Clean Run Magazine - August 2007 - 53

Front Cross on the Landing Side When executing a landing-side front cross to achieve a 180° change in direction, the handler progresses past the plane of the jump, moves laterally away from the dog to give the dog enough room to turn between the jump and the handler, and completes a front cross on the landing side. When attempting the landing-side front cross, the handler will most likely be parallel and moving forward with the dog. Forward and parallel motion encourages extension, which in turn encourages a flat jumping style leading to a wide turn as shown by the red path in Figure 4. Since the dog most likely will receive the turning cue after he completes the jump, rather than before takeoff, this cue is now reactive rather than proactive. If the dog lands on a neutral lead he may be forced to take a full stride forward before initiating a turn, which can add several seconds to course time. Going very wide during this type of landing-side front cross, the dog may inadvertently become focused on an off-course obstacle rather than the handler and may choose to take an off-course obstacle behind the handler’s back as shown by the orange path in Figure 4. In the worst-case scenario, the handler 4 FC 2 2 turns the dog too acutely with a landingside front cross, in anticipation of getting a very tight wrap. By not moving laterally away from the jump to perform the front cross, the handler causes a backjump as shown in Figure 5. 5 FC 1 3 1 3 Example of front cross executed on landing side of the jump: The dog receives a reactive rather than a proactive cue, encouraging extension. The dog lands on a neutral lead, going wide in the turn, because the handler has gone past the plane of the jump (green line). The orange path shows the dog going behind the handler's back, taking an off-course and not recalling to heel side after being allowed to go wide in the turn. The handler executes a front cross on the landing side but neglects to move laterally away from the jump. By turning the dog too sharply to facilitate a tight wrap, the handler allows the dog to backjump and incur a wrong course as shown by the orange path. Landing-side Position, Motioning with Extended Arm When you position yourself with your shoulders facing the dog, your body moving backward until you have extended your arm, and occasionally your whole body, past and beyond the plane of the jump on the landing side, it may initially appear that you are mimicking an RFC. But, it is not the same at all. This maneuver differs from an RFC in that you assume a landing-side position rather than a takeoffside position. Handlers often assume this landing-side position to encourage their dogs to wrap a jump. When the handler extends her hand and/ or her shoulder or body past the plane of the jump, she is also encouraging her dog to proceed farther past the plane of the jump as shown by the red path in Figure 6. Depending on how far the handler’s body and/or her arm has moved beyond the plane of the jump, the dog’s jumping radius will most likely place the dog’s landing spot well beyond the handler’s position on the landing side. Experience has taught that the more linear distance the dog is given for his landing spot after a jump, the more space he will take and the result is a wide turn with added seconds of course time. The maneuver of extending the arm on the landing side carries with it a high backjumping possibility for a wrong course call. Often the handler neglects to step sideways and away from the jump and a quick dog may inadvertently backjump before the handler can blink, at times even before she begins to resume forward motion to the next, correct obstacle. Remember, if you have progressed past the plane of the jump and move forward without stepping away from the jump, you are exhibiting forward motion cues to the very jump you only intended to wrap. 6 2 1 3 Example of landing side position, motioning with extended arm: The dog is going wide because the handler's arm and/or body is extended past the plane of the jump. The dog's jumping radius will most likely extend beyond the handler's position on the landing side. If the handler neglects to step sideways and away from the jump after the dog turns, a backjump may occur. August 07 | Clean Run 53

Clean Run Magazine - August 2007

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