Clean Run Magazine - January 2010 - 16

Remember, the dog will be bent and turning for most of the grid; therefore, the distance can be a bit tighter than usual if needed. This grid does require the handler to do either a leadout pivot or a rear cross. I still use a target for the dog to drive toward. I do only three to five reps of this grid. This setup gives the dog and handler true speed and drive, and still allows the dog to practice his balance and footwork at minimal consequence should he have problems. I look to see whether the dog comes from the tunnel into the grid with one good, strong stride and the same going toward the fullheight jump from the tunnel. If the dog should struggle in any way, I back off on my speed and motion and allow him to find his stride and settle into his work before pushing for speed. I do three to four reps of this grid from each end. I always look for the dog to move purposefully toward the jumps without any hesitation and without becoming frenetic in motion. I want it to appear smooth and effortless, all while the dog is really having fun jumping! Session 3 For the third session of tune-up work, I add more motion as well as more speed into the grid. In the grid shown in Figure 7, the dog loads into the tunnel and goes from that to the straight-line, equal-distance grid of five jumps, and then loads into another tunnel to go to a jump that’s set at regulation height. I make certain the jump presented here makes a statement to the dog to pay attention! For this purpose I use a panel jump, wall jump, tire, and so on. For a dog not familiar with this process I really do not want them to fail by knocking the bar. Set-point Exercise The last thing I do is another set-point jump at full height, but without motion from me, to allow the dog to settle back down and think about his work without pressure. Conclusion Only the green jump is set at regulation height. The distance from the tunnel into the straight-line, equaldistance grid should be equal to the distance your dog covers in one stride. Add a foot to that to set the distance from the tunnel to the regulation-height jump. 7 I assume you have a good idea of what distance your dog covers in one stride. That should be the distance from the tunnel into the grid. Add a foot for the distance from the tunnel to the regulation-height jump. For my JRT the distance from the tunnel into the grid would be 12', but for most Border Collies and Aussies, that distance might easily be 15'-18'. This is a three-step plan to tune up your dog for trial day and have some fun. And perhaps you’ll gain some insights into how your dog responds to motion and pressure from you because this seems a perpetual process for most teams. I truly view the jump work as the dog’s savings account: Each time we take a handling class, seminar, or have a trial weekend we are in fact making withdrawals from the dog’s savings; at some point the savings account needs to be replenished before problems begin rather than after the fact. The dog needs the opportunity to work on his jumping skill set without pressure from us and without conflicting information, often provided by our handling. This tune-up regimen allows the dog to be in top form and to happily provide those moments of brilliance when it counts. D A lifelong horsewoman, Susan Salo has offered her insights into jumping for dogs in agility in seminars around the country, including Power Paws and Clean Run Camps. She currently resides in Woodland, California, and can be reached at Jumpdogs@aol.com. Clean Run | January 10

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Clean Run Magazine - January 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - January 2010