Workin' Hard !

At home missing agility trials...

I decided to opt out of doing any agility trials this weekend. No doubt, that as I read my friends texts or Facebook posts about how well they did - I started to wonder why I didn't enter... but it was the right choice. I didn't because I was tired -  I did a 2 day trial, 4 days of the Susan Garrett Seminar, then the 3 day USDAA SC Regional Trial... I had enough for the month.

Steppin' Back or Jumpin' around?

But to be honest - I have really been trying to take a step back and figure out how to address some of the issues we are having. As much as I wanted to qualify in Steeple and Grand Prix for Nationals - Jumping from one trial to the next with getting maybe one class in between wasn't going to address some very fundamental foundation issues we are having as a handler/dog team. Matter of fact - I think it was steadily increasing some of the bad behavior, both on Hemi's part and mine!

I stepped back, wrote down some things I wanted to address and made a plan...

Workin' Hard.

I spent some time at home teaching Hemi what I want to see at the end of a contact... reviewing video showed me two things. One: that in a rush to get to the next obstacle, I consistently released her before her feet hit the ground. A few of those and her criteria for what I want has already become very grey. Two:  at the end of the contact is where she tends to sass me  and as I mentioned in my last post I wanted to give her a job to do! - Now - I know what I have to see before I release and she has a job.

In addition to contact work my training this weekend I took two other things into consideration. 

One, working on keeping my eye on my dog as we ran (I couldn't think of any foundation to do at home to help with this.) 

Two, forward focus for Hemi.  If she sees obstacles in front her her, I need her to drive forward and not look to me - again - this is where I saw some more of the barking.  Driving forward until my body tells her otherwise should be her "job".

Gettin' er done!

I made my plan and put it into motion. We packed up our bag o' toys, video camera, treats, water, journal and headed to the field. Unfortunately - my camera was full so I only got one good video taping session.

I did some interactive playing with her (Susan Garrett calls this important moment before training 'relationship building') and did a speed circle with her on the jumpers side. Wow - it felt good.

Then we did some work on the standard side! Forward Focus - I strategically put a toy in a front of some jumps and drove toward it - falling back a bit so she would continue driving forward! 

Success! - again this time toy on the table - Success! Contact Work - nose touch--nose touch--nose touch! She did her job very well. Success! One time I got her to break her contact with throwing the tennis ball, but the next time she wasn't going to fall for it. Success!

One... I repeat... One Sass the entire 45 minutes we were on the field. Amazing! I even bobbled to try to make her sass... nope.. quiet as a mouse. I am really curious to see how that comes into play in class on Wednesday when she has an "audience".

I wrote down my notes, played with Hemi, threw the frog ball a couple of times and headed back home feeling pretty good about the morning!

A few more of those - and I think Hemi and I will be a different team to be reckoned with! Common USDAA courses - Bring it on! :o)

Hemi-ism #7 - Hemi needs a job!

Momma - I need a job to keep me busy - maybe if I had a job, I wouldn't have time to SASS!

Last week, I spent the week at a Susan Garrett seminar.  It was fabulous! I learned so many little things to fill in the gaps of my dog training. There were so many small, simple things, that just made so much sense.  I went with the intent to be a better agility handler but came out with the desire to be a better dog trainer.  One of her favorite things she said is

 "A dog is a reflection of your ability as a dog trainer." 

I love that, but that makes you realize every time your dog does something you don't like... well - you have a gap in your training...

Back to Hemi  needs a job...

I went into Hemi's agility class with the plan to work on sassing. Debbie (my instructor) made the comment when Hemi came down the A-Frame is "There she is barking at you on the contact again." (that was the cleaned up version) So, taking a step back - I am thinking I don't need to focus on stopping the sassing but looking at the cause of the sassing.
I want to focus on right now is the #1 place she sasses me - and that appears to be at contacts.


This week's plan it to create a job for Hemi at the end of a dog walk or bottom of a A-frame. No more 2on 2off - I want to see 2on 2off - I am giving you nose touches till you tell me otherwise. That will be her job. It will be hard for her to have her head up barking at me if her nose is down doing touches!!


I agree that all the rage is running contacts right now - and this "job" is going to eat up seconds that could mean the difference in speed, - so be it. I am OK with this.  This is just an idea - plan - that may not pan out - but it's something - it's moving forward - I can stop, re-analyze and at a minimum I will have more information from Hemi to make us successful!

Heigh-Ho - Heigh-Ho --- of to work we go....

Do-Land...

Starting Monday, I am going to be going to the Susan Garrett Seminar... Land of "Do" as she calls it!

I can't even begin how excited I am to attend her seminar. While she may not be for everyone, I have found an enormous amount of valuable training advice from her.  

It wasn't really till I got Hemi that I used Crate games... this is something I will forever use with any dogs I have going forward. This tool is essential. Secondly, I used her 12 weaves in 12 days 2x2 training... again - I will never go with a different way of training weaves again. Hemi has dream weaves. I never thought I could have a dog so young  - with such good weaves.

Monday I will be in her "Double Box Day" seminar, getting to have Hemi participate. Tuesday and Wednesday I will be auditing "Advances in Dog Training" and Thursday I will be in the  "Flatwork Secrets for Sport and Life" - again, Hemi will participate.  I am looking for any small clues how I can improve my training, my mechanics and my teamwork with Hemi.  I think this may help us as a team and get her focused on the work at hand and no so much about me and my hands.  I would like to find a way to minimize her sassing by living in the Do Land - no so much the Don't Land...

Wish us luck on our journey next week!