Clean Run Magazine - December 2007 - 25

Crash Avoidance I handled defensively because I was afraid of my dog crashing into me if I didn’t get out of the way in time (this was based on our history together). Linda Mecklenburg helped me fix my “dog smashing into handler” problem. She showed me a quick training tip designed to help my dog understand how to collect himself for a jump so that he would not crash into me if I did not get out of the way. (It has the added benefit of creating nice tight lines on course, once the dog understands how to get his body into the space given.) The strategy is to have an immovable object and the handler as one, so that the dog must “give” and not the handler’s knees or shins. • Set up a one-bar jump with a baby gate approximately a jump-height away from the jump on one side, and place the dog equidistant from and facing the jump on the other side. Stand in the same line as the gate and asks the dog to jump in the space available between the jump and the gate. I use a toy placed on the ground where my dog should land, but Linda advises using food as the reward rather than a toy. In either case, the dog gets the reward only if the bar and the gate stay in position. If the bar comes down or the gate is moved, either don’t throw the toy (or step on it if you’ve already thrown it) or don’t dispense the food. Initial setup position for jumping to the left. Initial setup position for jumping to the right. Dog jumping into available space on his way to a toy on the ground. • Work both to the right and left of the gate, changing the dog’s angle, and changing the dog’s speed of approach by starting the dog farther away from the jump. As with most exercises, increase the difficulty gradually and wait for success before proceeding further. Be advised that with speed and spread jumps, the dog cannot land as tightly. Provide more landing space. • When the dog can consistently jump into the space given, start to move the gate out of the way and to stand in the spot where it used to be. Gradually, with success, eliminate the gate and use your body as the guide. Be very sure your dog has the concept before you exchange your body for the gate! • When you have mastered a single jump, add another jump, and then add other speed obstacles (like tunnels). Substitute spread jumps for the single bar. At any time, you can move the gate back into the picture if the dog reverts to “crash mode.” Eventually, you can end up with a dog that respects your body position. Change the dog’s speed of approach by gradually moving him farther away from the jump. With success, start to move the gate out of the way and stand in the spot where it used to be. Remember that this is a “fix.” I taught my young dog to collect when jumping and to recall to heel, so that I have not needed to use this technique with him. From personal experience, I can assure you that it is definitely easier to teach it correctly in the beginning than to try to fix a longstanding problem. One of the things we love about agility is its infinite variety. By changing angles, distance between obstacles, handler position, dog position, and speed, any sequence can be made more or less challenging. It is the handler’s imagination as well as the dog’s skill level that determine the level of difficulty when training. It is important to remember that with time and dedication it is possible to have a dog you can succeed with, even if, like me, you start out running from behind the dog both literally and figuratively. D Lyn Kahn first started competing in agility in 1998 with her Pembroke Welsh Corgi PT, VCD2, UDX, MX/MXJ, TD and Border Collie OTCH ADCH Legs, UDX, MX/AXJ. She is currently competing with her BC ADCH Jock, MX/MXJ, OF and training Jeeter, her PWC teenager. Lyn splits her time between the Hudson Valley in New York and Sarasota, Florida. Contact her at legsbiz@edlyn.net. December 07 | Clean Run 25

Clean Run Magazine - December 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - December 2007