Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 53

Play before Work By Jane Killion Photos by Louis B. Ruediger When Pigs Fly: Do you really understand why it matters if your dog will play with you or not? There are lots of good arguments in favor of teaching your dog to play with you (such as increases drive and improves handler focus), but the one that I feel is most important with a Pigs Fly dog is that play will greatly help you and your dog move past a basic level of sequencing obstacles and on to doing a full course in a trial situation. Say you have a fairly green, non-high-drive dog and you want to get him ready to do a trial course of 20 obstacles. You have done lots of sequencing of three to four obstacles, but now you want to put it all together. If you have a dog that likes toys, you are in great shape. After every few obstacles, you can have a crazy play party with your dog and a toy. Piggy Pointer: There is a great deal to the actual process of taking a dog from small sequences to full courses in a trial situation. You will need to use different types of reinforcers with different frequencies to build up to doing a whole course. That process will be covered in later articles, but for now I just want you to understand why it helps to have play in your basket of reinforcers. Now let’s look at a dog whose only reinforcer is food. If you are following the Pigs Fly system, your nonbiddable dog will be offering behaviors and looking for a reward. He will be running around the agility yard, trying out different things to get that clicker to go off. Depending on where you are in your training and your dog’s level of persistence, your dog may offer one obstacle, three obstacles, or five obstacles; and then, when he does not get Then sometimes, you can just show the dog the toy during the play party but not let him have it; other times, you can make a motion as if you are going to give him the toy, or you can call the toy by name, but not actually produce it. If you keep mixing it up this way between giving, showing, and faking, eventually you won’t need the toy at all. Just running around with the possibility of a wild and crazy play session breaking out at any time will become enough to keep your dog on the hook. You now have a reinforcer that you will always have on you and is legal in every venue—you! It will not be so hard to get your dog to do 20 obstacles, because you can still reinforce him from time to time by playing with him, even if you don’t have the toy on you. Play is a powerful reinforcer that you can always have on you. a treat, he will stop and look at you as if to say, “What’s up? What am I doing wrong? Why aren’t you reinforcing me?” In short, he will give up. Here is the key concept you need to know: Whenever you start trying to reinforce less often and build up to doing a whole course, it can have a punishing effect of diminishing agility behaviors. This is even truer for a dog that is operant because the operant dog looks for reinforcers as confirmation that he is doing the right thing. If the reinforcer is not forthcoming when he expects it to be, he assumes he is doing something “wrong.” If you continue to hold out and insist that your green dog forge on with no reinforcement, it is likely he will quit doing agility. Since you can’t always have food on you, it is really helpful if your dog comes to perceive the entire training process as a potential for all kinds of unexpected and exciting reinforcements such as playing. Piggy Pointer: You certainly could teach your dog to do an entire agility course using only food by scientifically thinning the ratio of reinforcement. There is also the “fun effect” of agility, where agility becomes self-reinforcing for some dogs in certain circumstances. It is just easier, though, if you have play available as a reinforcer that you can use at any time. Be a Good Sport Pick an appropriate game for your dog Not every dog needs to play the same way. You can save yourself a lot of time and effort if you pick toys and games toward which your dog naturally gravitates. I present detailed instructions for teaching your dog to play games in my book, When Pigs Fly, but for this article I will just briefly touch on a few favorites to give you some ideas. 53 June 08 | Clean Run

Clean Run Magazine - June 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - June 2008

Clean Run Magazine - June 2008
Contents
Editorializing: The Excuse
Tip of the Month
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Backyard Dogs
Fast, Independent Contacts, Part 1
Foundation Fundamentals: Using Your Legs as Jump Bumps
Handling Your Dog in Awesome Style, Part 3: Fundamental Skills
Trainer’s Forum
Starting as a Team, Part 3
Power Paws Patterns: Number Six
The Well-Equipped Agility Team
Teetering on the Edge: Dealing with Fear of an Obstacle
Skill of the Month
Canine Supplements: Do They Really Work?
When Pigs Fly: Play before Work
Shelter Champs: Sydney
Spy Kids: Trial Preparation, Start-line Stays, and Toy Work
Cece’s Gym Exercise of the Month: Plyometrics
Distance Challenge
Classes Gone Wild
Conquering Ring Nerves: Talking Yourself into the Next Level
Agility Organization Update
Letter to the Editor
Course Diagram Keys
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Clean Run Magazine - June 2008
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 2
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Contents
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 4
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Editorializing: The Excuse
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Tip of the Month
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Backyard Dogs
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 9
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 10
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 11
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 12
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Fast, Independent Contacts, Part 1
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 14
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 15
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 16
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Foundation Fundamentals: Using Your Legs as Jump Bumps
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 18
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 19
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Handling Your Dog in Awesome Style, Part 3: Fundamental Skills
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 21
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 22
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 23
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Trainer’s Forum
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 25
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 26
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Starting as a Team, Part 3
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 28
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 29
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 30
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Power Paws Patterns: Number Six
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 32
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 33
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 34
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 35
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 36
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - The Well-Equipped Agility Team
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 38
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 39
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 40
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Teetering on the Edge: Dealing with Fear of an Obstacle
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 42
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 43
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 44
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 45
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Skill of the Month
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 47
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 48
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Canine Supplements: Do They Really Work?
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 50
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 51
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 52
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - When Pigs Fly: Play before Work
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 54
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 55
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 56
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 56a
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 56b
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Shelter Champs: Sydney
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 58
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 59
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 60
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Spy Kids: Trial Preparation, Start-line Stays, and Toy Work
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 62
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 63
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 64
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 65
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Cece’s Gym Exercise of the Month: Plyometrics
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 67
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 68
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Distance Challenge
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 70
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 71
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Classes Gone Wild
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 73
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Conquering Ring Nerves: Talking Yourself into the Next Level
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 75
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 76
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Agility Organization Update
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 78
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 79
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 80
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - 81
Clean Run Magazine - June 2008 - Course Diagram Keys
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1220
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1120
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0920
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0820
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0720
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0620
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0520
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0420
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0320
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0220
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0120
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0919
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0819
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0719
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0619
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0519
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0419
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0319
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0918
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0818
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0718
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0618
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0518
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0418
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0318
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0917
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0817
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0717
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0617
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0517
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0417
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0317
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0916
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0816
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0716
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0616
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0516
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0416
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0316
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0915
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0815
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0715
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0615
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0515
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0315
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0914
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0814
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0714
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0614
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0514
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0414
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0314
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0913
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0813
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0713
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0613
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0513
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0413
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0313
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/comp-demo
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0106
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com