Clean Run - April 2013 - 12

10'

20'

10'
15'
20'

20'
As the dog jumps, mark with a "Yes" as you
turn and toss the reinforcement to the dog’s
landing spot. When the dog is confident on
both sides, increase your lateral distance 12"
at a time until you can be 20' from the jump.

Lateral Distance on One Jump
The next skill involved in teaching the
LOP is lateral distance on one jump.
Besides the benefit of having reliable
lateral distance on one jump, the dog
is also learning not to run by obstacles.
You are teaching the dog that if a jump
is on a direct line on the path he is facing, and between you and the dog, he
should not pass it by. This skill is important for all aspects of agility handling.
Following are the beginning steps for
teaching the lateral distance skill on one
jump. When the lateral distance and reliability is perfected over a few days or
practice sessions, the focus of the training can switch to adding more distance
before the jump, and then adding the turn.

Place the dog just a few feet in front of
the jump and lead out about 3' lateral
of the dog’s line, on the landing side of
the jump.
Ask the dog to jump. As the dog jumps,
praise or mark the dog’s performance
with a Yes as you turn and toss the reinforcement to the dog’s landing spot
(see the sidebar for more detailed information on rewarding the dog). Remember to work the dog on both your
left and right.
When the dog is confidently taking the
jump on both your left and right side,
start increasing your lateral distance
from the jump 12" at a time until you
can be at least 20' from the jump as
shown in Figure 6. The dog’s start-

How and When to Reinforce
1

Once you can place the dog 20' from the jump
while you are 10' away laterally, incrementally
add lateral distance back into the drill.

Initially, shorten your lateral distance to 10'.
Increase the dog’s distance from the jump
incrementally.

After you have taught the dog lateral
distance on both your right and left
side, and the dog goes briskly and
confidently over the jump, you can
add distance between the dog and the
jump. Initially, shorten your lateral distance from the jump to 10'. Increase
the dog’s distance from the jump incrementally as shown in Figure 7. Continue to toss the reinforcement to the
dog at his landing spot.
Once you can place the dog back 20'
from the jump while you are standing
10' away laterally, begin to add lateral
distance back into the drill incrementally as shown in Figure 8.

How Not to Reinforce
R

2
R

Correct

Just as the dog commits to the jump, I praise or use a
marker word like Yes to indicate the dog is correct and
reinforcement is on its way. I immediately turn and toss
the toy to the dog at the position shown, using my outside
hand. You can also toss a cookie or food sock to the dog’s
landing position as a reinforcement.

ing position remains the same for
each repetition.

Incorrect

I do not hold the toy in my “cue” hand, the one closest to the
dog; rather, I hold the toy in the hand farthest from the dog.
I never toss the toy past the line I am standing on; in this
example, I am just 3' past the jump. Since this lateral jump
work turns into a lead-out pivot and the dog is soon taught
to turn at the jump in my direction, I don’t want the reinforcement to pass me by since the dog would be learning
to pass me by as well.

Clean Run || April 13
Clean Run

Clean Run - April 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - April 2013