# Please critique? (Figure 8 work)



## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

Well, you guys really lashed in to me last time with my shoddy Figure 8 work, and I am thankful for it! I have been working with an experienced obedience person (and went to a few classes) and think we have improved.

I have lost the bounce step and have, for the most part, stopped adjusting my pace to Marge (it looks like I am still shortening my steps ever so slightly on the outside loop).

Without a doubt, taking the inside loop first is what Marge likes best. I tried switching it up and she did not like it and lagged the whole way. My friend says she needs that straightaway between the first and second loop to get her speed up. I am pleased with how she is chugging around that outside loop.

The biggest problem is definitely the halts. I am working on it by heeling up against a wall. It's really weird, because she generally finishes straight, but always pops her butt out on halts..

Unfortunately had to take the sound out because my sister was talking through the whole thing.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

She pops her butt out because she is looking at your face (common issue with larger dogs BTW). Still and all this is very nice work. I might find her lagging just a tiny bit on the outside and going wide, but not sure I real live judge would say the same thing. 

Nice work. You about ready to try for your CD?


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## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

Yup! We're going to do UKC first (smaller trial and everything) in June and August. Hoping to finish the U-CD between those two trials. There is an AKC trial in August that I'm sort of 50-50 on whether I'm going to enter or not. I'm not sure how much OB I want to do with her. Entry fees are darn expensive and agility is totally wiping me out (as well as my desire to *finally* get in to riding again)

The Stand for Exam has turned out to be not a problem for her at all; if you recall, that's the exercise I was worried about the most. But we've practiced a lot in class and also at a match (with a person Marge had never met before). She will never SFE for a male judge and that is OK - I'm willing to work around that, at least for the time being. I also don't anticipate going all the way through to Utility and since there is no SFE in Open, I think we'll be OK.

And naturally, she loves the recall over the high jump in UKC Novice. 

Her stays are pretty solid and although I'll practice the UKC honor a bit (both as Honor Dog and Working Dog), I don't forsee that being an issue for her.

I'd say our weakest exercise right now is the offleash heeling. It's by no means horrible, but she seems to be more likely to lose her position for some reason. I tried to get some heeling video but it didn't come out that great. Hopefully soon.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Atka does GREAT at class, in the park, at home. She gets in the ring and I lose her and she stresses. I have been taking her and heeling in places she stresses now. She is not a happy camper but the idea is to make it a good experience and *try* to get her to understand that focus on me = relief of stress from environmental factors. I do not know if I will be greatly successful with this. Our two big weaknesses are off leash heeling and between exercises where she loses focus and lags (both stress signs). 

To that end, we are in May 13 and again May 21/22 in GN and Open A. Tonight is class (open run thru) and I have great help there too. 

If I posted a video of my dog training and then another one of her in a show, you would wonder if this is the same dog.... She disconnects from people. She LOVES people but after she has been silly with them, she walks away and this includes me. Put her on sheep and she is another dog (but I do not have the farm and sheep or cattle anymore). 

Expenses are up there with gas at $4 a gallon and riding.. I am jealous of you going back to that (in a positive way). 

Life is for living.


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## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

She is lagging a little bit on some of the turns, you might try picking up speed going around those turns and see if that catches her in her lapse of focus, that is what I do when my dogs lag and they catch on pretty quick that they are suppose to be up with me, not behind. Once they come up to me, they get a nice reward, be it treat or toy. 

As for heel off leash, do you have a tab? Tabs are great for catching a lagging/forging dog and making them come up to you, the dog barely feels that they have a leash on. Sometimes dogs like the freedom of no leash a little too much, and they need to be reminded that they are still working.


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