Clean Run - March 2014 - 64

Teaching Your Old Dog

New Tricks
By Nancy Steele, photos by Melinda Handy except where noted

As Steve Martin once said, "Those
French have a different word for everything!" A wise people, the French,
most especially in their attitude toward
wine. Another wisdom they perpetuate
is the use of the phrase "au revoir" instead of "good-bye," meaning surely we
shall meet again...surely this is not over.
This phrase has been much on my mind as both
of my dogs have retired from agility at the ages of 10 and
13. Many people have asked when I am getting another
dog, but our current lifestyle will not permit a threesome.
Nigel, my Whippet, has required specialty veterinary care
for years, and while Kana, my little terrier mix, is aging at
a glacial rate, she is becoming more fragile. The thought
of a new agility partner is exciting, but I can't compromise
the health and happiness of my tried-and-true buddies
just so I can step back into the ring.
Although we are no longer able to play the game in a competition setting, I am unwilling to let my dogs languish on
the couch after a lifetime of fun and activity. So I've had to
plumb the depths of my creativity for games to work their
bodies as well as their minds. Many of our favorite activities
such as hiking, agility, obedience games, or playing with
toys can be enjoyed for shorter duration with longer breaks
in between. (Please note: before beginning any new activities or exercises with your dog, consult your veterinarian.)
We can still do short agility sequences of a few obstacles,
with the bars set low or not at all. Clean Run has monthly
features like "Backyard Dogs" and "The 10-Minute Trainer"
that provide inspiration, or I flip through the course
maps I've collected from trials to find sequences that were
challenging or fun for us. Sometimes I choose one piece
of equipment to work around, or a skill like serpentines or
threadles to focus on, and sometimes I just let serendipity
be my guide.
64

If you don't have a full set of agility equipment at home or you have
a small yard, you can still play fun
games. PVC jumps can be made for
just a few dollars, or you can whip up
some NADAC-style hoops from PVC
and a hula hoop from a dollar store. Visit
www.nadac.com/images/arched-hoopdesign.jpg or http://www.nadac.com/images/
hoola-hoop-design.jpg for photos and specs to make
your own. Exercises using a single jump or hoop are limited
only by your imagination. I have had great success refining
my handling using hoops rather than jumps; hoops are more
compact than jumps and are great for indoor work during
the winter months, when the weather is dark and dreary.
Another homemade piece of equipment I use is a wobble
board I made from scrap plywood, outdoor fabric turf, and
a hard rubber ball. I sawed a small piece off of the ball so
that it had a flat side to match the board, drilled a large
screw through the plywood into the ball, then filled in the
gaps with Gorilla Glue and stapled the fabric to the top of
the board. It still provides traction when wet, and it has
been invaluable for helping my dogs improve their core
strength and stability. I can use it as a proxy contact obstacle in sequences by sending them out to wait on it, line
it up with another obstacle for discrimination drills, or use
it for sit-down-stand-stay work.
I also use a toilet plunger to send them out and around
and a rubber livestock feed pan for foot targeting (one
foot at a time, both front feet, or both hind feet). The feed
pan is great for target work as the dog has to lift each foot
to step into it, providing the bonus of low-level balance
work. Nigel is learning to place each foot in the pan on
command, which is a wonderful exercise for body awareness. You can use a simple cardboard box for the same
thing. I've also replaced my metal weave pole base with
plastic stick-in-the-ground fence posts. This gives me the
Clean Run | March 14


http://www.nadac.com/equipment_specs.htm http://www.nadac.com/equipment_specs.htm http://www.nadac.com/equipment_specs.htm http://www.nadac.com/equipment_specs.htm

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
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