Agility experiment
I have recently contended that I could be yelling Cupcake, Twinkie or Ding Dong as substitutes for Tunnel, Table or Weave for all the difference Harry seems to distinguish between the commands. It appeared that he is only paying attention to my body directional cues. But obviously the dog has word comprehension as demonstrated by his obedience abilities and even his ability to wait for his release word at the start line. So last night I set him smack dab in the middle of a grassy section bordered by a tunnel, the table, the weaves and a jump. I asked him to sit and he plopped down in front of me with the weaves behind my back. Then I told him “Tunnel” and he immediately pivoted right towards the tunnel. The next time I told him “Table” and he immediately pivoted to his left towards the table. I am thinking “Wow, he does know the difference”. We played this a couple of times with those two obstacles and he always chose correctly. Now for the downside discovery of my experiment – he does not trust me. He would head toward the obstacle – especially in the case of the tunnel – but he would not commit to it until he had turned around to make sure that my body was sending him in that direction. This can be a good thing in that, as sad as it is, my mind is even more decrepit than my body since I am always calling out the wrong thing on the course. And it can be a good thing in that he is really trying to be a “team member”. Although the verdict is still out on that one. He loves to practice agility and his foundation skills are ever improving but the excitement of the trial is definitely impacting his performance. I am just going to have to be patient – not one of my virtues.  |
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| one of the things I am learning is to use the verbal cue to set them up (as in as they are going over the jump use the verbal command for the next obstacle so they thing - oh tunnel - cool), but to get them to commit they need to have a physical cue - at least at this early stage of training.
does he repond as well to tire and teeter as table and tunnel - I get all my T's crossed in my head and end up saying frame  |
| We work on sends and obstacle differentiation a lot during class. It's a lot of hand cues and verbal work. ie, standing there motioning toward one of 2 obstacles while they sit and look at you like you're an idiot!! |
Maxmm wrote: We work on sends and obstacle differentiation a lot during class. It's a lot of hand cues and verbal work. ie, standing there motioning toward one of 2 obstacles while they sit and look at you like you're an idiot!!
I think that's Marley's permanent opinion of my handling skills. We also work on obstacles in their plane. the dog should always go over an obstacle in their plane, of course unless you call them off it. With Marley if I think about another obstacle apparently I am calling her off the one in her plane. |
| The second time we ran the course last class, Toby was pretty much doing it on his own. I didn't call 2 obstacles and didn't move and he just took the correct obstacle. I guess he and Sybil did have a conversation about reading the course map and doing it on their own. |
| I love reading all the Agility posts....
I am sure Harry is doing all the RIGHT things.... Judi just has to realize he is smarter than the average sheepie.... ....just to make my point..........Something happen in class that really made me think... While in the Advanced Rally Class on Monday evening, Judi and Harry were in the ring approaching the last sign. Harry, steps up to the sign, bends his head down, to READ the exact wording ~~~~~ (Personally, I don't think he trusts Judi's eyes...)  
I wish I had brought my camera!!!!!!!  |
| Can you come train Yuki? That is so cool he understands you and listens so well!!!!! |
| Kerry - consider "ramp" for the A frame. It's easier to spit out than "frame".
For me anyway! 
Good job, Judi and Harry. 
Once again, I am simply impressed by the fact you have grass. OK, grass not covered by snow. We just got dumped with about 6 inches in a little over an hour today. It was amazing!! |
| heavens if I tried to change anything I say! she would just sit in the middle of the ring and stare at me to remind me no such obstacle exists in her world |
| I'm so impressed with all of you and your dogs. I'm just learning to get mine to pay attention to me.
Although, I did see Genevieve do an amazing thing this morning that made me think "OMG, agility might actually be possible!". 
We got snow last night and some branches had broken off the trees. They were in her path that she normally runs when doing her laps around the yard. So, instead of changng her course, she just leaped over them, pretty as you please. Not just once, but several times and in different directions. These were good size branches too, so she had to have cleared at least 2' off the ground and probably 3' in distance. I never knew she could jump. |
Beaureguard's Mom wrote: These were good size branches too, so she had to have cleared at least 2' off the ground and probably 3' in distance. I never knew she could jump. I would assume the average sheepie jumps 24" in agility. We are working at 20 (for CPE and because we haven't yet actually taught her to jump properly) yesterday in class we followed a Dobie who jumped 26" and none of us thought to change the jump height - it wasn't until about the 4 th jump when one of us said "hey wait we forgot the jumps!" and startled Marley that she dropped a bar. I know she can jump over Morgan and he is 27"
Sounds like you and Genevieve have found a new hobby |
| It's fun when we can see that they really understand commands and are eager to do them....
I've never had a sheepdog like that though
I do have a puppy in my litter who has been jumping out of the box since before 3 weeks old. She is tiny, probably going to be a smaller sheepdog, but oh my gawd she is smart. At 4 weeks old now she can jump twice her height from a sit, runs with so much balance already while her siblings are still bumbling around, and today she actually cocked her head when I said something. She was listening to me. She's a pretty girl, but a bit wicked I think.... definitely the alpha puppy.... |
Willowsprite wrote: It's fun when we can see that they really understand commands and are eager to do them....
I've never had a sheepdog like that though I do have a puppy in my litter who has been jumping out of the box since before 3 weeks old. She is tiny, probably going to be a smaller sheepdog, but oh my gawd she is smart. At 4 weeks old now she can jump twice her height from a sit, runs with so much balance already while her siblings are still bumbling around, and today she actually cocked her head when I said something. She was listening to me. She's a pretty girl, but a bit wicked I think.... definitely the alpha puppy.... You just described my Mad to a "T". Find her a performance home if you can. Perferably an experienced one!
Kristine |
kerry wrote: I would assume the average sheepie jumps 24" in agility.
Depends on their height at the withers. You should try to get Marley measured when you can (officially, if possible, in case she needs two measurements - this is AKC) In AKC the cut-off to jump 20" is 22" at the withers. Anything over jumps 24". Unless they do preferred, then they can jump height lower than what they measure in as. Sybil's final measurement came in at 22" on the nose 
She can jump 26", but I think the spreads would be a bit much for her over the long haul and anything over 21" at the withers jumps 26" in USDAA. If you elect to do their performance program they jump 22". I forget what the cut-offs are in NADAC but pretty much all OES jump their maximum height of 20" unless they choose to do a different skill level, in which case they can jump 16" and if you take the veterans allowance on top of that after age 7 they can actually jump 12".
So it varies a lot from venue to venue. And I think Genevieve i strying to tell you she needs a job...
Kristine |
| Kerry it sounds like Marley is doing really well if she's already jumping the extra height.
Stacey, your puppy sounds divine. I hope we get to follow her progress and development. She's going to be a real gem. Kristine - you may be right. Genevieve is responding really well to training. I am constantly amazed and pleased with her progress. We're in basic obedience right now to get ready for the TDI test coming up on April 2nd. Once we finish that, Rally O classes start the next week. I want to do that too, but who knows, with her new found jumping ability, we may branch out and try an agility class, too. They both seem to love the training, so the sky's the limit as long as we're all enjoying ourselves.  |
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