Clean Run - March 2014 - 58

Rear crosses are not just for handlers whose speed is slower than their dog's speed
because all of us are slower than our dogs when they are running full speed!

of what your progression might
look like:

*	

Session 1: 2 out of 10 jumps
step behind

*	

Session 2: 3 out of 10 jumps
step behind

*	

Session 3: 4 out of 10 jumps
step behind

*	

4

Session 4: 5 out of 10 jumps
step behind

*

R

*
R

I won't step behind my dog more
than 5 out of 10 times, or 50%
of the time, because I want him
to continue to see variety in how
I cue a jump. I don't want him to
begin to assume we are always doing a rear cross.

R

*
*

For the first two sessions, I'll reward every jump my dog takes as
I step behind, whether he spins or
drops the bar, because I will assume that I am distracting him
with my motion. However, when
my dog does turn correctly (even
if he drops a bar), I will jackpot
that effort.

Step 2
After a few sessions, I will begin to
tighten up my criteria so that the
following scenarios are possible:

*	

My dog takes a jump, I do
not step behind, he turns and
comes back to me, and the bar
stays up = reinforcement

*	

My dog takes a jump, I step
behind, he turns correctly but
drops the bar = reinforcement

*	

My dog takes a jump, I step
behind, he turns correctly, and
keeps the bar up = jackpot

*	

My dog does not take a jump =
no reinforcement

R

A mix of pulls and rear crosses
* = Click or mark verbally
R = Reinforcment (toy or treat)

It is important to note that at this point in this setup I will not ever
repeat an attempt. For example, if I to step behind my dog at a jump,
whether we are successful or not, I will not repeat that jump after my dog
comes back to the middle of the box. Instead, I will have my dog attempt
whatever other jump we happen to be pointed at, take a couple of other
jumps, and then come back to that jump again a few tries later.

Other Practice
I can make my rear cross training sessions more broadly applicable by
sometimes stepping laterally into my dog for a rear cross and sometimes
stepping laterally away from my dog for a pull (also known as a send if
you want this motion to apply to a jump that is in front of your dog).
Use the setup shown in Figure 4 to test your abilities to cue a turn either
toward you or away from you at a jump using your lateral motion. Remember to step as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Continue to reinforce your
dog for committing to the jump so that you can work out how and when
to move your body laterally.
Happy training!

D

Daisy Peel has won multiple national and regional championships and has represented the USA in international competition more than 10 times with three different
dogs. Educated as a high school chemistry teacher, Daisy teaches classes and seminars in the USA and worldwide, in person and online. Visit her online classroom:
http://classroom.daisypeel.com.
58

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Clean Run - March 2014

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