Clean Run Magazine - October 2009 - 5

Editorializing… The Joy of Training By Rick Parry After completion of formal class instruction, training is the most important part of preparing for agility competition. Training is “alone time” with your dog, a time to hone old skills and develop new ones, a time when past trial runs are relived, both great successes and failures. And it’s a time to play. My training sessions actually start long before I arrive at the dog club: I design exercises in advance. I consider class instruction, my handling weaknesses, faults we’ve accumulated at previous trials, performance skills we need to shape and sharpen, and foundation training. I like walking into the dog club, turning on the lights, looking out across the empty floor, and thinking about the training possibilities. Early in the morning when I arrive, the building is empty. My dog and I have the entire training facility to ourselves. Yet, the building is full of the voices of my instructors. They’re telling me: maintain eye contact; handling must be more fluid or handling is too noisy; stand up straight; focus; push the line; go back and correct that error; work your game; your dog is fine, you’re the problem; what’s the definition of insanity. The echo of the voice of every instructor I’ve ever had is there, and I’m grateful. It’s important to take time to reflect upon the concepts, exercises, and direction given by my instructors without their immediate presence. With all the equipment and floor space at my disposal, I can rework that instruction to try to better understand what they were trying to convey and to determine how those concepts can be incorporated into my handling system. I might think some of that coaching isn’t appropriate for my small, fast dog, or maybe we’re not ready for it yet. Regardless, I need to give it thoughtful consideration, which might lead to a breakthrough for improving our game. After the equipment is positioned, I work through the exercises by myself—no dog! I work on the timing for crosses and commands, on footwork, and on fluid body motion. As I execute every movement, I anticipate the position of my dog, watch the jump bars, estimate my dog’s head position, listen to the echoes of my instructors’ voices, and try to understand the flow and rhythm of the exercise. I work the sequence again and again while my dog sits silently in his open crate watching me. Then, when I call his name and slap his favorite toy against my leg, he comes flying out of his crate. After a treat and some fast hugs, we’re ready to play! I release him from the start line, and off we go. He’s working but mostly he’s “smiling” and having a good time. I’m adjusting my timing, working the flow and rhythm, hearing my instructors, watching my dog’s head, looking for his commitment points, timing my commands, and trying to get the most efficient line. Then, after the last obstacle, when I throw the toy, my training partner catches it and runs back to his crate. He takes a drink of water, still with that goofy smile on his face. He’s having fun! I review the exercise. I take what my dog has taught me and walk and work it again alone. Then we repeat the process. Time passes quickly as we complete several new exercises. We work on everything: crosses, discriminations, jumping patterns, lead-outs, and obstacle sequences (some we’ve never seen in trials). And for good measure we throw in general playing to celebrate a job well done. All the equipment is still set up and we play all around it. Catching a last throw of his toy, my teammate happily returns to his crate while I put the equipment away. It’s my job to put the handling together to make the team work: To give careful consideration to the coaching I’ve been given, both by my instructors and by my dog; and to make the job at hand nothing more than playtime for my dog. It’s been two hours of training for me. It’s been 15 minutes of playing for him. And that’s the real joy of training. Rick Parry Rick Parry has been training in agility for over eight years and has competed in AKC, CPE, and NADAC. He has trained two of his own dogs (both Cardigan Welsh Corgis) and he has been an instructor for more than six years. He has helped students at the puppy, introductory, beginning, intermediate, and competition levels of instruction. Contact him at rickparry@verizon.net. October 09 | Clean Run 5

Clean Run Magazine - October 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - October 2009