Getting Dog To Slow Down

[sheena]

Is there a way of getting your dog to slow down during a trial, especially when approaching the table. This is something which I can't emulate (correct word??) at home because she doesn't get THAT fast at home or at Monday nights training...it only happens in trials. Because our Novice Agility is always first run of the day, she is full of pepper & this combined with a table which is slippery with dew, sometimes results in her hitting the table too fast & either jumping off the other side or slipping off. I have started teaching her to stop/drop on command, but not sure if you are allowed to use this in a trial...it may be counted as a refusal

[The Spotted Devil]

I would be working on lots of shadow handling with accel and decel, then you need to decel coming in to the table so she puts the breaks on. Does that help? I think teaching a drop on the table is also a great idea. Don't get too stressed - speed is good! Just a teensy tiny bit more control is what you need

[Kavik]

Maybe she needs more work on her understanding of what exactly is required for the performance of the table. (ie you need to stick on the table no matter what!). Exercises where you rev her up, send to table, run past the table with her on it, tug on the table (if she will tug) and try to drag her off the table etc. Susan Garrett does a lot of proofing on the table (and does not use great traction on her training table) so her dogs know they have to stick it.

[The Spotted Devil]

Like it Kavik!

[Agility Dogs]

Maybe she needs more work on her understanding of what exactly is required for the performance of the table. (ie you need to stick on the table no matter what!). Exercises where you rev her up, send to table, run past the table with her on it, tug on the table (if she will tug) and try to drag her off the table etc. Susan Garrett does a lot of proofing on the table (and does not use great traction on her training table) so her dogs know they have to stick it.

I think it is less about getting your dog to slow down and more about making sure they totally understand the exercise. I have the same problem, so I feel your pain.

[sheena]

Thanks Guys In training at home & at the club she is great on the table..jumps up & drops (mostly) & waits like a little princess. I have also set up a table at trials outside the ring & she is pretty good. It is just when she is running in the trial & is going so fast she overshoots the table. It doesn't happen all the time but every now & then. Can you get disqualified if your dog stops and/or drops on command in the ring other than on contact obstacles. One thing I do need to do is put her practice table up to the full height so that it wobbles like the ones in trials when hit at full speed. :D I have practiced with the run pass & all that stuff, so she pretty much knows whats required of her. There was a very good article in Clean Run a few months ago on proofing the table, which I practiced...maybe I will have another look, I may have missed something.

[Agility Dogs]

Thanks Guys In training at home & at the club she is great on the table..jumps up & drops (mostly) & waits like a little princess. I have also set up a table at trials outside the ring & she is pretty good. It is just when she is running in the trial & is going so fast she overshoots the table. It doesn't happen all the time but every now & then. Can you get disqualified if your dog stops and/or drops on command in the ring other than on contact obstacles. One thing I do need to do is put her practice table up to the full height so that it wobbles like the ones in trials when hit at full speed. :D I have practiced with the run pass & all that stuff, so she pretty much knows whats required of her. There was a very good article in Clean Run a few months ago on proofing the table, which I practiced...maybe I will have another look, I may have missed something.

You can't get dq'd if they drop, but you just need to make sure they don't stop within 1m of the next obstacle. (I woudn't be asking for a drop in the ring.)

I've put a lot of thought into the 'performs perfectly at training, but loses it in the ring' thing (I have one of the worst) and keep coming back to the thought that I haven't proofed well enough. In the ring Xena is so high that she 'forgets' what we have done in training.

Can you get the same level of excitement at training that you can in the ring or is it a bit calmer? I'd be trying to have her higher in training than she gets in the trial ring so that it becomes easier when you are running in a competition. VERY hard to get that level of excitement, but if you can it works wonders.

FTR - I say this because Xena's contacts are AWESOME, some of the best I have seen when we are training, but in the ring she is woeful. We are getting there though.

[sheena]

I use the back gate for proofing a lot of her behaviors like perfect start line stays & weave pole performance. If she performs the perfect behaviour then & only then do I open the gate, do a few spins & turns, toss a ball etc, then release her & we go for our morning walk. Maybe I could set the table up between the stay & the gate & see how she goes with that. :D

[The Spotted Devil]

When you're proofing at the gate maybe put a super zoomie obstacle like a straight tunnel in the mix so she's running hard.

[kelpiechick]

I use the back gate for proofing a lot of her behaviors like perfect start line stays & weave pole performance. If she performs the perfect behaviour then & only then do I open the gate, do a few spins & turns, toss a ball etc, then release her & we go for our morning walk. Maybe I could set the table up between the stay & the gate & see how she goes with that. :D

I like the idea of using 'life rewards' to simulate the level of excitement at a trial.

You want an independent table performance just like you want independent contact performance and don't want to rely on using accel and decel as that means you are going to have to be in the picture for every table if you know what I mean.

Definitely think you need a position on the table to consolidate the concept of stopping. Sounds like dog just doesn't understand job 100% (eg: more proofing required) and once she does I don't think you will have a problem with it. If you have a list of proofing to work through for both weaves and contacts (I use the one from 2x2 weaves ebook for pretty much everything) then apply the same list to your table performance, Kavik has already listed some good ideas.

Some more ideas :

Build value for the table first, just like you build value for your end contact performance, so a ton of rewards on the table in position and maybe a jackpot for an actual stop at first.

For a food motivated dog, link the table stop with dinner time. Have food bowl beyond table, either send or recall dog to table then release for dinner - this now becomes an 'it's your choice' moment as well, but you might need a helper to lift up bowl if dog doesn't stop on table. It should at least raise the level of arousal.

If you use crate games, build the driving in and sudden stopping with the actual crate first, (outside) then transfer it to the table.

If dog is consistently jumping onto table in extension rather than collection you could use a stride regulator to encourage an extra stride before the table.