Clean Run Magazine - June 2007 - 71

T 10 11 12 4 PHOTO BY ALISSA BEHN/PET PERSONALITIES 9 13 5 3 8 14 7 2 Novice Level Figure 3 shows the course used in the Novice classes. Be sure to ﬂip the teeter around to go in the opposite direction. As was the case with students running the Advanced/Masters course, most students handled jump #1 to the weave poles with the dog on the right. From the #4 tunnel to the dogwalk, most students did a front cross to handle the dogwalk with the dog on the left. Students continued working with the dog on the left through the #10 table. A few students opted to execute a false turn from jump #7 to the #8 tunnel. Most students were able to cue the tunnel by moving laterally away from their dog from the jump to the tunnel. From the table to the teeter, all students kept the dog on their left. Some students did a front cross after the teeter, while other students did a false turn, keeping the dog on their left for the #12 tunnel. Both options worked well but the false turn option seemed to create a tighter line to the tunnel. The end of the course from the #12 tunnel to the #15 jump was handled with the dog on the right and most students had very little problem with the ending. Figure 4 contains the sequences used in the Novice classes. For the black sequence, most students led out past the #3 tunnel opening to the takeoff side of jump #2, with the dog on their left. Students generally did a false turn after jump #2 to the tunnel and then executed a front cross after jump #4 to the A-frame. From the A-frame to the tunnel, most handlers did a front cross to the #6 tunnel and ﬁnished the sequence with the dog on their left. The white sequence gave the Novice students a chance to work the dogwalk/tunnel discrimination. Students began with the dog on their left into the #1 tunnel to the tire. Most handlers did a rear cross on the ﬂat after the #2 tire before the #3 double or did a rear cross as the dog jumped the #3 double. Both options worked. Many students did a landing-side front cross after jump #4 to the tire. Other students opted to keep the dog on their right, crossing behind the weave poles instead. From the weave poles to the #8 dogwalk, students kept the dog on the left. A few students had a difﬁcult time with the entrance to the dogwalk but in general, the approach was easier from this direction than it was in the Advanced/Masters course in Figure 1. The setup in this month’s Master Plan allows for many challenging course and sequence possibilities. I have presented two courses and four different sequences but there are many other options for you to try. Enjoy! D Claudia Bates lives in Berryville, Virginia, with her husband, Jim, a bunch of Border Collies, a few wary cats, and a small flock of sheep. She is a former technical writer with a background in education and writing. She is currently a partner and instructor with A Click Above, LLC, a dog training facility in Leesburg, Virginia that offers everything from pet puppy classes to Masters agility handling classes. Claudia and her Border Collies compete in AKC, NADAC, and USDAA agility and in AKC, USBCHA, and AHBA herding. 71 15 6 1 3 Novice Course T 4 2 5 2 6 1 3 3 6 5 7 4 1 8 8 7 4 Novice Sequences table with the dog on their left. From the table, many students did a lead-out past jump #5, executing a lead-out pivot or push to the #6 tunnel. From the tunnel, most handlers picked the dog up on the left and did a front cross after jump #7 to the A-frame. Students ﬁnished the sequence with the dog on the right to the panel, steering the dog past the off-course tunnel opening, which did tempt a few dogs. The white sequence allowed handlers to try a different dogwalk approach and different weave pole entries. Students generally handled the ﬁrst three obstacles with the dog on their right. From the dogwalk to the tunnel, handlers used their right hand to ﬂip the dog away from them into the tunnel. Students picked the dog up on their left side for the tire to the #6 weave poles. Most handlers executed a front cross after jump #7, turning the dog to the right and handling the weaves to the tire with the dog on their right. June 07 | Clean Run

Clean Run Magazine - June 2007

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