Clean Run Magazine - August 2007 - 32

Leslie Renaud When I train agility, I ﬁnd it most beneﬁcial to determine what I plan to work on before I go out to work the dogs. Each dog has his own set of strengths and weaknesses, so working on the same thing with each dog isn’t necessarily productive for them as individuals. I ﬁnd short sessions focused on one skill to be the most constructive. I will work one dog multiple times throughout the course of the day in several very short sessions. I may choose to work one dog on reinforcing his weave pole entries. I will sketch out the entries I want to work on that day and set the course early in the morning. In the ﬁrst session, for no more than 5 minutes, I will work on one particular aspect of my weave entry plan for that day. Later that day, I will work the same dog on a different part of the weave entry plan, again not exceeding 5 minutes, and so on. I may do this four or ﬁve times during the day with the same dog. This particular dog will then be done until his agility working rotation comes again. Leslie and her husband live with their four Shetland Sheepdogs in central Oregon. Actively involved in agility since 1999, she has been training dogs since she was 14. Leslie currently competes with her two older dogs; her youngest is busy growing up and learning agility. She gives seminars throughout the U.S. covering stress and motivation in the performance dog. Contact her at agileaction@crestviewcable.com. When my timer goes off, I stop The next day I will work with a second dog on the skill that I have planned for him, giving the ﬁrst dog a day of rest from agility training. On the third day I give the ﬁrst dog his second day of rest, the second dog gets his ﬁrst day of rest, and I work the third dog. This rotation allows my dogs a couple of days rest between agility training sessions. In doing this, I ﬁnd they absorb their lessons better and do not become saturated. I also recommend training with a countdown timer. This tactic keeps me focused and moving through my plan. When my timer goes off, I stop (or ﬁnish up whatever we are doing at that moment). Knowing that I only have a short period of time in which to work keeps the session very energetic and moving along at a brisk pace. This, in turn, keeps my dogs’ energy level up. When I only have 5 minutes in a session to work, I do not focus excessively on mistakes; there is no time for such folly! Since mistakes are always mine, taking up any time focusing on them is counterproductive to my dogs’ attitude and enthusiasm. I can ponder my mistakes after the working session is over. Additionally, I work my dogs physically and mentally every day, even if agility training is not on their schedule. I use shaping extensively and I teach them to use their minds through the shaping process. Nothing is related to agility in these sessions. I generally work on each individual’s gallery of parlor tricks. These are tricks that do not have a particular agility application, so I ﬁnd I can be more liberal in allowing the shaping process to unfold and the dogs enjoy these practices quite a bit. These sessions are very bonding for the dogs and me and they include a very high reinforcement rate, which conﬁrms for my dogs that training is fun. Brenna Fender is a freelance writer with an undergraduate degree in mass communications and a masters degree in elementary education. She lives with her husband, two young children, a Vizsla, a Whippet, and a cat. The dogs are collectively titled in agility, obedience, conformation, hunting, rally, and lure coursing. The cat, husband, and children are lacking in this regard. Contact Brenna at BrennaFender@gmail.com. Funny Name, Great Beds! Your dog can have his own Landing Pad for your next trip When nothing but the Original will do Spin a few circles and curl up in the Nest Bed The Catalina offers a cozy getaway for little dogs ® www.cleanrun.com 32 Clean Run | August 07

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Clean Run Magazine - August 2007

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