Silvia Trkman

This spring I bit the bullet and signed Lexi and I up for a Silvia Trkman online agility foundation class.  I've always admired her and her training methods, but just didn't feel like I would like an online class.  Plus, we moved to Columbus and have in-person access to a great trainer.

Unfortunately with my work schedule it has been really hard to find consistent time to do private lessons with Lexi. Though we've come a long way, there are still a lot of ways that we can improve, so I wanted to do something more.

I am enjoying it so far, but we are so far behind.  We started the class 2 days before it technically started, and there was all this "pre-homework".  Long story short, we're still working on the pre-homework from the beginning of the month!  Basically all the exercises build off of the foundation skills in the pre-homework, so we're still working them.

Anyways the most important skill (and honestly the one we need the most, so there's no point in rushing it) is cik/cap.

Here is Lexi's progression over the past weeks (and honestly, our lives are so incredibly crazy right now, that we haven't been able to practice as much as I'd like)...

IHC Exercises, and a very brief Cik & Cap video

I have always been intrigued by European agility courses and have always wanted to try them out.  They look really tough, so I would never enter IHC at a trial since I know we aren't ready, but they do look like a lot of fun.

Steve over at http://agilitynerd.com/blog/ posted a few international handling exercises a few days ago--so I figured, why not give them a shot?  I am notoriously bad at remembering short courses that use the same jumps over and over, but it was really fun to give them a try.

Lexi had no problems once I figured out where I was going (easier said than done) and Bentley truly had no issues at all (they are much easier for a shorter strided dog that naturally collects).

I made a video of our attempts.  Enjoy!



And, here's a very short video of Lexi showing off her cik & cap.  I just thought to add this at the last minute after she was already tired from the IHC exercises.

Cik & Cap Update

Just wanted to start off by saying thanks to Diana for pointing out that Lexi missed her entries when I wasn't helping her--or shaping them.  She's definitely right!

It worked out well that we worked letter W the other day, because the following night we worked weaves in class, as well.  There was a course set up where the weave entry was exactly the same as the one where Lexi kept missing.  My instructor made a good point (that she has made before).  We need to work skills independently before we add forward motion.  As soon as I add forward motion, it becomes exponentially more difficult for Lexi to collect and do her job.  So, we should teach hard weave entries first, and then add the motion component a little at a time.

Soon I'll take an updated cik/cap video to share, but I've been lazy.  I did get my regular camera out today, though.  I got a few pictures of Lexi wrapping the pole.  She is definitely getting it!  And, it's already making her think a bit differently as she approaches other things.  I decided to teach her a new trick the other day, and she offered a weave around my leg.  So, I went with it and she's learning to weave around my legs.

Cik & Cap (good thing my dog is smart)

So because I've been busy (and I wanted to take a short break) we really haven't done a ton of Cik/Cap work.

I'm super swamped at work today, and I'm out of town this weekend (and no, not for something fun like agility-ha!).  But here's a quick video of some of our work yesterday.  I'm trying to keep the sessions short, as you'll see, and Lexi seems to be doing well.  I need to get better about remembering which side is which!



(PS don't mind my obnoxious voice!)

A little of this and a little of that

by Mike Lifer Photography

For my birthday my husband bought me a TON of pictures of Lexi.  The photographer (the guy who was the photographer at USDAA Nationals) was going out of business, and had a great sale.  Unfortunately it would have been really expensive to get photos of both dogs, so I chose Lexi because I have purchased other pictures of Bentley before.  Anyways, you'll be seeing a lot of them because I love them all!

This weekend we enjoyed the lovely weather and I decided to see what Lexi would do with a tree outside and her wubba.  She definitely understood going around it (cik & cap)--hooray!  And then last night I had my husband hold a wooden pole in the middle of the room and Lexi ran around it from either side (depending on which side of me she was on).  I'd say it's time to start adding the verbal!


What do you guys think of the new blog?  I really wanted to do a collage (I admit the previous background was poorly executed) but I just can't come up with a good way to do it.

Cik & Cap--Clearly I'm doing this wrong!

I did some work a couple days ago and posted a video (CikCap5) and a couple of my friends told me that I was working for too long (which is why I was really only getting turns one way).  They also recommend that I start throwing a treat/toy to get Lexi more excited and driving out of the turns.

So yesterday I took it outside and decided to work using a toy.  I thought that I had it fixed because Lexi was turning both ways and pushing out of the turn and accelerating to get the toy.  I was quite excited.  Then I went back out last night and decided to ask for more of a turn (I wasn't really getting a full 360 earlier in the day, in the video).  I got nothing.  I was literally right back where I started with her just poking her nose from one side to the other.  So, I thought maybe it was because I had the toy, and not treats.  So I brought the treats and the clicker back out...and was basically starting over.  I couldn't get her to do a full turn (I think I got one or two at the end).  Also, outside she wasn't offering any turns around the pole without my movement.  It's like I had to "throw" her towards the pole to get her started.

I had no idea it would be this complicated!  We are still enjoying trying to learn new things, but I wish I knew what I was doing!

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.

More Cik & Cap

A couple days ago we worked on cik & cap some more, and it's not as easy as it looks!  I thought, sure I'll teach Lexi to circle around a cone.  Easy!  Not!  Anyways, she can circle one way fairly well, but the other way, not at all!  She doesn't want to do anything the other way, just maybe take one step.

Bentley is getting the hang of it as well, even though I don't think he'll really need it on course.



After the above video a friend pointed out that I was only clicking at the same place--when the dog had almost completed the turn and was back looking at me.  Oops!  She also forced me to try to get Lexi to turn the other way.  I'm a pushover, I start to feel bad when Lexi gets frustrated!

So here is session 4, where I attempted to rectify the aforementioned problems.  Lexi still doesn't want to turn the other way, but it's getting better bit by bit.  Her turns the one way are great.  Bentley is the same--has one way down pat!

Cik & Cap challenges, and day 2 video

After my first video (which I felt was successful) I had a lot of trouble asking for the next step from Lexi on her cik & cap work.  I just could not get her to make that turn all the way around the pole.  Diana gave me some great advice about rewarding and the placement of my hands but I was really struggling with the concept!  Who knew I'd already be challenged at Day 2?

Poor Lexi was trying everything, but she just wasn't getting it.  It was like she didn't want to let my hands out of her sight.  I could get her to make the turn by luring her, but it was clear to me that when I was luring, she was just watching my hands, and not paying attention to what she was doing (so not really learning).

Here's the first video from day 2:


You can hear me talking to Jonathan trying so hard to figure out how to get my hands in the right place to reward Lexi completing the circle.  No such luck.  I even ended up accidentally rewarding her the wrong way in my attempts.

Then I decided to try a smaller object.  I thought if I could reach over the pole it might help my hands.  I didn't have a cone, and tried a number of household objects before I stumbled upon a wine bottle holder and bottle of wine (haha!)  Anyways, DING DING DING!  It helped tremendously.

We just did a short session last night, and I was already getting more of a turn than previously.  I'm hoping that I'll start with this, and then be able to work up to something that I don't have to reach over once she gets the idea.



I'm still luring her more than I'd like, but I'm sort of treating this as day 1 again, now that we have the right plan in motion, I can hopefully fade any luring.  I also received a suggestion to already start getting her to go a bit faster, and drive out of it, and I will work on that (I hope it will come with confidence).  But, I'm in no hurry, and I think this is one of those foundation skills that can't be overworked.

Lexi starts Cik and Cap

So, for a long time I've admired Silvia Trkman.  We even mistakenly tried to teach her running contacts before any of her online videos, etc...were available.

That being said, I've been intrigued by her concept and cik and cap, and have been wanting to give it a shot with Lexi.  Unfortunately I can't afford the class, but we were able to get the DVD and decided to try it out.  Sure, there's a chance I'll mess it up, but it can't hurt, right?   I'm hoping that it will at the very least make her a bit more aware of where her body is when she starts to make turns.  I'm anticipating that it will be very difficult to accomplish at speed, but it will be a fun endeavor nonetheless and regardless of the outcome.

I've taken a few notes from the DVD and hope to post a few takeaways here when I post corresponding videos.  Here are my notes from the beginning of the video (the why!) and a few notes on the very beginning stages of teaching (the how):

Reasons to use cik & cap:

1.        Improves course times

2.        Makes handling and timing much easier

3.        Takes stress off the dog's joints

4.        Teaches obstacle focus, distance skills and sends

5.        Makes it less frustrating for the handler since they don’t have to be everywhere for the dog—more fun for handler and dog since the dog can run full speed

Random notes:

Changing direction (180) is harder than threadle

Cik/cap doesn’t mean come to me, just means to collect and jump in the right direction

How:

Step 1: Going around a pole or cone.  Can reward either direction. Reward close to the pole going in the right direction

Pay attention to the rear and jackpot if the rear comes with the front when coming around the turn.

This video is from her second session--I kept them both short and just used the clicker to shape the turn (though I guess I lured a bit when I rewarded).  I worked her a third session outside and she really seems to get it.

I will note that I am struggling to see whether or not Lexi's rear is moving with her front.  It seems to me that it is, but it's hard for me to tell.