That should probably be more like “practice makes perfect, but not if you practice your mistakes, only if you practice doing things correctly.” But that’s too long to say all the time. And anyway, right now I want to figure out the best way of using our limited back yard practice space efficiently, and so that we are not practicing any mistakes.
Here is what we have to work with:
This is a typical 30′ x 125′ Chicago city lot (it’s slightly wider than 30′). The top of the photo is south. The walk that runs along the east side of the lot is long, but very narrow. I have used it mainly to practice pace changes, pivots, 360s, and Halt-1, 2 & 3 Steps Forward. I have also practiced Halt-Stand-Heel Backwards 3 Steps-Halt next to the house, using it as a barrier to allow straight backwards movement only. It is working pretty well against the barrier, but we’re still struggling with the transition to working away from a wall.
Because the walk is so narrow (less than three feet), I don’t really want to use it for anything with a finish, since it means Freya will be stepping off the concrete into the grass. I wonder if that is important? If anyone is more likely to trip on a surface change, it’s me, and not her.
I’ve tried a few different places to set up the jump. Setting up next to the 6′ wooden privacy fence on the west side of the lot lets me use it as a barrier to keep Freya from going around the jump. Setting up on the diagonal gives almost as much length, but no barriers. Time of day definitely makes a difference. Jumping and running into the sun is not much fun for either one of us. Again, I will be the one most likely to trip while squinting against the sun.
The main grassy area is pretty small, so I’m limited in how many exercises I can set up in the yard. I used tracking flags to stand in for cones last year, but I’d really like to use actual cones for practice. So soon I will be buying cones, plus bowls for the offset figure 8.
I hope to be able to create some effective practice layouts, and when I do, you’ll get to see them here!
(NaBloPoMo | April ’10: 19 of 30)
jana says
So true about practicing mistakes! And it is so easy to do too! Sometimes it takes a second opinion to become aware of the mistakes one is practicing.
.-= jana´s last blog ..Outsmarting A Smart Dog =-.
kathi says
At least with the rally obedience training mistakes, video has been a huge help to us. Ever since our instructor started doing regular videos of our classes, our practice time has become much more effective by knowing exactly what mistakes are happening.