What Else? RUNNING A-FRAMES!!!!

Because that is really all my life is right now :) Lambs, teaching and RAF's :)

I have started fading the box for Gator. This is the first session. I am grateful for videos...it allows me to leave the training session...let my brain think about what I THOUGHT happened, and then the next day, look at things. I have a fast and easy video editing program. It helps a ton. I have a very analytically inclined brain (only when dog training or teaching though...otherwise I am a driver personality)...

Watch the video...what do you see that is different from the previous videos with the box on?

Things I observed:

He is not as confident--can't say I blame him as there is a big difference in his beloved box!

He is somewhat targeting that space in the box to put his feet at...makes sense as his eye is drawn to that change.

If I get too picky on him right now I think he will not get what I want.

A slight worry on his part, plus a change in a variable (aka space in the box now) I need to realize he is trying.  Why I decided that YES, I know he is not hitting perfectly in the box...BUT, I still rewarded. Here's were this "running contacts are a whole beast of their own...lots of middle ground and grey areas"...

So my criteria--2 strides and in the box...somehow.

The last aframe in this video was much more confident...leads me to believe this is what he understands.
I am also late with the hit it command on a few...bad me.

Enter session 2: What do you see?

I see a TON more confidence...and I see he wants to throw in those one striders to show me he can totally one hit the down and get in the yellow :) I must be very clear with my rewarding to get what I want. 2 strides, in box, good, anything else, no.  I also see I am still late with the hit it command...gonna really work on that...bad Loretta

I am on the right track as his a-frames are getting closer and closer to what they normally are with the full box on. Which is what I am looking for. Head down, not targeting the opening of the box like he was the first session. Making headway. I have a feeling if I take my time, and really let him settle into this break in the box, the others will go along just fine. But I think I will be here for awhile...which is fine. I must not reward those one strides or 1 half strides...only reward two strides. This boy has so much power I know he wants to one hit...no thanks.

Focusing on "Smallest change, Slightest try"...Good boy Gator :)

And now, onto Klink, 5'6" and happy girl :) I am adding motion slowly...but as you can see, she will try to THINK about stopping if I am running a short sequence with her. We will be working on this for a while. She really enjoys running it though :)

I will stop there with the analysis...I could look at running contact videos all day...I am kind of freaky like that :)