Well I've now managed to close up weaves 1,2,3 & 4 leaving just the slightest of angle on the others with a slightly bigger angle on 11 &12 still with the guide bands on the first and last 4 poles. He is taking them from any angle and any distance, steadying himself on the approach and then powering through, there is even signs of single footed action so it's all good. Hopefully they will have the swivel weaves out at training tonight so we can proof it in a different environment.
Today I recieved his new dogmatic leather headcollar, he already had a Tuff stuff one, but I never thought it looked all that comfortable, so I decided to go for the soft leather one, it certainly looks and feels very nice so I'm hoping it fits properly and will give it a go at training tonight, and make a start on his control and patience while waiting his turn.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Bit of a handful!
I'll start off with a weave update - I've purposely left his weave training for a few days but this morning I went down and tightened up the swivel bases so he can't push them open on his way through so easily, then I closed them up so there was only the very slightest of angle left open. I was expecting a lot of fails, but I was mistaken, he not only got about 80% success he has also started single footing. Still getting all the silly angles and i've even started putting jump sequences in front just to make it more interesting for him, and still he gets it right, so I'm very happy with his progress and will slowly continue adding other obstacles and close them completely over the next few months.
Last night we had training at Deena's and someone said to me "he's a bit of a handful isn't he" don't get me wrong, this wasn't a comment made with any malice, just an observation, and it made me think. I have made both my dogs excited, it's just the way I am, and I like to have a dog who is rearing to go on the line rather than one who has to be motivated into action, however unlike Maisy who will then take this uncontrolled excitement onto the agility course once Rupert is on the line I have complete control, so where's the harm - Well the reality of the situation is that I want control walking from the car/caravan to the course so this is an area I am going to have to work on, and sometimes it takes a comment to make you think and redress your training stratergies. So watch this space for updates.
Last night we had training at Deena's and someone said to me "he's a bit of a handful isn't he" don't get me wrong, this wasn't a comment made with any malice, just an observation, and it made me think. I have made both my dogs excited, it's just the way I am, and I like to have a dog who is rearing to go on the line rather than one who has to be motivated into action, however unlike Maisy who will then take this uncontrolled excitement onto the agility course once Rupert is on the line I have complete control, so where's the harm - Well the reality of the situation is that I want control walking from the car/caravan to the course so this is an area I am going to have to work on, and sometimes it takes a comment to make you think and redress your training stratergies. So watch this space for updates.
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Hip Scores
So yesterday the big brown envelope arrived containing Ruperts hip scores. he was scored at 3:3 which I am delighted with.
His weaves are really starting to shape up now, hopefully in a couple of weeks we will be fully closed, we are almost there now, but the tighter they get the more fails we get, so I'm determined not to move on until we get 80% success, His entrances are spot on from any angle even after a tight jumping sequence he is still making the entrance, so I am very pleased indeed.
Because our training with Jo has now come to an end for the winter I have enrolled Rupert with Deena Freeman's Foundation class on a Tuesday evening, this week was the first one and we really enjoyed it, It's really usefule to prove his skills in different environments, this venue is an outdoor all weather arena with spotlights so it's something completely alien to him, but i'm very pleased to say his starts were rock solid and his directional skills and tight turns were lovely, so we must be doing something right!
He has swimming lesson number 3 on Friday, I'm not sure which one of us looks forward to it the most! It's like having a school child with all the afterschool activities he has! I must remember he is NOT a child.
His weaves are really starting to shape up now, hopefully in a couple of weeks we will be fully closed, we are almost there now, but the tighter they get the more fails we get, so I'm determined not to move on until we get 80% success, His entrances are spot on from any angle even after a tight jumping sequence he is still making the entrance, so I am very pleased indeed.
Because our training with Jo has now come to an end for the winter I have enrolled Rupert with Deena Freeman's Foundation class on a Tuesday evening, this week was the first one and we really enjoyed it, It's really usefule to prove his skills in different environments, this venue is an outdoor all weather arena with spotlights so it's something completely alien to him, but i'm very pleased to say his starts were rock solid and his directional skills and tight turns were lovely, so we must be doing something right!
He has swimming lesson number 3 on Friday, I'm not sure which one of us looks forward to it the most! It's like having a school child with all the afterschool activities he has! I must remember he is NOT a child.
Monday, 14 February 2011
Ups & Downs
I can honestly say i'm really pleased to have got the past 2 weeks out of the way, not only have Amy, Steve & I had a nasty bout of flu we very sadly had to have our beloved Dylan put to sleep! So no training and all dogs have been on rationed exercise.
Luckily I've now started to feel much better and began training properly again this weekend. I gave up with the 2x2 weaves in favour of the swivel channel weaves and have been really pleased with the results so far. Rupert is very good at finding the entrance from any angle so I have now started to close the gap, he is almost at the closed stage, however this morning I came accross out first real failure, He works the first 6 weaves brilliantly, but then seems to get a bit lazy or crafty I'm not sure which and slips out to get his toy! he did this a few times this morning and I was just about to open them out again when he got it! and I did a couple more, still he got it, so I moved onto a jumping sequence and went back to it and he still got it! He was just reminding me to be patient! 
He's also started swimming lessons at our local canine hydrotherapy pool, at first he was a little unsure but not he loves the whole experience from getting his warm shower to being blasted dry at the end. It's a great form of stamina training, and hopefully will give him the confidence to swim with Maisy when we go on holiday later in the year.
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