Session #20 April 25th

So, I have been absent for a few sessions on the blog only because it has been extremely busy, and we spent quite a bit of time on Step #5. Gilley is doing really well with Step #6 & she has practiced at several different fields now, done the practice jump at a show, our backyard, the playroom at work, and the field at work. Now, we are going to start introducig the Broad Jump, Tire, Double, and Triple. Whew! Jumping just became a full time job! Lovin' it... and so is she. Here we are just having a bit of fun :)

Session #15 & #16 April 6th & 8th

Gilley cracked me up because she got so excited to start jumping this day! (Tuesday, April 6th) Listen to her barking!



So, I do see all that I am doing wrong here, but it was our first crack at Step 5 in DJS (yes, we're still on the foundation jumping skills!) The object is for Gilley to move away from me, over the jump, and circle around for the treat on the side I am closest to and get her treat on the TAKE-OFF side. But my problem then became, how do I set her up to take the jump at an angle most congruent to her circling around to my side, or is this a skill she should already know? RTH? She started doing a figure '8' and also taking the jump towards me - back-jumping in this case. Hmmmm, you can see I don't quite know what to do.



Then FINALLY I came up with an idea. Light dawns on marble head and I put the jump against the wall so I don't have to shape the right direction! Amen, hallelujah, glory be, I finally got it! Then, I just switched sides to work the other direction. I started pulling the jump a foot off the wall in this vid. More on the right track... she is not nearly as excited in the last video, a bit sluggish... so I held this session after a bath when she was rather frisky! Aaaaah, just one step at a time... I think I am finallly figuring this step out for myself, but needs work. For today, am satisfied :) Plus, I got to see my girl really happy retrieving today and running full blast after our session.... makes it all fun and worth it, for her most of all :)