Weaving and jumping

Training videos

Weaving

Jumping: set point

Kumma 18 months

Health update

Neeo has recovered well from his hernia operation. Stitches were removed on Friday, and no need to use a collar anymore. IGs need to use a huge collar compared to their size. They have a long nose, and are super agile and flexible, even at 12 years... Neeo had a 20cm collar, and I couldn't let him be free with it without being supervised. He could have hurt himself when trying to run or jump with it. He is eating well, moving well, and full of energy as usual. One more month on leash exercise only, but after that Neeo can again join our walks in the woods.

Kumma was X-rayed today. Hips, elbows, shoulders, and spine are all perfect!!! Official hip and elbow results will be given later by the Finnish Kennel Club.

Neeo-reppana

Pari kuukautta sitten Neeo liukastui epätasaisella liukkaalla lattialla, kellahti kumoon, ja löi takapuolensa maahan niin lujaa, että kiljahti. Peppuun tuli heti suurehko patti, joka näytti hurjalta. Vein koiran kotiin ja ajattelin seurailla tilannetta pari tuntia ja päättää sitten täytyykö käydä näyttämässä. Patti kuitenkin katosi samana päivänä ja koira oli oma iloinen itsensä. Juttu ihmetytti, mutta unohtui vähitellen.

Kunnes viime sunnuntaina patti ilmestyi taas yhtäkkiä peppuun hännän viereen. Tunnustelin sitä varovasti, tuntui pehmeältä nestepatilta, eikä ollut arka. Neeo liikkui ja käyttäytyi normaalisti. Pidin kuitenkin koiraa levossa boksissa. Jonkin ajan kuluttua patti oli kadonnut. Sama toistui tiistaina. Ja keskiviikkona. Ja torstaina. Keskiviikkona soittelin jo aikaa lääkäriin ja perjantaiaamuna päästiin vastaanotolle. Koira oli reipas ja vauhdikas, kuten yleensäkin. Kun pakkasi koiran autoon, pattia ei näkynyt. Autosta ulos otettaessa patti oli taas takamuksessa.

Patista otettiin ohutneulanäyte, ja yllätykseksi siitä tulikin keltaista nestettä, virtsaa. Seuraavaksi ultraan varmistamaan arvio ongelmasta. Diagnoosi: repeämä lihaksessa eli tyrä, jonne oli mennyt virtsarakko. Suuri riski verenmyrkytykselle. Riskinä myös, että virtsarakon lisäksi olisi voinut repeämään mennä suolistoa. Lääkäri suositteli leikkausta heti, mutta heillä ei ollut osaamista tämän tyyppiseen leikkaukseen. Hän kertoi toisella eläinlääkäriasemalla olevan sopivan henkilön ja lähti selvittämään mahdollisutta päästä sinne. Meillä kävi tosi hyvä tuuri, lääkäri oli tulossa töihin samana päivänä myöhemmin, ja tuli nyt pari tuntia aikaisemmin hoitaakseen Neeon. Ensimmäiselle vastaanotolle menosta kului vajaa kolme tuntia, kun koira oli leikkaussalissa.

Leikkaus sujui hyvin ja hain Nepsun illalla kotiin. Takamuksessa on miltei 10cm leikkaushaava tikkeineen. Kipulääkettä, antibioottia, ja kaulurielämää. Toipuminen vie pari kuukautta.

Onneksi kohdalle osuivat erinomaiset lääkärit. Mielessä pyörii mitä kaikkea voikin käydä, ja mikä tuuri oli että koira on ollut kivuton ja hyvässä kunnossa, kun romahdus olisi voinut odottaa kulman takana. Onhan vuosia jo takana, mutta toivottavasti yhteistä aikaa on vielä jäljellä.

Plenty of action

Monday
2 hours of training with Zeljco Gora. I knew close to nothing of his methods or style when I decided to use this opportunity to participate. I'm happy I did, this training was excellent and gave a lot to think. There were only jumps and tunnels on the course, and Kumma did 40 to 45cm jumps. Exercises were pretty challenging for us. What I liked in this training was that it matched well  with my thoughts and plans about giving a dog his own responsibility, and not to micromanage everything by being close and using complex handling manoeuvres (because I don't feel confortable with those).

Some notes and thoughts after the training:

• Need to work on tight turns with a tunnel entries next to a jump.
• Go on cue needs much more training.
• Lateral lead out with 180 jumps, followed by a front cross, was not easy for us.
• Focus on training quality, not quantity. Keep sessions short, don't do "one more" repetition.
• I need to think how I'd like to balance independent obstacle performance, verbal cues, and my own movement. For example I want Kumma to react when I'm changing hands without a verbal cue.
• Kumma had nice focus and speed, but at the end he was tired and not doing his best anymore.

Tuesday
Agility class in the evening. Lights were not working and we were able to do only pull throughts in poor lighting.We did those in both directions with one to three jumps, and Kumma did great job. I didn't use verbal cuing at all, and Kumma responded nicely to my handling. At the end we did too many reps, and he started to lose interest. Don't do "one more"!

Wednesday
Jumping class with Vappu and girl friends Rinna, Sara and Sätkä.

• Started with basic grid, 6 jumps in a zigzag. 3 reps, ok but lacking power and fun a bit. For some reason Kumma was distracted, even if the place and other dogs were familiar.
• Next one was 6ft-jump-9ft-low jump-9ft-low jump (-tunnel). This was technically ok, but motivation was not there. A tunnel was added at the end, but still there was not enough drive.
• Third and last was was a set point, with a 6ft distance. No sit and stay this time, play and go was the plan and it worked really well. I'm not sure how many reps there where, perhaps six or seven. Jump was a double one, starting low. At highest it was 65cm, with a 7ft distance. That time Kumma knocked the front bar. Back down, and then 60cm. It was a perfect jump! Kumma has good and fluent jumping technique. 
• We can forget sit and stay for a while, and do everything as play and go.
• In courses we can continue using 40 to 45cm jumps, and one or two higher ones (50 to 55cm) as surprises.
• Excellent training!

Thursday - in Finnish due to vocabulary...
Tänään Kumppis kävi fyssarilla, toinen kerta. Liikkui suorana, taipuu ok, ravissa hieman takakorkea ja keskiselkä lievästi notkolla. Seistessä symmetrinen, syvät lihakset kohtalaiset, mutta saavat vielä kehittyä etenkin etuosassa ja vartalossa. Kireyttä oli jonkin verran etureisissä, ja oikealla puolella myös rintalihaksissa. Kumma antoi hienosti käsitellä, ja saatiin jumppaohjeita, osa tuttuja, osa uusia. Yhteenvetona kaikki hyvin, ei mitään erityisiä löydöksiä, hyvillä mielin voi treenailla.

Neeo 12 years

Last week Neeo had his 12th birthday! We made the birthday walk in the dark. I was planning to take some birthday pics of Neeo, but haven't had a good moment yet. It should be sunny tomorrow, so I'll try to catch some.

Even if there is a feeling of autumn in the air, we have been lucky to have beautiful and warm days. Kumma likes cooler weather and runs around and around in the woods. Today I let Kumma and Neeo go off leash in a usual place, and a second later I realized a young man was coming from the opposite direction, partly hidden behind trees. Poor him got a shock when Kumma run full speed ahead, noticed him and barked a couple of times, then focused on other things. I apologized, and the man seemed to recover.

I'm still struggling what to do with Kumma's upside contacts. Too many options, and none of them has that bright light around telling this is it, that's how I'll do it. But despite of that, agility training is progressing nicely. We have had good training sessions in handling, jumping, and basic obstacle performance. More work is needed with special obstacles like long jump and wall jump. Kumma is jumping a tire really well, last session was done with final height, and it will now stay there. Table training has been easy, thanks to crate games. Teeter need lots of work. For a tunnel I will use two cues, one for going through and going forward, another one for going through and turning tightly. I'd like to start some discrimination training soon as well.

Kumma weaves now a full set of 12 poles. As I have only 6 poles at home, I should now work on entries, handling, and distractions in other places. Or to buy another set of 6...

We will have 3 days of agility classes in a row, and later next week Kumma will visit a physiotherapist. I have also booked x-ray for hips and elbows at the end of September, that will be the 1st anesthesia for Kumma.

Hoppu is doing fine, joining the walks whenever we take on leash routes, enjoying exercise and sniffing around. At home he is the one making sure their feeding time is not forgotten.

Big news at the end, Hoppu's granddaughter Kukka (Tarumetsän Pienet Jäljet) won European Chanpionship in sighthound racing!!!