Clean Run - June 2014 - 50

we have three modes of handling. In
the first mode, 'drive lines,' the dog is
to take everything he sees that was suggested by the line of motion I showed
before he passed me. The next mode is
to take the obstacles while connected
with me, so if I turn, he turns. The third
is 'bypass mode' in which the dog is to
come straight to me without taking any
obstacles. One is heavily obstacle based,
one is heavily handler based, the third is
a 50-50 balance."
She occasionally attends seminars by
competitors who are doing really well
and who might be doing something she
hasn't tried. "You can always learn. And
if I see something that resonates with
me, that's great."

Teaching and More
In addition to the training and conditioning, Dudley teaches in the afternoons at

home when the weather is cooperative.
The couple is planning to put in an allweather ring. She is being invited to
give more and more seminars during the
weekends and is also judging UKI trials.
With her hectic schedule, Dudley admits
that she is not much of a record keeper.
"I know I should be doing a better job of
this, but at the end of the day I always
seem to have something else I think
needs doing more." If she sees something
that she wants to work on, she will often
send herself an e-mail so she remembers
to address it in the next session.

The Biggest Challenge
The hardest part of the process is not
overtraining so the dogs stay fresh and
sound. "I always want to make it better,
but sometimes that means not doing anything." And that, she says, is very difficult. "When I watch my videos, I have no-

ticed that whenever I say 'just one more
time,' the next time is never as good. I
have learned that I have to quit sooner."

The Future
Dudley thinks about the future not in
terms of adding medals to her already
formidable collection, but in learning to
be a better handler by being more purposeful and efficient in her movement.
"My long-term goal when I teach is to
give my students something truly useful
on a very basic level. I don't care about
handling 'systems' in themselves. What
I care about is helping people and dogs
understand each other easily and fluently. My long-term goal for me and my
dogs is for all of us to be as sound and
healthy as possible, and to thrive while
playing the game." D

Sally Silverman is a freelance writer whose life has gone to the dogs. She and her husband share their hearts and their home with three Australian Shepherds.
An avid agility competitor, Sally is working on MACH3 with Bounce, who also has a PDCH, as well as many canine freestyle and herding titles. Java is now in AKC
Masters and working on her Advanced freestyle title. Sally is an active member of Y2K9s Dog Sports Club outside of Philadelphia, where she trains and teaches.

lip...

Go from S

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Clean Run - June 2014

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