Weaves training class

3/5/08
Tom was a little loopy and ran off a bit. But he was relatively happy so it wasn't too bad. There was a horse being unloaded and now people coming in and out of the barn as well as one new dog.

I was quite surprised how easily the dogs seemed to catch on to the weaves. Opal at least has had no weaves training except for once at twice in a Continuing On class. I would imagine a lot of getting them to figure out the weaves with cages only on some of the poles is figuring out how many cages to put on and where.

I didn't quite get how to get Tom to finish the weaves in the corner. They had cages on the first three and then the last two turns the dog had to do without cages. I got him doing the first section and the first noncaged weave but then he'd just plow by the last pole. Katrin suggested stopping. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to lure him with my hand or not.

Another weaves aspect: I tried very hard not to weaves dance and so focused instead on walking briskly ahead and also watching Tom. The problem being that I got too far ahead. Hmmm. I think it's helpful for me to think about not weaves dancing because I think I will unless I focus not to.

First Tom run. I didn't do as much tricks after removing leash as I could have but I did some. Poke (hand target) is definitely my favorite trick for attention because it is so easy and can be doone by an excited dog very easily. I didn't try any startline stays. Before the snow fell again I had started working on some startline stays and reinforcing his looking at me, go back, treat, walk away, repeat process. If he is staring at me during his startline stay then that should help prevent him breaking immediately because he won't have picked something to go investigate. In any case, current start is a trick and then no treat and then I direct him at the jump and go. Was pretty successful on starting when he was focused and willing to work. Nice two jumps, weaves we had to go back and fix several times. ALWAYS go back to beginning of weaves and preferably an obstacle before when you fix weaves. Especially on 12s where the temptation to start in the middle is especially tempting.

I sent him into the tunnel and he did well the entire night at being sent from a distance. YAY Tom! Then a front cross. I had a couple graceful front crosses as well as a few forgotten until the last minute ones.

He did well on the 12 pole. Tom is better with starting w/o cages then ending without them, I think. Though I can't remember how the cages were exactly on the set of 12...

The second set of runs after everyone else went and we started over, Tom was a bit crazy, running around, peeing on weave polls, trying to pee on something in the corner. Ack! I corrected him loudly and he startled. Then caught him and took him outside. Second time trying which was also the last run of the evening went very nicely. When I took him offleash I started with tricks, lift leash off his neck but still leave it on, more tricks, take off leash, tricks, quite a few of them actually. A little reinforcement. Then got moving. I don't think he ran off once. I focused on keeping his attention. The horse trailer was gone and he did some marking outside and was much better.

Lesson: I have a very short amount of time once I get his attention to keep it. About one instant. So if I get his attention I need to immediately give a command, run in the opposite direction, or something. The trick is knowing when I have the attention and not trying to ask myself when the right moment is because I'll probably miss it.

Opal also did very well. She was willing for most tunnels except a dark red curved one and loved the jumping. Mother was very impressed with her.