Saturday, January 29, 2011
Foto (My) Friday: A New Head
I collect heads. . . This is the newest one I received for watching a super easy and old dog that lives in the bedroom right next to mine.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Real 2011 Training Goals
After a unscheduled hiatus from training classes, we finally went back this past Sunday. The first thing we were required to do, write down our 2011 training goals. . .
SERIOUSLY?
The last thing I wanted to do was figure out our top 3 goals that we are going to be working on for the next 12 months! But I had to do it since it was "required". . . I wrote down
1) earn rally novice title
2) learn a retrieve
3) have fun at a trial
I think that those are good things to work on. I am a bit worried that our goal for earning a title will jinx us into not getting one. . . but that is just my pessimistic attitude. Abby does have a real chance of earning a title this year. We could probably earn a level 2 title but we won't be trialing that much as we are only able to do one trial during each 4 trial weekend. Technically, we could do two trials each trial weekend, but I don't want to push Abby. Two a day means a really long day for her and an exhausted and stressed out Abby isn't conducive to earning a title.
Learning to retrieve is a great goal for us to work on and something we should be able to manage. Having fun at a trial. . . who knows about that one. Having fun at an agility trial, sure, we will always have fun there because it isn't so serious and we really have no chance in hell of winning anything, so whats the point of doing it if you don't have fun. But Rally trials are a bit different as we are really only competing with ourselves. Sure we are competing with everyone else, but I don't actually care about placements, and even if we don't place, we still get to keep the points we earn. Since each trial really matters, they become less fun. But I am going to try not to worry so much and have more fun, so that Abby has more fun too. After all, Abby can't read, so she has no idea what letters are and what they mean.
I didn't really want to think about my training goals this year - i just wanted to have some fun with my dogs. . . but since I had to do it, I'm actually looking forward to seeing how far we progress this year and how close we come to achieving those goals.
SERIOUSLY?
The last thing I wanted to do was figure out our top 3 goals that we are going to be working on for the next 12 months! But I had to do it since it was "required". . . I wrote down
1) earn rally novice title
2) learn a retrieve
3) have fun at a trial
I think that those are good things to work on. I am a bit worried that our goal for earning a title will jinx us into not getting one. . . but that is just my pessimistic attitude. Abby does have a real chance of earning a title this year. We could probably earn a level 2 title but we won't be trialing that much as we are only able to do one trial during each 4 trial weekend. Technically, we could do two trials each trial weekend, but I don't want to push Abby. Two a day means a really long day for her and an exhausted and stressed out Abby isn't conducive to earning a title.
Learning to retrieve is a great goal for us to work on and something we should be able to manage. Having fun at a trial. . . who knows about that one. Having fun at an agility trial, sure, we will always have fun there because it isn't so serious and we really have no chance in hell of winning anything, so whats the point of doing it if you don't have fun. But Rally trials are a bit different as we are really only competing with ourselves. Sure we are competing with everyone else, but I don't actually care about placements, and even if we don't place, we still get to keep the points we earn. Since each trial really matters, they become less fun. But I am going to try not to worry so much and have more fun, so that Abby has more fun too. After all, Abby can't read, so she has no idea what letters are and what they mean.
I didn't really want to think about my training goals this year - i just wanted to have some fun with my dogs. . . but since I had to do it, I'm actually looking forward to seeing how far we progress this year and how close we come to achieving those goals.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Baby Socks
It's been awhile since I've posted about my knitting. I've made a few scarves and am currently working on another blanket. I'm not sure why I start blankets as they take me forever because I get bored easily.
My most recent projects have been a scarf for my godmother:
and baby socks for little miss violet:
I'm really excited about these socks because they are my first PAIR of socks! Sure, they are tiny, but they are for tiny feet! I had a lot of fun doing these because they were quick and relatively easy, and I got to use some yarn that I've had lying around for awhile.
I still don't know a whole lot about yarn or dye lots or weight, but I have learned that my favorite yarn to knit with is bamboo. I still find it strange that they make yarn out of a plant, but its fun to work with and is super soft and is a renewable resource. PLUS, it's a great conversation piece!
My most recent projects have been a scarf for my godmother:
and baby socks for little miss violet:
I'm really excited about these socks because they are my first PAIR of socks! Sure, they are tiny, but they are for tiny feet! I had a lot of fun doing these because they were quick and relatively easy, and I got to use some yarn that I've had lying around for awhile.
I still don't know a whole lot about yarn or dye lots or weight, but I have learned that my favorite yarn to knit with is bamboo. I still find it strange that they make yarn out of a plant, but its fun to work with and is super soft and is a renewable resource. PLUS, it's a great conversation piece!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Retrieve Training 101
There are many important parts to training a retrieve, the most important one is probably the dog picking up the item it is supposed to retrieve. This is a very basic behavior and one that most dogs do naturally. . . Abby is not most dogs. Despite everything that Abby has eaten, I have never seen her pick any thing up. I have seen her gnaw and gum things to death, but never pick anything up and carry it. I knew that this would be my biggest challenge in training the retrieve.
So far, Abby has done great with the training. I found the perfect object for her, and spent some time getting her touching the object. We spent so much time training it, that Abby will touch her "naughty bone" any where, any time. She LOVES it. This part of the training was very easy as she already has a basic "target", but it was still fun and easy to work on.
Teaching her to open her mouth and put it around the bone was going to be a very messy endeavor. I had a few ideas, but my instructor had the best one when she said to put peanut butter on the bone and "hand it" to her as if you would hand a cookie. When I heard that, I wanted to slap my head and say "doh!" Of course Abby opens her mouth for treats!
Today, we spent out time clicking and treating for any tooth on the bone itself. It took a few minutes to get her started as she tried to lick all the peanut butter off the bone, but once most of it was gone, she started to put her teeth on it. At first she seemed confused to be getting clicked and treated just for eating peanut butter, but I think that she was getting the idea towards the end of session. Well, at least, as soon as I offered the bone to her, she immediately put her teeth on it and let go the second I clicked knowing she was going to get a cookie. I think it is going to take a few more sessions of this before she is ready to have the bone on the ground. But Abby is smart and I think that she will eventually get it. But until she completely "gets it" and we can wash the bone, we are going to have to manage it like this:
So far, Abby has done great with the training. I found the perfect object for her, and spent some time getting her touching the object. We spent so much time training it, that Abby will touch her "naughty bone" any where, any time. She LOVES it. This part of the training was very easy as she already has a basic "target", but it was still fun and easy to work on.
Teaching her to open her mouth and put it around the bone was going to be a very messy endeavor. I had a few ideas, but my instructor had the best one when she said to put peanut butter on the bone and "hand it" to her as if you would hand a cookie. When I heard that, I wanted to slap my head and say "doh!" Of course Abby opens her mouth for treats!
Today, we spent out time clicking and treating for any tooth on the bone itself. It took a few minutes to get her started as she tried to lick all the peanut butter off the bone, but once most of it was gone, she started to put her teeth on it. At first she seemed confused to be getting clicked and treated just for eating peanut butter, but I think that she was getting the idea towards the end of session. Well, at least, as soon as I offered the bone to her, she immediately put her teeth on it and let go the second I clicked knowing she was going to get a cookie. I think it is going to take a few more sessions of this before she is ready to have the bone on the ground. But Abby is smart and I think that she will eventually get it. But until she completely "gets it" and we can wash the bone, we are going to have to manage it like this:
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