|
Welcome to the YorkieTalk.com Forums Community - the community for Yorkshire Terriers. You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. You will be able to chat with over 35,000 YorkieTalk members, read over 2,000,000 posted discussions, and view more than 15,000 Yorkie photos in the YorkieTalk Photo Gallery after you register. We would love to have you as a member! Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please click here to contact us. |
|
| LinkBack | Thread Tools |
10-22-2010, 12:38 PM | #1 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
Posts: 1,262
| Lizzie In Agility Class Poor Lizzie, as you will see in the video, she was handler challenged last night, but did her best in spite of it. This is one of her runs from class. I hope this link works. A qik snippet of my life | United States | By kristanu
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom |
Welcome Guest! | |
10-22-2010, 12:51 PM | #2 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker | The link worked and you must be really proud of how well she did. That ramp thing scares the heck out of me. I think I would demand there be sides on it to keep the doggy from falling off! |
10-22-2010, 01:57 PM | #3 |
Action Jackson ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Maryland
Posts: 17,814
| Totally adorable! She did a great run. Thanks for the video!
__________________ ~ Brit & Lights! Camera! Jackson! CGC ETD TKP ~ Follow Jackson on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacksontheterrier |
10-22-2010, 02:39 PM | #4 |
Banning Thread Dictator Donating Member | Are you kidding me? That was AWESOME!!!! My Yorkies aren't nearly so enthusiastic. Lizzie is fearless, and you make a great team!
__________________ Mike ~ Doting Dad to Jillie, Harper, Molly, Cooper, Eddie (RIP), Lucy (RIP), Rusty (RIP) and Jack (RIP). Check us out on YouTube |
10-22-2010, 05:08 PM | #5 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
Posts: 1,262
| Thank you so much. I really did run Lizzy badly last night. I didn't get a good wrap from her around the jumps in two places because I didn't turn early enough and clue her in. Also, when she went up the a-frame after going through the yellow tunnel, I should have gone in more and picked her up when she came out of the tunnel to guide her over the jump, instead of letting her guess what I wanted there. She's not a sniffy dog, I never have problems with that, but something sure caught her nose after the collapsed tunnel. Still, I am very, very proud of her. She seems to really enjoy agility, and she learned everything so quickly. The a-frame is a little tough for her, especially if she doesn't get a good start toward it. She has never fallen off it, and it just looks huge and more intimidating with her little body on it.
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom |
10-22-2010, 06:13 PM | #6 |
Banning Thread Dictator Donating Member | Just curious: How long has Lizzie been doing agility? I still can't get over how totally unafraid she is. She seems to really enjoy it. I don't like the A frame either, it seems awful steep for a little dog. I've run NADAC courses with Eddie before, and the A frames aren't quite as high.
__________________ Mike ~ Doting Dad to Jillie, Harper, Molly, Cooper, Eddie (RIP), Lucy (RIP), Rusty (RIP) and Jack (RIP). Check us out on YouTube Last edited by alaskayorkie; 10-22-2010 at 06:15 PM. |
10-22-2010, 07:10 PM | #7 | |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
Posts: 1,262
| Quote:
The AKC A frame isn't as high either. I think that one was set at the AKC height, about 5'6". I don't like the USDAA height, way to steep for Liz. If she doesn't get a good start to even that one, she can have a hard time getting over it. I think Lizzy has been in class for about a year and a half now. I really try hard to keep it fun and positive for her. I also usually have "agility" treats, which are just treats I use for class only. I also use backyard treats at home, and they are just different treats than the everyday treats. Here is another run. http://qik.ly/C7HAtyxsS1NNE8AyGPRyhdE Diane, our trainer thought she didn't do the tunnel because she heard me move away from it. You can also see her having a little bit of a hard time going up the A frame with a poor start toward it. She really needs a running start and that's my responsibility. Every once in a while, she doens't like the metal entrance to the collapsed tunnel. I can't get her to do and she won't go for the target when Diane is at the end, but when Diane takes her to the entrance, she goes right through What can I say, she's a Momma's girl!
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom | |
10-22-2010, 07:21 PM | #8 |
Banning Thread Dictator Donating Member | Awesome. Yeah, we had to teach the collapsed tunnel the same way. Instructor on the front, me on the other side calling. They don't use that in NADAC, so we haven't had much practice. Here's Eddie last year in his one and only successful run on a regular course. He doesn't seem nearly as happy to run the course as Lizzie. And check out the A frame. Looks shorter than yours in class. YouTube - alaskayorkie's Channel
__________________ Mike ~ Doting Dad to Jillie, Harper, Molly, Cooper, Eddie (RIP), Lucy (RIP), Rusty (RIP) and Jack (RIP). Check us out on YouTube |
10-23-2010, 05:32 AM | #9 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
Posts: 1,262
| Oh, Eddie is so cute. Is he jumping four inches? Lizzy is short, but I have her jumping eight inches. The one thing I notice about Eddie is the way he collects himself before jumping. Neither Lizzy or Jillie do this and I think that slows him down. I wonder if using cavallettis (sp?) with a target at the end could get him to take jumps without collecting himself. These are a row of jumps (5 or so) close enough together for Eddie to land and jump again, without room to collect himself. A super, super great treat at the end would also help. Then back that up with a few more along with praise. When his jumping is good that way, move the jumps a little farther apart, and continue. It should help with his over all speed too. When we first started out, I really tried for no do overs. If Lizzy was doing a line of jumps and missed one, she missed it and I kept going and praised her like she did a perfect job. I've learned with three previous dogs that this can make them hesitant if you keep stopping and making them do something they missed. It has worked great for Liz. She doesn't expect me to stop, generally. Did you notice in one of the runs that we were suppose to wrap a jump, but she kept on to the tunnel? I just acted like it was part of the run once it happened. It isn't easy doing this, my instinct is to redo, but I've gotten better. At Liz's one and only trial to date, I have to say I was really proud of myself that I kept going and didn't do anything over, not even the first obstacles which she missed in both her runs. I try to tell myself that Novice is just one of the steps to excellent and you really need speed there. Especially AKC and USDAA. I don't know NADAC as well, but it seems more laid back around here. AKC is quite competitive. So is USDAA, but everything is tougher, higher and harder in USDAA and I don't know if I will do it much, if at all, with Liz. That is not to say that I won't go back to pick something up, but by the time you get to excellent, it doesn't matter. You only Q if you have no mistakes in AKC. The A frame did look larger that Liz was doing, but maybe you are taller than I am? I'm 5'6". My trainer does a lot of USDAA, though, so it could have been taller. I have sent her over the taller, USDAA height, by mistake, and it was a real struggle for her. Without a good start, it is anyway and it is noticable in one of the runs. How tall is Eddie at the withers? Liz is 8.5". How long has Eddie been taking classes? I think he looked great in his run. He didn't look unhappy at all to me. He might need more confidence is all. How does he run in class?
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom |
10-23-2010, 11:43 AM | #10 | |
Banning Thread Dictator Donating Member | Thanks for the thorough reply! Yes, Eddie was jumping 4" in competition because I was addressing that stutter step. I sent in a video to Andrea Dexter, who does video analysis on her website, www.agilityflix.net/, and she encouraged me to keep him at 4" until he got over that. The first thing she told me was to make sure his legs were healthy, and the vet gave him a clean bill of health. I suspected the stutter step came about because I used to have him jump irregular tall objects (logs, onto benches, etc.). To make a long story short, we tried a number of different things (including a variation of what you suggested), and he was improving. Until his leg gave out. He had cranial cruciate surgery last November, and I suspect weak legs may have been the root of his problem all along. Just as I was getting ready to get him back into agility this summer, he started limping occasionally on his other back leg. But then it went away. One vet recommended surgery, a specialist recommended rest and physical therapy. So that's where I'm stuck now. No competition. He's limped only a couple times since early summer, and that was temporary. If he makes it through the winter with no more trouble, I may try to get him back into competition next summer. My motivation to do that isn't real high. My goal for him in agility was to complete a regular course once in competition, and he's done that. Now I just want to make sure he's as healthy and happy as can be. I love the way you work with Lizzie and let some mistakes go. I'm guessing that's why she appears to have so much fun. I got some bad advice in beginning classes, and he developed a number of issues -- he used to hide in the tunnel to avoid having to go over the teeter. I ended up pulling him out of one school altogether and just practicing at home until we found that fun element again. Then we joined another school, which emphasized the fun part of it. It made a world of difference. He's 10" tall and has been in agility for 3 years, since he was 3. We hit it real hard the first couple years -- he's been through Agility I-IV and repeated II, III and IV at the second school. He also took a jumper's class at both schools. He actually runs better in competition. At the first school, he was freaked out by the room, which had big, noisy ceiling fans. Even at the second school, he'd get bored quickly and start pulling at the leash to go home. He does best playing on our home course and in competition. No sure why. Maybe because both are outdoors. Until I decide what to do with Eddie, I'll be living vicariously through Lizzie, so be sure to keep me updated with new videos! Quote:
__________________ Mike ~ Doting Dad to Jillie, Harper, Molly, Cooper, Eddie (RIP), Lucy (RIP), Rusty (RIP) and Jack (RIP). Check us out on YouTube | |
10-23-2010, 02:33 PM | #11 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
Posts: 1,262
| Gosh, I'm sorry to hear about Eddie's leg problems. It wouldn't be hard for me to give up agility for one of my dogs, I did it with the dog I was competing with before Lizzy came along, and I had a five year break between the two. Like you, my dogs are pets first, and if they can do agility, fine, and so what if they can't. I am sure you have already met the people who will place a dog they have if the dog doesn't work out as a good agility dog. Frankly, that disgusts me. If I can get Liz trained on weave poles, we can really start competing. I decided to try 2 X 2 training and have dragged my feet on it. Diane, our trainer, uses the channel method, which I saw Jillie doing. I'll keep posting class runs and hopefully some real course runs from time to time. I hope Eddie recuperates fully this winter. He is so cute!
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom |
10-23-2010, 06:43 PM | #12 |
Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas
Posts: 21,173
| She looks like she's really having fun doing that.
__________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel |
10-23-2010, 10:27 PM | #13 |
Banning Thread Dictator Donating Member | I had to Google the 2x2 method. That looks awesome! What a great way to keep their enthusiasm. I'm not a big fan of the channel method, though most of the instructors I've had use it. My dogs don't like the caging or cables, etc. Eddie did most of his learning at home on some poles a friend gave me. I'd never heard of this method either. You gradually raise the poles up to vertical as they improve. I wouldn't say he learned fast, but it worked.
__________________ Mike ~ Doting Dad to Jillie, Harper, Molly, Cooper, Eddie (RIP), Lucy (RIP), Rusty (RIP) and Jack (RIP). Check us out on YouTube |
10-24-2010, 06:41 AM | #14 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
Posts: 1,262
| Those are weave-a-matics! I had good luck with them on one of my IGs. Eddie looks great doing them, very enthusiastic. I'm kind of a fan of Susan Garrett and really wanted to try her method. Who's the cutie watching you video Eddie?
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom |
10-24-2010, 06:42 AM | #15 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
Posts: 1,262
| Thank you, I think she does.
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom |
Bookmarks |
|
|
Thread Tools | |
| |
|
|
SHOP NOW: Amazon :: eBay :: Buy.com :: Newegg :: PetStore :: Petco :: PetSmart