Ponto doing one jump with tighter turns.  Improving, will move on to speeding her up and maybe adding a follow up jump.
Ponto going ahead of me.  At one point on the video she appears to take an extra short step.  Then she is more confident the next time and jumps smoothly.
Hand touches - progressing well, did these in bedroom and kitchen.  Using plexiglass as well now.  Have to be vigilant when it is on the floor as she is tempted sometimes to touch with feet as well as nose.
Forgot to test the sit when I am running with the toy, will carry over in tomorrow's POA.

POA for today for Ponto:

One jump practising tight turns with front crosses.
Back chaining running on from me over three jumps in a straight row.
Nose touches.
Testing whether she will go into a sit or a down when I am running with her holding her toy.

H - garden for all today  except nose touches - do these anywhere, anytime and when we are out on our walks.
Time - 30 seconds to a minute each time.

Agility Training at Sopley today.  Wow I am on a buzz, definitely in the zone after taking Ponto to training this morning.   We played crate games, played and she focused on her way to her turns to run.  Then WHAM, BAM, the other people were standing with their dogs on lead chatting and one dog, a big black labradoodle pulled to run to Ponto wanting to play (but of course Ponto's attitude is that a dog wanting to play with her is a threat to her existence), the owner lost grip of her lead and the dog was where Ponto and I were playing tug before going to the start line.   Ponto's hackles raised a little but thinking on my feet, I upped the game of tug as the owner and the trainer got control of the labradoodle, Ponto continued playing despite the slightly raised hackles.  I then played tug, drop and run with her a few time moving to the other side of the agility course and once I was sure she was really 100% focused on me, we went back to the start jump which was only a few feet away from the other people and their dogs standing chatting on lead.  I decided to be daring and put her in a wait, but only stepping away from her, not doing a lead out.  She focused on the jump and we were off and she did a nice run.   Thanks to Recallers and to learning to really play a situation which, for my very reactive dog, could have ended disastrously, she proved to me that working with me is playing with me and never mind the rest of them.

POA for today, tomorrow and everyday - play the tug recallers games.

Ponto has started doing her perch work, but still as a tendency to bark when she is confused and thinking things out.  We played loads of hand touches, RZ, and tuggy recallers yesterday.  The only time she doesn't find lots of value for her toy is coming out of her crate when at agility training.   At home she happily ignores other distractions like the dogs barking next door, food on the ground, my dogs running around at the same time.  Susan Garrett gave us the challenge to think of something that we are struggling with and invent a new game to play in order to achieve it.   Decided that today I will use food when I release her from the crate, stay pretty near the crate and then start running when she gets to the RZ and the food, then produce the tuggy.

Agility Training yesterday.   Ponto still not wanting to run fast out of crate.   She ran well but still needs to build up more drive.   Decided to play lots of tug games with her, because although she loves playing tug and works to a tuggy toy, she will be distracted from it if other dogs are too close and I need to work on this.

On Being a Good Dog Training Student

I downloaded Susan Garrett's epamphlet on "Being a Good Dog Training Student", and went to training today having planned beforehand what I wanted to do, including crate games and focus over one jump at the start. Fortunately in the course Jo had set we had the turn I had been practising but had had difficulty with.  Jo put me right as to where I should position myself, although the others were doing the turn round the jump the other way. It was a lightbulb moment.  I also practised visualising the bits of the course we were doing beforehand.  Ponto was very happy to drive fast into her crate but more reluctant coming out and had a Don't Want to Don't Have to moment regarding playing with her tug.  At home we never have this, but it was the first time playing crate games at the agility field and she is always nervous with other dogs around.  However, by playing dive to get the tuggy we overcame the problem to a good extent.  Also, although she focuses on the first jump at home, she tends to look at me at training - again because she is concerned about what is going on around her.  I through her toy over the first jump and then released her to it.  This seemed to speed her up for the next bit.  Going to continue working on this regularly.

Not good at record keeping

One of my downfalls with my dog training is not keeping my record keeping and plans of action up to date.  However, today I worked with Dylan on running over three jumps, having been left in a wait.   Fast turns, 360 fast spins.  Restrained Recalls and crate games. Dylan was shy of the crate but is now participating slowly and building up confidence in crate games.  His restrained recall was lovely and fast on both sides.  He tended to flatten the middle of the three jumps.  Will ask on recallers if anyone knows how to cure this one.

Ponto didn't believe in the restrained recall on my own using a lead wrapped loosely round a post, even though I did it just how Susan did it with Swagger.  She stayed where she was assuming she was tied up and doing relaxed isolation instead.  We did get there in the end, but her restrained recall from her crate is very good now.  She had no problem with going over the three jumps, being sent over and being left in a wait and called.  Ponto is now at the stage where I can throw a toy, run around, anything and she stays in the crate till released.    Tomorrow I will leave her in the crate and run Dylan in the garden to test her even further.

Percy was also a little confused with a restrained recall using the lead round the post.  Her crate games are coming along.