• 12Oct

  Keep your End in View

  Dog Agility Training No Comments

  When you’re working with your dog, unless you’re playing in a free-forming shaping session, it is definitely best to have a clear end in view.

  What do you want the end behavior to look like? Before you pick up your clicker and treat bag, you should know what you want them to learn. Actively envision them completing the behavior.

  Break down the steps. So, let’s say you want your dog to crawl. Break down the steps of learning to crawl into easily learned chunks. Your dog will likely need more than one session, which is okay! It gives you more time to plan.

  When you get there, rejoice! and don’t overdrill.  it’s so tempting to have your dog go over and over and over the newly-acquired teeter, but resist that temptation!  It is best to quit training while your dog is still interested.  Then next time, you’ll be amazed where you start out!

  

  Tags: agility training, Inspirational

• 03Oct

  Take Ten

  Dog Agility Training No Comments

  I’m not sure where I heard this quote; “Take 10 minutes right now and ask yourself, ‘what one thing should I do tomorrow that will have the biggest positive impact on my life?’ and then don’t stop until it’s done.”

  Simply acting on that quote makes a huge difference in my day – and when I apply it to agility, my dog feels the positive impact. While most work is never done, and agility sure isn’t, (what fun would that be?) the concept holds true.  Think about one thing that would be best to do, or change, or practice, and then just go do it.

  It’s beautifully simple, and wonderfully powerful.

  

  Tags: agility beginners, agility training, Inspirational

• 19Sep

  ‘Fall’ into Agility

  Dog Agility Training, Inspirational No Comments

  Summer is a busy time for everyone.

  Fall can be even busier!  Sometimes it’s so busy we don’t have much time to spend with our dogs, and then when we DO have the time, we feel so bad we didn’t spend time with them during the busy time we don’t want to, now.

  The best thing about dogs, is they don’t care.  They’re just so happy you are spending time with them NOW, they forget about the busy weeks when you were rushing here and there and everywhere.  They don’t know they were SUPPOSED to have learned the contacts a few weeks back, and they don’t care, either.  They’ll learn their contacts now, to make you happy.  Don’t feel guilty for what you haven’t done.  Do what you can, and know your dog doesn’t want you to feel guilty, either.  They won’t have as much fun if you feel guilty!

  Set up a quick yahoo or a new course for you and your dog today and take a few minutes to do it – no stress, no fuss, just fun!

  

  Tags: Inspirational

• 17Aug

  Burnt Out

  Dog Agility Training, Inspirational No Comments

  When you feel as crisp as late-August grass, it can be hard to play agility with your dog.  Stress from your ‘real life’ outside of agility, or anything else can leave you feeling worn to nothing.  Agility is just one more thing to do when all you want to do is sit down and rest.

  Sometimes rest is the best solution – and sometimes it isn’t.  I find that when I feel so awful I don’t want to get in the car with the dog, much less drive forty-five minutes to training, and I get to class, set up my crate (usually muttering under my breath about the finger I just jammed), I feel some of the stress roll away.  I don’t believe in stressing about training, that’s my policy!  No stress! Just fun.

  Quick’s looking up at me and bouncing up in the air, doing his happy mid-air spins, his big plumey tail whipping the air hard enough to sting on my legs.  It’s agility time! It’s agility time! Best time except breakfast time!

  The rest of the world is still there, true.  After we’re done with our runs and our ride home, Quick snoozing in the back, I still have more to do than I think can ever be done, but for that hour, I can relax, enjoy my dog, and run as fast as we can.

  It adds another inch or two to my wick, I feel.  Does it to yours?

  

  Tags: agility training, Inspirational

• 02Jun

  Rewarding Focus

  Dog Agility Training No Comments

  How can you get your dog to focus more on you?  Working on focus can be particularly difficult with certain individuals and certain breeds, but it is not impossible.  Patience and perseverance and rewards are the key!

  • Reward your dog for interaction When you’re not on the agility field – maybe just sitting on the couch watching your favorite show with your dog – say your dog’s name to get their attention and reward them with a treat.  Do it on walks, in quiet and noisy situations, any time you can think of
  • Rate of reward When you’re working on course, make sure you keep the reward rate – treats, toys, and praise – high!  If you are less rewarding than your surroundings, your dog may not pay attention to you and instead seek his reward elsewhere.  Don’t let them wander too far in search of rewards!
  • Tune in to your dog Pay attention to them.  When they’re not paying attention to you, request their attention again with their name and a treat.  If they’re wandering off, it may be that they’re done for the day and their doggie minds are frazzled!  Remember not to work your dog to that state if you can avoid it. Quit with the dog wanting more and paying attention.  If you’ve already gone too far, call them in a happy voice or go get them, happily, put on their leash and ask them to do something rote – like sit or a favorite trick – reward that, and then it is crate/ resting time.
  • Distraction factors I think it’s important to recognize valid distractions.  At times in my classes, dogs have wandered away in search of water.  Agility is thirsty work for dogs! It’s not fair to expect them to focus on you when they are searching for water or are physically uncomfortable.  Bring a water bowl with you to agility to ensure a well-hydrated worker.

  

  Tags: agility training, Inspirational

« Previous Entries