Monday, November 15, 2010

Handling etc etc..blah blah blah...yadda...yadda...yadda

Took an agility lesson yesterday, and I am happy to say, the teacher did not try to strangle me, nor try to put a gun to his own head :)

This person is all Greg Derrett and I am well...what am I?? I am some sort of weirdo mutt hybrid of Linda M and a dash of Derrett thrown in there to add some confusion :) So it took a bit of translation for him to really understand exactly WHAT my handling was :) Let's just call it the "Mueller Method"...MM for short ;)

I am looking for someone to pick up on inconsistencies in my handling...and this person, being a very analytical person that he is, is just the person for this. However, the poor man had to first figure out how exactly the MM worked :)

After a few sequences I think he was able to get the gist of MOST of the MM...sort of :) He kept asking "so in THIS instance...what would you do"... :) I'll admit, I like my method...or lack thereof...so I HATE going to lessons or seminars where the person teaching me tries to "bring me over to their side" by giving me all the foundation exercises from the method they have chosen...I am not about to retrain any of my dogs an entirely new method of handling...so just try to work with what I have...and Mr. Teacher did just that :) Thank you Mr. Teacher :)

Now, don't get me wrong, I am willing to try about anything that someone asks of me (we are talking agility here...get your mind of out of the gutter please)...I am not one of those people who makes excuses about not doing something. Just to clarify things :)

What it boils down to IS, I am pretty consistent, but I have a few places that need to be cleaned up. And I use verbals...lots of them. Sometimes because I am not overly paying attention to my body language (SHAME!!! THE HORROR) and sometimes because my fat ass can't get there. Working on that later one, but that is another blog post entirely. I need to get my dogs to watch my body language a bit more (and make sure it is correct) and rely less on verbals...got it. Will work on that.

I also need more work on rear crosses...which absolutely cracks me up as I used to be the QUEEN of them, and now, I am better at fronts...WTF?!?! Really!?!!? How things change. I remember once, back when I started, saying to an instructor "I can't POSSIBLY front cross Ace, he is SOOOO fast"...good lord. What was I thinking? So rear cross stuff it is.

I am naturally a driver personality, so working with a person that is analytical is sort of...well...good for me...it's all in the details right? And my brain doesn't work that way...most of the time.

I am looking forward to my next lesson...as long as he doesn't give up on the MM and call me a lost cause :)

On the good side, Lynn ran great for me :) This was a completely new place for her to work, first time actually indoors that wasn't a barn, and first time on mats. She didn't care :) Gator...another reason I wanted a lesson, was to get a good look at Gator jumping 26". He looked good and was jumping really well, TO ME anyway...Mr. Instructor agreed :) Now...to decide if I really want to take that plunge...not sure yet. Many reasons both ways, don't want to bore you with that though...

Even is doing 10 recalls a day now...she is so freaking happy :)

Snow is here, cold is here, we are now indoors for the next ETERNITY...and I am sad. I wanted my very own barn, and while I have a sample of THE perfect field turf ever...alas, no barn to speak of. Loretta is sad...she wanted a barn. So did the hubby and Zip, Klink, Gator, Even, Lynn and Crackers. Ace doesn't care, he sleeps all winter long. Is it spring time yet?

I suppose if the stars, and moon come together at the PERFECT TIME (that is code word for the f'ing banks getting their heads out of their behinds)...there is still a chance...a fat one...but still maybe...

On another note, we can still herd :) YIPPEE! Thursday Donna, Sarah and I are heading off to the lovely state of Nebraska (??) to go to the KK clinic. Lots to learn and hopefully get good stuff to bring back and work on. And it is supposed to be in the 60's while we are there! SSSAAAWWWEEEETTTTT!!!!

9 comments:

livin life said...

When is the KK clinic? Hmmm maybe you could fb detailed notes the entire time....so I can feel like I am there sitting with you. How would that be? Of course I would drive KK nuts with my unending questions...so maybe not. While you do that...I will charge the battery that my son left uncharged and then stole to use when I turned my back. I still want to show you Gyp.....have FUN at the clinic....wish I was there!

Anonymous said...

Oh my God, Loretta...I love it. The MM...that is the best! And the name, Mr. Teacher, also suits him. Have fun at the clinic, but isn't it in Council Bluffs Iowa?

Loretta Mueller said...

Friday, Saturday and Sunday...It isn't at Gerianne's, nancy...it is at Sheryls?

Lora--can't wait to see Gyp!

Sare said...

60's did you say 60's. Holy cow I didn't know that. Maybe I won't need my purple snow pants after all:)) And no there will be no Barney songs!

I like the MM method. It suits you. I think that Gator should run with the "big dogs" but isn't the Worlds in France next year? If not which ones are you thinking of?

Unknown said...

Verbals! <3

Everyone I've talked with thinks I handle GD (until we really start talking about it lol) But I'm a big ole mess of stuff too... seems to be the best way to do it. :)

Rock on MM!

Hillcrest Border Collies said...

Hey, try being a bit LM, a bit GD and a bit European in handling systems.
Haa haaa it works for me and my dogs.
Also, each of my dogs needs a little different handling styles. Lash is VERY tight, Risk is more long landing and Fusion is a balance.

Anonymous said...

The MM system sounds great! I'm with you, using a blend of the two main systems and then a bit of whatever I find that my dog reads naturally (ie without training). Personally, I break most things down to motion cues or position cues (which usually mean NO motion). It is interesting to me, that I generally find the GD devotees have an easier time adjusting to my way of doing things than the AP folks.

Anonymous said...

I honestly don't get the whole handling system controversy.

Everyone has one. You do X, the dog does Y. It happens by purposeful training or by accident.

So, if someone tells me that they don't have a system, then I ask how does your dog know what to do?

Have fun at the clinic!

Loretta Mueller said...

I love verbals too Tori :) Maybe a bit too much...LOL But I do have a big mouth...so it fits right?

I personally love seeing all different kinds of handling...it's fun and makes for interesting runs. Otherwise we would all look the same out there...how boring...

I think many handlers do a mix of a lot of things...and there are for sure purists in there...which is kind of funny actually...in herding I am a purist, stick with one method...don't venture far from that :)