Clean Run - May 2017 - 9

fore you take your dog to the start line.
It needs to be far enough away from
the last jump that it does not cause
your dog to think about slowing down
or stopping, which would negatively
affect how he handles the last space
of the grid (perhaps even to the point
that he adds a stride in the last space.)

Dog's Starting Position
� Line up your dog so he is facing the center of the first jump.
� The distance between your dog
and the jump should be half the
distance of the first space in the
grid. For example, if jumps #1
and #2 are 10' apart, then start
your dog 5' from the first jump.

Do two repetitions on each side.

3
T

� Your dog can be in a sit,
stand, or down.
� Your dog should be looking
forward at the jump or target before you release him.
If you do not have a start-line stay, have
a training partner restrain your dog.

Handler's Position
� Lead out and stand one step ahead
of the target and one step laterally off the target. This allows your
dog to get to the target without
passing the plane of your body.
� Face the direction your dog is
traveling, looking over your
shoulder to watch him.
� Sometimes stand to the left of the
target and sometimes stand to the
right to work your dog on both sides.
Note: This is not a grid that I would
do as a send-away, at least at first,
since dogs will carry their head a bit
higher when traveling away from
the handler if they are not confident
they are correct. When your dog
raises his head, his stride will always
be shorter, causing extra strides.

Progressions
Do four repetitions of the grid, two
on each side as shown in Figure 2.

Problem Solving

Problem: Your dog runs from his
start-line position directly to the
target without entering the grid.
May 17 | Clean Run

Proof by setting up the foundation and advanced
ladder grids side by side and doing alternating
between one and then the other.

Solution: It can be overwhelming for
your dog to look down the line and see
so many bars so close together-remember, your dog has no clue about
the desired outcome. Running around
a grid is your dog's way of saying, "This
is just too much and I don't understand what I am to do here." Break
down the task into smaller parts and
reward him for completing each part.
By forward chaining the grid, you
build the exercise from start to finish as
shown in the diagram in the "Problem
Solving" section of last month's article.
Problem: Your dog knocks
the bar at jump #2.
Solution: This common problem happens when you set up your dog too
close to jump #1. Your dog drives too
deep to the base of jump #2 for a clean
jumping effort. Setting up your dog
at a distance from the first jump that
is half the distance of the first space
in the grid will solve the problem.
Problem: Your dog strides through
the grid rather than bouncing.
Solution: Increase your dog's enthusiasm by using a higher value target.
Or instead of leading out all the way to
the target, take a short lead-out, re-

lease your dog, and run to the target.
If neither of these works to produce
the fast, accurate bounce line we are
looking for, then the distance may
be too big for your dog. Shorten the
spacing between the jumps a bit.
If your dog still cannot do this grid
without adding one or more strides
in the provided spaces, you may need
to do more work on the foundation
ladder grid (see last month's issue)
and the set point exercise (see my
book) to build up your dog's strength
before you work on this grid.

How Much to Practice?
This grid can be incorporated in
your ongoing jump work, but you
must be mindful of your dog's physical condition since this grid requires
considerably more core strength
than the foundation ladder grid.
More practice is always good as long
as it is not done in one long session.
It's better to do just a few repetitions and visit the grid more often.
With a trained dog, either this ladder grid or the foundation ladder grid
should be visited at least monthly as
part of your jumping maintenance
program. It is also an excellent grid
to use to tune-up your dog's footwork and balance before a trial.

Proofing
The best way to proof is to offer your
dog both the foundation and advanced
ladder grid by setting them up next to
each other as shown in Figure 3. Do
a total of four repetitions alternating
back and forth between the grids. Work
on this set up in additional training
sessions until your dog recognizes
the difference in spacing and can accomplish both grids with equal ease.
You can also proof this grid by gradually increasing your lateral distance from the target to a distance
that reflects the normal working
space between you and your dog.

Adding Handler Motion
The ultimate proofing is to add handler
motion. During this process, remember that you are rewarding each effort
whether it is a success or failure. Be
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - May 2017