Clean Run Magazine - April 2008 - 18

Eager to get on all that equipment? him in close, send him on ahead, Wait, there’s a little more work to and change sides whenever and do. Sure, your dog could scramble wherever you need? All these up the A-frame, but does he know skills are necessary when running his job when he gets to the other agility. Diligently working on them side? Most dogs can jump over without additional equipment things without difficulty, but do before you consider tackling a they understand how to collect multi-obstacle course will pay off By Mandy Book and Cheryl S. Smith or extend themselves, or how well. Don’t forget: these skills will to change leads before or after the jump? And stand you in good stead in other areas of your life can you push the dog out away from you, call with your dog beyond agility. Groundwork Top U.K. agility competitor Greg Derrett states (and we agree) that you can’t do agility if your dog won’t run with you. So take the time to work away from the equipment and solidify your handling skills on the ground. You should already have a working recall because all dogs (not just agility competitors) need to come when called. So you should be able to call the dog in close quickly. You don’t want him to sit in front, but instead to run at your side once he gets there. Practice calling the dog close and then running in circles and zigzags, while encouraging him to stay close. Teaching Go You also want the dog to work independently when the situation calls for it, so you need to work on Go (running straight ahead of you) and Out (moving laterally away from you). You can teach both of these directional cues by using a target, or even a tossed toy. The dog needs to be familiar with the idea of touching a target with his nose to use the touch while working 18 Pre-Agility: Laying the Foundation, Part 2 © CLEAN RUN away from the handler. If not, use a toy instead. (If you need information on teaching a dog to touch a target, consult our book Right On Target! or talk to your instructor.) To use a target to teach Go, set it about 3'-4' in front of you. With the dog sitting next to you, lift your arm forward and up, to encourage the dog forward, mark (click or say Yes) when the dog touches the target, and reward with a treat placed on the target. Use your target cue (such as Touch) if you need it to get the dog moving, but drop it as quickly as you can—there won’t be a target on course. Gradually add distance until the dog will run away from you in a straight line about 20'-30'. Add a cue such as Go when you’re ready, and remember to practice with the dog starting on both sides of you. To work this exercise with a toy, start by tossing the toy, using the arm closer to the dog. After some practice, when the dog begins to move forward in expectation of a toy in front of him, you will mark (click or Yes) and toss it after the dog begins to move away from you on the arm signal. Add distance, then use gradually smaller toys, then eliminate the toy altogether and add a verbal cue if you like. Make sure you don’t call the dog’s name at any point when you want the dog working away from you—the name will turn the dog toward you or even bring the dog back to you. You want the dog to move confidently away from you in a straight line, without hesitation. Add equipment, starting with one jump, then two, then a line of jumps, then other pieces of equipment. Teaching Out Out is taught the same way, but with the target (or toy) set (or thrown) to your side instead of in front of you.Your hips remain facing forward, but the dog moves laterally away from you. Sometimes it’s easier to teach Out with a jump (set low) initially, because it gives the dog a visual cue to move in that direction. The arm signal will be your hand and arm moving up and out to your side rather than forward. © CLEAN RUN Front and Rear Crosses Finally, there are front and rear crosses—used to change sides as you run a course. Here the handler definitely needs practice as much as the dog. For your crosses to be effective on course, they have to be smooth and well-timed, with consistent body language to cue the dog. You want to be able to execute a cross without having to think about the body language cues. To start, it’s helpful to have a solid hand touch. With a small dog, a target stick touch eliminates the need to bend over in the early stages. Once you’ve Clean Run | April 08

Clean Run Magazine - April 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - April 2008