This week I've been playing a CD of various noises when we tug inside. Not that she shows any signs of being noise sensitive in any way, even when I turn it up pretty loud, but I figure it can't hurt. So far we've gotten through 4 tracks of fireworks - which almost scared the crap out of me until I got used to it as it sounded like a full blown missile attack ..... or what I imagine one would sound like. On Friday evening we got some real life practice in when some moron on a motorbike decided to ride around the oval while we were at agility training. I am happy to report that she kept on tugging happily and didn't even look at him. Next week we have the delights of 'crow scarer' (whatever that is) , shotgun and light aircraft to look forward to. However this time I intend to preview them first so they don't scare me!Training priorities are still circle running , circle running and more circle running - plus a whole load of playing with as many different toys as I can find. Adding distractions is also progressing well - I have been playing an 'off switch/on switch' game where I jump around like a mad woman and really get her revved up, then while she is leaping around and barking I ask her to sit. Then I start the jumping around, making silly noises, arm flapping stuff again and she is not allowed to join in until she hears her release word. She loves this game just as much as she loves tugging and would play for ages if I let her. (Way too tiring for me though!)
We've also started some brief rear cross foundation in front of the TV of an evening. This is one I am going to have to watch carefully as after the first couple of times she really started to anticipate and move her head before I had actually crossed behind her. As I don't want to create a flick away I will need to work at refining this.
We've also been working stays at home with distractions in as many different outdoor places as I can think of - I can throw toys in front of her and drop food beside her and she won't move. Last night I got her to sit on my small table in the agility area and ran off a couple of times then went back to reward if she didn't move. At one stage when I returned she was sitting in the strangest position with her head down and when I got back to the table I realised she had dropped her food on the ground and was trying to reach it without moving from her sit.
She is also loving plank work with the middle section of my dogwalk on the ground. At first I was taking her dinner outside and clicking and rewarding any interaction with the plank - she was super confident with this and it didn't take long before she was sitting, dropping and turning around on it. Then I used some stick in the ground poles (visualise the markers on a broad jump) on either side of each end of the plank to give it some more definition and started backchaining her running across the plank to a toy. Now she is flying across the plank and loves this game. If I was able to post video, you would see her speeding across with me running along (way) behind and the title ' Why I don't intend to teach a running dogwalk.' And the sub title 'When rewarding away from you your throwing skills need much work'. And the reminder 'Do not position plank near trees.'
Over the next few weeks I will be thinking about how I will train her contacts as I still haven't decided. We have been nose touching to my hand almost since she arrived - I am going to use this to line her up at the start line- plus I have started introducing a target disc in my hand and almost have it to the floor. I know I want a stopped dogwalk, but am still not sure if I am actually going to train a nose touch as I did with Cruz. Although there are a lot of things I like about the nose touch there are also a few things that 'the jury is still out on.' Looking forward to auditing the Lynda Orton-Hill seminar in a few weeks time to see what she does with training nose touches before I make my decision. At least the target disc will be a good party trick if I decide not to go with it.
