Clean Run - October 2019 - 39

Many dogs do not like being physically
manipulated at the start line.
© CLean rUn

Having a line-up routine trained, generalized, and ready for action before entering a trial allows both you and your dog
to feel confident on the start line.

I believe dogs should be comfortable and
practiced in their start-line routine before
asking them to do it in new and distracting places. By practicing prior to entering
a competition, you will be aware of your
dog's likes and dislikes. For example,
many dogs do not like having leashes removed over their heads; in this case, find
a snap collar that comes off easily. Some
dogs do not like sitting at the start; for
those dogs, I train an alternate position
like a down or a stand.

I'm often asked how I train start lines
with my own dogs. Each one of them has
a different position-I let my dog choose
what is most comfortable for them-but
all have a strong "side" cue which tells
them to line up next to me.
It is always diﬃcult for me to watch the
handler who stands in front of their dog,
their back to the course, pleading for the
dog to sit. The handler gets closer to the
dog, bends over them, and physically
tries to manipulate them, and the dog
looks more and more disinterested, disengaged, or even stressed. In these cases,
some dogs won't come off the line as the
handler is backing away from them. Other dogs may turn and find a scorekeeper
to engage with, or they may self-release
to the course before the handler can react. Having a trained side behavior that
the dog performs on cue, with no physical assistance from the handler, allows
the handler to assess if the dog is engaged
and ready to start the game.
I like to remove my dog's leash as soon as
I enter the ring and allow my dog to walk
to the start line with me leash-free (note
that this may not be allowed in some venues). If my dog does not want to follow
me, come to my side, or take a position,
I know my dog is not ready to be left on
the start line. We have trained, practiced,
and repeated these behaviors hundreds
of times, in all types of environments. So
if my dog is unable to give them to me in
the ring, I know there is the possibility
my dog is not ready to be left in a startline stay.

October 19 | Clean Run

It's very useful to have a trained side
behavior that the dog performs on cue
with no physical assistance.

tHe veRbal ReleaSe
The verbal cue that tells your dog he is
released from his position is also something that must be trained, practiced,
and generalized. I use the same verbal
release word for my start lines, the table,
and stopped contacts. "Okay" to my dogs
means release from position and follow
the next cue.
Rarely do I use just the obstacle name to
release my dog from position, and I will
only do so if my dog 100% understands
the verbal obstacle cue without any help
from my position or motion, or if I do
not have time to get out the release word
and the next verbal cue.
I do not want to build my motion into
my dog's release word inadvertently. I will
release my dog when I am standing still,
or I will release when I'm already in mo-

tion, but I do not release and move at the
same time.
A dog who understands a verbal release
cue will move from position on just the
verbal alone with no physical assistance
from the handler. To test this, put your
dog in position, ask them to stay, and
take a few steps forward. Stand perfectly
still and do not look back as you give the
verbal release cue. If your dog releases
without assistance, it is a good sign they
understand the verbal. If they do not
release, there is a good chance that your
motion, an arm, eye contact, or some
other physical cue has been built into
the release. By taking the training back
and reinforcing the release, not the position, you can build value into your verbal
release cue. I find many times when a
team is struggling with start lines; it is
this piece that is the weakest and least
reinforced.
I also like to add a bit of chase into my release word games, much like the dog will
see on the course. One of the first release
word chase games I play starts by placing
my dog in position and asking her to stay.
Then I take off running, releasing her
while I'm sprinting away. I reward her at
my side once she catches me.
Chasing my dog to a dead toy (or bowl)
is another fun game that encourages
snappy releases. Again, I place my dog
in position and ask for a stay. I throw the
toy out as far as I can toss it (or place the
bowl with food out 15 to 20 ft. away), I
lead out a few steps, release my dog, and
then chase her to the toy or bowl. If it is
a toy we are running for, I play with my
dog for about 30 seconds. If it is a bowl
we are running for, I drop in extra-highvalue treats once I get there.
If I have two dogs who get along well, I
will play these two games with both of
them at the same time. If I am running
away from the dogs, the first dog that
catches me gets the toy, although I play
with both dogs equally. The excitement
of the other dog usually increases the
ground speed of both dogs. The addition
of a second dog can also help a dog release quicker if they tend to move slowly
out of position on the start line and allow
a handler to work on releases with a dog
who anticipates.
39

Clean Run - October 2019

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