Today I got to play with our Coach's dog, Surge! It was fun getting a glimpse of what it's like to play with a super-fast, very high-drive dog.
Jackie and I played hoops, barrels, tunnels, turns, and rear crosses. We also played with the manners minder to reinforce speed and running out ahead of me.
Pearls:
Give the cue for a rear cross "Back!" as early as possible when describing your dog's path to run.
Time the cue as soon as the dog has committed to the previous obstacle so that it is clear as early as possible each next obstacle the dog is to take.
Keep your arm up while your dog is in the tunnel, so when she comes out of the tunnel your cueing arm and hand are already pointing where she should go
Likewise keep your arm up all the way past the last obstacle, so the dog continues to drive forward to the finish line
The 2022 Lexus GX460 is a close cousin to the Toyota 4Runner and is identical to the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. It has full off-roading capability with full-time four-wheel drive as well as the option to be in four low for extreme mud or other environmental challenges. There are auto-folding third row seats should I ever want to travel with a crowd of people, and I can fit up to four Border collie-sized crates should I ever need them.
A big reason I wanted this car is because of the air conditioning system that is fully vented and has separate temperature control for three different zones: the front seat (driver's zone), the back seat (passenger zone), and the cargo area (dogs' zone). The dogs' crate area has full air conditioning vents both directly into the side door of the crate as well as adjustable vents that blow from above directly onto the dog's crate.
Pearls:
Fits both Jackie's large and Gunner's intermediate Ruffland crate in the cargo area with the backseats up and functional
If I ever needed to, I could fit two additional intermediate Ruffland crates on the flattened back seat for a total of four crates
The three-zone air conditioning system is excellent because the dogs have several vents blowing cold air directly into their crate, and I can keep it colder in the back for the dogs while adjusting it separately in the front for the driver
In the dog (cargo) area there is a 120 volt (like the one in your house) that I can plug in a crate fan or any other accessory I might need, just on the inside of the back cargo door
The 2022 Lexus GX460 has all the reliability and off-road capabilities of a Toyota Land Cruiser, with all the creature comforts of a Lexus
Large Ruffland crate (orange) on the left, intermediate Ruffland crate (white) on the right, fit with second row passenger seat still up and functional:
Air conditioner vent blows directly into the side door of the Ruffland crate:
Separate air conditioner vents blow from the ceiling above as well as from the center console of the back seat into the dog crate area:
You can open the back hatch to quickly check your crate (this is Jackie's crate in the tester at the dealership):
120-volt regular house-style plug outlet for a fan or other accessories:
Typically have Jackie's crate only, but has the capability to fit three extra kennels for a total of four crates if I ever needed:
Overall very happy with my new car's crating, air conditioning, and off-roading capabilities:
Video review of the dog crating area of the 2022 Lexus GX460:
Wanted to talk about a jump Jackie took this morning in an odd manner. I do NOT want to say, much less think about, a rotational fall. This is NOT that. However it was odd the way Jackie took this jump and how the bar stayed up until she was several strides away from the jump and on to the next obstacle. Happy to know that Jackie is fine, she didn't fall or get hurt in any way, and hopefully we've learned from this experience.
Today we continued jump training by playing jumps on a curved line. We also played serpentine jumpers to practice blind crosses for the first time, rear crosses, and front crosses.
Pearls:
When doing a blind cross, as you bring your new driving arm up, leave your arm out behind you and down a bit while wagging your hand to get your dog's attention onto your new cueing arm
Begin running with Jackie to get her running with me and ahead of me; play with rewarding on a small-ish circle for staying with me, and then rewarding for being on the inside of the circle or the outside of the circle I am describing for her to run
When doing front crosses or blind crosses, always turn toward your dog
Keep running! Dogs follow movement, and your dog will stop if you stop, so keep running
Playing jumping while turning tightly, blind cross, and front cross:
Jackie and I played two mini courses today: touch and go with hoops, and jumpers with a tunnel.
Pearls:
Agility is really just directing your dog along the line you want her to travel.
Keeping your arm down allows you to still direct her line without sending her too far out.
Allowing Jackie space will keep her true to her line and prevent overshooting the line she should follow.
Being confident as a handler in turn gives Jackie confidence. Give cues and directions assuredly, and Jackie will follow the line you're directing. Own it!
Of the five AKC novice rally courses to choose from for videoing, we chose Novice Course 1 (AKC RNV1) and recorded the course tonight.
Pearls:
Remember to use Gunner's event marker "Yes!" to let him know he has done the right behavior; Gunner is well conditioned to hold a behavior when he hears his marker word until the next cue is given
Continue to reinforce prompt, energetic heeling position
We recorded the AKC Rally Novice Course 5 tonight. Gunner has lots of enthusiasm and tries to add in extra tricks!
Pearls:
Grateful for how well Gunner is progressing and excited to be at the videotaping phase
Homework this week includes proofing sign 13 (Call Front – Finish Right – Forward – While heeling, the handler stops forward motion and
calls the dog to front. The handler may take several steps backward. The dog must come and sit in
front. Without the handler moving their feet, the dog must finish to the right. As the dog clears
the handler’s path, the handler will heel forward before the dog returns to heel position) and continue reinforcing brisk, prompt heel position
It takes three different videotaped Virtual Novice Courses (there are five novice courses from which to choose) scored by three different AKC judges with a score of 70% or higher to earn an AKC Rally Novice (RN) title
At the beginning of the video, the handler has to give a brief spiel saying the dog's name, his breed (be careful, since Gunner has his AKC Canine Partner number, he is considered by the AKC as an "All American Dog;" if you say "Border collie" or even "Mixed breed" the AKC deducts one percentage point from your final score!), you have to show that he is wearing a legal collar and leash, you have to remove the collar to show the camera and put the collar back on the dog, and you have to declare that you have no toys or treats on your person. At the end of the video you have to stand awkwardly and let the camera run for at least 5 additional seconds
Rally Novice Virtual Course 5:
Video clip (edited for brevity) of Gunner doing AKC Virtual Rally Novice Course 5:
Jackie and I met Sheelob today. Ok not really, but we did play with a very big spider. Much of canine jump training has emerged from what the experts have learned from teaching horses to jump, and today Jackie and I played with jump training.
The piece of equipment known as a spider helps the dog learn to jump with power from their hindquarters, as well as helping the dog use its own body most efficiently and comfortably for the dog. Using good ol' Sheelob, we cycled from 8 inches to 10, 12, 14, 16, all the way up to 18 inches, then cycled back down from 18 inches, 16, 14, 12, 10 back down to 8 inches, with the dog on both the handler's left and right sides.
In order to determine each dog's individual jump height, a series of five low (no higher than six inches) cavaletti are set in a straight line grid with a ground half pole set at the beginning. For both the spider and the cavaletti gymnastic, the point is for the dog to run straight through the gymnastic with his focus forward and downward toward a reward food bowl at the end of the gymnastic line. This teaches the dog to jump with their focus forward and downward, which is preferable to the dog jumping while looking up at the handler or around for sightseeing. The dog who jumps with their focus forward and downward is more likely to jump effectively, efficiently, and safely.
By visually assessing how the dog gallops through the jumping grid, as well as using a measuring tape placed alongside the jumping grid, it is possible to determine each dog's individual working stride length that is most comfortable for that dog. It turns out Jackie's working canter stride is five feet, a number we will remember for future reference while jump training.
Pearls:
The point is to allow the dog to jump freely, with their focus forward and downward, in the most comfortable and efficient stride over the jump
The handler stays stationary next to the reinforcement cookie, which is placed in and delivered from a food bowl or manner's minder so the dog's focus stays forward and downward
As well as the primary goal of teaching good jumping mechanics, jump training also builds tremendous intrinsic value for the jumps themselves
