Summer update

We're still alive.


A few weeks back Wi got stung by a bug and got some allergic reactions around the eye. As a result she scratched all the hair out in that area and the it's still not as good as it was before (skin is still sore at times and very dry). She had limited activity at that time since I had to be really careful when I placed her "lamp" (she had it on to prevent her from scratching that area) off since she started to scratch almost immediately (got a lot of bleeding and scars above the eye from those moments).
Now we're getting back in shape, working on the big ball and balance discs, swimming, running, cycling, hiking...


We haven't done much agility in a while now. But the last time we did some teeters and they look really cool now. Her confidence on it is really big now and she showed me that she's starting to understand what her job is (driving to the position and target the floor with her nose).

We also had some demonstrations in the last 2 months. Some for little children, some for not so little children. She also helped me with a clicker training presentation a few days back. She mostly just sat on the chair next to me as I gave my presentation, but she showed a lot of self-control as I placed some of her favorite toys (and some food) on the table. Next week we'll have a 2-days workshop at a children church camp. I don't have a full program set yet but I'll have to adjust it anyhow, depending on how many children and at what ages will want to come to it.

We have also been doing a lot of tricks lately and obedience exercises (for Austrian Class 1). Hopefully we'll be ready to compete by autumn (the have scent discrimination and "box" exercises in first class and Wi doesn't know them yet).
I might do a trick video soon since they are starting to pile up. Some of them are really cool.

Agility trial in Ložnica

Last Saturday we competed at an agility trial in Ložnica.
It was really hot and we hadn't trained in a while so I wasn't really expecting anything.

In agility she ran nicely but she's still holding herself back at trials. She can be a lot faster in training. But compared to her first trial almost a year ago, she's getting faster.
Agility was quite easy. I was only worried about the teeter and later on dog-walk since it's quite common for her to stop at the beginning of the dog-walk if she did the teeter before it. This time she didn't stop at the bottom of the dog-walk. However she was still slow on the dog-walk too. After the competition we did the dog-walk a few more times and it was better.
She missed the contact on the dog-walk and we got 5 points.

In jumping she hit the weave entry nicely and we got a clean run.
In the end we finished 3rd.

Double crate training

Today I took out 2 crates and I did some double crate training with Wi.

First we played Crate games with only one crate. She has really good speed when driving towards the crate and back. It's also easy to transfer her enthusiasm into tugging and I can easily move around the backyard, setting up jumps, moving her crate, and getting food while she tugs.
Then I set up her second crate and we did some sending back and forward. I also put a jump between the crates. She showed great focus on her task and her jumping was really nice too.

Here you can see her drive in and out of the crate:


I think it's about time I buy her a bigger crate...one that she can turn fast in, without breaking herself in two or turning it upside down.

Addition to previous entry

Taken today:
She's a true wonder dog.

And a photo of the little model wearing Rori's rain coat (Hurrta)

Tugging: Breakthrough

Today Wi actively tugged with Lola! She doesn't know Lola for long and usually she drops her toys when she sees her coming but today she decided that she wants to keep Lola's Water Wubba and they tugged a couple of times (Wi winning once,after almost a minute of tugging).
On our way back Wi tugged for a really long time on the Wubba, ignoring all the obstacles on her way.
Another proud day for Momma.

Building value: Tugging

The last few months I worked a lot with Wi on building her value in tugging.

As a puppy she would tug at only at home. She didn't tug when we were outside our backyard, in puppy classes, with other people and if there was a dog around. At one point (I think she was around 10 months old) she stopped tugging for a while. After that period she showed a little more interest in tugging. She would still not tug in the presence of dogs, in new environments and with other people.

About 3 years ago I have taught our older dog Dora (9,5 years old mix) to tug. For 6 years she never tugged and I had to start really slowly with her, praising a lo when she pulled and rewarding her with food. But once she »got it«, she didn't need any reward. Just another tug game.

Since Wi is also highly food motivated I decided to use food as a reinforcer to build her value in tugging.



My main criteria was intensity.

At first I was rewarding any pulling on the toy from her part. Soon she was showing a lot more interest and her intensity grew. I kept it all really fast and fun. Soon I was able to let go of the toy when she pulled hard and she would immediately bring it back to me and started to tug once again when I took hold of it.
Everything got a little slower as I started to add various distractions:

- moving around the space
- touching her (it took her a while to hold on even if a touched her head and mouth)
- moving things around as she tugged
- adding distractions such as dogs, food, balls, people, ...
- changing the environment (backyard, the street, the woods, training grounds, competition areas, next to a group of people/dogs, in new environments, …)

but she's showing a lot of progress. The main criteria was always the same.

In the last weekend of March we went to Austria to see a dog dancing competition. It was a completely new place for her, indoors, new footage (slippery!), new people, new dog, noises… and still she tugged. Momma was proud.

She has a really nice weight shift and shows a lot of intensity and enthusiasm while playing. We still have a lot of things we need to work on.

Around dogs she's still a bit unsure and if any dog shows interest in her toy she lets go and leaves. At home we managed to get over this and she is able not only to tug with Dora but to win. They can tug as long as one doesn't win. Wi doesn't just let go of the tuggy. Now she really wants to win the game. And to top it, she even has the guts to go and get the toy FROM Dora if she wins it. They start tugging for it again but just a few weeks back she wouldn't come in the distance of a few meters to her, let alone try to take something from her.

Also, once we started tugging outside home I started to reward her with her squeaky balls. She's crazy for them (especially her Other Cuz and JW ball) so I can easily replace food for them when raising value.

I also use the game of tug before we start trainings, go on a walk, before her meal or before she can go to the water… before anything she really likes. Premack.

Dora loves her tuggy...

New spring trick video

Enjoy.

Fun in the sun

Wi also has a new reflective vest. It's really hard to see her when we work in ticker forests so this is essential. And it's double - layered at the chest so there's less cuts there after trainings (she still gets cuts all over her stomach and legs).

6x6

Takole Nadja, moja 6x6.

Na sliki gre pa za lovljenje DNK na vajah biologije.

Building blocks

I've been busy lately with working at a store and driving lessons so me and Wi haven't worked a lot on any new tricks and we haven't been to agility trainings in weeks.

What we have been working on walks is driving forward and body vaults.
She has gain a lot of speed with both, but she's still very insecure with vaults. She's reacting a lot to my movement so if I move just a little bit she backs away and restarts herself. The main problem is she gets frustrated really fast and I have to be careful not to let her restart herself to many times.
Driving forward is really good now and she really started to pull ahead.

And after a long pause we finally had dummy trainings again. Wi was super excited and she was really loud on her first mark. She was really good after the first mark and calmed down a lot. She also worked with my friend so that I could take a photo of Wi working and I was also a thrower. I retrieved after the throw behind the trees and this really confused her. After she picked up the dummy she began looking for me but once she saw that I made on movement towards her to collect the dummy she ran to my friend who was calling her. We neeed to practice this more...

After the training Wi had some fun with acorns and big tree sticks.

And we meet little Tani. :)