CRO Level II Course 3

The Course Signs

Lily

(1)

Lily

(2)

Syn
(1)

Syn
(2)

CRO Level II Course 1

The Course Signs

Lily

(1)

Lily

(2)

Syn 

(1)

Syn

(2)

With the assistance of Cathy, Wendi and Hannah......and 4 Flips!  Distraction provided by Rooster, Monty and Eli.  And the 2 fence painters.

CRO Level II Course 10

The Course Signs

Lily

(1)

Syn
(1)

Nad
(1)

Syn
(2)



Lily
(2)

CRO: Mini-course

Level II  Course 10  Signs 13 - Finish

13.  Stop. 360.  Dog Outside
14.  Call Front.  Dog 360
15.  Left Turn
16.  Left Turn
17.  270 Right
18.  270 Left
19.  360 Right
20.  360 Left
(17 - 20 are repeating 1 - 4, but now in Heel position)

Location:  Base Track Parking Lot

NOTE: 13 should be performed as a pivot

Stop. 360°in Place. Dog Outside. – The team stops. If the dog is sitting next to the handler, the dog will stand to do the pivot. Without moving forwards or backwards, the team pivots in place 360 degrees with the dog on the outside of the pivot. In Heel position, the team will pivot clockwise. In Side position, the team will pivot counterclockwise. During the pivot, the team will maintain position (Heel or Side). The team must pause in the Stop position before performing the 360.

NOTE: 14 should be Dog 360

Dog 360°- The team may stop or may continue moving forward for this sign. The dog turns/spins 360 degrees at the handler’s side and returns to position (Heel or Side). The dog may turn either clockwise or counterclockwise on either side of the handler.

Mini-courses in a variety of locations for focus and attention.  Sometimes I do them on my right, sometimes on my left.  This mini-course contains lots of turns; no transitions.  I need to check what the correct finish is to 14.  The behaviors aren't a problem for Lily once she focuses.  Duh!  Generalizing with assorted distractions.

Tomorrow we'll go out and run a mini-course of #1 - 12.  The jump and the cones are already loaded in the car.  Setting up and running half a course is about my max effort (on a good day).  It will be interesting to see if a stationary camera can follow the entire course.

 1.  270 Right

 2.  270 Left

 3.  360 Right

 4.  360 Left

 5.  90 Transition Left
 6.  Stop. Sit. Stand
 7.  Stop. Sit. Down. Walk around 

 8.  Single Serpentine 

 9.  Schutzhund Turn  

10.  Spiral Right

11.  Call Front. Dog 360

Call Front. Dog 360°. – While moving forward, the handler stops forward motion and may back up several steps (optional), calling the dog to Front position. The dog may stand or sit in Front position. The dog must pause in Front position, either standing or sitting. The dog turns/spins 360 degrees and returns to Front position. The dog may turn either clockwise or counterclockwise. The handler cues the dog to the position in which they approached the station (Heel or Side). The team may pause or not before moving forward.

12.  Single Jump. Figure 8

And then perhaps on Sunday we will repeat today's mini-course, correcting the handler misconceptions!

CRO: Level II - Course 10 P: The Next Sequence

The next goal is to go back to Tidelands or the park on base and work on putting Course 10 P together.  We've been doing this sequence at home and it's time to spread out and place signs on the ground.

The final stations of Course 10 P are:

• Start (in tuck position)
• Front. Dog 360
• Single Jump.  Figure 8
• Stop.  360
• Stop.  360.  (pivot)  Dog on outside
• Left turn
• Left turn
• 270 Right
• 270 Left
• 360 Right
• 360 Left
• Finish

And.......go back and review Stations 1 - 7 on the Right Side, with a 90 degree Left Transition.

I want to do more Jump work, adding the second pole and work on rear end awareness gradually adding height.

I am learning from the experienced Rally trainers on the CRO list that they almost universally all familiarize themselves with the course (without the dog) until they anticipate what is coming next. For me, I am finding that these mini-courses make for a relaxed, comfortable flow.  And, an added benefit, is entire sequences for a single reward.

Yesterday I got out the blue binder and started reading through Course 11 and breaking it down into mini-courses, too.

More Fun at the Park - CRO: Jumps

More stations from the same CRO course:

Single Jump  (either direction, either side)

Monty and Cathy

Roo and Bev

and again......

Cathy takes Monty over the jump on her right side

Figure 8s over a Single Jump

Lily and Lynn

I have to be careful to let Lily complete the first part of the 8 before cueing her to go around the second part.

A Fun Day at the Park - CRO Mini-Course

A mini-Cyber Rally O course:

• Start
• 270 Left
• 270 Right
• 360 Right
• 360 Left
• Stop.  Sit. Stand.
• Stop. Sit. Down. Walk Around.
• 90 Left
• Single Serpentine
• Schutzhund Turn
• Spiral Right
• Finish

Roo and Cathy

Nicely done!

Roo and Bev

Bev stepped on Roo's paw and he got up from the Down.

Roo and Bev

Roo successfully repeats the station and then continues the course.

Monty and Cathy

Monty can do everything on the course except stay Down while Cathy walks around him.

Just too many distractions for that!

Monty and Cathy repeat the course!

What a little trooper.

Lily and Lynn

Lily gets distracted by a cookie wrapper that blows in, but quickly recovers.

The next time she passes it without missing a step.

CRO Practice

Our goal this morning was to find a shady location on base (minimal distractions), on grass and early in the day before it gets too hot again.  Here we are beside the BOQ.....golf course across the road.....do-it-yourself-carwash nearby (music playing) ..... and at runway's end (no planes this morning).

A single picnic table and parking nearby.  Lily - the sprinter!  I love having a responsive off-leash dog.  My first ever.  I would trust her off-leash anywhere.

Just to be on the safe side (on base with leash laws) I had Lily wearing her service dog vest and I wore my "TRAINING" t-shirt.

A perfect morning and perfect location for working on jumping..... Lily's "bug-a-boo".  I wanted to see if I could determine her propensity for knocking down the bar.

At home I have raised the bar, thinking that the additional height would make her more aware of it.  The videos tell the story, though.  It's ME!  If I can move with her and even stay a little ahead of her ..... no problem, because her body is positioned in a forward motion.  

Single Jump Figure 8s

from Tuck position

from Side position

I brought one small jump and a single cone with me this morning.  Using the cone as the target for Send Out to Target - Sit (or Down).  We need to work on getting the Sit and the Down a little closer to the cone.  3' is the CRO guide.  I would like to have her even closer.

I need to work on softer, gentler cueing here.  Even better, just use handsignals.

Woops!  We found a hole ..... Send Out from Side position.  Is it my body position that is sending her to the left away from the target?  She is definitely targeting the tree.  We have something to work on here.  I wonder now just what "Go!" means to Lily.  And does the arm signal trump the verbal cue?  Interesting.  I will have to watch these clips closely.

How about Send Out to Target - Settle?  That's my girl!

More Mini-Course 5

Level II  Course 5  Stations 1 - 5

We set up the course with Stations 1 - 9, but only 1 - 5 were within the range of the Flip.  Even at 930AM the temperature was climbing.  If I were to do this mini-course to music, it would have to be called Hot and Humid!

I would like a sherpa to set the course up and take it down for me, repack the sign boxes and then load it all back into the car, please.  Not just in this heat - but all the time.

This and That

We've been taking the jump out to the Marina and incorporating it in play, in Retrieve, in Level 4 Focus (Look!  Hup!), figure 8s.

Finally bit the bullet and bought a Bosu at Target.  It fits nicely under Lily's pause table.  That's an added bonus!  I have partially inflated it and am playing shaping games with it with Lily.  Standing and sitting, primarily.  All 4 on the Bosu.

Continuing to build Paws Up duration w/trees and PB.  More often than not now it's flat pads on the tree trunk.  I'm going to find other people's stucco walls to smear the PB on......maybe on base, BP, elsewhere.  Although it hoses off easily, I must admit.

We've returned to the alley with my sidewalk chalk - drawing out the Bullseye and Ray diagrams for Front practice.  The alley is a wonderful place to train because the distractions are alluring and always changing.  Plus it's right outside the back gate.

Lily's seizure alert training blog has been moved to its own location, separate and apart from our other blogs.  There are many wonderful people assisting us in this work and referring to it - both as contributors and as coaches.

Lily is wearing her harness/vests almost all the time now in our public work.  Even with the Synvisc injections making my knees pain free, I find myself relying more and more on Lily for counter balance.  She has figured out the counter balance and now just automatically switches mode.  So glad to have the new vests.  I am going to have the shoe repair sew Velcro on the Web Master so that I can add the Ruff Wear pockets.  I'm still looking for the right patch indicating Emergency Medical Information.

We are both enjoying working on L4 Focus.  It's a fun behavior.  We've moved to Step 2 with Look! Get in the car!  Look! Go thru the door!  Look!  Jump the jump!  Lily is easily picking up the arm cue to the Left and to the Right.  At some point in the future I will add the Left and Right cues, but I for the moment, I want to keep the Focus training "pure" and train by the Levels.

I'm really impressed by the training done by Wildrose Kennels - Gentlemen's Gundogs.  The pictures of the dogs all on tables in the open while the trainer washes his car has inspired me.  The self-control exhibited by all the hunting dogs is truly impressive.  And the work they do with their young puppies equally inspirational.  What a class organization!  Rachel Thornton - you are truly blessed.  Thank you for inviting Lily and me to your next DAD weekend at Wildrose.

Why I like CRO

[cyberrally-O] Question


Yesterday Lily and I were running through a Level II course and something
occurred that I didn't find addressed in the Rules and Guidelines.

Lily completed a single jump and then, as we were continuing on to the next sign
I was walking toward the sign but Lily leapt ahead of me, turned and faced me
and then bounced back into heel position.

No where did I see it addressed that the dog must remain in either heel or side
position between signs but.......

What's the answer, please?

Thanks.
Lynn

Re: [cyberrally-O] Question

That would be okay. As long as the dog doesn't stop working for 20 seconds
or more and doesn't leave the ring, the run is fine. Each station must be
done correctly, but between signs is not addressed other than the NQ list.

Lily is such an enthusiast!

Jude

Lynn wrote: ...No where did I see it addressed that the dog must remain in
either heel or side position between signs but.......

That she is!

CRO: L II Distance Work

It's a beautiful day and we have been indoors all weekend.  So a trip to the Marina seemed in order for  pure "dog pleasure" - running and sniffing - and then, some distance work on CRO L II behaviors.

It's just Levels Distance work with a twist.

Instead of hauling a jump along in the car, I took 2 of our new cones and one of Jan's poles.

First, Figure 8s over a jump.  Just doing multiples because she will!  And seems to enjoy it.....

Then send Lily out over a jump to retrieve an object and return over the jump.  For CRO she will have to return to either heel or side position, but for today over and back is the criteria.  Have never done this before, either direction.

Finally, go out to a target 6 to 10'  from the handler and down.  New location, new surface, new target.  So many new variables, so  I cut back on the distance.  By now, Lily is tired and we decide to call it a day.  I want to do more work at home on "There" without any forward motion.  It's a Drop on Recall with the addition of a target,  but I have changed the cue from Wait to There.  Eventually it will be "ThereDown", "ThereSit", or just plain "There" (and remain standing).

CRO: Learning about transitions

Lily titled in CRO with our first three entries!  Syn titled as well!  Woo Hoo!  I asked that instead of sending us our ribbon, that a picture of it be emailed and I will post it on Lily's CRO page.  After all, it's  a cyber sport.  What not a cyber award?


I want to continue working Level I courses w/Lily on my right side.  But today Sue and I explored the new behaviors in Level II.  The primary new things are transitions.  Turns, the swing finish.....and Target.


Transitions defined: DOG CHANGES POSITIONS IN RELATION TO HANDLER

(taking the shortest route) while stationary, moving or both.

1. When traveling in a straight line, Change (back cross) is fastest and least obtrusive
1. We use a back transition (Change) and a front transition (Tuck/Side) when traveling forward, but have no experience transitioning turns
2. 90 degree turns
1. left turn: heel to side   (in front)
2. left turn: side to heel  (behind)
3. right turn:  heel to side  (behind)
4. right turn:  side to heel  (in front)
3. 180 degree turns
1. left turn:  heel to side
2. left turn: side to heel
3. right turn:  heel to side
4. left turn: side to heel
4. 180 turns
1. everyone turns left
2. everyone turns right
3. or everyone does opposites (I do a right, Lily does a left; I do a left, Lily turns right)
5. Weave transitions
1. Call Front.  Single Weave Transition. Wait. - While moving forward, the handler stops forward motion and may back up several steps (optional) calling the dog to Front position. The dog must pause in Front position, either standing or sitting.  The handler then re-positions his/her feet/legs and cues the dog to pass between the handler's legs to transition to Heel/Side position.

The Turn Transitions   ("Coke Can" Training)

I know it will come naturally eventually, but this is definitely going to be a trainer challenge.

(I am concentrating sooooo hard here.....)

• False Right Turn (Right Turn, Come Fore, Handler Switches to Heel/Side
  (and False Left Turn) - The team turns right 90 degrees and the handler immediately begins moving backwards, calling the dog to come fore.  As the dog responds and faces the handler, the handler switches to the position in which the team approached the station (Heel/Side) by turning 180 degrees right (to Heel) or left (to Side).  This exercise is performed while the team is in motion; there are no stops/pauses in place.

Because Sue is experienced and knows what she is doing, she easily moves Syn through these positions.  No new cues.  Primarily Targeting and other foundation Levels behaviors.  I, however, will have to work with the Coke Can for a while.

This is all about Level 1 Target, (Come) Front, Tuck and Side........while moving and turning.

Watching the CRO videos this week, I see that Lily and I need to work on an "instant" Watch and a straight Tuck on first cue.

CRO Learning

• have the course signs ready
• read the course description (on the back)
• the Flip on a tripod does NOT capture the entire course; you need a videographer or a better camera
• carry extra batteries
• expect distractions
• be aware of the CRO rules on stops and re-tries
• read both the number AND sign descriptions aloud when videoing the Course and Signs
• stand up straight!  (Lynn)
• follow Sue's course selection criteria:  the most opportunities to reward
• bring a chair to sit in
• the current sign holder set-up is perfect: 1/2" binders; star sticky notes for numbers
• setting out the course is the most time consuming part
• walk-throughs are IMPERATIVE!  ;*D

What I like so much about working with Sue, is that she comes prepared.  She had all the CRO Rules and Regs, course descriptions and sign descriptions on her iPad and was familiar with it all before she even arrived in San Diego.

We talked about what we were going to do the night before we did it.  We had selected our courses a couple of weeks in advance.  The criteria for course selection was courses that offered the most opportunities to reward the dogs on the course.  We discussed re-tries and how they were to be performed.  We did the three courses over a 2 day period.  We had the signs for the first course of each day prepared in advance, so when we arrived, we were ready to set up the course.  We had a routine for the way we set up the course.  IOW, we were both prepared.

Front

Front is not found in the new Levels.  But it IS a CRO behavior.  Because backing up 2 or 3 steps when cueing this behavior is permitted in CRO, I have been backing up 2 or 3 steps.  Until I asked myself, "Why?"

But I don't WANT to have to back up.  I don't WANT it to be a part of the behavior.  So it's back to the 2 diagrams and re-teaching.

Since I don't have the diagrams taped out anywhere, I decided trying the small floor mat in front of me.

I have dropped the cue.  I am C/T behind me and clicking for all 4 feet being on the mat.  Working on distance......not position.  If I have my toes on the front edge of the mat, in order for Lily to have all 4 of hers on the mat, she must almost be toe-to-toe with me.  And that's what I'm after.

But, if I continue working only on her distance, she tends to end up catywhampus.  So I am going to train the way Sue suggests in the original Levels:  train Distance one day;  train position on alternate days.

And I want to get this on video.

I'm wondering, too, how perch training would work with this.  I have Shayla's crate apart and standing in the office upstairs.

CRO Level 1 Course 13

CRO Level 1 Course 13 with Lily

Practice Run 1

Practice Run 2

Practice Run 3

Practice Run 4

The Great Cat Caper

Setting up CRO Level 1 Course 13

The Art of Setting Up the Course and the Walk Through


As we venture into the world of virtual Rally-O, we are quickly learning that there is much more to this than dog and handler skills.

Cyber Rally-O is beautifully organized and in Level 1 alone, provides more than 17 courses.  Today Wendi and I selected Course 13 because of its seemingly simple layout.  Aha!  Looks do deceive.

And, too, we limited ourselves with the location - but there were practical "life" reasons.

After organizing signs and following the schematic of the course, there remains the course walk through.  Here you re-evaluate distance between signs, camera range, turn ratios and so much more.

First Wendi set up the course on the sidewalk.

Course 13A

After we were thoroughly confused, we adapted the #13 Course to a circular shape.  That seemed to work better and is the course that we ultimately used.

Course 13B

We are learning the importance of:

• distance between signs
• direction signs are facing
• placing cones at the 4 corners of the course
• familiarity with the course as well as the behaviors described
• threshold
• unexpected distractions when working outdoors
• the walk through

CRO Level 1 Course 1

The Art of Setting Up the Course


Course 1

Here are some teams working CRO Level 1 Course 1.  

CRO: Day 1

This morning we made the leap.  Selected the course.  Arranged the signs in order.  Found a location.  And set out.

LOCATION:  Il Fornaio parking lot
TIME:  8AM
COURSE:  Level 1/Course 1
EQUIPMENT:  Hands free leash


First time through the course.

Second time through the course:

OBSERVATIONS:

• camera did not capture the entire course
• numbering the stations is primary!
• I got lost on the course both times
• the numbering system is the first one that I will resolve (for hard surface and/or grass)
• 5 minutes is plenty of time to complete this course (Level 1: Course 1)
• this location is a good one
• Lily is working under threshold BUT aware of all the activity around us
• at this time of the morning there are plenty of distractions: dog, human, environmental that adds a "real life" element to the exercise
• plenty of room in the parking lot to set out the course and to work undisturbed
• Lily worked well for minimal treats
• treats used:  Z/D
• I think she will soon complete the course treat free, although I will continue to randomly reward.....because I can and it makes it more fun for her 
• I learned to remove the hands free leash for the following behaviors:
• down/walk around
• front/circle/finish
• Schutzhund turn
• practice these behaviors leashed at home so that she understands
• I think at this location at this time Lily could have worked off leash and handled distractions

A good way and a good time to begin the day.  Then on to the marina or to the Cays dog run for play.