Clean Run Magazine - January 2007 - 59

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/mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php on line 10 Think about
the teeter-totter. Picture it in your mind. Now think about your dog,
specifically your dog’s senses. How does the dog perceive the teeter?
What senses are involved in navigating it? Understanding the dog’s
perception of this piece of equipment can help you make a plan for
training it. For instance, your dog may be concerned about the banging the
teeter makes because hearing is an important sense for dogs. Dogs have a
visual picture of the teeter that is remarkably similar to the dogwalk.You
need to make sure you address this in your training so your dog knows what
to expect. If the dog runs up the teeter thinking he is approaching the
dogwalk, he may be in for a big surprise. Physical awareness of the body
including knowing where all the “parts” are, movement and balance
should also be considered.Try going to a local park and walking from one
end of a child’s teeter-totter to another.You’ll have a real
appreciation of how difficult it can be for dogs! The dog has to know
where his rear end is and how to stay on the plank even when it’s not
moving. Balancing on the teeter is considerably more complicated when it
is moving. Keeping a dog from developing a dislike or fear of the teeter
requires a plan for training the obstacle. If you can address all the
senses involved in navigating the teeter, you will go a long way toward
preventing the development of problems with this obstacle. Following are a
host of training drills and suggestions to prevent problems. Taming the T
eter e By Mandy Book and Cheryl Smith Hearing Spend time at a local trial
or fun match just clicking and treating every time a teeter hits the
ground. If your dog is very worried about the sound, be sure to start at a
distance and gradually move closer. Be considerate of competitors while you
work on this. If the clicker is distracting for others, a bridge word Yes!
is another option. So the dog hears the bang of the teeter, then Yes, then
gets a tasty treat or a chance to play with a toy . If even that’s too
much for the dog or the trial environment puts him over the top you can
start by just having someone at your training class drop the teeter to the
ground over and over, starting gently and gradually getting more forceful.
If your dog is especially sensitive to noises, take your time working on
this sense. When the dog looks to you expectantly when he hears the teeter
bang, you’ll know you’ve successfully navigated this piece of the
puzzle. contact obstacle. Use the cue well before the dog reaches the
obstacle. M o s t handlers teach the dogwalk first, and only move on to
the teeter once that is fairly well accomplished. But it may serve you
better to teach both obstacles at the same time. If you are careful in
your lessons, you can keep your dog safe but make it clear from the
beginning that each piece of equipment is performed differently, and one
moves when you climb it! Some people go so far as to have the dog start
the two obstacles in a different manner. One strategy used by some
competitors is to have the dog lie down on the up contact of the dogwalk.
Though, if you’re going for all-out speed, this will slow your
performance. Still that may be preferable to incurring faults for a
fly-off if the dog runs off the end of the teeter, expecting the long
board of the dogwalk. Vision On the approach, the teeter and the dogwalk
look similar to the dog. But the performance certainly differs. Help your
dog by having clear verbal cues, and by using a different cue for each
Photo credits: Mastiff by MattAllisonPhotography.com, Corgi by Doghouse
Arts, American Eskimo by Victor Steel, training photos by Clean Run
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Clean Run Magazine - January 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - January 2007