Hi Elizabeth,

I am very pleased that you are making an effort to "track your progress" and that you are sharing your observations with your fellow virtual students. Please keep it up on a regular basis.

Life goes on, they say, and we don't realize how our focus changes and lots of things fall through the cracks.. Until we are confronted with a gaping hole in our training foundation, or skill development, or handling tool set..

Documenting your progress and REFERRING to your notes helps to keep your training cohesive and logical, and not to get ahead of what the dog is ready for at any particular moment.

OVERREACTION TO A SINGLE PERSON:

Most dogs happen not to react to a crowd of people or a bunch of dogs, but would pay a lot of attention to a single individual (human or dog). Different dogs have different reactions to that single individual, ranging from outright fear, to aggression, to curiosity, to instantaneous "friendship"..

Most Agility handlers don't think it's a big deal, unless their dog's reaction to a single individual is really off the wall, since an Agility trial is a "crowd environment". However, some dogs do single out certain individuals (human and dog) and would react badly in their proximity.. Sometimes dogs who haven't been taught to be NEUTRAL to their environment (including humans/dogs/cats/squirrels/horses/cars/strange objects, etc.) would be on the "alert" that the "boogie man" is always there, whether they have spotted him or not, ;-).. and these dogs will look for a suitable individual or object to make him/it into the "boogie man".. Judges, being single "foreign" entities on the course make a great choice and dogs may generalize a judge with their "boogie man".. but I won't worry too much in Wisp's case.

What to do? Going to different places is a great idea, but asking strange people to give Wisp her favorite treats is not. Why not? Because that's lying to your dog. Strange people do not give dogs their favorite cookies. Strange people go about their business, even if their business puts them in very close proximity to your dog (like a judge's business)..

So, your dog should do the same: meaning GO ABOUT HER BUSINESS, i.e.: be NEUTRAL. So, go visit different places with your dog and engage her in YOUR and HER business, like eating cookies from your hand, playing tug, doing tricks, heeling.. all sorts of things that involve interaction with you and are easy for your dog to succeed in. Do not ask your dog to "idle" in the presense of strange people/dogs/objects or in a strange environment. That is to ask too much!

Hope you have taught her to bark on command, as that's the best way to "gage" if the dog is relaxed, and also induce relaxation if the dog is about to get "gripped".. Use your clicker and food rewards in these forays, those tools also help to keep the dog in good spirits..

Videotape your trips to strange places (guess you'll have to invite Chris to come with you, ;-)..) and post the videos so I can see.

P.S.: And though it is never too late to teach any dog anything, NEUTRALITY TO THE ENVIRONMENT should have been taught when the dog was still a puppy. I teach this concept first.. not the tunnels, not the contacts, not even the stay.. The very first NOTION (not behavior, you can play-teach endless amount of tricks/behaviors to a puppy in the process of bonding) I teach is RECALL, after that comes the NEUTRAL ATTITUDE. Neutral attitude is the key to the dog's function in human environment. Neutral attitude makes your dog immune to "ISM's".*

P.P.S.: For those of you who are curious about the whole "mind your own business" training, next step I teach the dog is INCLUSION OF THE OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENT. That is, on my cue the dog may take a cookie, or a toy, or get pets from an outsider (both a stranger or a person the dog knows well). This also precludes my dogs from pestering people. Same goes for interaction with other dogs. My dogs do not initiate interaction with other dogs, but will work, play, run, walk, share living and travel accommodations with other dogs (and humans), both known to them as well as complete strangers.

*ISM - noun, denoting a pathological condition, as in "alcohol-ISM". As related to Agility, coined by Chris Parker, means all and any weirdness and inadequate behavior manifestations, displayed by dogs, especially Border Collies, ;-).

TUNNELS: Wisp's newly found adolescent drive is getting ahead of her skill and body awareness. Please take notice, as it is indeed very dangerous for a young dog to practice "kamikaze" stunts. Solution: Go back to having gentle curves in the tunnels you are asking her to perform. This will maintain her enthusiasm without potential injuries. Time will come and she will learn not to run into tunnel walls.. you don't have to "teach" her that.. it's not really rocket science. For quite a while all she needs is success in gently curved tunnels and gentle approaches to pretty much every piece of equipment.

P.S.: In fact, tunnels should not have 90 degree bends at the end, IMO. It is unsafe and doesn't add anything to test Agility dogs' skills.. except for survival skills that is, ;-). But then again, I admit, I am the "FLUFF THE TUNNEL" police.. and I watch for unsafe bends in tunnels and bring judges' attention to the fact, both before and during the class..

Olga.