Clean Run - March 2012 - 3

Cover
THE MAGAZINE FOR DOG AGILITY ENTHUSIASTS MARCH 12 VOLUME 18 NUMBER 03
PHOTOS © MARY FISH ARANGO, ISTOCKPHOTOGRAPHY, JAN MANNING

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Foreign Bodies This “foreign body” isn’t something your vet has to remove; rather, it’s a “foreign breed” in agility. It’s not easy running a dog that doesn’t blend in with all the BCs, Shelties, Aussies, and Goldens. You may find yourself in uncharted waters, going where few have gone before. By Donna Somers

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Tax Deductions Begin at Home Regardless of whether a home office is used for the convenience of an employer, an agility instructor who is based in a home office, or a home office or property that is used to supplement a kennel, training facility, or agility course, a tax deduction may be available. By Mark E. Battersby

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Growing a Grassroots Agility Club Training with a group of peers who all share the same passion is much more productive and enjoyable than training in a vacuum. There is no manual for how to build and sustain a strong club, but a grassroots group from Montana shares their experiences to help others start clubs. By Jan Manning

27 Baffled by Blind Crosses? The blind cross is coming back in popularity due to the types of challenges showing up in the agility ring. But many handlers are not familiar with its use and so aren’t sure how to t it into their handling or why it would be useful in certain circumstances. By Kathy Keats

Features
5 Editorializing: C-ATCH 2 or No C-ATCH, It Is the Journey So many of us have been in a position where the vision of success we played in our mind was not what we got. The success is always the big lift but not always the big lesson. It is the journey that’s important. By Catherine Romaine Brown 52 Agility Mind Gym: The Effect of Self-Image Self-image is a series of beliefs we hold about ourselves that not only includes our physical looks, but also how we perceive our abilities, our worthiness, and the type of person we are. How do we change our beliefs about ourselves? By Kathy Keats 56 What’s in Your Toolbox? Many times in class situations we only have time to execute a sequence in one particular way. In reality, there is usually more than one way that sequences can be efficiently and effectively executed. In this series we’ll review how to select and execute various strategies for the same sequence. By Mary Ellen Barry 64 Power Paws Drills: O & P Plus 5 This setup is built from alphabet drill letters O and P, with five obstacles added: weaves, dogwalk, teeter, tunnel, and a jump. The drills are excellent for working on side changes, straight lines, 270s, and pinwheels By Nancy Gyes

40 Teaching Contact Approaches and Up Contacts A correct approach is the rst step toward success in the execution of a contact obstacle. The author shares her method for teaching your dog how to “load” onto all contacts with speed, independence, and safety. By Jen Pinder 45 Agility Suzuki Style, Part 1 The agility world has made great strides in building skills in dogs, but the same can’t be said for the training of handlers. If you don’t come from an athletic background, your role as handler can be frustrating and confusing. Can the Suzuki Method of piano instruction help agility handlers learn more easily? By Peggy Swingle 59 Knowledge Equals Speed! Motivation If you want a good agility dog then you have to create the play, and therefore the drive, which ultimately becomes associated with agility. The amount of e ort you put into teaching your dog to play directly corresponds to the speed and value he places on obstacles. By Dawn Weaver

12 Building Blocks: Important Non-Equipment Behaviors There are a number of useful behaviors you can teach your dog that don’t involve equipment, such as a start-line line up, playing on leash, jumping into your arms, moving down, relaxed stay, and a reliable recall. By Rachel Sanders 16 Analyze This! Challenges from international courses are making their way into US courses with increasing frequency. This month we look at a Jumping course designed by Chris Symons. By Greg Derrett 31 Frequently Asked Questions About Hip Dysplasia Hip dysplasia is the most commonly diagnosed heritable orthopedic disease in dogs. If your dog has HD, can he still do agility? Learn the answer to this question and other frequently asked questions. By Peter Lotsikas, DVM, Diplomate ACVS

Columns
6 7 8 Tip of the Month By Deborah Davidson Harpur Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility… By Brenna Fender Backyard Dogs By Sharon Freilich

Cover Dog
Am & Can CH I’m Special Zoom In On Me, RAE4, AX, AXJ, OAP, OJP, XF, OXP, TDI, HIC, VBCH, a.k.a. Leica, an 11-year-old Bouvier des Flandres owned by Maureen & Nicky Patterson of Massachusetts. Photo by Lesley Mattuchio, www.pbase.com/lesleylou.

22 From Hoof to Woof: What Riders Can Teach Handlers By Holly Newman

Clean Run (ISSN 1089-8506) is published monthly by Clean Run Productions, LLC. Principal o ce: 17 Industrial Dr., South Hadley, MA 01075. Periodicals postage paid at South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075-9902 and additional o ces. © Copyright 1995-2012 Bud Houston and Clean Run Productions, LLC. All world rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Clean Run, 17 Industrial Dr., South Hadley, MA 01075.

March 12 | Clean Run

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Clean Run - March 2012

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