Thursday, May 14, 2009

Utility Class - Week 8

This was week eight of this utility session, and a good time to reflect on the progress we have made in these past eight weeks. Two of my goals for this session were to see improvement in the signal and article exercises. And, I'm pleased to report that I achieved those goals - I am seeing significant improvement in the signals and some improvement in the articles. Before we started this session, avoidance in the signal exercise was a big problem. We had just blown this exercise completely in the February trial because he would not look at me and consequently missed the signals - all of them! Now, he rarely misses a signal, even when there are distractions and he is stressed.

The article exercise is a work in progress. We are still using only five articles, instead of the full set of eight. Tonight in class he went right to work and got both articles quickly. This is the best scent discrimination work he has done in class, so now we will increase the number of articles to six. If he can do these exercises well in the stressful class environment, then I'm more optimistic about entering a trial.

I've been working a lot on heeling this past week. We've been breaking it down in shorter segments and working particularly on right turns and about turns. I'm making it a point now to keep him in heel position constantly, and not give him an opportunity to lag or forge. This means we're working on leash most of the time. We've also been focusing on the change of pace to slow. It was pointed out to me that I was part of the problem because I was slowing down too abruptly, which resulted in his forging. So, I'm working on my footwork and body movements too so I don't give him the wrong cues. It's amazing sometimes what minor body movements dogs can pick up on.

The directed jumping is also a work in progress. He's really slowing down as he gets out toward the gates, and then his sits are really, really slow. I don't think a judge is going to wait for him to sit. However, he does complete the jumping part of the exercise correctly. We just need to figure out how to keep him going at a brisk pace all the way to the gates - and then sit quickly. I'm going to try putting a dowel out for him to retrieve. Maybe if he has a target out there, that will get him focused on going all the way out at a brisk pace.

This video clip is Jackson practicing the signal exercise. If you are not familiar with how the signal exercise is done in AKC utility - the handler can only use hand signals - no verbal commands at all. Failure to respond on any of the signals results in a nonqualifying score.
(You will hear some verbal commands in the video coming from others working in the adjacent ring, so just ignore them!)

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh, that is SO COOL, Jackson!!! I must get my human to teach me signals too! I only know the hand signal for Down - all the other things, my human usually tells me. Can you make up your own signals or do you have to use the ones that they give you?

Oh - and my human wanted to ask your human a bit favour: could she please video all your different exercises to show us? We are so fascinated by this Utility title thing - we just don't have it here in NZ - and it would really nice to see exactly how you do things like "directed retrieve" and "articles". Hsin-Yi is always looking for new challenges for us to try together and she would love to try and teach me some of the cool things you do - even if we don't have the Utility competition here...just for fun! So please do post videos if you can!!

Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane

Unknown said...

Oh sorry! How stupid of me! I just realised that there are some videos in your sidebar!! But more would be great! Especially the one you keep talking about - with the gates and sit and things...

I just watched your "Directed Retrieve" one - am so impressed! How did your human teach you to pick up the cloth? Hsin-Yi tried with me but I just kept spitting it out - I didn't like the feel in my mouth and I wouldn't hold it - I kept turning my head away...so she just gave up for the time being!

Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane

Kathie R said...

Hi Honey,
I will come over to your blog to answer your questions on utility exercises :)

Jackson

The PR Gang said...

Nice video. Jackson looks good. I could only see him just barely lagging for a few steps. The end was really nice where you leave him, down, sit, recall and finish.
Congrats on meeting your goals during your utility class!

Kathie R said...

Thanks PR Gang!