Impossibilities are merely things which we have not learnt.

07:07 in

 

It’s been ages since I last blogged. I’ve been really busy with training and shows I have hardly had any time. But.. The car needs a bit of TLC and requires fixing so it has given me some free time.

Stig and his Jumping.

So going back to the one jump training – clicker training I blogged about a few blogs ago. Well I feel this has really helped him understand the reward value for a clear jump on an individual jump, and then we built up on that.

Stig already had the drive motivation to get to the jump but always wanted to drive to the next obstacle, forgetting about his feet.  I now start and finish each training session on the one jump exercise. This means there is nothing else for him to do apart from one jump and reward. So his focus is entirely on the one jump. This is so he always starts and finishes by being rewarded for an excellent jump, an easy way for him to earn his reward quickly, and hopefully sink in quicker!

I ignore the behaviour when knocking the pole, replace the pole, I then allow him to jump again. When he does a nice jump I reward him with an awesome game of tug. I them increased his excitement level by playing before then allowing him to jump and then even tugging or ignoring depending on the jump. It’s been hard work so far and frustrating but I have stuck to my plan and I feel it is working. I had someone video some of his runs although his best runs typically were the ones I managed not to get videoed :-(

He seems to be coming along well. He is now only having 0 max 3 poles a run, hardly any lazy feet or shoulders either most are just taps, so a big improvement.  Before he had a bad habit of not even taking off just shouldering the jump/wing over because he was to excited and his was in his way.  Over 13 runs he has only knocked the first pole once.  Whereas 2 months ago I would say out of 13 runs the first pole would of been down at least 10 times.

He seems to be a little bit calmer whilst running so he is concentrating more on jumping. I have been trying lots of different techniques to try and keep him as chilled out as possible. It’s been a bit of trial and error but I think we finally have it.

The most annoying thing for us now is queuing. People trying to wind their dogs up letting them bark and playing tuggy with them. I have had a dog like this and don’t expect them not to try and get there dogs in the best frame of mind to work and perform to there best. So I now get someone to queue for me whilst I move away from the excitement. I allow Stig to watch the agility but away from other dogs that are wound up and near jumps. I will not let him watch near the weaves or contacts as this excites him even more.

He has done some really nice runs and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the year with him. I’m enjoying running him more now that he is concentrating a little better. I don’t have to worry about him getting too over excited which led to knocking poles which led to more excitement and less focus and not being sensible on the equipment and falling off. So when he trashes a jump I take him out as this is my indication that he is not concentrating. I’m afraid that he could do himself an injury at the speed he runs at or doing something silly because he too excited to be sensible. It’s not worth it.

Stig broke his wait in his G3 Agility. It’s unusual for him to break so I put him back. (Got E’d) Then he went clear, a stunning clear too!  He has had a fair few lovely runs now with 1 or 2 poles and had fantastic times too. I know he is knocking on the door but I don’t want him winning up yet. So was quite glad I put him back.

Running Contacts

I have blogged and put a few videos up of Stig running his a frame and dog walk. I am still training these at home but due to the past poles issue I have decided that he would be even more wound up and less focused in the ring doing running contacts. The stop just allows him to calm back down again and think.  Once Stig is jumping consistently well I will start to introduce them in the ring.

Ben

Ben is 8 years old this month and I’m really happy how he is working. His A-Frame is not up to scratch but I have decided I am going to teach him a running a-frame over the winter, I’m looking forward to teaching him this as he is 8 and has always done a 2on2off so it will be interesting, but I’m sure he will like it more. So come January Stig and Ben should both be doing a running a frame in the ring.

Ben won his Champ jumping and came third in the Champ final at Dogs In Need so very pleased with him…. Ohh… he also got 3^rd in the G7 jumping there too.

Here are a few clips from KCI and Dogs In Need.

Lucy Osborne

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Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results. – Winnie Nelson.

06:19 in

Fearful to Fearless 

Everyone this is Evie.

Evie is not my new dog I’m just looking after her for her owner, Jan who is currently recovering from a major back operation.

A bit about Evie.

Evie is a rescue from Many Tears. We are told that she was taken from a family where their son beat her!

I can remember the first time I saw Evie with her new owner, Jan. She was that scared I don’t even think I got to stroke her or even give her a treat. She was very scared of new people in a different place. Evie had only been with Jan a week but totally depended on her. Everything was so frightening. In the couple of months that Jan had her before her op she managed to get Evie positively rewarded around people and let her see that nobody was going to hit her anymore. Jan was her protection, her rock.

Evie is now living with me for a couple of months until Jan is fully recovered, we’re unsure how long that will be but that doesn’t matter because she is such a character and loves the other dogs, she fits in with our gang just fine. I hope Jan makes a good speedy recovery but it will take as long as it takes. Evie has already come a very long way. It’s easy to forget when you compare her to others, you just have to remember her as an individual, which people forget. She is so much more confident around new people when she trusts the person with her. She is experiencing new things she has probably never seen before in her life and going to lots of different places.

However things are still scary now and again and she fears things, most when they move. Although, she may have seen it in a stationary position and not batted an eyelid at it. It’s MEGGA SCARY when it moves! The positive way I look at this is Evie fearing is not a problem it’s the way in which she fears the object, is it fight or flight!?!

Evie runs away from the object and doesn’t stand snapping or trying to fight with it, She gets as far away from as it as she can and then continues to bark at it. She wants to get away a.s.a.p! 

Here is a video of Evie with an Exercise Ball. She has seen this exercise ball for about 2 weeks, in a stationary position. When it moves it becomes scary. You can see her behaviour change. The video also shows how  WE worked together to take her from fearful to fearless unbelievably in less then 5 minutes!

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results. – Winnie Nelson.

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EO Fundraising Day 1 - Thames

01:12 in

Fundraising Day 1

As many of you know The following EO GB team members have decided to dress up to raise some funds to help us travel to the European Open in Austria at the end of July. To make it that little bit more exciting we have left the costume choice in your hands. Yes you read that right in your hands!

All of the following people will dress up

Ant Clarke

Lee Gibson

Shaun Young

Dave Leach

Jo Tristram

Sian Illingworth

Lucy Osborne

We have split the dressing up into 3 different shows Thames, Rugby and Tuffley. (we will ALL dress up at Tuffley)

Thames

Ant Clarke, Lee Gibson and Jo Tristram were the first candidates to dress up. It was chosen. Ant and Lee would be the Cheeky Girls and Jo Tristram would be Barbie.

On Facebook we stated that the candidates would dress up on the Sunday. After looking at the weather forecast on Friday night (Saturday = sun / Sunday =rain.) We decided that for the clothing that they had purchased Saturday would be the best day, unless we wanted them to freeze!

Actually this was a good decision because Jo, Lee and Ant now had to be run their championship class in their costumes! I can safely say I think everyone found it highly amusing watching the runs.

Lee and Ant had a cracking weekend Ant Clarke taking the ticket and Lee coming 3^rd… Hummm what are they Going to be wearing this weekend?!

I would like to thank everyone who donated at Thames. So Thank-you.

Here is the footage you all have been waiting to see. I do apologise for the videoing. Ben wouldn’t stop pulling. I tried all night to upload the video on here but it just wouldn't upload so here is the YouTube link :-D

Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhWFzSxQUWk

The Following people will be dressing up at Rugby.

Sian Illingworth
Lucy Osborne
Dave Leach
Shaun Young

So get on Facebook and let us know what you think we should wear. The most likes wins. Simples!

Remember if you don't train with any of us or wont be at Rugby and Tuffley and want to donate you can do by following this link - http://www.acagility.com/wordpress/?page_id=648
I will make sure that again there is plenty of video footage and pictures :-)

Below are some of the pictures from Thames.

Looking very relaxed!

Lucy Osborne

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It’s been a clicking success with Stig!

04:01 in

Over that past few months I have been getting a bit frustrated with Stigs jumping. He can jump and more frustratingly I know he can jump really well but if the pole is in the way he would just knock the pole and not really even try. People had told me to compete with him. ‘The more he does sequences he will pick his feet up.’  Hummmmm.. Everyone knows their own dog, if Stig thought this was ok then he would carry on knocking. Guaranteed!

What should I do?

Stig clearly thought that knocking the jump wasn’t that naughty. It was clearly my own fault. Stig has a good jumping style but he was just flattening out. I feel I had him on medium too long. Maybe I just got too carried away doing puppy/young stuff! I had taught him that there was sooo much value in jumping each jump, on medium. Now he was on Large he was just flattening out. The thinking cap was on, how am I going to re teach him the value of the pole without knocking the high value he has for taking the jump?

The clicker of course! I prefer to use a vocal marker ‘yes’, used in the same way as a clicker for marking the correct behaviour, or marking a good behaviour in the ring.

So why did I choose a clicker and not the vocal marker I normally use?

The vocal marker, I feel is more exciting compared to the clicker. I feel the clicker and no voice keeps my dogs that little calmer and they learn quicker that way. (That is a personal opinion for my dogs.)

I feel Stig learns better and quicker at home he seems to be more wound up and off his head everywhere else. It would make more sense to train him and teach him a new behaviour at his calmest state of mind. I brought the one jump home and the re training began.

I hadn’t used the clicker for a few months so I wanted to refresh him on how good that click was.

Stig’s favourite thing?

I would usually recommend using treats when clicker training (as the reward associated with the click.) Stig however LOVES food, just not when he is working, no smelly cheese, liver, chicken or sausage comes close to a raggy, they don’t even get a sniff! So after each click he got that amazing game of tug!

All clicker refreshed and ready to go.

 

I put Stig in front of the jump and let him jump it. EVERY time Stig cleared the pole he got that game of tug, not just a tug, the best tug game! When he knocked the pole I simply ignored him. I wouldn’t tell my dog off, he doesn’t know what he has done wrong. Although he doesnt get told off anyway. I want him to learn through trial and error how he earns his toy, I don’t want him to worry about getting something wrong, I want him to simply try harder and think harder how to get his toy.  Once he has worked out what gets him his toy and what doesn’t he should want to try harder to perform the behaviour that gets him that awesome game of tug.  

I did 5 minutes once a day for a week, then 10 minutes every other, once a day for the following week. I didn’t take him back into a class environment until I knew he had the idea. Stig was getting a big success rate. I took him back and I couldn’t quite believe the difference in him, I was truly shocked. I know he had a good success rate before but with that bit more excitement I was half expecting a fair few poles but a lot better then normal. He was brilliant, he knocked a few, but he was trying which is the most important think to me. ANY dog can knock poles, but the fact he was trying and trying hard was a massive improvement.

Bring on Vyne.

Stig had two jumping class at Vyne. First course was straight forward 3 jumps straight and then around the outside across the middle to the end. It seemed to wind him up. He knocked about 4 poles. So that shows I have to do more work on the one jump after really winding him up. So although it wasn’t the best run it has given us something to practice. Maybe he was a bit calmer in the class even though he looked mega excited. The second course was very compact at the start which is what he needs, It seems to make him think a little and keeps him a bit calmer as he is not blasting from the start. More similar to home. Stig went clear, few wide turns, and very slow for him. I didn’t want to push him I wanted to give him the chance to think about each jump without me distracting him by having to sprint off. This course did exactly that. He finished 2^nd. Extremely proud! He did it.

Stigs Run...

Yes it was a bit scrappy few big turns, could of qued his jumps earlier but i wanted him to concentrate on the jump itself not what he was doing after untill. some confusion on the cross after the second tunnel, but i dont care. :-p That will all come very soon, im sure.

So this following weeks training will be more work on that one jump with a bit more excitement and more drive to the one jump. Then its away to start the long drive to Tumbridge Wells.

 

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Size Matters.

11:00 in

Understanding why size matters!

There are many people who have dogs who don’t realize what and ideal weight for their pet is. Thanks to Purina, The Body conditioning tool shows us exactly what an ideal build is.  

It is hard to be able to see an ideal build on a dog with a big coat, although you still should be able to feel through the coat.

Obese dogs have shorter life spans than non-obese dogs. Obesity can lead to a number of health problems. Excess weight puts excess stress on your dog's heart. When the heart doesn't function properly, other organs may suffer including the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys. Over time, these problems may become severe enough to cause life-threatening conditions. 

1     Severely underweight - Too Thin

• Ribs, backbone  and hips all highly visible even from a distance.                             
• Obvious muscle loss particularly around the shoulders and thighs.
• Severely exaggerated waistline.
• Tummy non existent.

2    Thin - Too Thin

• Ribs, backbone and hip bones easily seen no overlaying fat layer.
• Some mild muscle loss particularly around the shoulder and thighs.
• Exaggerated waistline.
• Severe tummy tuck.

3      Slightly Underweight - Too Thin

• Ribs can be felt and may be seen, with backbone and his just visible, no overlaying fat layer
• Obvious waistline
• Marked tummy tuck

4    Ideal =-D

• Ribs can be easily felt and may/may not be seen with minimal layer of overlaying fat
• A clear waistline can be seen
• Noticeable tummy tuck 

5    Ideal =-D

• Ribs can be easily felt and may/may not be seen with small layer of overlaying fat
• A clear waistline can be seen
• visible tummy tuck

6   Slightly Overweight - Too Heavy

• Ribs can be felt but generally can’t be seen, an obvious layer of overlying fat
• Waistline is visible but not clear
• Tummy tucks slightly upwards towards back legs

7    Markedly Overweight -Too Heavy

• Ribs are hard to feel and see, under a thickened layer of overlying fat.
• Distinct pads of fat can be felt along the lower back and the base of tail.
• Waistline absent can be difficult to see

8    Obese - Too Heavy

• Ribs are very difficult to feel under a very thick later of overlaying fat.
• Chunky pads of fat can be felt along the back and at the base of the tail
• Waistline is absent
• Tummy bulges outwards and may sag downwards

9     Clinically Obese - Far Too Heavy :-(

• Ribs are impossible to feel with a marked layer of very think overlying fat.
• Very chunky pads of fat can be felt along the back and at the base of the tail, as well as round the neck and legs
• Waistline is absent
• Tummy distinctly bulges outwards and sags noticeably downwards.

Thanks to Pro Plan my dogs now have a shiny and well nourished coat and the energy that they need to perform.

I picked Pippa up when she was 16 months old.  I would say she was matching description 1-2, very underweight. Her coat was brittle and dry with no shine. Now she has a lovely fine Soft silky coat and is a much happier dog.

 

 

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The warm up.

11:08 in

Warming up

Do you warm your dog up?

Some people may now be thinking. I never warm my dog up, nothing has ever happened. Or, I walk my dog to the ring.

During an agility run dogs perform many different movements to negotiate a course. A big majority of the time these are performed at high speeds. If the dogs muscles, tendons and joints are not conditioned properly to the demand that they are asked to meet (not warmed up properly) before competition and training you are exposing your dog to the risk of injury. We all probably know someone who has a dog that has pulled a muscle and just how long it can take to get back to full fitness. Therefore why do people still not warm their own dogs up? 

I asked this question to a number of people, people from all grades. The most common answer was “I forget”. Ok, you may forget. So why not set yourself a routine?

Our dogs use all of their muscles to turn, jump, weave and run. Our dogs are effectively athletes! Do you ever see an athlete not warming up before they race?

An athlete warms up to prepare the muscles and joints for what is about to come. They are ‘warming them up’ by moving and stretching the muscles and joints, increasing the blood flow to the muscles. In a warm muscle the nerve impulses travel faster and the body reacts quicker also the muscles glide against each other better, which makes them move quicker and more precise. A warm muscle is less prone to sprains and ruptures than a cold one.  We are getting the dogs mind and body in tune to cope with the physical and mental demand.

 As the dog becomes older the muscles, tendons and ligaments may become stronger, shorter (if not warmed up) and more rigid. This means that they will be more prone to injuries, if they are worked hard and not warmed up. Therefore, the older the dog the more important the warm up is. It doesn’t take long so why don’t people do it? How long do you normally stand in a queue? 10 minutes +

The first section of a warm-up should aim to increase the physical and metabolic rates in the body. This means we should be looking to increase the heart rate and breathing. The muscles will be cold so we need to warm them up, get them working and warming up gradually.

This is my warm up routine.

1. Walk- gentle trotting pace. Roughly 2- 3 minutes
2. I then do some heelwork, to get my dogs focused on me. Roughly 1 minute

The second section of the warm-up is stretching.

 Muscles, connective tissue, tendons and the ligaments of the joints all need to be stretched..  The stretching exercises the muscles tendons and ligaments to reach their maximum length which means that the muscles and joints will be flexible. The flexible muscles and ligaments enable the dog to spin, jump and turn quickly, smoothly and accurately without the risk of spraining or tearing the muscles, tendons or ligaments by sudden twisting or stretching. I begin this section by laying my dog on his side and rubbing all over his body, mainly focusing on the neck, ribs,front and back legs. I continue rubbing until I feel my dogs body warming up, this helps get the blood flowing round the muscles. I then make sure i stretch my dog, below are some of the stretches i do with my dogs.

It's importnt to note that I don't apply lots of pressure when extending my dogs legs, if my dogs were to twich i would try once more, carefully. If they still do not want to extend the leg i would then contact Christine, McTimoney treatments.

I will then do some left and right turns, leg weaves, heal work, send arounds. I will look for movements that will be needed within the run.

People stand queuing for 10 minutes, people always moan about queue lengths. Queuing is never going to change. Why not use the queuing time to do something that is beneficial to the dog?

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MOT time - Getting the dogs checked.

04:18 in

Getting my dogs checked.

Dogs tend to act first and think later, especially when working in a sport they love. A dog will generally give you their all, whether they are suffering any pain or discomfort. Sometimes when your dog is suffering any sort of musculoskeletal pain you may notice that it cries out or perhaps doesn't work or move as well as it normally does. However, you may not notice that there is any obvious problem, so it is a good idea to have your dog checked over every so often just to ensure that your dog is functioning to 100% of its potential. I have my dogs checked over by Christine East a McTimoney Animal Practitioner.

I make sure that I get my dogs checked at least four times a year, even if I think there is nothing wrong. I know personally how uncomfortable it is when something is just out of place, having a leg a little bit shorter then the other means that my muscles can sometimes over compensate and become really tight. If they become tight and out of position it causes pain, when the muscle is extended.  My dogs are athletes. I feel it is my job to make sure they are sound before training and competing.

Why McTimoney

McTimoney is a type of chiropractic that uses low force and high speed adjustments. This means that the adjustments are very gentle and usually don't cause any discomfort, making them highly suitable for dogs.

A McTimoney Practitioner will assess your dog's skeleton to check for symmetry and will also check its muscles for tension, soreness and asymmetry. All practitioners work differently, they should always work on the muscles to remove tension and then mobilise joints to free up the whole body to make them move more easily. This is why I prefer Mc Timoney as they relax and warm the muscles before the main treatment. I don’t want my dogs experiencing any pain. They then use McTimoney to realign any bones in the skeleton that are out of position. My dogs love the massage first it helps them relax. I know Ben especially loves her treatment as he greets Christine and the door and then runs to the room and stands on the rug (where Christine treats him). I know be would not freely go to a place he didn’t want to be.

The dogs can be a bit sleepy for the rest of the day, although the treatments have never affected my dogs. You should keep the dog quiet to ensure that the treatment has maximum benefit. I give my dogs a lazy day. No walk just rest. Then introduce a smaller walk the next day, nothing too intense for 48 hours after the treatment. Then it’s back to the normal exercise and training.

 I know that my dogs bodies are in full working order and that they have nothing out of place.

Christine East is highly recommended by many people doing Agility, Obedience and Flyball. She is based in the Lincoln area but does travel. For more information contact Christine on christine.east@btinternet.com

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