Rip's Training Diary - Maybe we need to get out more?

Last week I took Rip to Rally run-throughs for practice.  We had an interesting (and fun) evening.

Our fun started as we entered the club building.  Lately, our trips to the building have been to use the agility equipment - just us in the building, no others around.  Rip must love the building, because he started barking and pulling me to the agility room as soon as we entered the door.

While I love the enthusiasm, it is a little embarrassing ("doesn't she train her dog?!?"), so I made him stop barking, sit, and look at me (rewarded with a click and a treat) before we moved forward.  It took us about 5 minutes to make it the 20' from the door to the training room.

Upon entering the training room, Rip's excitement (and random barking) continued.  I had to gently hold on to his collar to keep him from greeting every human and canine who walked by.  

Here's what Rip was like almost the entire hour: 

A happy, leaping, wagging, naughty blur!

The good part?  He was AWESOME in our run-throughs.  After our last run-through, the instructor, who is a friend from the club, asked me why I hadn't taken Rip to a trial yet.  Did he miss the first 30 minutes of class, when my dog was barking, leaping, and licking everything he could?

Yes, Rip has the skills to do really well at Rally Novice, but what I learned from Thursday is that my wild black dog needs to get out more.  

It's funny, because Ziggy and Maggie needed to get out because they were shy or nervous and needed to build confidence.  This is not the case with Rip.  He has plenty of confidence.  He needs to get out more so he's not a whirling dervish every time we go somewhere.  

So that's my near-term goal:  take Rip somewhere every week - even if all we do is work long enough for him to calm down and settle in.

I'll let you know when it finally works :)

Handler Helper: Rally station practice

The goal of Handler Helpers is to improve my handling skills to take away some of the "variables" (i.e., handler mistakes) that are likely to contribute to a bad performance.

As I mentioned in my post introducing the thought behind Handler Helpers, I hate it when I make a stupid handler error - messing up my dog and/or losing points.  It's bound to happen, but I've tried to find ways to minimize these errors.


In Rally Obedience, this means practicing the signs.


I think one of the toughest things about Rally is the variety of exercises/signs.  In regular classes alone, the sign count is up to 50.  This means that judges have 50 ways to challenge you (aka, make you think or "trick you").

For me, just reading the signs description wasn't enough.  I needed to study and practice.  When I'm in the ring,  I want to see the sign and know what to do without having to think.  This lets me concentrate on my dog's performance.

To do this, I created Rally "flash cards."

1. I started by printing a color pdf version of the signs and descriptions from the AKC website.  I can't seem to find them anymore on the AKC site, but I did find a site that has printable versions of the signs.  The descriptions can be found on the AKC website, in the rule book.
2. Next, I cut out the image of each sign, and pasted it on one side of an index card.
3. On the other side of the card, I wrote out the description.  This took some time, but it allowed me to customize that card if needed (e.g., adding the commands  I use for each exercise).  Writing the descriptions also helped me learn the signs.

Here's what the front & back look like

(note:  this is 2 diff cards - not the same exercise)

I use the cards a few ways.

Without the dog:

• I read each card a few times, so I understand the "gist" of each exercise.
• I use them to practice my footwork.  I grab a card, walk like I'm heeling my dog, and then perform each exercise in the deck.  
• I use the same footwork, verbal commands, and/or hand signals I use in the ring.  
• Between signs/stations, I take a few steps, walking with the same pace I do in the ring.
• Most often I do this at the end of a training session, and put my dog in "Stay" while I work on each sign. Multi-tasking!

With the dog:

• To practice Rally "courses," I mix up the cards, pull out 10-12, grab my dog, and practice those exercises all in a row.  
• I also use them to identify and practice stuff we need to work on.  Occasionally I run through the whole deck, and pull out the exercises we're struggling with.  I'll set the rest of the deck aside, and work on these exercises during every practice session for a while, until we're performing those exercises better.

For my "with the dog" exercises, I use a bait bag as a card holder.  I got the bag from J&J Dog Supplies. It looks like they've changed the style a bit, but the one they have is only slightly smaller, so it should work.  

All of the cards fit in the bag. 

It has a velcro top to keep them from falling out.

It's got a belt clip on the back, so I have a place to store the cards while I'm training.

I know that all of this practice may seem like overkill, but it really has helped me feel more confident in the Rally ring, have smoother runs, and focus more on my dog.

Handler Helpers

One of the things that drives me crazy as a performance person is handler errors.  To clarify – it drives me crazy when I make handler errors.  I feel empathy when others make them.   

In Obedience and Rally, handler errors most often mean points off.  Precious, lovely, points that just go away – never to return. 

If I’m going to lose points in the ring, I want to lose them for things I can’t control in the moment – like a hairball that looks like string cheese rolling in front of my dog just as I've thrown my dumbbell (guess which one Maggie chose to look at?).  

I DON’T want to lose them for things I can control in the ring – like failing to return to my dog properly after a stay, or forgetting what a Rally sign means. 

I’ve made more than a few mistakes in the ring.  In addition to reading the regulations and practicing exercises as if I’m in the ring, I’ve tried to figure out ways to improve my performance.  Probably none of these is a completely original idea, but I thought I’d share a few things that have worked for me.  I’ll post these “Handler Helpers” over the next couple of months.  Stay tuned for:  dumbbell throwing, Rally practice, figure 8’s, footwork, etc.   Hopefully the things I've worked on to correct my handler errors can help others....

I practice these things so I don't feel like this in the ring!

And trust me, this image isn't so far from the truth....

Spring is good for....

..... Lounging on a beautiful day

..... Chasing birds away!

..... Keeping vermin at bay

..... Flowers (hooray!)

National Specialty 2010: Performance Day Two

The brindles with their awards.

Missing are Z's Rally ribbons from today. 

Apparently someone stole all the ribbons (!) We'll be expecting them by mail.

Today was another great day for the brindles.  Placings were an echo of yesterday:

• Ziggy Advanced A = 2nd place - better score than yesterday, we were tied for points with the first place team, but they were one second faster.  Maybe if we hadn't sniffed the halt-step right-halt sign we would have won (hint, hint, Ziggy.  Wait, Ziggy says he doesn't care...)
• Maggie Veteran's Obedience - 2nd place - we would have won, and ended with a score of 197.5 (wow!), except I had 5 point handler error.  On the figure 8, I stopped midway through - before the judge said stop.  The judge had to tell me "you can keep going now."  Then she soundly reprimanded me for my stupidity, and told Maggie I owed her 5 points.  The judge then mentioned it again during the award ceremony.  She said something like "in second place, with a 192.5 that should have been a 197.5 without the handler error is team...." You get the picture.  I'm writing it off as a blonde moment.  I might have to have my hairdresser ditch the highlights next time around....
• In Brace we took first place again.  Our run wasn't as nice as yesterday, but it's brace, what can you do?

We had more fun in brace again, the team who fought yesterday pulled their entry today.  The "mounting" team tried again - god bless them.  They made it to the setup on the recall, but it happened again.  The judge was less than amused, and the handler wasn't so happy either.


The three of us who were left had a good time.  The other two teams were goading me - claiming that I didn't really have Cardis, but golden retrievers in costume.  There was less wrestling today from the 3rd place team.  When the judge was giving ribbons, she said in brace the more amusing the team, the lower the placement.  If the audience voted, it would be the other way around!


Here's what the brindles are doing now:

Yes, I got the chair first!

That's ok, I'll curl up under mom's chair

Now it's time to take the brindles out for a long walk, then I'm off to watch the Megan!

National Specialty 2010: Performance Day One

We had a great time yesterday - both in the ring and out.

In the ring:

• Ziggy took 2nd place with a respectable score in Advanced A Rally - earning his RA title!
• Maggie took 2nd in a tough Veteran's class.  She had a few moments of distraction in the heeling, but it was a very nice run.
• Maggie & Ziggy took FIRST in brace class!  As they had never done brace together, I had no idea what to expect - they both took it in stride and acted as if they were on a walk. 

I did learn something new yesterday - one can NQ in brace.  2 teams were excused from the ring.  With one team - one dog was mounting the other (gasp!).  With the other team, one dog started to strongly reprimand the other.  So mounting & fighting will get you excused.

There was a very good humor team in brace - at every on-lead heeling stop, the dogs started to wrestle each other to the ground.  They were on a coupler, otherwise I expect things would have been a bit more wild!  The hanlder had very good humor about the whole thing.  So did the judge who, after regaining her composure from being doubled over with laughter commmented, "how do I score this?"

It was also great to spend some time with Cardi (human) friends new and old.

Well, I guess it's time for me to get ready for another day of showing.

Ziggy takes 2nd place in Advanced Rally - again!

I have created 2 different versions to describe Ziggy's performance today:

• The PR version
• The gory details version

Choose the version to read depending on your mood.

PR Version

Today Ziggy trotted in to the Advanced Rally ring and wagged his way to a Second Place finish once again.  This is Ziggy's second qualifying score, putting him in a great position to finish his title at the Cardigan Welsh Corgi National Specialty later this month.

Ziggy's appearance was top-notch today.  His coat was gleaming and his collar was shiny.  His handler looked nice in a navy cardigan sweater and contrasting sterling silver necklace adorned with a Cardigan Welsh Corgi silhouette.

Some highlights from Ziggy's run included a clean and graceful leap over the bar jump and crossing the finish line.

Here's a picture of Ziggy back at home, proudly displaying his ribbons:

Gory Details Version

Let's just say that today was a low point for me as a dog trainer.  Today I was one of those people who you see in the Rally ring and think, "why does she even bother spending her money to compete - she should really be spending her time training her dog, not dragging it to shows."

Yes, Ziggy took second place.  Yes, Ziggy qualified.  

You want to know his score?  73

No that wasn't a typo.  His score was 73.  There were only two dogs who showed up today for Rally Advanced A.  The winning dog beat us by 25 points.  This is the same dog who beat us by only two points last week.  And that dog got the same score both times.

Some highlights (lowlights?)from our run:

• Having to re-try the very first station because Z laid down when I said sit
• Ziggy laying down nearly every time I said sit.
• Ziggy trotting up to and sniffing half of the signs (I'm not kidding)
• Me having to move quickly around Ziggy, covering 1/4 of the ring, on Ziggy's 360 left turn 
• Me saying the word "Ziggy" or more appropriately "ZIGGY!"  10 times for every one time he looked at me
• Me having to retry multiple stations to get something even close to resembling a correct performance
• Ziggy sniffing the ring gates
• Ziggy sniffing every chalk mark and tape mark on the mats - even if they weren't really in our path

I could go on, but it's making me feel vaguely nauseous.  After all, I've taken a year off of showing to work on attention with this dog.  

What happened to my eager little heads up, tails up partner from last week?  I want him back!!!

My Rally training partners tried to make me feel better by telling me, with strained smiles on their faces,  "Ziggy really seemed to be enjoying himself in there!" Of course he was having fun (!) - he just trotted around, looking to and fro, wagging his tail and having a little Cardi sniff-a-thon.

Before I took him back in the ring for ribbons, I worked him a bit (bouncing, happy heeling, etc) and fed him the rest of his breakfast.  In the ring for ribbons, he couldn't take his eyes off me.  Sigh.

Ziggy is 2nd place in Advanced Rally

Ziggy's first-ever Advanced Rally outing was GREAT today.  I am so proud of the boy.

The end result: a score of 96 and second place.

The reason I'm happy:  I had a happy, attentive dog with me right up until the last sign.  My obedience friends all commented on how lovely the run was.  A couple of times he looked away from me, but quickly looked right back at me - face looking right at me and tail in the air.  What a great feeling!

The only bobble we had was on the last exercise - halt, one step right, halt.  The high jump was immediately preceding this one, and Ziggy hit the jump.  This seemed to knock him out of the "zone" and we had to retry the last station for lack of attention.

Here are some pics from today.

Resting outside the crate after a fun morning

Snuggling with mom - Z rests his head in my hands when I rub his chin -- so sweet!

Watching the Open ring - learning through observation, I hope!

Ziggy wins at Novice Rally!

It's been nearly a year since we were last in the ring, but Ziggy started off the year in style with a win at Rally Novice B.  He scored a perfect 100 (yippee!) and was 7 seconds faster than the 2nd place dog, who also scored a 100.

We earned our RN a couple of years ago, but I decided to start in Novice today so we could get back into the swing of things.

The judge built a nice, flowing course - which I love.  The flow seemed to keep Ziggy's interest quite nicely, and he did some pretty cute heads-up heeling.

We're back at it tomorrow, this time in Advanced A.  I'll let you know how things go without the leash!