Sizzle's training

playtime for Sizzle

I haven't update about Sizzle and his training for a while. We have not done a lot for a good few weeks. He was very ill three/four weeks ago and I have not done anything since. I started to take him training last Monday but he fell flat on the A Frame, so another few days of rest. I only started to do a bit of V Weaving with him on Monday and he seems to improve a little. I have closed up (not upright) the weaves and add the wires on. I thought it is good for him to learn with the wires on as I may need them in future, especially teaching the entries. Our entries are not good, there is a lot of room for improvements. I am taking my time, I have learned to be patient with my training with him. He is a very good little boy and I love training him.

We went to Pachesham yesterday to resume our usual training after a four weeks break. I wonder if the sequences were too hard for the baby dogs or all the dogs were not on form, we all did terribly!! Our first sequence was this one below:

It was so funny that all dogs (Yes! All dogs!) decided they will go up to the A Frame after jump #4 instead of jump #5 then the see-saw. We all know that all dogs love to go up to the contacts so they can get their rewards (food) but I can't understand why they all chose the A Frame and not see-saw! Before we did our first run, Eleanor has warned us that the dog may pick up the A Frame as it was very obvious to the dog when they took jump #4, we need to work hard to get the dog's attention to do jump #5 then they will see the see-saw.

My first try with Sizzle was to put him on a wait, then lead out to slightly pass jump #2, then recall and run, he took all the jumps but after jump #4, he went straight up to the A Frame!! I didn't want to stop and restart again (I have learned not to do this with a baby dog), so I run with him from the A Frame to jump #1, that made it worst as I was so far behind (now I know I cannot do a running start with him!) and the three jumps were not in a staright line, I did tried to push him out but he missed all the jumps and went straight up to the A Frame again!!! I decided we had a game then restart it in a proper way.

Our thrid try was so much better, he responded to me when he took jump #4, eventhough he was wide as I call him a little too late but he took jump #5 and did his "wobble". Our 4th and last try on that sequence has captured in the video below. He now has also learned to do the see-saw (his big wobble board) independently but he sometimes still come off too early. We need to work hard on that but my see-saw has taken down early this year to train his running contact and I lost the nuts to put it back together!!!

In the 2nd video, you can see this sequence below:

again, all the other dogs (not Sizzle) find the jump #4, #5, #6 to tunnel impossible. My first attempt with Sizzle was not very successful, Eleanor took out the see-saw and replaced with jump #6, so all the dogs were looking for the see-saw after jump #5. The see-saw was lying on the floor, so all the dogs were jumping all over it looking for food!! Luckily my second attempt was a successful one. Sizzle loves his pipe tunnel, he went straight into the tunnel from jump #6 and I have time to switch and pick him up on my right to finish the sequence. Phew!

Our running dog walk was a mess at the moment. Due to Sizzle's illness and the new "hit it" board problem, we kept putting the training off. We have not done any dog walk for at least a couple of months. Before Sizzle was ill, I have try to put a ball at the end of the dog walk for him to stop him leaping off and add my new cue "get it". I wasn't sure if he got the cue, as sometimes he hit the contact area and sometimes not. I have put the ball further and further. I am not too happy with my training. I wanted to try out some new options this week but the wind was so strong and I do not want him to blow off, so no training until the wind die down, this probably mean, no dog walk at all until I come back from Belgium. I have taught him "target" separately but never put that on practise, maybe I will try the 2o/2o. I will give it a good thought when I am in Belgium.

As all the dogs were pretty bad this week, we didn't get much done at this training. I stayed back for 5 extra minutes when the class was over, just to do the weaves. It was a competition upright weave, I started putting Sizzle on the lead, hopefully he will drag me to weave and with the lead on, I can correct him if he goes into a wrong poles. He started off well but missed the last 2 but I managed to pull him back to correct him. We did three more on the lead, no mistake. I decided to try it off lead, and he finished with no mistake. I should have done it on the right hand weave as well but I thought he was good, so I finished off in good mood.

here is our little training video, I've also added the one Sizzle learning the cloth tunnel at the end: