Outreach.....

Outreach was mostly good. I got lots of great pointers- and reminders about things I know I have to do better/change. I took tons of notes:

My arm out is like a turn signal- don't leave the ticker on if you're not turning

Pumping your arms when you run is a signal for you dog to keep running.

Accel to Decel...I know this. And get told this a lot.

Threadle- when upon landing if the dog sees the plane of the obstacle, and I want the actual obstacle I need to threadle.

Wicca still needs work on "hidden" tunnels. Weird, but true.

Don't arm change until the dog is committed.

Run With a Purpose- again, something I have heard before.

We did some fun two and three jump drills and worked on decel, post turns, f/c's, RC Threadles, and 270's...they were pretty fun and very easy to set up.

On the decel- reward for collection before the jump for a dog who has trouble.

We did a fun speed circle- that was unlike any speed circle I've seen. There where random jump in the middle that you could then work a whole raft of stuff on. Also she had a bounce jump set up out of the tunnel. Wicca needs lots of jump work- we definitely were a bit rusty on jumping- back to the jump grids!!!

Bar Knocking- Kim suggested I don't stop Wicca for knocked bars anymore- she needs to learn to recover after a knocked bar- which could prevent further destruction on the course...Interesting thought...she said that just by going back and re-doing, and then rewarding for keeping that bar up the dog will learn to not knock the bar. Wicca's bar knocking has been getting better, and better but I am willing to give anything a chance.

On Threadle make sure that you're not "working" two arms at once! Your feet need to be facing the jump on a threadle and almost step sideways to continue on...

Directionals. (insert big Sigh here)
I now have a verbal Turn cue- which means for her to turn 180 degrees away from me. I also have an out- which means for her to move away. And a go on- which means to take what is in front of you. Last outreach Kim talked A LOT about directionals, and this time talked even more about them. However, last time she talked about her "away" cue which means the same as my "out"- THIS TIME, she said that an "out" is a flick away and that the only way to do it right "true to the system" is to use left/right. She demo'd and had her dog move left, and then right, and then over the bar. So the dog changes direction on the flat. I think it's silly. I think that my out is more clear to the dog- and is going to be faster- than having the dog zig zag on the flat. In a gamble there isn't room for one, and if your dog is fast (like mine)I would think that my timing would always be off. Anyway, I just kept quiet and as with all seminars will take what I want, and file away the rest perhaps for future use...

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I had Pixel in one morning of the puppy seminar- I got some good tips about continuing on with crate games, more fun games to play, and some further ideas about targeting. Also we did some accel/decel games- Pixel needs to drive more ahead of me- which is funny as I have been working LOTS on decel and teaching her about my BCL (Blind Cross Body line) and how to read my motion and no motion cues properly. Anyway, I guess I've been so worried about teaching her to read my decel I haven't done a very good job of letting her drive ahead of me...

We did some plank work too- although I am not entirely sure I am going to stick with this method of teaching contacts. I feel that the progressions are too slow, and that the way that we teach contacts gets very, very similar results- minus the bopping nose touch...The only issue I have with Wicca's contacts is her head position- and NOW I know how to fix that- so think that I can prevent that in Pixel. At this point it is mute point because she is too young to be doing contacts anyway- but it is something I have been thinking about a lot....

Anyway, mostly it was a great weekend- we have one more outreach seminar with her in November and I am still deciding about whether to do it again next year.....