2x2 by two

147 days to go...

So it has been a busy few days! The dogs didn't get really any training from Fri night and over the weekend because I was busy getting Billie ready for a weekend of showing, and then when I wasn't at the shows I had my work Christmas do... and was otherwise exhausted! So they had a few days off.

Monday it was back to work though - we did a variety of little things, some more targeting of the mat with the drop, some breaking from the crate, some focus on the mat and the jump. Both dogs are still too inclined to look at me rather than the jump in front of them though I did manage to capture a couple of glances I think. I added the second set of 2x2 for Josh for the first time in ages, and he did quite well. Fyre had a go too, though it is tougher with him because he won't maintain his enthusiasm to work through a problem like Josh will. So I find I have to take MUCH smaller steps i.e. with entry angle, me moving, distance from the entry etc. Josh, as long as I don't go TOO wild and crazy, will keep going and going til he gets it and after that he will get it right almost every time. One thing I do want to get them both better at is setting up for a wait in front of a jump (or any obstacle really, but I've only used a jump thus far) since they are both inclined to go over the jump and muck about for a while before finally getting them to sit next to me. Of course, this is my own fault, and I need to work on several behaviours associated with this - 'finishing' to both my right and left sides when directed, and waiting for a release command before leaving position. The finishing I think I will try and accomplish using some perch work (another thing to add to my list of 'things to do') and the waits I will start off at a much greater distance from the jump so they have a higher chance of success, and then gradually move the start closer as we progress.

Tonight we just did weaving - in between my ACTUAL work and doing stuff around the house I find it hard to get in as much training as I would like. I toyed with the idea of getting up early in the morning to do another session, but it's definitely not going to happen any time soon - I am just not an early morning person! As we get closer to trialling maybe I'll manage to do it :)

Anyway, tonight I set up two sets of 2x2 and started with Josh, once again rotating to a different toy. Almost right away he remembered what to do and in no time was getting some excellent entries from a variety of angles and distances. In actual fact, I think his entries have IMPROVED with the addition of the second set of 2x2s because it forces him to turn more tightly around the first pole so he can make the second entry. Here is a quick little video of one of our run-throughs tonight.






As you can see here, on the first attempt at the right-sided entry he did get the entry but missed the second set of 2x2s. I simply directed him back onto my right side as a starting point and with no further indication from me he quickly re-attempted and this time got it right.

Fyre did ok, but after going through both sets once from a left side entry began to lose his enthusiasm and so I put him away for about 15 mins and when I came out again had switched the toy for a food container (just a little plastic container with a lid that snaps shut - these are perfect for throwing because they won't bust open when they hit the ground). I used the food container in the same way as a toy, throwing it ahead so he could drive to it and then I would rush up and open it for him. Sure enough, as it has in the past, this worked to keep him at it and once he got it right the first time he got two more in reasonably quick succession. I only did left sided entries with him tonight, as right-sided has always been more difficult for him and I really wanted him to be successful. The only thing I am not sure how to fix currently is that he sometimes spins to the left after coming out of the poles, because I am too slow to throw the reward ahead of him. It's a catch 22, because since he is not always reliable I hold off on throwing until I am sure he will make the correct choice, but by waiting that long it also means the timing of the reward is late. Hopefully, with a bit more practice of him always seeing the reward thrown ahead past the end of the poles he will start to head that way anyway, and as he gets more confident I will be able to get my throws in earlier. It will also help when I can stand closer to the exit of the poles and send him back to go through the entry - currently, with the additional new criteria of the second set of 2x2s I stayed back at the entry on a very slight angle so he had more of a chance for success. Once I am able to stand down near the exit I'll be able to get my throw in more quickly.

Tomorrow night I want to get in some more circle work, something I haven't done much on of late - I have a few ideas on how I can make it more interesting for both myself and the dogs rather than just making circuits of the backyard, but I guess I'll have to report back on how it actually works out!