Training

My dogs keep me so honest.  I have a brand new fancy training room.  The dogs love it, I love it.  Since my surgery though the arm has been rather sore again.  My cast came off on the 21st but being only a week after becoming bionic the arm is still pretty tender.  With no cast I'm nervous about bumping or having the dogs jump on it.

The training room is in the basement and every time I go down there - whether it's for laundry or to get something out of the freezer the dogs are convinced we are going to train.  If I tell them to stay up they are sad.  If I let them come down with me they run into their crates and are convinced it's training time.  What can I do?  I try and have a few things planned that I can do without fear of being tackled.  Currently we are working on foot targets, directions, and trying to add some body awareness each day. I am grateful they love to train so much because it would be way too easy to get out of the habit.

Here is a video of Max helping me with laundry while Rylie supervises off camera.

Making Lemonade

I had planned a couple more trials since my last post and signed up for a handling seminar at the end of December.  THEN I broke my elbow at the end of November and had surgery last week.  As far as life in general goes it's a huge annoyance but I'm trying to look at it as a dog training opportunity.

When I first broke my arm the dogs were fairly freaked out - they are used to being able to come for cuddles whenever they want but sometimes they would hurt the arm. Try as I might I couldn't help grimacing or saying Oww both of which upset them - particularly Max. Then some wonderful trainers I know told me to teach them what I know like to call the "swearing game".  Essentially whenever I would wince or say Oww (or swear - which I don't often do but I thought it was a fun name) I'd make a fuss over the dogs and they would get a treat.  Of course we had to practice when I wasn't hurting so I had to warn Engineering Dad not to come running every time I said Oww.  This worked so well with my food driven dogs that Max would come running from another room for his treat when he heard me!

Once the arm was not quite so tender and I was able to train a little I noticed Max avoided being on my left (broken arm) side so i would get down on the floor and hide treats in my sling for him to find.  I did stop this game when I found out I needed to have surgery though.

I've decided to devote these next weeks to going back to foundations and working on foot targeting and directionals for running contacts,  So far tat is going pretty well.

Team Cav

Saturday we went to an agility trial at the venue we compete at most often.  I was a bit discouraged after last Friday and beginning to doubt how much Max loves the game.  I had entered him first in Steeplechase.  This is only his second steeplechase run - it's a speed event and I've never felt he was fast enough.  Well he is obviously more comfortable in this venue and LOVES steeplechase because he was smoking!  Not only did he get a qualifying score but he was 6 seconds below standard course time.    It was a good way to start the day.  Next was his standard run.  He had still been a bit slow off the start in his first run so I decided not to lead out.  That meant I had to run like heck to get to the bottom of the a-frame to send him left into the tunnel.  It was like he said "holy crap she's getting away from me" because after that I never caught up.  He's a good boy and sees lines really well and we got a Q for that run also.

Third run of the day was gamblers.  Both Max and Rylie were in this one.  For both of them it was the Q they needed to get their Advanced Games Dog title.  I don't think I was too stressed about it because we aren't good gamblers and it was a year for both of them between their first and second Q.  Rylie went first (and by that I also mean first in class because he is short).  Rylie likes to set his own course for gamblers but he stuck with me long enough to get the points we needed in the opening.  We were in good position when the gamble buzzer went and (pretty much to my surprise) he went through the gamble section like an old pro.  I had asked a more experienced friend to walk the course with me and give me handling advice for the gamble.  I followed her advice and it was bang on.  When it was Max's turn I was less concerned with his choosing his own course but I forgot how much he loves tunnels ;-).  I was late with a cue in the gamble and almost pulled him off the last obstacle but he is such a good boy he turned back and took it.

The snooker runs weren't so good for either dog.  It was the end of the day and I don't think I planned the best course but I thrilled with both dogs overall.  Rylie hasn't had any soreness that I can see since so next trial I will enter him in a full day.

Sunday we went to the CFSO heart clinic.  It was our first time going and it is a bit scary knowing the heart problems in the breed but it's better to know than not.  Both Max and Rylie were clear so that was good news.  It was also good to see other Cavalier friends that I don't get to see nearly often enough.

Lots of happenings in the nest

We've had a busty October.  We went away for Thanksgiving weekend and my guys got to be farm dogs.  They loved it.  Rylie may have loved it a bit too much because several days after we got back he decided he couldn't put any weight on his right front foot.  X-rays or physical exam didn't reveal anything.  The vet felt it might be a strained shoulder (which is what I had been thinking).  He was to be on extremely limited activity for two weeks.  That honestly wasn't hard for the two days that he was walking on three weeks.  We did daily massage, twice daily epsom salts wraps and he wore his back on track jacket.  On the second day I noticed he was putting a bit of weight on his leg at lunch time and by supper time you wouldn't have known he'd ever been hurt.  After that limiting his activity became more difficult.  I managed for a week and then called the vet back and got the go ahead to start building him up to normal activity.

Last Friday we had a trial and since he seemed sound I let him run all four runs he was entered in.  Saturday morning he was walking three legged again.  It only lasted a couple of hours but he clearly isn't 100% healed so we are being careful.

The trial was at a lovely indoor venue.  Max was quite worried about the whole thing.  He left me to sniff which he hasn't done for a very long time.  He was very slow off of his start lines all day which generally means he is stressed.  When he was running well I was late with my cues so no Q's for us.  I thought we had worked through this issue (the stress on the start line) but I guess it's still a work in progress.

Rylie was just so darned excited to do agility that he was a bit wild.  He tried his best to do what I asked but sometimes his body just had more momentum than he could handle.  I always have fun with him though and don't have to worry if he is too stressed.

During the month Max got a certificate for his Masters Agility Dog of Canada.  I hadn't realized he had earned it at the last trial we were at - cool.

Awesomeness

It's been a really awesome couple of weeks in the training/trialing department.  Last Saturday we went to an agility trial.  I had really tried hard to dig into the motivation issues Max had on Labour Day weekend (other than the heat).  I asked a coach/mentor how I could get Max aroused enough to focus on me instead of the environment before starting a run.  She turned the question around and asked me if I was 100% focused on Max or if I was thinking about how I was going to handle/ when I needed to go into the ring etc.  She even went so far as to bet that I was not 100% focused on Max.  I thought about it for awhile and realized that while I truly believed I was giving Max 100% attention I really was thinking about all of those other things as well.  My only goal last weekend was to stay connected with him prior to the run starting (during too but once we get started things seem to settle out).  Lo and behold he had three fabulous runs.  We missed the Q in Gamblers due to me mishandling the gamble but got Q's in both master snooker and master standard.  Max was drivey and focused for all three runs.

Rylie and I had some differences of opinion.  In the standard run he told me in no uncertain terms that if I expected him to put his Cavalier King Charles nose in the dirt at the end of the contacts I was batsh** crazy.  Regardless of that the run was really nice - an off course jump and popping the weaves meant no Q but other than the ongoing fight about contact criteria things are coming together.  In the gambler run he actually got the gamble but because he chose to run his own course in the opening rather than the one I'd planned he didn't have enough points (if he insists on doing this I'm going to have to teach him to add).  In snooker he apparently realized the error of his ways and agreed to the course I planned - we did get a Q for that one!

Last Sunday was the CFSO picnic.  Great fun with lots of Cavaliers of all sizes running around.  I won a door prize again this year - Yeah!

Saturday we had another trial.  Max was totally awesome.  It was cool and he loves to play agility in that weather.  His jumpers run was lovely other than the fact I missed jump #15.  Max did exactly what I asked.  I had run the course a few minutes earlier with Rylie and managed to get all the obstacles so why I missed it I don't know.  I made the judge very sad.  Rylie ran the jumpers pretty well.  He is just barely in master jumpers and all the handling is something he's just getting used to.  I think he only had 5 faults so I call that successful.

Next was our gamble run.  Both dogs have been over a year without a gamble Q.  Working away from me isn't something we practice a lot and while neither of them mind me being a distance.  This course was ideal for us as the distance part came after they were already going.  Both dogs got a Q.

Standard was really nice too.  Max ran beautifully and got a Q.  Rylie ran well (we are still arguing about contacts).  A late handling move on my part cost us the Q.  We had worked on weave poles during the week and his weaves were lovely though.

Today we went to a jumping seminar after our weekly lesson.  I got some good feedback from the dogs and now I have some additional things to work on.  Next trial isn't until the end of October.

Weekend Training

This was my second week training both dogs in the same class and I think I'm going to enjoy it.  Rylie barks at me when I take Max as if to say "Hey - you've got the wrong one" but he settles down and quietly waits his turn.

I had some time this week to reflect on last weekend's trial and the events that led up to Max deciding to leave the ring instead of running his final run.

1.  It was incredibly hot - Max is not a fan of running in the heat (neither am I for that matter).

2.  I had to run the dogs back to back.  It was a small trial and they told me to take my time but I allowed myself to feel self imposed pressure to get back into the ring quickly.  Rylie ran first and I immediately (after loving him up a bit) handed him off to my trainer and grabbed Max.  I left the treat/tug toy with my trainer just outside the ring so she could give Rylie treats.  Max and I ALWAYS tug before a run.  I haven't noticed it really gets him more aroused (which is what I'm hoping for)  but regardless that is what we do and he gets a few treats as we warm up.  This time nada.  We get to the line and of course there is no hope Max will be focused without our warmup so he isn't.  He looks around and sees my trainer just outside the ring feeding Rylie treats (well kibble but still).  If you were a highly food motivated dog where would you rather be?  Bingo - Max made a beeline for the treats.

3.  Did I mention it was stinking hot?

Moral of the story.  I did Max a great disservice but not giving him a proper warm up with my full attention.  I am not an experienced enough handler to run two dogs back to back.  I should have either taken all the time I needed to go through our warm up routine or been more assertive that they put at least one dog between us, or just scratched the run.

Lessons learned at class today.  Running Max makes me feel like I know what I'm doing.  Running Rylie first over the same course is humbling.

Labour Day Weekend

It's been a busy weekend here in the land of emptynest.  We (and by this I mean 90% engineering dad) are in the midst of painting (which I'm barely allowed to do) and redecorating - which I am allowed to do.  Saturday was shopping for some cupboard hardware as engineering dad is building me a pantry closet.  Sunday the boys and I had a nice long run in the woods (well they ran anyway) and in the afternoon we went down to our local wading pool for the Pooch Plunge.  Both of my guys thought this was a super fantastic idea - although Rylie may have wished that those pesky Golden's would keep away from his ball.  After a try or two neither of them had an issue with the makeshift ramp and were easily able to get themselves in and out of the pool.  It was hot and sunny and was a beautiful day for a swim.

Today we had an agility trial.  Max ran first and turned in a truly awesome performance in his master standard run for a Q.  He was very pokey in the snooker and we got whistled off when he took the wrong side of a jump.  It was a really tricky course  - or else I picked a really bad route but I doubt we would have made it as far as we did if he had been running his normal speed.  By the time jumpers came up in mid afternoon Max decided that he just wasn't playing the game and left the ring.  There might have been a couple of things preventing him from having the focus he should have but I will have to consider just not running him outside in the summer.

Rylie's standard run was really nice.  His contacts were lovely.  A pop out in the weaves cost us the Q. I think I could have restarted him but he never pops out and I just decided to carry on and be happy with the run.  His advanced snooker was lovely and we did get a Q in that one.  The master jumpers course was tricky and pretty twisty turny.  Rylie took one wrong end of a tunnel but otherwise was spot on.  I think we are starting to gel as a team and I am starting to be able to see the course a bit better from his viewpoint.
All in all I was thrilled with Max's standard run and al three of Rylie's runs.  I am mildly concerned with Max's last two runs  but we have two more trials this month so we'll see how they go.  I was much happier with my handling and decision making than I was last weekend.