Clean Run - July 2012 - 43
The Principles of Self-control on the Agility Course
By Dawn Weaver, photos by Graham Bryant I never like to see handlers trying to control their dogs on an agility course, either on the start line, on contacts, or in the weaves. If we explain the whole job properly to our dogs in the first place, there should be no need for us to shout at them. Take the start line, for instance; put yourself in your dog’s shoes. If someone told you to stay still and not move an inch without giving you a very good reason, especially when you could see lots of things waiting to be done, I suspect you also would see no point in staying still. You need to explain the whole picture to your dog so he has an understanding of exactly why you want him to stay on the start line. Just going back to reward your dog in position may work in training, but my dogs soon figured out that I never went back and rewarded in the competition ring, and that I would always call them. So why not predict what I wanted? That is, the recall. Even if the dog is returned to the start line time and again, the dog doesn’t really understand why this is happening—otherwise, you wouldn’t have to keep returning him. I wanted a wait on the start line that I could recall my dog out of every time, without deteriorating the quality of the wait, so that training behavior became the same as the ring behavior. I wanted my dog to understand exactly what I wanted on the start line and why.
© WENDI PENCILLE/HORSEFEATHERS PHOTOGRAPHY
the job to my dogs in a much better way. With a puppy at feeding time (or often using a bowl with just one treat in it) I always raise the bowl above the puppy’s head to instigate a sit (occasionally rewarding the sit) and then start lowering the food bowl to the floor. If the puppy gets up, then the food bowl gets raised again out of reach. Very quickly the puppy will maintain a sit until I can get the bowl at least half-way to the floor at which point I give a release word of “OK” and he can move. This progresses to getting the bowl all the way to the floor before the release word, and then all the way to the floor plus a few seconds of not moving before being released. If the pup moves at any time I simply raise the bowl again out of reach. I never use any negative words or tell my puppy
The Start Line
I was pondering the problem of start lines when I was doing my usual training with my puppy with his food bowl one day. It suddenly occurred to me that I could explain
Breezer initiating a sit.
If the dog starts to move, raise the food bowl again.
Breezer showing self-control with the bowl half-way to floor.
Breezer being released to the bowl.
Breezer maintaining a sit with the bowl on the floor.
43
July 12
| Clean Run
Clean Run - July 2012
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - July 2012
Clean Run - July 2012
Contents
Editorializing: Children at Agility Trials
Tip of the Month
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Backyard Dogs
The History of the Virtual Agility League
Agility Mind Gym: See Success
Agility After Joint Replacement
Power Paws Drills: On the Diagonal
Higher Than a Kite: Training the Over-Aroused Agility Dog
From Hoof to Woof: What Riders Can Teach Handlers
Not Your Normal Agility Dog
Building Blocks: Building Hands-on Confidence and Control
Principles of Self-control on the Agility Course
Chute Straight
Small Dog vs. Large Dog Handling
I Decided to Be Happy... and Then I Was! Tips on How to Get a New Attitude
Footwork for Agility: Front Crosses
What’s in Your Toolbox?
Clean Run - July 2012 - Clean Run - July 2012
Clean Run - July 2012 - 2
Clean Run - July 2012 - Contents
Clean Run - July 2012 - 4
Clean Run - July 2012 - Editorializing: Children at Agility Trials
Clean Run - July 2012 - Tip of the Month
Clean Run - July 2012 - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Clean Run - July 2012 - Backyard Dogs
Clean Run - July 2012 - 9
Clean Run - July 2012 - 10
Clean Run - July 2012 - The History of the Virtual Agility League
Clean Run - July 2012 - 12
Clean Run - July 2012 - 13
Clean Run - July 2012 - 14
Clean Run - July 2012 - Agility Mind Gym: See Success
Clean Run - July 2012 - 16
Clean Run - July 2012 - 17
Clean Run - July 2012 - Agility After Joint Replacement
Clean Run - July 2012 - 19
Clean Run - July 2012 - 20
Clean Run - July 2012 - 21
Clean Run - July 2012 - 22
Clean Run - July 2012 - Power Paws Drills: On the Diagonal
Clean Run - July 2012 - 24
Clean Run - July 2012 - 25
Clean Run - July 2012 - 26
Clean Run - July 2012 - 27
Clean Run - July 2012 - Higher Than a Kite: Training the Over-Aroused Agility Dog
Clean Run - July 2012 - 29
Clean Run - July 2012 - 30
Clean Run - July 2012 - 31
Clean Run - July 2012 - 32
Clean Run - July 2012 - From Hoof to Woof: What Riders Can Teach Handlers
Clean Run - July 2012 - Not Your Normal Agility Dog
Clean Run - July 2012 - 35
Clean Run - July 2012 - 36
Clean Run - July 2012 - 37
Clean Run - July 2012 - 38
Clean Run - July 2012 - Building Blocks: Building Hands-on Confidence and Control
Clean Run - July 2012 - 40
Clean Run - July 2012 - 41
Clean Run - July 2012 - 42
Clean Run - July 2012 - Principles of Self-control on the Agility Course
Clean Run - July 2012 - 44
Clean Run - July 2012 - 45
Clean Run - July 2012 - 46
Clean Run - July 2012 - Chute Straight
Clean Run - July 2012 - 48
Clean Run - July 2012 - 49
Clean Run - July 2012 - 50
Clean Run - July 2012 - 51
Clean Run - July 2012 - Small Dog vs. Large Dog Handling
Clean Run - July 2012 - 53
Clean Run - July 2012 - 54
Clean Run - July 2012 - 55
Clean Run - July 2012 - 56
Clean Run - July 2012 - I Decided to Be Happy... and Then I Was! Tips on How to Get a New Attitude
Clean Run - July 2012 - 58
Clean Run - July 2012 - 59
Clean Run - July 2012 - Footwork for Agility: Front Crosses
Clean Run - July 2012 - 61
Clean Run - July 2012 - 62
Clean Run - July 2012 - What’s in Your Toolbox?
Clean Run - July 2012 - 64
Clean Run - July 2012 - 65
Clean Run - July 2012 - 66
Clean Run - July 2012 - 67
Clean Run - July 2012 - 68
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