Diary of Beginner's Agility - VanMorrison

VanMorrison

 I'll just have to work on my own speed!   Wink

I'm feeling totally guilty right now because we are missing two weeks and two classes in a row.  I've also been really busy - wow, this adoptions stuff take A LOT of time.

I asked about a make up class or one of the other classes but they are on Friday morning - Hello?  I have to work!

Hey, you have to keep your priorities straight!

Well... it has been three weeks or so since our last class and I was pretty nervous going back after missing a couple of classes.  Morrison was also very hyped up and didn't have a long enough run before class.  As we went in Morrison was all over the place and pulling, sniffing and just being a little jerk.  Then we started doing figure eights around the jumps and he was totally down to business.

We did jumps, tunnels, walking the board and A-Frame (very low) and he concentrated and worked the entire time.  He is tight around the jumps and throws the throttle in between - it was fun and glorious to watch.

For some reason our trainer told me that he is watching me too much.  huh?

VanMorrison

For some reason our trainer told me that he is watching me too much.  huh?

For now, I wouldn't worry about it.  At some point you want your dog to focus on the obstacles and follow your body motion with check ins that are slight instead of all out head-turned-toward-handler, but at this stage, just making sure he learns the obstacles and follows your body motion is the most important.  Do lots of flatwork with him in between where he follows along beside you, not in a strict heel, but "with" you as you walk and do turns on the flat.  Once he's good at a walk, begin trotting, then jogging, then running.  He needs to be able to react to your body motion without staring at you because he won't see the obstacles in front of him if he doesn't.  At least he pays attention to you!  Many dogs I get in class do not pay attention to their handlers at all.

That is why I was surprised with the comment...Morrison doesn't really watch me at all!  He barely turns his head to check in with me and I never really see the "browns" of his eyes.  Since he is a hunting breed I have worked with him to follow my body language since he came home.

I'm wondering if he was directing the comment to me but really letting everyone know that it can be a problem.  Oh well....

Did I mention that I got too close to a tunnel, while Morrison was in it, and had to leap over it?  Have a good laugh at the thought 'cause I'm not the most graceful person.  Talk about a blind cross! 

VanMorrison

Did I mention that I got too close to a tunnel, while Morrison was in it, and had to leap over it?  Have a good laugh at the thought 'cause I'm not the most graceful person.  Talk about a blind cross! 

This is what I loved about agility in the few classes that I have taken.LOL  My fear was that I would cause someone to have an injury from laughing at me make my way around the course.  Thank goodness my dogs were always fast enough to get out of my way. LOL Hope you both continue to have a good time.  That's what I love about dogs and the things we do with them.  They are great levelers of people.  The smartest person on the planet can look like a clown thanks to his dog and the dumbest can look like a genius thanks to his dog.

This week was good and I worked up quite a sweat trying to keep up with Morrison!

The lead trainer gave us a few nods and "well done"s and that stuff is hard won by this guy.  He's awesome with the dogs and knows what he is doing but not totally good with people.

Today we did weaves which are closer than ever and with the guide hoops still in place.  Morrison is learning how to enter correctly and tries to get out as quickly as possible but he is still a little slow.  Throwing his blue stuffie (so un-masculine) ahead of him gave him a little more drive.

We also learned the Tire Jump today which he doesn't have a problem with but I do.  I have a tendancy to vear in and out towards him between jumps and then cut out sharply to go around the tire jump.  He tries to follow me instead of going straight which is what I should be doing....sigh.

We were both pretty tired by the time jumps and tunnels was done so the A-Frame was, well, a little slow on both our parts.  Thankfully, I'm able to throw his stuffie straight when he reaches the top so he really speeds up going down and through the gate to get (and kill) that stuffie.

I couple of people pointed out that the stuffing was coming out.  I guess I'm so used to that around the house that I didn't notice!   All in all it's fun and tiring and Morrison is really learning his stuff, and so am I.

Phew!

This past weekend our class was exhausting.  We were running short series such as table, jump, jump, tire and back again then it was tunnel, A Frame, A Frame, Tunnel, Weave then weave again.

I was tired and getting frustrated which just made Morrison screw up even more.  We are having trouble entering the weaves, although once he is in he calmly trots through.  I've started throwing a ball for him to give him some drive too.

We were both really dragging by the end.  I was sucking air and Morrison was barely trotting which surprised me because he has got really good endurance.  He was probably tired from trying to listen more than from running around.

VanMorrison

Phew!

This past weekend our class was exhausting.  We were running short series such as table, jump, jump, tire and back again then it was tunnel, A Frame, A Frame, Tunnel, Weave then weave again.

I was tired and getting frustrated which just made Morrison screw up even more.  We are having trouble entering the weaves, although once he is in he calmly trots through.  I've started throwing a ball for him to give him some drive too.

We were both really dragging by the end.  I was sucking air and Morrison was barely trotting which surprised me because he has got really good endurance.  He was probably tired from trying to listen more than from running around.

It could also be stress.  If you have lots of "problems" and are correcting or such, then he might get stressed because he doesn't understand his job.  He could be shutting down because he can't figure out how to be right.

This is your first agility class?

I did agility with Monroe a few years ago but we were never competitive or anything like that.  I think that Morrison and I could be competitive since he seems to have the drive.

I'm not sure if he was shutting down from stress or was just tired.  He was still watching and responding to me and we took a little break to play tug and goof off for a minute but he just wanted to curl up and lie down.  Later that evening he crawled into my lap and passed out.  It was a busy weekend and REALLY cold so he may have been reacting to that to.

Also, I don't really correct him during class.  If he misses something then we circle around and try it again until he gets it and then we throw a party and have treats and tug.  I want him to enjoy being there and not fear constant corrections.

I know what you mean about both of you being tired.  I never did agility at anything but beginners class levels and that was just for fun but learning is hard for dog and human and I was always tired at the end of class and so was  Twister and Rex.  When I did a flyball class I was never as tired afterward and neither was the dog. Not as much mental involvement in flyball. Run, jump, get ball, jump, run and that's it, even I found it easy. LOL  Sounds like you are both enjoying class and that's all that matters.  The pat on the head from the "tough" instructor is always guaranteed to get you motivated!

This weekend's class was a little frustrating.  All of a sudden Morrison was REALLY interested in sniffing the floor, every location we went to had this problem.  He would actually stop between jumps to sniff something interesting.  He is the only bird dog in class and the trainer is giving me some special instruction to try to stop this behaviour.

He is also going really slowly through everything now.  We are figuring that he is so worried about making a mistake that he is going slowly and that, as he gains confidence, he will pick his speed up again.

I just hope that he is still having fun.  I am but he is what matters.

Sniffing is generally thought of as a stress behavior, which would go along with him going slowly through everything.  What has changed?  Is there more pressure being put on you lately?  Was he maybe not feeling all that well?  It could be any number of things.  I'd wait and see how it goes next week and make sure that you keep everything happy & fun -- and very short exercises with very high rewards.

KarissaKS

I'd wait and see how it goes next week and make sure that you keep everything happy & fun -- and very short exercises with very high rewards.

Thanks Karissa - that's exactly what I was thinking.  The other thing is that Morrison can be led by his nose if I allow it.  The floor of the training area was really dirty the other day and I think he was smelling some good stuff and probably finding some dropped treats too.  They are have CGC tests before our class next week and they always clean the floor before that.  I hope it helps.

I was going to do some figure 8 jumps in our living room before then, with lots of fun involved.