Wednesday, 12 March 2008

Training Tia

As it's been mega windy the last few days I haven't done any agility with Tia since Crufts (where she/I were sooo hopeless I'm not even going to go into it!) ... more on the windiness later!

Although I can't teach Tia too many tricks as she muddles them with her obedience work I have taught her several very basic ones over the winter, to try and teach her to balance herself a bit better. I've taught her beg, crawl, and to lift her back legs on to a box.

I've also taught her the 'circus elephant' trick, and to stand in a 2o2o position with her back legs on the box, and reverse her front feet on to the box so all 4 feet are on it. I've been clickering her and she does offer some funny things trying to get me to click, the latest being in the 2o2o position and lifting her back leg in the air, she loves lifting her back legs up now! It's improved her awareness of them soooo much!

The last 'trick' that I taught her today isn't so much of a trick but I thought it may come in useful... someday. She stands again in the 2o2o position on the box and then I get her to 'stretch' as far forward as she can without taking her back legs off the box, its really good actually as she really has to think about keeping her back legs still, and not stepping off the box.

Funny really, a year ago there would be no way on earth I'd have been able to get Tia to try out all these tricks, and offer behaviours - she was always too het up about making mistakes, but she doesn't worry now, in fact the more behaviours she offers, the more I laugh, and the more crazy she gets!

And lastly, the 'wind'... dad took my equipment down a few days ago as it's mentally windy here, and then this morning the neighbour called out 'coooeeeee' so dad went to have a look and she said "oooh hello, we have your flume" lololol what she actually meant was the flat tunnel had blown over the 6ft fence into her garden!!! I hope this wind stops soon, my seesaw will be in their garden next!!

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