Clean Run Magazine - February 2008 - 3

© Cover NUMBER 2 THE MAGAZINE FOR DOG AGILITY ENTHUSIASTS FEBRUARY 08 VOLUME 14 PHOTOS © MATT ALLISON, LOUIS B. REUDIGER 22 Trainer’s Forum If your dog speeds up on the last half of the course like a trail horse heading back to his stall, this month’s group of trainers have suggestions for getting your dog’s speed to be consistent from start to finish. By Brenna Fender 39 Sports Retraining for Agility Athletes Can a sports retrainer help your injured dog prepare for agility after his initial recovery? What exactly does a sports retrainer do? Here are the facts. By Chris Zink, DVM, PhD and Debra Canapp, DVM, CCRT 43 When Pigs Fly: What Is an Operant Dog? Why Should I Care? Before you can train agility skills, you need a dog that wants to work. By free shaping your dog to perform different behaviors, you can take a who-cares dog and make him crazy to do things for you. By Jane Killion 17 Basic Turns All changes of direction are a variation of one of the basic turns. Teach your dog to understand the differences between these turns so that there is never any doubt as to which direction he should go. By Linda Mecklenburg 26 Do You Have a Preferred Handling Speed? Do you run multiple dogs that consistently have similar course times? If so, then it’s likely you have a preferred handling speed. It’s time to push your comfort zone! By Allison Bryant 32 Case Study: The King of the Off-course Does your dog love to run at full stride leaving you in the dust and blowing by you on turns? A handler describes the skills she trained to get her and her turbocharged canine working as a team. By Michele Godlevski Features 5 Editorializing: Barbarians at the Gate? It’s important to move trials along in a timely manner, but does bullying exhibitors into compliance at the gate create tension that ultimately results in worse runs that take up more time? By Francoise (Sassie) Joiris 65 When the Click Doesn’t End the Behavior: Conditioning a Release Signal If the click ended the behavior, those of us paid on Tuesday mornings wouldn’t work Tuesday afternoons. Release signals tell us when to work and when to take a break. Build a release signal into your training to improve communication with your dog. By Jenny Ruth Yasi 69 Shelter Champs: Dunk Meet Dunk, a Border Collie that was rescued from a shelter in Urbana, Illinois, and has gone on to achieve AKC and USDAA championships. By Lisa Barrett 14 On Course with Annie Lehman When 11-year-old Annie Lehman of Texas and her JRT, Misty, earned their USDAA ADCH, she became the youngest handler in history to achieve that title. By Linda Knowles 29 Foundation Fundamentals: Dealing with Distractions, Part 2 This month, we will continue teaching your dog impulse control around distractions, and we’ll ask him to perform simple behaviors in the face of distractions. By Mary Ellen Barry 49 Power Paws Patterns: Number Three Enjoy working crosses and other maneuvers with the number three. By Nancy Gyes 52 Cece’s Gym Exercise of the Month: Increasing Challenges on the Ball This month we increase the difficulty of core strengthening exercises on the ball by challenging the dog’s balance in a sit and stand. By Debbie Gross Saunders, MSPT, OCS, CCRP 57 Spy Kids: Balance in Training Too much of any one kind of training can put your dog out of balance. Not enough and you may lose the great teamwork and focus you have developed with your dog. By Nancy Gyes Columns 6 7 8 Tip of the Month By Alison Craig Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility… Backyard Dogs By Mary Ellen Barry COURTESY OF GREG GODLEVSKI 62 Skill of the Month By Karen Holik 73 Distance Challenge By Jane Simmons-Moake 77 Letters 79 Agility Organization Update Compiled by Brenna Fender 82 Nested Courses for Mardi Gras By Donna Domburian 82 Course Diagram Keys 36 Conquering Ring Nerves: How Do I Stop Shaking When I Step to the Line? Out-of-control anxiety stops many of us from competing well and enjoying something we love to do. Learn how to breathe your nerves away. By Diane Peters Mayer Cover Dog Muddy Waters Great Expectations U-AGCH, AX, AXJ, XF, PD1, SR, CL-4, OAC, OCC, NJC, TN-O, TG-O, RS-O, GS-O, JS-N, a.k.a. Dickens, an Irish Water Spaniel owned by Jody Dushkes of California. Photo by Doghouse Arts, www.doghousearts.com Clean Run (ISSN 1089-8506) is published monthly by Clean Run Productions, LLC. Principal ofﬁce: 17 Industrial Dr., South Hadley, MA 01075. Periodicals postage paid at South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075-9902 and additional ofﬁces. © Copyright 1995-2008 Bud Houston and Clean Run Productions, LLC. All world rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Clean Run, 17 Industrial Dr., South Hadley, MA 01075. February 08 | Clean Run 3

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Clean Run Magazine - February 2008

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