Clean Run Magazine - May 2008 - 30

Side and Close This is a fun game that continues to build value for the dog responding to your body language. To teach Close, have your dog on leash on , your left side, sitting against a wall. Leave him and walk two steps away to a barrier you have set up. Go back and give him a cookie to reward his wait and then return to line you up with the barrier. Give your dog his release cue and, as he comes into position beside you, give him a treat. Build distance until your dog can run and stop in position beside you. After five successful repetitions remove the barrier and repeat. If your dog continues to have success, add the cue Close, 1 or 2 seconds prior to your release word. So you would be saying Close……Okay. After five to ten more successful repetitions, try it without giving your release cue to see if the dog is responding to the cue Close on his own. Once you have success, set your dog up in a similar fashion on your right side and repeat the process with the cue Side. As you have success with Side and Close, have your dog run into position from a Side and Close on the Move If I am walking my dog on my left and there is something ahead of us I deem to be disruptive (perhaps scary or overarousing) I will give her Side cue and allow her to pivot in front of me to affect a change of sides. Now I have a dog with a heightened level of focus on me, as the cue has stimulated a potential to earn high-value rewards, plus, I have my body between her and the distraction so I can divert her attention away from it. In my next installment I will outline ringside games specific to those dogs you want to be more pumped up by agility. COURTESY OF SUSAN GA RRETT recall. Make certain that you are standing still as the dog approaches, as this will cue him to stop his forward motion. For an advanced Side and Close game I will stand the dog directly in front of me and give him a Side or Close cue to have him pivot into position. If the dog fails, you can help him at first by giving your cue and then patting the correct side with your hand. Eventually you can have the dog pivot from his close position all the way around to side position. This is a game I like to use anywhere in high traffic at a trial. It allows me to shield my dogs from distractions they may find overly arousing or potentially scary. D Every dog Susan Garrett has owned has become a national champion. In total her dogs have won two World Championships and 15 National Championships (11 in the U.S. and 4 in Canada) at 6 different jump heights. She is a highly respected dog trainer, seminar presenter, and writer. Susan shares her life with John Blenkey and their four dogs in Alberton, Ontario, Canada. Her award-winning books and videos can be purchased both through Clean Run (www.cleanrun.com) and her website at www.clickerdogs.com. Proudly made in the U.S.A 30 Clean Run | May 08

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Clean Run Magazine - May 2008

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