Jumps and Hoops

 Jackie played jumps and hoops this week in agility class. 

Pearls:

• Keep moving; this makes it easier for Jackie to understand where her line of travel should be as well as encourages confidence by activating her chase behavior.
• When doing 180 degree turns, use "Here!" only once.
• Avoid saying Jackie's name, unless you urgently need her to look at you. Instead, say "Here!" to redirect her to turn toward you.

Jackie playing jumps and hoops:

Teeters and Pinwheels!

 Jackie and I played teeter totters and pinwheels today. 

Pearls:

• Guide the dog's line, by cueing early before an obstacle but not too early when cueing from the "landing" side of the obstacle
• For homework, set up a pinwheel: there are so many things you can play with a pinwheel including rear crosses, "Out!" sends, and building speed and enthusiasm as well as growing value for individual hoops and jumps

Jackie playing teeters and pinwheels:

Rally Heeling

 Gunner playing rally heeling October 27, 2022

Blind Crosses

Playing blind crosses is fun for the dog and handler because it tends to be fast-paced and smooth. 

Pearls:

• Cueing early is A MUST HAVE: send your dog along her line of travel before she is committed to the obstacle ahead of the obstacle you're cueing 
• To indicate a blind cross: bring your new driving hand behind you to pick up the dog by wagging your hand; the wagging movement catches the dog's attention and signals that a cross is happening 
• Hold and throw the reinforcement toy (a lotus ball in our case) with the opposite hand you will be driving with on the last obstacle of the series

 Jackie playing blind crosses:

Cue Earlier

While describing your dog's line of travel on course, remember to cue much sooner than even feels necessary. Earlier and smoother handler cues make it easier and more fun for the dog. 

The take-home pearl for today is CUE SOONER 

Pearls:

• Give your on-course cues much earlier than you think is necessary at this point
• Carry the lotus ball in the opposite hand to what your driving hand will be for the last obstacle
• Homework includes building drive and value for individual jumps, do this by having Jackie drive to a variety of reinforcers such as the lotus ball and manners minder
• It bears repeating: CUE EARLIER 

 Jackie playing serpentines and rear crosses:

Weaves and Fun Courses

 Jackie playing weaves and a fun course October 18, 2022:

Playing Fall 2022

 Clips of Jackie playing hoops, discriminations, rear crosses, and the broad jump:

Learning Teeter Totter and Courses with Discriminations and Rear Crosses

 Pearls:

• When teaching the teeter-totter, be sure to give it a name "Go Bang!" and then give the stopped contact cue "Feet!" so Jackie learns that it is different from the dog walk or other contact obstacle, that way she learns it is going to move and can adjust herself for the movement
• Always turn toward your dog when doing crosses
• In cueing discriminations and turns, where my feet point Jackie knows to go to that obstacle

Jackie learning Teeter Totter and playing a course with discriminations:

Playing at Home

 Taking advantage of the beautiful autumn weather, today we set up some discriminations and simple courses at our home base.

Pearls:

• Remember to give clear cues using less voice and more body language
• When I call Jackie's name, that indicates to her to look at me; while playing agility I should be clearly describing Jackie's line of travel 

Jackie playing at her home base with a friend:

WEAVES!

 Pearls:

• Your dog needs to be displaying each new behavior a minimum of 4 out of every 5 attempts correctly before you are ready to move on to something more challenging, as in while learning weave poles
• To begin, place two sets (a total of four poles) of 2 x 2 weave poles with a very obvious open channel the dog can run through down the middle of the clear channel. Then as she gets proficient at each step, gradually close the weave channel bit by bit until Jackie has to "wiggle" to get through the weaves
• Show Jackie the entry, then it is her responsibility to weave through each successive pole

Jackie beginning weaves: