June 10

It has been hot and getting hotter. We had a great time at the WC/WCX but it has taken time for me to get back in the groove. I've been taking long naps--a true sign of avoidance behavior :) Anyway, last night I set up the A-frame grid--finally. I will set up some jumps and weave poles as well and actually start doing what I planned on doing for a month now.

I have actually started work on the control unleashed. Gave both dogs a massage last night (or what goes for a massage in my book). Neither one relaxed enough to close their eyes but I stroked them for about 20 minutes each and they were very relaxed. I think when I do this every day, they will get used to it and start to relax enough to close their eyes.

At the hunt test, I learned how reactive she is to other dogs. I learned more about her today that convinces me that she gets aroused when other dogs are out having fun. She seems to be okay if other dogs are present but when they are happy and the adrenaline is pumping, she loses it. Today, I taught my Novice ring ready class and had Morgan do an off lead recall with the other dogs heeling in the same ring with her. She never took her eyes off me, she did not break her stay and she did a perfect front. Whose dog was that?!! She was awesome! I saw in her eyes, she understood that this was a set-up.

We also did some dumbbell work. We have long way to go with 'hold.' She still does not get the concept and I'm not sure what I need to do to teach it to her. She was doing great, we took a week off and it is as if we never did this before. She will walk around holding it loosely in her mouth, will even trot like that. But she will not bite down. I am going to tie a string around it to see if that will help We'll keep plodding along but I cannot move ahead in the retrieve training until she understands 'hold.'

Her heeling is very good. Today, I got a little lagging when I introduced the right turn. What I did was take my eyes off her and glance to the right. As soon as I wasn't watching, she lagged. Her focal point is my hand but I'm sure she sees my face in her peripheral vision. It took a couple of tries but I was able to get her into position by verbal encouragement and as soon as she was in position while we turned, I clicked and treated. We did that a couple of more times and quit (as you know Ms. Morgan doesn't do high reps). I think she was getting it.

I put her on the pedestal to help her move her rear end to prepare for the left turn. She loves this game but we didn't play long. We only got halfway around before she started getting sloppy so we quit and went back to it later and that time I only asked for a quarter of the way around and we were successful.

In all, not a bad day. Hopefully, it won't be too hot this evening and I will get in a few reps on agility. I probably should do it before we go for our walk. Something tells me she won't be any good AFTER the walk.

June 7

Over the weekend, we were at the WC/WCX test where Morgan went into water up to her elbows but wouldn't swim, even for a duck. We went to the building to train today for just a little while. We worked on heeling in a circle and stopping. We did figure 8's (big ones) and 270 degrees. We even did some tiny Rally style 270s and 360s. We worked on her stay for the recall. We worked on a fast recall. We also worked on the drop. Not bad for 15 minutes. I left my training bag in Caroline's motor home so we couldn't do anything with the dumbbell. I think I have some larger articles I can work with here at home.

Tomorrow, I start to fade the treats in heeling while I work on turns. The plan is to stop luring and give her a cookie at every sit and every turn. My physical therapy is progressing so that I am working on raising my are on my own. Maybe I will be able to actually do some things in agility and obedience by next week.

June 2 training

Well, I put Morgan's June schedule together yesterday and we worked on it today. She did some beautiful heeling in a circle and we did a 270 degree turn. She tried to sit in some places and I realize that I had been sitting her in the same place each time. I guess I need to vary that :) Had some good work chasing after the dumbbell but she had gotten a really soft mouth with it. I'm going to put a string on it and see if that works to get her to hold it better. Had her do some standing on her hind legs (works for free style and agility).

If it doesn't thunderstorm tonight, I'll set up some agility jumps and get her to play a bit.

Best Laid Plans

Well all my training plans were put on H O L D for the month of May. I had my shoulder surgery on April 30 and I had no idea how debilitating it would be. I also taught a class every night during May and that coupled with being totally preoccupied with my shoulder and my sling (not to mention the GCOC Obedience trial)there was nothing left for Ms. Morgan.

However, I have tried to rectify these past transgressions already. I am out of the sling as of yesterday and that really helps but I still do not have full function (in any way shape or form) of both arms. Last weekend we started her on her swimming lessons and we went again yesterday to work on that. She is less afraid of the water which is great but still will only go in up to her shoulders.

Today, we did obedience for the first time. I spent 15 minutes and we did a little heeling in a circle, some recall exercises and sit and down stay. The recall continues to be an issue with anticipation. I think she has settled the difference between the sit exercise and recall but she just won't stay until I call her and if she does, she is soooo slow. So we have to work on that.

I will set up some jumps and the A-frame grid tonight and hope to practice agility a little tomorrow morning. If it is cool enough tonight, we'll do a little tonight. Anyway, I intend to back up my plan by one month and get started on my plans right now. I have 11 weeks to work on stuff this summer and I intend to get the most out of it.

Agility Training Plan

I found doing the agility training plan to be a little more difficult. I really don't know how quickly Morgan is going to learn the agility skills. I know I have more time to devote to training in the summer but it is hot as can be and she really wilts in the heat. We'll see what we can get done. However, I still have her competing for titles this year. I hope I am not being overly optimistic :). But we learned today that plans need to be flexible. I need to be flexible because of puppies as well.

I want to get as much foundation stuff done as I can before I bring a new puppy into the mix. I will be getting a puppy next spring or summer so I would like to have my working relationship with Morgan solidified by then. Well, here is the Agility Plan.

Morgan’s Agility Training Plan

May

Focus:
Reliable recall
CU training
Weave poles – do 12 poles in 6 weeks 
Jump Chutes
Rear Cross
2o2o
A-frame
Watch Salo video
Read CU again June

Focus:
2o2o
Teeter
Weave poles-12
Jump chutes
A-frame progression
Work on attention building
Exercise with Morgan
Continue focus work
Read Clothier book

July

Focus:
2o2o
Serpentine
Threadles
Continue attention and control exercises
A-frame progression
Stay exercises
Watch Garrett jump video
Continue exercise w and w/o Morgan

August
Focus:
2o2o
Weave poles
Sequences with rear crosses
Stay exercises
Work on ring nerves
Watch Garrett –go the distance video

September
Focus:
Go to show n goes, if not,
do some JWW’s in GCOC’s fall trial.
Do More distance work
Continue A-frame, DW, Teeter
Training -- proofing

October
Focus:
Go to two show n goes
Enter JWW in Charlotte’s trial (another trial run )
Continue A-frame, DW, Teeter Training -- proofing

November
Focus:
Enter first real competition in JWW
Continue training and maintaining A-frame, DW, Teeter
Show n goes if possible

December
Focus:
Continue competing in JWW
Continue training and maintaining A-frame, DW
Show n goes if possible

January
Focus:
Continue competing in JWW
Continue training and maintaining A-frame, DW,
Show n goes

February
Focus:
Begin competing in FAST and JWW

March
Continue competing in FAST and JWW
Continue training and maintaining A-frame, DW
Show n goes if possible April
Continue competing in FAST and JWW
Continue training and maintaining A-frame, DW
Show n goes if possible

I went to the training plans seminar given by one of our club members and I came away psyched. I worked on my obedience training plan at the seminar because it is the one that I have truly neglected. I'm posting it here just to remind myself. I'm feeling very confident about what I will be able to do with Miss Thing. I went to my garage and tried out a few things with her (fronts, heel position, finishes) and she was very good at it. I feel so much more confident about her training -- even with the layoff she will have when the puppies come (if there are puppies) I want to finish her first AKC novice title in April next year, the Open title in May and the Utility title by the end of next year. I think it is doable.

Morgan’s Obedience Training Plan

May
Focus:
Teach heel position while moving
Teach turns in heeling
Work on relationship
Focus
Control Unleashed behavior
Perfect the hold
Me: Lose weight, practice visualization
Read Jane Savoi

June

Focus:
Introduce forced fetch
Teach right about turn and about U-turn.
Teach change of pace
Perfect finishes
Work on fronts
Work on attention building
Exercise with Morgan
Continue focus and attention exercises—Dog Games for attention

July
Focus:
Teach pivots
Fronts with more distance
Teach back up in front
Teach back up in heel position
Perfect finishes
Continue attention and control exercises
Continue retrieve exercises
Stay exercises
Continue exercise w and w/o Morgan

August
Focus:
Formal obedience recall with front.
Proofing for heeling, fronts and finishes
Continue retrieve exercises with proofing
Stay exercises
Teach Go Out
Maintain attention and control unleashed.
Work on ring nerves

September
Focus:
Attend at least two show n goes
Continue proofing all exercises
Go out with full distance
Proof exercises from May June and July in different places

October
Focus:
Teach directed retrieve
Proofing for go outs
Maintenance exercises for heel, front, finish.
Teach directed jumping
Teach broad jump
Teach DOR
Enter trials for wild card Novice
Go to two show n goes

November
Focus:
Proofing for directed retrieve, broad jump, and directed jumping and DOR.
Maintenance of heeling, fronts, finishes, and retrieves
Enter Wild card Novice and Beginner Novice if available

December
Focus:
Maintenance on all Novice exercises!
Proofing for all other exercises in a variety of different places
Enter wild card Novice and Beginner Novice if available
Teach scent discrimination

January
Focus:
Proofing on all Novice exercises –aim to complete the beginner novice title.
Proof open exercises – retrieve.
Proof go out, gloves, and directed jumping
Continue working on scent discrimination

February
Focus:
Complete beginner Novice title.
Enter Wild Card Novice
Proof all Novice and Open exercises
Attend at least two Show n goes (or UKC trials)
Continue work on utility exercises

March
Focus:
Complete UKC Novice title
Show n goes for Open and Utility exercises

April
Focus:
Complete AKC Novice title

April 5. A lot has happened since March 25 but I don't have the time or inclination to catch up right now. I have bought a ton of videos and have had bunches of lessons and I think I need to just sit down and think about Morgan's training a little bit. It feels like it is spiraling out of control and I don't know where I am. I feel like I need to go back to foundation work with her. Actually, I feel like I need to be training her 24/7. We have a seminar planned for putting together a training plan but I don't think I can wait. I need to do something about Ms. Thing ASAP. I am feeling more pressure, too because it has already started getting too hot to work during the day and I thought I would have at least until mid May. To put it in a nutshell, we have recall problems, we have toy problems, we have knocking bar problems and we have attention problems. It's very frustrating.