First here are Matilda's ribbons from last Saturday's Fast run. I never picked up her Novice Jumpers title ribbon so this the first title ribbon we have. It's very fancy.
I'm trying to figure out how to get Matilda to do poles at a trial. At home she can do them fast from anywhere, any angle, or any distance. I've decided to add big distractions at home to try and equal the distractions and heightened energy/stress level of a trial. I took one of her favorite toys, a ball on a fine line to use as a distraction. I often throw it as a reward for running the weaves.
Today I placed it along side and fairly near the weaves. Then I sent her to weave. On a few tries she started to weave but then pulled out after the toy. On a few other tries other she went straight for the ball. I pulled the ball back with the rope. Finally, she got so she would weave to the end and I rewarded her by tossing the ball forward for her. I'll try this tomorrow with another toy.
I'm trying to figure out how to get Matilda to do poles at a trial. At home she can do them fast from anywhere, any angle, or any distance. I've decided to add big distractions at home to try and equal the distractions and heightened energy/stress level of a trial. I took one of her favorite toys, a ball on a fine line to use as a distraction. I often throw it as a reward for running the weaves.
Today I placed it along side and fairly near the weaves. Then I sent her to weave. On a few tries she started to weave but then pulled out after the toy. On a few other tries other she went straight for the ball. I pulled the ball back with the rope. Finally, she got so she would weave to the end and I rewarded her by tossing the ball forward for her. I'll try this tomorrow with another toy.
Ruben would weave out in the yard totally without me (for his dinner). I'd stand at the doorway and tell him WEAVE and he'd go out about 20 feet, find the entrance and weave his little heart out. I knew then he knew his job. :)