|
Hey Diddle, Diddle…….
This is not going to be about the Cat and the Fiddle, but if you find
yourself diddling and fiddling about whenever you go training, here are some
thoughts.
Go out training with a program in mind.
Do not show up and decide to do a drill just because it is one you
remember, have a goal before you even head out for training.
This doesn’t mean you can’t spontaneously change what you had in mind
if you get to your field and find due to heavy rains, there are pot holes that
weren’t there before. See if you
can modify what you had in mind to take advantage of the pot holes.
This is especially important if you are training with a group.
Often time is wasted while everyone stands around deciding what they are
going to do that day and what each dog really needs.
Finally, someone says “let’s put a mark there” and someone else
suggests another mark, and you do a setup based on that.
If you train alone, sit down at the first of the week and review just
what you wish to accomplish and what your dog needs.
Work out a program which will have your dog progressing in a logical
manner toward your primary goal whether it is to earn a WC, a JH, or a MH title
on your dog. If you can outline a
month’s training, it is better yet. Revisions
can be made, but it is important to have a step by step program in mind.
If you are not sure where to start, go back through some of my previous
articles and you will be given the titles of some good training manuals.
Usually these always list a progression through a training program.
Sometimes revisions need to be made to adapt to conditions such as not
being able to do a swim by while the water in your area is no longer liquid, but
is solid in form. If this occurs,
set some foundations for water work that will stand you in good stead when
liquidity arrives on the scene.
Be honest with yourself as to exactly what strengths and weaknesses your
dog does possess, and start from there. What
drills will help you move forward towards your goal.
Which drills can be built upon to continue adding strengths and
decreasing weaknesses? Do you need
to back up and simplify or are you not challenging your dog enough and both the
dog and you are becoming bored? Think
about the areas you have open in which to train and which offers terrain or
water that will keep you advancing and how best you can utilize the assets those
areas have to offer to you.
Keeping a notebook that briefly describes what you did with your dog
during each training session, the dog’s attitude and competence will help you
in setting up your program. Review
your notebook periodically to see if you have left out steps, if you are making
progress (and sometimes this progress may be coming slowly) and where do you go
next.
When training with a group, it can be complicated.
A pro once told me the most time consuming thing he encountered was when
he asked three eight point judges in his training group to set up a test!
One way around this is to have someone who is knowledgeable set up a test
or series of tests for one week and another person the next week.
I remember suggesting to a group I was with that we work on a concept a
week. We trained on Tuesday and
Thursday and some were able to do further training on a Saturday.
I thought we should pick a concept (such as converging birds, or hip
pockets, etc.) and set up marks which would help to maximize all the dogs’
skills on those concepts. This gave
coherence to the training.
If you do something like this with a group, remember, everyone should run
the test in a manner which benefits their own dog, not necessarily do it the
same way as everyone else. With a
young dog, you can take it as singles and then possibly build on it.
You can move forward to open the test up or back to tighten it up.
Change the angle you run from or the order you do it.
Make sure you individualize it for your dog to maximize the benefits of
your training that day.
Don’t fiddle around, come up with a plan that will keep both you and
your dog advancing towards the goal you have in mind.
When you reach that goal, you can join the cow in jumping over the moon!
-------then start working to reach your next goal. |
|
|