Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 22

Bonnie Calhoun McDonald I show most weekends in many different areas of the country, and on the nonshowing weekends I am usually judging. I have not noticed any increase or decrease in tire problems (and again, this is sampling areas across the country). There are dogs that do seem to have more difficulty with the tire; I’ll address what I see as the primary reasons for that and possible solutions. Foundation training with the tire is sometimes neglected until late in training, either because it is not available or is simply not seen as a problem (until the problem rears its ugly head). In our intro class, the concept of the tire is first introduced with a hula hoop. I usually suggest one big enough for the adult dog to easily pass through, but not much bigger. Students are instructed to purchase one and use it daily. Puppies step through it until they are old enough to hop a bit. There is no frame since it is held by the owner. This causes the puppy (or adult dog) to associate tire with a circle rather than the frame around it, since there is no frame to confuse the dog. I also encourage owners to teach their dogs how to jump through their arms forming a circle (much like a tire). If the dogs show any fear, it can quickly be overcome by laying the hoop on the ground and throwing treats into it. Then you can toss a toy or cookie through the hoop. Voilà! The dog recognizes the concept of “tire” (a circle he is to locate and go through when directed). Later the dog will be introduced to the circle on a frame. Problems involving the tire that are not related to proper foundation work are usually the result of an improper approach. While there is one venue that penalizes a crooked approach/entry to contact obstacles (UKC), none penalizes a bad approach to a tire. It’s really a product of simple physics. If you look at a tire head-on, you see a nice round space for the dog to jump through. If you alter your approach, the shape of that space changes and decreases so the dog has less and less room to clear the ever-shrinking hole! Depending on the approach, that space Bonnie judges AKC, USDAA, and UKC agility, WWKC obedience, and WWKC rally. She is the chief trainer at Bonjon Training School, LLC, in Tampa, Florida, which she founded in 1992. Bonnie has earned MACHs, UDs, HXs, Schutzhund titles, and more, with GSDs, Mals, and Shelties. Visit Bonnie’s website at www.BonjonTrainingSchool.com. can now shrink to something resembling a sliver of the moon. You can help your dog to prepare for this by practicing jumping the tire (or hoop) from the side. Also, as the handler, you should attempt to shape your agility partner’s path to give him the safest and best possible approach. This can be accomplished in the usual ways: crosses, setting Vs, and so on. With course times becoming tighter, people are attempting to run a tighter course to get those points or placements, and since more people are running faster dogs, there probably are more opportunities for tire disasters. You are the pilot and the dog is the aircraft. The pilot is responsible for setting up the approach. Last, dogs that have jumping problems will naturally have more difficulty (regardless of the approach) with the tire. Jumping early can leave the dog “hanging.” Jumping late could send the poor dog somersaulting out of the tire, or worse yet, pulling it down on himself. If a dog has a jumping problem, address that first. Only then can you safely perform the tire. D © Clean run These photos were taken starting directly in front of the tire and then moving just 12" to the left for each subsequent photo while keeping the camera focused on the center of the tire. Not only does the space the dog must jump through change, notice how the dog’s view of where he’s going changes in each photo. Take the show on the road Packable, Portable Chutes and Tunnels in Full and Puppy Sizes Check out the free sample issue at www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ cleanrun/sampleissue 22 ® www.cleanrun.com Clean Run | October 08

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Clean Run Magazine - October 2008

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