Clean Run - June 2018 - 28

Rewarding Distance Jumping Skills

Remember that the placement of your reward
helps to build behavior, so always reward with a
specific goal in mind.
One of essential piece of distance handling is the
ability to recognize when you have given your
dog enough impulsion to set him on a line toward
a jump. When you have created this impulsion,
while still supporting the jump, you take the opportunity to run (or as I frequently say, "get out
of Dodge!") and move on to your next handling
position. This creates a vital reward opportunity:
reward (with a thrown toy) the jump that you have
gotten the dog to drive out to, even as you move
away to get to the next position. This will solidify
your dog's understanding of driving the line you
have set for him at a distance and confidently take
the jump in front of him.

4
2

While I am still running to #4, I will throw my
toy back to my dog as he commits to #3.

For instance, look at the send in Figure 4 with a
distance front cross at #4. To make it to #4 in time
for the cross, I need to create enough impulsion
to send my dog out to #3. While supporting jump #3 at a distance, I run forward to my front cross position at #4. While
I am still running to #4, I will throw my toy back to my dog as he commits to #3. This solidifies my dog's confidence to
stay on a line and commit to that #3 jump while I move off to get to my next handling position.

Key Points for Incredible Distance Skills
1. Keep your distance skills well-rewarded. The more value your dog has for driving out to a jump, the stronger and
more reliable your skills will be.
2. Work to extremes. If you can work a behavior from a great distance in training, the shorter distances at a show will
seem rudimentary.
3. One of the best rewards you can ever give your dog is rewarding a jump at a distance while, after setting the line
for that jump, you run to your next position. See that you have the impulsion to the jump, seize the moment, and run
to your next handling position!
4. Run to specific positions, not general areas. You will be more efficient and get around the course more rapidly
which translates to faster times for your dog.
5. Teach your dog to respond to verbal deceleration cues at a distance. This gives you great flexibility.
6. Do not decelerate when you should be accelerating.
7. Don't always work at a distance! Just because you can work at a distance doesn't always mean that you should.
Sometimes it is better for you to be close to your dogs. Every decision should be situational. Do what the course
calls for, don't do something to show off.
8. Balance your training. Work both sides. Your dog should be equally comfortable with you handling close or at a
distance. And you should have strong tight-turn skills as well as driving distance skills.
9. Your dog should have equal value for all obstacles, so he will always take what you cue and never having
a preference.
Be thorough in training your skills and reward well all the way along, it will pay off, big time. Thanks for joining me
during this series and have a blast training your buddy! D

Stacy Winkler has been teaching agility for over 15 years. She is located in Vista, California. For more information on the training concepts in this article and other training
articles you can visit her blog: https://stacywinklerblog.com. To learn about her Foundation, Connection and Drive, Jump and Contact Foundation online classes, inquire
about seminars, or contact Stacy directly, go to http://www.stacywinkler.com.
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Clean Run | June 18

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