Clean Run - June 2012 - 38

This was a fun course that offered challenges that tested front crosses, serpentines, refusal planes, and rear crosses, and also allowed handlers several options.

cue at #19. The dog is cued to run in the direction of #18 and cued to take #18 due to the handler’s BCBL. The handler must reach the front cross position before the dog commits to #18. Remember, the first cue of a front cross needs to show deceleration at the position of the front cross so that there is collection at #18. Otherwise the dog will launch over #18 (accelerate), making for an extremely wide turn to #19. As the dog commits to #18, he will already be thinking about driving to the handler. But the handler completes the dog’s degree of turn by executing the full front cross (arm change) then, facing toward #20, accelerates out with the dog chasing her to the finish line as shown in Figure 11a. Many handlers are not physically able to get to the front cross position at #19, especially before the dog commits to #18. Therefore, the handler should use a rear cross which will deal with the dog’s next turn on the course after the theoretical front cross—the left turn #19 to #20. This is an extremely difficult rear cross because it really tests the understanding of the individual cues necessary for a rear cross. To run this correctly, as the handler commits the dog to #17 she does not want to run ahead but instead should work the area between #17 and #18, cuing acceleration, without shaping and creating a wider turn between #17 and #18. The goal here is to have the dog accelerate through this 180° turn so that at commitment to #18, the dog is ahead of the handler. Next, the dog has to easily respond to shoulder rotation. Before the handler can begin to cue a rear cross, the dog has to first know to drive to #19. Therefore, at commitment to #18, the handler should be facing #19, without stepping past the plane of #18 since the dog must take #18 ahead of the handler. Otherwise the handler will be running an L shape on the rear cross, which will result in a flick to #19 and #20. As the dog takes #18, looking at and driving toward #19 just ahead of the handler, the handler can run the diagonal line from #18 to #19. Even though this line may look straight due to the setup of the jumps, the dog will still understand it as a pressure line. If he does not understand this cue and accepts the pressure as well as continues to accelerate to #19, the dog will easily flick away into the tunnel. A dog that does understand this cue should continue accelerating to #19 ahead of the handler. Upon lift off to #19 the handler cuts behind the dog, creating the left turn to #20, so that upon landing from #19 the handler is on the other side of the dog as shown in Figure 11b.

11A
17 18

Handling #17- 20 with a front cross at #19 The handler faces #17 to cue direction (black). As the dog lifts off for #17, the handler turns and runs to front cross position at #19 (green). The handler's BCBL cues the dog to take #18. Before the dog commits to #18, the handler must reach front cross position to show decelertion (blue). At commitment to #18, the handler executes a front cross and accelerates to #20 (red).

11B
17 18

Handling #17-#20 with a rear cross at #19 The handler faces #17 to cue this direction (black). At lift off to #17 the handler rotates toward #18 to cue this direction (green). As the handler cues #18, at commitment she must turn her shoulders to face #19 to cue the right turn from #18 to #19 (blue). As the dog now accelerates to #19, the handler drives the diagonal line (red). As the dog lifts off for #19 the handler cuts behind the dog, cueing the left turn (turquoise).

I ran the option of a front cross but also practiced the rear cross in this section since it is a very difficult rear cross. Not only does it test your dog’s understanding, but it is perfect to break down and reward the individual behaviors. This was a fun course that offered challenges that tested front crosses, serpentines, refusal planes, and rear crosses, and also allowed handlers several options. D

Laura Manchester-Derrett is part-owner of UK Agility in the United Kingdom and UK Agility International in North America with husband Greg Derrett. She currently splits her time between England and California while running the two organizations. Laura and Greg also travel the world training competitors in the Greg Derrett handling system. Laura has been training dogs half of her life and has competed at the top of the sport, to include winning the UKA Nationals and UK Grand Prix and representing Great Britain at the IFCS WAC 2010, and as a European Open team member for Great Britain. 38 Clean Run | June 12

Clean Run - June 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - June 2012