Clean Run Magazine - May 2007 - 28

6 7A Post turn 7B Front cross 18' 1 2 21' 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 In this exercise your dog must collect and turn over a jump with another jump in his view. The distances between these jumps are 18' and 21' but you can vary them anywhere from 12' to 27'. Take a short lead-out. As you release your dog accelerate forward and then stop abruptly. Rotate away from the dog and reward him at your side. Take a short lead-out. As you release your dog accelerate forward and then stop abruptly. Rotate into the dog and reward him at your side. Discrimination Exercises It is now time to have your dog collect and turn over a jump with another jump in his view. The distances between the jumps in Figure 6 are 18' and 21' but you can vary them anywhere from 12' to 27'. Mix it up while you’re training so that your dog can learn to adjust his stride to prepare to turn at different distances. Also remember to work your dog on both sides for each exercise. Lead out slightly. As you release your dog accelerate forward and then stop abruptly. Rotate away from the dog (post turn) as shown in Figure 7a, or rotate into the dog (front cross) as shown in Figure 7b, and reward your dog at your side. Now try the exercise shown in Figure 8. Lead out, as you release the dog accelerate for ward, and this time continue accelerating. Run past jump #3 and reward your dog at your side. You are now asking your dog to discriminate between your deceleration and your acceleration as he goes over a jump. Next do the exercise shown in Figure 9 using deceleration at jump #3; that means you should be ahead of your dog and stop while your dog is still on his approach to #3 but before he is committed. Do a front cross at jump #3 to reverse direction. When your dog has mastered all the drills, try the exercise shown in Figure 10, using your acceleration and deceleration cues where appropriate. In the next “Beyond the Backyard” article we will work on applying these skills to sequences. Good luck and most of all, have fun! D 10 8 9 7 1 2 3 1 5 2 4 3 1 9 8 2 6 4 5 3 Take a short lead-out. As you release your dog accelerate forward and continue accelerating forward. Run past jump #3 and reward the dog at your side. Take a lead-out. Release the dog and accelerate forward. Use deacceleration at jump #3 to turn the dog. Do a front cross and reverse direction to take jumps #4 and #5. Here's an advanced exercise for practicing all your new skills! Mary Ellen has been involved in dog training for 12 years and has achieved the USDAA ADCH with her Border Collies, 11-year-old Zoe and 5-year-old Fizz, who earned her ADCH before her third birthday. Mary Ellen and Fizz represented the U.S. at the 2006 IFCS World Championships in the Netherlands where they earned six placements including three Gold Medals. Both Fizz and Zoe have earned many placements at national events and have been Grand Prix and Steeplechase finalists, respectively. Mary Ellen has also competed at the national and masters level with 12-year-old Zack, now retired and is currently training her year-old Border Collie, E-Z. She is an instructor at Say Yes Dog Training, operated by Susan Garrett in Ontario and has taught at Clean Run and Power Paws Camps. She runs KineticDog, LLC with her husband, George, and offers private lessons and seminars in agility training and handling. 28 Clean Run | May 07

Clean Run Magazine - May 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - May 2007