Clean Run Magazine -May 2010 - 39

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Very careful use of real estate enables a handler with restricted mobility to still communicate effectively on this course designed by Sandra Katzen.

Going deep, or taking an intentionally longer path, can be a very smart move.

Figure 7 illustrates a handler who is deliberately using very little real estate in a handling path. Many handlers with restricted mobility are brilliant at using real estate wisely in this way. Another example might be where the handler is artificially restricted to working below the horizontal 60' marker line. I’ve shown a few of the key pressure points with green arrows to illustrate how the handler’s path continues to communicate direction, set lines, and reinforce the dog’s commitment to obstacles, even though the path is compressed and displaced.

Likewise, even though the dog might send to tunnel #11 nicely, taking a longer handling path here (blue path) enables a timely rear cross between #11 and #12 and a confident turn into the last tunnel. For sure, if the handler is fast enough to beat the dog to a front cross between #11 and #12, she can still decelerate or pull off laterally in time to cue the turn to #13, but the timing may be tricky.

Acceleration and Deceleration
Another aspect of using real estate wisely is to use the space available to accelerate where you can and to decelerate where you need to. Acceleration and deceleration are relative terms. Going from a stand to a jog is an acceleration cue. Shifting weight from your toes to your heels is a deceleration cue. Knowing that, you can create a great deal of energy and “drive” even if you have very little space to work in (for example, in a pinwheel or at a gamble line). It is also helpful to know there is a very obvious and natural change in the angle of your torso as you accelerate (lean forward), maintain a constant pace (remain upright), and decelerate (lean back). It is so obvious your dog cannot possibly miss it (unless you mask the cue by bending over). So as you move through your available space, it matters to your dog if you are speeding up or slowing down, regardless of how fast you are actually moving.

Going Deep
It might seem counterintuitive, especially after the points above, but deliberately taking a long path can also be a wise use of real estate. The above description of how the handler went deep on #11 to set the line to #12 and enable a rear cross is a typical example. I also touched on this when first introducing the risk of cheating the corner. Taking a longer path to set a specific approach angle into a jump sequence (setting a V) is another typical application. Going deep can also be a wise move as a way to create a longer handling path for a dog that thrives on the movement and energy of the handler. Figure 8 is a NADAC-like Tunnelers course. Here the handler might find that going deep into the pocket of tunnel #3 (blue path) and decelerating as the dog goes in enables her to cue the turn out of #3, set the line to #4 (red path), send the dog ahead to tunnel #4, cue the turn out of #4 by pulling off laterally while going in, and recall the dog through #5 with a front cross back into #6. Whew. Contrast that with a handler who opts for the turquoise path. Perhaps you can envision the handler’s movement at important decision points for the dog is very different. The orange path shows one possibility as the dog exits tunnel #3.

A large part of your strategy in using real estate wisely is for the express purpose of getting to critical locations on course. Using real estate wisely may seem to be mostly a matter of figuring out where you can take shortcuts.

May 10 | Clean Run

Clean Run Magazine -May 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine -May 2010