Clean Run - November 2019 - 39

© GRACE BASSETTE

Improve Your Handling Skills at Home

BACKYARD|DOGS
You probably aren't surprised to learn
that Snooker is my favorite agility
game. I enjoy the challenge of finding a path on the course that plays to
Scruggs' strength and gives me the
most points I can collect in the limited
time provided.
Scruggs isn't every dog, though. Each
dog will have their own optimal path,
and that is where Snooker makes for
entertaining viewing. As a judge, seeing the competitors putting up many
diﬀerent paths through the course tells
me I've done a good job in providing
opportunities for dogs with diﬀerent
strengths. 
Snooker is a points game, but one
where the clock plays an important
role. The challenge is getting the most
points you can before the horn sounds.
You must choose wisely in the opening, trading points for time and time
wasted means potential points are lost.
The design of the course will dictate
how much ground you will need to
cover (how much time you will need)
to complete the close (obstacles #2
through #7). The placement of the
reds (and how many reds) will begin to
structure your choice of path for your
dog in the opening. 
Then, execution will aﬀect your ability
to complete the course. Wide turns will
chew up time (and points). Should you
November 19 | Clean Run

attempt four reds (if available) instead
of three? Can you then complete the
close? Did you finish the close before
the horn sounded? If you did, could
you have picked up additional points
in the opening using a diﬀerent path?
Two factors can aﬀect your final point
total. First, how much flexibility do you
have in the opening? Do you have to
take all the "colors" as numbered? Or
has the judge given you the flexibility
to take obstacles in any direction and
combinations in any order, any direction? This latter is my preference as a
judge because it allows for creativity.
Oh, and then the handler also has to
remember how the obstacles are supposed to be performed in the close!
Second, can you smoothly direct your
dog through the course as you've
planned, or will you have to resort to
"snookering" your dog through what
you see as potential distractions? By
"snookering" I mean a handler walking the dog along a path saying, "here,
here" or "with me" or some such request
to ignore that tunnel or that other obstacle. And that means a loss of speed,
a loss of time, and a loss of points.
The idea behind these exercises is to let
you compare flexibility and options as
well as challenge you to run your dog,
trusting they will take your cues and
ignore the tempting oﬀ-course oppor-

By David Bozak

tunities. Run them and time your runs.
Try diﬀerent paths. Start with diﬀerent
red jumps. How is your time aﬀected?
And if your dog is too sorely tempted
by an oﬀ-course, examine your path,
your body cues, and the timing of your
cues and try it again. Gain confidence
that you can trust your dog because
you've set up the path and cues appropriately. And then watch your snooker
scores grow!
All the red jumps in these courses are
always bidirectional. Unless otherwise
directed, you may start with any of the
red jumps.
Figures 1-3 increase your flexibility in
completing the combination A-B. How
do your paths change? 
Figures 4-6 let you choose from
among four reds and again increase
your flexibility in completing the
combination.
Figures 7-9 repeat this process where
tight turns will let you complete the
run with faster times. Figure 9 pushes a
red jump down below the tunnels. Can
you send your dog to that red without
getting sucked into a tunnel?
Complete all the exercises by Tuesday, November 26, and you will have
earned the right to celebrate National
Cake Day! D

39
Clean Run - November 2019

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