Clean Run - November 2013 - 50

#16-#20
Obstacles #16 to #20 are very interesting. Look at the difference in the two
diagrams. Notice that in Figure 11
that the handler path mimics the dog's
path so the handler comes close to
the A-frame first so she can then pull
the dog with her to jump #18. Then
the handler can cue a tight line to #19
with a reverse turn on the wing. Notice that on the approach to jump #19
the handler doesn't run all the way up
to the wing and then turn. Instead, she
starts turning her shoulders before
getting to the jump and is positioned
more central to it rather than out on
the wing. Being out on the wing gives
the dog a straight line to the #19 jump
bar, with the handler off to the side
and maybe not in the dog's view. It is
better if the handler is closer and giving earlier information while taking
the dog off the straight line and back
into handler focus for the tight turn to
jump #20. The handler in Figure 12,
instead of staying close to the A-frame,
runs wide of it and creates a straighter
line forward which likewise sends the
dog straight on. While out wide and
already on the wing of #18, the handler cannot be cueing acceleration in
the direction of #18 like the handler in
Figure 11 can, since she is running and
facing that way. So the handler is static by #18 and waiting for the dog to
come back in to her while she is facing
him, so this becomes a slow maneuver.
Creating acceleration in every direction is very important to get those
competitive times. The wide turn at
the end in Figure 12 is also avoidable.
There is no point in just running to the
wing and stopping to try to cue a turn.
It's better to give the dog a new direction to go in before jump #19 and then
the handler can already be running in
the direction of jump #20.

In Conclusion
So, in conclusion, international courses are all about creating the correct handler
paths and shoulder direction to get the acceleration and accuracy required on these
types of courses. They really aren't as hard as they sometimes look. I think the real
difficulty is the amount of handling in them. If I set up a training sequence of eight
obstacles that are all in a circle, then the handler finds it easy. But if I set up the same
number of obstacles where there is one handling move quickly followed by another
and another, then most handlers are late with their handling the further they go
through the sequence-and that is only eight obstacles, not a whole course.
It is our timing that we need to practice and speed up. It is only by practicing these
quick handling reflexes, one after the other, that our physical and, more importantly,
our mental speed, will improve. Good luck! D

Dawn Weaver has been an agility trainer in the U.K. for over 25 years. She is a 7-time FCI World Team member and a 3-time IFCS World Team member. She has won many
gold medals with several different dogs and has won at Crufts in the large category with Ag Ch It's Easy with a Beezy (Beardie-Border Collie cross). Dawn has won every
major British final in recent years. Her Poodle Ag Ch Piquant Painted Sunshine has the most championship tickets of any dog in Britain. She is also the only dog to have
won Olympia four years running and all the major Crufts finals. Ag Ch Tonring Just a Puzzle is the only Papillon in Britain to have become an agility champion and is the
2011 Crufts Singles winner. Dawn is the author of the training book, Knowledge Equals Speed! She also offers online video instruction at www.dawnweaveragility.com.
To contact Dawn, send email to info@dawnweaveragility.com.
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http://www.dawnweaveragility.com

Clean Run - November 2013

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