Clean Run Magazine - March 2007 - 40

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Transferring the On-board Position to the Dogwalk and A-frame Before
training the on-board position on the A-frame or dogwalk, be sure that you
have trained the dog to go from all four paws on the board to the down, and
then to the stretched two-on/two-off position. Also be sure that your dog
is running quickly across the A-frame and dogwalk without any hesitation.
Now, it’s a good idea to take your dog and your board to a facility with
standard equipment that can be lowered for training so that you can employ
the usual backchaining to the bottom of each contact obstacle. You may
even position the board itself on the end of a lowered A-frame, although
that’s not essential because your dog will understand the location of
the position by the feel of his body on the equipment. The pull of gravity
just naturally forces your dog to move down the slanted equipment and end
up with two feet on the ground for the twoon/two-off down position. Reward
this position by dropping treats on the ground just in front of the dog. If
you’ve done your homework on the board, you’ll be amazed how easy it is
to get the dog to assume that position at the end of the A-frame and
dogwalk. When you’re ready for the dog to leave the contact position on
the obstacle, just give your release command. Dog waiting for release in
stretchedout position at end of dogwalk Dog lying on board placed on
A-frame Puppy in down position on A-frame without the board Dog rewarded
for down position on dogwalk Independent Obstacle Performance Be sure to
vary your position around the board and angle the dog’s approach to it
so he learns to self-correct for the appropriate position and consequent
reward. Elicia likes to work in 5' intervals while sending, recalling, and
running past the board—in that order—for each step of the training
process to insure solid understanding of the behavior before moving to the
next step. You may give the desired position at the end of the board a name
at this point as long as you are sure your dog understands exactly where
his body should be, says Elicia. Also, restraining the dog by the collar
before releasing him to the board will help to build enthusiasm for the
board position. So it is possible to use the on-board method to teach a
running contact as long as the dog clearly understands his position and
release requirements. Proofing the self-release is the most challenging
aspect of the training process, but once accomplished, the results are
fantastic, Elicia says. As always, it is the handler’s job to define and
reinforce behavior in a consistent manner. Lasting Benefits of the On-board
Method Because you are teaching the position for the contact separate from
speed over the obstacle, your dog will be free to open up and attain full
speed across the contact as he runs toward the toy at the end of the
obstacle. Elicia believes that handlers who have taught the two-on/two-off
method directly on the obstacle itself—before teaching the dog to run
fast over the entire obstacle—often find their dogs never really opening
up to full speed. That lack of speed is a result of the dog’s not having
had an opportunity to learn how to run fast because the focus from the
beginning of the training has always been on getting to the two-on/two-off
position. By teaching your dog the on-board position separately, you can
help him to focus on the exact location for the desired position at the
end of the contact zone while at the same time working on speed and
confidence across the A-frame and dogwalk. Elicia is now training all her
dogs and all her students in the on-board method because of the excellent
results achieved in both the dog’s speed and precision. D Running
Contacts Elicia’s philosophy on running contacts is similar to her
approach to training the stop for two-on/two-off contact performance. She
likes giving the dog a job in a specified location. The only difference in
the running contact performance is who controls the release—the dog
instead of the handler. For a running contact, Elicia has taught her dog
Nika to hit a single front foot between two designated slats before
leaving the A-frame or dogwalk. Nika knows her job is to “hit and go.”
For the stopped contact, Elicia taught BreeSea to go into the
two-on/two-off position at the end of the contact zone and release upon a
verbal command. Martha Faulk, a lawyer and author who lives in Fort
Collins, Colorado, teaches agility through the Larimer Humane Society. She
competes with her two rescues, RebaRae, Australian Cattle Dog, and
SallyAnn, Australian Shepherd. Her Border Terrier, EmmaLou, MX, MXJ, and
USDAA Nationals Performance Grand Prix semifinalist in 2005, is now
retired. Contact Martha through marthfaulk@msn.com. 40 Clean Run | March
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Clean Run Magazine - March 2007

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