Clean Run - July 2011 - 77
Part 4
BUILDING AND BALANCING HANDLER AND OBSTACLE FOCUS
By Ann Croft, photos by author
In the first two articles, we discussed foundation exercises, tugging, eye contact, hand targeting, building reinforcement for standing parallel and facing the same direction, using toys or food containers as motivational objects to develop forward focus, and building reinforcement for interacting in specific ways with non-agility obstacles or objects, like mats or crates. In the third article I introduced some exercises for building obstacle focus and desire for jumps and handler focus while working with jumps. Here the focus is specifically on weave pole training exercises that emphasize obstacle focus along with independent performance and handler focus.
BUILDING THE DOG’S OBSTACLE FOCUS AND DESIRE FOR WEAVES
Here are some basic exercises to help dogs learn to like the weaves, seek them out, and complete them independently while still being cognizant of where the handler is. My priority when teaching the weaves initially is to emphasize obstacle focus and desire. I want the dog to be dedicated to completing the obstacle in its entirety, independent of my movement or location. Therefore, I want to build lots of reward value for the weaves independent of me. When I begin training the weaves the reward does not come from my body but rather from a motivational object placed after the poles or possibly a thrown object (if you have excellent timing and tossing accuracy). For most handlers I recommend initiating weave pole training using the channel weaves or tilting weaves such as Weave-AMatics (WAM). First review the foundation exercises in CR May 2011 using toys or food containers as motivational objects to develop forward focus and drive. Before you do the exercises here, your dog must be happily driving toward his motivational object, whether it’s a tug toy or a container with food.
77
July 11
| Clean Run
Clean Run - July 2011
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - July 2011
Clean Run - July 2011
Contents
Editorializing: Help Wanted...
Tip of the Month
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Backyard Dogs
Support for the Sport: Which Sports Bra Is Right for You?
A Spoonful of Sugar = Brain Food?
Iliopsoas Strain Revisited
Teaching Jumping Skills Using Multiple Methodologies
Control Unleashed® Case Study: Training Dogs with Sound Sensitivities
Agility Bloopers
Now You See It, Then You Don’t: Stress in Performance Dogs, Part 2
What Does $75 Buy
Power Paws Drills: The Perfect Setup
Teaching FOCUS and Impulse-control Classes: Week 3
Challenges for Rising Stars
Building and Balancing Handler and Obstacle Focus, Part 4
Clean Run - July 2011 - Clean Run - July 2011
Clean Run - July 2011 - 2
Clean Run - July 2011 - Contents
Clean Run - July 2011 - 4
Clean Run - July 2011 - Editorializing: Help Wanted...
Clean Run - July 2011 - Tip of the Month
Clean Run - July 2011 - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Clean Run - July 2011 - Backyard Dogs
Clean Run - July 2011 - 9
Clean Run - July 2011 - 10
Clean Run - July 2011 - Support for the Sport: Which Sports Bra Is Right for You?
Clean Run - July 2011 - 12
Clean Run - July 2011 - 13
Clean Run - July 2011 - 14
Clean Run - July 2011 - 15
Clean Run - July 2011 - 16
Clean Run - July 2011 - 17
Clean Run - July 2011 - 18
Clean Run - July 2011 - 19
Clean Run - July 2011 - 20
Clean Run - July 2011 - 21
Clean Run - July 2011 - 22
Clean Run - July 2011 - 23
Clean Run - July 2011 - 24
Clean Run - July 2011 - A Spoonful of Sugar = Brain Food?
Clean Run - July 2011 - 26
Clean Run - July 2011 - Iliopsoas Strain Revisited
Clean Run - July 2011 - 28
Clean Run - July 2011 - 29
Clean Run - July 2011 - 30
Clean Run - July 2011 - Teaching Jumping Skills Using Multiple Methodologies
Clean Run - July 2011 - 32
Clean Run - July 2011 - 33
Clean Run - July 2011 - 34
Clean Run - July 2011 - 35
Clean Run - July 2011 - 36
Clean Run - July 2011 - 37
Clean Run - July 2011 - 38
Clean Run - July 2011 - 39
Clean Run - July 2011 - Control Unleashed® Case Study: Training Dogs with Sound Sensitivities
Clean Run - July 2011 - 41
Clean Run - July 2011 - 42
Clean Run - July 2011 - 43
Clean Run - July 2011 - 44
Clean Run - July 2011 - 45
Clean Run - July 2011 - 46
Clean Run - July 2011 - 47
Clean Run - July 2011 - 48
Clean Run - July 2011 - Agility Bloopers
Clean Run - July 2011 - 50
Clean Run - July 2011 - Now You See It, Then You Don’t: Stress in Performance Dogs, Part 2
Clean Run - July 2011 - 52
Clean Run - July 2011 - 53
Clean Run - July 2011 - 54
Clean Run - July 2011 - 55
Clean Run - July 2011 - 56
Clean Run - July 2011 - 57
Clean Run - July 2011 - What Does $75 Buy
Clean Run - July 2011 - 59
Clean Run - July 2011 - 60
Clean Run - July 2011 - 61
Clean Run - July 2011 - Power Paws Drills: The Perfect Setup
Clean Run - July 2011 - 63
Clean Run - July 2011 - 64
Clean Run - July 2011 - 65
Clean Run - July 2011 - 66
Clean Run - July 2011 - Teaching FOCUS and Impulse-control Classes: Week 3
Clean Run - July 2011 - 68
Clean Run - July 2011 - 69
Clean Run - July 2011 - 70
Clean Run - July 2011 - 71
Clean Run - July 2011 - Challenges for Rising Stars
Clean Run - July 2011 - 73
Clean Run - July 2011 - 74
Clean Run - July 2011 - 75
Clean Run - July 2011 - 76
Clean Run - July 2011 - Building and Balancing Handler and Obstacle Focus, Part 4
Clean Run - July 2011 - 78
Clean Run - July 2011 - 79
Clean Run - July 2011 - 80
Clean Run - July 2011 - 81
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Clean Run - July 2011 - 84
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