Clean Run Magazine - June 2009 - 13

Cueing Extension Out of a Tunnel Exercise 1A: When teaching extension out of tunnels, start next to your dog and run toward the tunnel with him (forward motion), cue Tunnel, continue your forward motion past the tunnel, and reward the dog at your side using the hand closest to the dog and facing the direction you are going. Exercise 1B: Lead out past the exit of the tunnel, release the dog with your Tunnel cue, and reward him at your side just as in the previous exercise. Exercise 1C: Lead out just enough to get a head start, release the dog with your Tunnel cue while supporting him with forward motion, and reward the dog at your side using the hand closest to the dog. Repeat the exercises working the dog on your right side. 1 A B C Cueing a Forward Send to a Tunnel When I teach a forward send to a jump, I move my hand forward toward the jump and use my Jump cue. I reward the dog in front of my body after he takes the jump, turns, and comes back to me. You can use the same technique when teaching a forward send to a tunnel. Exercise 2A: Stand in front of the tunnel with the dog beside you. Raise your arm forward toward the tunnel and say Tunnel. After the dog takes the tunnel, turns, and comes back, reward him in front of you. Exercise 2B: Leave the dog farther back from the tunnel in a sitstay and lead out enough so you have room to start decelerating and then stop about 6' from the tunnel. Reward the dog in front of you when he comes back to you. Repeat the exercises working the dog on your right side. Cueing Extension Out of a Tunnel Reward your dog at your left side. Do not let your dog run past you or cut you off. 2 Cueing a 90° Turn Out of a Tunnel with a Lateral Send To teach the dog to turn 90° out of a tunnel, use lateral motion as the primary cue. As your dog starts to understand the exercises, you’ll be able to see him change leads in preparation for the turn before he enters the tunnel. Exercise 3A: Put the dog in a sit-stay approximately 9' in front of the tunnel and lead out half way to the tunnel Release the dog with a Tunnel cue and move diagonally away from the tunnel, supporting the tunnel with the arm closest to the dog. Reward the dog at your side using the hand closest to the dog. Exercise 3B: Leave the dog farther back from the tunnel and repeat the previous exercise. Exercise 3C: Start with your dog, run forward until you are approximately 6' away from the tunnel, and then move laterally away from the dog. Reward the dog at your side using the hand closest to the dog. Repeat the exercises working the dog on your right side. A B Forward Send After the dog turns out of the tunnel and comes back to you, reward him in front of you. 3 The tunnel is often treated as a “nonturning” obstacle because the turn does not happen immediately on entering the tunnel, but as the dog exits the tunnel. June 09 | Clean Run A B C Cueing a 90-degree Turn Out of a Tunnel with a Lateral Send Reward your dog at your left side. Do not let your dog run past you or cut you off. 13

Clean Run Magazine - June 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - June 2009