Agility 1 Week 2

When I say "Break!" to start the run I need to move, and Jackie will move with me.  A benefit of watching video of our training sessions is I can see that I need to stand up taller, point straight at the path I want Jackie to take, and move in a smooth motion rather than slowing and speeding. Instead I should direct her clearly along the path I want her to run and maintain my own forward momentum with smooth body movement.

Our coach suggested that I work on mini-courses with turns toward me "Here!" without Jackie, like one does when walking the course at an agility trial.  The path and the handler's motion will become second nature; eventually you get to a point where you don't have to stop and think, but that you know each target on the agility course so well it becomes one smooth continuum of movement. 

We are continuing to reinforce "Feet!" two-on-two-off contact behavior.  We will begin to fade the nose target, as well as add distance, as well as drive from behind or eventually run past the dog while she goes into 2o2o position on the plank. For now we are continuing to use a nose target at the end of the plank to reinforce Jackie's focus being straight and low, which will help her balance and proprioception once she is on the elevated dog walk and other contact obstacles.

I need to continue to build value for going over an individual jump.  This week in class we raised Jackie's bar height from 8 inches to 12 inches, with much success.  Jackie is doing a good job with starting to run at a faster pace.

Jackie jumping 12 inches today for the first time

Video clips of Jackie playing a mini-course of turns toward the handler "Here!" and a straight line of jumps into a tunnel "Go! Go go!"

Pearls:

• Maintain tall forward momentum and smooth movement
• At startlines say "Break!" and then move, and Jackie will move with me
• Practice turns and straight lines without your dog, as you would when walking a course at a trial
• Homework includes continuing reinforcing contact behavior, practicing startlines, running mini courses without Jackie, and building value for going over jumps

Agility 1, Week 1

Jackie began regular Agility 1 class today! Our homework this week includes continuing to work on contact 2o2o behavior, continuing to reinforce 1,2,3, go game, and proofing our stay-to-release.

The first way to proof a stay is by having the dog "Sit!" then mark and treat. Then "Sit, wait" and take one step and release "Break!" and treat. Build up to I'm walking away several meters and having Jackie stay for varying amounts of time with varying distractions such as toys, food, or other dogs.  

Today we worked on driving a mini-course of a straight line of three hoops with "Break! Go! Go!" as well as a mini-course of two hoops and a left turn while the dog is on the handler's right side "Break!" "Here!" Remember to say "Here!" only once, and in general the less chatter from from the handler, the better.

We also played a mini course of hoop, tunnel, hoop. The handler must trust the dog to go into the tunnel, and keep moving forward while driving the dog.  I must be sure to point accurately at the tunnel mouth where I want to aim Jackie to enter.

Jackie hooping it up

Pearls:

• Homework includes proofing startlines and 1,2,3, Go game
• Contact behavior is coming along nicely
• Less handler chatter, the better; when you say something, it should mean something
• Point accurately at the tunnel enterance 

The "Adopt Don't Shop" Conundrum

I strongly support rescue.  Of course I do.  I've never had a dog that wasn't either given to me by someone or adopted from a breed rescue. Most dog lovers, including ethical breeders, support the idea of ending suffering and neglect for all dogs as well.  

I admit to loving purebred dogs such as Border collies, Australian shepherds, and Cocker spaniels, and I realize there is an element of hypocrisy in desiring the traits of a wonderful purebred dog but never writing a check to an ethical breeder who works to humanely and carefully produce these purebred dogs. On the other hand, as long as my preferred type of dog continues to be neglected and abanded to end up in shelters, I plan to continue offering a home to these otherwise discarded dogs. 

Yes, there is a selfish motive in there: that I end up having a dog with characteristics that appeal to me.  If it weren't for some breeder, somewhere, my dog wouldn't exist. But also yes: I'm committed to the idea that I'm giving a do-over dog that someone else discarded a second chance. I want my cake and eat it too. I am grateful when I discover an ethical breeder doing a good job of painstakingly producing high-quality, talented, and healthy purebred puppies from high-quality, talented, healthy, and health-tested breeding stock. 

Having my Border collie Jackie in my life is the result of rescue and I'm grateful to the body of rescue workers who personally sacrifice so much to help dogs like Jackie every day. A friend of mine responded well-meaningly to a recent post with the familiar phrase "Adopt, don't shop!" I have mixed feelings about this sentiment and want to explore the idea further.

Let's follow the phrase "Adopt, don't shop" through to its logical conclusion: if all that the supporters of rescue (of which I am one) wish to come true actually happens, that every dog on earth finds a loving forever home or other meaningful career, is prevented from reproducing and lives happily and healthily all the days of each dog's life, and all the cruel puppy mills and unethical backyard breeders are shut, we as dog lovers would suffer a severe shortage of dogs.  And that's not necessarily a bad conclusion as long as there were other humane, sustainable, and cruelty-free sources of procuring a dog.

I support the ethical breeding of dogs as well as rescue.  Ethical breeders who are educated and passionate about their dogs, who breed only a limited number of litters in a lifetime, and those only after having tested for temperament, health, hips, eyes, joints including patellas, genetic proclivity to passing on desirable (and culling the undesirable) heritable traits, heart disease, etceteras; and who have a vested interest in proving their dogs can have viable careers by showing, trialing, titling, and otherwise training their breeding stock with some form of meaningful markers of achievement. 

But now let's say that ethical breeders become our sole source of procuring a dog, for pet, sport, support, service, or the myriad of other careers dogs are capable and wonderful at performing and adding to our lives. Ethical breeders who do all the minimum of pertinent health testing: raise their dogs in an appropriate environment, giving the correct and critical enrichment, care, veterinary needs, and early training that it takes to raise a litter of puppies, as well as maintaining breeding stock to these exacting standards, and breeders who carefully screen the homes into which their puppies are moving to be sure the dog will have a good life with all the essential resources for ongoing enrichment and veterinary care; necessarily these ethical breeders have to charge a minimum of several hundred dollars per dog as the adoption fee, and realistically upwards of several thousands of dollars per dog as the adoption fee.

Then where does that leave the average Jane who wants a dog, or maybe a couple, as a pet, for sport, for all the endless list of pure good that dogs bring into humans' lives? It starts to feel a bit like elite horse-keeping.  

As an aside-- even the rankest of rescue horses such as PMU mares or offspring, the OTTB ex-racers, the broken-down cart horses who end up at auction barns (I have loved and ridden all of these examples over my lifetime), cost at least several hundred to a couple thousand dollars to acquire, never mind the never-ending upkeep costs that continue from day one. If someone just wants a basically sound backyard quality horse that is saddle-trained, expect to pay more than a couple grand on up to tens of thousands. Having a horse is relatively demanding from a resource perspective. Is this the direction we want to move with dogs?  Perhaps.

Is this what the dog-loving community truly wants though? Is this in the best interest of our canine companions?  Maybe it is.  I don't know the answer. What I do know is that a subject with so much passion, effort, and resources, such as breeding, such as rescue, such as keeping dogs for pets, companions, sport, or any other career, or simply from pure genuine love of a dog, is not so simply boiled down to a single phrase of "Adopt, don't shop."

It occurs to me that in the meantime, unethical backyard breeders are selling puppies to less-prepared folks. Dogs that have shortened or otherwise uncomfortable lives due to health or behavioral issues because these backyard breeders, while possibly well-meaning, and who may even maintain the sire and dam in great conditions but fail to test for temperament or health issues, are producing dogs that have a fair likelihood of being abandoned by their purchasers after the offspring are no longer cute puppies and become a burden to these less-well-prepped dog owners at worst, or at best of not living quality, long, healthy lives.  There are still scores of dogs that end up in shelters, like my own Jackie did, with no owner to come for them and in very rough shape mentally and physically. Hateful puppy mills with dogs in the worst imaginable of living horrors are unfortunately still doing business. All these dogs need and deserve a loving outcome.

So yeah, adopt don't shop. If and when we ever get to a dog shortage and find ourselves in a world where only an elite few can afford dogs, maybe all of us do-gooder rescue types will rue the day.  Or maybe not, maybe we'll celebrate.  But in the meantime, until such time as the shelters are empty and the rescuers can take a break from working in the trenches of abject neglect (and worse) that they pluck dogs from every day, I will continue to support both rescue and ethical breeding.  For me and my house, I have had tremendous success adopting dogs from breed rescue, and find that rescue is the best balance for my personal odyssey. 

My opinion is that I just don't picture myself purchasing a great dog from an ethical breeder that is producing quality dogs using principled methods when I can offer a home to the stray or abused shelter dog, even if it is likely that the health and/or temperament of these abandoned dogs may be sub-par to those of their ethically and knowledgeably produced brethren. Does this put me at a training disadvantage? At a competitive disadvantage? At an emotional disadvantage if disease or shortened lifespan reaches out an ugly hand to the dog I love and consider my family? Yes, probably it does.  But if I forfeit this advantage to help a dog in need, then it is forfeit. 

How often has a dog helped me when I am in need? The answer is always.

Pearls:

• Most dog lovers agree that suffering and neglect are worth struggling to end, and the best ways to end unwanted, unhealthy litters as well as to protect dogs from neglect is worth discussing 
• "Adopt, don't shop!" Ok maybe, but we should consider all angles
• For my part, adoption has worked well; yet I admit I love purebred dogs, and it occurs to me they don't grow on trees; until suffering has ended and shelters are empty, I'll continue to adopt from reputable rescue organizations
• Further contemplation and discussion on this subject seems like a good idea

My current three adopted kids

The ashes or grave markers of my previous four kids, all were adopted and loved beyond measure

• Buffy, a purebred Cocker spaniel given to me by my parents.  Buffy passed from geriatric renal failure at 13 years.
• Scarlett, a purebred Cocker spaniel, adopted from a breed rescue. Scarlett was a former puppy mill breeding dog but lived several happy, well-loved years with us. She succumbed to hemangiosarcoma cancer at the approximate age of 6.
• Roo, a purebred Australian shepherd, given to me by a friend in grad school. Roo succumbed to hemangiosarcoma cancer at age 8, exactly one year to the day from Scarlett.
• And finally, our dear Prissy, my first ever purebred Border collie given to me by my friend Patricia who rescued Prissy from neglect. Prissy lived a healthy 16 years and finally passed due to rapid-onset geriatric organ failure.

Agility Contact Workshop, Part 1

Jackie and I successfully participated this Saturday in the Contact Workshop, Part 1 at Cowtown Dog Sports.  The focus was on understanding what stopped contact training is, and how best to train for optimum contact behaviors in the agility ring.

Our coach Robin Barber started the seminar with some background theory about what contacts are and why stopped contacts are good for a number of reasons. Stopped contact behavior, also known as two-on-two-off (or 2o2o), is when the dog goes over the teeter, A frame, or dog walk (the three contact obstacles in agility) and positions themself with two front paws straight on the ground off the end of the board with two hind legs on the board and the dog's weight transfered onto the hind end. The benefits of training a stopped contact include the following: 

Safety for the dog: transfering weight to the rear helps prevent injury, and once a behavior is more clearly understood, the dog gains speed and fluincy which also increases safety. Transferring weight to the hindquarters also helps to lessen the impact on the shoulders and back when descending the A-frame and helps the dog to stay centered in contact with the dogwalk down ramp if she descends rapidly. Stopped contacts allow the handler to catch up with their dog in an already fast-paced game. If the dog pauses at the end of the contact obstacle, this allows the handler to catch up and re-connect with their dog. Finally, stopped contacts make it obvious to the judge that the dog has indeed hit the contact zone; "never make the judge think."

Foundations for training contacts include teaching the dog to drive to a target plate "Feet!" and building value for two-on-two-off behavior at the end of a training plank.

Jackie demonstrating understanding driving into the two-on/two-off position, with her focus straight and low.

There are several ways to build value for contact behavior, including: have the dog walk over a plank to touch a nose target, and marking and jackpotting the straight two-on-two-off behavior, then tossing a cookie away "Get it!" and waiting to see if she will self-load onto the two-on-two-off (2o2o) position on the plank and marking and treating when she does.  You can build value for the 2o2o behavior in many situations and environments: on the sidewalk curb, off the back patio, on the stairs, by marking and reinforcing the 2o2o behavior.  It's important to for the dog to be reinforced for being straight, with her focus forward and low.

Once the dog has value for and understands the intitial 2o2o behavior, you can begin to build speed in a number of ways.  For Jackie today we used a contact target at the end of the plank followed by a food bowl out in front of her.  (Some of the more advanced dogs used toys tossed out in front or driving to a next obstacle.) 

The contact plate helps ensure Jackie stays straight and with her focus forward. "Go! Feet!" when Jackie drives forward over the plank and stops in two-on-two-off position and touches the target, I mark and treat her from the contact plate while she is stopped on the plank in 2o2o position. Then I release her with "Get it!" and she drives ahead to the food bowl where she is again reinforced from eating the cookie out of the bowl.

Jackie driving to a food bowl several feet out from the plank after being released with "Get it!" from straight two-on-two-off (2o2o) position on the plank. We want to see a burst of speed and enthusiasm after the contact as pictured here.

Eventually, and gradually, we will step by step add distance between dog and handler while driving into the two-on-two-off position. Eventually after that we will add running around a barrel (or trash bin, or tree, or whatever) and driving to the plank and waiting in two-on-two-off contact behavior until being released to the next obstacle.  Then we can gradually add running through a tunnel and driving into the 2o2o position, repeat, repeat, repeat. One can gradually build and proof the behavior with such "ninja" tactics as rolling a toy or running at high speeds while aroused; but that will come much later for Jackie and me.

It is important that the dog understands the very basic building block of each step of the behavior. Never do what Robin referred to as "clumping" behaviors together, meaning expecting the dog to understand multiple behaviors being taught together at one time. Instead, the learning process is all a series of building blocks.  At any level of training, it is beneficial to go back to the basic foundation behavior as a refresher, and it is important that solid foundation behaviors are understood and kept fresh for the team of both dog and handler.

Robin emphasized how important solid foundation behaviors are for both contacts and releases.  Even for teams that are competing, trialing, and Q-ing, it is important to stay vigilant in maintaining correct foundation behaviors and have very high standards for startline behavior, releases, and contact behavior. Even training in the ring at a live trial can be beneficial in reinforcing excellent foundation behaviors if needs be.

Some reminders that were repeated during the clinic included:

Robin prompting me to tell Jackie "Feet!" before Jackie ever gets on the plank, so that I give the cue earlier so Jackie has plenty of notice to process and perform the behavior associated with the cue. 

Vary the amounts of time the handler waits before you release the dog so you don't get into a predictable rhythm. You want to be sure the dog is effectively taking your cue, not releasing from the handler's timing, body movement, or anything other than the actual cue.

Remember it's all a series of building blocks.  It is well worth the time and effort to teach and maintain excellent foundation behaviors, and to maintain high standards in reinforcing above-average releases, start lines, and contact behavior.

Some highlight video clips of Jackie learning "Feet!" to drive over a plank into two-on-two-off contact position, and drive ahead "Get it!" to a food bowl:

Pearls:

• Contact Workshop, Part 1 defined contacts, solid two-on-two-off training, and the benefits of teaching stopped contacts
• Always teach the smallest possible increment of a behavior first, before moving on to the next foundation skill; never "clump" behaviors
• Handlers can build value for the dog for two-on-two-off contact behavior in a variety of ways
• Eventually and gradually add distance and other proofs such as running around a barrel and then driving to the contact plank into two-on-two-off position
• Say "Feet!" before Jackie ever gets on the plank
• Vary the amount of time the handler waits before you release the dog so you don't get into a rhythm
• Training contacts (and all education, really) is a series of building blocks; it is worth it to teach and maintain excellent foundation behaviors
• Always maintain high expectations and high standards of quality in reinforcing and playing releases, start lines, and contact behavior

Rally 2, Week 3

Heeling at a brisk pace is Gunner’s working gate, and tonight we played heeling at normal, fast, and slow gates. The Rally judge wants to see a very obvious demarcation between gate speed, so be sure to really slow down for your slow pace.

The mini-courses we played tonight:

 Fast Pace: At sign, team’s speed increases at a noticeably faster than normal pace in heel position until next sign, which must be a Normal Pace sign.

Normal Pace: At sign, team’s speed returns to normal pace in heel position.

Halt, Down: Handler stops, dog sits in heel position. At handler’s command and/or signals Dog downs from sit. Handler pauses. Team heels forward from down.

The second mini-course we played:

Slow Pace: At sign, team’s speed decreases at a noticeably slower than normal pace in heel position until next sign, which must be a Normal Pace or Finish sign.

Normal Pace: At sign, team’s speed returns to normal pace in heel position.

270 Left: Team makes a small 270-degree circle turn to the left in heel position.

It’s helpful to pay attention to the bolded, underlined portions of each sign directives, as that is the essence of the movement and should be the focus for the team.  

Tonight we also played finishes both right and left.  Gunner does an amazing job at following hand cue directions so the left “Finish!” he saw for the first time tonight came easily.  His right “Around!” finish is coming along nicely as well.

Our coach pointed out that enthusiasm is to be valued above precision.  In other words, it is better to see the dog enthusiastically playing the signs rather than a dog who is in “perfect” heel position but that is performing with lack-luster. We want to see a happy dog, willingly and confidently playing along with the handler. 

Pearls:

• Enthusiasm is to be sought and valued over absolute precision
• Show a definitive, marked difference in gate between normal pace, fast pace, normal pace as well as normal pace, slow pace, normal pace
• Within each individual pace, begin with and maintain the same tempo in the pace; immediately and markedly move into the new pace rather than gradually building to get up or down to the new pace
• Give your dog an early heads-up cue for changing paces: “Hurry!” before going fast pace, and “Sloooow” before going slow pace, and “Heel!” to return to normal pace
• As well as the verbal cue, use body language to indicate a pace change: slightly lean forward to indicate fast pace, and slightly lean back to indicate slow pace.  
• Be sure to give your dog the cue before you get the the next cone so he has a heads-up that the pace is about to change

Agility Foundations 2 Graduation Day

Today marks six weeks for Jackie in Foundations for Agility 2, with a total of 12 weeks of Foundations for Agility 1 and 2.  She will now progress to Agility 1 at Cowtown Dog Sports.

We learned about giving directions for handling, specifically pertaining to hoops. It seems Jackie, like many Border collies, has a good knack for working at a distance from her handler, which is a good thing.

Today we did a simple course of three hoops. "Go go go!" means run straight ahead on the line being pointed at by the handler, while the dog does whichever obstacle presents itself on the straight line. "Here!" means turn toward the handler and do the obstacle on the line pointed at by the handler.

Where D = Dog, H = Handler, the red line = the dog being handled on the handler's left and the blue line  = the dog being handled on the handler's right.  "Go" means go straight ahead on the line. "Here" means turn toward the handler.

Pearls:

• Early signs point to Jackie having an aptitude for working at distances
• "Go go go" means run straight ahead along the path pointed by the handler
• "Here" means turn toward the handler and run the path pointed by the handler, just say "Here!" once
• Jackie loves to run, and opened up while running through the hoops

Rally 2, Week 2

Gunner and I did the following two mini-courses in class tonight:

360 Circle Left: Team turns in a small 360-degree (full) circle to the left while in heel position.

Spiral Right: Three cones are placed six to eight feet apart in a straight line. Team enters with first cone (base) on their right. They circle all three cones using the first cone as their base. They then circle two cones, returning to the base, then circle the base cone, and exit with base cone on their right.

Next we did this mini-course:

Serpentine Cones, One Way: Four cones are placed 6 to 8 feet apart in a straight line. Team enters with first cone to their left, and weaves while heeling through the cones and exits with last cone on their right.

Left Turn (limit one in E, M): Team makes a 90-degree turn to the left in heel position.

Halt, Down: Handler stops, dog sits in heel position. At handler’s command and/or signals Dog downs from sit. Handler pauses. Team heels forward from down.

Pearls:

• The handler's pace should be fairly brisk, enough that the dog prances forward in trot. Use a metronome to measure your cadence, or the song "Pretty Woman" is a good rule-of-thumb tempo.
• In classical heeling, the handler and dog are looking forward as they are walking forward together; in Rally it is okay for the dog and handler to check in with one another, especially in novice level.
• Practice heeling in varying tempos, from extremely slow to quite briskly jogging forward, with the working tempo kept brisk enough for Gunner to prance

Gunner heeling to Roy Orbison:

Foundations for Agility 2 Week 5

Jackie is continuing to gain confidence while playing agility.  Our homework this week will focus on building value for going over jumps, building value for chasing the lotus ball, generating excitement by playing games Jackie loves, and practicing the 1,2,3 game.

To build value for jumps, just send Jackie over the jump and reinforce her for going over, and repeat with varying rewards until the behavior of going over the jump has a lot of value.

To help build value for the lotus ball I should reinforce Jackie for chasing the ball and feeding her the cookies directly from the ball as I "explode" it for her on the ground level as she is chasing it.

To generate excitement, I need to get creative with playing games Jackie loves to play, such as tag-a-fencepost-and-run, "I'll get you" game, "sshwoom" game, and experiment again with using squeaky toys as well as her exploding lotus ball. We need to continue to build excitement so that Jackie is excited to play; the more enthusiastic I am the more Jackie's enthusiasm builds as well.

Start lines (and the whole mini-course really) are just the "1,2,3, Go!" game we learned in Foundations 1 class. Going back to the basics of playing the 1,2,3, Go game: where Jackie starts in a sit-stay, then I place a target (or a toy she loves) a few feet away from her on the ground, then say "Break! Get it!" and let her eat a cookie off of the target.  Then I can build back up to Jackie starting in sit-stay, me leading out ahead of her a few paces, then 1,2,3 "Go!" and running then feeding her a cookie.

Our coach reminded us that a good way to gain must-have skills for handling a trial environment is to take your dog to novel environments and play with them there. Can they sit confidently in Home Depot? Can they nose-touch or walk quietly on a loose leash while strolling outside a busy dog park? Will they recall while off leash in an open, interesting environment if another dog or squirrel happens past? Confidence and reliability in new and distracting conditions must be proofed before the dog is ready to handle a trial environment.

Jackie jumping

Enthusiasm is contagious

Jackie playing a mini-course:

Pearls:

• Jackie needs to continue to build value and confidence for startlines (1,2,3 "Go! game)
• Homework also includes building value for jumping over a standard bar, building value for the exploding lotus ball by throwing it so Jackie can chase it and feeding her cookies directly from it
• Experiment with ways to build up excitement for Jackie: games, toys, running; in general keeping my speed and enthusiasm up
• Consider visiting new surroundings to begin proofing calm and confident behavior in preparation for trial circumstances

Inaugural Bike Ride

Jackie went for her first bike ride with Gunner and me today, with much success. We started several days ago by reinforcing hopping into the trolley indoors in a calm, distraction-free environment, then reinforcing being clipped in with her safety harness, then reinforcing for a small amount of movement of the bike and trolley.  Then released out of the trolley and reinforced for hopping out, then a big celebration and change the subject and leave it alone for another day.

Which was today.  After a very long walk with lots of play and running so everyone was loose and relaxed, we came home and got the bike and trolley ready, this time outside in the garage.  Following the same process of reinforcing for hopping in, settling quietly, and staying clipped in with Gunner by her side. We then went for one large circle in the garage, with lots of reinforcements for keeping her belly on the floor of the trailer. Gunner is used to standing in the trailer, but I was today years old when I decided I want him to follow Jackie's example and lie down while in the trailer-- Jackie offered this behavior and it seems logical to keep the center of balance as low and stationary in the trailer as possible.  So I was simultaneously marking and reinforcing Gunner for lying on his belly in the trolley as well as marking and reinforcing Jackie. 

We then proceeded to the bottom of the driveway; at this point I hadn't actually gotten on the bike but was walking beside the bike so I could keep up a very high rate of reinforcement.  Since all was going well I donned my helmet and got on to pedal about a half-block away, then marked while still in the bike saddle, dismounted and parked, and reinforced both dogs for lying calmly.  Repeat, repeat, repeat, adding more time and distance between each mark, stop, and reinforcement, until we had gone the entire distance around our small neighborhood.  

I was especially intentional to mark and reinforce calm, still behavior whenever a car passed and when we passed a couple kids playing ball in the street.

After today's triumph I'm looking forward to more bike rides together.  With both Border collies' combined weight just about 70 pounds in the trolley, and an additional 20+ pounds of Cocker spaniel weight in the front basket of the bike, it's a fair effort to pedal around the neighborhood, especially hills! I'm grateful for the upgraded bike that Chris got for me just as the pandemic was beginning to descend on us in early 2020.

Building value for being in the bike trolley while still indoors

Pearls:

• Future successful bike rides are accessible thanks to high rates of reinforcement and building value for riding calmly 
• Jackie autonomously offered logically lying on her belly in the sphinx position, so now I'm continuing to reinforce that position for all dogs

Start lines, jumps, and tunnels

For startlines, we need Jackie to understand "Break!" means to start the run. Once I get Jackie in a sit stay and I lead out and establish eye contact with her, I say "Break!" and then move while pointing to the line and verbally cueing for the next obstacle. Today we practiced a mini course of startline, jump, tunnel, and another jump. I need to keep moving forward and draw Jackie's path of travel with my dog-side pointing finger while maintaining my own forward movement.

Our homework this week will be to continue to practice perfect startlines, as well as building value for jumping by reinforcing going over jumps "Go hup!" so Jackie learns that there is huge value in jumping any standard in her line of travel. We'll also continue to reinforce two-on-two-off contact behavior "Feet!" with the plank and nose target in anticipation of starting the baby dog walk. 

Jackie and I signed up today for an upcoming Cowtown Dog Sports Contact Workshop to be held at the building on December 11, so we're looking forward to continuing to learn contact behavior!

Pearls:

• Startlines establish the flavor of your entire run and are worth perfecting
• I must keep moving forward at the same pace while drawing a path by pointing to Jackie's continued line
• Feed reinforcements with the dog-side hand in order to build value for the cue hand
• Homework includes reinforcing "Feet!" and continuing to practice startlines and reinforce jumping

Jackie is good at jumping and seems to love it!

Rally 2 Week 1

Gunner started Rally 2 class tonight with much success.  Homework this week will be to practice heeling patterns in different environments, such as while out for a walk.  In class tonight we practiced serpentines and spirals both right and left:

Serpentine Cones, One Way: Four cones are placed 6 to 8 feet apart in a straight line. Team enters with first cone to their left, and weaves while heeling through the cones and exits with last cone on their right.

Serpentine Cones, Down & Back: Four cones are placed 6 to 8 feet apart in a straight -line Team enters with first cone to their left, and while heeling weaves through the cones, around the last one, and back the other way and exits with last cone to their left.

Spiral Right: Three cones are placed six to eight feet apart in a straight line. Team enters with first cone (base) on their right. They circle all three cones using the first cone as their base. They then circle two cones, returning to the base, then circle the base cone, and exit with base cone on their right.

Spiral Left: Three cones are placed six to eight feet apart in a straight line. Team enters with first cone (base) on their left. They circle all three cones using the first cone as their base. They then circle two cones, returning to the base, then circle the base cone, and exit with base cone on their left.

We need to continue to work on heel position.  The goal is an as-close-as-possible-to-the-handler heel position where Gunner pivots his hindquarters left into me while in heel position. I need to establish the cue for maintaining tight heel position is the handler’s feet moving, rather than relying on a hand lure or verbal cue.

Perch work is a good exercise to help reinforce automatic heel position.  Where the dog has his front paws on the perch, and is reinforced for pivoting around the perch while his front legs remain on the perch.  Once that is established, the handler can step next to the perch and mark and treat as the pivoting dog bumps into my leg. 

The cue for the pivot will eventually be the handler pivoting around the perch— as I move my feet 1/4 turn around the perch, Gunner follows by pivoting his hindquarters with me.

Gunner practicing pivoting around a perch:

Gunner and Jackie side by side on the Trinity River Trails:

Pearls:

• Homework this week includes practicing serpentines and spirals in differing environments
• Continue to build value for tight, close-to-the-handler heel position by lots of reinforcement while Gunner is in good heel position; playing on perches and platforms helps facilitate reinforcing excellent heel position

Three Month Anniversary

This past weekend marked three months of Jackie's tenure with us.  The three-month mark can be significant in that it often takes at least that much time for a rescued adoptee to begin to show their true personality in a new home. Jackie is more likely to bark protectively; for example when our neighborhood's decorating committee showed up right outside our gate to put up the seasonal decorations, she barked loudly to let me know there were strangers out there. Jackie is more likely to vocalize when she wants to join in the fun at class or when she sees passers-by at home. 

Since I'm not interested in barking or lunging as behaviors, I've stepped up my efforts for a precise form of impulse control, really just another game of “Hers whats” (“It’s Yer Choice”) as in “Hers whats stays quiet and calm is hers whats gets a cookie” as follows: 

To reinforce Jackie for being calm both at home and in class, I'm deliberately capturing the moments she is gazing keenly at the object of interest (such as a student team running agility in class while Jackie watches from her crate, or a stranger jogging past with their dog outside our fence) but while her voice is still quiet and she is still in a relaxed physical position such as sit or down. 

Of course Jackie is happy to quietly pay attention to me when there are cookies or playtime at hand, but what I'm intentionally capturing are the moments when she is specifically not paying attention to me just before she barks or moves while she is keenly interested in engaging with a distraction by running or barking (or both) but just before she engages with her voice or her feet.  

It takes paying close attention and good timing to capture that brief moment, prior to her having moved or barked but while she is looking interestedly at the object of interest and while she is making a decision whether or not to act on her excitement, that exact nanosecond is when she gets the reinforcement.  Thereby learning that it is fine to look, fine to feel interested and even excited, but that she is reinforced for remaining quiet and in place.  

I'm so grateful for Jackie and the fortuitous events that brought her into our lives. It was Patricia McConnell from whom I learned about the Rule of Threes: Three Days, Three Weeks, Three Months. This three-month mark truly does feel like a milestone, and I'm looking forward to building our relationship as we continue the journey.

Jackie has definitely taught me from her own unique playbook

Pearls:

• Jackie's three month milestone feels momentous, following the Rule of Threes
• Jackie marches to her own drum, and I'm grateful for all she's taught me
• Jackie is keen, loves to learn, and she also wants to feel in control of her own destiny, which seems logical
• Precise impulse control is possible with good handler timing and reinforcing the moments Jackie is keenly interested in a distraction but while she is still "quiet" with her voice and body

At 3 days...

The first 3 days are the initial “detox period” as the dog transitions from the shelter to your home. Your home is new and exciting, with more stimulating activity and space and freedom than a shelter can ever provide. It can be overwhelming for many dogs, especially those who have been in the shelter for weeks.

Your new dog may sleep a lot in those first few days or – more likely – he may be so amped up on excitement that he is easily aroused and difficult to settle down. He will want to check out all the new smells and investigate his new digs. He won’t know what you expect from him, where to go potty, or whether he’s allowed on the furniture; he won’t know that your shoe is not actually a chew toy, or that the kitchen trash is not where he is supposed to find his dinner.

These first few days require an immense amount of patience on your part. Take a deep breath and remember that your home is like Disneyland for a shelter dog. He will settle in to your routine if you give him time and patience. It won’t happen overnight, and he will probably still need to attend positive-reinforcement training classes to help him learn better manners, but take comfort in knowing that it gets better!

At 3 weeks...

After 3 weeks, your dog is probably getting used to your comings and goings, learning the daily routine, and starting to figure out when the next meal is coming. He’ll learn that you walk at the same time every morning, and that he gets to go out for regular potty breaks. You’ll start to see more of his true personality and less of his initial response – whether that was fear, excitement, stress or a combination of all three. You will have narrowed down his behavior problems (if any) to the ones that are likely to remain unless you attend training classes or get help from a dog training professional. It won’t be completely smooth sailing, but the bumps in the road will be less frequent and less stressful.

At 3 months...

At 3 months, most dogs know they are “home.” It’s a process to get there, but with patience and a sense of humor, the two of you can scale the mountain together and enjoy the journey toward a great relationship.

1 Love Has No Age Limit, Drs. Karen London and Patricia McConnell

Jackie staying in shape with hill work:

Foundations for Agility Week 3

Homework this week will focus strongly on two-on-two-off contact behavior "Feet!" because we are gearing up to begin the baby dog walk soon! We'll continue using Jackie's plank and the ceramic nose target to reinforce "Go walk!" "Feet!"  

Interestingly, I can add a bit of distance in class but at home when I add too much distance Jackie occasionally plows past the end of the plank and misses the reinforcement zone.  As always, slow and steady wins the race so for now I will add only the tiniest increments of distance at home to keep a high rate of reinforcement and motivation.

In class today we re-visited start lines, which are very important and set the tone for your entire run.  Jackie did very well on her first start line.  When first learning to go through a hoop at the start line, it is helpful to put your back to the line and sit (or down) your dog very close to the hoop, to make it obvious to the dog where she should run. As we add the tunnel obstacle, I must remember to keep moving at the same speed so Jackie keeps her forward momentum into the tunnel.  

Using an exploding lotus ball stuffed with cookies today for the first time seemed to be a viable tool.  Ideally we will continue to use the lotus ball to toss in front of Jackie to reinforce running distance ahead of the handler.

Jackie adding a tunnel obstacle to the startline, reacquainting herself with the tunnel after not seeing it for several weeks:

   

The tunnel is becoming more familiar:

Pearls:

• Practice contact behavior this week, as the baby dog walk is debuting soon!
• Start lines are worth perfecting and proofing, and set the tone for your entire run
• Tunnels are fun! Don't slow down at all as I cue the tunnel and approach it and run; expect Jackie to enter the tunnel and keep moving-- don't slow down at all, keep the same pace

Jumping, and playing with multiples

Our new backyard jump standard arrived today, and it was received with much success.  This is the second time in her life that Jackie has seen a jump standard, and she seems to really love jumping.  Gunner is a pro jumper, in the past I've seen him jump up and touch the top of a nine-foot fence, and he is expert at hopping over and onto a myriad of things.

I'm experimenting with having all three dogs together while we play.  While one dog plays the other two are reinforced for being on their place platform.  It's interesting training multiples, and I've found a group name works best for group commands and releases.  "Dogs break!" is the group release, and "Dogs down!" or "Dogs go to your place!" has been working well.  

For now I'm having to use a very high rate of reinforcement to keep Gunner from hopping up and joining in, especially while Jackie and I are doing the fun agility stuff that Gunner loves.  Jackie and Rosco are happy to be couch potatoes and lie on their cot while watching Gunner play.

In consideration of a fantasy that includes showing the BCs in Rally Pairs, Gunner and Jackie have been practicing walking beside me in heel position, and today we started playing "Dogs sit!" and "Dogs down!" and "Dogs stand!" in unison.  The group sit and down are fairly good, and the group stand still needs some polishing. Jackie needs to learn "Stand!" on her own since her stand needs to progress to being as automatic as Gunner's.

Gunner saying "Pick me! Pick me" while Jackie and Rosco are happy to relax

Gunner jumping ~16 inches, I raised the standard bar for just a couple jumps to see how it would look in a video:

Jackie jumping ~8 inches, this is only her second time seeing a jump:

Pearls:

• Backyard jumping is a favorite with the Border collies (no jumping for Rosco as he has a history of degenerative disc disease)
• Tag-team with the threesome is going well: I play with one pup for a few moments while the other two relax on their cot, then tag in the next competitor to come play while the other takes their place on the cot
• Videotaping is simple with the Joby tripod
• Jackie seems to love jumping, and I'm happy with the backyard jump standard from Midlee pet supplies

For ease of use and flexibility in different environments I'm pretty happy with this Joby GorillaPod tripod I ordered for capturing videos.  

Rally 1 Final Week

Gunner graduated from Rally 1 tonight, and we're looking forward to continuing to Rally 2 classes! An exposed weakness was absolutely still, all four paws planted sit-stay while the handler walks around the dog.  Gunner must be reinforced for keeping all four paws still and in the exact same place while he is in sit-stay, and while I walk around.  So that will be a focus of our homework this week.  

Working in front of a mirror or intentionally memorizing exactly where/how each foot is placed on the ground before you move away can help reveal when the dog stays still, and only reward when the dog remains completely planted. Even if you have to go back to just one or two steps away, then reinforce for staying, and gradually build up to staying in place as the handler walks around. Remember to walk very wide around your dog to give him plenty of space to feel secure that he won't get stepped on.

In class tonight after warming up, we practiced heeling on a line with 360-degree circles (right and left were both practiced) and continuing ahead on the same line. 

Our coach set up two different mini-courses of multiple signs.  We got to see the Start, Heeling and Conduct sign tonight for the first time.  Here is the description from ASCA: "Start, Heeling and Conduct: designates the beginning of the course; team lines up with dog sitting in heel position just before or at the left of the sign. All imperfections in heeling on the course between stations shall be scored here. All Handler Errors and misbehavior not associated with specific exercises while in the ring shall also be scored here."

Our coach reminded us that at the start sign before beginning, it is permissible and a good idea to get your dog lined up in perfect heel position to begin since you haven't yet begun being judged.  Never cross the plane of the cone line for any sign until after the individual exercise is performed, with the exception of the finish sign which the team just walks past in heel.  Be sure to walk past the finish sign as that is what clicks the timer to finish, and the times are used as tie-breakers and for pinning (the lowest time breaks the tie and the lowest time combined with the highest score pins highest in the class). 

Another reminder was to be sure to keep your hand held up to your waistline while heeling, and never touch the dog's nose (or touch the dog at all) to avoid giving the impression of luring the dog, even at the start sign before judging has begun. 

The ASCA signs and descriptions for the first mini-course we did tonight:

Designates the beginning of the course; team lines up with dog sitting in heel position just before or at the left of the sign.

Team turns in a small 360 degree (full) circle to the right while in heel position.

Team makes a 90 degree turn to the left in heel position.

While heeling, dog downs in heel position at handler's command and/or signals, handler pauses in heel position while dog remains down. Team heels forward.

Designates the end of the course. Both handler and dog must pass the Finish sign for time to stop.

Note the "Primary" parts of the exercises are underlined. (Think of this as the "essence" of the move in dressage-speak and the rest of the description the "modifiers.") These portions must be performed correctly, or the exercise will be scored Incorrectly Performed (IP). If you realize in the show ring that you made a mistake and will not be able to perform the primary part of the exercise, you can decide to re-do the sign with a deduction of three points, so if you score a perfect 10 on the re-do, you will still get 7 points instead of 0 points for an IP.

The ASCA signs and descriptions for the second mini-course we did tonight: 

Designates the beginning of the course; team lines up with dog sitting in heel position just before or at the left of the sign.

Handler stops, dog sits in heel position. Handler walks around dog and pauses in heel position while dog remains sitting. Team heels forward.

Team makes a 90 degree turn to the left in heel position.

Handler stops, dog sits in heel position. Team heels forward.

Designates the end of the course. Both handler and dog must pass the Finish sign for time to stop.

A reminder that I've gotten previously and again tonight is to be sure to keep plenty of slack in my leash to show that the dog is offering all behaviors independent of the leash. A brisk pace on my part that allows Gunner to offer his "prance" gate is the sweet spot for show ring heeling. 

Pearls:

• Onward to Rally 2!
• Homework this week includes practicing the signs in different locations both at home and while out for a walk
• Visiting novel places and experiencing unique environments (the sliding doors at home depot, elevators at hotels, loud voices at busy restaurants) can help prepare your dog for the trial surroundings
• Four-on-the-floor completely planted stays are to be taught and reinforced
• Always warm up your dog before your initial approach to the start line, so he is on your aids and ready to play Rally
• Take the time to line up your dog and organize yourself in perfect heel position prior to starting a course
• Keep a very obvious loose leash at all times in the ring
• Stay on your side of each individual sign cone until after the exercise is completed (except the finish sign, walk past it to stop the timer)
• Keep your hands well away from the dog to never give the impression of luring (left elbow bent while heeling)
• ASCA Rally rules and signs are here: https://www.asca.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/rallyrules.pdf; note the primary parts of each exercise are bolded and underlined
• In the show ring you can decide to re-do a sign with a deduction of three points
• A heeling pace just brisk enough to show Gunner's "prance" is our show ring sweet spot

Gunner having a jolly on the riverbank

Training Session Progression

Best practices for each training session include warming up with easy exercises, such as hers whats (our coach calls this game "it's yer choice"), sit, down, or any other behavior the dog enjoys, knows well, and has about 100% chance of getting right the first time. I like to do "Bravo" with Gunner since the play bow is an excellent stretching exercise. While out for a walk with Jackie is always a great opportunity to get in several seconds of teaching after Jackie is warmed up and engaged.

Once the dog is thinking and has warmed up, then it's time to begin to teach a novel behavior.  For Jackie, each training session lasts about 20 to 30 seconds, and never more than a minute.  Since Gunner is further along in his education, I may work with him for a minute or just a bit more, depending on what we are learning.

Once I've worked a few seconds with Jackie or less than a minute with Gunner, then it's a good opportunity to work on established behaviors that need to progress or improve. I may work with Gunner on his perch or platform to reinforce heel position and improve body awareness, or work with Jackie on her platform or send to a perch.  This part of the training is also just several seconds.

In the end I always like to finish again with something the dog enjoys and finds very easy.  For Gunner "Be a bear" where he sits up on his haunches, or even just sit or down or any behavior that is both fun and easy for the dog.

Our coach has reminded me that warming up is such a necessary part of the dog's success. Even though we're in the building during class for an hour, the way our coach structures each class more-or-less follows this warm up with easy behaviors,  play novel games, fun easy behaviors, take-a-break progression. On my own, I want to be mindful of an intentional warm up and a fun, easy closure after a learning session. 

As always, if there has been a breakthough behavior offered, or a behavior happens that was especailly desired, big celebrations with whatever it is the dog finds most rewarding is in order! 

To end the session, I simply go to another room or area.  If we've been playing outside, I go inside.  Or if we've been in my study, we'll go into the living room.  In the building during class, we'll move to a crate or onto the settle mat. Physically moving to a different environment is a clear signal we're all done for the moment.

Interestingly, and not coincidentally, this is a similar formula for a schooling session on a dressage horse.

While working with our coach on platform training, she helped me measure the best size platform for Gunner.  The platform should be only just wide enough to accommodate a very straight sit, and long enough for him to lay down; for Gunner it's 9 inches wide by 24 inches long. I'm pretty happy with this platform I ordered from K9 Play Products:

Gunner demonstrating platform work

Pearls:

• Incorporate warm up with something very easy for a few seconds
• Then begin to play a new game from just a few seconds to under a minute 
• Move on to reinforcing previously learned behaviors that need sharpening for a few seconds 
• Ending up with something fun and easy for the dog then take a break 
• Always end while the dog still wants to play
• For new adoptees and puppies, it's best to keep education sessions very short, well under a minute
• For more established pupils, it's still best to keep it as short as possible, occasionally working up to a minute or more depending on the behavior

Jumping!

Jackie took her first agility jump today! In introducing jump training to an agility novitiate, one starts low and slow.  At first you show Jackie the jump, then toss a treat across it onto the floor and she hops over and eats the cookie.  Then you gradually add distance while you point to the jump and toss the treat out in front of her after she jumps. Keep your arm up pointed at the jump line until the dog is across.

Keeping the bar low helps build confidence for jumping, and in Jackie’s case since she is a three year old adult her bone plates are fully fused, but when introducing puppies it’s best to keep it low and not do much jumping until their growth plates are closed, which can be up to 18 to 20 months in very large dogs, or usually about a year in average sized dogs.

It was suggested by our coach that for Jackie we keep the bar well under 16 inches. Basically we want it high enough for her to just have to jump it, to avoid her walking over it. As Jackie’s handler, it is going to be important for me to keep Jackie busy, so speeding up my own approach helped keep Jackie’s energy and focus.

Our homework this week also includes continuing to reinforce two on two off contact behavior “Feet!” with adding distance, and sending to front paws up on a perch “Go bucket!” with adding distance. 

It was good being back in the classroom after a week off while our coach competed both her puppy and her established dog at ASCA national championships last week. 

In anticipation of ongoing jump training, we’ve ordered this backyard quality agility jump from Dog Agility Jumps by Midlee: 

Interestingly, jump training for horses has been a focus of much thought and study, while jump training for agility dogs is relatively new.  The dog world is now awake to the idea that dogs have to collect onto the hindquarters as they approach and jump, and also have to extend to remove strides between jumps or collect to add strides, as with horses.  The other reminder this week is to never allow your dog(s) to play unattended with the agility equipment, as it becomes a potential hazard and we want to avoid any injury, large or small.

Pearls:

• Jumping is fun! Keep the jump low (well under 16”) to build confidence and keep things moving quickly so that Jackie stays busy
• Homework this week includes two-on-two-off contact behavior “Feet!” using a plank and nose target, and  sending to a perch “Go bucket!” with increasing distances
• Stay safe by allowing dogs to play with agility equipment only while supervised and with their handler paying attention

Jackie demonstrating “Go bucket!”

In the ongoing effort to find treats that are interesting and of value, I’ve been training my two black and white seals with minnows. Minnows are a healthy one-bite, if stinky, reinforcer:

Expectation (top) vs reality (bottom):