I'm too impatient. Really. I think one fo the downsides of BCs is that I tend to push them too far too fast because they're so great at guessing and reading my body language. So I expect too much too soon.

So today I was back to basics with Kenzi. Going around the yard in and out of high distraction areas (easy to do, live next to a woods with cats, sheep and chickens) just asking for focus and highly rewarding that focus.

This afternoon after work I grabbed my little sister and we went out to the woods and just did motivational recalls. Kenzi loved it. Did perfect.

I'm going to make it a point to keep up this highly motivational focus training for the next two weeks and see what kind of a differnce it makes. I suspect I'll see a big improvement.

And last week I went back to work with Kipp on calm behavior. I had let that slide and he was getting way too worked up at times. So back to practicing rewarding calm downs. Lo and behold his self control is improving again.

Maybe one of these days I'll learn... At least I have dogs that put up with me!!

..that's a common training experience is it not? I just read Donaldson's new book and I really like the concept of "push, drop, stick" -PUSH to the next level of distractions and/or duration when the dog has demonstrated that he clearly knows the command, "DROP" down to an easier level when he shows he's missing it enough to need review, and "STICK" at the level where you are when he's mostly responding correctly but it's still not really hard wired yet.
Knowing these levels of aptitude is part of the art of training maybe.
I'm with you -I have a youngster -and I think I can push it too fast sometimes!
Our Intro to Agility class is tonight -I'll let you know!!

So today with Kenzi I played focus games and tug. We went around the chickens, the barn, and just throughout the yard. She did great. A couple times when I did ask her to do something else there was no hesitation, no loss of focus, she did it and immediately refocused on me. Nice.

Now to keep reminding myself - keep it simple, keep it simple, keep it simple for the next two weeks

And of course, the day after I decide to do this it turned truly nasty outside. Strong wind, cool temps and drizzly rain. Yuck! But I've been out twice today to work with her and I'll get out one more time before it gets dark

Hey Hilarie - how was agility??