FRIDAY FUSION CONTEST…
This contest is now closed, but comments can still be viewed and added. Check back this Friday for a new contest. </
I’d like to share a video that Animal Radio did for us. They tested our Agility-in-the-Bag set with their “studio stunt dog”, Ladybug. As you know, I am doing a 6 week program with them on agility training. I was impressed with this video. It was shot only 15 minutes after they set up the obstacles, and neither Ladybug (nor her handler, Judy) had any previous training. Not bad at all for a first session!
TODAY’S CONTEST: Today I’d like to ask everyone to watch this video, and based upon what you observe, to give at least two positive compliments AND at least two training suggestions for Judy and Ladybug! This includes suggesting potential problems, pitfalls, or just some suggestions for future improvement. You might be new to agility training, but don’t let that stop you. Everyone has an ‘inner trainer’ inside them, and this unique exercise will help you get in touch with him or her!
We will have TWO winners this time, to both win a $25 gift certificate. One will be a random computer-drawn number. The other winner I will choose, who I feel has done a particularly great analysis of the video and what Judy and Ladybug can do to improve their future training sessions. Deadline for contest entries is Monday 9 a.m.. I’m going to keep all the comments secret until I release them all Monday morning, so you will see “0 comments” until then! After that, everyone can come back and read all the great tips… Judy and the gang at Animal Radio too!
May 1st, 2009 at 9:40 am
ladybug is very focused on her (not sure though if on her or the treats)
very agile dog
she is a happy dog, and she seems like a happy trainer.
things to improve? train?
fade the treats…as in not every time, just once in a while
teach the cat to do agility too!
see if you can reduce the luring. The pup wants the treat so badly it’s jumping up to get it instead of focusing with the head down to get through the weaves (possibly even change the reward to a stuffy or something)
May 1st, 2009 at 10:39 am
positives- lots of positive reinforcement for dog, handler got quicker attention and faster sits as training progressed, both dog and handler seemed to be having fun
training suggestions- I would like to see a lot less luring- the dog was focused on following the treat and didn’t seem to have any object focus or develop any real awareness of “I see obstacle and know I will jump.” I think that shaping obstacle awareness would have been a much better way to teach the jump sequence. Although it may seem a slower way to teach, shaping will produce a dog that actually thinks about the task, not just the treat. I would have loved to see the handler shape/reward looking at the jump, approaching the jump, going over the jump from gradually increasing distances, teaching the dog to focus forward so it learned to take the jump because it was in front of her rather than relying on the lure of the treat in the hand. Then rewarding the dog for independent performance of two jumps in front of it, then three… I’d like to see work on increasing dog and handler awareness of positional and motion cues given by the handler. I’d also suggest work on a start line stay and release cue so the handler can lead out and dog learns it doesn’t always have to stay right with the handler. Once the dog and handler do flat work and learn to work together doing arcs and circles, they can move the jumps from straight line position into an arc. I’d like to see the handler work both sides instead of always being on the same side of the dog and obstacle. I’d recommend Susan Garrett’s “Success With One Jump” DVD for other ideas on jump work, and Susan Salo’s Jump Foundations book/DVD to smooth out the hopping jump style. I’d also recommend viewing some other foundations books/videos for tips to work on the dog’s attention, focus and self control. Having recently taught my dog to weave using Susan Garrett’s 2×2 method, I found the weave pole section of the clip quite painful to watch. The handler may eventually get the dog to go through the weave poles by luring it through as in the video clip, but the dog is unlikely to develop smooth, fast, independent performance of the weaves if it continues to rely on following the lure and the positional cue of the handler. Dogs taught to weave by following a lure tend to be very dependent on handler cues such as clapping, wiggling hand movements, foot stomping/shuffling, and chants of “weave-weave-weave…” I much prefer the 2×2 method of shaping the dog’s understanding of how to perform the weaves, and think the handler will be happier in the long run if she loses the lure and learns how to free shape behaviors. Even if they never enter a competition, developing a thinking dog, obstacle focus and distance work will make lessons easier, and they will soon have a nice list of skills to enjoy practicing and to show off to impress friends and family.
May 1st, 2009 at 11:50 am
Judy is doing really amazing with her voice and body control as Ladybug is obviously a dog that can get overly excitable and she has mastered her ability to keep her voice and body calm while at the same time having a happy and fun energy around her. I also liked that she gets focus before and after the exercises so that Ladybug is ready to listen for the next cue.
To go to the next level it would be great to see her dog learn to think more for itself instead of being lured through the obstacles. For example with the weaves start with just 2 poles and instead of using a lure wait till Lady bug looks at them and then click and reward for that. If she doesn’t know how to use a clicker she can just say yes and reward for looking at the weaves, progress to Ladybug stepping towards them, then going through one, always rewarding her where her next position should be (so if the reward is for looking at it, feed the treat at the entrance, if she is being rewarded for walking up to it, feed the treat so she has to go through the first part)….however do not let her see the treat until she does the action. This way she will learn to focus more on the obstacle and less on Judy’s hand.
Another great exercise for a hyper dog is patience work. She is doing great getting her to sit before starting so she could now try to take one step away then going back and paying her for sitting, patiently waiting. When she can take one step away, go to 2 until she is on the other side of the jump. For every time she is called over the jump she should do 5 stays. This will also help Ladybug to focus more and avoid the problem so many agility handlers have later of getting away from their dog when trying to position themselves for a run.
P.S. You don’t need to include this one in the contest, just wanted to add my 2 cents
May 1st, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I watched the video and Judy and Ladybug look like they are off to a good start. LB did much better after Judy took off the leash. I would suggest that she do the treats a little differently. Maybe a treat at the start with LB sitting, then lead out just past the hurdle and use the flat hand signal to bring her over rather than the bunched hand with the treat in it. I understand that bunched hand position may soon be outlawed in competition anyway. At the end of the sequence, Judy can treat LB again, but excited praise can be just as rewarding to LB. LB seems to be getting the weave poles down. Judy shouldn’t be backing up, tho, she needs to keep her feet headed in the direction LB is traveling. Dogs watch your feet. Another very important caution…keep the cats out of the chute as well as any other distracting odors. (food,etc.) Smells linger and your dog won’t miss any of them. They will almost always stop to investigate.
May 1st, 2009 at 1:10 pm
compliments – (1) very nice positive reinforcement! The trainer was very good at rewarding Ladybug and keeping things fun! (2) It’s great that Judy kept all the jump heights low and easy for Ladybug, it’s all about fun right now, higher heights can come later. (3)
suggestions – (1) instead of training with the leash on, it might be easier to train with the leash off from the start (in a fenced area) that way the handler can have both hands free to help guide Ladybug through the course. It will also eliminate the possibility of the leash wrapping around one of the obstacles and hurting Ladybug. (2) Judy could try training with the tunnel next time. The tunnel is a great obstacle for new dogs, most dogs love tunnels! Just hold the chute open until Ladybug is comfortable then the handler can slowly start dropping the chute until Ladybug is pushing through it the whole way!
May 1st, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Well, I think they both did great, with no training! I am very new at this, but here are some things I would suggest to improve…(you asked for 2).
1. Judy lured with the wrong hand initially. She used her right hand with the food in it to get Ladybug to jump the bar and hoop. She then switched hands, but lured her the whole time with food, rather than give her a hand motion to direct her over. The dog was watching only the food the whole time, even though she did do the jumps. I would have motioned with the left hand, but treated with the right. Also would have started with just a call over the first jump, to get the idea in the dogs mind, and then worked up to doing both jumps.
2. On the weaves, Judy started by facing the wrong way. She sort of back trained Ladybug through. Never saw it done that way before! Though it still worked!
On the positive note, Judy sure made it fun and motivated Ladybug really well. She used a treat that Ladybug really craved, gave her verbal encouragment, and minimalized any corrections she needed to do to keep Ladybug on track. I say Bravo! and Well Done! We were all such clutzes (and some of us still are!) with trying to cue our dogs properly. We mess them up more than they mess up, that is for sure! I think Judy and Ladybug definitely should continue. They could be a force to be reckoned with!!!!
May 1st, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Way to go Team Ladybug! You are off to a great start… she is an enthusiastic, athletic team mate whose lovely handler focus will enhance so much of your training together! Two key take aways for you to think about in your next training session: 1. Transitioning away from “luring” and 2. The importance of small details about how best to use your body to achieve desired results.
Luring, we have all been there… but your end goal is to have a dog that knows her job with out following the morsel in your finger tips. She is looking directly at your hand the whole time (cause thats where the cookie is) and not at the task at hand. You want a dog that thinks and not just follows. The downside of long term luring will be: a dog that only knows what to do if you are right next to her, and the amount of time it will take to get a consistent, repeatable behavior. There are tons of resources & tools on alternatives to luring… search on clicker training or food tubes, use of toys as rewards, etc. Ladybug looks like a smarty, so am sure she will quickly catch on without a lure.
Body cues: One of the biggest “ah ha’s” of beginning agility training is how much “human training” is involved and it can be frustrating to us handlers trying to remember so many things. Little positional cues mean alot to a smart little dog like Ladybug so the more consistent you are the quicker you will progress. Idea 1: Always reward from the hand closest to the dog… so she is rewarded for being in that position by your side; Idea 2: Point your body and esp feet in the direction you want the dog to go… when she isnt following the cookie lure anymore
, she will quickly learn to follow the line of your body, hands and feet. Idea 3: when you circle back to try the exercise again always position yourself between the obstacles and the dog… you never want to reinforce that the dog can run past equipment without taking it. These are tiny details that in the long run will have great rewards.
I especially want to complement your positive outlook… as the handler you kept a happy face towards your dog and demonstrated joy in working together. Thats the heart of agility.
May 1st, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Good:
1. She was consistent in her training.
2. She was gentle and rewarding with her dog.
Not so good:
1. She started a run with the dog facing away from the obstacle.
2. She rewarded the dog before it completed the obstacle (weave poles).
May 1st, 2009 at 7:13 pm
HI,i couldn’t do that better myself Judy was great a training her dog to do the agility.i loved the way she and her dog just glided the the course looking like that wasn’t there first time doing agility.but i have some ideas i think you should practice the weave poles more so your dog isn’t jumping through them.i also think you should practice the whole course together by the way your great at agility to you and your dog
destiny
May 1st, 2009 at 7:19 pm
The things I like are that Ladybug seems to be very focused on her trainer as well as very food motivated. Being a stunt dog probably gives her a lot of confidence in trying new things and being responsive to training. These are good qualities to have in an agility dog. The pair seems to have a good relationship. On top of that, Ladybug is very cute and very athletic.
What I would like to see first off is no leash. There is the potential to ‘pop’ or jerk the dog over a jump or knock over equipment and scare the dog using a leash. If your dog is unreliable off leash, work on recalls and train in a smaller, enclosed space.
Secondly, what you are doing is luring over equipment. Luring is enticing the dog to do something by using a treat as a bribe. At one point she is not even looking at the jump but just following the hand and trying to jump up to get the treat. It looks like she is trying to jump the weaves also. She is really not understanding what she is doing to get the treat other than jumping up. Luring can be used very sparingly in the beginning just to get the dog to understand what is wanted, but you need to switch very quickly to asking the dog to perform the obstacle without the reward right in front of her nose and then reward her afterwards.
Third, work on one obstacle at a time, it is too early to be sequencing obstacles together. You should be able to send the dog to take an obstacle from a few feet away and have her come back to you for the reward. Start right next to the obstacle, ask the dog to perform it, then reward. Then take a step back and repeat. The dog should be comfortable doing each obstacle separately and on voice command before stringing a bunch of obstacles together (and make sure you can send her from both your left side and your right side).
Oh and one more — the weaves can be the hardest obstacle to master and yet they are one of the most fun and everyone wants to see their dog weaving as soon as possible. Have someone show you how to train them without luring before continuing on. Even on YouTube you can find some examples of better ways to train (hint — always face forward!).
Good luck and of course most of all have fun.
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:37 am
Judy is doing a good job of being upbeat. Ladybug should never know that she has done anything wrong as long as she is trying and offering a behavior.
Judy is quick to give Ladybug her reward for doing the obsticles.
At the weaves, Judy is holding her food lure to high which is causing the dog to jump up in the air rather than actually weave. I would suggest holding the food down at Ladybugs level. This could be done by using a long rod with the food lure smeared on the end. Spray cheese works well.
Judy needs to work on being able to catch Ladybug and being able to pick her up. I would suggest working with a hungry dog, calling her to you with a piece of food. Don’t give the treat until you have your fingers in her collar/harness and pet her. If she backs away or runs, turn your back, say in Oh well in a happy voice, while taking a few steps. The dog should show interesst in trying to get the food. Try calling her in a happy voice again repeat putting your fingers collar & pet, then give the treat. It may also help when first doing this if Judy were to stoop down. Bending over a little dog can be quite intimdating.
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:49 am
Two positive things: She doe a good job of praising the dog and she makes it fun for both
Two things to work on, I would put treat in pocket after showing so the dog is not so focused on the treat and I would work on getting the dog to face the agility equipment right at the begining instead of facing me
May 2nd, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Wow! For a first effort Judy and Ladybug did a great job! Judy was able to quickly get Ladybug’s attention with a treat and kept her focus moving from jump to jump. When she removed the leash Judy was able to keep her dog’s focus while moving over the obstacles.
If I were starting out doing agility, I would suggest beginning with one obstacle at a time. I would suggest getting a friend to wait at the far side of the tire with a treat to help Ladybug focus on driving ahead to the obstacle rather using the moving lure in the trainers hand which keeps focus on the trainer rather than on the obstacle ahead.
I loved the kitties in the chute!
May 3rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Well, to me the 2 positive compliments: she does get the dog to focus on her with treat, reward the dog and got him excited to do agility. To me the pitfall that I’ve seen on the video is one I would not put the dog into a sit position after he’s done jumping, this dog can jump very high, I could see an accident could happen with the hoop I would try to get that dog to jump more smoothly, I don’t think the dog really knew what he was doing.
May 3rd, 2009 at 3:21 pm
For the Friday contest; critique of training video.
Positives:
Handler kept the enthusiasm up; lots of praise/reward.
Kept jumps low while the dog was learnig the concepts.
Negatives:
I don’t think luring is the best way to get a dog to do most agility obstacles. The dog tends to concentrate on the treat in your hand and not really pay attention to what she is doing. Later, when you try to do it witout the treat, they don’t always get what you want them to do.
All the runs were from the same side going the same direction. Need to work dogs from both sides and both directions.
A few times, started dog on the run while the dog was sitting backwards and not facing the direction she was to go.
Maybe sequencing a little early, instead of getting the concept of each obstacle seperately, but not a big deal to me.
The luring on the weaves was too high and let the dog go too far out. Again, the dog only paying attention to what the treat hand was doing.
Letting cats “hang out” in the chute would be a distracting smell in the future with dogs doing the obstacle.
May 3rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Judy,
Wonderful job! You and Ladybug have so much potential and are already a great team. Ladybug is a natural and will be a fantastic agility dog with more practice. It was really good how you kept Ladybug excited and gave her lots of praise. Don’t be afraid to let loose and get super crazy to let your dog know how proud you are of how well they did. It was also a smart decision to get her focus before you led her over the obstacles. Because you did this she paid attention to your commands and understood what you wanted her to do. I noticed that she was constantly watching your eyes. It is good that she is motivated to look at you but it would be helpful to start getting her attention forward towards the obstacles. Try teaching her to touch your hand with her nose when you hold it in front of her and to the sides of her. Then you can start getting her to follow your hand when you move it away from her. Then when she completes obstacles and you hold out your hand to show her the way to go, her attention will hopefully not always be focused on your eyes but instead on your hand and the obstacle you are directing her towards. Another important part of training your dog for agility is to get your dog used to you being anywhere; behind them, in front of them, and next to them on both sides. When you are training, make sure that you switch up where you start from, where you are standing, and where you end up. This helps the dog learn that its handler can be anywhere when it completes obstacles, and it also keeps it interesting for the dog. Overall, both of you did an awesome job and again you have so much potential. Agility is a blast and it was so fun to see what a good time you two were having. Keep up the good work!
May 4th, 2009 at 6:58 am
Another thing that I noticed was that Judy, when she first took Ladybug off leash, would lure the dog through the course with the treat in the hand nearest the dog….good. But when she rewarded the dog she switched hands, feeding the dog from the outside hand…not good
If the dog is toy motivated, it would be good to throw a toy out past the last obsticle to get the dog moving out ahead of the handler. Give the dog the treat when it returns with the toy. Feeding at the last obsticle teaches the dog that when the handler stops moving to circle towards the handler and look for treats…