Alright, so I think I deserve a bit of a "shoulda had a V8 moment" followed by a applaud of figuring something out.
Explanation: RDW with AMP has basically been a trial and error (mostly error) process. Try something-ernt! Something else- Ernt and another thing---maybe--then ernt! I have been trying to remain hopeful through the process that she will get it. Reading stories from fellow strugglers that survived and made it to that day when POOF dog has epiphany and the RDW works out. So we wait and wait and wait oh and did I mention we wait? Were still waiting slightly. So after running out of ideas I decided that Youtube has to be of some help. After watching a lot of videos on the whole process--warning some videos are scary-- and finding the helpful videos what I saw consistently was dogs haul ass across that dogwalk. Of course I had already known according to Silvia's teachings this was the foundation of the deal, but I am not sure I was actually embracing and following through. After pondering on the thought like Silvia says: Running = No leaping. Makes sense. A dog isn't physically capable of running and leaping- they take two different sets of actions to preform one or the other. Sure a dog can leap fast to make it appear as running, but really folks it is still leaping.
How did I apply this to AMP. I decided that I wasn't getting her moving fast enough. She had too much time to think about and complete the action of leaping. I was previously grafting the plank onto the dogwalk, which I think worked to further proof and reward her for staying on the plank all-the-way-down-the-board! Still though I would get a giant porpoise of a leap :/ pooey, who let her watch those things? In mind I could only think of one way to let her get more speed over the plank, by having plank on an object and her running to the plank and up and down. Cool that's a great idea except our track record on that idea is like 0/20 :( I shouldn't even say on because she wouldn't even go on the board before. Thinking it wouldn't work I decided I really had nothing to lose and hoped I would come out with something learned. To add I also put a jump out beyond the plank about 15 feet without a bar to give her something to drive to. So I set her up close making the obvious choice of taking them plank clear. Threw the toy out beyond the jump and let er' go! VOILA! She ran the plank and on top of them ran it like she was taught to run it :D :D Really there isn't enough smiley faces on the planet to express my excitement! Of course I am me and was skeptical that it would be a short term sweetness. Did a few more reps and still nice. Only had an issue when she started becoming wishy washy about whether she should stay by mom or drive to the toy (gotta love my velcro dog). We got through that and finished on a happy note.
I suppose your wandering where the title has anything to do with this. Well......the other day when I was doing this after a couple reps of her doing great...I said THE words... "Just one more" and I don't know if it causes a shift in the earth or what, but she took 3 more tries before she gave a me a good one after that, so now I will not use that phrase ;) Silly maybe? but it happens.
Along with this new RDW skill we have also figured out the A-frame. Maybe I should add we have figured out a safer way to preform it :) Lowered to about a little 3 feet, put a tunnel out front, and ran her up and over and most of the time she hits it like a champ. Still a couple moments of flying lucinda, but we will get with time :)
AMP will be making her debut in AKC this weekend and has another surprise that I will write about another day!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Walk the course? Nawww....
Wowza :) AMP was on fire this weekend! Kaitlyn was sorta in the clouds apparently.
I seem to not be yet into the groove of running AMP. I know how dare I, but well I am busy ok ;) SO when mom ran into the RV Saturday saying "uh they are running starters snooker and your up in 5 dogs" I went CRAP! Thankfully running in master snooker doesn't make starters look like much of a challenge, but then there is the fact that I am running the crazy one :) Well after watching a couple dogs run I thought I had a decent plan. To my outrageous surprise we were in synch. It was like we had been running for some time- it just plan old felt good :) Of course this was time number 1 that AMP reminded me I better start saving for her chiro appointments she is going to need after she was wrapping a jump and hit her chin 3 times :( Of course "Ms.No self preservation" didn't even notice! We made it through the course nicely though and ran off after the 6 combo since we don't know the A-frame and you all know that it something we don't want to just go out and see what happens :/ eeks!
Then later was Starters Jumpers :) Another beautiful run that I forgot to walk! I am a winner on remembering to walk courses! I can't recall that she even went around a single jump :D What an accomplishment that is in it's very own right :) She dominated with a first place and 19.51 second run :) SO wish I would of gotten it on tape...
Sunday was just jumpers. The course definitely didn't play to our strengths right off the start. With scoochy butt she didn't quite get the jump jump TURN tunnel :) Then once she got into the tunnel she was like a dog with a fire cracker up her butt coming out and blew past the next jump. Brought her back and she was going good around the half circle of jumps and then almost summer salted crashing into a jump :( Being an agile little worm managed to hold herself up and just ended up crashing the jump, which didn't phase her and we continued on to end strong :) Was still ooberly proud of her :) My helpers that watch for me since I am too busy running my butt off said that her jumping is becoming much more settled, which is great to hear along with her concentrating more on her job and less on jumping at me :) :)
This girl has such a bright future ahead of her I can't wait to sit down and hang on for the ride!! Hopefully I can get video next time! PLUS I finally got AMPie's very first agility photo ever :)
I seem to not be yet into the groove of running AMP. I know how dare I, but well I am busy ok ;) SO when mom ran into the RV Saturday saying "uh they are running starters snooker and your up in 5 dogs" I went CRAP! Thankfully running in master snooker doesn't make starters look like much of a challenge, but then there is the fact that I am running the crazy one :) Well after watching a couple dogs run I thought I had a decent plan. To my outrageous surprise we were in synch. It was like we had been running for some time- it just plan old felt good :) Of course this was time number 1 that AMP reminded me I better start saving for her chiro appointments she is going to need after she was wrapping a jump and hit her chin 3 times :( Of course "Ms.No self preservation" didn't even notice! We made it through the course nicely though and ran off after the 6 combo since we don't know the A-frame and you all know that it something we don't want to just go out and see what happens :/ eeks!
Then later was Starters Jumpers :) Another beautiful run that I forgot to walk! I am a winner on remembering to walk courses! I can't recall that she even went around a single jump :D What an accomplishment that is in it's very own right :) She dominated with a first place and 19.51 second run :) SO wish I would of gotten it on tape...
Sunday was just jumpers. The course definitely didn't play to our strengths right off the start. With scoochy butt she didn't quite get the jump jump TURN tunnel :) Then once she got into the tunnel she was like a dog with a fire cracker up her butt coming out and blew past the next jump. Brought her back and she was going good around the half circle of jumps and then almost summer salted crashing into a jump :( Being an agile little worm managed to hold herself up and just ended up crashing the jump, which didn't phase her and we continued on to end strong :) Was still ooberly proud of her :) My helpers that watch for me since I am too busy running my butt off said that her jumping is becoming much more settled, which is great to hear along with her concentrating more on her job and less on jumping at me :) :)
This girl has such a bright future ahead of her I can't wait to sit down and hang on for the ride!! Hopefully I can get video next time! PLUS I finally got AMPie's very first agility photo ever :)
Friday, September 2, 2011
A word from the star herself!!
To my fellow followers,
AMP here writing in for my lame owner who doesn't seem to realize that I am after all the most important thing in her life and doesn't update ya'll. So, I decided that I would do it myself then! Things around home have been pretty boring. I am not sure what is up, but my owner use to be home all day and we would enjoy several walks, training, and hangin' around. Now? She gets up at the butt crack of dawn (ruining my beauty sleep by the way) and leaves the house. Then comes home, naps, and leaves again. What is up with these weird human characteristics? Does she have a disease? Is she high? Whatever it is I really wish she would figure her $*%* out and understand that I need to be the center of her world. Anyway she hasn't yet forgotten to feed me or completely ignore me, so no need to call ASCP or whatever it is called. Please watch though for signs that I made need you dedicated people's help :)
Anyway, because of the above situation training doesn't happen much anymore :/ We get to do some though, so I guess it could be worse. Last week mom taught me a new obstacle. It looks like a homeless person's house or a tepee with only two sides. I think she calls it a ramp- whatever. Anyway at first I was like say what? I am suppose to do what with this thing? Then she explained herself a bit better (trust me teaching isn't her calling) and I got the idea of it. What she failed to tell me was how much fricken fun the thing was!!!!!! You can get some great air time over that thing- it practically feels like your flying 8-) SO when she sent me into the tunnel I ran as fast as I possibly could then hit the A-frame and leaped all the way over and hit the bottom of the down plank! YEE HAW! For some reason mom seemed a little concerned with my execution-I think she lacks the fun gene- but she let me try it again anyway :) This time I tried running even faster and got more air and a better launch from one side to the other! IT-WAS-AWESOME!!!!!! Then the crazy beotch said that I couldn't do it anymore! Like what the heck man? She was totally messin' with my jive. We then have been working on some of the poles stuck into the ground. Let me tell ya whoever invented those things had a brain tumor or something. I mean at least they could space them out far enough that you can run faster. I try to do them, but I just can't slow down enough to hit every single one and then mom doesn't give me the flippin' toy and I have to do it again-stupid! She gives me some preach about how I have to do them all---blah blah blah- lame! So I do them and she gives me the toy and yay! :p still stupid. The dumbest of them all is that plank. Ok the thing is seriously like a person walking on a tight rope- except with about a million more rules. I have to run down the plank, stay on the board, and not leap at the end- does she think I am hoodenie? I mean I can stay on the board, but I can't leap? Come on leaping is like my swagger man! So, I said screw the rules and still leap- I am not sure if I will give in to her lame rules, but she is working pretty hard so I will think about it at a later date!
As you know since she managed to update about that, that I have started getting to be a "real" dog :) Man do I love it!!! The excitement is SO awesome there and all my doggie friends get to see me! She says that I am doing really good (which what else would I do) and get to keep doing more trials :) I think I heard her over talking about getting to go again this weekend :) Hopefully! If I do I will try and get you all the video :) But here is the video from my second trial 2 weeks ago :)
Peace out homies :)
AMP here writing in for my lame owner who doesn't seem to realize that I am after all the most important thing in her life and doesn't update ya'll. So, I decided that I would do it myself then! Things around home have been pretty boring. I am not sure what is up, but my owner use to be home all day and we would enjoy several walks, training, and hangin' around. Now? She gets up at the butt crack of dawn (ruining my beauty sleep by the way) and leaves the house. Then comes home, naps, and leaves again. What is up with these weird human characteristics? Does she have a disease? Is she high? Whatever it is I really wish she would figure her $*%* out and understand that I need to be the center of her world. Anyway she hasn't yet forgotten to feed me or completely ignore me, so no need to call ASCP or whatever it is called. Please watch though for signs that I made need you dedicated people's help :)
Anyway, because of the above situation training doesn't happen much anymore :/ We get to do some though, so I guess it could be worse. Last week mom taught me a new obstacle. It looks like a homeless person's house or a tepee with only two sides. I think she calls it a ramp- whatever. Anyway at first I was like say what? I am suppose to do what with this thing? Then she explained herself a bit better (trust me teaching isn't her calling) and I got the idea of it. What she failed to tell me was how much fricken fun the thing was!!!!!! You can get some great air time over that thing- it practically feels like your flying 8-) SO when she sent me into the tunnel I ran as fast as I possibly could then hit the A-frame and leaped all the way over and hit the bottom of the down plank! YEE HAW! For some reason mom seemed a little concerned with my execution-I think she lacks the fun gene- but she let me try it again anyway :) This time I tried running even faster and got more air and a better launch from one side to the other! IT-WAS-AWESOME!!!!!! Then the crazy beotch said that I couldn't do it anymore! Like what the heck man? She was totally messin' with my jive. We then have been working on some of the poles stuck into the ground. Let me tell ya whoever invented those things had a brain tumor or something. I mean at least they could space them out far enough that you can run faster. I try to do them, but I just can't slow down enough to hit every single one and then mom doesn't give me the flippin' toy and I have to do it again-stupid! She gives me some preach about how I have to do them all---blah blah blah- lame! So I do them and she gives me the toy and yay! :p still stupid. The dumbest of them all is that plank. Ok the thing is seriously like a person walking on a tight rope- except with about a million more rules. I have to run down the plank, stay on the board, and not leap at the end- does she think I am hoodenie? I mean I can stay on the board, but I can't leap? Come on leaping is like my swagger man! So, I said screw the rules and still leap- I am not sure if I will give in to her lame rules, but she is working pretty hard so I will think about it at a later date!
As you know since she managed to update about that, that I have started getting to be a "real" dog :) Man do I love it!!! The excitement is SO awesome there and all my doggie friends get to see me! She says that I am doing really good (which what else would I do) and get to keep doing more trials :) I think I heard her over talking about getting to go again this weekend :) Hopefully! If I do I will try and get you all the video :) But here is the video from my second trial 2 weeks ago :)
Peace out homies :)
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