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Posted by: tiptoptraining on 2010-02-02, 05:38:43
Hard to answer since you don't mention what you are doing! I've been doing agility for 15 years, with a variety of breeds and mixes, and each dog has had fun every time we do agility (maybe with some un-fun thrown in the mix, but not often, and less and less as I learn more and more!) If you are setting the dog up to be successful (not making things too difficult too often) and using high value reinforcements (the dog defines what is reinforcing) when the dog is successful (at small steps, not just big ones), your dog should be having a good time. Clean Run magazine always has some great courses and practice set-ups, and there are also some free ones available on their website. Is it possible you're bored? Try setting a small goal for each session, and keeping sessions short. Depending on your dog's skill level, you might have a goal of dog being able to make a weave pole entry, both soft side and hard side, from a chute set up 12 feet away- start with it 20 feet away, get some success, then move it gradually closer- and since you're working on entries, do this with only 4 or 6 poles, so the dog isn't doing too much weaving, and is successful once he's accomplished the entry, don't worry too much if he doesn't do the rest, which is easier for you if there isn't a whole set of poles! I teach Linda Mecklenburg's "recall to heel " positions, so sometimes a session is doing each position over one jump, two jumps, and a tunnel jump combo, and making sure I do them with spread jumps. Other sessions might be devoted to contact work, or implementing (on my part) and understanding (on my dog's part) diffferent cue combinations. Keep it fresh for both you and the dog! |
