Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Mishmash Monday
Bentley is enjoying the sun (I think he's thinking that we sure don't get as much here as we did in South Carolina!)
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Friday, February 24, 2012
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!
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!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Mishmash Monday
I'm not so good at participating in these day-themed posts (I can hardly remember to post anything at all!) but I'll give this one a try.
Mishmash Monday is where you post photos that didn't quite turn out the way you wanted.
This picture is from February of last year. It's probably one my favorite pictures of Lexi, but it's too dark! I tried to fix it in PS, but even after changing the exposure it's still dark and pretty noisy. Darn.
Mishmash Monday is where you post photos that didn't quite turn out the way you wanted.
This picture is from February of last year. It's probably one my favorite pictures of Lexi, but it's too dark! I tried to fix it in PS, but even after changing the exposure it's still dark and pretty noisy. Darn.
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