Club Practice: Do I do the DW?

k9kreationz

k9kreationz

Forums Celebrity
What are your thoughts? As you all may recall, I'm retraining Koji's DW from a 4-on to a 2o2o. So far, indoors only, we're doing really well. I'm to the point where he stops, even with speed and excitement, but there are times when he stops at a 4-on, usually when I'm behind him a bit. I have started throwing treats past him so he'll stay. He's been doing really well. Yay!

I have not worked on this outdoors at all yet.

So, we have a club practice this coming Sunday. If they whip out the DW, should I work on it? I believe we usually just have run-throughs and maybe some time to work on it alone (break time or maybe the group is working on something else).

If you do think I should work on it, should I just work on the end behavior, 2o2o w/o the entire running across. Remember, I don't even have a cue for this yet. And the angled board I'm working on is only about 5' long and about 1' off the ground on one end. So maybe just have him hop up the side, get him into a 2o2o as I run/walk past to basically work on that outdoors on a properly angled DW?

Thoughts? I'd hate to ruin it by going too fast, but I also want to take advantage of the DW if we have it out.

Thanks.

Thoughts?
 
Dog Walk

Why not?Really, only you can answer that question but if the opportunity comes along to use the DW then by all means do it.Can't you request the DW for practice?Try and go to run thrus at other places if they are available.The more you train at different places the better off you are.If you are going for the 2020 then stick with that plan.JMO
 
I think you should work on it outdoors, even if you just work the end behavior. Remember, dogs don't generalize well so 2o2o indoors, even if done perfectly and consistently, might not translate to having to perform the same behavior outdoors.

Most of your trials are outdoors so I would, without a doubt, work on the DW outdoors when you have an opportunity to do so. If nothing else it will proof the behavior.

Start with just the end of the behavior. If he's got it at near 100%, add the entire DW.
 
I agree with Sheri. I'd just try the end for now. You can slowly start backing him up (I know Koji is bigger, but I'd sometimes lift Bentley up higher onto the DW, still on the down plank) to see how he does with the angle + more speed. I don't know Koji, or how he's doing, but from what you're saying I would be hesitant to go all the way up. You don't want to encourage creeping, and you want Koji to be successful. I'd set him up that way.
 
Thanks everyone. I figured I could do the end part (as in have him jump up on the end, or place him higher up on the down slope) and just work on that, but honestly, since I'm kinda on my own here for retraining, I figured I'd ask. I don't want to move too fast for his wittle brain. LOL. Actually, I just dont' want to mess up all the hard work I've put into this. It's been 2.5 weeks of almost everyday training and we've come a long ways already.

And Sheri, all our trials are outdoors, and nope, Koji doesn't generalize at all. LOL.

Thanks. Like I said, I just don't want to move too fast.
 
Dog Walk

Everyone trains different. But personally I would not train the DW 2020 at the end but on a board.I did it in class with Sting and finally after getting told not to allow him back on it after he has blown the contact.You are teaching the dog it is okay to get back on the end if he has blown the DW contact and it happens to many times in triials.NQ'S.not just the DW but the frame and seesaw.Personally,if I was proofing my contact on the DW I would stand by the middle of the DW and have my dog at the end tell him walk it (or what ever command you use) and tell him touch and keep running.
 
Sharon said:
Everyone trains different. But personally I would not train the DW 2020 at the end but on a board.I did it in class with Sting and finally after getting told not to allow him back on it after he has blown the contact.You are teaching the dog it is okay to get back on the end if he has blown the DW contact and it happens to many times in triials.NQ'S.not just the DW but the frame and seesaw.Personally,if I was proofing my contact on the DW I would stand by the middle of the DW and have my dog at the end tell him walk it (or what ever command you use) and tell him touch and keep running.
Click to expand...

Well, at this point, I don't have a cue/command so it's one reason I'm not going to do the entire DW yet. When he's ready for the entire DW, then I'll name it. Until then, it's just him learning that the 2o2o is a position that he must do as part of the obstacle.

See, this is the problem with most people when they give me advice. They tell me what NOT to do (as you were told not to put Sting back on), however, you failed to tell me what TO do. And I think this is where I get ultra confused in training. I'm told don't do this, don't do that, but no one ever says, "don't do this, but instead, do that". I can't say that I'll listen to everyone, but at least I can learn a bit.

So, what do you do when Sting blows his contacts? If you don't put him back on, do you mark it with an NRM of sorts? Do you go on? Do you redo the DW in it's entirety? That's the part I need to know about.

For myself, at home, since the angled board is short. If Koji blows his contacts completely (as in, oh, it's a running contact now), I say "nope" in a monotone and have him redo it. If he doesn't stop after 2 or 3 times. I place him in position (as in I physically place him in a 2o2o position), then release w/o treats. He seems to understand that.
 
Last edited:
k9kreationz said:
So, just curious, what do you do when Sting blows his contacts? If you don't put him back on, do you mark it with an NRM of sorts? Do you go on? Do you redo the DW in it's entirety?
Click to expand...

I know you didn't ask me, but that's what I do. We start over. But if we're just working on a board, then we start the board over. Putting them back into position creates a creep, I think.
 
Dog Walk

k9kreationz said:
Well, at this point, I don't have a cue/command so it's one reason I'm not going to do the entire DW yet. When he's ready for the entire DW, then I'll name it. Until then, it's just him learning that the 2o2o is a position that he must do as part of the obstacle.

So, just curious, what do you do when Sting blows his contacts? If you don't put him back on, do you mark it with an NRM of sorts? Do you go on? Do you redo the DW in it's entirety?
Click to expand...

With Sting I say wrong and do it over and he gets it right the second time.He doesn't shut down or creep along he takes it in stride and is a happy go lucky little guy.
 
Sharon said:
With Sting I say wrong and do it over and he gets it right the second time.He doesn't shut down or creep along he takes it in stride and is a happy go lucky little guy.
Click to expand...

Ah, okay. I was editing my post when you two answered.

The only time I placed Koji back into position was when he was blowing it over and over again (this was when I increased his speed, excitement, and put food at the end of the board - but far away). I knew he wasn't "learning" by repetition. And that's one thing my trainer said to me too. She had told me that dogs usually will figure out they're doing something wrong. But Koji is so excited about doing it, he doesn't get it. lol. Well that was with the weaves.

Once I put him in position to remind him of where he's supposed to be, he started to TRY and slow down. I could see him, so I allowed it. But then raised my criteria for his next run. I like that Daisy suggested that. Because I've always been taught they have to do it perfectly to get a treat. And that would frustrate Koji.

So, ITA. No placing him BACK into position. I believe it does create a creep.

I am wondering, when I said I was going to train him at the end of the DW, instead of the full thing, at practice, did you think I meant I was placing him on the end, in a 2o2o position?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top