Root Beer

Bandit's first Freestyle performance Q!!!! WOOT WOOT WOOT!!!! Cyber Rally-O Dance Division Preliminary Figure 8 Waltz. We qualified with honors!!

Actually, I am liking the idea of training both a stop and a running on the DW. Hmmmmmmmm . . . . might be a good solution to my "I can't decide" dilemma.

I can't decide for Bandit, so I don't know what I would decide for a new dog. I am fairly certain I want the running on the A-Frame, but I can't make up my mind about the DW. Using that book that I referenced in my other post, I won't need to do a ton of reps on the actual contact equipment . . . I have no issue with the fact that he will get ahead of me. He will get ahead of me on lines of jumps and tunnels, etc. I don't run in the international style venues, so I am not concerned about the same kind of traps after the dogwalk that you are. My biggest concern is that criteria will be clear to him so he can be independent on his contacts. I am still undecided at the moment.

Yes, I got my book. I like it - very detailed. Great photos of every step. It is a very long and involved training process, which I don't consider to be a bad thing, but it's a little bit intimidating. I still have not decided whether I am going to go with running on both DW and A-Frame, or stop on DW, running A-Frame. I have started the training with the box (although my box is not the proper size, so I need to keep trying to find one that is). I do like her "run-through" concept, but I am just not sure yet. I like the concepts a lot. I like that with both the stop and the running, she identifies clear criteria that the dog will be able to understand. One of my issues with the running A-Frame has been that most training protocols do not identify clear criteria to the dog. I don't want that for Bandit - I want him to know what his job is. This book provides a great option for providing him with that.

Apparently you can do some video editing on Youtube, and I am sure you can upload a video from your phone to Youtube. I don't personally know how to do it. Some of the All Dogs Parkour folks are doing their video editing on Youtube, but I am still working on Windows Movie Maker on my laptop. But I do know it can be done. I'll bet you could find instructions online . . .

Fenzi Academy is now open for signups and I would recommend any of their Agility classes. (Linked just above) If you are looking for groundwork, I HIGHLY recommend Amanda Nelson's Intro to Distance class. The applications of that work go far beyond distance handling. I took that and it finally transformed Bandit and me into an Agility team. Also, Loretta Mueller's Beginner Sequencing class is probably going to be very good if your dog is ready for that. I think there might be working spots in the distance class (if you were looking for that), and there are auditing spots in the sequencing class.

A bit of recent doodling . . .

I can't think of any specific examples, but when someone says to me, "that dog is training you", I experience a wave of appreciation for my dog. I love that they have input into our lives. We train each other. It is how it should be.

This is what I had to do with Dean when I first adopted him. He thought it sporting to try to tackle Speedy and get HIS toy when we went out to play. For about a month, I took Dean out alone and played with him. After it was clear that he understood playing with me, I started bringing the other dogs out after he had a chance to play with me a while and he naturally integrated into play with Speedy in the mix. Not sure if it would work so seamlessly for you, but I would give it a try. I had rousing success with doing this.

Right now they don't have a website. The founder is using a Facebook group to provide all information (rules, exercise descriptions, list of title holders, etc.). The group is public and all information that you need is in the files. As long as you have a Facebook account, you can access everything, even if you don't join the group. A website might come later. Here is the link to the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AllDogsParkour/

For the IDPKA, you actually have to upload the clip of each behavior separately. Then, on the entry form, you put in each video link for each behavior. For ADP, you have to edit the whole thing together into one video. You don't have to video consecutively for either venue. (There is a sequence exercise in IDPKA that has to be consecutive, but that is considered one behavior). For IDPKA, you can video in different locations and on different days. For ADP, you have to use one location, but can video different clips on different days.

gvc-border wrote: I'll take a stab at it, and if you have more questions, I'd be happy to try to answer!! There are two organizations that I know of. There might be others, but I don't know. The International Dog Parkour Association (IDPKA)All Dogs Parkour (ADP) I got started with IDPKA in mid-summer. ADP actually just opened for entries on September 1st. Both organizations require video submissions for titling. In summary: IDPKA There are five levels for titling. Only one passing entry is needed to title at each level. The levels are: Training, Novice, Intermediate, Expert, Champion. Some of the behaviors include: 2 paws on an object, 4 paws on an object, balance (walking on an object), in, under, through, tic tac (kind of like a swimmer's turn from flyball), etc. The behaviors start easy at Training Level and become more difficult as one moves up through Expert. Difficulty increases with height, or thinness of the balance object, etc. Training Level is pretty simple, Expert is quite difficult. The behaviors required at each level are very specific, and all behaviors required at each level must be passed in an entry to title. Training Level is optional. You can start in Novice. The requirements for Champion are actually kind of different from other dog sports. You can actually go right to Championship after you get Novice. You technically don't have to do Intermediate and Advanced. The Champion title involves: working in different locations, creating new Parkour behaviors, demonstrating proper spotting, etc. ADP For All Dogs Parkour, there are about 50 different behaviors to choose from, and no one behavior is required. For each entry, the handler chooses 12 exercises from that must be completed in one single location. Some duplication is permitted, depending on level. At Level 1, for instance, of the 12, 6 different behaviors are required. Technically, the same 6 could be done twice. At Level 2, of the 12, 7 different behaviors are required. There are five levels. After Level 3, a certain number of behaviors are required from the "Advanced Behavior" category, but, again, there are different ones to choose from. At Levels 1 and 2, one qualifying entry is needed to title. At Levels 3, 4, and 5, three qualifying entries are needed to title. To get to Champion (at the end of the 5 levels), the team will have had to film in 11 different locations!!! ADP also offers a "Special Division" for dogs who need extra modification of exercises - senior dogs or dogs with physical issues. Dean is titling in the Special Division. My Thoughts Both organizations are worth looking at. I very much prefer ADP. I like having the choice of Parkour behaviors for each entry. None of my dogs have to do anything that is unwise for them, as individuals, to try. The difficulty in ADP comes from finding ways to get enough variety at each location, not by making things progressively harder for the dog. I consider some of the requirements in Intermediate and Expert in IDPKA to be unsafe, and I will not ask Tessa or Dean to attempt them, so I have kind of stopped with that, at least for now. For IDPKA, it can take A LONG time to get results. In ADP, you usually have results within a day or two. Longest you will wait is two weeks. OK, if you have any specific questions . . . .

Right now I am almost completely consumed with Parkour!! I have gotten involved, with all three dogs, with the new All Dogs Parkour, and if I can't go out and film with at least one of them once a week, I am not a happy camper!! It's going to be a loooooong winter . . . !!!

I don't know how you feel about raw feeding, but I will sometimes use chicken hearts to give pills. They have a nice little hole in them that is perfect. I will bury the pill inside of one heart. Give one that does not have a pill, give the one with the pill, and then give one more that doesn't have it. I don't normally have to do this, but on the rare occasions that I do, it has never failed.

And I'm starting to want to go with Bandit, and see what it is going to be like with him. But he's not ready and we will wait until he is. I am hoping spring, at least for some of the NADAC introductory classes, or Tunnelers or Jumpers, or CPE Jumpers. I am just getting into his contact training (the actual contact part), and I am determined not to rush it. But there are options we can jump into without contacts if he is ready otherwise!! Glad I still have Tessa running, or I'd be going nuts!

Oh, I start wanting to trial if Tessa and I haven't been to one in a while. I actually took this past summer off from trialing, except for one NADAC trial that we did for fun. But we did no CPE from May until a couple of weeks ago. By mid-summer I was just dying to go again, but we stuck with our break, and I was glad we did. Even now I can't get to as many as I would like this fall, but I am eagerly looking forward to those we can get to!!

I always create the dog portion first. My dog and I work out what his or her part is going to be. Once we have that down, I focus on how I am going to keep my dog visible to the audience, or camera, as much as possible. Finally, I figure out my own part. What I am going to do with arms, feet, etc. Some of that is dictated by what support my dog needs for certain sequences or portions of the routine. Some of it is dictated by decency. I think you have actually found exactly what to do about this - if you film yourself and see how you look, you can make necessary "tweaks" so you look more like you want to. I'd say play with different possibilities, video, and you will find the picture you want to create (just don't expect it to be perfect - it almost never will be!!) I generally don't create my movements in short segments, but I wait until the whole routine is complete. I might do that from time to time, but most of the time I get the dog squared away first. That said - you should figure out what works for you! Not having a class is a challenge, but we can do this in spite of that!! Independent Freestylers rock!! I'd love to see video of you guys once you have a bit of something you are happy with!!

Sounds good. I will be getting my book soon, I hope!! I did have a chance to look at my friend's copy of the book and I love what I saw. My issue is not owning contact equipment, and it looks like there is quite a lot I can do with her progression that I can do without contact equipment.

Based on what you describe, that is exactly what I would be looking into at this point. Proper use of such meds also involves training, but the meds can help normalize brain chemistry that can enable the dog to learn. Of course, only a vet can diagnose and prescribe, but I would be very actively seeking out a vet to work with to try to get my dog some relief.

Do any of you have experience with Dawn Weaver's Contact training protocols? I just ordered her book "To Run or Not to Run" (pricey, but worth it from what it looks like). I was wondering if any of you have first hand experience with her methods.

Personally, I would be very concerned with the possibility of OCD with a dog who behaved as you describe. (Granted, I haven't seen the dog, and my reaction is based on what you said) I know you haven't had him long, and what you are seeing might be exaggerated by the fact that he is in an adjustment period, but the inability to break away from watching the activity, and then not being able to function normally, would concern me greatly. That lack of ability to recover and act more normally is what I would consider to be a big red flag. I would try some training, as posters have described above, but if I didn't start to see some significant improvement as a result, I would seriously consider consulting with a veterinary behaviorist who has experience with OCD. Just some food for thought. Obviously, it is something that would need to be taken into consideration by a qualified vet. I hope it resolves with some training . . .

Yep. And Tessa is not a gambler dog. If not for non-traditional Jackpots, we would have been in trouble. She had done a few nice gambles, but most she doesn't. We also struggle to get enough points in the opening Bandit will rock Jackpot!! It's funny that CPE put those two games together as a titling class. They are polar opposites in so many ways!!

Snooker is the most fun when you make a mistake in the opening and have to think on your feet to rectify it!!! Tessa and I love Snooker. I have a feeling I will not love it with Bandit! It is definitely a game that favors a moderate paced dog who can still be correct with on-the-fly handling!!

After a long hiatus (from competition, not class), Tessa and I returned to Agility competition this past weekend. It was so GOOD to be back!! We earned 3 Q's in 3 runs, in spite of a few little blips! Here was Tessa's nicest run - her Snooker, which was our last of the day. (I did blind cross one jump beyond where I meant to - that closing would have been even nicer had I done the blind where I should have!)

One thing that can be helpful is to teach a dog to nose touch another person's hand. You would want to start with nose touching your hand, then touching the hand of a person that he or she already trusts, and then moving to trying it with others, listening carefully if the dog is not ready (shows reluctance or fear). Even my Tessa, who will not allow strangers to pet her, will nose touch their hands if I ask her to. From there, with a normal dog, you could work on building that as an invitation to pet. I would take it slow, and listen to the dog. If he or she is not comfortable, often the best thing you can do is move away and let your dog know you aren't going to force the issue. It's a bit of reverse psychology but it often helps build confidence.