Clean Run - August 2018 - 38

good at that, you asked me to draw the
course out on the whiteboard. I have little artistic ability and don't draw a great
straight line, but I figured why not give
it a try."
At first, Kathy was resistant because she
felt her drawing skills lacked accuracy,
but I assured her it did not matter if the
obstacles were to scale and that no one
would be looking at her attempts. I also
have Kathy perform this exercise where
she can't see the actual course or a map
(but she has been known to peek).
"Once I started to draw out the course,
it was easier to keep the course in my
mind's eye. For some reason, it is much
easier for me to visualize the course after
I have drawn it out a couple of times. It
sticks in my brain at that point." Kathy
is the first student I have asked to draw
out the course before running her dog.
We have seen significant changes in her
dog on course. She is now coming off the

start line with power, she is barking and
driving to the next obstacle, her speed is
intense, and her joy is palpable.
Kathy explained, "When I started to do
a better job of remembering the course,
my confidence and my dog's confidence
began to shift. It is a chain that all fits
together. I still get a little uncomfortable
when Tammy tells me to draw the course
before I run, but then I think of my dog
and how much more fun she seems to be
having when her handler knows where
she is going. I love and appreciate my
dog, and I want her to love agility."
Kathy has been practicing her drawing skills for a few months now and can
remember courses from weeks ago, not
something she was able to do before
starting this exercise. When Kathy starts
to compete, she will have a small dry
erase board she travels with that she can
draw the courses out on before she runs
her dog.

While I know the struggle to memorize
a course is very real for many handlers,
I also know through trial and error,
and lots of practice handlers can find
ways to help themselves remember. If I
have students who struggle with course
memorization, I do not let them out
on course with their dog until they can
show me they know the course. I have
them draw it out, run it without their
dog, close their eyes and give me a rundown of their side changes and the order
of obstacles. It may be difficult for some
students to practice these exercises-
some may even be embarrassed-but it
is amazing the confidence that is built
upon running a course and knowing
where every single obstacle is. When
handlers are not struggling to remember
the course, they can truly connect with
their dogs. This gives both handler and
the dog the confidence to perform. D�

Tammy has been training dogs for more than 30 years, getting her start in 4-H obedience in middle school. Tammy found her love for agility in 1999 and started teaching
agility in 2002. She opened her own training program in 2006 when she founded Oregon School for Clever Dogs. Tammy is best known for helping her students create
happy working relationships with their dogs. You can reach Tammy at www.cleverdogsagility.com.

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Clean Run | August 18

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