I taught my fun and games with Novice class tonight and brought Morgan with me. She stayed in the car for the first 30 minutes and then I brought her out after we practiced all the Beginner Novice exercises. I was charged with doing the heeling pattern while their dogs did their stays. Morgan was VERY ADD. It took about 10 minutes to really get her attention. I tried the heeling pattern 3 times before it was relatively acceptable to me. One of my students stated that she looked very unhappy and really did not want to do that. I told her that it was my fault that I used a lure way too long. I took out a cookie and gave Morgan one and palmed a second one and we did the heeling pattern again. It was like a different dog took over her body. She was animated, and she heeled like she does in practice. It was beautiful.
We have a shown n go to attend on Sunday. What I plan to do is to get her there early enough that she will relax and then I will take her into the ring with that one cookie palmed in my hand to keep up her attitude. I don't want her to get used to this hang dog performance because there are no cookies. In this case the time we have had off from obedience has been a little too long (over a week). I think she needs at least one day off but no more than three.
I have to say that I am really discouraged and feeling anxious about PCA. I am hoping that as usual, when I feel discouraged with Morgan, she redeems herself somehow.
Done.
Training Morgan, a six year-old standard poodle in obedience, agility, freestyle, and hunting.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Trying Again
I am an awful blogger. I just can't seem to get in the habit. That's the same problem I am having about my training. Anyway, I'm trying something new this time. I will try to do a blog right after I finish training. Also, I will try to keep it short and sweet so that I know I will do it. I'm going to try to limit myself to 5 minutes for each blog. Hopefully, that will work out better.
I just got finished training weave poles with Morgan. We are up to 4 poles, slightly on an angle and about six inches apart (width). Morgan is drilling through them like a champ. I don't know how they figure it out but she has and she is so funny, she turns her head to go through the poles. I've seen other poodles do this. At first I thought she was trying to rub her head on the poles but that doesn't seem to be it. It is just what she does. She was losing momentum with the bumper I was using so I pulled out a new toy and she went nuts over it. She started out really gung ho about her weave poles but started slowing down after a couple of reps. I just played tug with her, moved the poles closer together, and started again. Bingo. We did a couple of reps and while she was still energized, I quit. I put the toy away (she was still trying to grab it). I figure it will be good for about a week and then I'll have to come up with something else :)
All done (in less than 5 minutes). This may work.
I just got finished training weave poles with Morgan. We are up to 4 poles, slightly on an angle and about six inches apart (width). Morgan is drilling through them like a champ. I don't know how they figure it out but she has and she is so funny, she turns her head to go through the poles. I've seen other poodles do this. At first I thought she was trying to rub her head on the poles but that doesn't seem to be it. It is just what she does. She was losing momentum with the bumper I was using so I pulled out a new toy and she went nuts over it. She started out really gung ho about her weave poles but started slowing down after a couple of reps. I just played tug with her, moved the poles closer together, and started again. Bingo. We did a couple of reps and while she was still energized, I quit. I put the toy away (she was still trying to grab it). I figure it will be good for about a week and then I'll have to come up with something else :)
All done (in less than 5 minutes). This may work.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Forced Fetch
I started Morgan's forced fetch three days ago and it was going well. Then she lost some of her enthusiasm for grabbing the DB so I upped the ante. I think I slacked off on the EP a little too soon. I want her grabbing for the DB and she won't do that if I just exert small pressure. I'm going to apply full pressure until she is grabbing from the floor. In for a penny, in for a pound.
The Poodle club specialty obedience trial is coming up next week and I am no further along with Morgan than I was last year at this time. She is entered in Pre-Novice and, like last year, she is still not ready for THAT! I feel so awful, awful, awful.I cannot blame the conformation issues any more. I'm a lousy trainer--lazy and inconsistent and it breaks my heart.
But then it seemed as soon as I got serious about training agility, I tore my rotator cuff. As soon as I got serious about obedience training, I sprained my wrist. Is God trying to tell me something? A friend just lost her 10 year old SP to cancer and we're all devastated. He was multititled and such a dear. Morgan just turned 6 and she has white hairs on her face and butt. I've wasted half her life and I am sick, sick, sick about it. It cannot be that we were not meant to play the doggie games.
I'm determined that 2011 is her year. We need to get agility, obedience, and freestyle titles and she needs to learn to swim so we can play at hunting, too. WE will do it. I just pray that we both stay healthy enough to get it done in 2011.
Merlin needs one more leg for his Freestyle Novice title and I will spend minimal time training him from now on. We have our Hello Dolly routine and it can last us through the next titling phase.
The Poodle club specialty obedience trial is coming up next week and I am no further along with Morgan than I was last year at this time. She is entered in Pre-Novice and, like last year, she is still not ready for THAT! I feel so awful, awful, awful.I cannot blame the conformation issues any more. I'm a lousy trainer--lazy and inconsistent and it breaks my heart.
But then it seemed as soon as I got serious about training agility, I tore my rotator cuff. As soon as I got serious about obedience training, I sprained my wrist. Is God trying to tell me something? A friend just lost her 10 year old SP to cancer and we're all devastated. He was multititled and such a dear. Morgan just turned 6 and she has white hairs on her face and butt. I've wasted half her life and I am sick, sick, sick about it. It cannot be that we were not meant to play the doggie games.
I'm determined that 2011 is her year. We need to get agility, obedience, and freestyle titles and she needs to learn to swim so we can play at hunting, too. WE will do it. I just pray that we both stay healthy enough to get it done in 2011.
Merlin needs one more leg for his Freestyle Novice title and I will spend minimal time training him from now on. We have our Hello Dolly routine and it can last us through the next titling phase.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
October 23
Sorry, I lost this post and I just can't do it again. It takes too long with one hand to hunt and peck.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Octboer 22
I'm not even going to mention how slack I have been in keeping up with Morgan's blog. After she earned her UKC championship, we have been training pretty regularly but for VERY short periods of time. I have been training Merlin for the freestyle event next month and Morgan gets what's left of me. Merlin has been very frustrating to train because he is wild about the treats and he is totally undisciplined :)
I keep saying I'm going to do the Ruff love stuff but haven't taken the time to implement it. Well, it is T I M E. I've been doing my training the way I've been doing my diet, dabbling in it and I really need to get serious.
About 10 minutes ago, I went over my training plans for Morgan and I am SOOO far behind in agility but I am ALMOST on track for obedience. It is just so much easier to train obedience--almost no equipment needed.
Morgan's heeling is going fabulously. She is paying attention longer and she is taking my cues on LEFT turns now. Yay! She has always taken my cues on halts and right turns. I learned something when I went to train with Sharon and Tony last Friday and that is I'd lost my figure 8. I practiced it this past week and it came right back. She was lagging on the the outside. I've been practicing a quick about turn but I cannot seem to get the drive I want. I can't get the drive I want from he recall either. Last Tuesday, I tried to speed it up and ended up with a wrist sprain. Today it was just a trot into me. I'm not going to do any more formal recalls until I finish the recallers class from Sue Garret.
Gotta quit writing now, my wrist is aching. Hopefully, I'll write more tomorrow. We have agility with Tom and Jake at 9:00.
I forgot to add my new obedience plan.
October 23 – November 30
Control Unleashed behaviors
Perfect the hold needs lots of work
Introduce forced fetch
Teach right about turn and about U-turn. Working on
Teach change of pace
Perfect finishes
Work on attention building --done
Continue focus and attention exercises—Dog Games for attention
Here's the new Agility Plan:
October 23 – November 30
Reliable recall -- Recallers Game 31 days – start again Oct 23 and finish in 31 days
CU training working on -- Keep up distractions with Jake and Merlin
Weave poles – do 12 poles in 6 weeks - Oct 23 – take stick in WP’s
Jump Chutes – Start Oct 23 (24 inches)
Serpentines and threadles Nov. 2
Rear Cross -- November 2
2o2o Start - Oct. 23
A-frame progression - November 2
Teeter
Continue focus work
I keep saying I'm going to do the Ruff love stuff but haven't taken the time to implement it. Well, it is T I M E. I've been doing my training the way I've been doing my diet, dabbling in it and I really need to get serious.
About 10 minutes ago, I went over my training plans for Morgan and I am SOOO far behind in agility but I am ALMOST on track for obedience. It is just so much easier to train obedience--almost no equipment needed.
Morgan's heeling is going fabulously. She is paying attention longer and she is taking my cues on LEFT turns now. Yay! She has always taken my cues on halts and right turns. I learned something when I went to train with Sharon and Tony last Friday and that is I'd lost my figure 8. I practiced it this past week and it came right back. She was lagging on the the outside. I've been practicing a quick about turn but I cannot seem to get the drive I want. I can't get the drive I want from he recall either. Last Tuesday, I tried to speed it up and ended up with a wrist sprain. Today it was just a trot into me. I'm not going to do any more formal recalls until I finish the recallers class from Sue Garret.
Gotta quit writing now, my wrist is aching. Hopefully, I'll write more tomorrow. We have agility with Tom and Jake at 9:00.
I forgot to add my new obedience plan.
October 23 – November 30
Control Unleashed behaviors
Perfect the hold needs lots of work
Introduce forced fetch
Teach right about turn and about U-turn. Working on
Teach change of pace
Perfect finishes
Work on attention building --done
Continue focus and attention exercises—Dog Games for attention
Here's the new Agility Plan:
October 23 – November 30
Reliable recall -- Recallers Game 31 days – start again Oct 23 and finish in 31 days
CU training working on -- Keep up distractions with Jake and Merlin
Weave poles – do 12 poles in 6 weeks - Oct 23 – take stick in WP’s
Jump Chutes – Start Oct 23 (24 inches)
Serpentines and threadles Nov. 2
Rear Cross -- November 2
2o2o Start - Oct. 23
A-frame progression - November 2
Teeter
Continue focus work
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Ooops!
We had another good training session today. The plan was to do a little heeling, a few step offs, finding heel,and some finishes. Since her recalls were not up to my standards yesterday, I decided to practice some fast recalls.
The heeling was a thing of beauty. She looked right at her focal point and she sat quickly on every halt. The hop to step off was good, too. Her finishes were a little better but I still want to see more sparkle from them. I was re-thinking the idea about comparing her to Merlin. In actuality, I have seen her give me what I want. The trick is getting her to want to give it when I ask for it instead of when she feels like it. Morgan enjoyed the cheeseball find heel game and did a good job. She found heel better when I was standing still. I'll need to stay stationary for a couple of days and then move.
Okay so we get to the ooops of my training session. I had started to pack up and remembered that I didn't do the cheeseball game. So I grabbed some kix cereal and went back to the large ring. The game began. Morgan was so happy and excited to play, that she was coming at me so fast, I had to really hoof it to get somw distance from her. I ran and spun around so fast that i caught my foot on the mat and fell. I put my hand out to break my fall but still bumped my head slightly. The wrist was hurt pretty badly and I literally rolled over and over on the floor. I know, such a drama queen. I got up and played the game a couple of times to let Morgan know Mommy still likes her and the game.
Funny thing. Morgan never came to me when I was hurt. I'm not sure if I screamed but I know I moaned. She was just ff gallivanting around the room. Where did I go wrong with this one. Merlin would have been all over me. There I go comparing but Nimue also would have come to me. I just wonder what this says about our relationship.
The heeling was a thing of beauty. She looked right at her focal point and she sat quickly on every halt. The hop to step off was good, too. Her finishes were a little better but I still want to see more sparkle from them. I was re-thinking the idea about comparing her to Merlin. In actuality, I have seen her give me what I want. The trick is getting her to want to give it when I ask for it instead of when she feels like it. Morgan enjoyed the cheeseball find heel game and did a good job. She found heel better when I was standing still. I'll need to stay stationary for a couple of days and then move.
Okay so we get to the ooops of my training session. I had started to pack up and remembered that I didn't do the cheeseball game. So I grabbed some kix cereal and went back to the large ring. The game began. Morgan was so happy and excited to play, that she was coming at me so fast, I had to really hoof it to get somw distance from her. I ran and spun around so fast that i caught my foot on the mat and fell. I put my hand out to break my fall but still bumped my head slightly. The wrist was hurt pretty badly and I literally rolled over and over on the floor. I know, such a drama queen. I got up and played the game a couple of times to let Morgan know Mommy still likes her and the game.
Funny thing. Morgan never came to me when I was hurt. I'm not sure if I screamed but I know I moaned. She was just ff gallivanting around the room. Where did I go wrong with this one. Merlin would have been all over me. There I go comparing but Nimue also would have come to me. I just wonder what this says about our relationship.
Monday, October 11, 2010
New UKC Champion
It has been a while. I wish I were more consistent about my training and about my blogging.
What prompted this entry is that I took Morgan and Merlin to a UKC show this past weekend. I wanted to put a UKC championship on Morgan because I could do it myself. It was great fun. I love going into the ring and showing off my dog. Caroline made Morgan look absolutely stunning. She got a lot of attention at the show from spectators and exhibitors. We got the championship but not without the help of a fellow poodle Lister who put her teenaged bitch in the ring. Unfortunately she shuts down in the ring but that was good for me because Morgan won and was able to finish her championship. One person said that she was probably the most beautiful poodle she has ever seen. That makes me feel proud. Morgan already thinks that about herself :)
The more exciting news, for me is that Merlin earned his first High in Trial. We had the highest score in the Rally trial and it was a wonderful feeling for me. YAY Merlin. He did perform beautifully.
We got back home last night and today we went to train in the training building. Merlin, who has been over the top lately, behaved so well we were able to do our entire freestyle routine with only minor stops for silliness.
Morgan, too was very very good. We did a warm up and she was ready to heel. I only walked in a circle with her but she kept her attention on my fist the whole time and I was so proud of her. She did the little hop off to get started. I love it. She was also able to do a 360 degree left turn by moving her rear end AND she dig the finish right on verbal commands only. YAY! I was not as happy about her recall. It still is very slow. I tried throwing a toy between my legs but I only had one so couldn't work the cheese ball game. She did do PB&J very well so I think I'm just going to finish up the Sue Garret Course before I do more formal recalls with her. Merlin comes in like such a bat out of hell. I guess I'm just holding her to too high of a standard. However, I do think she can come in faster---hell when she runs around outside or on agility equipment, she's a blur.
That's all we did today but I think I am going to enter her in pre-novice at the poodle club specialty and see if she is any better this year :)
What prompted this entry is that I took Morgan and Merlin to a UKC show this past weekend. I wanted to put a UKC championship on Morgan because I could do it myself. It was great fun. I love going into the ring and showing off my dog. Caroline made Morgan look absolutely stunning. She got a lot of attention at the show from spectators and exhibitors. We got the championship but not without the help of a fellow poodle Lister who put her teenaged bitch in the ring. Unfortunately she shuts down in the ring but that was good for me because Morgan won and was able to finish her championship. One person said that she was probably the most beautiful poodle she has ever seen. That makes me feel proud. Morgan already thinks that about herself :)
The more exciting news, for me is that Merlin earned his first High in Trial. We had the highest score in the Rally trial and it was a wonderful feeling for me. YAY Merlin. He did perform beautifully.
We got back home last night and today we went to train in the training building. Merlin, who has been over the top lately, behaved so well we were able to do our entire freestyle routine with only minor stops for silliness.
Morgan, too was very very good. We did a warm up and she was ready to heel. I only walked in a circle with her but she kept her attention on my fist the whole time and I was so proud of her. She did the little hop off to get started. I love it. She was also able to do a 360 degree left turn by moving her rear end AND she dig the finish right on verbal commands only. YAY! I was not as happy about her recall. It still is very slow. I tried throwing a toy between my legs but I only had one so couldn't work the cheese ball game. She did do PB&J very well so I think I'm just going to finish up the Sue Garret Course before I do more formal recalls with her. Merlin comes in like such a bat out of hell. I guess I'm just holding her to too high of a standard. However, I do think she can come in faster---hell when she runs around outside or on agility equipment, she's a blur.
That's all we did today but I think I am going to enter her in pre-novice at the poodle club specialty and see if she is any better this year :)
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