Clean Run Magazine - November 2009 - 44

I reward both from my hand and by throwing the food on the ground, depending on what I am trying to change. Typically I reward from my hand to promote the weight shift and then continue to drop food as I walk around. The dog should maintain the position he is in and just eat the food that lands within reach until I release him with a verbal cue. Once the dog is doing the full step down, moving into the two-on/two-off position with the front and rear pushing and pulling together, I add my two-on/two-off cue, Touch. Initially I add the cue as the dog moves into the two-on/two-off position. After the dog hears the cue in conjunction with the behavior for a few sessions, I start to put the behavior on cue. • From the ground with the dog jumping onto the side of the travel board or contact board and moving directly into the two-on/two-off position • From a stationary four-on-the-board position at various distances from the end of the board and moving on cue to the two-on/two-off position Many people only train the first starting point (from the ground) and when the dog is placed on the board and asked to move into the two-on/two-off position, the dog does not understand. When performing a contact obstacle, the dog is in a four-onthe-board location; therefore, it is important that he is taught to move on cue from that location. I have not found that starting a dog from a stationary, four-on-the-board Travel Board Work At the same time that you’re doing your stair work, you can continue with the travel board work you started last month. For both nose-touch and no-nose-touch trained dogs, I want the dog to drive into the two-on/two-off position on cue from two starting points. SupplemenTal Training – I do some supplemental training to ensure the dog understands that when I drop food he should only get the food he can reach without moving his feet. With the dog in a down-stay I drop a treat within reach, let the dog eat it, and repeat a few times. I then drop a piece out of reach, and as the dog starts to crawl or gets up to eat it, I quickly place my foot on top of the treat. The dog usually settles back into the down position; if he doesn’t, I tell him Down again. I repeat the exercise throwing the food both in and out of reach. Occasionally I pick up a treat that was out of reach and reward the dog in the down position from my hand. Some dogs continue to sniff after they have eaten the treat. I put these dogs on a leash and when they start to sniff I lightly tighten up on the leash until the dogs’ nose is off the ground, praise, and then drop another treat. The dogs learn very quickly that more food is dropped when the nose comes up and the sniffing stops. It is important to stop the sniffing immediately. I do not want the dog to sniff, realize there is no food, and then look up to get more treats. Proudly made in the U.S.A 44 Clean Run | November 09

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Clean Run Magazine - November 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - November 2009