Agility Training Talk Thread

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I like these contacts. Amazing. Natasha Wise - I think she's German or maybe English. Got some googling to do.

I'm never going to be that good

Natasha teaching beginner (sort of) agility

including contacts and handling (guide the dog)

Edited August 1, 2010 by Mrs Rusty Bucket

[The Spotted Devil]

What do you guys mean by running contacts?

I started teaching Lexi 2o2o today, she is starting to catch on! the only problem is that she knows she has to drop, but doesnt realise she needs to be on the board when she drops, I wonder if I should put the board on a slant like I had to for Tess, that way when she slips off she will realise that she needs to be on the board

Taught properly running contacts mean that the dog knows to drive for a spot at the bottom of the contact and then keep on going with no thought of a stop. Exactly as it sounds - they 'run' the contacts.

How are you teaching your 2o2o contatcts at the moment?

Walk along a plank and drop at the end with 2 feet off, progress to putting the plank on a slant, then progress to lowered contacts

With Tess I was never able to get a proper 2o2o, but she will go to the bottom of the contact which Im happy with

Have you considered using a target and nose touch at the end of the plank and then fading the target? I would do this again as I was surprised at how quickly Ziggy picked it up. I find it easy to define the criteria.

[Kavik]

Here is Susan Garrett - the seesaw is just amazing She does the nose touch for dogwalk and seesaw. I think she has running A-Frame?

Edited August 1, 2010 by Kavik

[Agility Dogs]

GG - I would be teach with a target as suggested.

Kavik - Susan doesn't use a running contact - the rule for the dog is consistently that the end of a contact is effectively a stay unless the dog is told otherwise. In that vid she will have done an early release for the a-frame (or the dog ran it - unlikely though) which may be why she used the nose touch for the other contacts.

[Kavik]

Those A-Frames did not look like early release 2o2o as the dog clearly leapt off from about halfway or just above halfway on the contact. Or maybe I just haven't watched early release contacts enough.

[Agility Dogs]

Those A-Frames did not look like early release 2o2o as the dog clearly leapt off from about halfway or just above halfway on the contact. Or maybe I just haven't watched early release contacts enough.

Agree, did not look pretty. I can only go on what LOH has told us at clinics - perhaps it was just not a good day.

[Tiggy]

How can I train Banjo to look ahead at the obstacles rather than be looking at me which causes him to drop bars or even run through jumps, I know it was caused by his obedience training where I wanted him to be looking at me but now I need to train him to stop looking at me :D . I got Sophie out for a bit of fun and I was in hysterics the whole time she was so funny. She never use to play with toys but I've made an effort to get her playing/tugging and now she's a little toy nutter and I ran her over a jump and the first time she ran under it :D how she fit I don't know the jump was only low and then she kept running up to it and hitting the pole off with her paws, typical clicker trained dog . It's such a shame she did her cruciate as a pup because she'd be so much fun to do agility with.

[ness]

AD I thought I had read somewhere that SG had toyed around with teaching her younger dog a running aframe but don't quote me on it.

[The Spotted Devil]

How can I train Banjo to look ahead at the obstacles rather than be looking at me which causes him to drop bars or even run through jumps, I know it was caused by his obedience training where I wanted him to be looking at me but now I need to train him to stop looking at me :D . I got Sophie out for a bit of fun and I was in hysterics the whole time she was so funny. She never use to play with toys but I've made an effort to get her playing/tugging and now she's a little toy nutter and I ran her over a jump and the first time she ran under it how she fit I don't know the jump was only low and then she kept running up to it and hitting the pole off with her paws, typical clicker trained dog . It's such a shame she did her cruciate as a pup because she'd be so much fun to do agility with.

I find that nice clear body language from the handler driving forwards helps. Practice easy straight line jumps with a reward at the end. I show Ziggy his jackpot tug toy OR a larger biscuit treat (he is a bottomless pit for food and never puts on too much weight!), drop it at the end of the jumps and send him. To begin with I had to have a helper as he'd just run around the jumps 'cause it was quicker :D

ETA: I meant to add that targeting has led to 100% success rate in trials for contacts thus far. We don't have much opportunity to practice on full size equipment and don't trial a lot but he has such a strong understanding of what is required that it's become a really fun game for us both.

Edited August 2, 2010 by The Spotted Devil

[RallyValley]

Tiggy Read about aim for it and race to reward in agility right from the start.

[ness]

I did a lot of flatwork/work using the football goal posts to teach Kenz to go on ahead. Seemed to translate very nicely across to the agility obstacles with very little training.

[Kavik]

How can I train Banjo to look ahead at the obstacles rather than be looking at me which causes him to drop bars or even run through jumps, I know it was caused by his obedience training where I wanted him to be looking at me but now I need to train him to stop looking at me :D . I got Sophie out for a bit of fun and I was in hysterics the whole time she was so funny. She never use to play with toys but I've made an effort to get her playing/tugging and now she's a little toy nutter and I ran her over a jump and the first time she ran under it how she fit I don't know the jump was only low and then she kept running up to it and hitting the pole off with her paws, typical clicker trained dog :D . It's such a shame she did her cruciate as a pup because she'd be so much fun to do agility with.

Susan Garrett's Success With One Jump DVD

The exercises are designed to teach the dog to find their line and to focus on the obstacles as well as handling techniques.

[Tiggy]

Tiggy Read about aim for it and race to reward in agility right from the start.

Haven't got to that bit yet must have a look thanks

[Tiggy]

How can I train Banjo to look ahead at the obstacles rather than be looking at me which causes him to drop bars or even run through jumps, I know it was caused by his obedience training where I wanted him to be looking at me but now I need to train him to stop looking at me :D . I got Sophie out for a bit of fun and I was in hysterics the whole time she was so funny. She never use to play with toys but I've made an effort to get her playing/tugging and now she's a little toy nutter and I ran her over a jump and the first time she ran under it how she fit I don't know the jump was only low and then she kept running up to it and hitting the pole off with her paws, typical clicker trained dog :D . It's such a shame she did her cruciate as a pup because she'd be so much fun to do agility with.

Susan Garrett's Success With One Jump DVD

The exercises are designed to teach the dog to find their line and to focus on the obstacles as well as handling techniques.

That's on my wish list along with her 2 x 2 weave training dvd

[GoldenGirl85]

What do you guys mean by running contacts?

I started teaching Lexi 2o2o today, she is starting to catch on! the only problem is that she knows she has to drop, but doesnt realise she needs to be on the board when she drops, I wonder if I should put the board on a slant like I had to for Tess, that way when she slips off she will realise that she needs to be on the board

Taught properly running contacts mean that the dog knows to drive for a spot at the bottom of the contact and then keep on going with no thought of a stop. Exactly as it sounds - they 'run' the contacts.

How are you teaching your 2o2o contatcts at the moment?

Walk along a plank and drop at the end with 2 feet off, progress to putting the plank on a slant, then progress to lowered contacts

With Tess I was never able to get a proper 2o2o, but she will go to the bottom of the contact which Im happy with

Have you considered using a target and nose touch at the end of the plank and then fading the target? I would do this again as I was surprised at how quickly Ziggy picked it up. I find it easy to define the criteria.

Havnt considered it no, but Ill give it a go

I know anything can be used as a target, but what do you suggest i use? and to teach her to target to the object should I just shape and click her?

[pie]

I usually use a clear lid from a yoghurt / sour cream container.

[The Spotted Devil]

I usually use a clear lid from a yoghurt / sour cream container.

I used something similar - the small clear plastic lids from takeaway food containers used for dipping sauce. It's easy to fade and easy to replace if your Dalmatian crunches it up in frustration when you increase your criteria too quickly

GG - I just shaped the nose touch with a clicker - I'm not a purist when it comes to shaping though (unless it's free shaping) and am always happy to give Zig a nudge in the right direction. Increase the number of nose touches and duration separately until it's reliable, the dog understands the behaviour and is having FUN. When you switch to using a piece of timber, the most important thing I can say is get your criteria straight in your head before you begin and stick to them i.e. 2 hind legs on the board, 2 front legs on the ground and nose to the target. Again I lured Zig into position in the beginning as he was throwing himself around desperately trying to work it out. If I pick up the board now he gets so excited at his chance to earn the reward. Once he had it worked out I extended him by using the 2o2o as a starting point and using it to practice change of arms etc etc.

Hope that helps!

[GoldenGirl85]

Ok Ill give it a go, thanks

Im not going to push her to learn it too quickly, she is only 8 months old and I wont be training her until she is at least 18 months, but I figure if I can get this basic stuff down it will give us a head start in the beginners course

[Tiggy]

I'm still deciding whether to get Banjo to do a nose touch or just the 2o2o

[The Spotted Devil]

Ok Ill give it a go, thanks

Im not going to push her to learn it too quickly, she is only 8 months old and I wont be training her until she is at least 18 months, but I figure if I can get this basic stuff down it will give us a head start in the beginners course

With babies especially, I like to train a little and then completely forget about it for a week or two. Keeps it really light and fun and somehow they just seem to process it better. Works with Dalmatians of all ages ;)