Clean Run Magazine - June 2010 - 19

Dog Agility
Agility Right from the Start is the first training resource you should have and the last one you’ll need. Authors Eva Bertilsson and Emelie Johnson Vegh now bring to the US and Canada the powerful modern training system that made them leading agility competitors throughout Norway and Sweden.

Get the Ultimate Training Guide to

Eva and Emelie’s innovative reward system along with step by step guides and over 600 photographs will help you: • Qualify sooner • Gain competitive advantage • Shave seconds off your course times • Reduce frustration and increase the fun of agility for both you and your dog Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or just starting out, if you’re into agility, you’d better get into Agility Right from the Start! Available at www.AgilityRightFromTheStart.com, CleanRun.com and Clickertraining.com

Agility Right from the Start Part One

Chapter Nine Transports

Different kinds of jumps
What should it look like when your dog performs a jump?
• He jumps over the bar(s)/walls/planks, between the uprights. • He happily clears jumps of any design. • He judges the distance and jumps efficiently with accurate technique depending on the height and length of the jump. • He adjusts his jumping style depending on where he’s going next (long, flat, and aiming ahead—or short, round, and turning tight). • When turning, he jumps close to the inner upright to get the shortest path.

To get the best jumping technique it’s also a good idea to begin with your dog in a startline stay. That way he is well balanced and in control of his body when he takes off for the jump. You may even want to start from a sit, since your dog then is likely to use his rear end properly (but only use the sit if your dog happily offers it). If you like, you can hold on to your dog, giving the start cue when he is well balanced and looks ahead. To further enhance a good jumping technique, position your dog just one stride from the jump. That way you increase the likelihood that he will use the power from his rear end rather than using his front to pull himself forward and upward. At low jumps, the distance might be about 1.2 meters (4 feet) for a big dog, and less for a smaller dog. As the jump height increases, your dog will need more distance since he then has to take off earlier. Some dogs, however, actually have a more balanced jump style when starting spontaneously from a transport from a bit longer distance—especially at the lower jumps. See what works best for your dog.

Jumping demands
Jumping requires more from your dog than you might realize. Susan Salo, a former horse trainer who has applied her knowledge and skills to teaching dogs how to jump, lists six aspects of jumping that your dog must learn to evaluate and master, here described in our words: 1. Path: knowing which jump to take and where to go after that jump 2. Distance: evaluating how far it is to the jump, and adjusting stride length and the number of strides accordingly 3. Appropriate takeoff spot: deciding where to take off, and managing to hit that spot 4. Weight transfer: shifting and using the power from the rear end properly 5. Angle of elevation: jumping flat and long, or steeper with a higher, rounder arc 6. Height: evaluating the height, and jumping as high as needed As you can see, a jump isn’t just skipping over a bar. Even if it’s just a 10-cm (4”) jump, your dog still has to assess all of these aspects. To us, this list is an important reminder of how complex a jump really is. To make the best possible jumps and turns after jumping, your dog not only needs to understand the exercise—he also needs to have the physical strength and technique to master that kind of jump. The fine details of jumping really do constitute an entire science in itself! For further information about specific jump-technique training, we recommend Susan Salo’s articles and DVD (see “Resources” on page xxx {AU: Please provide page number for cross-reference.}for more information).

A new publication from Karen Pryor Clickertraining

Jumps can be of various designs—here, a wall.

In turns, the shortest path hugs the inner upright.

How can you train it?
When introducing different kinds of jumps we prefer to begin with Race to reward. Jumping is not only about learning to go over the bar, between the wings; it is also a technical endeavor requiring your dog to learn a good jumping style from the beginning. In the Race to reward procedure, your dog always knows exactly where he is going and can focus totally on the task at hand, which will increase his ability to use his body correctly.

June 10 | Clean Run

When taking off at a jump, your dog has to know where he is going next. Once airborne, his landing point is set. Left pair: Going straight ahead. Right pair: Turning

Jumping demands: Jump grids are great for building jumping skills! Your dog gets to collect and bounce the jumps (taking off directly after landing, without taking any strides in between). Keep the jumps very low and place them quite tight—up to 6 feet for a big dog, and down to 3 feet for a small one.

1-800-47-CLICK 781-398-0754 www.clickertraining.com www.AgilityRightFromTheStart.com

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Clean Run Magazine - June 2010

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