Clean Run Magazine - August 2007 - 73

7 8 6 PHOTO BY ALISSA BEHN/PET PERSONALITIES 9 12 3 11 4 5 2 T Figure 2 contains sequences used in conjunction with the course in Figure 1; the teeter is ﬂipped in the opposite direction for these sequences. For the white sequence, many handlers opted to do a lead-out pivot/push between jump #2 and the #3 tire. Other students led out with the dog on the left and did a front cross between jump #2 and the tire. A few students kept the dog on the left, executing a false turn or cueing with lateral motion to the tire. Students who handled the teeter with the dog on the left did either a rear cross into the #5 chute or did a front cross at the end of the teeter. From the #5 chute to the #6 table, most students executed a false turn, while others did a front cross. The front cross worked well because it got the dog on the right side of the handler, making it easier for the student to cue jump #7 and the #8 A-frame. The black sequence gave handlers practice with two challenging weave entries. The distance from the #1 double to the weave poles was set at 11', making it a tough and tight weave entrance. All students began the sequence with the dog on the left. A few students were able to move laterally away from the weave poles while their dog was weaving to negotiate jumps #3 and #4 from the landing side of #3, turning the dog to the right over jump #4 and sending the dog to the #5 tunnel from their left side. Other students did a front cross after the weave poles, keeping the dog on the right over jumps #3 and #4, and then turning the dog left and bringing him between jumps #3 and #4. This maneuver proved difﬁcult because many dogs took jump #4 from an angle, encouraging a right lead and right turn. A few handlers handled jump #6 to the #7 weave poles with the dog on the left, crossing on the ﬂat and “ﬂipping” into the weaves. Most students chose to handle jump #6 to the #7 weave poles with the dog on the right. Either way, the entrance was a challenge! 10 13 15 14 1 3 Novice course Novice Level Figure 3 shows the course used in the Novice class. The course was a bit less complicated than the Masters/Advanced course, but it did present challenges. Handlers experimented with two different lead-out options. Many students led out with the dog on the right, cueing the #3 tunnel from their right side. Other students executed a lead-out pivot/push from jump #2 to the #3 tunnel. This maneuver appeared to be the clearest lead-out option. Most handlers did a front cross from jump #4 to the #5 tunnel. A few did a false turn, keeping the dog on the left and then crossing behind the tunnel. The front cross proved to be the clearest option and allowed students to drive forward to the tunnel. As with the Advanced and Masters classes, a few students had a hard time cueing the weave poles in a timely fashion, causing some dogs to accelerate too much after the triple and overshoot the entrance to the poles. From the weaves to the #8 double and the #9 dogwalk, a few different handling strategies were used by the students. The ﬁrst strategy was to move laterally away from the weaves and execute a landing-side front cross after the double to the dogwalk. This strategy was successful as long as the dog had independent weave pole performance. Done correctly, the front cross set up a very nice entrance to the dogwalk. Other students kept the dog on the right from the double to the dogwalk, either crossing in front of the dogwalk at the end or crossing behind the dogwalk as the dog started his ascent. Students keeping the dog on the right had to be careful that the dog did not slice the double and veer off toward the teeter and/or chute. The last strategy had mixed results. A couple of students handled the dogwalk with the dog on the right and then executed a rear cross on the ﬂat from the dogwalk to the #10 tire. This option was used by a few students who did not have independent weave poles and did have a running dogwalk. Students who were able to let the dog pass them as he exited the dogwalk had the most success with this particular strategy. All handlers kept the dog on the left for the #10 tire and #11 seesaw. Some students crossed in front of the teeter while others crossed behind the #12 chute. All handlers ﬁnished the course with the dog on their right. August 07 | Clean Run 73

Clean Run Magazine - August 2007

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