In A Slump

School and school work has pretty much got me burnt out.  On mornings when I don't have class, I prefer to sleep until noon, which pretty much renders the day useless.  

So, as you can imagine, Marge and I haven't been doing much aside from walks in the neighborhood, in the field, and on the beach.  She's really loving the cold weather - her exercise needs are through the roof and it feels like almost every hour upon the hour she's asking to go out and do something.

Tonight, for the first time in a long time, Marge counter-surfed.  What was scary about this time was that she actually reached up to a loaf of bread that was at the back of the counter.  In the past, her food steals have been items left out and open right at the edge.  She tried to do it again, while I was in the room, but I clapped my hands and told her "off."  I think she thought it was funny, as she came over to me with ears back and tail swooping.  I just hope it doesn't become a habit - I'm thinking today it's due to the fact that she has not gotten enough exercise and mental stimulation this week.

I would have liked to take her to the park or something tomorrow, since we haven't been there in quite some time, but my father needed my car.  So, it looks like it'll just be another day in the neighborhood.

I'm hopeful that once I finish up with school (my last final exam is Thursday), catch up on sleep, and satiate my need for lay-around-and-do-nothing days, that we'll get back into the swing of things.

BTW, I think we're both really missing agility.  Tuesday nights feel so empty without my two hours at the field, and I'm not sure that indoor class is going to be all that fulfilling.  Maybe I'm just a pessimist, though.  Stay tuned to find out what happens on Monday during our first class. 

Looks Like Christmas

Winter came and stung us all in the rear end on Saturday with a nasty snow, rain and ice storm.  Marge was smitten with snow last year when it first started (I believe she had never seen it before then), but was less enthusiastic about it this year, probably because it was so sloppy and wet.  

She stuck to the clearest side of the grass for her potty break - certainly different from what she did during last season's first snow, when she tried to eat it all.

Our Christmas tree was brought home yesterday.  Marge was very interested in all the activity and watched with great focus as my dad seated it in its stand.  She sniffed all the boxes full of decorations and ornaments as they were brought down from the attic.

Since our house finally looks Christmasy, I decided today was time for a Marge photo shoot by the tree!

Maybe Next Time

(Please go over to visit Beagle Diary, as dear Cookie has gone on ahead of us as of today.  Our thoughts are with his human and canine family.  He was a beautiful and strong little dog, well loved by his people.)

Practice today was, by no means, bad or not worth it.  In fact, considering the massive distractions that I didn't forsee being present, I think Marge did very, very well.

That said, I've decided to pass on the February CPE trial.  Though I absolutely adore the security of competing indoors,  it is obvious that Marge does not yet share those same feelings.  While I have hope that, eventually and with more practice, Marge will be able to attend indoor trials, it would be absolutely foolish to do it now, when we've still got a whole lot of training and learning ahead of us.

She rode very well in the car. It was probably the longest continuous car ride that's she's been on. Long Island is notorious for traffic, and we hit a little bit in both directions.  She slept most of the time.  She wears a harness with a special seat belt connector in the car for safety, since a crate doesn't fit nor would it be well-received by Marge.  This picture was taken during Marge's first moments over the Verrazano Bridge and into Brooklyn.  

It turns out there was another class or lesson going on in the other section of the building.  It sounded like a puppy or beginner obedience class based on the squeaky voices and lavish praise.  If that wasn't enough, the entrance to this agility ring was right near the main entrance, so dogs and people were going by.  Oh, and the really loud LIRR train that roared by and blared its horn wasn't helpful, either.

Despite the noise, Marge really had no problem running.  We didn't really do any courses.  Although they told me I could move equipment around, I elected not to.  I felt that short sequences would be more than enough for a first time at a new place - oh, and contact training, too.

We did have one shut down-ish moment, where I tried to play the treat game with Marge to get her confidence back up, and she decided that she didn't want to eat the treats I was throwing for her to chase.  I'd say the beginning of the session and the end of the session were best.

A fair amount of peanut butter was doled out when the going got particularly tough.

Here's our video. You can hear some of the many sounds in the background:

Just some quick notes:

• Marge's (green) dog walk was pitifully slow, but seemed to be old and rickety, and made a lot of noise.  I included it in the video because I liked her contact performance. She was lightning fast over the smaller, blue dog walk.
• Marge's weaves were perfect tonight.  Slower than I'm used to, but totally accurate.  I think the speed issue was probably a combination of stress and being on mats instead of grass.  I wonder if the spacing was different compared to the set we use at our club, because I really found it strange that she nailed them every time after an admittedly not-so-hot performance the last time.
• She was fine through the chute, actually pretty excited for it because the cloth was light (easy to push through) and she hasn't seen it in a while.
• I avoided the teeter like the plague - it was the LOUDEST teeter I've ever heard.  I put her on it once and let it drop and it banged so loud that I'm really surprised she didn't run off it (she maintained her position perfectly).

Now, please, let's talk about the dang A-Frame. I am at a loss on what I want my contact criteria to be.  First, I wanted running contacts.  Then, it was changed to 2o2o.  Now, in this video, I'm thinking running again.. specifically, modified running, with a stop at the bottom (most likely a stand, though I know a down is traditional).  

I don't know if it's coincidence, if it was a bad A-Frame, or what, but she soooo didn't look comfortable getting in to contact position.  I feel bad, now, watching the runs where I put my hands on my waist and playfully asked her, "where's your contact?," because, after studying them, she really looks like she was trying to do it, but couldn't for what ever reason.  Then, she compensated by sliding down the obstacle into position.

Her stride seems to naturally hit the contact zone, so I'm wondering if a modified running contact might be the way to go.  The way she's performing her 2o2o now doesn't look like it could be good for the joints. 

I'm going to talk to my instructor about this and the weave issue.  (Class is starting back up next week, and there are only three other dogs!) It's so hard to gauge exactly how well she's performing right now because we're indoors and working with limited equipment, limited space, and different footing.  But, there is always the chance something else is going on that could be affecting her A-Frame or weave performance, and I am toying with the idea of finally getting her hips X-rayed and/or looking into something like massage or chiropractic adjustment for her.  I know she'd hate undergoing any of the above, though.

All in all, it was a good experience.  I do think that Marge would feel better about training there if we were to do it multiple times.  Despite the fact that competing here is off the table for this season, I don't think it would be a bad idea to go back sometime now that we both know what to expect.

Here We Go Again..

The agility news I spoke about earlier this week is actually the first installation of what may be the journey to our second agility trial.

Long story short, I honestly do not have a whole lot of options for places to trial with Marge. 

Number one, she's not purebred, so that knocks dozens of AKC trials right off of the table.  (Yes, AKC is implementing their mixed-breed program, but AKC trials, in my experience, are usually very busy anyway, and significantly more intense in terms of general atmosphere than other venues.)  

Number two, it is not my goal to travel far with Marge - I do not want to compete heavily with her, I think it'd be unfair to either of us, given all the work that goes in to it on her end and mine.  That takes away a lot of trials, too.  NADAC is not very widespread in my area - maybe 4 trials a year within a one hour radius of me (and most of them are in the sweltering heat of the summer).  There is a little bit of CPE around, but almost all of the trial sites are indoors and from I hear the spaces are TIGHT.  I would be foolish to try to squeeze her into a building packed full of people for a trial that I wasn't confident about.

Number three, because of her fearful nature, I need to make sure trial sites are comfortable for her, but secure in the event of a problem.  Of course, I make every effort to be sure that Marge is comfortable while running, but, strange things can always happen.

Given all these special considerations, I decided to give a February 2010 CPE Trial about 1 1/2 hours away, indoors at a large dog training facility, a second look.  A few months to prepare, ways to get Marge used to the place, larger than some other indoor trial sites from the sounds of it, and, from the looks of it, situated in a pretty quiet area (we will, undoubtedly, hang outside in between runs).  The trial itself is not very large - less than 400 runs per day, and only three or four classes per day.

I originally did not want any part of the indoor trial scene, at least not for this year.  Over all, I still don't want any part of it.  However,  I've made arrangements for tomorrow to take Marge to the training center that's hosting the trial for one hour of private ring time.  Obviously, this pales in comparison to the buzz of an indoor trial, but hey, you have to start somewhere, right?  If this goes well, I may take her back out there for run-throughs or even a match.  They seem to have a lot of agility events and training opportunities.

(Of course, if I plan on entering the February trial, I'm going to have to send the entry in soon, regardless of how sure I am that I'll even be competing.  I think for now we're going to stick to two runs - Regular and Colors. But, before I get ahead of myself, let's see how this goes first.)

There will be no other classes going on at the time of my rental, which is good.  I did have some fear that Marge would be confused by hearing, but not seeing, other people and dogs working in adjacent rooms of the building, but this will hopefully be a non-issue.  It looks like I picked a pretty quiet time to go.

All equipment will be available to me, which is another reason I liked this opportunity.  I don't get to practice on contact equipment often, so even if the February trial doesn't happen for what ever reason, this is still good practice.

I have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow.  The presence of agility equipment usually makes everything ten times better for Marge, but, at the same time, this will be pretty different than anything she's done before.  I guess it all remains to be seen.  Just wish us luck, hope that Marge is enamored with the whole thing so that we can both have fun.

And, of course, a huge thanks to my boyfriend for taking me out there.  None of this would be possible without him..

Paws in the Sand

I'm on a break at college, stranded here without my trusty car (which needed work done on it), frustrated because my texts aren't sending to my boyfriend (we like each other, but our phones don't), who is supposed to be picking me up several hours from now.  My internet connection is mostly nonexistent because of my location smack-dab in the middle of campus on a cold concrete outdoor bench.

What better time for writing a MargeBlog to remind me of the pooch I'm going home to?

As I hinted yesterday, Marge and I took a walk all alone on the beach yesterday.  It lasted about an hour and spanned about 1.25 miles each way.  That's a fairly long way when you're trudging through sand!

When we got there, Marge spotted the last vestiges of the now-gone beach season.  As I've mentioned, dogs aren't allowed on certain New York City beaches during the warm months, but, in the winter time, they become paradise for dogs like Marge who'd rather walk with no one around.

Though the strip of beach isn't that wide, you still can't see over the dunes of sand to the path where joggers and bikers are usually found. It gives the illusion of being totally isolated. The sounds of the ocean, when the tide is rough, also helps to mask outside sounds.

Marge turned to look back at me, urging me to catch up.

And so we continued on as she wished, her agile black body moving swiftly across the wet sand.

Next, we explored one of the jettys. The tide was low and quiet, so we were able to walk alongside it.  Marge stretched out to retrieve a treat that I had dropped, careful to not let the water gobble her up.

At the next jetty, Marge stood tall and looked out at the vast expanse of sand around her. This was quite a ways away from the first one pictured, but I didn't take many pictures in between since the sand can be kind of a boring background sometimes.

After walking through a field of beach grass and getting temporarily spooked by someone yelling loudly on the other side, we reached this old formation.  It appears to be part of an old boat dock or something, and it's on a part of the beach that isn't used much even in the warm months, as far as I know.

Our final stop was one more jetty. We were now approaching the busy boardwalk and I surmised that Marge wanted a drink of water, so after this plummet down on to the sand, we started back the way we came.

We ran for some of the way back, though I tired out quickly. For the short time it lasted, it was exhilarating to move at such fast speed with Marge. If not for the fact that Marge was eager to get back, I may have dropped the long line. Here, she poses one last time after our little sprint, a total contrast to the sun reflection on the water behind her.

One final shot before we climbed upwards back towards the path, which I spoke about yesterday in the training update.  

Needless to say, we were BOTH tired after this voyage!  Still, it's usually great fun when we go out together, and I'm glad to have these scenic and special walks with her.  Perhaps that's one positive of having a fearful dog - I'm forced to walk in beautiful places and take myself away from busy life in the city.

Tuesday Training 16

It's been a while since I've had enough stuff for a full length training update, so here goes.

Guests Galore
Thanksgiving brought my paternal grandmother and one of my aunts to my house in addition to my family and my maternal grandmother (who Marge sees all the time).

As usual for non-regular people, I brought Marge outside in the back yard while they entered the house. She still does not do well with actually seeing the person come through the door. My 90-something grandmother was not a threat to her at all; Marge likes her very much, in fact. However, my dad was walking in with her, and it takes some effort (she uses a walker to walk), so it was certainly best that Marge was out of the way.

Marge was very curious about the walker and really had no problem with it being used in the room near hear. I joked that that would be the only part of the TDI test that Marge could ever pass.

My aunt, on the other hand, did scare Marge a little bit when she initially came in, probably because she was right near the door as Marge came in from the yard. Otherwise, she was fine, bopping my aunt with her nose and trying desperately to get her to give her snacks. She entertained with a couple of tricks as well.

Today marked the return of one of Marge's favorite people to my house, my sister's mathematics tutor. In the past, Marge had gotten to the point where she could be inside the house as the tutor entered, but, since it has been a while, I brought her outside. If she comes often enough, I have no doubt that she'll make Marge's "regular list" once again.

Teaching Clean Up

A few of you asked for the specifics of my "clean up" trick.  I made a video tutorial of it a while ago.  You can find it here. I don't know how good it is, but I hope it helps a little bit!

And, a New Trick

I've begun teaching Marge, thanks to the help of Lucy and Walter's mom, how to teach Marge to beg/sit pretty.  She's catching on quite quickly.  I've been simply using luring to get her in to position; I have NO idea how to shape this behavior or if it's even possible.  She's doing best in the kitchen corner on a mat, which prevents slippage.  She definitely wobbles a little bit, so hopefully after a little while it'll help to strengthen her core muscles (in addition, of course, to being really really cute).

Cratework Again

I've been awful about desensitizing Marge to the gigantic crate that I bought over the summer.  It's been in the trunk of my car for about six weeks.  I finally took it out the other day and set it up for her.  As I type this, she's working on a frozen Kong that's got a concoction of left over food in it and seems to be doing fine.  She napped in it with the door rolled up before as well.

Walks by Day, Walks by Night

I blogged a couple of weeks ago about the difficulties of walking Marge at night.  I considered giving up the ritual, but I have continued it in some form.  I usually skip Saturday night and I let quite a few different factors dictate how long or short it is.

Last night's walk was strange, as she was much more keen on walking on the concrete, residential/commercial side of the street rather than the grassy side bordering the field.  That was about a 40 minute walk and a rather good one at that.  I do plan on walking her tonight, but, since we walked for about an hour this afternoon (that post will come tomorrow or Thursday) and did some backyard agility/rally after dinner, tonight's walk will likely be short.

Sunday, Louie and I took her on a spectacular walk through the field and to the beach.  Despite the decent number of people out enjoying the good weather, Marge was actually VERY good.  The highlight of the walk came on the way back, when Marge barely paid any attention to three young boys in soccer uniforms walking in very close proximity to us.  Her walk that night was awesome as well.

Our Old Stomping Grounds

I took a leap of faith today and walked Marge along the asphalt path at the beach that I credit with basically changing her life and helping her to relax outdoors during the summer of 2008.  There were very few people around and no screaming children, so it seemed to be a perfect day to get back out there.

We only walked on it for a few minutes, mostly on the way back from a secluded walk on the sand (again, more on that soon!), but I was pleased with her.

Her tail is kind of low here, but it always seems to droop when she is sniffing something for a long time.  Displacement sniffing?  Maybe, but the pee mail that I'm sure is found all over around here is enticing, too.

By the time we were almost back to the car, her tail came up and was eventually carried way over her back. I know she couldn't have been too scared because when she's nervous, she'll usually try to jet back to the car without taking any detours with her nose. This time, she wanted to sniff and explore a little more before we returned.

Again, more on this walk tomorrow - just figured I'd get the training/behavior portion out of the way today!

We also have some potentially big stuff coming up later in the week. Think Agility (naturally). Cross your paws for us too (though I promise we'll explain ourselves soon!).

One of Those Nights

Tonight was just one of those agility practices where my setup and I just didn't gel that well.  

I had two courses in mind with the set up.  The first turned out to be pretty good, and is the one in the video.  

Breaking it down:

• I liked starting with the tire because, previously, Marge's start lines at tires have not been good.  Didn't seem to be a problem tonight.  
• Came in between the 180 to go out to the red tunnel, and here I encountered some trouble.  It seems that I turned my body/shoulders too quickly, before Marge committed to the tunnel, and that led to her veering off to the side in the first take.  I added an OUT command (something I almost never use) and that seemed to help.  
• Coming into the second, blue tunnel was tricky for Marge.  I had to wait back to pull her in to it, but I couldn't wait too far back because the weaves were next.  With subsequent repetitions, she started to get it.  
• Her weaves were alright tonight.. not as good as I would have liked, not too terrible either.  I don't know whether to be worried about it or not, because her weaves are fine at all (albeit usually at reduced speed).  Starting to wonder if the spacing is different..
• That front-crossy thing between the weaves and jump seemed better than a back cross, those possibly less efficient.
• She hasn't seen the table in quite some time.  The fact that it was a low table did throw her off a bit, but there was NO way I was lugging out the heavy, big one.  
• She did nicely down the line from jump to tunnel, and had no problem figuring out that the tire was the next obstacle.  The rest is straightforward.

Critique, please, critique!

My second sequence was disastrous, way too hard for Marge and way too small for the room I was in, so I scratched it.  But, I couldn't really think of anything better to put (I had some other courses scribbled on paper, but they, too, seemed to be too big for the room) so we did a lot of drill-type stuff.. back crosses into the tunnel, weaves after the tunnel, bounce jumps..

Speaking of bounce jumps, does any one know how the heck to figure out the correct spacing?  Marge either seemed to be constantly straining over them or, if they're too far apart, taking extra strides in between.  Perhaps I should have left the bounce jumps at 16" for another week..

I felt so bad.  On one attempt, Marge went crashing through the final jump and seemed a little discombobulated after, a little hesitant to go over the jump again.  I then decided that we'd all had enough of the bounces and spread them out for her to boost her confidence back up.  I ended the night with a couple of easy 270's.  

I guess I am caught in a never-ending battle between a) wanting to work on specific skills, b) wanting to run a 10-14 obstacle sequence because it's more fun for both of us, c) dealing with the reality that the space is VERY narrow and d) the fact I have no experience putting a course together.  Perhaps next time I should stick to the saying that less is more, and do more drill-type stuff with Marge, since it's what the space is really best for, and end with a couple of very easy 7 or 8 obstacle sequences in the end to keep it fun for her.

I'm definitely missing the input from my instructor, and am relieved that plain ol' classes are starting back up hopefully a week from Monday.  If anyone has any drill/sequence ideas, I'd appreciate the input.  Right now, I have 5 jumps, a tire, 2 tunnels, 12 weaves and a table available.  I'm hoping that the number of jumps and tunnels will increase when the equipment is brought in from the field outside.  Oh, and the space is about 85' x 25', though I prefer to only use about 60' of the long direction.  Ideas, please, ideas!

And, for fun, some pictures from the night, courtesy of my sister..

My only hope is that Marge still had fun tonight despite the technical difficulties of setting stuff up; I think she did, for at least a good portion of the time. However, looking back, the biggest problem I have is probably not rewarding her enough (not so much in this sequence, but in others, especially with the weaves) and being a little bit stressed out about getting stuff out, putting it away, leaving on time, doing some productive, etc. Maybe next time we'll take a step back and do a sequence we've already done, or just one big circle, or smaller set ups that are less intense in every sense of the word.