Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 57

Can You Tell Me Where You’re Going? Getting Through the Course There are basically two camps when it comes to how to direct your dog through a course. One camp says that every obstacle and impending movement or change of direction by the dog should be cued with a physical or verbal cue, and that the dog should never take an obstacle or go anywhere that is not specifically cued. The other camp says that the dog should continue taking obstacles in front of him unless directed to do otherwise, and that the presence of the handler running in the area is enough of a cue to signal the obstacle—no extra arm or verbal cues should be used. There are lots of variations between these two camps and most people use some combination of elements from both. Both styles work well and both have adherents who are top agility competitors. Let’s consider which way is best for a Piggy dog. I used to be of the “cue every obstacle” camp, because I found it inconceivable in most cases that my Bull Terriers would cooperate enough to take obstacles unless specifically directed to do so. I thought the more “automatic” style of the Greg Derrett handling system was something for highdrive dogs that were dying to get over the obstacles. I have come to believe, however, that training my dogs to go forward through the course and take obstacles with no more cue than my proximity to the obstacle makes sense. It buys into my whole philosophy of free shaping and operant dogs, and I have found that all my dogs and my students’ dogs love this method of running the course. The most useful description I have found of this concept is what dog trainer Kim Seiter calls “working space.” It’s roughly a trapezoid-shaped area between you and your dog, anywhere from 3' to 5' wide and long for the average team (larger, if you are slow and your dog is fast). Unless cued to do otherwise, your dog should hang out in that space and automatically take any obstacle within it with no further physical or verbal cue. The proximity passively through the course and waiting for you to tell him what to do. This is a big motivation for a Pigs Fly dog and can be the difference between being “tuned in” or “checked out.” People will argue that cueing your dog off your body motion takes a lot of athleticism and not everyone is cut out for it; but I see the opposite problem—it is easier for most people to be consistent with body position than arm/verbal cues. Although some competitors do very well with arm/verbal cues, cueing each obstacle is almost impossible to do consistently and with good timing, no matter how hard you try. This can cause your dog to slow down or give up, either because he is adjusting to the lag between your cues or because he is not getting clear direction and is afraid of being “wrong.” With a trained working space this problem is eliminated because the dog always knows what the next obstacle is and is free to drive forward as soon as he sees it. Having a strong, defined working space will make your cues to change direction stand out much more clearly because you will not be flooding your dog with a bunch of obstacle cues that are probably pretty thinly trained and weak. ● The green areas show the trapezoidal “working space” for the dog and handler team. The dog should automatically take the obstacle when the handler is close to that space and the obstacle within it. ● of you, the dog, and the obstacle is the cue for the dog to take the obstacle. Your Pigs Fly dog does not come equipped with a working space at all and, even with training, his working space will probably never be large. Still, whatever that working space is, even if it only measures two square feet, it should be solid and dependable. I know this sounds kind of “fancy,” but it’s really easy to train if your dog is operant and it gives you several advantages: ● You can concentrate on remembering and moving through the course, instead of pumping your arm at each obstacle and trying to scream out cues when you are gasping for air. ● The burden is put on the dog to look at what is going on and figure out what obstacle is next. This engages the dog in the process, instead of his floating Some people are afraid to train their dogs to automatically take obstacles because they think it will lead to off-courses, but this is not generally a valid concern. So long as the working space is clearly defined and the dog is trained to pick up on cues to change direction, having a solid working space will not lead to more off-courses. Keep in mind that while you are training the working space, you are also training the converse—your dog will learn that he will not be getting any reinforcement for obstacles outside the working space unless you ask for them. This will actually diminish the possibility of off-courses. Now, let’s discuss how to train your dog to have a working space. Your Pigs Fly dog does not come equipped with a working space at all and, even with training, his working space will probably never be large. Still, whatever that working space is, even if it only measures two square feet, it should be solid and dependable. I know this sounds kind of “fancy,” but it’s really easy to train if your dog is operant. October 08 | Clean Run 57

Clean Run Magazine - October 2008

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

Clean Run Magazine - October 2008
Contents
Editorializing: The Agility Gene
Tip of the Month
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Backyard Dogs
Why Teach Your Dog to Jump?
Trainer’s Forum
Handling Your Dog in Awesome Style, Part 7: Basic Turns with Turning Obstacles
Is Your Agility Stagnant?
Four-on-the-floor Contacts: A New Method for Training the End Contact Behavior, Part 2
Conquering Ring Nerves: Fueling Up to Run Fast and Clean
Starting as a Team, Part 5
Canine Health Care: Frequently Asked Questions
When Pigs Fly: Getting a Handle on a Greased Pig
Foundation Fundamentals: Recalls
Power Paws Patterns: Number Nine
Cece’s Gym Exercise of the Month: Wind Sprints
Skill of the Month
Fun Games to Proof Flatwork Skills
K9 Kudos: The Jumping Chollas and Their Juniors
Agility Organization Update
Course Diagram Keys
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Clean Run Magazine - October 2008
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 2
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Contents
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 4
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Editorializing: The Agility Gene
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Tip of the Month
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Backyard Dogs
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 9
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 10
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 11
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 12
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 13
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Why Teach Your Dog to Jump?
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 15
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 16
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 17
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 18
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 19
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Trainer’s Forum
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 21
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 22
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 23
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Handling Your Dog in Awesome Style, Part 7: Basic Turns with Turning Obstacles
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 25
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 26
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 27
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 28
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 29
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 30
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 31
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 32
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Is Your Agility Stagnant?
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 34
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 35
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Four-on-the-floor Contacts: A New Method for Training the End Contact Behavior, Part 2
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 37
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 38
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 39
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 40
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 41
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Conquering Ring Nerves: Fueling Up to Run Fast and Clean
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 43
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 44
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Starting as a Team, Part 5
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 46
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 47
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 48
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 49
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 50
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Canine Health Care: Frequently Asked Questions
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 52
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 53
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 54
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - When Pigs Fly: Getting a Handle on a Greased Pig
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 56
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 57
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 58
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 59
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 60
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 61
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Foundation Fundamentals: Recalls
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 63
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 64
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 65
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 66
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Power Paws Patterns: Number Nine
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 68
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 69
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 70
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Cece’s Gym Exercise of the Month: Wind Sprints
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Skill of the Month
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 73
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 74
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Fun Games to Proof Flatwork Skills
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 76
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 77
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 78
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 79
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 80
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 81
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - K9 Kudos: The Jumping Chollas and Their Juniors
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 83
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 84
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Agility Organization Update
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 86
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 87
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 88
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 89
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - Course Diagram Keys
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 91
Clean Run Magazine - October 2008 - 92
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