Clean Run Magazine - July 2006 - 40

USDAA A-frame is definitely more challenging and stressful on 5, 21 our
dogs' joints. Most of the top competitors will train on the 5'6 A-frame
moving up days or weeks before competing seriously on the 6'3 A-frame.
Experienced dogs can adjust without too 1 much difficulty. The key word
here is experienced. Dogs that 2 Color! still do not have clearly
definable contact criteria will no doubt lose what little they have when
presented with the taller, shorter- -14, 17 CRCD 3 zoned A-frame or when
switching back to the shorter one. Last, there are some venues I would not
enter at all if I seriously wished to compete in AKC and USDAA, at least
not until my dog has established jumping abilities and contact criteria.
These other 3 -15, 0 venues can serve useful purposes though. My students
can get ring Bendable experience including training in the ring and work
on start-line 4 Tunnels! 10 stays in one venue. I strongly caution them
about putting their young or green dogs on the contact equipment. It is
just too different from AKC and USDAA. Baseline -4,-2 Course I've known
many dogs to go on and excel in NADAC after retiring Dog Building! 11,-8
from USDAA. Still others have had no problem going from one and Person
organization to the next on alternate weekends. As an agility Shapes!
instructor of over 13 years with multiple MACH and ADCH Available in
English, Dutch, Finnish, French, students, I'm just relating my views and
my experience on the German, Japanese, Spanish and Swedish versions. T 5
matter. No doubt others will have different views. Do what you Other
languages coming soon! think is best for your dog. You can't go wrong
there. Native Macintosh version now available! TM Sherry Kluever COURTESY
OF SHERRY KLUEVER Sherry, a full-time agility instructor, was a Try it
free for 30 days www.cleanrun.com 2003 AKC World Team Member, a two-time
ESPN Great Outdoor Games Gold Medalist, a three-time Grand Prix Finalist,
an AKC Nationals Finalist, and a Steeplechase Finalist.
www.helpingudders.com Visit Sherry's website: http://SherryKluever.com. I
think the most important part of switching venues with the There's always
Tr i a l i n g G e a r changes in equipment and jump heights is your
foundation training. It's imperative that you've trained good jumping
skills something new at and a consistent contact method. When I start
jumping training Helping Udders with my dogs, I make sure they are old
enough growth plates closed then I work a little each day on making sure
they are s o l i n g Vest Co good, thinking jumpers. I work on jump chutes
and teach them RCHASE to collect when cued. As they progress in their
jumping skills, PU ! R SC UES YOU I make sure to start varying the jump
heights within a jump s oy chute or jump exercise. By having some jumps at
lower heights Collars & Leads RE T ue H EL T and some at higher heights,
they learn to think before taking Uniq R PS S UPP O off. Even now I still
vary jump heights in my training sessions, using mostly the higher
heights. With my Border Collie, since her jump heights range between 20
and 26 depending on the venue/event, I am always working on jumping
skills. Generally a week or so before a trial or event, I will put her at
the jump height she will be jumping for that trial/event with a couple of
higher jumps mixed in . This seems to be enough time for her to adjust and
for me to get my timing down. This depends on how much you train. I train
her three or four times a week during the show season and less in the
winter. If you don't train too often, then you may want to make the
adjustment to the height a little sooner. As far as changes to other
equipment, I find that again, if the dog has had good foundation training,
he can make those | 40 Clean Run July 06
http://www.cleanrun.com http://www.helpingudders.com http://SherryKluever.com http://www.gotunnel.com
Clean Run Magazine - July 2006

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