Guest RosieFT Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I went yesterday and watched some dogs doing agility and was hoping someone could answer my (basic) question - obviously I know nothing! How come some dogs were instructed to stop (either still on/touching or at base) at bottom of A-frame, and some were not? Some dogs definitely had 'stoping' points and others just ran the whole time. I am pretty sure they have to wait on see-saw until it hits the grass, and this was obvious, but the A-frame off side had a fair amount of variation in what the dogs were doing??? thanks :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 (edited) Handlers use different strategies for getting contacts on equipment. Some train their dogs to stop in the contact (you'll hear expressions like "two on, two off" and "four on the floor" for foot placements) and some use a "running contact" where the dog keeps going. Some will train the stop independent of any handler cues, some use a verbal cue or body language to assist and some don't train anything and just hope for the best.. Lots of different ways to the same end.. some more effective than others! Edited October 12, 2009 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agility Dogs Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 What you saw was different owners with different criteria. The rules of the game state that for all contacts the dog has only to touch inside the changed colour (contact zone) at the bottom of the piece of equipment. Various handlers choose to manage this in different ways. Some choose to do 2 on 2 off (or a variation of it) by asking the dog to stop at the bottom of the contact. This allows you to catch up with your dog and makes 100% sure that they have performed the equipment correctly. Essentially the dog knows it is in a stay when it hits the end of the contact and should wait to be released. Others do running contacts - this is where the dog knows to run to the bottom of the contact and is allowed to keep going. This is trained very differently to the 2o2o contacts, but is a very quick and valid way of doing things. Then there are the prayer/shout/slow down methods - where the dog really doesn't understand or doesn't have a criteria and the handler uses all sorts of methods in the hope of getting their dog to stop on the contact. Sometimes people get lucky and it appears their dog can run contacts, but in actual fact the dog just doesn't want to jump! Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RosieFT Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Thankyou - that makes sense and definitely ties in with what I saw! Some dogs did a 'drop' on the grass right on the bottom of the frame - so this is still in contact? or just to ensure handler can catch up? I guess if they dropped right at the bottom, they did run right to the base and did not jump. I am thinking of starting it up and was very pleased to find some very friendly people there :-) . We went as a family and with our own dog, so before i brought her out i asked if it was ok and the man was so warm and so friendly and encouraging. It feels a bit like the eventing group versus the dressage group in the horse world. All the tents out, nice and comfy, supporting each other and having a good time. :-) I even recognised a 'Toller' dog and puppy (hope that is right!) and I wondered if it was Ptolomy ;-) thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 (edited) Thankyou - that makes sense and definitely ties in with what I saw! Some dogs did a 'drop' on the grass right on the bottom of the frame - so this is still in contact? or just to ensure handler can catch up? I guess if they dropped right at the bottom, they did run right to the base and did not jump.I am thinking of starting it up and was very pleased to find some very friendly people there :-) . We went as a family and with our own dog, so before i brought her out i asked if it was ok and the man was so warm and so friendly and encouraging. It feels a bit like the eventing group versus the dressage group in the horse world. All the tents out, nice and comfy, supporting each other and having a good time. :-) I even recognised a 'Toller' dog and puppy (hope that is right!) and I wondered if it was Ptolomy ;-) thanks again The drop at the bottom of the A-Frame is a "four [as in paws] on the floor".. people will train it if they think stopping "two on [back paws] two off" is too hard a stop for the dog. Because they teach the dog to do it right at the bottom of the A-Frame, that ensures the dog travels through the contact zone to get to that position. The reason a stop on a contact is taught is to make sure the dog gets the contact reliably. Whilst it can be handy for the handler to position themselves while the dog is stationary, all stops cost time. This is why some handlers prefer running contacts. Most handlers will train the dog to work ahead and away so that they don't need to "catch up" with the dog. Dogs are faster than we are anyway!! Edited October 12, 2009 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RosieFT Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Thankyou PF :-) I loved seeing all the dogs out and about seemingly having a ball. A couple barked themselves around the course hee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 RosieFT - presuming your in WA there are a few tollers who run agility - might have been Ptolomy, might have been Zoe, Rivsky is over there with a toller pup Zum, Caffy has Alex (and there are a few others but they are the ones that spring to mind ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Thankyou PF :-) I loved seeing all the dogs out and about seemingly having a ball. A couple barked themselves around the course hee. My pleasure. I don't have an active agility dog at the moment (three retired, one too young) so I have to content myself with stewarding. Amazing how easy all those courses are to walk if you don't have to run them afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Hey I saw you there RosieFT! I was admiring a tan & white SFT with a tan front leg and thought it might've been Rosie and you! She is gorgeous by the way. I was stewarding. You should come down to training on Tuesdays, you can even just watch for the first night to see if it is something you want to do. The website is http://www.agilityclubwa.com/ for ACWA - they train on Tuesday nights on the same oval that the trial was on, not sure about other clubs though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RosieFT Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 (edited) Ness - yep, I am in WA (just added it to my info) . Ahh, never knew what they were before Tollers, so was pleased to see a couple :-) Amypie- hee hee, I was wondering if Rosie would be recognised, that tan leg is pretty unusual. She was super excited, but the lovely man told me that I should wait until he brought out his dog if I wanted to see OTT :-) It was SOOO cold my kids just kept whinging about how cold they were until my DH took them to get a wam milo, then they couldn't complain because they had a straw in their mouths LOL . Did you speak to me? Somebody said something in passing about Rosie... how spooky DOL merges with real life LOL I am actually coming on tuesday (gulp!), I happened to look at the website a few days ago and saw that new enrolments were this Tuesday and made a decision to give it a go. :-) Do you go then? Edited to add: do you know if martingale collars are ok? I usually have her on a flat collar but due to head/neck size it is possible for her to slip it, so have a martingale for when i go to super exciting places. I think i had better go out tomorrow and get a flat collar that i can get to fit better. I have always wanted to do agility but didn't really have the time, but now that my horse riding seems to have petered out, I want to give it a real go. Rosie is very people/dog oriented,but also is very toy oriented so will bring a myriad of toys to keep her focus somewhat on me.... Edited October 12, 2009 by RosieFT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Edited to add: do you know if martingale collars are ok? I usually have her on a flat collar but due to head/neck size it is possible for her to slip it, so have a martingale for when i go to super exciting places. I think i had better go out tomorrow and get a flat collar that i can get to fit better. I have always wanted to do agility but didn't really have the time, but now that my horse riding seems to have petered out, I want to give it a real go. Rosie is very people/dog oriented,but also is very toy oriented so will bring a myriad of toys to keep her focus somewhat on me.... Not for agility at my dog club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Oooh will see you tomorrow then - I'll have the puppy with me No I didn't speak to you, just saw you between the rings, and Rosie had a tennis ball in her mouth didn't she? I'm pretty sure they only allow flat collars, they were checking dogs the other week, but I'm not sure on Martingales. Yep definitely bring a toy, does she tug? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I just emailed someone from the club, I'll let you know what they say but I'd say it will be flat collars only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RosieFT Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I was not planning on using it, it just crossed my mind after I found you knew the club. :-) Thanks for emailing :-) . I will head out tomorrow and get one that can go half a hole tighter. She does not actively slip her collar, but she could with this one. She is due for a new one anyway as it is starting to look a bit moth eaten :-) Thanks PF too :-) ooh i get to see the new puppy. Was I correct in thinking I saw an adult manchester there yesterday? Looked like a mini dobe -- LOL heehee My DH thought it looked like 'a cool looking dog' :-) I had the ball in my pocket and if she got too excited I got her to look at me, then rewarded her with a munch on teh ball - obviously won't bring that tomorrow don't want a ball shooting off everywhere ;-) Want to go get one on a rope. She tugs, loves to tug. :-) I am lucky in that sense, she will play with anything, loves toys/balls etc. On the website they suggest bringing a variety of toys, including a squeaky one. She has a squeaky but it is one of those football shaped squeaky tennis ball thingos - should i avoid this one and get a non ball squeaker? See you tomorrow then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Yes the Manchester Terrier was Nickel, he's from the same breeder as Trixie. That's good that she plays with toys, it will come in handy! A few people seem to use squeaky toys at training, I use one for weaving practice. I have one of those football things you speak of and mine is very loud, maybe a quieter squeaky like the ones in teddies would be better? Loud enough for her to hear but not loud enough to make every dog at training want to investigate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now