Clean Run - November 2013 - 56

4
2

7
FC
FC
8

5
6

Push to
back side
1

In Figure 2, the dog's forward momentum from the tunnel makes it easy to
send the dog out to the pinwheel (jumps
#2-4) at a distance. This allows the handler to move closer for jumps #5-#8, setting a nice line for the dog through those
jumps. Knowing how fast the dog will be
moving through the pinwheel allows the
handler to choose the best way to handle
the more technical section of the course
so that the dog has a smooth, low-yardage path through the jumps.

gaMes that reQUire
"tiMe sense"
Knowing a dog's speed is crucial for games
like Snooker, Gamblers, and Strategic
Time Gamble. (Note:To learn more about
the various agility games, visit the websites of the venues available in your area.)
When playing Snooker, there is an opening section and a numbered closing sequence. Knowing how many obstacles
can be performed in the allotted time
helps handlers judge whether they can
make it through the closing sequence
and get the maximum number of points.
In Gamblers, the opening period is typically 25 or 30 seconds long. During that
time, the handler plans a path that (ideally) puts her and the dog near the gamble
sequence at the end of those 25 or 30
seconds. The closer the team is to the
gamble sequence when the opening period buzzer sounds, the more likely it is
that they will be able to successfully com56

plete the gamble within the allotted time.
To do that, handlers have to plan a path
based on their dog's speed. Handlers who
are not good at judging where the dog
will be when the buzzer sounds frequently end up on the opposite side of the agility field from the gamble, in the middle of
the dogwalk, or halfway through a set of
weaves, leaving them little chance of performing the gamble before time runs out.
Strategic Time Gamble is more difficult
than the other games for a team that
doesn't have good time sense. In Strategic
Time Gamble, after the 30-second buzzer sounds, the closing period starts. The
team continues to collect points during
this period, but the dog must cross the
finish line with 2.5 seconds or less left on
the clock. Understanding where the dog
will be when the buzzer sounds and how
many obstacles he can take in the closing
period before sailing over the finish line
within this narrow window of time is a
critical skill to qualify in this game.

deterMining
YOUr dOg's speed
There are a variety of methods you
can use to determine your dog's speed.
We're going to look at three.
Timing Obstacles
You can time obstacles like the dogwalk, A-frame, teeter, and weave poles
in practice as well as time sequences
like a line of three or four jumps. The
stopwatch should be started when the
dog's paw first touches the contact obstacle or when his nose passes the first
weave pole. It should be stopped when
the dog meets criteria on the contacts
or exits the weave poles. For jumps, set
the dog back far enough that he is at full

For contacts start the stopwatch when
the dog's paw first touches the obstacle.

turquoise path, and then turn the dog
away from a distance between jumps
#10 and #11. In each of these instances,
the handler must know how fast the dog
will travel to determine the correct handling path for the team.

speed when he takes off for the jump.
The stopwatch should be started when
he takes off and stopped when he lands
after the last jump. Divide the elapsed
time by the number of jumps performed
to get an average time per jump. There
are several things to be aware of when
using this method. If your dog "stresses
up" or gets faster and more excited at a
trial than he is in practice, he will complete the obstacles faster than you timed
in practice. If he "stresses down" or gets
slower in a trial setting, he will complete
the obstacles more slowly.

Record Your Time
and Obstacles Per Course
Another method is to record the times
and number of obstacles on the course
for several clean runs at multiple trials. Group the runs by surface type and
whether they are indoors or outdoors.
Account for the table (if there is one)
by deducting 1 obstacle and 5-7 seconds.
For example, if there are 19 obstacles including the table and you did the course
in 65 seconds, record 18 obstacles and
60 seconds for that course. Then do
some division:
· Time ÷ number of obstacles =
seconds per obstacle
· Number of obstacles ÷ time =
obstacles per second
See the following table for an example.
Outdoors Grass
Seconds/ Obstacles/
Obstacles
Time Obstacle
Second

45.93

2.30

.44

36.75

2.04

.49

37.92

2.00

.50

42.58

2.03

.49

39.48

2.32

.43

43.18

2.16

.46

2.14

.47

Averages

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Clean Run - November 2013

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