Clean Run Magazine - July 2007 - 12

Because getting a lead-out is so important, we do things at an agility trial that are unthinkable in obedience. We handlers do strange things to compensate for a less than rock-solid stay. Consider the handlers who outside the ring express confidence in their dog’s ability to stay, yet as they walk to the lead-out spot they transform into parrot-heads. You see them repeatedly whip their head around to look at the dog and then look back out to the course. Bless the dogs that are not confused by the sight of their handler’s head ratcheting back and forth on their shoulders. Consider those who accept the fact that the dog will not sit and stay at the start line. They move onto the course parrot-heading, repeating Stay, and continuously gesturing for the dog to stay. It becomes clear the words and gestures are in vain when you hear the release word uttered after you see the dog clear the first jump. Some handlers will place their dog in a down 30' from the first obstacle in hopes the dog will be sitting only 15' away from the first obstacle by the time the handler is in position. I just marvel at the enthusiasm. My favorite is the handlers who never see their dog misbehaving. The handlers in this group know there is a problem yet they walk onto the course as they have in practice, as they should, without monitoring their dog’s position. These handlers have rigorously trained a sit at the start line. The dog knows he must remain sitting until released onto the course. His brain, however, in searching for a way to get closer to the first obstacle, discovers stealth. As the handler moves onto the course the dog hops forward like a frog. Because the dog knows the handler will turn around at any moment he remains in a sitting position. This way the little scoot forward is simply an unnoticed indiscretion. The longer the lead-out, the more hops the dog gets in and the closer he gets to the first obstacle. The dog that stands and skips forward a few steps simply forgot just for a moment the rigorously trained task at hand. As the handler walks away the dog stands and takes a couple absent-minded steps toward the first obstacle. As quickly as he forgot all about sitting, he remembers. Realizing he is out of position, he freezes, hoping that not moving is as good as sitting. The most excitable dogs experience complete overload. They bypass the hop and the skip and go straight to the jump. While the handler is still walking, the dog sails past, headed for the first obstacle, which brings me to Cider. Cider is my “go” girl. In her mind sitting and staying is a problem fixed by getting up and going. I have experienced most of the behaviors described—both handler and dog. I have certainly seen the backside of my golden girl while still casually making my way onto the course. The mixture of anger and embarrassment at a time like this really tests your mettle for the sport. Cider is my “go” girl. In her mind sitting and staying is a problem fixed by getting up and going. Even in obedience classes we had problems. I would give the formal hand signal and a stern Stay. As soon as I walked away, Cider came with me. I would put her back into a sitting position only to find someone had installed a spring in her rear end. The quicker I sat her down, the quicker and higher her rear came up. At the same time the spring was installed an audio filter was activated completely blocking out the word Sit. It is true. No matter how often or how loudly I said Sit, there was no acknowledgement, let alone reaction. Early in our agility career Cider was intent on going through the course with or without me. This led to the aforementioned embarrassing act of Cider starting the course without me. It is an ugly feeling to be standing between the first and second jump when Cider is finishing her fourth obstacle and focused on a tunnel. Failure to hold a sit also made it impossible Our Sit-stay Practice History At this time in our career Cider has a pretty good start-line sit-stay. I was recently reminded that this was not always the case. Someone who had not seen us in a year said it looked like we had conquered our start-line problems. How quickly we forget our problems once past them. Ah yes, it all came back to me in an instant. “It’s official: my entire crew loves this toy!” © DOGHOUSE ARTS The Crunch ‘N’ Tug “Most dogs love to crunch on an empty water bottle, others love the feel of a fleecy exterior. This toy has both. I love it because once you remove the water bottle, it folds flat for easy packing. Plus the bungee makes tugging easy on my back (and I’m sure on my dog’s body as well!).” Susan Garrett Twister, Buzz, Decaff & Encore www.dogdreamstoys.com 12 Clean Run | July 07

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Clean Run Magazine - July 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - July 2007