AGILITY DOODLES

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Comment by HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08 on March 26, 2009 at 5:21am

Hi Jane, Sherlock and Noah,
Glad to hear something worked for you, Hannah is not a toy playing dog either and very hard to find what will motivate her even though she is only 18 months old, she is also not big on a lot of treats, so that is why we use the bacon, that has seemed to be the only thing she really looks forward to, so that we are sticking with. Sorry to hear about your class being canceled for Sherlock, hope you can start agility soon.

Comment by HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08 on March 25, 2009 at 8:01pm

Hi All,
Thank you so much for all the tips, they are helping me understand some of the things we are going through sounds like you's have also or are. In general Hannah will be 2, Aug.2nd and Honey will be 1, July 2nd. I am only working with Hannah with agility for the time being and Honey will be starting soon as I can get her training in for obedience and also housetraining, cause we got her at 6 months and she came from a kennel, lived in a crate for 6 months. I think part of the correction thing is also because of having done obedience, your use to correcting right away, with the name and correction, and I think I tend to do it that way, even though I shouldn't. Our trainer also does correct me on where she thinks I'm going wrong, but again it's hard when your use to doing obedience. The age group we are working with all dogs are pretty much the same age, and all are on the same skill level. In fact its funny cause most of the people there look up to Hannah, she was the first who would go across the teeter, she did the A frame with no problems. I know I also must be a hinderance for her with my disability, but it is not gonna hold us back. I will really try and keep the tone in my voice more positive with her, even if she does something wrong. Will let all know how we are doing, we go every Saturday morning. Hannah sounds a lot like Noah, very laid back and reserved and the pet me pup, but I still want to give her the chance to exercise and compete in agility. Hannah is very funny with what motivates her, and the only thing I have found that she really likes is the Turkey bacon, you can set a plate of Hot Dogs on the floor and she will walk over, sniff them and walk right away. Not take 1 peice of hot dog. As far as Vet checks, Hannah gets checked by her Vet when her regular check ups are suppose to be. Hannah has jumped over the BACK of the sofa with no problems, so I'm certain when we start doing heights she will do great.

Comment by Linda and Murphy on March 25, 2009 at 7:21pm

LeAnn..excellent comments. My first trainer allowed no corrections, only positive responses. One of the instructors I work with talks about "shaping"..
Murphy had a bad day Sunday...running his own course, not following me.(we had not practiced in about a month because of AKC trials). We had to resort to me giving him treats after every jump, then every 2 jumps.
He hasn't done the chute much so I asked to work on that. He would bolt through the chute to the target (with Cesar dog food), gobble it up, run back and through the chute for more Cesar. (not on my command....sigh.)
By the end of the class he was tired and focusing..its also 80 degrees here already.

Because Murphy is huge (and someone thought he had a "wiggle" in his butt)
I had his hips x-rayed and checked. They are great, but I don't jump him at full height very much. I just want him to follow me right now.

Comment by LeAnn, Lucy & Rusty!! on March 25, 2009 at 3:28pm

Hannah, what do you do when you "correct" Honey? I ask because my trainer allows no "corrections" not even a "uh uh". You reward if they do what their supposed to do but ignore if they don't. The point being to create the "want to". Lucy totally loses focus sometimes. Last week was a great example - she just would not pay attention! She'd come out of the tunnel and run off .. I'd call her.. she wouldn't come (which is very unusual for her).. but I just walked up to her and gently took her collar while I'm talking all baby talk to her and walked her back to the beginning. Finally, I took her over to two tunnels and we just went around and around about 10 times and she LOVESSSSS TUNNELS.. that got her attention and we went back and joine the class. Is there one thing that jazzes Honey up?? Does she like the jumps?? Lucy is motivated by treats but not so much by toys - it's something that we're working on and last week I got her to play tug during class. I was VERY excited!

My trainer says she's got to want to be with me more than with the other dogs, etc.... and she highly emphasizes talking "happy talk" to the dog constantly... lots of energy in your voice (some people do the baby talk thing).. We have a guy in our class who rarely talks to his dog and I'm jabbering away.. I can tell a huge difference.. if I'm excited - Lucy's excited. If I'm frustrated then Lucy'd rather spend time with the dogs. It's worth a try.. do it for a couple of weeks and see what happens. Also, I highly recommend a book called "Shaping Success" by Susan Garrett. She has all sorts of games you can play with your dog at home to help with 1) bonding 2) focus and 3) just having fun with your dog!

I agree with Jane though.. agility might not be "the thing" for Honey.. but I hope you give it more of a chance.. the better you get the more fun it is!! Lucy will never be a real "competitor" - I just want us both to have fun!!!

Comment by Linda and Murphy on March 25, 2009 at 7:55am

How old is Hannah?
Murphy is almost 3 and still has trouble focusing. He loves to do HIS course.
I am very careful how I correct him. I try to keep everything positive.

There are times I want to scream "BAD" at him. (That word totally shuts him down, he goes to his crate with his eyes on the floor. Some one can use that word in conversation and he goes to his crate) I haven't used it because I don't want it associated with agility.

Also realize that the other dogs may be older, more mature, and have done this longer. Try to keep it fun and realize her limits. I saw your video. She works very well for you and was very focused on you. She did a great job and so did you!

Comment by HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08 on March 24, 2009 at 9:58pm

Hannah likes to play with other dogs, and sometimes she is really good at doing agility, but it always seems if I have to correct her attention to the agility and not play, she shuts down. I love doing this with her, cause it gives us something to do other than sit around a house, but at the same time am I waisitng my time trying to get her to be involved.

Comment by Linda and Murphy on March 24, 2009 at 6:56pm

What does she like to do? Her favorite thing?
I'm guessing here because Murphy is so highly motivated that he goes beserk.

Comment by HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08 on March 24, 2009 at 4:56pm

???? Hannah had done puppy and basic obedience and all of a sudden she started getting bored, we tried RallyO and the same thing, till we get done with practice at the end of the night it was I'm bored..not doing this anymore. Sometime with agility its like she shuts down at the end of class, how do I keep her motivated, when she does the tunnel, it's slow, its like are you going to take a nap in there or come out soon. I treat her to what she likes, bacon, she is not toy motivated, and I don't know how else to motivate her. Our instructor says some dogs are not highly motivated and more laid back like Hannah, but I don't see her doing good in a competition. Suggestions please

Comment by Linda and Murphy on March 19, 2009 at 7:11pm

Yes, there were cones with numbers...and you wrapped back around into some of them a second time.
One of the things one lady I work with does is put her dogs mat near the exit. Under the mat she has his "jackpot" that he gets after the run.
The problem I would anticipate is them leaving the ring for the jackpot.
You and Parris are doing great!

Comment by Kim Williams on March 19, 2009 at 5:50pm

Linda,
That looks like so much fun!! Thanks for the picture. It looks like a nice facility. Did they number the course with cones?
Last night at agility I felt pretty dumb because I didn't know that treats are not allowed in the ring during a trial. Parris' focus is keen with treats. I'm gonna have to work on that.

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