Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As mentioned--Suzie is fast (except on weaves yet). Watching the normally Elite-level runners at the NADAC games, I noticed how many of them didn't do much running--they ran into the ring and posted themself in a strategic spot and directed the dogs to the correct obstacles, moved to a different spot maybe twice, finished the obstacles and ran out with the dog. It seemed that there were two or three spots from which they could cover the course. And, of course, that made it far easier for them to make time and Q. Have you ever trained for that type of handling? If so, how did you do it? It looks like that would really work for me--but finding someone who can teach me (and Suzie) to do that could be a challenge. Within a reasonable budget, I mean. Barb DiMascio is right down the road, but way out of my league financially. And I nearly choke when I see the prices for the big-name seminars--even just auditing (which wouldn't help me, I'm afraid) is unreal.
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Kathy and her amazing Aussie Suzie HCT STDs
Reading PA

Thats too bad, I have gone to 2 of Kristen Cole's seminars and they were $65 for a whole day. She trains with clickers for contact obstacles and positive reinforcemtns. I'm not sure how your dog runs whether he is stuck like glue to you or if you can have your dog work away from you. Its really hard to get my Chesapeake to work away from me because he is a velcro dog, however, my BC gal is very fast and works away or close. The key I have found is making sure that your dog knows the name of the obstacles then call out that obstacle while your dog is on one or going over a jump so they can look ahead towards it. Its easy for me to run my Chessie because he is much slower than my BC and I have some time to think, but, I really have to keep him motivated, with my BC, if I don't think fast enough she will turn circles and bark, which looses time. This is much easier to show than type. . .If you cannot make it to a seminar, there are lots of good books and web sites out there to help with training. Also videos.
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Charlene

Adopt the pace of Nature
Her secret is patience

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

My dog too is quite fast. In many ways she does better if I am not right next to her. Now that we are getting better (we are both still quite new to the sport) my instructors are letting us start working further away from our dogs (if the dogs can handle it). I tell my girl to "go out" and then tell her the next obstical to go to. If needed, I tell her to "turn" to come back towards me. I am not able to run up behind her or it becomes a race and on a contact obsticle that is dangerous so a verbal "easy" sometimes is needed to slow her down for me to catch up if she's going to do something like the teeter or weaves where she needs help still. I don't really know if there are instructors that can tell you how to do this. It is so individualistic as to how to run a dog. Just try it and see if it works. If your instructors don't want you doing it, I don't know what to say. They may be seeing that your dog needs more help or they aren't used to working that far away with their own dogs so they don't understand. My 2 cents.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita (the shiba inu), Adi (rescue tabby cat), and all the reptiles

your best bet is if you can scrap the money together, is to definately take advantage of Barb Demascio's experience, I understand she is a wonderful teacher and you would never 'loose' by getting into a class of hers..
While we all can probably go in a ring and get thru it with most dogs, training with someone who is 'in the know' can only benefit and having someone be able to tell us what we need to do or not do..They see things we definately do not
a fast dog is a blast to 'play' with, those dogs your seeing in Elite, didn't get there overnite, it may look easy, but it isn't..watching runs like that, give me the chills, it's so neat to see the teamwork going on..
Teaching your dog to work away and out from you helps, and again it doesn't happen overnite..Having a dog that is really in tune with it's handler helps as well..
To do it alone, is certainly not impossible, but I think to be truley competative, if that's your goal as well as having fun, it takes going to someone who can really mold us as handlers..
Good luck to ya
Diane

I agree with Diane. A good instructor will break down courses and suggest how to best handle them with your dog. What works for one team may not work for another. A good instructor can help you identify your weaknesses or bad habits and then help you overcome them. Money spent on instruction with a good instructor is an investment.

Well, I agree that a good trainer or seminar would be really helpful. I'm not sure at what point you and your are or what equipment you have regular access to. (This would be helpful in giving you specific guidence.)

Personally most of the really good handlers I know (world team people - ie Kipp, Mecklenburg, Perdot, etc) run with their dogs, but learn where to cut corners while sending their dogs. Their dogs are so well trained they can send the dog, know the dog will go and do, and the handler can get another point to guide the dog. These handler can also cross behind or in front of the dogs on any given obstacle.

If you want to start getting some distance from your dog, you will need to make sure he knows directions and if you are looking for a "catch up" point, drill and proof the stop at the down contacts. Also it is very important to be consistant and for YOU to know what the command means. (You'd be surprised how many handlers don't have firm definitions in their own mind.) Here's a list of directions for my dogs:

Go - move forward, taking whatever obstacle is in front of you

Out - move away from me, taking whatever obstacle is there

Here - move towards me, taking whatever obstacle is there

Get out - a sharp/strong out, sometimes U-turn, moving away from me.

Wrap - mostly used for jumps, the dog "wraps" around the upright closest to me so that, if I want, the dog will wrap completely around and ends up on the same side of me.

Switch - the dog moves away from me as he jumps (or other obstacle). I practice (and teach) this using a jump. Dog, on my left, and I face the jump. I say "switch" and he should take the jump and move around the LEFT upright and moves off towards the left as I cross behind and dog and he ends up on my right. I could "wrap" him around the left upright with this command. (This is really easier to show!) You could also use it where there is a tunnel on the other side but right next to the dog walk and you do the walk first then the tunnel. Some dogs are so trained that they will change leads on the "switch" command. I'm not so sure mine are to that point .

Other commands that for one reason or another my dogs aren't trained on:

Pass - Dog does NOT take obstacle in front of him

Heel - dog on left and does NOT take obstalces

By me - dog on right and does NOT take obstacles

Right- dog moves to his right

Left- dog moves to his left

You can also teach left and right, but I'm not that co-ordinated to know my own left and right.

If you need some guidence on how to train any of this, let me know what equipment you have and I'll try to help. Practice both parallel and perpendicular distance on all obstacles as well as dog on right and dog on left.

I should add that on the "wrap" command I'm moving in a circle, a pivot. Once the dog is moving towards me, I can cross in front if I need to. I should have made that more clear (or maybe clearer<g>.

Thanks for sharing these great tips! I always find it easier to show how to do things then type them out! LOL! Here is my BC gal at her first agility trial.

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PHRiot@PetHobbyist.com

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity
a human has to choose a relative!"

Author Unknown

>>Thanks for sharing these great tips! I always find it easier to show how to do things then type them out! LOL! Here is my BC gal at her first agility trial.

Wow, it looks like she knew she was having her photo taken! Those agility photos are so awesome--I can't wait to get one of Suzie!! Maybe next weekend at the USASA National Specialty! She is entered in Novice A standard and JWW next Sunday (Aussie only), Monday and Tuesday (all breed).

Praying for a Q or two!!
Kathy
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Kathy and her amazing Aussie Suzie HCT STDs
and Vladi, the puppy formerly known as Scamp
Reading PA

Wow! Good luck to you both!

>>>>Thanks for sharing these great tips! I always find it easier to show how to do things then type them out! LOL! Here is my BC gal at her first agility trial.
>>
>>Wow, it looks like she knew she was having her photo taken! Those agility photos are so awesome--I can't wait to get one of Suzie!! Maybe next weekend at the USASA National Specialty! She is entered in Novice A standard and JWW next Sunday (Aussie only), Monday and Tuesday (all breed).
>>
>>Praying for a Q or two!!
>>Kathy
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>>Kathy and her amazing Aussie Suzie HCT STDs
>>and Vladi, the puppy formerly known as Scamp
>>Reading PA
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PHRiot@PetHobbyist.com

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity
a human has to choose a relative!"

Author Unknown

Great Shot!!! Those camera hog dogs LOL
And good luck Kathy!
Diane

>>Great Shot!!! Those camera hog dogs LOL
>> And good luck Kathy!
>>Diane

Thanks! This was her first agility trial and I could not believe the photographer got this shot! He was actually laying on the ground and it was raining.
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PHRiot@PetHobbyist.com

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity
a human has to choose a relative!"

Author Unknown

What a pretty girl. Tri? I call that color tri-ing in basenjis. (And if you've ever seen me run my tri boy, you'd know why!)