(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)
I learned something new about Walter today. Well, it's more of a confirmation of something I had suspected, which is that he learns/performs much better when no one's standing too close and watching him (except me of course). We did the first few turns with a boxloader, and he took the treat ball from the ledge but very hesitantly and only put his hands on the box. But handlers were short today so we put the box against the wall so that the boxloader could go and help dogs at the other stations. What a difference: All of a sudden he was taking the treat ball from the ledge AND maintaining the turn! Wally is definitely not the type who likes to show off for other people! :-)
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Saturday January 20th 2007 - Team practice
(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)
Recalls: no problem. Boxwork: Tried once with the regular ball but it wasn't happening. Switching to the treat ball, he took it from the unsprung hole but didn't do the turn. For now though we'll take that. He really does not do his best work or learning at flyball practice; he seems stressed and pre-occupied and I'm sure it's even worse because he doesn't get any exercise beforehand. Oh well! Not everything in life or dogsports comes easy so we'll keep at it.
Recalls: no problem. Boxwork: Tried once with the regular ball but it wasn't happening. Switching to the treat ball, he took it from the unsprung hole but didn't do the turn. For now though we'll take that. He really does not do his best work or learning at flyball practice; he seems stressed and pre-occupied and I'm sure it's even worse because he doesn't get any exercise beforehand. Oh well! Not everything in life or dogsports comes easy so we'll keep at it.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Wednesday January 17th 2007 - home practice
(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)
Hallelujah again! More progress! Today I used only a normal ball, not the treat one. After a couple of no-ball turns, I put the ball into the unsprung hole and Walter picked it up! This is the first time he's done that. I think the trick with him is to make him believe that treats come out of the ball, even non-treat balls. So even though he dropped it a few feet after doing the turn, I went and picked it up and made as if the treats in my hand came out of it. I was so thrilled that he was picking up the ball that I temporarily relaxed the turn criteria, although by the end of the practice he had gotten in several with the turn. Hopefully after he really gets the hang of it I can fade the treats and bring the tug back into it.
Hallelujah again! More progress! Today I used only a normal ball, not the treat one. After a couple of no-ball turns, I put the ball into the unsprung hole and Walter picked it up! This is the first time he's done that. I think the trick with him is to make him believe that treats come out of the ball, even non-treat balls. So even though he dropped it a few feet after doing the turn, I went and picked it up and made as if the treats in my hand came out of it. I was so thrilled that he was picking up the ball that I temporarily relaxed the turn criteria, although by the end of the practice he had gotten in several with the turn. Hopefully after he really gets the hang of it I can fade the treats and bring the tug back into it.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Tuesday January 16th 2007 - home practice
(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)
Hallelujah! Progress! I have the box at home this week so I took advantage. By the end of today's short practice session, Walter was not only picking up the treat ball from the unsprung hole but also maintaining the swimmer's turn! Really revving him up, running with him, and cueing "hit it" were key for maintaining the turn.
Hallelujah! Progress! I have the box at home this week so I took advantage. By the end of today's short practice session, Walter was not only picking up the treat ball from the unsprung hole but also maintaining the swimmer's turn! Really revving him up, running with him, and cueing "hit it" were key for maintaining the turn.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Saturday January 6th 2007 - Team practice
(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)
Boy, this dead ball retrieve thing at TTH just doesn't seem to be happening! May try going back to the treat ball instead. Did some runs where I run with him to the box and back, then did the same thing as the last to run in a lineup of our house league guest, then Sammy, then Walter.
Boy, this dead ball retrieve thing at TTH just doesn't seem to be happening! May try going back to the treat ball instead. Did some runs where I run with him to the box and back, then did the same thing as the last to run in a lineup of our house league guest, then Sammy, then Walter.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Monday January 1st 2007 - Goals for 2007
(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)
My goals for Walter's 2007 flyball year are for him to do independent full runs as part of a line-up. Once he realizes that he's supposed to pick up the ball and bring it, then the rest will fall into place... Come on Wally, we've got all year, you can do it!!
My goals for Walter's 2007 flyball year are for him to do independent full runs as part of a line-up. Once he realizes that he's supposed to pick up the ball and bring it, then the rest will fall into place... Come on Wally, we've got all year, you can do it!!
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