Last night I was the only one that turned up for the "class" I do with Charlie. So we worked mainly on his contacts, since he's been a bit of a dick with them at trials.
The little suck knows what touch means. He doesn't just stop, but ninety per cent of the time he was going into a drop as well as the touch.
So while I was elated he was getting it and had retained the bit of training we did on them ages and ages ago, I'm also incredibly frustrated that he just doesn't get it into his head at trials. I know it's probably his immaturity and over excitement and he's just not listening- prime example with our open jumping run last Saturday where he totally forgot I was even in the ring with him- but I know he can do them and if he could just focus enough to do them in the ring we'd be out of novice agility by now and having far less chaotic runs.
I'm really wanting to do a pile of ADAA trials as priority for the next six months to a year and just ease back with CCCQ a bit, focusing primarily on jumpers. If I just do not for comps, I can use it all as training practice, work on his waits- because I really, really, really need them back at trials- and his contacts in the ring.
And hopefully we'll start to see a bit more focus and improvement.
I'm also in two minds about running or 2o2o now. I desperately want him to keep going with a solid 2o2o for the seesaw- no more using it as a launch pad, please and thank you- and so far we've been attempting running with the a frame and dog walk, but I'm wondering now whether it would be better for him mentally to get him to slow and think about stopping at the end of both.
But in saying that I don't know whether I'd get that level of focus in the ring, and then we'd just end up blowing away all that training because it'd be like the waits- he does it at training, but come to the ring and all manners go out the window and we'd be right back at square one with yet another thing to fix. I also don't know if I'd remember to tell him to touch and release at a trial, so that wouldn't help at all.
I need to go back and retrain his table, too, and go for an automatic drop. Even though CCCQ doesn't require it, ADAA does. Fletcher's pretty much nailed his so far, and I think Charlie would definitely benefit from learning that as well.
Gah. I need proper equipment to practice on during the week in between training. I don't even have my running board any more since Dad stole it to block off the other end of the vegie box. I also need to get into my dog's head more and figure out what he needs to get him back to feeling comfortable and calm in the ring.
And I need to work on myself and my nerves and handling.
So much to do, so much to think about. I'm going to definitely be trying out screeching "TOUCH!" at the strategic pairs trial, and see what happens.
It could just be me, after all. It probably is mostly me, at the very least.
But if he does hit just one 2o2o contact at that trial, it'll give me something to go off and a better idea of where we are, what the problem is and where we need to go from there. I'm sure he's got at least the very basic idea of it all, he's just not thinking when he's as wound up as gets at trials.
So we need more training, more practice, and a way to settle Charlie.
Heck, it seems like such a mammoth task.
No comments:
Post a Comment