Clean Run - February 2015 - 55

ring to giving the dog a reward for taking a turn cue instead of the jump. I use screw-up cookies lots of times,
especially when a green (inexperienced dog) takes my
new turn cue instead of the jump in the early stages
of training. "Yes! You have now learned to not miss
my turn cues! Good dog!" However, if we give cookies
and parades every time the dog turns off a jump for his
entire career, at what point are we saying, "If my timing
isn't perfect don't take the jump even if I am in a logical
position". I see folks training refusals left and right with
"screw-up cookies." If I am in a reasonable position to a
jump, I want my dog's default to be to take the jump, not
pull off of it. If I start a turn cue a tad too early and the
dog starts to turn off the jump, I immediately dive in and
get him over that jump. Then he gets an "almost-wasa-screw-up-cookie" and I made my point, which was
get over the jump! I never just turn away from the jump
when the dog pulls off and walk away to restart.

Tables: Tables are easy for dogs to hate so I treat my
table training with respect. If the dog does not down
(needed for USDAA) I don't harass the dog on the

table. The table is a happy sacred place in my land. I
simply pop the dog off, do some fast and fun downs on
the floor next to the table, use my super yummy treats,
then immediately pop him back on the table and get the
down that way.

Experiment!
Every dog is different. Experiment with what keeps your
dog working nicely after an error is made. The point is
to be consistent. It will strengthen communication and
lessen confusion. Once you know what to do and have
good habits in place, dealing with errors will be no big
deal to either you or your dog; they will be an easy part
of training and learning.
It is wonderful to be writing about errors in training now
that training has evolved to a place where I barely have
the need to address punishment. Agility, at the end of
the day, is tricks for treats; it's a game and nothing more.
Nothing to do with obstacle training or handling should
require you to punish your dog.D

Sandy Rogers has been teaching obedience and agility since 1991. She founded ACE Dog Sports in San Francisco, California in 1999. Her do gs have competed in all
the USDAA and AKC National Championship finals multiple times in four jump heights. Sandy and Jack Russell Terrier Quill competed on Team USA at the World Agility
Open in 2011, 2012, and 2013. They won the individual gold and silver medals in 2012 and bronze in 2013. Quill won the USDAA Grand Prix in 2013, placed third in 2007,
and placed second at the 2012 and 2014 AKC Nationals. Border Collie Brink placed third in the Grand Prix in 2000 and won 16" Speed Jumping in 2007 and 2008 and
Performance Grand Prix in 2007. Sandy has two DVDs available: Training the Extreme Dogs and One Jump Two Jump.

February 15 | Clean Run

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Clean Run - February 2015

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