SPLAT

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I was just going crazy with all the different words for down I was creating. Flop, for the lay on one hip and don't whine down-stay down. Down for the throw away just lay down down. And the one I've been working on recently SPLAT. After a lot of false starts my criteria for splat became get down fast without touching the barrier in front of you. The barrier started out as a broad jump board on it's side. Now it's down to a jump bar, which I should be able to fade soon. The video clip shows a splat from a recall, one or two on a verbal from a stand, and the last one is on a hand signal (that you can't see since my flip was set too close to get me in it. I think it's coming along nicely, now that I have an actual criteria for it that I can reinforce.



Yes, I know he hit the pole in the first one, but I gave it to him because he slips on my mat, and I kind of like the sliding down :) On the video he anticipated the first verbal splat, that I didn't catch in real time...which is why I love video!

Downs

To think there was a time in my life when I thought down just meant the dog was lying down on the ground. Now I worry about all these little details: are the elbows all the way down on the floor, which goes down first, elbows or butt, how fast is the dog going down, does he flop on his butt...

So I managed to totally un-teach Rumi the down. When I went to meet Laura for lessons she pointed out I had totally let my drop criteria go out the window (although she was much nicer about it!) I should probably back up and say I had already started re-doing his long down. He had the bad habit (which I obviously had let develop) of whining and flopping back and forth on his hip. I was getting pretty convinced sooner or later a judge would NQ us. So I had taught him to flop over on one hip and stay there. At the same time I had decided no sound would be allowed on a flop. It was coming along nicely. So I was using "Down" as a settle command. Just go lie down while I'm talking, setting jumps, whatever and I don't care if you creep, whine, if you break it I just tell you to down again and ignore it....a throw away command. So I hand't thought about where that left his drop/fold back down.

So I went home deciding I needed yet another command for yet another down...3 down commands...really? So out comes the clicker and I start to re-shape the down using a barrier (a broad jump board). But Rumi was dropping so fast that from the front I couldn't really tell how he was dropping so I was more careful what I clicked, which was elbows down first. However, having a dog that is easy to shape has it's draw backs if you are only an average shaper. In no time I had a perfectly shaped bow...sigh...

So I have caved a little. My new criteria...go down fast and without paws touching the board. how you get there is up to you. I just can't see what is going on with his body when standing in front and with his speed. I'm thinking my new word will be Splat, because that's kind of what he's doing with his body. Video soon :) And yes, that dang bow creeps in every once in a while. How come the wrong behaviors are sooo hard to extinguish :)