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.

Adverbs: Training the foundations

What tools do we have to teach this?  It's all there, in the Steps......Steps to Service and Steps to Success.  Now it's a matter of putting it all together and using it to send Out to a target, to stop and Down in position.  And then, learn directionals.

We faced the challenge and discussed it yesterday.  Now we talk it through and Syn learns on the spot.

Steps to Service
Come: Level Six
Cue:  There then....There/Down.....then (one word)  ThereDown

Final cue:  There (stop and down)

Steps to Service

Distance (to 10 ')

Steps to Success

Distance  Level 3

Putting the two together.  Just like yesterday, only different.  Slicing the criteria.  Breaking it down.  Putting it together.  Bungee back when she needs it.  Back chaining the distance and targets.

Deciding on the cues that I will be using before adding them.

This is also going to involve L3 GTM (new Levels).  That's where the above combines with the sending to a distance chart above.  Review GTM.

Target Level 4 Step 5 (new Levels)