Clean Run - March 2014 - 20

This article will detail a strategic plan on how to train an obstacle which is often taken for granted-the tunnel. While
most agility trainers can tell you which method they used
to train the weave poles, contacts, and jumps, very few
can remember or even describe the way they trained the
tunnel. Haphazard tunnel training can cause three main
problems: 1) It can create "tunnel suckers;" 2) It does not
teach our dogs when we want extension or collection when
exiting a tunnel; and 3) It does not teach our dogs independence in finding the tunnel entry, or where to look for
their handler at the exit of the tunnel. The latter is becoming
more problematic as courses get harder and dogs frequently get sent to the back of C-shaped or S-shaped tunnels.
If your dog is already proficient with the more typical tunnel
presentations, such as straight tunnels or C-shaped tunnels, then you can skip to step 5.

Step 1: Shaping the tunnel

tRaining
The
tunnel
By Amanda Shyne, photos by Jim Daigle

Begin with your dog facing a short, straight tunnel. I like to collapse the tunnel down to 3' in length or use a short training tunnel. Have a clicker in your hand and some juicy food rewards
or a tug toy in your other hand. Then, either free-shape your
dog to enter the tunnel or lure him through a few times. But
make sure you never encourage your dog to take the tunnel
by placing your hand in the tunnel entrance. This would then
require you to remove your hand from the tunnel, at which
point your dog should follow your hand and exit the tunnel.
If you are lucky enough to have a second person to help you,
place your dog on a harness (one that doesn't restrict him from
pulling) and a leash. Ask your helper to hold the leash and restrain your dog on one side of the tunnel while you are on the
other side, verbally encouraging your dog forward. During this
phase in training, make sure you are facing the same direction
as your dog in order to encourage his movement through the
tunnel. Facing your dog cues collection and can block your
dog's motion in the tunnel. If your dog moves toward the tunnel entrance, your helper should release the dog so he can go
through the tunnel. If your dog tries to go around the tunnel, your
helper should continue to restrain your dog with the leash until
he focuses on the entry. Just before your dog exits the tunnel,
begin running forward and throw your toy or food to encourage your dog to accelerate through the tunnel. See Figure 1.
1

20

Clean Run | March 14



Clean Run - March 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - March 2014

Table of Contents
Clean Run - March 2014 - 1
Clean Run - March 2014 - 2
Clean Run - March 2014 - Table of Contents
Clean Run - March 2014 - 4
Clean Run - March 2014 - 5
Clean Run - March 2014 - 6
Clean Run - March 2014 - 7
Clean Run - March 2014 - 8
Clean Run - March 2014 - 9
Clean Run - March 2014 - 10
Clean Run - March 2014 - 11
Clean Run - March 2014 - 12
Clean Run - March 2014 - 13
Clean Run - March 2014 - 14
Clean Run - March 2014 - 15
Clean Run - March 2014 - 16
Clean Run - March 2014 - 17
Clean Run - March 2014 - 18
Clean Run - March 2014 - 19
Clean Run - March 2014 - 20
Clean Run - March 2014 - 21
Clean Run - March 2014 - 22
Clean Run - March 2014 - 23
Clean Run - March 2014 - 24
Clean Run - March 2014 - 25
Clean Run - March 2014 - 26
Clean Run - March 2014 - 27
Clean Run - March 2014 - 28
Clean Run - March 2014 - 29
Clean Run - March 2014 - 30
Clean Run - March 2014 - 31
Clean Run - March 2014 - 32
Clean Run - March 2014 - 33
Clean Run - March 2014 - 34
Clean Run - March 2014 - 35
Clean Run - March 2014 - 36
Clean Run - March 2014 - 37
Clean Run - March 2014 - 38
Clean Run - March 2014 - 39
Clean Run - March 2014 - 40
Clean Run - March 2014 - 41
Clean Run - March 2014 - 42
Clean Run - March 2014 - 43
Clean Run - March 2014 - 44
Clean Run - March 2014 - 45
Clean Run - March 2014 - 46
Clean Run - March 2014 - 47
Clean Run - March 2014 - 48
Clean Run - March 2014 - 49
Clean Run - March 2014 - 50
Clean Run - March 2014 - 51
Clean Run - March 2014 - 52
Clean Run - March 2014 - 53
Clean Run - March 2014 - 54
Clean Run - March 2014 - 55
Clean Run - March 2014 - 56
Clean Run - March 2014 - 57
Clean Run - March 2014 - 58
Clean Run - March 2014 - 59
Clean Run - March 2014 - 60
Clean Run - March 2014 - 61
Clean Run - March 2014 - 62
Clean Run - March 2014 - 63
Clean Run - March 2014 - 64
Clean Run - March 2014 - 65
Clean Run - March 2014 - 66
Clean Run - March 2014 - 67
Clean Run - March 2014 - 68
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0614
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0514
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0414
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0314
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0913
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0813
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0713
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0613
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0513
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0413
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0313
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/1011
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cleanrun/0811
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