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Welcome to Marley's official blog. You can find out who Marley is here. 5th January 2008. We just messed around with jumping today, and continued a bit on channel weaves. He basically knows that he needs to run as fast as he possibly can to the other end no matter where I am, so long as I've said he can go. He knows he has to go to the end too, as I threw a ball for him as he was half way through but it hit off a tree and landed on the side of the weaves. He knew it was there but waited until he'd finished the full length before going for it. I was really pleased! So it's just entries and moving them closer together I need to concentrate on, but moving them closer is going to take a lot of time - especially with such a wimp. Didn't capture much on tape but here's a clip of him jumping.. And a small clip of Gypsy's improving speed..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30th December 2007. Firstly, we had a lovely Christmas and are really looking forward to the New Year, I said this last year, but I really hope that I can actually kick Marley into training in 2008. We're still agility clubless and as I'm beginning to get pretty desperate, I'm now starting to buy actual equipment. I got a set of 12 stick in the ground weaves which means I can improvise and teach him channel. I've already started the basis of it but I've also asked for a bit of help to make sure he'll be getting correct entries and can do them from as many angles as possible when they're up right. His back up has come along nicely, although I haven't worked very hard at it. Or done much of it at all for that matter. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
12th November 2007. I've begun teaching him
to 'Back Up' through my legs. We're on the second stage now. The first
being me holding a treat infront of him and pushing my hand towards me
with him between my legs, resulting in him stepping back. Click. One
problem I have occurred with this though, is the urge to sit down. I did
a lot of work on Gypsy's basics regarding no pressure on her physically,
so I used a treat and a hand movement to get her to sit down rather than
pushing her rear end down. Because of this, whenever I get her between
my legs and I move my hand back, she instantly sits down and I can't get
her to keep standing. I gave up on her quite quickly. Anyway, he was catching on alright as I was just having him take a couple of steps back so that his head would reach my stomach; and then I'd click. But I now know that if I start to walk back with him slightly he'll back up completely until he's out of my legs. Which is quite handy, and I'm sticking with it for now, but I will have to shape it so that I only have to stand there. I'm supposed to not be saying anything vocally at this point - but I can't really help it, it's incredibly boring for him if I don't say anything exciting and happy. And he doesn't learn. So for now I'm just saying "bababababack up!", though I'll shape that too so that it's either just Back Up or Reverse. I really want reverse as his walking backwards away from me word, though. I'll have a think once he gets a bit better. I am having to make this really short though, as he isn't food orientated and he goes crazy around toys. Once he's learnt what to do I'll switch to toys so it's a lot easier and funner for him, but for now I need the click! His lefts are also coming along quite well. It's possibly his favourite thing to do, and if I have a frisbee he can turn really tight. He hasn't quite grasped it using equipment though, for now it's just spinning. And we're slowly grasping right! (Annoyed at his leave it - it's supposed to be his best trait!) |
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