Agility Commands

[Heidii]

Im justing wanting to know what everyone here uses as commands for agility - Do you have the same command for multiple equipment eg - Tunnel as "Through" and Tyre as "Through"

or does each bit of equipment have a different command?

[Dogs4Fun]

Hi Heidii,

I have always used one command for all jumps (including broad) but a different command for all the other obstacles, including tunnel and chute for the different types of tunnel.

It is possible to train the dog to descriminate accurately based on the name of the obstacle alone and this can certainly help when on course.

[DeltaCharlie]

I have a different command for pretty much everything, with the exception of jumps and spreads (broad is "bigone"), where I don't say anything, the dog just jumps if there is a jump there. I only use the commands when a discrimination is required (we are running towards 2 obstacles close together) or to let the dog know it is a seesaw not a dog walk (I say "onyaget" for seesaw and "walkit" for dog walk). With very inexperienced dogs I use commands for most things (I say more for Charlie than I would for Delta) but a few months ago our Chief Instructor got us to start running our courses silently. Only allowed to use a release word, tell a dog to go "out" if body language cant convey the distance, and name obstacles for a discrimination. The difference it has made is unbelievable. It forces the dogs to pay more attention to your body language, it means that when a command is given it has more of an effect, and you concentrate more on giving clear signals. I was pretty sceptical at first about not being able to call her for pull-throughs etc but Delta responded to my body perfectly every time.

I prefer to have a completely different name for everything. You need to give the dog as much information as you possible can. Some people use "tunnel" for the chute as well, but I prefer to call it "chute". My dogs have trouble telling "tunnel" and "table" and "tyre" apart, I would hate to think of the confusion it would cause if they had the same command. Someone suggested using "teeter" for the seesaw as its easier to say, too many "t" words for my poor brain though I was saying "onyaget" during our foundation training (banging the board etc) and it just kinda stuck. You want things that will be easy for you to remember aswell.

[mersonmalinois]

Each obstacle has a different name for my dogs:

teeter

frame it (A frame)

walk it (dog walk)

tire

tunnel

chute

table

hup (for jumps)

go weave (weave poles)

[Kavik]

I use

Obstacles

Over (jumps)

Through (open tunnel)

Up (A-Frame)

Walk on (dog walk)

See-saw

Table

Weave

Tire

haven't decided on closed tunnel yet, will be either Chute or Tunnel

Directional

Here

Out

Go

Edit as I was trying to do too many things at once . . .

Edited June 13, 2008 by Kavik

[Tatelina]

Interesting... All these things one must consider!!

[Pippi]

.........a few months ago our Chief Instructor got us to start running our courses silently. Only allowed to use a release word, tell a dog to go "out" if body language cant convey the distance, and name obstacles for a discrimination. The difference it has made is unbelievable. It forces the dogs to pay more attention to your body language, it means that when a command is given it has more of an effect, and you concentrate more on giving clear signals. I was pretty sceptical at first about not being able to call her for pull-throughs etc but Delta responded to my body perfectly every time........

This is also what I am aiming for DeltaCharlie, not very successfully yet just can't seem to keep my mouth shut. But I suspect the dogs don't need any forcing to tune in to body language, they are already expert at it, it is us who need to learn to give them the correct body signals. I'm still working on this too, every time my dog gets it wrong on the course it is because of my confusing body signals rather than my voice.

I say nothing for jumps (they are too numerous and I want the dog to know to take any jump in front of you, I would also run out of breath)

A up (AFrame)

WalkOn (Dog Walk)

SeeSaw (See Saw)

Tyre (Tyre)

Tunnel (Tunnel)

Table (Table)

Go Poles (Weaves)

Directional:

Out

Left

Right

Close

[DeltaCharlie]

I have alot of trouble with the shutting up part too! Although I can see my dogs thinking to themselves "of course Im going to take the tunnel right in front of me, where else do you expect me to go?" 9/10 my dogs know where to go before Ive even worked it out and telling them is pointless and probably distracting to them.

Oh, and the commands I use

A Frame (hup)

Dog Walk (walkit)

See Saw (onyaget)

Broad (big one)

Tyre, tunnel, chute, table, weaves are called by their own names

Directional

Out (work at a distance)

Go (keep taking all the jumps in a line to the finish)

Dogs name (come in close to me immediately, do not take any obstacles under any circumstances, your mummy mucked up and is in the wrong position :D)

[Silvawilow]

For those who know my Kira, talking on course is a big "no no". It just makes her even more excited. With my young dog Denny I'm not naming obstacles as we run a course, unless I think he's oing to refuse it. I'm finding we have less mistakes if I can keep my yap closed unless absolutly necessary.

My comands are:

over (for all jumps & broad)

tyre

tunnel (for both types)

see saw

up (a-frame)

walk (dog walk)

table

weave

Directional:

Out

Go

Heel or side (depending on which side of me I want them)

turn

[helen]

Over- for any type of jump

Tunnel

Walk it - for contact obstacles

see-saw - like to discriminate for this

tyre

go weave

go - just keep going straight

here

I rely a lot on body language. I often get names mixed up for tunnel and tyre when running but we manage to get through with body language LOL

[BittyMooPeeb]

Dogs name (come in close to me immediately, do not take any obstacles under any circumstances, your mummy mucked up and is in the wrong position )

After a couple of years training in Agility, I have only just found out that we are allowed to use the dogs name (where is the DERRRRR emoticon). I have been brainwashed by doing obedience first!

I use:

tunnel (chute and tunnel)

scramble (A frame)

weave (weavers)

over (jumps, tyre)

walkon (dog walk)

table (table)

see-saw (see saw)

directional:

here

back

out

I used to give each obstacle a separate command, but I kept getting mixed up and saying the wrong one! So I simplified for my sake. Once we've been in a few trials, I'll start training with separate words again (which were chute for teh chute, tyre for the .... tyre, bigone for broad)

I wish I had chosen a one syllable word for jumps as there are so many and I seem to say oh-ver-oh-ver-oh-ver for most of the course (I tried not saying 'over' a few times and Peebs went around, under, off over the hill .- anything except over the jump

ETA: I forgot:

steady (on tilt point of see saw and to slow him down for tricky entries etc)

wait

spot (do your contacts!)

Edited July 26, 2008 by BittyMooPeeb

[Kavik]

I am thinking (after having read MM post) about changing Walk on to Walk it for dog walk - flows much better!

And our first few times with the chute have been saying through so may stick to that for all tunnels

[Vickie]

I use Tunnel for tunnel & chute, Tip for seesaw, Contact for DW & AF, Table and I don't have a command for jumps & tyre. I don't say a lot on course, just when I need to. I try to let my shoulders & the projection of my running to tell my dogs where to go.

Directionals are Go On, Out, name, Cross for changing sides.