Clean Run - June 2017 - 34

PRACTICALLY TRAINING:
Jump Around
the Clock

By Sandy Rogers
Last month we started to re-visit my One Jump Two Jump
training program. This month we will review one of my alltime favorite staples, the Jump Around the Clock or JAC drills.
It can take careful explaining when I announce to a student
that her dog "doesn't know JAC!" But, before we get into JAC, I
want to be clear about the objectives and cover some ground
rules and training guidelines to use throughout the program.

The Training Objective
For the experienced team the drills we will cover provide a
thorough review of the fundamental handling and dog skills
needed to succeed in agility. The drills also allow you to identify missing links in your training program and eliminate them.
You can then use the drills for regular maintenance work to
keep your team's skills sharp, as well as use them as "back-tokindergarten drills" when you have a handling wire crossed.
For less experienced handlers or for handlers who feel out of
sync with their dogs (perhaps your dog is spinning, barking,
turning very wide, or not running as fast as he could), the
drills teach you and your dog a communication system that
will enable your team to face many common handling challenges in any venue with consistency.

Training Prerequisites
* Sit-stay: Dog plants feet firmly into the ground and
moves only head and tail.
* Release word: Dog releases quickly with a single
verbal command. There should be no handler movement. Consistent inﬂection in the voice is critical,
stick with one word and don't change it if the dog
gets "stuck." Just teach him what you want him to do.
* Toy/play work: Toy-control rules are in place before
using toys in training: dog lets go of the toy, takes toy
when asked, and brings toy back. Hopefully you have
34

a retrieve and tug as well. Travel at your own pace
and remember the key word here is play. Too many
rules implemented too soon and made too rigid can
make play anything but.
* Rewards: Rewards need to be something your dog
considers special. Ideally use both food and toys. If
tossing food, use food that doesn't crumble and that
the dog can see easily on the training surface. Be sure
your dog has learned to "snatch" a treat quickly and
look for more work or play from you, not for more
food on the ground or ﬂoor. Some breeds are better
off not having food thrown much, if at all (can you
guess those breeds?).
* Recall: Strong name recognition and a solid recall
response. Again, using a consistent voice inﬂection is
your tip of the day if your dog is struggling with this.
You have to sound like you are in control, clear, sure
of yourself, and enthusiastic, all at the same time-
work at it.
* Bodywork: Fit dogs are at a huge advantage in this
sport. Conditioning (hiking, racing, swimming, chasing)
and balance, coordination, and rear-end awareness
work to physically prepare the dog should be part of
every trainer's program (for both you and the dog!)

Concepts to Understand
* Appropriate age: Dogs should be 14 months of age
before they begin jumping full height.
* The difference between verbal and physical cues:
You need to be aware if you are training one, or the
other, or both at the same time. When you use both
together you don't really know which one of the two
cues (verbal or physical) the dog is mastering (it is
usually the physical). Isolating the cues in training is
key. Using them together when trialing is smart. VerClean Run | June 17

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - June 2017