Insanity is...cik & cap!

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" -Albert Einstein

I can't help but think of this quote when I'm trying to work on cik & cap with Bentley and Lexi.  From my previous videos you'll see that both dogs have a preferred side.  Lexi prefers to turn with her left shoulder to the pole, and Bentley with his right.  Within a day, I had great turns from both dogs going the way that they chose.  Silvia recommends teaching both ways at the same time...but it's so hard!  I've  been working on the dogs' weak sides (Bentley L and Lexi R).  It was a tough process for them, but last night I finally broke through and was getting turns on the dogs' weak sides.  Hooray!

But, I was feeling guilty because I was only working one side--and Silvia made it a point to say that you should work both at the same time.  So, I took a little break and then decided to work Lexi's strong side again.  Nothing doing.  All I could think about was the aforementioned quote from Einstein. 

I'm not sure I understand the logic behind working both at the same time.  Obviously at some point I'll reward turns either way, and then add the words, but right  now...I am not changing any cues (because the only cues the dogs have to work off of are my body language and the "obstacle") but expecting different criteria.  Isn't that like me holding a cookie in my hand (the signal for sit) and expecting a down?  I finally gave up and just allowed Lexi to work her weak side, because her turns were looking really nice.  So now both dogs only want to turn to their weak side (Lexi L Bentley R)

Any suggestions?



And here are a few short sequences (my husband never remembers to record me!) from yesterday.  We've had a stretch of a couple nice sunny days so I wanted to take advantage of it.  It stinks because by the time I get home from work, we only have about 30 minutes of daylight.  Also, there are less afternoon videos of Bentley because our neighbors leave their fence-chasing dogs out all evening.  They don't bother Lexi, but  Bentley goes crazy and we can't get any work done.