Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Another delay in the weave pole challenge....



So we are currently at 4 weave poles in about three days with 2-3 sessions lasting less then two min. each day, not too bad, but think we are going to have to take a few days off.

I took Liz to Petsmart last night to do some work and I am starting to formulate some new strategies with the help of our ultra cool trainer-Alicia-where would we be without her?
So I am going to try working with more objects to sort of anchor Liz and give her something to focus on and work with-her stool, a cone to work around, hand touches etc...
I am finding things like loose leash walking just leave Liz not able to focus. I think she needs way more active things to do. I am going to use a lot more hand touches, sits, and things like heel work-I am thinking maybe competing in some Rally might really help us. When I had Liz at Petsmart and put out a cone I was able to do front crosses with her leash dragging-so basically off leash, she could do stays with me way far away- where she couldnt see me, but then she was a total spazz when we just tried walking through the store on a loose leash. I wonder when she was at her trial if I made her heel to the jump and then had her stay instead of just going out and trying to get her focused on an object could it have worked better? I am also keeping better records to try to really hone in on what the best ways to help Liz focus really are.
I am also going to try to get longer behavior chains-three or four behaviors that I can get before we go and get a treat so that Liz understands she can work for awhile and then there will be a reward coming.
We worked on Breezes start line stays, reading rear and front crosses last night at Petsmart, poor girl it is hard for her to sit on that floor because it is slippery and trying to do her front crosses she looked like Bambi on ice.

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