Clean Run Magazine - June 2007 - 62

Bridge and Target Training for Agility, Part 2 Article and photos by Francoise (Sassie) Joiris except where noted In last month’s article I explained the steps I use to teach dogs the intermediate and terminal bridges. Once my dogs understand the bridges, I use them to teach a wide variety of different targeting skills. Besides the commonly used nose and front-foot targets, my dogs learn back-feet, hip, butt, chin, shoulder, and even tail and cheek targets. Agility training mostly makes use of foot and nose targets, but I also use the shoulder target to teach body-sensitive dogs that it’s good to touch the weave poles as they’re weaving. I use the butt target to teach and later to reinforce a sit on the table, and I use a chin target (head down) to reinforce a down on the table. I also teach dogs to target to anything I indicate rather than always using the same target. In addition to mouse pads, Plexiglas squares or circles, and target sticks, I use pieces of paper, a wet spot on the ground, a leaf, a baggie, whatever is handy. Doing this seems to help the dog focus on where he’s targeting (bottom of the contact obstacle, for example) rather than what he’s targeting on. Teaching Your Dog to Follow a Target Stick As soon as the dog is reliable about coming to and touching a finger target on cue (over 80% success rate), teach the dog to follow a target stick. What you need: Dog that is in the mood for treats A handful of tiny, easy-to-swallow treats A hand A target stick You can use just about anything as a target stick. As a matter of fact, it’s a good idea to get the dog used to a variety of target sticks so that he learns the concept of targeting the end of any stick you happen to have handy. For the first target stick lesson it’s easiest to use something fairly small like a chopstick or a pencil. A broken television antenna works well because it can be telescoped to a variety of different sizes. Riding crops are great in the long run, although a little unwieldy for this first lesson. Most tack shops have inexpensive crops in a variety of lengths. The two I use most are a short one called a “bat” and a very long one called a dressage whip. Some of them have a little dangly part hanging at the end that you’ll want to cut off. Whatever you use as a target stick, make sure the end isn’t sharp. If you’re in doubt pad it with a wrapping of duct tape. End result: Your dog will target the stick as well as targeting to your fingers. This will make your life easier because most dogs are a bit shorter than most humans, and there are times when you’ll find you need the extra “reach.” 62 What to do: 1 Hold the stick in the palm of the target hand with just the end extending through the two fingers, so that when the dog targets the fingers he will automatically touch the target stick as well. 2 3 Present your fingers, target stick and all, with a snappy gesture right in front of your dog’s nose as you say Touch. Bridge immediately with a hearty Excellent and give him a treat. Let the target stick protrude a bit further so that it is more evident but the fingers are still reaching the end of the stick and repeat step 2. 4 Continue to extend the stick while receding the fingers and repeat step 2. After four or five more repetitions, each time extending the stick a bit, your dog should be touching the stick without hesitation. Make sure that you’re not holding your hand in the two-fingered point that he has learned to target so that you don’t confuse him. 2 3 4 Now move the stick a little as the dog is reaching for it. Use the intermediate bridge to let him know he’s doing the right thing by following the stick, and end with a hearty and happy Excellent when he touches the stick. This step usually goes quite quickly since most dogs think it’s fun to try to “catch” the stick. Make sure to give the terminal bridge before the dog tries to actually grab the target. If the dog does grab the target with his mouth, stop the intermediate bridge, freeze, and wait for the dog to let go of the target. If the dog starts tugging, drop the target, immediately offer a two-finger touch target with your other hand. That usually works to get the dog to let go. Next time, be quicker with the terminal bridge! Clean Run | June 07 5
Clean Run Magazine - June 2007

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