Clean Run - October 2019 - 38

Does Your Dog Have
the Skills Needed
for Good Start-Line
Stays & Releases?
By Tammy Moody

I can remember watching a YouTube video of start-line stays at FCI Agility World Championships years ago. The video was
edited to the tune of "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by the clash. It showed many dogs creeping at the start line and many
handlers physically trying to keep the dogs in position. It was cute and fun and well-edited, and it demonstrated that even
at the top levels of competition, many handlers struggle with their dog's start-lines stays.

I think the start line is more than having
the dog hold a stationary position until
you release him. For me, the start line
consists of everything leading up to that
moment and directly after the moment
of release.
Breaking the process down into bitesized pieces allows us to identify where a
dog is weak in a certain behavior (maybe
the behavior was not reinforced enough),
where criteria have been lost, and any
training steps that were skipped on the
way into the competition ring.
waiting to go into tHe Ring
Is the dog experienced and practiced in
waiting to go into the ring?
38

So much happens at the entry gate.
Distractions include other dogs barking, dogs tugging, dogs that are highly
animated, and more. These experiences
may alarm, excite, or interest a dog who
is not used to these activities. The circus
atmosphere of being ringside may reduce
a dog's usual focus and engagement with
the handler.
I suggest that handlers attend as many
competitions as possible before entering,
so the dog learns about and experiences
the hubbub. Going to a trial and working with your dog before entering one is
a great way to figure out how your dog
feels about all the commotion. Practice a
few tricks and focus games, ask for positions, and give releases-all outside the
ring gate. If being ringside is too much of
a distraction for your dog, move away to
an area where the dog can focus and play
with you.
Use the practice jump, if available, and
practice easy behaviors there.
Note: While working with your dog at a
trial, please be courteous to those who
are entered by not being a distraction to
competing dogs.

I am often asked for help when a handler
is having diﬃculties with their dog's start
line. Some handlers have dogs who won't
hold position, bursting past the handler
and taking the first obstacle without being cued. Others have dogs who will not
release from position no matter how
much coaxing from the handler. Although these seem like different issues, I
approach them the same way.

There are many distractions at the ring
gate, and your dog needs an opportunity
to get used to them before competing.

tHe StaRt-line RoUtine
Most handlers do not practice in an
arena with a ring gate, but you still need
to set up situations to practice how you
will approach the start line at a trial. Does
the dog enter the ring on or off-leash?
Does the leash immediately come off
once you are in the ring or does the leash
come off at the start line? Does the dog
have a line-up cue or a position that has
been trained?
Clean Run | October 19

Clean Run - October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - October 2019