Clean Run Magazine - July 2009 - 42

Like it or not, we are living in a world of technology. The days of handwritten letters have gone by the wayside, thanks to the instant feedback and response capability of email. There is no product or service industry that has not changed and evolved to take advantage of the benefits of technology, and agility is no exception. Sure, agility all comes down to one person running around the ring and pointing at obstacles with one dog. Right? Well, sort of. Running around the ring and pointing at stuff is the end result of a long process of training, handling, and analysis, all of which can be greatly improved with the use of technology. Now, before I risk scaring you away with computer jargon, let me say this. There are both low-tech and high-tech gadgets to improve your agility skills. And not all of them require a high-speed Internet connection, or any kind of Internet connection for that matter. Low-tech Toys There are several household items that can be used to help with your training and handling work that are not in the realm of high-tech stuff. • Vet wrap: Go to virtually any agility seminar and you will hear the instructor talking about the dog’s lead or leading leg. If you are horse person, this terminology makes great sense. If you have no experience around horses, it may be hard for you to actually see which lead a dog is using. A strip of vet wrap can be used to help with identifying the dog’s lead as he works a sequence or course. Using a different color on each of the dog’s legs makes seeing leads a snap. • Duct tape: Jump bars that have been segmented with duct tape can be used to see how the dog moves through a jumping sequence. Mark the jump bars with tape, dividing the bar into thirds. You can use these sections to analyze how the dog moves within the thirds you’ve marked, noting the direction he moves, and whether the turns are happening in the inside, middle, or outside third of the bar. This exercise helps greatly when teaching the dog to turn tighter. • Chalk or spray paint: Creating a line on the ground with chalk or spray paint can help you predict and alter the dog’s path between obstacles. After marking the anticipated path, run the dog through the sequence to see the difference between the predicted and actual paths. derso bb An By We n High-tech Toys Let’s divide high-tech tools into a couple of categories, so that we can review each area and not dilute the importance of any one. For brevity, I’ll limit the discussion to five items: software, hardware, web-based tools, hand-held devices, and other stuff that doesn’t fit in any another category. As a former technology professional, I’ve done lots of research into these tools and how we can apply them to our sport. Some tools are quite basic and some are more advanced. But, regardless of how computer savvy you are, there is a way for everyone to use technology in their agility training programs. Software Essentials for the Agility Trainer • Course design software: Clean Run Course Designer 3 is the premier course designer package and a requirement for any serious agility trainer. I can’t say much more than that. It just keeps getting better with every version. I use it every week to create and store sequences and courses for my personal training, client training plans, and classes. It is an invaluable tool. 42 Clean Run | July 09

Clean Run Magazine - July 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - July 2009