Wall-e's last rally class

This is quite late, sorry :) Our last class was over a week ago, on Saturday December 11.

At this class we each went through a full course twice.

I think our runs went well. Our instructor commented on how much Wall-e's sits have improved since we began the class. They're not perfect yet, but her ideas of improving his sits have really been working for us!

What I really liked was that after the first time we finished the course, we had to say one thing that we liked about the run; and after the second time we finished the course, our classmates had to say what they liked about the run. I think this is a great idea.

Another thing was that there was a dog in heat in the class. I was totally fine with it, but I wasn't sure how Wall-e would react. Thankfully, he barely payed any notice to the bitch in heat and was as focused as ever during our runs.

Wall-e's fifth rally class

At class today, we learned the last of the Novice exercises. Next week we'll spend the hour running a full course. (Do you say "running" a course in rally? I don't know the terminology!)

The exercises:

Halt - Side Step Right - Halt
Halt - 1, 2, 3 Steps Forward
Halt - 1, 2, 3 Steps Backward (only in CKC Novice rally)
Halt - Turn Right - 1 Step - Halt

The least difficult exercise for us was the last one. We didn't really have any problems with that, but the other exercises were tough for me! I found it hard to concentrate on my shoulders, arms, and feet all at the same time. It's like starting agility all over again.

The instructor had a good suggestion of using both hands to reward for the front in the Halt - 1, 2, 3 Steps Backward exercise (holding the treat in both hands to reward, instead of one hand). Since the dog is supposed to be in the middle of the handler in the front position, using both hands to reward will prevent the dog from sitting towards any one particular hand (because dogs orient to where they're getting their rewards).

The sequence (or rather a course, because there were a lot of stations) was Start, Fast Pace, Normal Pace, 270 Degree Right, Halt - Sit - Walk Around, 360 Degree Left, Straight Figure 8, Spiral Right - Dog Outside, Halt - Call Front - Finish Right, and Finish. Even though Wall-e was a bit tired because we'd done a lot of training this class, he was happy and eager to do the course.

Looking back over all the exercises we've learned, I think the cone/pylon exercises are our best exercises. (And of course, the stationary exercises are our worst :)

Next week we'll spend the hour running a full course. (Do you say "running" a course in rally? I don't know the terminology!)

Note: I should mention that when I talked about Wall-e's crooked sits at our last class, I didn't mean that he actually sits crooked, but rather than he sits at an angle to me instead of parallel to my body. He sits with his butt far away from me instead of tucked in. Sorry for the confusion! Again, I don't know obedience terminology :)

Wall-e's fourth rally class

Wow, it's hard to believe there's only two classes left.

At this class we learned:

Halt - 90 Degree Pivot Right - HALT
Halt - 90 Degree Pivot Left - HALT
Spiral Right - Dog Outside
Spiral Left - Dog Inside

At the next class we'll learn the remaining Novice exercises.

At the beginning of the class, the instructor accidentally turned the heating fan on (I'd told her about Wall-e's fear of fans at the first class, but she forgot; no big deal, it happens!). Wall-e was scared and wouldn't take treats, so I reminded the instructor about his fear and took him outside as she turned the fan. He didn't want to go back inside, but I carried him in. I would have rather shaped him to go back inside, but it was cold and I would have let tons of cold air in the building. I was impressed with how quickly he recovered, though; he started taking treats again as soon as he realized the fan wasn't on, whereas several months ago he still would have been very stressed.

We didn't practice any pivots at this class because they require a bit of training (preferably in an environment without the distraction of other dogs!), but we did practice spirals. Our first spiral lefts were NOT pretty. I kept almost bumping into Wall-e because I wasn't cuing him properly (hmmm, why does that sound familiar?). But by the end of the class, we were both doing better.

The sequence for this class was Start, 360 Degree Right, Fast Pace, Normal Pace, About Turn - Right, Call Front - Finish Left, Halt - Sit - Down - Sit, Halt - Sit - Down - Walk Around, Finish. We were doing pretty well up until the Halt - Sit- Down - Sit, where Wall-e did his sit and down really crooked. He's always had crooked sits and downs, but I've never really payed attention to it as much as I should. The instructor recommended that I retrain his sits and downs a bit to get them straighter, and she helpfully showed me how to reward him to encourage a straight position.

Below is a picture from our third class a week ago; you can see how crooked his sit is :) They were even more crooked at this class. That's what happens when you don't train for straight sits; I never really did :)



I agree that I should retrain him and we've started doing that this week at home. It'll take a while to build the muscle memory of doing straight sits and downs, but with a lot of retraining, I definitely think he'll be able to do it. I just have to remember to always reward on the left side of his head, away from me, instead of towards me.

I have to say, as I watch the video clips from this class, that I just love how happy Wall-e looks as he trots beside me, even after his scare with the fan at the beginning of the class. I'm actually glad that the incident with the fan happened because know I have a lot more confidence with Wall-e's ability to recover from stress.

Wall-e's third rally class

In this class we covered:

About "U" Turn (180 degree turn to the left)
270 Degree Left Turn
360 Degree Left Turn
Call Dog Front - Forward Right
Call Dog Front - Forward Left
Call Dog Front - Finish Right
Call Dog Front - Finish Left

Wall-e forgets how to do finishes! We haven't practiced them in a long time. I had to lure him for his finishes and forwards in this class.

He really likes the forwards though because he doesn't have to sit, he can just keep trotting forward after he moves into position.

The sequence in this class was Start, Straight Figure 8, About Turn - Right, Fast Pace, Normal Pace, Right Turn, 270 Degree Left Turn, Sit - Down - Walk Around, 360 Degree Right Turn, and finally Finish. We did well during most of the course, although Wall-e was heeling a bit too far away from me; gotta train closer heeling. For the Sit - Down - Walk Around, I placed a treat on the ground in front of him after he lay down. This gives him something to focus on as I walk behind him. It works well at home, but at class he got up when I stepped behind him. The instructor suggested that I not put the treat down, but instead just step behind more and more gradually. So we left it at that and completed the course with the 360 Degree Right Turn, which went well. We're good at the exercises that involve moving; it's the stationary exercises that we find tough!

After class, Wall-e got to play with the chocolate lab/poodle puppy (I think he's about six months old). He had a blast. Mika rarely wants to play with Wall-e, so any playtime that he gets is a big treat for him!

Wall-e's first and second rally classes

Two weeks ago, I started taking a beginner rally class with Wall-e. I've taken rally before with Mika in 2007. I've always wanted to do more obedience of some kind with Wall-e, as he just loves to heel and is pretty good at it too!

First class: October 30

Wall-e loved seeing the other dogs at the beginning of class. In the class, there are two lab/poodles (I think one *might* be a golden/poodle, can't remember), a hound mix, a shepherd mix, and a German Shepherd Dog.

The class covers both CARO (Canadian Association of Rally Obedience) and CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) Novice rally exercises. Most of the exercises are the same, but some have different names; for those, I'll just use the CARO names because if we ever do compete, we'd concentrate mostly on CARO. I'll In the first class, we covered:

Halt - Sit (CKC only)
Halt - Sit - Down
Halt - Sit - Stand
Halt - Down - Sit
Halt - Walk Around
Halt - Sit - Walk Around
Halt - Down - Walk Around
Weave Once
Fast Pace
Slow Pace
Normal Pace

(Sorry if I messed up any of the names; I'm working from memory.)

Wall-e really enjoyed it. I realized how much I have to work on his downs; at this class, he wasn't dropping fully down and usually had his elbows off the floor.

When we first approached the cones in the Weave Once exercise, Wall-e tried to interact with one of the cones (pawing it), haha. We've done a lot of shaping exercises with cones and he probably thought that's what we were doing! He soon understood what to do, though.

At the end of each class, we'll be doing a sequence of exercises that will eventually build up to a full course. This week, we did Start (basically just the start line, not really an exercise), Weave Once, Halt - Down, and then Finish (the "finish line"). The Weave Once went well, but I do have to work on Wall-e's downs! He enjoyed it, though.

Second class: November 6

Exercises covered:

Straight Figure 8
Moving Down - Forward (CKC only)
Right Turn
About Turn - Right
270 Degree Right Turn
360 Degree Right Turn

(Only right turns were covered this week because left turns are a bit tougher.)

After working on downs at home, Wall-e's downs were much better this week!

The sequence for this class was Start, Weave Once, Halt - Sit - Down, Right Turn, Halt - Sit - Walk Around, Right Turn, Fast Pace, Normal Pace (just a transition from Fast Pace), and Finish. The first few stations went well, but we had a bit of trouble with the Halt - Sit - Walk Around; Wall-e hasn't learned this yet, so I tried to let him chew on a treat as I walked around him, but he would stand up when I started to step behind him. After two tries, I rewarded him for staying when I took a tiny step, and then moved on to the next stations, which Wall-e did great at.

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We would have another class today too, but it was canceled because the instructor is attending a local rally trial. Next week, we'll learn the left turns.

Some stay (and release) refreshing

The Pigs Fly article in the March 2010 issue of Clean Run was interesting in that it was all about training the release out of a stay. I usually reward the release almost as much as I reward the actual lack of motion. Today, though, I concentrated on the release from a stay with both dogs (different sessions).

Mika was perfect for all 3 reps. She blasted out of the stays and literally slid to a stop each time, hahah (we were inside). Mika slides when she's chasing toys too. I'll throw a toy and she'll do this huge slide across the floor as she grabs her toy with tons of enthusiasm.

Wall-e was perfect too, which was also pleasantly surprising because he's always been one to sometimes break his stays.

Wall-e's first beginner agility class

Wall-e had his very first agility class on Sunday. It was a lot of fun! The first thing we did was receive yellow targets. Each person got one target. These targets will be used in the class to help the dog focus ahead and know where to go, as well as build drive. After we received our targets, we worked on getting our dogs to be crazy about them, and sending our dogs ahead to the target. By the end of the 10 minutes that we worked with the targets, Wall-e was bouncing and leaping in the air and barking whenever I brought him back for another round to send to the target. He loved it!

Then, it was time for some obstacle training. We won't be participating in the dog walk training because the instructor teaches 2o2o (two on two off) and Wall-e is still just learning a running contact for the dog walk, but everything else, we'll do. With the A-frame the instructor teaches 2o2o as well, but Wall-e has a natural running contact on the A-frame (for now!) so we'll just skip the stopping and do running for the A-frame at class.

The dogs didn't do any contact training this class; only low jumps, tunnels, channel weaves, and a ladder-type structure that helps teach the dogs body awareness. I've done some 6" jumping with Wall-e, and he's been through our 4 foot long tunnel many times (and a "real" tunnel a few times too at the two training centres we've practiced at), but he'd never been through channel weaves or the ladder structure before. He surprised me when he knew what to do with the weaves right away. He raced right through the channel to get to his target!

Here's a video from his last beginner obedience class and his first agility class:



~Nat

Wall-e's last obedience class

Last week Wall-e had his last beginner obedience class. (Tomorrow is the official last class, but we can't go because Wall-e's first beginner agility class will be at the same time.)

Wall-e seemed to get better every class! His heeling was just amazing. He really progressed so much, above and beyond...his heeling is just awesome. It's definitely his strongest point of obedience. Every dog/handler in the class got to practice their heeling individually as the instructor called out right turns, right about turns, left turns, left about turns, slow paces, fast paces, normal paces, and halts. Wall-e did everything perfectly. What a good boy!!

All the dogs practiced their stays as well -- 45 sit-stays and 2 minute down-stays. Wall-e stayed the whole time for the sit-stay, but broke his down-stay 10 seconds before the 2 minutes was over! Oh well, his heeling makes up for his less-than-perfect stays! :)

We did something different this class; we swapped dogs! Only for about 5 minutes. I got an adorable little Shih Tzu. She was very good and sat for me right away, wagging her tail when she got a really yummy treat (Rollover). Wall-e was great for the Shih Tzu's handler, and did some nice sits.

The game for this class was Red Light, Green Light! You probably know this game, but it's just adapted for obedience...when the instructor calls "green light," each dog/handler walks or jogs forward in a heel. When the instructor calls "red light," each dog/handler must stop and sit immediately. Whichever dog is last to sit is out. Whichever dog/handler team reaces the wall first wins. Wall-e won! Yay Wall-e!

I'm so happy with how Wall-e did in his obedience classes. He'd be an amazing competitive obedience prospect if I decided to compete with him. And tomorrow, something even more fun...Wall-e's first agility class!

~Nat

Teeter games and a bit of obedience

Great obedience class!

Well, Wall-e really impressed me at obedience class yesterday!! First of all, this class when we practiced our recalls, the instructor told us to put our dog in a Sit-Stay instead of having somebody hold the dog as we walk away from them. I expected Wall-e to break his Stay, but what a good boy -- he didn't! Even when I led out twenty feet the second time, he still didn't break.

But what really impressed me was his heeling. This class, the instructor introduced turns and changes of pace. About turns, right turns, left turns, fast, slow. Wall-e was brilliant and listened to my cues right away. He used to bounce around whenever he was heeling (bounce straight up in the air instead of trotting at my side), but now he trots beside me beautifully. Actually, a more accurate term is "prances". He looks so happy trotting by my side!

We play a game every class, and this time we played the dog version of Musical Chairs. All the dogs/handlers heeled around the perimeter of the training room when the music played (with the instructor occasionally saying "right about turn," or sometimes "Sit and Down your dogs"). When the music stopped, we had to rush over to the chairs in the middle of the room and tell our dogs to Sit. Once your dog sits, you're allowed to sit down in the chair with your dog still sitting in front of you. One dog/handler is left over without a chair, and they're "out."

WOW, Wall-e's heeling was AWESOME during Musical Chairs. I couldn't believe my eyes!! He was heeling perfectly, doing his happy trot, staring up at me the whole time, never breaking his gaze. Incredible. I was so happy with him!

~Nat

Wall-e's fourth obedience class

All the usual at Wall-e's fourth beginner obedience class on Sunday (last week) -- warming up with focus, then practicing Sits, Downs, recalls, stays, and heeling. We always do something different every class, though, which makes it fun, and this time it was something a little competitive...a relay race! The class was divided in two, with four dogs on one team and three on the other. Wall-e and I were on the team with three dogs, so one of the dogs had to go twice. It was decided that we would go twice.

It was a relay, so two dog/handler teams went at a time, one from each team. Each dog had to Heel to a rally sign, where they had to Sit. Then, they kept on going to a chair. The handler had to sit in the chair and tell their dog to Sit and then Down without any luring. Once the dog did both Sit and Down, the dog/handler team was allowed to Heel back to the sign, Sit, then go back to the starting/finish line, where the next dog/handler team was waiting (with the dog waiting in a Sit Stay beside the handler.)

Since we were going twice, we went last. We started at the same time as the other sheltie. Heel, sit, heel to chair, Sit, Down. The other sheltie took a little bit longer to Sit and Down, so we had just a bit of a head start from the chair. Heel, Sit, then Heel to the finish line...and Wall-e won for his team, with the other sheltie just a nose behind! Good job, little man!

I'll talk about today's obedience class another day, I don't have enough time to write about it now. And thanks Cool Design Shelties and Acadia Shelties for tagging us! I'll make sure to do that too. :)

~Nat

Wall-e's third obedience class

Wall-e had his third obedience class on Sunday, after a loooong break for the Christmas holidays!

We had a lot of fun. All of the dogs have improved! It's a great class. Although only the toller, Standard Poodle x golden cross, and the other sheltie puppy (who is 6 months old) could attend on Sunday, there's also a dobie, a Boxer, and two adorable Shih Tzus who usually come.

Wall-e's favourite part of the class was definitely the 4 cookie recall game. In this game, the handler throws a treat behind the dog and as the dog races to get it, runs away from the dog and calls, "-dog's name- Come!" The dog should hear this as he is eating the treat, and runs over to the handler, who immediately clicks the clicker and throws another treat behind her. The process is repeated twice. On the third time, when the dog is called over to the handler, he has to sit in front of the handler (called a "front"). Why is it called the "4 cookie recall" game? Well, because the dog gets 4 cookies; the first one when the handler throws the first treat to start the game, the second and third ones when he chases after the handler, and the fourth one when he runs up to the handler to a front.

Wall-e LOVED this game. (He loves anything that involved running, actually!) He was smiling the whole time as he raced back and forth across the training room.

~Nat

Wall-e obedience class video

~Nat

Wall-e's second beginner obedience class

Another great class on Sunday!! Wall-e was focused and is really advancing quickly. His Sit Stays are great; sometimes I can lead out about 10 feet without him breaking. He often does break, though (he always wants to follow me!) so we're working on that. He can do Down without any hand signals now! Even if my hands are behind my back and I say "Down," he still lies down in a nice "sphynx down" (dropping into a down with front and back legs hitting the ground at the same time, without sitting first). His heeling is great too! I make sure to work him on my right side as often as on my left, because I don't want him to be "stuck" on one side. I want him to be comfortable working on both sides, because that's what he'll have to do in agility. It's hard to practice heeling at home since there's no area that's really wide enough, but we're going to try to practice heeling in the backyard next time, even though there's snow everywhere on the ground!

We also registered Wall-e for a set of beginner agility classes which start in February. It's at a great place that's really close, and they teach the obstacles the way I like. I'm so excited! I haven't taken group agility classes since fall of 2007 (with Mika of course). Mika can't do group classes because of her dog-reactive problem (especially around running dogs), but I love the atmosphere of group classes, and I can't wait to start them with Wall-e. :)

~Nat

Mika's haircut and Wall-e's first obedience class

Mika got a haircut at the groomer's recently, I think it was on Wednesday. We had her beard cut shorter this time, since it's agility off-season (I like to keep it long during the season so that she'll look nice for her professional photos!). She looks so adorable with her shorter beard!


Snow on her nose, after sniffing a bit in the snow.


Poor girlie, she's cold with her shorter fur! Note that her tail is down, which she always does when she's freezing. But, she still wants to stay outside! (Which is unusual for her in the winter, usually she doesn't like being outside in the winter.)

Wall-e also had his very first beginner obedience class today! I expected to have to work hard to keep his attention -- but nope, he was completely focused on me for the whole class. He acted like a pro, and was definitely one of the stars of the class! When dogs in the class took turns (two at a time) for the heeling and loose leash exercises, and it wasn't our turn, he lay calmly in my lap, head resting on his paws. What a difference from Mika's quirks (barking like mad at the other dogs when it's not her turn)! Not that Mika isn't totally focused on me when it is her turn (she's always focused on me, 100%) but she wants to work so much and is so stimulated by dogs moving that she expresses her feelings with non-stop, piercing barks.


I still can hardly believe how focused and attentive Wall-e was during the class. Good boy!

~Nat

First beginner obedience class

Today was the first beginner obedience class. Wall-e couldn't come because the first class was only for the people, to explain the instructor's view on training (positive reinforcement), what a clicker is, and a quick lesson on how to teach each of the basic commands. Basic stuff, but it was nice to see what the instructor thought about different things. Next week, Wall-e and the rest of the dogs will be able to attend the classes and the "real" classes will begin. Wall-e already knows pretty much everything that the class will be teaching (good boy!!) except for Down -- right now he only knows how to do Down with a food lure. BUT, today he was following my hand a few times without the lure. I plan to have him completely off the lure by the next obedience class in a week.

~Nat

Stays getting better!

"I'm trying to sleep!" Cute and cuddly in Mika's donut bed.


Hanging out in the mini tunnel.


Wall-e has definitely been improving in his Stays. I can place a treat on the ground in front and him, and where before he would break his Stay 80% of the time to try to get the treat, now he only breaks his Stay 20% of the time! We'll continue practicing this every day until he never breaks his Stay, even if there is a whole pile of treats staring him in the face.

Also, he can now Stay for 45 seconds, which is what he'll have to do at the end of his beginner obedience classes -- which haven't even started yet! (They're starting this weekend, but only the humans are supposed to come, not the dogs. The "real" classes, with the dogs, will start the week after.)

Good boy!

~Nat

Stay training success

Wall-e can now be in a Sit Stay six feet away from me, for ten seconds, while there is a treat on the ground in front of him! I'll have to build it up to 45 seconds for his beginner obedience class starting in a couple of weeks, but the dogs in the class only have to stay for that long the last day of class for the "test", so I have a while to teach him. I'm sure he'll learn it quickly, though; he's a fast little learner!

I think Mika is starting to enjoy his company a bit more now. They play together every evening in the yard, sometimes only for a few seconds, sometimes for a few minutes.

~Nat