Clean Run Magazine - April 2009 - 75

Play and reward with food Play and reward with toys addressing the problem. Why the dog acts differently in the ring doesn’t matter; it just means the team can’t handle the competition situation. Many handlers react by trying to calm the dog, themselves, and the situation. I do the complete opposite, because I believe both handler and dog need to work on coping with precisely that stress. So instead of experiencing it as a negative situation, make it into a positive stressor, which generates concentration! Changing the noises, movements, and overall feelings that make your dog break his stay in competition into signals that mean “focus” to your dog is a great idea. Teach him to be able to manage his start-line behavior no matter what you do. Try to create situations similar to the competition environment and try to feel stressed yourself. Make sure to use both noises and movements; challenge yourself and your dog and view it all as a fun game. You want to make the preparation for a start fun and you don’t want either of you to feel pressure to perform. When you feel that you can take on anything, it’s time to try it out in the competition ring. You really do have to dare to use what you’ve practiced. remember: you’ve actually trained your dog so that your stress should make him focus. Dare to let go, dare to feel that extremely cool feeling! My rules are relatively few yet clear for my dogs because I want them to be able to focus their energy on the right things. Instead of trying to calm a dog down, I try to get him to think the way I want him to; and I make sure he finds himself in situations where I can reward him, because rewards will bring behavioral development. In your experience, certain methods may work really well in training, but when you begin competing, your dog’s trained behavior seems gone with the wind. Contacts and start lines are often areas where people run into trouble when competing. When you never experience any trouble in training it, you can have difficulty finally… Your relationship with your dog will have a direct impact on your and your dog’s motivation. remember to keep your options and mind open. And above all—remember to have fun! In Jenny’s work as a full-time dog trainer in Sweden, she has owned and trained different breeds. Agility is her main sport and she has achieved several titles: FCI World Champion 2001, Crufts winner 2002, Nordic champion 2007, Swedish national champion 2008, four-time best agility dog of the year, WC Team Bronze in 2006, six-time Nordic team champion, and so on. She has presented her work in two DVDs. Contact her through www.lotuseducation.se. ID Guaranteed to last the LIFE of your pet! • Premium stainless steel • Deeply engraved • No noise • Will not fall off or wear out • No ring or hook • Doesn’t hang and get caught on things • CollarTags™ available for almost all collars • Will not get in the food dish • Visit our website for details www.BoomerangTags.com April 09 | Clean Run 75

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Clean Run Magazine - April 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - April 2009