1st in Beginners - YAY

We have finally done it! Jesse and I won our first Beginners today at BAGSD Southern Area. Jesse worked a lovely round with only one blip at the end of heelwork where he came right off my leg before sitting in the right position. Everything else was really great. AND he did clear stays! :-)

We were tied 1st all the way through, but the other lady got deducted 1/4 for fidgeting in the stays, so we ended up first without having to do a run off! For once, luck was on our side.

I am so over the moon! Totally happy.

In addition, we got a winners picture taken by the official photographer (Dave Scott).

Also, for the first time ever Jesse relaxed in the car for a little while rather than sitting a staring and he even talked nicely to a puppy for the first time ever.

And to round it all off, we were asked to do some heelwork and recall for an obedience promotion video - so Jesse has just been a star from beginning to end. So proud of my boy!

And ANOTHER THIRD! What's going on... LOL

We went to St. Edwards today. Jesse worked a beautiful round, fabby heelwork (although he got distracted on one turn, I have no idea what it was he looked at), nice set exercises. He got docked 2 1/4... the lowest score we have ever had. BUT... then he went and broke the sit stay exercise on return again like last week (though he did the down stay fine). That cost me 3/4 of a point and one place. But it didn't cost me the first place thank god because the very last dog in the ring did a better round than us and took first place - a clear stay would have made no difference there.

But I am really happy at how Jesse worked again today. He also did a really nice Novice training round. (Just need to sort these blooming stays out again now...).

What a big rosette

Me bro did it...

Well done, bro...

ANOTHER THIRD!

I can't believe it, but we got another third... looks like we are stuck on the yellow one this season... LOL

Jesse worked beautifully though, so happy, up for it, enthusiastic - I have nothing to complain about... except the stays which he both broke on return. Not sure why, but I think perhaps the dog that went up to him last time upset him more than I thought and he now doesn't feel very secure anymore. We'll do lots of practice and proofing, so hopefully we will get the solid stays again for next time (which is bank holiday Monday at St. Edwards).

Anyway, we got a third again. the broken stays cost him a second place, luckily not a first - that would have mightily annoyed me. LOL

We also did a lovely Novice training round and he was great too. He has started to yap a bit in the ring now that he has found his confidence, so need to work on that a bit... very carefully though as I don't want to stop his enthusiasm again! So happy though how he is in the ring at the moment. :-)

 

Here's my show report by judge Brian Olby

3rd; 328 / Vera with Jesse, American Cocker Spaniel
Jesse worked her little socks off for her Mum today but lost a little too much on heelwork. Clear retrieve and lost only a half on recall. I am sure you will be out of beginners soon. Well done on your 3rd place today.

 

Brian Olby also kindly sent me the line up picture, how lovely is that. :-)

 

 

Eye cyst

Took Jesse to the vet again today as the eye infection still hasn't cleared properly. Mark said that he has a cysts in the eye (the white spot I could see). He gave me different antibiotics and we will see whether these work. If not, then the cysts may have to be surgically removed. Bum.... let's hope the new drops work.

3rd place AGAIN in Halstead

Today, Jesse and I went a bit further - and alas, it was almost into Suffolk... LOL Not far to Diss from there. :-)

Anyway, we got there nice and early. First I did a Novice training "round" with him, which wasn't really a round, but just about five heelwork set ups. The first couple he did his usual switching off, I got the slightest hand touch from him and ran out of the ring to reward. By the third one he realised that paying attention got him treats and by the fourth one he was totally with me. For the last one I set him up (with the steward giving the normal instructions each time - thanks Jo Hill) and did a couple of steps, ran out and rewarded loads and he was fab.

Then when it was time for Beginners, Jesse was right with me from the start. I also have started doing a couple of static movements and sideways movements with him when setting him up, that seems to get his attention and gets him going. His HOL was great, only lost 1.5 points!!! Best ever I think! The rest was ok too. In the retrieve, we had some bad luck as he found a treat just before he dived onto the dumbbell. He sniffed it out and ate it, then on recommending him, he went to pick the dumbbell up and brought it straight back without any further sniffing. I was really pleased that he didn't lose it completely after that or try to go back and sniff more!
Then in the stays, it hit us again. In the sit stays, the dog next to him (a Border Terrier) got up and walked up to him. Jesse didn't notice him at first, but then did and I could see that he was wrangling with the thoughts of going for the terrier or ignoring him - bless him, he (luckily) chose the latter and turned his head away as far as he could! The steward then led the terrier away and Jesse completed his stay without braking it! How fabulous is that!

And we missed the red one again, but I am super happy with our third place. Jesse's attitude was great today, he had fun, he mastered two difficult situations, what more can I wish for!

 

 Line Up Picture by Jeff Apps

 

Here is the judge's report:

3rd 294 Mrs. V Marney and WEIAMBEA JESSE JAMES Am. C Spn D Lost 5 3/4 Loved this little dog that did a lovely round of heelwork. But then lost marks on retrieve. Well done on this place.

Training with Kamal and eye infection

On Thursday, 11th July, I took Jesse and Skye to Newham in East London for a 1-2-1 training session with Kamal. It was a really useful and brilliant session and I have taken notes again. With Jesse, I need to focus on rewarding a shoulder touch as he is physically not able to put both his shoulders and head on my leg as his chest is broad. There were other bits and pieces which I need to write down as yet, but by the end of the session Jesse was heeling much closer! It was great.

On Monday, 15th, I had to take him to the vet as he has an eye infection. I am giving him drops every day as advised, though it isn't cleared up yet and the white pussy spot in his eye is also still there, though leaking less puss now.

Training Bonanza

Today, Jesse and I took part at a Training Bonanza, organised by Kamal. We had a great time. We got to do some heelwork training with Jo Hill and John Higgins, and some retrieve and recall training with Kamal as well as a round in the training ring and a couple of stays. It was all very useful indeed and we got a lot of homework to get on with.

Here are the main points I picked up:

Heelwork (Jo Hill/John Higgins):
* Fast food circuits. They need to be so animated that Jesse runs at full pelt, they need to be at a good distance and with me motivating him.
* Get Jesse to find the heel position himself rather than cue him and help him all the time. He needs to want to be in my heel position and get heavily rewarded for it. This will get him motivated to keep up with me and hold the position without me doing the work for him. And in turn I will be able to start trusting him more, which I don't at the moment(eventhough he doesn't really give me any reason not to).

Recall (Kamal):
* I must put Jesse on a variable schedule with all exercises, especially with recall and retrieve though! * To build up Jesse's confidence with these exercises when he is distracted, I need to make them more exciting and faster by getting him to run through legs, getting him to jump up and run away from him etc. And then once in a while to get him into the present properly and heavily reward him.

Retrieve (Kamal):
* Variable schedule as well.
* Building up his confidence by proofing him heavily. We used food, first waved in front of him and click/reward him when he eventually held on to the dumbbell. Then pretend to put a treat on the ground, and again reward when he held on to it. This worked fairly quickly with him. The more confident he gets with holding by proofing it well, the less likely he will be influenced if unsure about something in the ring!

General:
* Put him on a variable schedule with everything.
* Get him to do more for a reward - full rounds during training, not just reward after each exercise.
* Keep motivation up by keeping things moving, motivated, fun and fast!
* Play more, and get him to be able to play around food as well and to be able to switch him on and off when needed.

Learnt so much again! What a great day!

And here's a picture taken by Mari Ylivinkka on the day (we were both a bit windswept).

Warlingham Obedience Show

Today, Jesse and I went to Warlingham Obedience Show. The weather was terrible to start off with though we managed to get a drizzle instead of hard rain to do our Novice training round. Jesse was great, really enjoyed it and up for it. This is where this picture was taken (by Dave Scott).

 

Our Beginners round however wasn't so great... for various reasons. First of all, a whippet walked past us just as we went into the ring and Jesse was distracted straight away as he loves all sighthounds. So he wasn't concentrating so well when we went in. Also the judge was a bit weird and often stood in the way when doing turns which put me off a bit and with that probably Jesse. But hey, these things happen.

 

We had a great time, also did a round in the training ring which Jesse did great - though of course he would as I could have food on me... LOL The weather also cleared up a bit after a while.

 

Tomorrow we are off to the Training Bonanza. Really looking forward to it.

3rd in Beginners

We still haven't quite managed a red one, but Jesse and I got 3rd in Beginners today at Surrey! I am really pleased, particularly also because he did a lovely Novice training round too with lots of enthusiasm and working nicely. So I think we are on the right track and I can't wait till next Sunday for the Training Bonanza - a training day with various trainers... that should help pushing me towards the red one.

 

And here is the Group picture (by Dave Scott)

 

 

And added on 29th June 2013: the show report

 

3rd. Ms. V. Marney and WEIAMBEA JESSE JAMES. American Cocker. Losing 4.3/4 and winning r/o with the following dog. When Jesse puts his mind to it he can do some lovely high stepping heelwork, not as good as I have seen him work but good enough to get this place. Also a very big 'step in' on the heelfree probably cost you 2nd place. However, it is lovely to see other breeds in this sport and you have worked jolly hard with Jesse. Well done.

 

Teaching something useful

On Sunday, I thought I'd teach the spaniels something useful in the park... searching for my keys. LOL