Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 39

object, whether food-based or toy, and how to use it in training to teach the dog to drive forward. This is an important aspect of my training method and is also used for training the dog to run over the dogwalk and A-frame. With the pad placed at the end of the guides and your motivator in hand, release the dog, say Tap, and follow and reward the dog for a down on the pad. Leave the dog on the pad, move forward about 6' to 8', return to the dog, reward, move away from the dog again, and release the dog to come forward beside your leg. Play with the dog with his motivator, or if it is a food container, have him touch or interact with the container to receive his treat. Repeat. If the dog has been successful so far, on the third repetition, place the motivator by your feet after you leave the dog on the pad and move away, and then release the dog to it. Next leave the motivator 6' to 8' out in front of the dog. Release the dog to the pad to perform his behavior and then release him to the motivator. Make sure the dog is looking at the motivator before you release him from the pad to go to it. Now you can start releasing the dog from farther and farther back from the entrance to the guides so that he is running to his pad and offering a down while you catch up and then release him to his motivator. Training the Dog to Run the Contact Obstacle with Speed and Confidence I am not going to give a step-by-step explanation of this part of the training because it hasn’t changed since my original article in CR December 2005. Briefly, to begin training the dog to run up and over the A-frame and dogwalk, you first need to establish a foundation skill behavior of focusing and driving forward to a motivator to earn a reward, as explained above. Using backchaining, you can teach the dog to drive across a board on the ground, under hoops, to a motivator placed out beyond the exit of the board. The board is slowly raised, distance is added, and the incline changed incrementally, with the dog still driving forward to his motivator. Teaching your dog to first run the boards on the ground, and then gradually adding height and angle, leads to a dog that has a confident and fast performance on the dogwalk and A-frame. D Ann lives in San Diego, California with her Boston Terrier, Prix, and three Border Collies, Trigger, Flurry, and Kit. Her first agility dogs, Bostons Mystic (1992-2004) and Chance (1992-2007), achieved many agility firsts for their breed. Chance, Caper (Ann’s first BC, 1996- 2007), and Trigger are all double agility champions, MACH and ADCH, and have all been AKC Nationals finalists, with Trigger placing second overall in 2003. Trigger and her teammates won the 2004 DAM National Team Championship. Flurry and Kit are just beginning their agility careers. Ann now teaches full time at her training center, Paws on the Wind Dog Sports, and is also an AKC and USDAA judge. Learn more at www.pawsonthewind.com. Fast delivery of the best tunnels anywhere Competition tunnels • Ultralight tunnels for the backyard • Teacup and standard sizes 10' to 24' lengths and choice of pitch • Solid colors and multicolor combinations Chutes and sandbags, too Agility is not our business–it is our passion! 800.464.0112 October 08 | Clean Run 39

http://www.pawsonthewind.com http://rockettunnels.com

Clean Run Magazine - October 2008

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