Clean Run - April 2012 - 54

faces. Instructor Tracy Sklenar says, “I advise students to choose appropriate footing, such as grass or turf or dirt, so the dogs can move normally and with speed.” If you are planning an outdoor trial for your new superstar’s first runs, follow the weather forecast carefully. If the ground is wet, muddy, or slick from being hard and dry, skip the runs. It isn’t worth it to challenge a green dog or risk an injury in those types of conditions. Undoubtedly safer for you too! Weather conditions become a factor once you check outdoor sites. Wind and rain can add to the obstacles your newbie has to deal with.

Amount of Noise
The noise at a very crowded indoor site can be overwhelming to us, let alone our dogs. For a novice dog, having a quiet area to crate without a lot of barking dogs is ideal. Environment includes trial noises for your beginner dog. A dog that has never heard a teeter slam on a hard floor (even with good matting) may get spooked and leave you with a problem for years. A squawking loudspeaker can bother many dogs the first few times they hear one. Even some experienced dogs get a bit flustered their first time running in an indoor soccer site if the dogwalk is near the bleachers. As they get about halfway down the top plank, many dogs suddenly notice the spectators at eye level! Of course, outside, you get some natural noises and another whole set of distractions. A friend’s young Brittany held a lovely point at the top of the A-frame at a redwing blackbird sitting in a pine outside the ring. Hard to train for that one! Birds flying overhead, squirrels in nearby trees and dogs running after flying discs in adjacent fields could all prove way too appealing for a nervous youngster.

Amount of Space
While looking at the physical site, also consider spacing. A new dog may feel a bit overwhelmed with noise and crowded conditions. You want a place where there is plenty of room to walk your dog, warm him up properly, and get to and from your ring without feeling like you are running a gauntlet. Many dogs warm up best with some tugging. This can be diﬃcult to do safely at a very crowded site. “The most important thing to me when debuting a young dog is how much space there is near the ring. A crowded indoor site is very stressful for many dogs and the first impression that could give a young dog might be a long lasting fear of trials. I like to go to a place that has room to get from crating area to ring without your dog having to deal with too many other dogs. Having room to exercise the dog outside, such as playing with a tug, is also important to help reduce stress,” says Sue Fregien. Considering the mental and emotional factors at a site is important for many dogs.

If this is your ﬁrst agility dog, ask your instructor and other exhibitors about the fencing at trial sites. You can also search online for photos.

(5, 21) 1 (−14, 17) 2

Color!

CRCD 3
(−15, 0) 3 4 (−4,−2) Course

Bendable Tunnels!
Baseline Building!

Dog and Person Shapes!
T 5

(11,−8)

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54 Clean Run | April 12

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Clean Run - April 2012

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