Video Taping Training Sessions

I finally dug out my old video camera and started video taping some training sessions this weekend, and I was SHOCKED . . . .
Shocked at what a useful tool it was to video tape a training session,
and Shocked at how atrocious it looked . . . no not the dogs . . . ME.

It was really nice to see my dogs working on video there were a few little things that I was unable to see when I was working with them that showed up clearly on video. Some sloppy things I will have to change.

However what I was not prepared for was to see all the things that I was doing wrong. I discovered that I walk very strangely when my dog is heeling next to me. From the way I am moving it looks like I may have a peg leg. I discovered that I can't run -- all the arm and leg flailing as I hustle to the other end of the ring surly does more to confuse my dogs than to clarify anything. I discovered my utility signals are not consistent, in speed, or location. And worse of all I discovered that I don't like how I interact with my dogs between exercises during training. Once we finish one exercise I praise and get busy thinking about and setting up the next exercises, during this time I totally disconnect with my dogs and they are left to sniff, or plod along behind me, or sit where I last left them aimlessly. I was stunned how much this "in between" time really amounted to over the course of the training session. It was clear that my dogs were learning as much from this dis-connected time as they were from the exercises.

After seeing the first video I made an effort to change the major problems. I attempted to walk more naturally and to relax my left side especially my left shoulder when heeling with my dog (though clearly from the next video this will take more work). For my running issue I attempted to run cleanly and straight and to be conscious of what my arms were doing (I also vowed to start going to the gym again to build up my strength and coordination -- though we will see what becomes of that). I practiced my utility signals in a mirror and will continue to practice without a dog until I am convinced they are consistent. And between exercises I made a concerted effort to stay connected to my dog. I played tug, I worked on their "front" attention for which I use the cue "with me" and reward them giving attention in front, I pushed them around, and I ran around with them, all the while I set up for the next exercise. Training in this way was more exhausting than I expected and I left the ring sweating for the first time in as long as I can remember. It was also clear to me that if I plan to train in this way I will have to plan out my training sessions in far more detail than I am currently doing since I won't be able to disconnect from my dog and think about the next exercise any longer.

Below is a video of me heeling Rosco taken this weekend. I have posted it so that you can have a laugh at my peg-leg walk and my awful about-turns.