Clean Run - November 2011 - 48

Coach
By Eva Bertilsson and Emelie Johnson Vegh Photos by Eva Bertilsson, except where noted Successful dog training is really about you, the trainer. To be able to train your dog in the best possible way you need to 1. Describe exactly what the dog should do 2. Plan the dog’s training (How is the dog going to learn to do the right thing?) 3. Describe exactly what you are going to do when you train the dog 4. Plan your own training (How are you going to learn to do the right thing?) 5. Train yourself 6. Train the dog Typically, texts and discussions about agility training revolve a lot around what to teach the dog (Running contacts? Single-step weaves? Collection on cue?) and how to best teach him that (where to begin, how to set up the exercise, how to progress, and so on). Often we seem to take the human part for granted, not paying attention to that side until we find that things don’t magically work. However, you’ll have a smoother ride by shining some light on the handler’s part throughout the training process. Here we’ll assume you’ve already made the decisions regarding what you’re going to teach the dog (and how) and take a look at the following steps to decide exactly what you should do and how to go about planning and executing your own training. By honing the parts of the training process that are all about you (#3, #4, and #5 in the list above), you set the stage for your canine comrade and become a worthy coach for him. Animal trainer guru Bob Bailey says that training is a mechanical skill. That’s so true. For the dog to learn, you need to do the right thing at the right moment. There really isn’t much difference between learning to hit a golf ball, paint a window, rock climb, and train a dog. Sure, dog training is complex and involves another living being, but it’s still about your doing the correct thing at the correct time. When you have decided on what you want your dog to do (#1) and devised a plan for how your dog will learn to do this (#2), the rest is all about you. You need to know your own job (#3) and plan how you are going to go about teaching yourself to do the right thing (#4). You then need to practice, so that you can manage to do the right thing at the right moment (#5). There’s really no point in getting your dog involved until this is done, and you have then reached #6.

BECOMING YOUR OWN

How Will I Know What to Do?
This requires taking a close look at the finer details of the training process, typically second by second. What exactly does your job consist of? For example, you want to teach your dog to wait and start on cue from a start line. Your training plan might include giving the release cue if your dog keeps four feet still on the ground, and not giving the release cue if your dog moves. What then is your job exactly? You need to observe your dog closely, and depending on what your dog does, you either give or don’t give him the release cue. Another example of your job could be to throw the ball over your dog’s head as he focuses ahead. Picture working on your dog’s finish, wanting to create a sprint for the finish line where your dog just barges ahead at top speed, taking all the obstacles ahead. The plan is by throwing the ball ahead while your dog is aiming and running ahead, the behavior of “run ahead of me, taking all the obstacles toward the finish line” will be reinforced. To be successful with this, you need to be able to throw the ball where you want it to go, and you also need to be able to time your throw so that the ball comes flying over your dog’s head as he’s aiming forward (and not while he’s running, looking at you).
Clean Run | November 11

Why Are My Actions So Important?
After all, this is dog training, not people training, right? Well, it’s the dog’s behavior we are trying to alter when we train. But to change your dog’s behavior, you first have to change your own. Training is never about directly altering the dog’s behavior; training is about creating situations where your dog gets new experiences, so that he learns whatever you want him to learn.
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Clean Run - November 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - November 2011