Gustavo has been practicing agility about as good as he’s ever been.
I don’t know why. He swings up, and he swings down. Maybe there’s a pattern. But when he’s on an upswing, we sure have a good time, and I have a glimpse of a dog he could have been. Could have, would have, should have. He’s been running fast, hard sequences in class, and holding it together when we practice.
I taught him a new trick. Skillet. You know that one? Hey SKILLET!
It’s foot targeting. Nancy suggested this to help him focus on his dogwalk contacts, as well as for just, well, everything. It’s a very Gustavo trick. Just run to the skillet and hit it with front feet. He releases his teeters to skillet. He just enjoys running to a skillet because it’s SKILLET!
It’s a little like working with Robot. Except it’s Skillet.
So now I have a skillet in my training bag.
I don’t know that he’ll ever be able to run like this in trials. Never say never, but not holding my breath on that one anymore. I think we need about 4,000 more perfect practices. But at least he can Skillet.
Is that like 'out of the fire, into the frying pan'?
Exactly. except I turn it upside down for him.
I do make Otterpop climb in rightside up with all 4 feet. Like a fried egg. With feet.
What an awesome idea. We've been having trouble with contacts lately. She does them perfectly in practice but on a full course she forgets what she is supposed to do. I may have to give skillet a shot!
And as an added bonus, you can whap any would-be dognapper or robber over the head with it! Sweet!
I bet your training bag is getting heavy, but as Amanda said the purse snatcher will leave you alone. I wonder is an easy bake over skillet would work? That would not be so heavy.
I should point out that yes, it is a plastic toy skillet! It is little and just looks like a fancy cast iron one! So only going to be able to lightly tap would be dog nappers gently on the noggin.