Clean Run - July 2019 - 46

PRACTICALLY TRAINING:

Understanding
How to
"Set the Line"

© Matt allison PhotograPhy

By Sandy Rogers

Some of you have heard the phrase "set
the line" but have not been sure what it
means. I know this because I ask every
group of students that I work with what
they think it means, and I get a variety
of almost-right best guesses.
To me, setting the line for my dog is
what "handling" is. It is doing what
needs to be done, as soon as it can be
done, so that it will be clear to the dog
which obstacle, or obstacles, are to be
taken next.
The line we are setting creates the path
we want our dogs traveling on. When
I say, "set the line," I could interchange
"dog's path" or "dog's lane" for "line."
I hope this article will teach you how to
identify and be inspired to set better
lines for your dog. The better you are
at setting lines, the better handler you
are. Being a good handler is not about
earning titles and winning ribbons. It is
about being polite to your partner. Once
you embrace line-setting for all that it is,
you may look at the sport in a new way.
I found myself taking full responsibility for everything that happens on the
course. I stopped being frustrated or
confused by my dogs. It was refreshing.

How to Identify the Line
Take a course map, and use a pencil to
draw your dog's route. Be realistic in
considering where he will land on the
jumps. You have just drawn "the line." If
46

you have an aversion to course maps,
you are not alone, but I strongly recommend you find someone to help you
learn how to utilize them. Their value is
not to be underestimated.

and I take note of the amount of the
turn. Then I go to the other wing and
look two obstacles ahead, and I decide
if that turn is more or less than the first
one. You will be able to see if it is a little
or a lot, which helps with the decision.

You may notice that on some jumps,
you need to decide whether to go left
or right. The two most relevant factors
to consider in these cases are

For example, if you can't tell which way
to go on jump #5-any jump #5 on any
course-you would look at how much
bend there is in the dog's path from #5
all the way to #7 (maybe even #8), but
not just from #5 to #6. Your dog will be
approaching #6 from the angle you
created by going one way or the other
on #5. Your dog will appreciate you

* What is the difference in the distance
your dog will have to travel?

* How much turning does the dog
have to do to stay on course?

I judge the distance from each
of the two wings
the dog might turn
on to the next oncourse jump, and
then I compare
the distances.
See Figure 1.
When it comes to
the amount of turning to be considered, I use the jump
following the next
jump-not the next
jump-to tell me
how much my dog
has to turn to stay
on course. I look at
the first possible
path (looking two
obstacles ahead),

1

6
4
26'

5
25'

I judge the distance from each of the two wings the
dog might turn on to the next on-course jump and
then I compare the distances.
Clean Run | July 19
Clean Run - July 2019

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