Help needed for remembering courses!

[Kyoko]

OK. So it is me. I always mess up somewhere in the course for missing something, or forgetting something...So, naturally, Charlie messes up, because I am not giving her the clear information to where to go.

Do you guys have any secret technique in regard to how to remember courses?

[Kyoko]

I tried by seeing obsticles in chuncks... like " go staraight to the tunnel " and "Straight back to the tire", etc..... then, I mesed up at the connection to the next chunck!! UUGGHHHH!!

[Kim Williams]

Last weekend I stopped dead on a course during a trial......couldn't remember where to go after the tunnel.  I was yelling at myself.....in the ring, mind you....and Parris took the correct jumps without me and Q'd.  She saves me all the time. I have gotten better with time.  I also like to use the course maps at the trials.

[Kyoko]

Wow! Good for you Paris!!! We have not gone to the trial as of yet, but we have been running the course with up to 14 obsticles.... Sometimes I just hold my head and "Ugghhhh!! " in the middle of the course like you said !!

[Kyoko]

Charlie and I ran the whole course of 20 obsticles today!! So excited!!

[Leslie C.]

Hi.  Congats on the 20 obstacles you and Charlie completed!

 

Here are some suggestions to consider:

1.  We all have different learning styles -- try to figure out how you learn best and guide your instructor to teach the course to you in a manner that matches this style.  

2.  Try not to go first :)  Sometimes I think both LiliBear and I learn from watching other dogs go first.  She seems to track the other dogs on occasion. 

3.  I frequently trip over my words and call obstacles the wrong thing, so quietly saying it outloud helps.

4.  Traveling with my eyes and body as I say it outloud can also be helpful.  If I can't be moving around and least standing up and visualizing it will be important. 

5.  Chunking and minimizing words will be helpful for some of us.

6.  Repitition :)  multiple rehersals.

7.  Knowing where I need to move faster ....

8.  Oh ... other secrets may include plenty of rest, plenty of water, vitamins and plenty of Vit. D :)  lol.

Good Luck.  ~Leslie &LiliBear

[Kyoko]

Thank you Leslie... Not going first definately helps. So you can repeat and repeat by looking at the other people....

 I started to draw course maps in the piece of paper and draw lines through as that is Charlie and I... also chunking the course.... That seems to help. We are still away from actually going to trials, but working on it!!