!!!  Although we still have to set the sails to be (pirate translation  = "more work to do") this week's training had made me so Grog-filled (pirate translation = "happy").

 "To err is human, to arr is pirate!"  ~ Captain Crook

A Peanut Butter-Filled Kong and an Icy, Cold Beer!

Today was a rough day for me - professionally.  As a teacher for over 17 years (ouch!), this school year has been one of the most challenging I have ever endured.  The demands that have been placed on me and all my other colleagues is immense:  long meetings after school; weekly lesson plans turned in to the principal; weekly observations; no classroom; serving the students breakfast; lunch duty; in school suspension duty; hall sweep duty; and double duty (haha!)  All of these arduous activities leaves me with no time to even have a "potty" break!  To say I am stressed and overwhelmed is an understatement.

After venting to my mom after work (thanks MOM!), I feel more positive and have "turned my frown upside down!"  What changed my attitude was playing with Jefferson.  Sometimes, all it takes is your dog to remind you of what is really important in life. 

Here are a few things that Jefferson has taught me:

1.  Patience in all situations.  Jefferson really did not mean to eat that $100 shoe!

2.  Live in the present.  Tomorrow is a new day and he has already forgotten that he ate my shoe seconds ago...

3.  Rewards count.  Mmmm....cheese!!! (And liverwurst, chicken, apples, fishy fudge...hey, Jefferson is a Cocker Spaniel!)

4.  Take time to rest and re-charge your batteries.  Spending most of the day crated, Jefferson gets his beauty rest and time to re-charge his energy.

5.  Have fun!  Life is too short to not run as fast you can through the weave poles!

6.  Roll around on the ground and act crazy.  This gets Jefferson excited every time before we play tug, hide and go seek, and fetch.

7. Detach from the outcome.  Our agility ribbons are extremely pretty; but, I learned more from the runs that did not earn any ribbon.

8.  Exercise often.  Walking, running and moving as much as you can helps relieve pent-up energy and stress as well as burn those extra calories (keeps Jefferson from eating paper out of boredom!)

9.  Spend quality time with family and friends.  Jefferson loves spending time "playing" agility and learning new tricks with me.  It helps us both learn from each other.

10.  There is nothing that a peanut-butter filled Kong and an icy cold beer won't cure!!  No explanation necessary....

 

These are just a few of the life lessons I have learned from my lovable, sweet doggie Jefferson.  He continues to teach me daily....




"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."
~Thomas Jefferson

Great Agility Instruction is an Art!

This week, all the Dog Agility Bloggers are tackling the question:  What makes a good coach/instructor?    As a fairly newbie to agility, this question caused me to reflect upon our past two years of trialing, taking numerous classes and attending a multitude of seminars.  All of these instructors have impacted Team J-Dawg’s agility performance.  But, to me, there are a few traits which make a good instructor.

First, I believe that an effective agility instructor has to possess passion for the sport.  This really impacts me because if the instructor is passionate about agility, he/she keeps up with the latest handling trends in agility. For example, the instructor will share International-style courses or a Master’s Level Gamble from a recent trial.  He/she also loves to learn about the various handling techniques; different obstacle performances (2o2o vs. running contacts); teeter learning aides; and the multiple ways to teach weave poles just to name a few.  

In addition, I feel that an agility instructor should be a great problem-solver.  Many times, we agility students go to our instructors for advice about a particular hurdle we are having with our doggies.  Whether our dog experiences motivational issues or obstacle performance issues, it is imperative that an effective instructor has “been there…done that” in order to help us overcome our particular barrier to earning the “clean run.”  Sometimes, an effective instructor may not have the answer, but he/she recommends the resources to us to help us help ourselves.  Great instructors understand that effective teaching is not a science but a form of art.

Also, I consider an agility instructor “good” if he/she has the ability to relate to the people and their dogs.  In reality, the instructor is training the handler more than the dog….the dog is the easier part of the equation!  As such, it is imperative that the instructor have exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.  He/she should be able to clearly communicate the expectations to the handler as well as the dog.  One of my professors in college used to tell his students this three-prong axiom that sticks with me to this very day:  1. Tell them what you’re gonna tell them; 2. Tell them; and 3. Tell them what you told them.

"But, Mom...I don't wanna take that tunnel!"

Finally, an effective agility instructor is an active competitor and is able to see you and your doggie compete in trials.  Many times, doggies perform clean runs during class but choke during a trial.  It does make a difference in the quality and relevancy of the advice you get from your instructor if he/she has had the opportunity to watch your runs during a trial.  Being a good agility team during an instructor’s class sometimes does not always translate to a good performance in a trial or a more stressful situation.

Overall, being a good instructor is contingent upon the instructor having passion for the sport; being a good problem-solver; possessing excellent interpersonal and communication skills; and competing actively in the sport.   If an instructor has these “magic” ingredients, he/she makes a great impact in the sport of agility by assisting many teams learn to have fun working together and earn clean runs!

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery."
~Mark Van Doren