Clean Run - October 2017 - 63

Once your dog is proficient at the skills, start adding them into
your sequencing.

Close! Side!
Close! Side!
Side!

Side!
Side!

Standing still, call dog
to your side.

Side!
Side!
Side!

Close!
Close!
Close!

Slowly move dog's
starting position.

Close! Side!
Close! Side!
Close! Side!

Close!
Close!
Close!

Repeat the exercise using a tunnel.

Side!
Side!
Side!

Walk forward and then
call your dog to side.

Over!

Slowly move dog's
starting position.

Close! Close!
Close!

Keep using your Side or Close cue to let the dog
know he should stay with you until your release him.

Side! Side!

Ask your dog to stay with you for longer by
circling in front of the tunnel. Repeat your Side or
Close cue as you do so.

It is relatively easy to get the turn. For many handlers, the
problem is more with the dog driving forward without looking back. So make sure you practice a heavy dose of forward
repetitions, especially with a curved tunnel, always making
sure your dog is not checking in.
October 17 | Clean Run

Taking "Side" and "Close" to the Next Level
We discussed these two cues and how to train them in my
article on connection verbals in the June issue. I use "Side"
and "Close" for a number of reasons-creating relationship
value, building understanding and value for body language,
management in training, setting my dog up at the line, proofing my stay-but on the agility course I use it to call my dog
to my side for a discrimination or to call him off or between
obstacles. These verbal tools allow me to keep running at full
speed around the course, calling my dog into me rather than,
for instance, using a threadle.
The next two drills can be done once your "Side" and "Close"
cues are proficient.
Stationary Call-Off
We begin this training standing still rather than moving because it is a much stronger position so the dog is more likely
to have success.
Set up your dog behind a winged jump, facing the edge of
the wing, and lead out to a position past that wing and lateral
to it as shown in Figure 4. Call your dog off the jump to your
side using your "Side" or "Close" cue, depending on which side
he is on. Repeat the cue until your dog arrives and then reward him at your side. Remember to work both sides.
If this proves too hard for your dog, initially set him up just off
the edge of the jump. Call him to your side and give him an
exciting reward. Always remember that the better you reward
the behavior, the more value you add and the quicker he will
learn it!
As you get success, set up your dog closer and closer to the
center of the jump until he is eventually facing dead center
and will still call off and come directly to your side. You can
also perform this drill with a tunnel as shown in Figure 4.
Once you are successful with the drill on both sides while
standing still, you can add handler motion gradually. Place
your dog at the edge of the wing again. Start walking forward
and call the dog off the jump repeating your "Side" or "Close"
cue, depending on which side he is on. Reward him at your
side. With success, you can move the dog's starting position
to the center of the jump and you can gradually increase your
speed. See Figure 5.
If you are struggling with the drill, set the dog farther back
from the jump.
Stay with Me Until Released
Next set up the jump-tunnel sequence shown in Figure 6.
Leave your dog and lead out until you are about 12 feet away
from the tunnel. Release your dog over the jump and as he
lands call him to either side. Then start moving forward and
keep using your cue to turn him off the tunnel-you are literally running right in front of it-and then reward your side.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - October 2017