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JFF Agility NotebookOfficial Publication for Just For Fun – Dog Agility for the Rest of Us

Volume 1, Issue #9 – January, 2001

Volume 1, Issue #9January 2001

The JFF Agility Notebook ispublished monthly by

Dogwood Training Center, LLC

EDITORMarsha Martin

CONTRIBUTORS Patty Gallegos, Kurt L. Glaub,

Bud Houston,Nancy Krouse-Culley,

Marsha Martin,Ruth Van Keuren

SUBMISSIONSThe JFF Agility Notebook welcomes submissions

of articles or artwork on an exclusive basis.Submission constitutes permission for JFF Agility

Notebook to use the submitted materials, inwhole or in part, without compensation to the

submitter.

PERMISSIONSNo portion of this magazine may be reproduced

in any form without the permission of thepublishers

Copyright 2001Dogwood Training Center, LLC

Table of ContentsClick on a topic to go there

EDITORIAL 3

FOUNDATION TRAINING 4

JUNIOR HANDLER MANUAL 5

CONSTRUCTION PLANS 14

TRAINING PLANS FOR THE AGILITY CENTER 17

WEEK 1 – GAMBLERS 19

WEEK 2 -- COLORS 43

WEEK 3 – DARE TO DOUBLE 62

WEEK 4 – POLE JACKS 82

Cover art – "Kaillean" Pembroke Welsh Corgi -- owner-SusanSammis of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Artist- Patty Gallegos ofPeralta, NM

Just For Fun Agility Notebook January, 2001

Editorial– Marsha Martin, [email protected]

We're often asked, "Who will be instructing my class?" And Bud has been asked, "Whatshould the criteria for instructors be?" Often the answer is, "The best instructor is thededicated person willing to sacrifice their time to help others reach success."

Here at Dogwood, we recognize two separate types of agility student. Our beginneragility classes are generally attended by folks who are new to agility training, and oftennew to dog training altogether. Their needs are quite different from the folks in ourcompetition classes.

Our beginner agility instructors, therefore, are agility enthusiasts who have trained theirdog and begun showing, but who are primarily interested in expanding their education byobserving a wide range of breeds and types of dogs. They're enthusiastic cheerleaders forthe beginner handlers, many of whom are easily discouraged by the little set-backs whichare normal in a beginner setting.

For pure fun, there's no group like our Beginner instructors. They're not so far removedfrom that level of training that they don't know the power of praise and compliments.They can jolly up a discouraged beginner, because they remember how it was to be intheir shoes. They don't poke fun at "stupid questions" - they were asking those samequestions a few months ago!

On the other hand, advanced competition classes are instructed by experienced handlerswho have achieved titling success with different types or breeds of dogs. It's important toour competition handlers that they receive advice from someone who has seen a good bitof agility. More importantly, they need to be observed by someone with a keen eye to thedog's response to handling moves.

These advanced competition instructors are students of the game, and long-time dogowners and trainers. Their students feel comfortable asking for advice at trials and knowtheir instructor will always have time for their questions.

At Dogwood, as at any training center, instructors are a priceless asset as they dedicatetheir time to helping students and building our community. Bud and I wish all ourinstructors a happy New Year in 2001 !!

And we recognize they feel pressure to perform well in front of their students and peers.Anyone who has ever run their dog with a student watching knows the additional thoughtthat goes into the performance, and the sickening feeling as we make the same mistakewe've harped on in class. But, we love our instructors, and will always enjoy watchingtheir performances, regardless of Qs.

This is, after all, Just For Fun,

Marsha Martin @ JFF Agility Notebook


Foundation Training- Marsha Martin, Dogwood Training Center Administrator, [email protected]

We're trying something new at Dogwood. We recognized a dog behavior - commonlyknown as the "zoomies1" - and realized that it generally appears in Advanced Beginnersclass. The dogs, having graduated from Beginners, are given new freedom in more off-lead sequences. They're realizing just how much fun agility can be, they're dragging theirhandlers into the building, and they're recognizing their doggie friends working on otherequipment.

These (usually) adolescent dogs leave a sequence and their begging handler to run atother dogs, doing any obstacle that comes in their path. They'll often join other dogs onthe a-frame or in tunnels. They're generally disruptive and great fun to watch. They canintimidate small or timid dogs sharing floor space with them.

Our general rule is that a dog can't advanced to Novice Competition class until it hasoutgrown the "zoomies," so - instead of recommending harsh corrections - we'veinstituted a 4-week attention training regimen to help Advanced Beginners achieve bettersuccess. This regimen also cements the relationship between handler and dog, andteaches first-time dog trainers some obedience basics.

Our precept is this; the dog is rewarded for offering attention, and they teach us to feedthem more and more often by giving us their attention signal.

Fairly elemental dog training, right? But, to the first-time dog trainer in an AdvancedBeginner agility class, it's a foreign language. This training is equally important toadvanced handlers of "gifted" dogs who are faced with their second "challenged" dog.

Four weeks of handouts are provided in this issue of the JFF Agility Notebook, and we'llbe devoting 10-15 minutes in Advanced Beginner class to these exercises. I'd bedelighted to get feedback from your Advanced Beginner instructors as to the usefulnessof the exercises and handouts. (Send comments to me at [email protected])

The success of this training exercise rests on the handler's ability to pay attention to theirdog. Again, an elemental dog training concept, but one that is new to first-time dogtrainers. Their assumption is that their dog prefers them to nearly any distraction in theroom. What they'll find, however, is that their attention to their dog is the mostdemanding part of the exercise - and the one that will provide them with the greatestsatisfaction for years to come.

In agility, we often talk about "keeping our connection with our dog." It's this connectionthat leads our dog from one obstacle to another. And it's the handler's responsibility.Hopefully, we'll be able to condition our Advanced Beginner handlers to build andmaintain that connection. I'm looking forward to the results!

1 Zoomies (zoomees) (v) a state of irrepressible joy manifested by the running of a continuousseries of seemingly pointless but nonetheless high speed circles around, over and throughnumerous rooms and pieces of furniture. Seen most often in the Pudelhund breed of the Canidaemammal.


Junior Handler

Agility Training ManualPart Two in a Series

Written by:Ruth Van Keuren

With revisions by:Bud Houston

Introducing the ObstaclesBefore introducing obstacles to the dog, it is important that the Junior Handlerunderstand that dog agility is a game of relationship. The dog’s trainer has aresponsibility to engage the dog in agility completely as a game, and not as achore that the dog is being commanded to perform. The relationship of dog andhandler then is largely that of a partnership and a team. The handler has 50% ofthe responsibility for what happens when playing the game, and the dog has50% of the responsibility. Each will do their share to do their own parts withoutever blaming the other.

The handler and trainer must be a partner to the dog, worth of the dog’s love andrespect. Agility training must be a positive experience for the dog. The dog’strainer must be upbeat and encouraging. The dog should never be punished andnever be blamed. The dog’s trainer should not have a vocabulary that includeswords like “No”.

Consequently our approach to introducing the obstacles to the dog is to nevercompel the dog. That means we never force the dog to do something. Instead, wefind a way to allow the dog to choose his own footsteps, to think through aperformance.

Reward is the key to successful training. The dog’s Junior Trainer is responsiblefor giving the dog a reward with every successful performance. Dog’s are soclever about reward that if they are uniformly rewarded for a successfulperformance, they will happily volunteer the performance to earn the reward.


Introducing the A-frame

The A-frame will be set at about 3’. Get everyone to load up with food. Put thedog over on the handler’s right. Put the dog over on the handler’s left. Please donot use any form of compulsion to get the dog over. Use a lure if necessary. Use alot of praise and reward for each trip the dog takes over the A-frame.

In this set put everyone twice over the A-Frame (set at 3’). Keep it light andhappy. Remind students to give the dog a food treat at the bottom of the A-Frame in the hand closest to the dog. First two repetitions should be on-lead. Donot let students drag or pull the dog’s leash. The leash is for control prior togoing up, and after coming down.

Introducing the bar jumpUse only non-winged bar jumps for the introduction. The bars should be crossedin the jump standards, with one end in the 6” cup, and the other on the ground.

The goal is to teach the dog to go between the jump standards as the handlershows the jump. Show your students how to square up your body as you showthe jump to the dog. Don’t turn sideways. The dog gets his direction cue from theset of the handler’s shoulders. Face the jump and move directly alongside of it,showing the path the dog should work with the lead hand, the hand closest tothe dog. As the handler passes alongside the standard, the dog goes over thejump.

Remind your students to give the dog a food reward. The reward, both treat andpraise for the dog, should be given immediately as the dog jumps the bar.

The introduction to the jump should be done with the dog on lead.

1. Working with the dog on the handler’s left, show the dog the jump.

2. Working the dog on the handler’s right, show the dog the jump.

3. The handler leaves the dog in a sit or down stay and moves to the oppositeside of the jump. The leash should drape over the jump bar. If the dog won’tstay, you’ll want to hold the dog while the handler moves.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 several times.


Introducing the Collapsed TunnelThis will be introduced in pretty much the same fashion as the pipe tunnel. Thechute should be folded back initially so that it’s only about 1/3 of its total length.You can add length to the chute as the class goes on and as the dogs demonstratesome confidence in performing the obstacle.

Get the handler to go to the exit end and lift the fabric on the first repetition ortwo. Then you can switch sides so that the handler can present the obstacle to thedog. Hold the chute open for the dogs on the first pass through. Then allow thedogs to push open the fabric by themselves.

10 20

10 20

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30

10

20

30

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This illustration shows the presentationmethod for the collapsed chute. Thehandler has taken up position at theend of the chute, and will hold thechute open to establish eye contactwith the dog. The instructor holds thedog on leash. If the dog tries to duckleft, or duck right, the instructor willcheck the dog’s forward motion. If thedog volunteers to go through thetunnel, then the instructor lets the leadgo slack. This is important for the dog’slearning. No force is applied. The doghas to solve the riddle, and learns toapproach this obstacle fearlessly.

Introducing the Dogwalk

We’ll have the trainer dogwalk up, with the wide boards and the top set at about3’. Our methodology is never to compel the dog. The handler works over thedogwalk with the dog, using a food treat to lure if necessary. The handler shouldalternate working the dog on both left and right. A lot of praise and animmediate food reward at the bottom of the dogwalk will make the dog a lotmore confident and willing to climb up over this obstacle.

If a dog is refusing the dogwalk we can use a very effective technique for gettingthe dog to volunteer to walk up the ramp. The instructor should hold the dog’sleash while the handler walks up the ramp to the center table, calling the dog afterher. If the dog tries to go left or right around the ascent ramp the instructor willdraw the dog up short at the end of the leash. If the dog volunteers to walk up,however, the instructor just lets him go. Do not pull on the dog’s lead while he iswalking up the ramp. That will make him very nervous.


Introducing the Long Jump/Spread HurdleIn Beginners class we combine the long jump and spread hurdle. Theperformance of each is essentially the same.

The goal is to teach the dog to stretch in the jump as the handler shows the way.Show your students how to square up your body as you show the jump to thedog. Don’t turn sideways. The dog gets his direction cue from the set of thehandler’s shoulders. Face the jump and move directly alongside of it, showingthe path the dog should work with the lead hand, the hand closest to the dog. Asthe handler passes alongside the standard, the dog goes over the hurdle.

The introduction to the jump should be done with the dog off-lead. Eachpresentation should have a slightly longer approach than might be necessarywith a bar jump.

1. Working with the dog on the handler’s left, show the dog the hurdle.

2. Working the dog on the handler’s right, show the dog the hurdle.

3. The handler leaves the dog in a sit or down stay and moves to the oppositeside of the jump. The leash should drape over the jump bar. If the dog won’tstay, you’ll want to hold the dog while the handler moves.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 several times.

Introducing the Pipe Tunnel

The pipe tunnel will be compressed so that it is only a short barrel-like, short andeasy to see through to the other side. Our methodology is never to compel thedog. The instructor holds the dog’s leash while the handler goes to the other sideto call the dog through. If the dog tries to go right or go left, around the tunnel,you will check the dog’s motion. If the dog volunteers to get to his human bygoing through the tunnel, then you will just let the leash slip through yourfingers.

On subsequent repetitions the handler should make the presentation of the pipetunnel. The instructor will gradually add length to the tunnel by pulling it open.After the tunnel is at full length the instructor can add bend to the tunnel. Thisshould be done only gradually, as the dogs’ confidence grows.

Introducing the Collapsed TunnelThe chute of the collapsed tunnel should be folded back on itself so that thefabric chute is only about 4’ long. Our methodology is never to compel the dog.The instructor holds the dog’s leash while the handler goes to the other side tolift the fabric and make a connection with the dog, and then call the dog through.If the dog tries to go right or go left, around the tunnel, you will check the dog’s


motion. If the dog volunteers to get to his human by going through the tunnel,then you will just let the leash slip through your fingers.

On subsequent repetitions the handler should make the presentation of thecollapsed tunnel while the instructor holds the fabric chute open. As the dog’sconfidence grows, gradually add length to the fabric chute, and begin droppingthe chute on the dog earlier and earlier until the dog is pushing through thechute without anyone holding it open.

Introducing the TableYou might begin each group by having your students show you their “down” asa group. Have them down their dogs, go to the end of the leash, facing the dog.After a moment, have them return to their dogs. Exercised finish. Give them apep talk about working the Down command at home.

We’re going to teach the Happy Table exercise. No harsh obedience-style downingof the dog will be allowed. Remember how this works. Put a treat in the fist. Putthe dog up on the table. Put the fist down on the table, telling the dog Down! Assoon as the dog gets down, open the fist. Dogs are very clever about this game. Itshould be upbeat and reward based.

Introducing the TeeterWe’ll have the training seesaw out, with walls on either side so that the dogcannot bail off the side. We build the walls with two large cardboard boxes oneither side of the teeter. Picket-style jump wings bridge the gap between thecardboard boxes. So this forms a bit of a canyon for the dog, and really doesn’tgive the dog anywhere to escape once he’s committed to the perilous journeyover the ramp.

IH

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Remember our methodology is never tocompel the dog. On the introduction, theinstructor will hold the dog’s leash whilethe handler goes to the other side to call thedog over. If the dog tries to go right or goleft, around the seesaw, you will check thedog’s motion. If the dog volunteers to get tohis human by going over the seesaw, thenyou will just let the leash slip through yourfingers. You must control the descent of theboard so that it doesn’t drop suddenly, orwith a bang.


Introducing the TireSet the tire so that the bottom of the inside aperture is no more than 6” off theground. The goal is to teach the dog to go through the aperture. Demonstrate foryour students how to square up for the performance of the tire. Don’t turnsideways to the dog. The dog gets his direction cues from the set of the handler’sshoulders. Demonstrate a clear hand signal, using the hand closest to the dog,pushing towards the tire.

Make sure your students reward and praise for the dog for each time he jumpsthrough the tire. Dogs are reward motivated.

You will control the dog’s leash on the initial presentation of the tire. The handlershould go to the opposite side and call the dog through. If the dog tries to duckleft or right the instructor will stop the dog’s progress. If the dog volunteers toget to his handler through the tire, then the instructor just allows the lead to slipthrough his hands.

Once the dogs seem to have the idea of the tire you can let the handlers presentthe tire to the dog themselves. Put the dog through on the handler’s right. Put thedog through on the handler’s left. Leave the dog in a sit or a down stay, and callthe dog through.

Introducing the Weave Poles

The weave poles will be fully wired. Tonight we are only going to only a fewrepetitions of this obstacle, a couple on the handler’s right, and a couple on thehandler’s left. The dog must be on leash, with the handler’s inside arm holdingthe leash or collar so that the dog can not jump over or duck under the wires. Wedo not want to compel the dog through the wires. We want the dog to pick hisown footsteps. The dog can be lured with food to help him make those footsteps.

Introducing a Winged HurdleIt is the nature of a wing that it puts a bit of distance between the dog andhandler. Don’t immediately assume that the dog will go over the bar rather thanaround the wing to be close to the handler. When introducing a winged hurdlethe initial presentation should have the handler straddling the bar and luring thedog over the bar with the arm opposite the dog. Next, change the presentation sothat the dog is left addressing the jump while the handler goes to the oppositeside. Use a lure if necessary and call the dog straight over the center of the bar.This presentation should be made both on the dog’s left and the dog’s right.


Teaching a Lead OutThe rules for a lead-out are simple. Dogs are rules oriented. If we have rules forthe performance, the dog learns. If we are inconsistent, changing or ignoring ourown rules, then the dog has no basis from which learning can take place. So theseare the rules. Tell the dog to sit, only once. Tell the dog to stay, only once. Thenboldly walk away from the dog, keeping an over-the-shoulder eye on the dog. Ifthe dog moves, immediately return to the dog and move him back to the placeand position in which he was told to wait. Do not repeat the commands (eitherwith a voice signal or a hand signal). Boldly walk away. If the dog moves…return the dog to place and position. Walk away again. If he moves, return himto place and position. You should get the point by now. If the dog moves, you donot reward him for starting the team. You always put him back in position. Theseare the rules.

There are also a couple rules for the handler. As the instructor you should beconsistent in making these corrections. The handler should not lead out to a stop.The movement away from the dog establishes a line for the dog in a parallelpath. The handler should also keep his shoulders square to the dog’s path(shoulders aimed in the direction the dog is supposed to move). The handlershould not stand or move with the shoulders faced perpendicular to the dog’spath. The handler should especially avoid turning around to face the dog as in anobedience recall. This is completely counter-intuitive to the dog. Any of thesecounter-intuitive motions or postures could result in the dog running around thejump being presented in the lead-out.

Beginning SequencingSequencing obstacles is where the fun really begins in agility. Sequencing meansdoing more than one obstacle at a time. Before you begin any sequencing, youshould be sure that the dog has been properly introduced to the obstacles youwant to include in the sequence, and performs those obstacles happily andconfidently.

Following are several sequencing exercises that are appropriate for a novice dog.These are simple sequences designed to allow the dog’s confidence and skill togrow at a gentle pace.


The Jumping Chute

Set four jumps in a straight line with one side blocked by a fence or ring gates.These jumps should be set 20 feet apart, and the lowest height for the dog. A dogsmaller than about 16” at the withers should jump only 8”. Larger dogs shouldjump no more than 16”. A ground bar should be placed under each jump bar toaid the dog in measuring each jump.

Figure 1

Exercise 1 – While someone holds your dog, step over the first jump, turn, andcall the dog, using a “jump”. Next, try two jumps. Continue to increase thenumber of jumps, one at a time, so long as the dog is succeeding in the exercise,until all four jumps have been completed.

Exercise 2 – Leave the dog on a “wait” and walk around the jumps to a positionalongside the last jump. Do not face the dog, but face away, looking back. Holdour your hand, on the side closest to the jump, to give the dog a visual target.Then call the dog to “jump”. Give the dog plenty of praise and love when he hasjumped all four jumps.

If the dog goes around any of the jumps, simplify the exercise by starting a jumpcloser to the dog. Do not correct the dog or say “no” to the dog. If the dogsucceeds on the next try, go back to the fourth jump. If the dog runs aroundanother jump, start even closer, by the second jump.

You are leaving it to the clever dog to figure out what earns him praise andreward for doing the exercise.

Note: If the dog does not have a steady “wait”, someone probably should holdthe dog. But the Jr. handler should be advised to do a bit of work every dayteaching the dog to “wait”. This is an important skill in dog agility.

Exercise 3 – Leave your dog on a “wait” before the first jump, and walk to aposition between jumps 1 and 2. You should face in the direction the dog will bemoving, looking back at your dog with your lead hand (hand closest to the dog)showing the way. Call your dog to “jump” the first jump. While the dog ismoving alongside, move towards and past the second jump, and tell your dog to“go jump”. As quick as the dog gets over the jump, turn the dog out of thejumping chute and give praise and a reward.


Repeat this exercise by calling your dog over two jumps and running with himover the third jump. Then call your dog over three jumps, and run with him overthe fourth.

Change the exercise by calling the dog over three jumps, and running with himover the last. Then, call him over two jumps, and run with him over two. The callhim over the first jump, and run with him over all three of the remaining jumps.

Exercise 4 – Start with your dog, giving the jump command as you run. If thedog comes out of the jumping chute, toward you, just put him back in, tellinghim to go on and jump. You could use jumps without wings to make itsomewhat easier for the dog.

Your dog will show his understanding of this exercise by focusing on the jumpahead. It is important to insure that the handler is giving both a timely verbalcommand and showing a lead hand for each jump.

Exercise 5 – Leave your dog on a “wait” and take a toy to beyond the last jump.Show it to the dog. Then drop the toy on the ground. This gives the dog an objectto target on. Then return to your dog. Release him to “go jump”. Let your dogtake off and get the toy. Play a game of tug with him as he returns with the toy.

Contact Marsha Martin at 8738 Slocum Road, Ostrander, OH 43061(740) 666-2018 - [email protected]

http://www.dogwoodagility.com

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JumpJumpV27 All-PVCV27 All-PVCconstructionconstruction

ConstructionConstructionPlansPlans

– by Kurt L. Glaub INTERNET:[email protected]

Jump – Version 27, All PVC constructionThis is a quickie PVC jump, inexpensive, easy to make, and assembles together veryquickly. When combined with an adjustable jump cup is very handy. Five or more setswill easily fit into the trunk of a compact car for quick transport.

Materials for All PVC JumpMaterial Description Amount required1” schedule 40 PVC pipe 2 lengths 10’ long1” “ells” 8 pieces1” “tees” 2 piecesjump cups and screws 12 sets11” long pvc 6 Pieces4.75” long pvc 4 pieces36” long pvc 2 pieces

Instructions1. Cut one length of PVC pipe into two pieces 36” long and four pieces 11” long as

shown below.

36” 36”

11” 11” 11” 11”

2. Cut one length of PVC pipe into two pieces 11” long and four pieces 4 ¾” long asshown below. There will be a piece left over about 78” long.

11” 11” 4 ¾”


Instructions1. Using two of the 4 ¾” pieces, one of the “tees” and one of the 36” pieces, make a

“T” shaped piece as shown below. These are not glued because I like to be able totake the jumps apart. Also, with this design, leaving the pieces unglued allows forthe jump to conform to uneven terrain. In addition, some “Tees” have differentsize steps on the inside and the 4 ¾” pieces may need adjustment.

2. Using eight Ells and four of the 11” pieces, make four “C” shaped piece as shownbelow.

3. Using the remaining 11” piece, one of the “C” shapes and one of the “T” shapedpieces shape the upright as shown below.

4. Using the remaining “C” shape and the upright from step 3 above, complete theupright as shown below.

5. Attach jump cups and jump is ready to go.

The upright can be folded to 90 degrees and the 4 corners of the base can be stepped onwhen setting up to enable to jump to conform to uneven terrain.

Jump cups --Version 5 – for use with PVC jump barsThis design is one that has been around for a long time and is seen frequently. Once youare set up, these are easy and quick to make.

Materials for Jump Cups¾” PVC cap with flat end makes 4 jump cups


Tools RequiredSaw

Drill

1/8” Drill bit

Instructions1. Cut each cap into 4 pieces as shown below.

To simplify holding the pieces I have made a simple holding fixture from scraplumber as shown below. Piece of scrap stock 1 ½” thick through which a 1” holeis drilled 1” deep. After drilling, the stock is cut lengthwise. To one half, twomore pieces of scrap are attached to form a saw guide as shown. The two piecesare held together with a clamp to hold the caps while cutting. This cuts the caps inhalf. As the loose piece to cut the half pieces into 2 pieces as shown in the bottomsketch.

After cutting each ¼ piece of the cap is drilled with a 1/8” drilled to provide ascrew hole as shown below.

1/8” hole for screw


Training Plans for the Agility Center– by Bud [email protected]

This Month’s NotebookThe magazine this month is so large it’s almostembarrassing. While our goal is to publish about80 pages a month, this edition is likely to comein around 100 pages or more.

But we can’t help it. We have a lot of publishingprojects planned, and the Notebook is the vehicleto get them published.

4-H Obedience and AgilityI had a young girl show up in a beginners class a couple weeks ago, who boldly andsomewhat proudly announced to me that “obedience is all about corrections and poppingon the leash.” Lordy mercy! This young lady is really going to be a project. The timing ofthis young lady’s entry into my training center coincides with a significant initiative thatwe will be undertaking over the next few months. It is our intention to exert a positiveinfluence on the world of 4-H training for both obedience and agility.

4-H is a grass roots organization that relies to on great extent on the volunteer efforts ofthousands of community leaders who run autonomous programs. Dog training is apopular 4-H program across the country. The big problem is that many of the volunteerleaders don’t have significant experience with dog training. So they rely on old textsheavily influenced by Koehler and other dog trainers whose training philosophies involvea great deal of aversive and harsh correction to dogs.

It’s time to rewrite the book.

Class HandoutsWith this issue of the Notebook we will begin publishing the class handouts forBeginners and Advanced Beginners classes. The focus of the handouts are skills that canbe taught and games that can be played at home with the dog that will enhance theweekly curriculum in the agility training center.

Future handouts will be special topics intended for students in more advanced classes.These will focus on problem areas like contact training, motivation, handler movementsand so forth. We’d like to compile a complete library of work-at-home references thathelp the serious dog agility trainer solve problems on their own.

A number of people have contributed to this effort. I’d repeat my call for contributions bythose of you who have already developed handouts for your students. Everyone whocontributes will get a complete and free copy of the finished handout library.


Looking to the Year AheadIn the early days at Dogwood our student roster was built mainly from more advancedstudents who came to us from the other training centers. Some of them had left thosetraining centers because of politics and strife. Others came because our trainingphilosophies were more positively based. Some came because they didn’t like jumpingtheir dogs constantly on concrete surfaces or, in the case of another club, didn’t like thedusty dirty environment they had to train in. Some came to Dogwood simply because weare closer to them.

In the beginning, I took a hands-off attitude with these advanced students, allowing thempretty much to honor their own training methods. Mine was the voice in the backgroundthat suggested to them to “try this” or “try that” if what they were doing wasn’t working.

The training center has changed in many ways. We’ve grown quite a lot. Much of thisgrowth has come from the Beginners program. These students have never trainedanywhere else. I’ve added a lot of new training equipment, including a brand-spankingnew fully-adjustable dogwalk built by our own columnist of the “Construction Plan,”Kurt L. Glaub (for a very reasonable price!)

In 2001 we’ll be training with new attitude. Our lesson plans will have a lot more specialtopic work, like distance, contact training, working for speed, and so forth.

AKC Herding Advisory CommitteeThe AKC has formed the Herding Advisory Committee 2000-2001. There is one delegateto this committee from each of the parent clubs for breeds that compete in the AKCHerding Program. This delegate will be posting activities of the committee within theirbreed's circle. The committee’s job is to canvass the herding community for suggestions,changes or other recommendations to help the AKC Herding Program improve.

To this end the 2000-2001 AKC Herding Advisory Committee has organized aSuggestion List to accept suggestions and input from everyone who participates in AKCHerding, including those who may not belong or participate in a breed club. This list is anincoming list only, not a discussion list. You do not subscribe to post to the list!

Send your suggestions directly to [email protected] and cc toLedell Pendarvis at [email protected] as directed by AKC.

The Herding Advisory Committee Delegates will receive your suggestions either asdirect emails, digests or in the archives, and from the AKC in whatever form they submitit to us. The general public and fancy can post their suggestions, including attachments,and they can be viewed by anyone in the archives which are open to the public athttp://www.egroups.com .

Periodically the Herding Advisory Committee will post agenda items for comments socheck this list often. Later polls will be taken from this source. We hope this process willmake it possible for everyone to stay up with the latest developments and increasecommunication amongst the fancy during this process.

JFF Notebook Week One December, 2000

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BriefingYou’ll have 40 seconds in the point accumulation period. Obstacles can only beperformed twice for points. It’s okay to take gamble obstacles in sequence so long as theyaren’t taken in the direction of the gamble.

We’ll be using a 1-3-5-7 system for scoring point accumulation.

• Jumps 1 point• Tunnels and Tire 3 points• A-frame, teeter and weave poles 5 points

Three gambles (distance challenges) are included on the course. Successful completion ofeach is required for a qualifying score. Each gamble will have 15 seconds to complete.

• Novice gamble (black numbers)• Intermediate gamble (white numbers) – refusals faulted on the teeter• Superior gamble (white alpha) – refusals faulted on all obstacles

Marking Your JFF Dance CardsYou need 28 points in the opening period, and successful completion of the gamble ofyour choice to qualify. Mark your JFF Dance Cards for the level of the gamble youselected.


Beginners Class Plan – Week OneThis is the first night of Beginners class. Begin with introduction and the usual discussionof house rules.

• Urge everyone to make every attempt to attend every class. Graduation from thisclass requires dogs to be introduced to all obstacles. If a student misses more than oneclass he will be behind other dogs. Instructors should approve a dog moving up to thenext class. A dog that doesn’t come to class each week is unlikely to be ready.

• We are a positive and reward-based training center. We will discourage harsh oremotional corrections. Students should always bring plenty of food treats to class, andthe dog’s favorite toy. It wouldn’t hurt a bit to also bring a slightly hungry dog so thatthey will be keen to earn the reward.

• We reward dogs for performance. That’s how they learn. We encourage givingreward to dogs for attention. The dog needs to learn that he’s getting the reward forworking on the agility equipment, and for paying attention. On the other hand, wediscourage giving treats to the dog mindlessly, like a perpetual food machine thatcheapens the food treat. The dog must want to offer performance and behavior to earnthe reward.

• Call everyone’s attention to the location of the porta-john

• Everybody is responsible for cleaning up after their own dogs. Show where theclean-up materials are both for outside and inside.

• Dogs are not allowed off-lead unless they are working in an exercise.

• At the end of class a homework assignment will be handed out every week. Note thatdoing the homework will help dogs do better in this class.

Control ExerciseBefore beginning to actually put dogs up on equipment get all of your students to spreadout around the room with their dogs on lead. Ask them to sit their dogs, tell the dogs tostay, and then go out in front of the dogs to the end of the lead, facing the dogs. Afterabout 20 seconds allow them to return to their dogs, and release.

Do the same exercise with a down. You will discover in this exercise which dogs needmore work with these basic obedience exercises. Point out to everyone that thehomework assignment they receive this week will include a training plan for sit and downstays. They’ll want to make the effort to work with their dogs on these basic skills.

HandoutsMake sure to give all your students a copy of this week’s handout and homeworkassignments. Talk to them briefly about the handouts. It’s important that your studentsunderstand that their agility career will always improve with work they do at home.


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Set BIn this set you will do no sequencing with dogs. The intention tonight is only to give thedog an introduction to the three obstacles in your working set: The pipe tunnel, dogwalk,and table. Ignore the other obstacles in close proximity to your working set, and don’tallow your students to put their dogs up on obstacles you have not taught them.

Introducing the Pipe Tunnel –All of the training sets include pipe tunnels. Your firstgroup will be introduced to the pipe tunnel. Other groups that you get will already havebeen introduced. Change the length and bend of the tunnel to be slightly morechallenging for each group. Shorten the tunnel and take the bend out if dogs aren’t gettingit.

Our methodology is never to compel the dog. The instructor holds the dog’s leash whilethe handler goes to the other side to call the dog through. If the dog tries to go right or goleft, around the tunnel, you will check the dog’s motion. If the dog volunteers to get to hishuman by going through the tunnel, then you will just let the leash slip through yourfingers.

Introducing the Dogwalk – We’ll have the trainer dogwalk up, with the wide boards andthe top set at about 3’. Our methodology is never to compel the dog. The handler worksover the dogwalk with the dog, using a food treat to lure if necessary. The handler shouldalternate working the dog on both left and right. A lot of praise and an immediate foodreward at the bottom of the dogwalk will make the dog a lot more confident and willingto climb up over this obstacle.


If a dog is refusing the dogwalk we can use a very effective technique for getting the dogto volunteer to walk up the ramp. The instructor should hold the dog’s leash while thehandler walks up the ramp to the center table, calling the dog after her. If the dog tries togo left or right around the ascent ramp the instructor will draw the dog up short at the endof the leash. If the dog volunteers to walk up, however, the instructor just lets him go. Donot pull on the dog’s lead while he is walking up the ramp. That will make him verynervous.

Introducing the Table – You might begin each group by having your students show youtheir “down” as a group. Have them down their dogs, go to the end of the leash, facingthe dog. After a moment, have them return to their dogs. Exercised finish. Give them apep talk about working the Down command at home.

We’re going to teach the Happy Table exercise. No harsh obedience-style downing of thedog will be allowed. Remember how this works. Put a treat in the fist. Put the dog up onthe table. Put the fist down on the table, telling the dog Down! As soon as the dog getsdown, open the fist. Dogs are very clever about this game. It should be upbeat and rewardbased.

Set CIn this set you will do no sequencing with dogs. The intention tonight is only to give thedog an introduction to the three obstacles in your working set: The A-frame, collapsedtunnel, and weave poles. Ignore the other obstacles in close proximity to your workingset, and don’t allow your students to put their dogs up on obstacles you have not taughtthem.

Introducing the A-frame – The A-frame will be set at about 3’. Get everyone to load upwith food. Put the dog over on the handler’s right. Put the dog over on the handler’s left.Please do not use any form of compulsion to get the dog over. Use a lure if necessary.Use a lot of praise and reward for each trip the dog takes over the A-frame.

Introducing the Collapsed Tunnel – This will be introduced in pretty much the samefashion as the pipe tunnel. The chute should be folded back initially so that it’s onlyabout 1/3 of its total length. You can add length to the chute as the class goes on and asthe dogs demonstrate some confidence in performing the obstacle.

Get the handler to go to the exit end and lift the fabric on the first repetition or two. Thenyou can switch sides so that the handler can present the obstacle to the dog. Hold thechute open for the dogs on the first pass through. Then allow the dogs to push open thefabric by themselves.


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This illustration shows the presentationmethod for the collapsed chute. Thehandler has taken up position at the end ofthe chute, and will hold the chute open toestablish eye contact with the dog. Theinstructor holds the dog on leash. If the dogtries to duck left, or duck right, theinstructor will check the dog’s forwardmotion. If the dog volunteers to go throughthe tunnel, then the instructor lets the leadgo slack. This is important for the dog’slearning. No force is applied. The dog hasto solve the riddle, and learns to approachthis obstacle fearlessly.

Introducing the Weave Poles – The weave poles will be fully wired. Tonight we areonly going to only a few repetitions of this obstacle, a couple on the handler’s right, and acouple on the handler’s left. The dog must be on leash, with the handler’s inside armholding the leash or collar so that the dog can not jump over or duck under the wires. Wedo not want to compel the dog through the wires. We want the dog to pick his ownfootsteps. The dog can be lured with food to help him make those footsteps.

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Beginning Your Agility CareerWelcome to Dogwood Training Center. Tonight you begin training a dog for the sport ofdog agility. Our goal in the next eight weeks will be to introduce your dog to all of theobstacles. In this session we intend to teach your dog to be happy and confident in theperformance of all of the obstacles. To that end we use a “no compulsives” philosophy.That means we do not push, pull, drag, or throw our dogs through any performance.Instead, we concentrate on teaching them to choose their own footsteps and to think aboutwhat they are doing.

At Dogwood we believe in the application of reward for performance. That means thatwe avoid the use of harsh corrections or negatives. Training negatively often results in atraining a dog to play with no joy, or not wanting to play at all. Years of experience havetaught us that enthusiastic praise, a food reward, or a game with a toy are great trainingtools. They are the only training tools.

The Agility HandlerDog agility is a team sport. It is not just a matter of training the dog. The handler mustalso be trained. You’ll quickly find out that the training at Dogwood emphasizes thehandler’s role in the sport.

Handler’s Motion

Your dog keys more on visual cues than on verbal. The handler most effectivelycommunicates direction and motion to the dog by facing and moving in the positivedirection of the course. Always move towards the obstacle that must next be performeduntil the dog has committed to it. This motion is supported by a verbal (see Commands,below), and a hand signal.

Lead Hand

The hand signal is a matter simply of pointing to the obstacle you want the dog toperform, or the place you want the dog to be. Always use the hand closer to the dog andthe obstacle. Using the opposite arm causes your shoulders to face in a direction otherthan the direction the dog should be moving.

Verbalizing

Reduce the noise your dog must listen to when performing. For example, you don’t needto use your dog’s name before every command. In general, it is not necessary to blather atyour dog. Keep your working conversation to a minimum, saying just enough to motivateand direct your dog.

It is better to be upbeat and enthusiastic with your dog than not. Your dog will besensitive to you getting angry or flustered or frustrated during a training session. It is yourjob to keep the dog happy. When your dog piles into the car to go to agility class, youwant to see him excited and enthusiastic and knowing that he’s getting ready to have themust fun in the whole world—and there should be no one in the world he’d rather do itwith than you!


CommandsThe handler is responsible for three things when a dog is working: 1) to tell the dogwhich obstacles must be performed, 2) to tell the dog which direction to move, and 3) tohold the dog in a control position when necessary.

Do not say the name of an obstacle until your dog is pointed towards that obstacle. Yourjob is to make your dog’s nose point where it is you want him to go. Where the dog’snose goes, the rest of the dog tends to follow.

Obstacle Commands

Obstacle Commands

Jumps Jump, Hup, Over, Up

Tire Tire (or, just give the same command as for a jump)

Weave Poles Weave

Pipe Tunnel Tunnel, Through, Get In

Collapsed Tunnel Chute, Creep, (or, just give the same command as for a pipe tunnel)

A-frame A-Frame, Climb, Walk-Up, Scramble

Teeter Teeter, Climb, Walk-Up

Dogwalk Climb, Walk-Up, Dogwalk

Table Table, Up, BoxNote: Commands favored by your teachers are in bold

Control Commands

Command Meaning

Sit Assume a sit position

Down Assume a down position

Stay Remain in position, without moving

Easy Slow down, and exercise caution in the current task. This command istypically used on contact obstacles to slow the dog’s descent into theyellow contact zones.

Directional Commands

Command Meaning

Come Turn (towards me)

Turn Turn (away from me)

Go On Continue moving in a straight line

Get Out Increase lateral distance (move in the oblique)

Left Turn Left

Right Turn Right

Back Turn Back (180°)


About Dogwood Training CenterDogwood Training Center operates 12 months of the year, six days a week providinginstruction in the sport of Dog Agility. This is a family community of dog agilityenthusiasts. Dogwood’s web page is at http://www.dogwoodagility.com. You cancontact Marsha Martin by email at [email protected]. You can contact BudHouston by email at [email protected]. Our phone number is 740-666-2018.

We also maintain a discussion and communication list for our agility community. If youhave a computer and Internet access, you can subscribe to the discussion list athttp://www.egroups.com/group/DogwoodAgility.

FacilityDogwood Training Center is located at 8738 Slocum Road, Ostrander, OH 43061. Thesite is 10 fully fenced grassy acres. Part of the year we train outside. When it’s necessaryto work inside, we work in our 60’ x 90’ training floor. The surface of the floor is 3/4"rubber on packed dirt; the most forgiving surface in dog agility. The training floor isadjoined by a 12’ x 35’ observation room that is fully heated and air conditioned.

Agility Classes and League PlayDogwood provides classes for four levels of agility dog and handler training: Beginners;Advanced Beginners; Novice; and Competition. It is our intention that dogs progressthrough the classes at their own pace. Moving up too quickly can result in a dog whoshuts down by being confronted with challenges for which he is not prepared. This isnever desirable.

Dogwood is the home of the longest running agility league in the United States. Leagueslast two months. We play a new game every week. Dues for participation in League arenominal. Only Novice and Competition class students are eligible for League Play.

Camp DogwoodDogwood is the site for fourteen agility camps ever year. Enthusiasts from all over thecountry come here to refine their handling skills. The camps include Novice, Advanced,Masters, Distance, and Instructors.

Just For Fun Agility NotebookThe Dogwood lesson plan appears in publication form in the pages of the Just For FunAgility Notebook, an electronic only monthly magazine dedicated to agility training,edited by Marsha Martin and Bud Houston. The Notebook costs $24 a year. To subscribeto the Notebook contact either Bud or Marsha.

Private Training and Facility RentalThroughout the year we schedule private and semi-private training sessions. Our facilitiesare available for unsupervised work throughout the year. Ongoing students of Dogwoodget reduced rates for privates and facility rental.


House RulesPlease read these rules. Failure to abide by our house rules may result in your dismissalfrom participation in the Dogwood training program.

Clean Up After Your DogIt is your job to monitor your dog at all times while on Dogwood property. Clean upmaterials are strategically located around the property. But it’s a big property, and youmay be caught some distance away from the pooper scoopers and disposal buckets. Soyou should always have with you a supply of plastic bags to clean up after your dog.

If your dog should have an accident in the training building, you should immediatelysecure your dog and clean up the mess. A bucket of clean up material is provided insidethe training building. Poop should be disposed of in the outside disposal bucket.

It’s a good idea to arrive early enough to exercise your dog outside so that the dog is notcompelled to go inside.

Never let your dog pee on any agility equipment, or against the building outside.

Parking and AccessYou should park your car in the big lot located at 8738 Slocum Road. From time to time,especially in the winter when the ground is icy and snow covered, we may have studentspark in front of the garage at 8658 Slocum Road.

Driving direction to Dogwood:

• Take 37 6.3 miles out of Delaware, going West• Turn Left on Burnt Pond Road• Turn Left on Slocum• We are on the left in .2 miles: 8738 Slocum Road• Look for the lights of our training building.

While there are other approaches to the facility, it is very important that we minimize thetraffic in our neighborhood. Our neighbors are concerned with the traffic we are creatinghere, and it is very important that we use a route to the training building that creates theleast traffic on local road.

Please note that you are driving in the country. You should have good driving mannerswhen you are out here. Do not drive like the rude nuts down in the city.

Other StuffWe do not allow electronic collars, pinch collars, or choke collars when you are onDogwood property. Please leave these devices at home if you own them.

Dogs should be on lead at all times, when not working.


Beginners Homework – Week OneWe’re delighted you’ve chosen to train with us here at Dogwood Training Center. Webelieve in using positive reinforcement to teach the dog to safely perform the obstacles,and your dog’s confidence will grow over the course of the next seven weeks.

Exercises to practice at home this week: (detailed descriptions of the exercises follow):

1. Attention – Teach your dog to watch you.

2. Obstacles – You should start thinking immediately about obstacles you can build orbuy for the back yard.

Down CommandYou can teach the down performance on the floor, or you can teach the performance upon a piece of furniture (or on a real agility table, if you own one). We teach the downcommand without compulsion. Hold a food treat in your fist and put it down on the floorin front of the dog. Tell the dog Down! And then wait. When the dog goes down you willimmediately open your fist and allow the dog to get the food treat.

Repeat this process over and over again. You’ll find that dogs are very clever aboutoffering a performance that earns them the treat.

Sit CommandThe sit performance can also be taught on the floor, or up on a piece of furniture. Withyour dog facing you, hold the treat in your hand. Tell your dog to Sit! Then, rock the treatpast the dog’s ear. This makes the dog rock backwards and actually causes him to sit. Assoon as the dog assumes a sitting position, open your hand and allow him to take thetreat.

Stay CommandPut the dog in a sit or a down, then tell the dog to Stay! Move to the end of the leash, thenreturn to the dog and release the dog. The dog should be given warm praise, and reward(a food treat or a short game with a toy) for staying.

If the dog doesn’t stay, put him back. Never repeat your commands to sit/down, or stay.Just put him back in the position you left him. If the dog breaks the stay one time, you puthim back one time. If the dog breaks the stay seven times, you put him back seven times.

You are establishing rules. Dogs like rules and are very clever about figuring them out ifyou are absolutely consistent (100% of the time). The amount of time you spend at theend of the leash after telling your dog to stay should increase over time. With a green dogyou only go to the leash for a second, and return immediately to reward the dog. For amore advanced dog you might forgo the leash and lead out a greater distance, for agreater period of time (up to one minute).


AttentionThis is a simple mealtime training game. The objective of this game is to teach your dogto hold you with riveted attention. At mealtime, hold the dog’s food bowl and say yourdog’s name, when he looks at your face he gets to eat!

Back Yard ObstaclesIn your back yard you will want to start building or buying some simple trainingequipment. You should have: Jumps; a table; weave poles; a contact trainer.

Jumps can be easily built with inexpensive PVC bars and connectors. The jump barshould be displaceable. Please note that raising the jump height should occur over severalmonths. A dog should not be jumped at full height until his bones have finished growing.

A Table can frankly be a piece of furniture. But you might want to build something. Thetop platform should be 3’ by 3’. The table must be very sturdy, with no wobblewhatsoever. You don’t want to make the dog afraid of the table. You can easily build atable with scrap 2”x4” lumber, with a plywood top.

Weave Poles can be easily build with short lengths of 3/4" PVC. Use rebar stakes at 22”intervals, and slide the PVC poles over them.

Contact Trainer is just a 12’ piece of 2” by 12” lumber. Set one side of the board on acinder block to make a dogwalk trainer. Center the plank on a piece of landscape timberto make a teeter trainer.


Advanced Beginners Training Plan – Week One

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Some of your Advanced Beginners are right out of the Beginners class. That means thatthey won’t know some of the basics of handling, like which direction their bodies shouldbe facing; what a lead hand is; or any concept of staying in motion. You’ll have anexcellent opportunity to introduce them to these concepts. Don’t try to teach themeverything at once. One thing at a time is as much as most people can deal with.

White Numbers – This sequence begins with the table. You need to reinforce the happytable training methodology that we teach in the Beginners classes. Your students shouldnot back-slide into oppressive, hard or harsh obedience training methods. Agility is agame. The dog needs to have positive associations with the obstacles.

Make sure your students are working the contacts. That means the handler should slide toa stop alongside the descent contact zone and offer the dog a food treat. Some dogs mayblunder past the handler. It’s nothing to be alarmed about.

Black Numbers – This sequence features our equipment storage jump. Jump #2 is acombination of two bar hurdles and planks from the long jump. The idea is to conditionthe dog to the performance of both the long jump and spread hurdles at the same time asthe performance of these obstacles is similar, if not identical.

Make sure your students are working the contacts. That means the handler should slide toa stop alongside the descent contact zone and offer the dog a food treat. Some dogs mayblunder past the handler. It’s nothing to be alarmed about.


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White Numbers – This sequence begins with a gentle sweep. After the tire at #3 the turnis rather tight. Novice handlers typically do not understand the impact of their ownmovement on the dog’s movement. In this sequence, for example, th4e handler willprobably work very closely with the dog down the line of jumps. After the turn thehandler will push to be in position to present the teeter. This pushing might easily resultin the dog being pushed out around the teeter.

So in this sequence you should show your students how to execute a tight turn. Thesimple thing to do is an RFP, a gentle turning back towards the dog on the landing side ofthe tire. This will cause the dog to turn tighter towards the handler, allowing the handlerto make a fair presentation of the teeter.

Black Numbers – The weave poles will be fully wired. Before doing the sequence youmight have your students put their dogs through the weave poles in both directions; firston a left lead, and second on a right lead. This will be a good opportunity to remind themthat they should be working on the weave poles at home. They should not expect theirdogs to learn the weave poles by a few minutes exposure each week, at class.

This sequence features a tricky turn from the collapsed tunnel to the pipe tunnel. This isactually a lot easier than it looks. The dog comes out of the collapsed tunnel a bitdisoriented in any case, and looking for direction. The handler should do a crossing turnso that the dog is switched from a left lead to a right lead.


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White Numbers – The real kicker for your Advanced Beginners students will be thewings on jump #3. This sequence is a lot trickier than it looks. For a handler who feels hehas to lean over the bar to make the presentation of the jump, it’s a killer. The dog willget over the jump, all right, but the handler will be completely out of control of whathappens when the dog after the dog is over the jump.

What you want to teach your students in this exercise is that a dog tends to work in a pathparallel to the handler. The handler’s path should be outside of the wing, not directly atit. To make it easier, show your students a path that is roughly the width of the wing onjump #3 but honored also at the side of the tire at #1, and jump #2. The handler doesn’tactually need to hang over the bar to get the dog to jump. The handler’s job simply is topoint the way. That pointing is done alongside, but away from, the jump. If a dog isrefusing a jump because the handler has removed himself from the context of thepresentation that the dog understands, the handler should put the dog over the jump threetimes in rapid succession, giving the dog a food treat and praise for each repetition. Thisreminds the dog of what job is being rewarded (doing the jump).

Black Numbers – While this is a simple down-and-back sequence, you shouldemphasize with your students the handler’s obligation to focus the dog on the path aheadwhen the dog comes out of a tunnel. There are two tunnels in this sequence. Focusing thedog on the path means the handler must get his lead down between the dog and theobstacle ahead. Show the dog where to be. At the same time, the handler should stay inmotion while showing the dog the way. Note that it is not in the handler’s best interest topush ahead too far while the dog is engaged in the performance of the tunnel. If a handleris going to stand still, or even slow down, doing so while the dog is in a tunnel is a goodidea. The dog can’t see the handler while in the tunnel.


Advanced Beginners Homework – Week OneWe’re delighted you’ve chosen to continue training with us here at Dogwood TrainingCenter. In this eight-week program we’ll work on increasing your dog’s confidence inperforming the agility obstacles. At the same time, we’ll begin the process of teachingyou what it means to be an agility handler by introducing you to the turns and movementsthat will be important in your agility career. You should continue to work at home tosupplement your dog’s weekly training program in class.

Attention exercises

The goal of these exercises is to teach our dogs to give us attention in non-distractingenvironment. This is the first in a four-part series. If you have to miss a class please let usknow so that you’ll get the homework for the week you will miss.

Key elements: No corrections! We reward the dog for offering attention and she, in turn,teaches us to feed her when she gives us her signal.

Equipment: Lots of treats cut in small pieces, a plain buckle collar and a 20-foot lightline.

Step 1 – Put the plain buckle collar and 20-foot line on your dog. Hold 2 hands full oftreats where your dog is very aware of them.

Your dog will probably begin wandering at the end of the lead. Make her aware of yourtreats. If she turns to face you, wait until she sits and immediately give her a treat fromeither hand.

Step 2 – Begin walking slowly in random patterns, turning away from your dog when sheforges ahead of you to the end of the line. As you turn away, say nothing, and do nothingto accommodate your inattentive dog. The laws of physics dictate that she’ll follow you(you’re bigger and stronger, right?). Do not pop on the line or give any corrections.

When your dog decides to catch up with you and looks at you, stop walking, wait for herto sit, and immediately give her a treat from either hand.

Repeat step 2 a dozen or so times -- say nothing, do nothing to accommodate aninattentive dog, allow your dog to figure this part out by herself.

Step 3 – By now your dog has figured out what behavior she needs to offer to get thetreats. You’ve been feeding her out of both hands, so she may be focusing on your facenow instead of your hands. Encourage this eye contact by waiting until she offers her sitand stare signal, quietly say your dog’s name to get her to look at your face, then feed atreat from either hand.

Repeat step 3 a dozen or so times – say nothing, except her name, to encourage her tolook at your face instead of your hands. Do nothing to accommodate an inattentive dog.If she reverts to the sniffing and wandering behaviors, turn away from her and walkquietly in the new direction. When you’re ready to quit this training session, get one lastsignal with eye contact, feed all the remaining treats, and praise your dog. Remove thelong line, put your regular leash on your dog, and relax.


Homework, continued…Practice steps 2 and 3 every day for 5-10 minutes, perhaps substituting your dogs dinnerfor the (probably) less nutritious and higher-calorie treats.

Equipment WorkFollowing is a simple exercise to teach a crossing turn. You need only a single jump todo this work. If it’s too cold and icy out in the back yard, you could probably clearenough room in your living room to do the exercise.

With one jump, approach the jump with your dog on your left lead. Have a food treatready for the dog in your right hand. As soon as the dog commits over the jump turntowards your dog, putting the dog on your right lead. Allow the dog to come up behindyou and get the treat from your hand. Also practice this turn equally starting the dog onyour right lead, and switching to your left lead after the dog gets over the jump.

Please note that you should not be facing the dog when the dog takes the treat from yourhand. You should be facing in the direction of the turn with the dog coming up behindyou. If you have room, you should also note that you should continue in motion until thedog gets the treat from your hand. This makes the dog much more keen to pay attentionto the lead hand, and to get after it.

Target TrainingA Target has many applications in training a dog for agility. A target is typically a smallsquare of plastic upon which the dog’s trainer will place a tasty food bit. You could use alid from a small margarine container, for example. The dog becomes a quick learnerwhen his favorite target is introduced to a trainer exercise.

A target is used to shape behavior. The trainer should have a key word, or phrase, used torelease the dog to the target. The key word might be something like “target,” or “spot.”

The first task will be to introduce the dog to the target. With the dog on leash the trainershould place the target on the floor and put a food treat on it in clear view of the dog. It’simportant that the dog initially see the trainer put the reward on the target so that he (thedog) will be driven to go after the treat on the target.

Taking the dog only a couple feet away from the target the trainer will remove the dog’sleash and give the key word… “Target!,” and let go of the dog.

After the dog has learned to go happily to the target and get the treat, the target hasbecome an object that draws the dog’s attention, and gives the dog permission to go awayfrom the handler.

Note: The dog doesn’t learn so much while the behavior is being shaped. The targetshould be used only as an introduction to the behavior. It’s important that we fade thetarget in order for the dog to actually start learning, and switch to reward. When a dog isrewarded for a behavior true learning occurs.


Novice Class Plan – Week One

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Black Numbers – The challenges are the two approaches to jump #3 and #5. The first,coming from the teeter at #2 is flat long approach. This is also a bit of a discriminationwith the pipe tunnel nearby. There’s probably not much help for the handling. A post turnwould most likely work well enough.

If any of your student’s dogs are having trouble with the teeter, make sure they are givingthe dog a food reward and praise for performance of the obstacle.

In the short flat approach to jump #5 the handler should push the dog out an extra step ortwo so that when they turn back the dog will have a fair presentation of the jump. Becareful not to let the dog curl back to the table after jump #3. The handler needs to workthis turn into the pipe tunnel.

White Numbers – Allow your students to try to solve the discrimination at the #3A-frame ; out to #4. This would be a good place for a lead-out pivot; starting the dog on aleft lead, then switching to the right lead (rotation towards the dog) on the landing side ofjump #2. This calls for a fairly bold lead-out from the dog (otherwise, it wouldn’t be alead-out pivot).

Note that a good block takes place as far away from the discrimination as the handler canmanage to control the dog’s path on the landing side of jump #2. The handler doesn’twant to get toes up to the tire to do the block.

This puts the handler on the turning side of the course as the sequence turns a bit left tojump #4. If the handler isn’t attentive the dog will go off-course over the dummy jump.


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Black Numbers – Your students should recognize that it’s a straight line from thedescent of the teeter at #1, to the table at #3. If they don’t, you can show it to them. Thisline would probably best be handled with dog-on-right. If the handler tries to manage theline with dog-on-left, the dog may curl back towards the handler’s position and not bewell-directed to the table.

Alternately work on sit and down performances on the table. The handler’s lead out fromthe table, if he decides to take one, should be modest. A long lead out works against thehandler in this scenario. It moves the handler too far down field, and gives the handler noroom to move. The handler always wants to maintain room to move.

The two jumps following the table could be handled as a simple post turn. But thiswouldn’t be a bad place to do something a bit more technical. For example the turn from#4 to #5 could be a blind turn, or a crossing turn. For either of these turns the handlershould get a modest lead-out to be in front of the dog to initiate the turn.

White Numbers – This time the discrimination is at the #3 tunnel. The opening jumpsequence basically favors the tunnel. But remember that we’ve patterned the dogs onceup over the A-frame. One approach might be for the handler to do this sequence with thedog all on left. The handler takes a blocking position at the A-frame. Unfortunately thismakes the approach to the #4 jump difficult.

Another opening approach would be to handle the first three obstacles with dog on right.The handler should slightly exaggerate the turn after jump #2 to ensure that the dogpasses up on the A-frame. This leaves the handler in good position for a turn out of thepipe tunnel to jump #4.


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Black Numbers – In the turn from jump #2 to #3, there is probably more than onepossibility. If the handler starts with the dog-on-right on the teeter, a crossing turn on thedismount would put the dog neatly on left for an easy post turn from jump #2 to #3.Working the dog-on-left over the teeter might also work. But the handler should alwaysbe wary of handling a dog off a contact obstacle on the side away from the turn. This cancause the handler to “bump” the dog. Of course contact with the dog is faulted if thecontact improves the dog’s line to the next correct obstacle.

This might also be a good place to try a blind turn. Of course if the dog gets ahead of thehandler on the landing side of jump #2 it would be unlikely that the handler could save anoff-course to the table with a blind turn.

You can teach your students an important concept with this sequence. If a planned blindseems doomed to failure, turning it into a cross can save the sequence.

White Numbers – The only difference in this discrimination problem (at the #5 A-frame,and the discrimination practiced in the first exercise, is that the handler really doesn’t geta lead-out on the dog to face the discrimination. This is one of those times when you’regoing to have to say “Trust the Force Luke!” If the handler picks up the dog on a left-leadcoming out of the collapsed tunnel, the turn from jump #3 to #4 could be a simple postand have the dog lined up nicely for the A-frame with handler in the magnet position.

On the other hand, the handler actually could get the blocking position at the A-frame. Ifthe handler’s turn is a blind turn, the dog would be on the approach to the A-frame on thehandler’s right lead. The downside of this movement is that if the dog gets ahead of thehandler on the landing side of jump #4, the dog would likely curl back in towards thehandler’s position, and earn the off-course at the pipe tunnel tucked under the frame.


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Black Numbers – This is a serpentine course with several ways to solve. The toughestelement will be the short and flat approach to jump #2 out of the pipe tunnel. Again, itwould be a good idea for the handler to push the dog up a step or two (as though to thetable) so that when they turn back, jump #2 is nicely presented. Of course, if the handlerpushes too much, the dog might actually get an off-course at the table.

The balance of the sequence has several solutions. You might try turning from jump #2 to#3 in a post turn; and to jump #4 as a tandem. Another approach would be to turn blindbetween #2 and #3; and again on the landing side of jump #4.

White Numbers – On the face of it, this is an ugly sequence. But in truth, it is naught buta riddle. If the handler turns the dog right from jump #2 to #3, the dog’s path surelyfavors an off-course up the A-frame. This probably could be finessed. Consider a blindturn from jump #2 to #3, then curl the dog hard to the left on the landing side of jump #3.It could be done.

On the other hand, if the handler turns the dog to the left on jump #2 (using a blind or acrossing turn to ensure that the dog is on a left lead), then the line to the pipe tunnel isgreatly improved. So if the handler starts with dog-on-right, a blind turn or a crossingturn on the landing side of jump #2 will bring the dog around for a natural line down tothe pipe tunnel.

Note that the crossing turn, or blind, turning left at jump #2 should include a trackingstep. If the handler simply doubles back the dog will do so also, and may back-jump jump#2. The handler should initially track to the left in a path that the dog will parallel. Oncethe dog's nose comes around the jump, the handler can then execute the turn.


Competition Class Plan – Week One

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Black Numbers – Of chief interest in this sequence is the long flat transition from theteeter at #3 out to jump #4. In stark contrast is the short and flat approach to jump #6from the pipe tunnel at #5. Not too much should be made of the approach to jump #4. Thehandler should push with dog on right, and flip back towards the pipe tunnel on thelanding side. Coming out of the pipe tunnel, however, the handler would be advised to liftthe dog out an extra step or to, so that when the handler turns back the dog will have anice approach to jump #6.

White Numbers – Given the turn the course takes after the A-frame, the handler shouldset up in the magnet position to solve the initial discrimination. Set up the approach sothat the line favors the A-frame, framing the ramp to the dog over jump #1. An RFP isalways good insurance when taking the magnet side of a discrimination problem. Thechange of direction after #3 is slight, and the handler’s position is almost dictated to beon the dog’s right side. That leaves the turn at jump #4 probably a back cross. The wholeopening could have been handled dog on right in the blocking position for the opening,and a push from the landing side of jump #3. But this is only likely to work with slowerdogs.

The closing is just plain hard. I wouldn’t agonize over the perfect handling, and wouldtend to let the dogs who opt for the pipe-tunnel have it so that they aren’t corrected. Itisn’t the dog that is bad, it’s the course. This sequence includes a hard turn from #6 to A-frame at #7. This certainly calls for something extreme like an RFP or a Mitchell Flip.Note the Out to jump #8 from the A-frame. Before the end of the day your students willget to practice this a lot, from both sides.


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Black Numbers – Note that from the teeter to the table is a nice straight line. Don’t makeit more complicated than it is. The handler can keep the dog on post (a right lead), or do acrossing turn coming off the teeter, switching from a right lead to a left lead.

The jumping sequence after the table is a nice smooth post (from #4 to #5) and tandem(into the #7 pipe tunnel). Oh, but the transition out to #8 is long and wicked. Some of thedogs will be looking at an off-course to the table. One possible approach to this kind ofsequence would be to continue turning on the landing side of jump #7, as thoughdirecting the dog back to jump #4. As the dog gets past the table, the handler will kick outand indicate the #8 jump.

White Numbers – Allow your students to play with the opening discrimination. Itdoesn’t matter what the do, so long as it works. If what they are doing doesn’t work,change something. You can play with both the magnet position, and the blockingposition. The downside of the magnet position is that the handler might not get aroundthe A-frame in time to give a good signal to jump #3. The problem with the blocking sidemight be getting a well-directed line from jump #3 to #4.

The short transition to #3 might be a problem. An early command for the dog would beextremely helpful.

The team faces a discrimination again at the #7 pipe tunnel, coming off of a robustjumping series. The handler is almost surely stuck in the post position. A slightlyexaggerated turn after jump #6 would help pull the dog away from an off course over theA-frame. A back cross at jump #6 should also work. The back cross usually results in atightened turn on the landing side of the jump.


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Black Numbers – This is clearly a threadle sequence. We have a threadle from jump #2to #3, and another #6 to #7. The threadle is always an opportunity for a combination turn.For example the threadle from #2 to #3 might be handled as a cross to a post. It mightalso be handled as a tight post to a tandem. Whatever works is actually right. Yourstudents should be willing to experiment. It might actually be necessary to experiment tofind something that works.

In the transition from the #5 pipe tunnel to jump #6, probably the biggest error thehandler could make would be to do a post to jump #6 and wind up on the landing side ofthat jump. This handling would make it very difficult to make the threadle to jump #6.

White Numbers – The sequence starts with a tough and tight turn from jump #1 to jump#2. The key to this turn is not to try to make too straight of a line from jump to jump.Allow the dog to peak a bit to that he has a good approach to jump #2. This is surely apost and tandem sequence, into the weave poles. But, whatever works is right. Thehandler could start with a crossing turn and post up into the weave poles. Or, it mighteven be possible to treat the transition from jump #1 to #2 as a straight line.

The most interesting challenge in the balance of the sequence is the discrimination at #7.The final turn of the sequence, from the #7 A-frame into the pipe tunnel underneathmight actually dictate the turn from jump #5 to 6. It probably should be a post. But theturn would work very nicely as a hard-charging blind cross if the handler decides eitherto cross behind the dog on the ascent of the A-frame, or push the dog from left to right onthe descent of the A-frame.


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Black Numbers – Note the short transition from the pipe tunnel at #1 to jump #2. Itmight be a good idea for the handler to push the dog out a bit before turning back so thatthe dog has a nice presentation of the jump.

Following jump #2 is a short serpentine. If the handler pushes the dog out of the pipetunnel for the initial approach to jump #2 this probably will have to be started withtandem turns on the landing sides of jumps #2 and #3. Then the handler can settle downinto a post position. If the handler wants a bolder (and riskier) approach to jump #2, the#2 to #3 and #3 to #4 transitions could probably be handled as blind turns.

Note the long transition from the teeter at #6 to jump #7. This could likely be handled asa simple (but long) post turn.

White Numbers – The opening sequence features a discrimination problem from obliqueapproach. This really shouldn’t be a problem. It’s worth noting that the handling ispossibly dictated by the gentle turn from jump #3 to #4. That means that dog on right intothe pipe tunnel would be the best position. Handling this sequence from the magnet sideit would be a good idea to have a little insurance. Exaggerate the turn after jump #1,pulling the dog towards the center of the weave poles. As the dog slides past the A-frame,kick out into the pipe tunnel. The timing has to be pretty smart.

The real question at jump #4 is the direction of the turn. The handler’s impulse mightsurely be to turn to the right (maybe with a back cross). But if you look at the sequenceon paper, a left turn would make the line through jump #5 to the pipe tunnel much morepromising.

JFF Notebook Week Two December, 2000

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Colors is a game borrowed from Canine Performance Events (CPE), the invention of Linda Eickholdt.

BriefingYour team is required to run each of the three different levels of courses. Red is theSuperior course. Blue is the Intermediate course. Green is the beginners course. Yourteam must keep a score for each of the levels. Therefore, the throwaway score for theteam cannot leave the team without a score for each level.

The course will be numbered for Beginners. Use the attached course maps to determineyour handling strategy for the course you intend to run. Please let both the timekeeperand the judge know which course you are attempting before beginning your run.

We’ll be using JFF rules for the conduct of this game. These general rule revisions willbe observed: If a dog misses the up contact of the teeter with a side-mount a missedcontact will be faulted. If the dog walks straight up the ramp the contact will not befaulted whether or not the dog hits the yellow.

Off-courses will be faulted for one-paw only.

Marking Your JFF Dance CardsZero faults are required to qualify. The qualifying score corresponds to the level at whichyou run your dog.


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Beginners Class Plan – Week Two

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Set AIn this set you will do no sequencing with dogs. The intention tonight is only to give thedog an introduction to the three obstacles in your working set: The teeter, tire, and ajump. Ignore the other obstacles in close proximity to your working set, and don’t allowyour students to put their dogs up on obstacles you have not taught them.

Introducing the Teeter – We’ll have the training seesaw out, with walls on either side sothat the dog cannot bail off the side. We build the walls with two large cardboard boxeson either side of the teeter. Picket-style jump wings bridge the gap between the cardboardboxes. So this forms a bit of a canyon for the dog, and really doesn’t give the doganywhere to escape once he’s committed to the perilous journey over the ramp.

IH

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Remember our methodology is never to compelthe dog. On the introduction, the instructor willhold the dog’s leash while the handler goes tothe other side to call the dog over. If the dogtries to go right or go left, around the seesaw,you will check the dog’s motion. If the dogvolunteers to get to his human by going over theseesaw, then you will just let the leash slipthrough your fingers. You must control thedescent of the board so that it doesn’t dropsuddenly, or with a bang.


Introducing the Tire – The tire will be set at the lowest position. We’ll be using the biground training tire. Put the dogs through on the handler’s right side. Put the dogs throughon the handler’s left side. Get the handler to take a lead out (dog on leash), and call thedog straight through the tire. Each repetition should be rewarded with a food treat.

If the dogs are doing the tire with some confidence, allow your students to make thepresentation off-lead. If the dog can be kept in a sit or a down stay, the handler shouldlead out to the landing side of the tire and call the dog through using a lure, if necessary.The handler should not face the dog through the tire, but face in the direction the dog issupposed to move, while looking back towards the dog and making the presentation withthe hand on the side of the tire and the dog.

Review the Jump – Begin in your set putting all dogs over a jump. Put the dogs over onthe handler’s right side. Put the dogs over on the handler’s left side. Get the handler totake a lead out (dog on leash), and call the dog straight over the bar. The handler’spresentation of the jump should include all of these starting positions. When working thedog at side, teach the handler to face in the direction the dog is moving, and present thejump with the hand closest to the dog. When leading out, the handler should still face thedirection of the dog’s movement, and with the hand closest to the dog’s path held out topresent the jump. The jump will be set at the X-bar position. Each repetition should berewarded with a food treat.

Review the Collapsed Tunnel: Get each of your students to present the collapsed tunnelto their dogs. Work the tunnel with the dog on right. And, work the tunnel with the dogon left. If any of the dog’s are hesitant about the tunnel, you should go back to our basicintroductory techniques. Get the handler to go to the exit end and lift the fabric on thefirst repetition or two. Then you can switch sides so that the handler can present theobstacle to the dog. Hold the chute open for the dogs on the first pass through. Thenallow the dogs to push open the fabric by themselves. If necessary, you can fold the chuteback on itself so that the total length of the chute is shorter. You can lengthen the chutegradually as the dog demonstrates more confidence with the obstacle.

Review the Pipe Tunnel: Spend some time reacquainting the dogs with the pipe tunnel.Shorten it down to a very small pipe that the dogs can clearly see through. The handlershould present the tunnel on both left and right. If a dog has a problem with the tunnel theinstructor needs to take the dog’s lead while the handler goes around to the exit side tocall the dog through. The instructor keeps the dog from ducking left or right, but allowsthe dog to go through the tunnel if he volunteers to do so. Add length and bending to thetunnel on successive repetitions, until you have a nice “L” shaped tunnel.

Set BIn this set you will do no sequencing with dogs. The intention tonight is to review theobstacles in your working set: The pipe tunnel, table, weave poles, A-frame andDogwalk. Ignore the other obstacles in close proximity to your working set, and don’tallow your students to put their dogs up on obstacles you have not taught them.


Review the Table: Today you will ask for a simple performance on the table. Get thedog on the table. Ask the dog to lie down. Praise and reward the dog. Next put the dog onthe table and ask the dog to sit. Praise and reward the dog. The handler should becompletely positive with the dog when doing this work so that the dog has a happyassociation with the table and the performance being required at the table.

Remind your students that they need to be working on these skills at home. It is notenough to spend a few minutes at class each week with sit and down performances.

Review the A-Frame: We’ll have the A-Frame set at about 3-1/2’. Monitor your studentsto make sure they aren’t compelling their dogs. The dogs may go off-leash this week. Butyour students must be careful not to pull on the dog while he’s performing the A-Frame.Our methodology is never to compel the dog. The handler works over the A-frame withthe dog, using a food treat to lure if necessary. The handler should alternate working thedog on both left and right. A lot of praise and an immediate food reward at the bottom ofthe A-frame will make the dog a lot more confident and willing to climb this obstacle.

Review the Weave Poles: The weave poles will be fully wired. Tonight you should do atleast four repetitions of this obstacle, working alternately on the handler’s right, and onthe handler’s left. The dog must be on leash, with the handler’s inside arm holding theleash or collar so that the dog can not jump over or duck under the wires. We do not wantto compel the dog through the wires. We want the dog to pick his own footsteps. The dogcan be lured with food to help him make those footsteps.

Review the weave poles with dogs on lead. It’s not a good idea to allow the dogs off-leadunless they are clearly demonstrating that they are picking their own steps without havingto be lured or corrected through the poles. Note that the correction is not to yank the dogback and forth, but merely to prevent the dog from jumping over the wires, or duckingunder. If a dog is allowed off-lead, and then jumps over or ducks under the wires; thenthe lead must immediately go back on, and that particular experiment ended for thisevening at least.

Review the Dogwalk: We’ll have the trainer dogwalk up, with the wide boards and thetop set at about 3’. Our methodology is never to compel the dog. The handler works overthe dogwalk with the dog, using a food treat to lure if necessary. The handler shouldalternate working the dog on both left and right. A lot of praise and an immediate foodreward at the bottom of the dogwalk will make the dog a lot more confident and willingto climb up over this obstacle.

If a dog is refusing the dogwalk we can use a very effective technique for getting the dogto volunteer to walk up the ramp. The instructor should hold the dog’s leash while thehandler walks up the ramp to the center table, calling the dog after her. If the dog tries togo left or right around the ascent ramp the instructor will draw the dog up short at the endof the leash. If the dog volunteers to walk up, however, the instructor just lets him go. Donot pull on the dog’s lead while he is walking up the ramp. That will make him verynervous.


Beginners’ Handout – Week TwoNow that you’ve begun your agility career, you’ll quickly find that you’ll be developing atraining relationship with your dog. If you don’t come from the dog world, some of thetraining we do with our dogs might be completely new to you, and hopefully quite fun toplay with.

Playing with a dog in agility requires a tension between the dog and handler that can bestbe characterized as attention. To get 100% attention from the dog, the handler must givethe dog 100% of attention. This tension comes from developing a learning relationshipbetween the dog and human. A dog must learn to learn. The dog’s human handler is theteacher, or trainer.

Training With AttitudePlease follow these simple rules for training your dog.

• Training must be reward based – What does your dog love? Is it food? Is it a gamewith a toy? Which does your dog love best? You should know the answer to thesequestions. A dog will be very keen to learn when it earns him his favorite reward.You should early on establish a working relationship that promises lots and lots ofreward for the dog. You must always be ready with the reward to reinforce a dog’sperformance. Don’t be stingy!

• Don’t train with negatives – Don’t give your dog harsh or emotionally loadedcorrections when you are training or playing. You’ll not be the kind of partner worthyof playing with, and your dog will learn to avoid your play sessions. Don’t train witha choke collar or a pinch collar. Don’t yell at your dog. Don’t tell your dog No! whenhe doesn’t get what you are trying to teach him. Look at it this way. With a positivereinforcer you can be very specific about the behavior that is being rewarded, keepingthe pup upbeat and eager to repeat the behavior that earned the reward. But with anegative the dog has to guess what you are being so upset and mental about, and mayshut down, trying to eliminate the behaviors that might have incurred your wrath.

The Lead-Hand GameIn this game, you’ll teach the dog to target to your lead hand. In agility, the lead hand isthe hand you use to show a dog what obstacles to do, and what path to take on course. Soit’s very valuable for you to teach the dog to pay keen attention to your lead hand.

Step One – Show the dog that the hand holds reward. Load up both hands with yourdog’s favorite food treats. Present your hand to your dog. As he sniffs your hand, andactually touches your hand with his nose, tell him “Good boy!” in an excited voice, andpop a treat into his mouth. Continue to offer your hand, praising and rewarding your dogfor each touch, until it’s clear he’s figured out what gets him the reward.

Note: This game should be played equally with both the right hand and the left hand. Youshould not face the dog to give the treats. You should be facing slightly away from thedog, making the dog come up behind you to touch the hand. This is to reinforce the


posture you’ll have with the dog in agility. You’ll be on the move, facing the samedirection the dog is facing. The lead hand is always the hand closer to the dog. You don’twant to cross your body with your lead hand.

Step Two – Make the dog chase the hand to get the reward. Now you’re going tobegin a game of chase. As your dog moves towards your hand to give the touch that earnsthe reward, you’ll begin to move, away from the dog in a straight line, while lookingback at the dog. This will cause your dog to chase the hand to get the touch that earns thetreat. You should move only so fast that the dog is allowed to succeed, catching yourhand every three or four treats. But as you work you should be able to move faster andfaster, making your dog run to catch the hand. Play this game equally with both the righthand and the left hand.

Step Three – Do the figure of eight. We use an exercise called the Figure-of-eight toteach the dog to pay keen attention to the handler’s lead. The Agility Figure-of-eight isvery different from the heeling exercise that they do in obedience. In obedience the dog isalways on the handler’s left side. In agility we are ambidextrous. We work the dogequally on both right and left sides.

The easy way to do the figure-of-eight is to place two objects about 8 feet apart. Thesecan be chairs, garbage cans, or even traffic cones. The handler must begin with bothhands loaded up with treats. The dog gets a lot of treats in this game, and will quicklylearn to love the game because of the constant reward from the handler. The handlerbegins with the dog in the middle and escorts the dog around one of the objects, givingthe dog treats each time the dog shows keen attention to the lead hand. Note that the dogtakes the wide path while the handler takes the lazy inside path.

As the first circle of the figure-of-eight closes, the handler must get his dog on theopposite side, so that the dog will again take the wider path while the handler takes theshorter path. To effect the change of side the handler must turn towards the dog, and flipover to the dog’s opposite side. This is called a crossing turn. Your instructor willdemonstrate this for you in class.

Hide ‘n Seek in the HouseHide ‘n Seek a fun game to while away the winter hours in your house. Leave your dogsin one place in the house, while you go to another to take up a hiding place. Then callyour dogs, and let them seek you out. You should have some treats with you so that thedogs get a reward once they find you. It might be necessary to give them a little help bycalling to them more than once if you’ve done a good job finding the perfect hidingplace. Hiding behind a door, in the shower, alongside a bed, or in a closet are all goodchoices. You can get more creative if you’re dogs are excellent trackers.

Ideally, the game will start as a proofing exercise for a sit-stay or a down-stay. But ifyour dog doesn’t have those particular skills, you can get a little help. You can getsomeone to restrain your dogs for you until you call to them. Or, if you don’t have help,you can pop the game on them unexpectedly. Wait until they are napping, then hideyourself and call for them from your hiding place.


Advanced Beginners Class Plan – Week Two

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Black Numbers – There are two sequences that share the first three obstacles in thisworking set. Starting with jump #3 do the two alternating finishes. Then start with jump#2 and do the two alternating finishes. Finally, start with the table, and do the twoalternating finishes. If the dogs are having difficulty with the entry to the weave poles,show your students how to rotate their bodies back towards the dog to check the dog’sstride and slow the action down. Note, this is an RFP.

On sequences that end with the dogwalk, make sure the handler is coming to a stop on thedescent, offering the dog a food treat in the yellow contact zone.

White Numbers – Starting with the tire, you will back-chain this sequence.

If dogs are having difficulty with the teeter, you’ll want to give the handler an assist,gentling the dog over the ramp. The dog should be given a lot of praise and reward foreach successful repetition.

1. Begin by doing several repetitions of the tire. The tire should be performed both onthe handler’s left, and on the handlers right.

2. Next do the teeter, and on the descent, immediately release the dog to the tire.3. Do the pipe tunnel, and on to the rest of the sequence.4. Do the #3 jump and on to the rest of the sequence.5. Do the #2 collapsed chute, and on to the rest of the sequence.6. Start with the A-frame, and complete the sequence. You students should be stopping

alongside the dog on the descent of the A-frame to give the dog a food treat.


Advanced Beginners’ Handout – Week TwoIt’s important to establish this simple principle when training for agility. Agility is agame we play in the park on the weekends with our dogs. Agility is just a game. You’regoing to have to learn to be the kind of partner that your dog actually wants to play with.If you take agility too seriously, if you get mental about what the dog gets and what thedog doesn’t get, if you get flustered and frustrated… it isn’t likely that the dog will seeagility as a game, or particularly care to play it with you.

This advice might seem perfectly easy to ignore right now. If you’ve trained a dog forobedience and happened to experience some success, earning qualifying scores, eventitles, in spite of training by jerking your dog’s neck, choking the dog, pinching the dog’sears, telling the dog No! when he didn’t get thing right, then you might not be particularlymotivated to change your stripes. You might privately believe that you can teach agilitythat way too.

Someday, when you’re competing in agility with a dog that slowly skulks along, playingwith little joy, being careful not to make mistakes, you might marvel at the dogs that arequalifying, and having fun, and taking all of the placement ribbons. Please note that thosedog trainers don’t teach with negatives. They approach agility with their dogs as a game.

Attention exercises

The goal of these exercises is to teach our dogs to give us attention in a more distractingenvironment. This training builds on the exercises, steps 1 through 3, shown in theAdvanced Beginners Handout from week one.

Key elements: No corrections! We reward the dog for offering attention and she, in turn,teaches us to feed her when she gives us her signal. We’re upping the ante this week andasking our dog to work harder to get the treats.

Equipment: Lots of treats cut in small pieces, a plain buckle collar and a 20-foot lightline.

Step 4 – Put the plain buckle collar and 20-foot line on your dog. Hold 2 hands full oftreats where your dog is very aware of them. By this phase in the training, your dog mayknow what the game is as soon as you attach the long line. Load up with treats and gointo your routine of walking slowly and quietly in random patterns. Move to a moredistracting area, closer to other dogs or people. Work in this more distractingenvironment until your dog is responding consistently with her signal (sit and stare atyour face). Give her enough time to remember what she learned in the past week. Do notaccommodate your inattentive dog, but remain constant in your immediate rewards.

Step 5 – Move back to the less distracting environment, further from other dogs andpeople, and increase your walking speed. You’re now asking the dog to think faster andwork harder at offering her signal (sit and stare at your face). Don’t accommodateinattention, but occasionally allow your dog to catch up and give her signal and get herreward. We want to help her remember, not discourage her too much at this point.


Step 6 – You’re now in a less distracting environment, walking quickly in a randompattern, turning away from your dog often, allowing her to rush ahead and offer hersignal (sit and stare at your face). Repeat this step until she successfully offers you hersignal on 15-20 occasions. When you’re ready to quit this training session, get one lastsignal with eye contact, feed all the remaining treats, and praise your dog. Remove thelong line, put your regular leash on your dog, and relax.

Homework

Practice step 6 every day for 5-10 minutes, perhaps substituting your dogs dinner for the(probably) less nutritious and higher-calorie treats.

Jump and Change Your LeadThe crossing turn and the blind turn are turns that transfer the dog from one lead hand tothe other. For example, you might approach a jump with the dog on your left, and on thelanding side switch the dog to your right. We’re ambidextrous in agility! The onlydifference between the two turns is the direction that you actually rotate in your turn.

It’s the handler’s responsibility to call the dog’s attention to the new lead hand. It wouldbe a great idea to train the dog to look for the lead hand change. So this exercise isintended to do that very thing. The exercise requires only one jump.

The Crossing Turn – The crossing turn is always a turn towards the dog. If the dog is onyour left side, you would make the turn to the left, towards the dog.

Approach the jump with your dog on left, while holding a food treat in your right hand.As soon as the dog commits over the jump, make the turn, turning towards your dog, andmove off calling the dog to your right lead. As soon as the dog comes up on your right,give the treat. Do this over and over so that the dog is keen to watch for the lead handchange. Do this same exercise starting the dog on your right, and crossing to put the dogon your left.

Please note that you should not begin the turn until the dog is committed over the jump. Ifyou begin the turn too early it may cause the dog to refuse the bar, or to knock it down.

The Blind Turn – The blind turn is always a turn away from the dog. If your dog is onyour left side, you will turn to the right, and keep on turning until you can look back topick up your dog.

Approach the jump with your dog on left, while holding a food treat in your right hand.As soon as the dog commits over the jump, make the turn, turning away from your dog,and move off calling the dog to your right lead. As soon as the dog comes up on yourright, give the treat. Do this over and over so that the dog is keen to watch for the leadhand change. Do this same exercise starting the dog on your right, and crossing to put thedog on your left.

Please note that when you’re doing a blind turn, you aren’t blind the rest of your life. Youlose connection with your dog for less than half a second. If you’re losing yourconnection longer than that, you aren’t doing the turn quickly enough.


Novice Class Plan – Week Two

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White Numbers – The opening of this sequence should be quite simple. Keep the dog onthe handler’s left for the first two obstacles, the dogwalk and the pipe tunnel at #2.During the performance of the #2 pipe tunnel get your students to practice both a blindturn and a crossing turn. In this movement it would be useful for the handler to practice ascoop at the pipe tunnel so that the dog doesn’t catch the handler standing still near the #3jump.

What we’d like to play with in this exercise is how the #4 pipe tunnel is handled. We’dlike to develop a modest send to the pipe tunnel. So rather than running all the way to thetunnel entrance with the dog, the handler should attempt to send the dog on, and steparound the dogwalk to meet the dog as he emerges from the pipe tunnel.

Black Numbers – This short set is rich with handling possibilities. The obvious solutionis to keep the dog on left coming off the A-frame in a post turn, pushing on to jump #2and the tire. The 180º turn from the tire could be a post turn, a crossing turn, or even ablind turn. You might want to play with each of these turns during the exercise.

Save a couple of the turns at the tire for an alternate strategy for dismounting the A-frame. Rather than a post turn, the handle could do a crossing turn on the descent. Thiswould be especially useful if the dog is apt to miss the down contact. With a crossing turnthe handler can approach jumps #2 and the tire at #3 with the dog on right.

Watch that your students aren’t pulling their dogs off the side of the A-frame byindicating the turn too early.


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White Numbers – This sequence allows a heel-side performance of the weave poles. Thehandler should not anticipate the turn to the pipe tunnel. Indicating the turn before thedog has finished the performance is likely to pull the dog out of the weave poles early.

After getting the dog into the pipe tunnel the handler must move forward to indicate the#3 jump. This won’t be so much of a problem. However, the off-course entry to the pipetunnel beyond the jump is presented more clearly to the dog than is the proper entrance.

The indicated handling is a post and tandem. On the landing side of jump #3 the handlerturns right, as though to present the dummy jump; as the dog turns away from the off-course tunnel entry the handler kicks out. This is a tandem on the flat, experiment withboth the off-arm signal and the on-side arm signal. Your students need to get a goodhandle on which is more effective for their dogs.

Black Numbers – Into the pinwheel off the A-frame, the handler will probably need acrossing turn on the descent of the A-frame. A post turn could put the handler behind atjump #2, and lose the dog off-course to the table. A crossing turn, on the other hand, putsthe handler on the turning side of the course, which is always prudent.

Discourage your students from slowing down or coming to a stop on the approach tojump #3. The dog thrives on the handler’s motion. Slowing down, or stopping, deprivesthe dog of an important cue. Instead, get your students to run through jump #3 and makethe turn to jump #4 a blind turn, putting the dog and jump on a left lead. This makes for amuch more robust sequence. Of course, this movement won’t be possible with a very fastdog.


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White Numbers – This sequence starts with an off-side performance of the weave poles.The real riddle of this sequence will be the approach to the pipe tunnel at #3. In generalthe Dogwood philosophy is, “whatever works is right.” It would be a good idea for you toget your students to try this sequence in a couple different ways, regardless of whetherwhat they did actually worked.

One approach would be to keep the dog on post, on the handler’s right lead, from theweave poles over jump #2. Then, on the landing side of jump #2 the handler will executea tandem turn to kick the dog into the pipe tunnel at #3. Another possibility would be todo a crossing turn on the exit of the weave poles. This puts the dog on the handler’s left,which just happens to be the turning side of the course on the landing side of jump #2.This allows the handler to pull the dog into the pipe tunnel using a simple post turn.

Black Numbers – This is an exercise in posting the dog. There are two goodopportunities for a good post turn presentation. Jump #2 is presented at a very depressedangle. Attacking the two jumps as a straight line would be risky. The dog might not seejump #2 and would get a refusal. Instead, the handler should take a modest lead-out. Asthe dog clears jump #1 the handler will wrap the dog around his body and make thepresentation of jump #2. This movement is calculated to give the dog a good line throughjump #2 to the table at #3.

The presentation of the A-frame is another opportunity for posting the dog. Again,attacking the A-frame straight off the table is risky. In this scenario it might even be a bitdangerous. The handler should take a modest lead out while the dog is in position on thetable. As the dog approaches the handler, on a left lead, the handler wraps the dog aroundhis body and makes the presentation of the A-frame.


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White Numbers – This sequence is nothing short of a riddle for Novice students. Thetoughest turn will be the turn from jump #2 to the teeter at #3. First of all, if the handlercomes out of the weave poles with dog on right, the sequence is probably doomed. Thepost turn puts the handler on the wrong side of the action. So a crossing turn coming outof the weave poles is recommended.

If the handler makes turn after jump #2 a simple post turn the off-course into the pipetunnel would be difficult to prevent. A crossing turn would be a better idea. However, thehandler probably doesn’t want the dog on right during the performance of the teeter. Thisjust gets more and more complicated! This would be a good opportunity to cross behindthe dog on the ascent of the teeter.

Black Numbers – Because the approach to the A-frame at #4 might be a bit unsafe if nothandled correctly, you will not want your students to run the sequence without talkingabout how to handle this passage.

There are a couple different ways to handle the transition to the A-frame. In each case thehandler’s objective is to bring the dog out square to the A-frame, and to give the dog anadequate approach to build up speed to get up and over the ramp. You could show yourstudents a tandem on the flat. On the landing side of jump #3 the handler should lead thestudent 8’ or 10’ beyond the front edge of the A-frame, and then turn back using either anoff-arm or an inside-arm signal. You could also try a crossing turn on the landing side ofjump #3, to bring the dog around in a post turn to address the A-frame.

Note that the tire at #1 and jump #2 can be lined up in a neat straight line. Rather thandoing any fancy handling the handler can take a modest lead-out keeping the dog on left.


Competition Class Plan – Week Two

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White Numbers – The worst thing that could happen in this sequence is for the handlerto be on the wrong side of the dogwalk during the performance of the pipe tunnel at #4. Ifthe handler doesn’t trust the dog to go on to the tunnel, that might lead the handler to gowith the dog to the tunnel to make the presentation. Of course, this leaves the handlerwell away from the exit of the tunnel where the dog should be picked up for thepresentation of the weave poles at #5. In the transition from the pipe tunnel at #2 to thepipe tunnel at #4 the handler will want to send the dog on over jump #3 to the pipetunnel, while stepping to the opposite side of the dogwalk. Trust the dog. Dogs tend towork in a path parallel to the handler. So, the handler needs to be in motion in a pathparallel to that the dog should be working.

It would be a good idea for the handler to conserve movement while the dog is in the #2pipe tunnel (a scoop). That way the dog won’t catch the handler standing still in thevicinity of jump #3.

Black Numbers – Keep it simple. The real riddle in this sequence will be the turn fromjump #4 to #5. The turn at the #3 tire is key. If the dog turns to the left the balance of thesequence is made tougher than necessary. The approach to jump #5 will be depressed andmay cause refusals. If the dog is turned to the left, from the #3 tire, the turn after jump #4will be squarer, and will improve the dog’s line to the table at #6.

At jump #4 the handler can either use a post turn or a tandem turn. The post turn wouldbe indicated if the dog is on the handler’s right lead. The tandem turn (possibly even aback cross) would be necessary if the handler has the dog on a left lead.


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White Numbers – The pitch into the weave poles after jump #2 will be a real test of thedog’s ability to get the entry. If the dog needs an assist the handler will have to push out abit until the dog is beyond the entry. If the dog knows how to do the job, the handler cantrust the dog to get out and get into a proper entry.

In the tunnel to tunnel transition, #4 to #6, the handler will probably want a post andtandem on the landing side of jump #5.

There is some danger of an off-course back-jump of #5 coming out of the #5 pipe tunnel.The handler will want to get a good connection with the dog for a presentation of thedogwalk at #7.

Black Numbers – This sequence is a severe serpentine. Off the A-frame the handler caneither post to jump #2 or do a crossing turn to jump #2. Each of these openings hasdifferent implications for the surviving the rest of the sequence.

The key to the sequence will again be the turn after the tire at #5. A left turn will be moresure. A right turn will be risky, but probably will be more efficient if it is successful.Whichever turn the handler decides to make on the tire will influence how the transitionfrom jump #4 to the tire is handled. To turn right at the tire, the handler will have to makea post turn. To turn left at the tire, the handler will have to do a cross. Of course, all ofthis depends on the handler making the approach to jump #4 with dog-on-left. Thatmeans that the handler will have to do some kind of cross between jumps #3 and #4.Some of your students may do something completely ugly between jumps #3 and #4. Forexample, they may make that turn a post, and then back cross behind the dog on the take-off side of jump #4.


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White Numbers – In this sequence the transition from the weave poles to the pipe tunnelat #3 will be interesting. The off course opportunity at #4 jump after jump #2 mayinfluence the handling decision. The jump is very close to the tunnel entry. This openingcould be handled either with a cross coming out of the weave poles, followed by a postafter jump #2. Or, you could try it with a post coming out of the poles and a tandem onthe landing side of jump #2. You might want to have your students try it both ways.

The closing sequence provides another opportunity to practice a send on to the #5 pipetunnel so that the handler will be in position to make a presentation of the weave poles at#6. During the performance of the #3 pipe tunnel the handler will want to move alongsidejump #2 in order to have some lateral distance from the dog on the approach to jump #4.If the handler is too close to the dog on the approach to #4, the dog may pull awaytowards the handler as the handler steps back to get on the opposite side of the dogwalk.

Black Numbers – This will be a nice and easy sequence. The opening sweep would bestbe handled in a simple post presentation, keeping dog on right all the way to the table.The handler needs to be careful of over-rotating during the performance of jump #3. Thehandler could either work for a square corner on the approach to #3, or just let the doghave the most efficient line, and make the turn to the table after the dog is committedover the jump. This opening certainly could be handled with a tandem turn at jump #3.

The closing sequence could be handled in a couple different ways. The handler has thechoice of making a post turn off the A-frame, or can make a crossing turn of it. So if thehandler has the dog on the left on the approach to jump #6, the turn to jump #7 will haveto be a tandem or a back cross. If the handler has the dog on right on the approach tojump #6 the close is a simple post turn.


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White Numbers – This sequence is quite a riddle. The main challenge will be the turnfrom jump #2 to the teeter at #3. Allow your students to try this sequence with thehandling of their own choosing (sometimes called the “entertainment round”). Certainlywhatever works is right. The sequence is complicated by the direction of the turn after theteeter. The handler wants dog on left on the approach to jump #2, but will probably wantdog on left for the turn to jump #4. Another strategy that might work would be for thehandler to do a cross (axle) coming out of the weave poles, and then a tight post to theteeter. The downside of this strategy would be that the pipe tunnel is presented to the dogas an off-course opportunity after jump #2. So the handler might plan on crossing againon the turn after jump #2; and doing a back cross as the dog mounts the teeter. The crosson the landing side of jump #2 will tighten the dog’s turn to the teeter and will put thehandler in a position to block the approach to the pipe tunnel. Be careful of crossingbehind the dog on the ascent of a contact obstacle. The handler’s movement needs to besmooth, and barely perceptible to the dog. The handler should slide up on the dog’s rightside before the dog even realizes that the handler has changed sides.

Black Numbers – You’ll have to speak to your competition students about giving thedog a fair and safe approach to the A-frame at #4. The opening sequence requires thehandler to work the dog after jump #3 to a position that provides a fair presentation of theramp when the dog is turned back. This is a great opportunity for a tandem on the flat.Your students should be experimenting with what arm signal is most effective for theirdogs, the inside arm, or the evil off-arm. Note that the tire at #1 and jump #2 can bepresented in a nice straight line to the dog. This allows the handler to take a modest lead-out to keep the opening three hurdles nice and simple with no complicated handling.Don’t put a turn where no turn need exist.

JFF Notebook Week Three December, 2000

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BriefingThe game begins at the designated start-line, and ends at the table. The dog and handlerhave 50 seconds to accumulate as many points as possible. The team must get to the tablebefore course time elapses. If the team gets to the table before time expires, they keep allpoints accumulated on course. If the team fails to do so, half of the points are lost. Therewill be no warning whistle. Watches are not allowed on-course.

Obstacles can be taken only twice during point accumulation. Back-to-back is permitted.Jumps that are knocked down will not be reset. Jumps = 1 point; tunnels and tire = 3points; contact obstacles and the weave poles = 5 points.

During the run, all current points can be doubled by performing the A-frame. Asuccessful performance doubles all points. If, however, the dog faults the A-frame,existing points are halved. The A-frame can be performed as often as the handler (or dog)desires. However, an obstacle must be completed for points between each performance ofthe doubling obstacle.

Marking Your JFF Dance Cards

• Games I => 40 points• Games II => 80 points• Games III => 160 points


Beginners Class Plan – Week Three

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This week we will begin to do some simple sequencing with the dogs in class. Thismeans only two obstacles in sequence. Each obstacles must be reviewed individuallybefore the two are taken in sequence.

Black Numbers – Begin by reviewing the weave poles. They will be fully wired forclass. If the dog works through the poles off-lead we’re looking pretty good in weekthree. However, if the dog jumps over or ducks under the wires, the handler mustimmediately put the lead back on and escort the dog through the poles to show the way.Work the dog equally on left and right. Remind your students that they should not rely ona few minutes in class each week to teach their dogs the weave poles. They need thisequipment at home.

Also review the jump. Remind your students to praise and reward the dog for each timethe dog goes successfully over the jump. Conclude by sequencing the two obstaclestogether.

White Numbers – Begin by reviewing the collapsed tunnel. Initially you should hold thechute open for each dog. As the dogs begin working through confidently, drop the chuteon them mid-way. Finish by allowing the dogs to push through the chute themselves.Next, review the pipe tunnel. Begin with it somewhat compressed. Add length to thetunnel after each repetition. Should any dog refuse either of the tunnels you should resortto the introduction method, holding the dog’s leash while the handler goes to the oppositeside and calls the dog through. Conclude by sequencing the two obstacles together.


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Black Numbers – Begin by reviewing the pipe tunnel. Begin with it somewhatcompressed. Add length to the tunnel after each repetition. Should any dog refuse eitherof the tunnels you should resort to the introduction method, holding the dog’s leash whilethe handler goes to the opposite side and calls the dog through.

Also, review the jump. Remind your students to praise and reward the dog for each timethe dog goes successfully over the jump.

Conclude by sequencing the two obstacles together. Do this short sequence in bothdirections. If you have enough time, you might include the unnumbered jump alongsidejump #1, making the sequence jump-tunnel-jump, in both directions.

White Numbers – Begin by doing the second jump only. Our intention is to back-chainthe two jumps. The handler should give the dog a reward and praise. When the dogs inyour group are happily performing the #2 jump, begin sequencing the two together.

This is a good opportunity to talk to your students about working on the turning side ofthe course. Although the two jumps could actually be addressed in a straight line, thesebeginner dogs need a square presentation of the first jump. Consequently, a turn would berequired after jump #1 on the approach to jump #2. Teach your students to use a leadhand, working slightly in front of their dogs and pointing to each jump in turn.

Sequence the two jumps together in both directions.

You can also point out to your students that the two jumps are essentially a straight line.Have your students do these two jumps by leaving their dogs in a sit-stay and taking alead-out half way between the two jumps.


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Black Numbers – Begin by reviewing the dogwalk. The walk will be set very low, atabout 3’. The dogwalk should be presented to the dog by pointing down into the ramp.The handler should move quickly to down-side contact and offer the dog a food reward.The food reward should be offered low, and in front of the dog. This encourages the dogto focus down and forward on the ramp. Work the dogwalk equally on the handler’s rightand on the handler’s left.

Finally, sequence the two obstacles together. The handler should continue to offer thedog a food treat in the down contact. Continue to work the dogwalk equally on thehandler’s right and on the handler’s left.

White Numbers – Begin by reviewing the collapsed chute. If necessary you can holdopen the chute for the dogs. The progression in getting the dog to go through the chutewithout assistance is: 1) Hold the chute open for the dog for two repetitions; 2) Initiallyhold the chute open, but drop the chute on the dog 2/3rds the way through the chute; 3)Initially hold the chute open, but drop the chute on the dog 1/3rd the way through thechute; 4) Hold the dog’s lead while the handler goes to the opposite side of the chute tocall the dog through. Advise the handler to drop the chute on the dog 1/2 way through. Ifthe dog tries to go left or right check the leash. If the dog offers to go through the tunnel,let the lead slip through your fingers. 5) The handler offers the dog the chute. In thisprogression the handler should switch back and forth between a right-hand lead and aleft-hand lead.

Finally, sequence the two obstacles together. The handler should take a modest lead-out,leaving the dog behind jump #1. Do the two-obstacle sequence both on the handler’s leftand on the handler’s right.


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Black Numbers – Begin by reviewing the table. Show our methodology for teaching aprompt down. The handler should have a treat in hand. As the dog gets up on the table thehandler’s fist drops to the table, as the handler gives a down command. The commandshould not be repeated. The handler patiently waits until the dog assumes a downposition. As the dog finally gets into a down position the handler should immediatelyopen his fist and allow the dog to get the food treat.

Also review the tire. The handler should leave the dog in a stay position and move to thelanding side of the tire. Lure the dog through the aperture with a food treat. This shouldbe practiced both on the handler’s left and the handler’s right.

Finally, sequence the two obstacles together. The handler should take a modest lead-outfrom the table. Practice the two obstacle sequence both on the handler’s right and on thehandler’s left.

White Numbers – Begin by reviewing the A-frame. The A-frame will be set very low, atabout 4’. The A-frame should be presented to the dog by pointing down into the ramp.The handler should move quickly to down-side contact and offer the dog a food reward.The food reward should be offered low, and in front of the dog. This encourages the dogto focus down and forward on the ramp. Work the A-frame equally on the handler’s rightand on the handler’s left.

Finally, sequence the two obstacles together. The handler should continue to offer thedog a food treat in the down contact. Continue to work the A-frame equally on thehandler’s right and on the handler’s left.


Beginners’ Handout – Week ThreeDogs operate with a pack mentality. When you bring dogs into your habitat, you becomea member of the pack. It is your job to be the alpha member of the pack, and to enforcethe rules of the pack. You must learn to establish your status as the leader of the pack andto answer challenges to your leadership.

You must have rules for behavior in your pack. And, your rules are not negotiable.Members of your pack may not deviate from your rules. A rule of the pack must beenforced 100% of the time. If you are inconsistent, you will not be a good pack leader.You may have to answer challenges to your authority more often than you would care.

For example, you might have a rule that dogs are not allowed to beg at the dinner table. Ifyou should occasionally feed the dog out of your hand at the table, you have setinconsistent rules. Dogs understand rules only when consistently applied. If you make itclear to your dog that he may not beg while you are at the dinner table, and enforce thatrule 100% of the time, then your dog will understand the rule. You will have a pleasantdog that stays away from the dinner table, knowing that it is fruitless to engage in thatbehavior.

Your authority cannot be based on violence or abuse. If you use aversive methods toassert your pack control, the members of your pack will learn to distrust you, and mayreturn your violence one day out of fear and a basic instinct for self preservation. This isparticularly important to understand in families with small children. If your children hitthe dog, or pull the dog’s ears and tail, the dog will come to distrust your children.

Training the dog often requires that the human members of the pack be trained tounderstand the importance of consistency. They need to understand the rules. And theyshould be physically able to enforce those rules. A member of your family who is notcapable of making a physical correction to a dog probably should not be left alone,unsupervised, with that dog.

So, what is an appropriate correction? Let’s take the example of a dog begging at thedinner table. A dog probably should have a place when the family is at the dinner table. Ifthe dog comes to the table begging (certainly attracted by the aroma of the meal); youshould tell him “No beg!” and move him to his place. If he leaves his place and comesbegging to the table again, your should put him immediately in his crate where he willremain until the table is cleared. You don’t need to repeat the original “No beg!”command again on the second correction. A good dog trainer never repeats a command.Instead, rely on the dog’s ability to learn from the certainty of your correction.

Red-Rover RecallThis is a fun game that requires at least two people. Hopefully you have someone athome who wants to help train your dog and play with him. This game can be played inthe back yard, or can be played in the house.

One of you should hold on to your dog while the other calls him with some excitementand enthusiasm. Let go of your dog as soon as he exerts any pressure to go to the other


person. The dog must be rewarded with a food treat or a game with a toy and lots ofpraise and excitement.

Now, reverse roles. You call your dog while your helper holds on to the dog. The dog isbeing called back and forth between the two people. After several repetitions the dog mayvolunteer to go to the other “holder”. In this case the dog should not be rewarded.Instead, the first holder should recall the dog and offer the treat and reward.

To make this a really fun game the reward should be change from recall to recall, makingit exciting and unexpected to the dog. You can make the game more interesting to the dogby doing out-of-sight recalls. In the house you and your helper would be in differentrooms. If you’re outside you can station yourselves around corners of a building. Thismakes the dog keen to listen to the verbal recall. Don’t do so many repetitions that yourdog gets bored with the game!

Introduction to Target TrainingA target is at first a physical device, say the lid of a margarine container, or a squarepiece of plastic. In your agility career you will use the target to shape behaviors andperformances. This introduction is intended to introduce your dog to the target. Othertargeting lessons will follow.

In this exercise, you’ll use treats and a verbal confirmation. “Yes”, or “Good Dog” willdo for your verbal confirmation. You should do this training in an environment familiarand comfortable to your dog.

Begin with your dog my putting the target on the floor. Your dog is almost certain toinvestigate. The moment he touches his nose to it say “Yes”… then give him a treat..

Now you will play a waiting game. His attention will probably be on you. You just needto ignore him. You must wait to see if your dog again goes to investigate the “target”. Beperfectly patient. Don’t say anything.

If your dog shows no interest in the target, put a food treat on it. When he goes after it,say “Yes” and give him a treat.

Keep playing this game until your dog is freely offering to run to touch his nose to thetarget in anticipation of the treat. You should use this training method for several days,and for only a few minutes a day.

When you are certain that your dog understands the game, and apparently looks forwardto playing, you will begin adding a command for the behavior. This might be over thecourse of many days, or perhaps even weeks. Go to your special training place with yourdog, and put the target on the ground. In the instant before your dog’s nose touches thetarget say “Find it!” and give your dog a treat as he does the touch.

You will give this command initially only when your dog is about to touch the target.However, you should start to make the command sooner, so that it becomes a commandto seek out the target and touch it. Once you are sure you’ve developed the command toexecute the behavior (touching the target), you can use the target to shape otherbehaviors.


Advanced Beginners Class Plan – Week Three

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We’re practicing a number of longer sequences with this lesson plan. Feel free tosimplify if the sequences seem too long and demanding for your students. You can alsoexpect individual dogs to have difficulties with some of the obstacles, notably the weavepoles, the collapsed tunnel, the tire, and even the dogwalk. Be prepared to simplify theexercises. You might also need to do some basic conditioning of some of the obstaclesthat dogs are having trouble with. A conditioning step means that the handler stays withone obstacle for three or more repetitions, giving the dog a treat and praise after eachrepetition. This reminds the dog of what job he’s being rewarded.

Black Numbers – You can begin by reminding your students that they need to haveweave poles up in the backyard so that their dogs can learn this technical obstacle. It willbe very easy to figure out who has been working on weave poles and who has beenrelying on a few minutes a week, at class, to train their dogs. This sequence starts withweave poles which should be taken on the handler’s right side. Though certainly thehandler could also work the opening with dog on left.

Be sure to work the dogwalk with a food treat for the dog on the descent-side contactzone.

White Numbers – This is a simple dog-on-left sequence. Work with your students onusing their lead hands. The handler should use the arm closer to the dog and the obstacle,and point to obstacles along the way. Point down low for the tunnels and the A-frame.Point higher for the jumps.


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Black Numbers – This sequence again starts with the handler working the dog throughthe weave poles on right. Because the handler must turn the dog left from jump #2 to #3,it probably would not work out to do the weave poles on the handler’s heel side.

We’re leaving out the pipe tunnel in this sequence. It really shouldn’t be a problem.These not too experienced dogs aren’t likely to forge ahead and volunteer theperformance of any obstacle.

Remember to have a food treat ready for the dog on the descent of the dogwalk. On thetable alternately ask for down and sit performances.

White Numbers – This is very much like the previous sequence, but we’re leaving thepipe tunnel out. This really isn’t as big a problem for novice dogs and handlers as it mightbe for more experienced dogs. These dogs aren’t likely to be driving in front of theirhandlers and offering performance of obstacles.

After the collapsed tunnel the handler simply needs to turn the dog and present the A-frame. It’s important that your students understand that it’s the handlers job to square upthe A-frame for the dog to make the approach both safe and fair. The handler should notallow the dog to move in a line directly from the exit of the chute on to the A-frame. Thispresentation is neither safe, nor fair. The handler needs to set himself up in a post positionover the A-frame, wrapping the dog around his body. The A-frame is presented squarelyand with an adequate approach to allow the dog to get enough speed to get over.

The turn from jump #4 to #5 might actually be more of a problem. Talk to your studentsabout working through the jumps, and not coming to a stop alongside of jumps.


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Black Numbers – Read the discussion below (white numbers) regarding how to handlethe opposite side entry to the pipe tunnel with a post and tandem movement.

Yet another turn comes as the dog exits the pipe tunnel. The dog must be redirected,away from the straight ahead jump, to jump #4 and a turn to the dogwalk at #5. Ideallythis would be done with a crossing turn as the dog comes out of the tunnel. But justturning to the #4 jump and showing the jump to the dog with a right lead should beenough. The handler should be in motion towards the jump. Anything the dog does whilea handler is standing still is right.

White Numbers – In this sequence the pipe tunnel is included again. However, this timethe dog will be directed to the opposite side entry to the tunnel. Use this opportunity toshow your students how to do a crossing turn. It’s not our intention to ask for perfectionin the crossing turn. Indeed some of your student may not even figure it out after seeing ita time or two and after you carefully explain how to do it. This is just an introduction.

Another approach to the transition from the collapsed tunnel to the pipe tunnel would beto do a post and tandem movement. This is pretty technical, but probably easier toexplain than the crossing turn. Initially, as the dog comes out of the collapsed chute, thehandler pulls the dog to the right. Once the dog’s nose is out of trouble of the off-courseentry to the tunnel, the handler will push back against the dog, directing the dog into thecorrect tunnel entry.


Advanced Beginners’ Handout – Week ThreeIt is far better to train smart than it is to train long. A dog that’s forced to work an hour ortwo a day is likely to learn to dislike this sport. If you can work with your dog twice aday or even twice every other day, for only ten minutes at a time, you will make the mostof his capacity to learn.

If you want to instill a real sense of joy in your dog you need to learn to integrate play,exercise, and agility into the same workout. For example, if your dog loves to playFrisbee, or loves a tennis ball, you can use these toys to exercise your dog as a reward toworking with agility obstacles. You wind up making your work a part of your dog’sgame. The exercise your dog gets is a desirable byproduct of your working sessions.

Play with a toy is especially useful in teaching your dog to work at full speed. You shouldintegrate the toy with working on the obstacles only when your dog understands theperformance of each obstacle in the game. Rewarding the dog with a game with a toy isespecially useful in building the dog’s speed in the weave poles. The most importantaspect of weave pole training with a toy is that the dog teaches himself to move quicklyand efficiently through the weave poles in his quest to earn a game with the toy. He maytranslate this fast performance into muscle memory that has him buzzing through theweave poles in competition.

If your dog is not toy motivated, you can use your dog’s regular meal as incentive to playagility with you. Divide his dinner into six portions. Now, send him out over a jump toget each portion! This works best if you have someone in position to take away the foodif he fails to go over the jump. Never, never, never say “No” to your dog.

Over time, you can modify this approach to get a few extra repetitions out of the dog.Give him the food treat at irregular intervals. In other words, he might get the food twicein a row and not get it the third time; or, he may get the food once and not get it the nexttwo times. This motivates the dog to do the exercise even when he doesn’t find any food.In his mind, he knows that it’s worth doing simply because he might get the food.

Stair Training Your Dog with a TargetThis is an indoor training regimen. We’re going to make a wild leap in logic and makethe stairs leading to the upper bedroom, or the stairs leading down into the basement,analogous to the A-frame contact obstacle. You need several things for this training. Youneed a target (a plastic square, or a margarine lid). You need food treats. You’ll need acommand for the performance (“Spot!”). You’ll need a lot of patience. This training planassumes that you’ve already taught your dog to touch the target.

Step One – BottomPlace the target just beyond the last step going down. Place your dog two feet on thestairs, and two feet off the stairs. Immediately tell the dog “Spot!” As your dog touchesthe target, give immediate praise and a food treat. Continue telling your dog “Spot!”Continue giving immediate verbal praise and a food treat.


Continue with this bottom training for days. Maybe even for weeks. Persist with thissimple reward at the bottom of the stairwell until you think you are going to die. Andthen, do it some more.

Step Two – Release to BottomThis is actually a multiple-step step. We don’t really know how many steps are in thisstep, because we don’t know how many steps are in your stairs. So this step has howevermany steps as are in your stairwell. The step – Place your dog one step up andimmediately release with a “Spot!” command. Immediately give your dog verbal praiseand a food reward. Persist with this step until you think you are going to die. And then,do it some more.

You will repeat the step for every step that is in your stairwell. Please take the long viewon the training of your dog on these steps. You must take prudent training steps and neverrush ahead so quickly that your dog fails. This training must be done at a pace that yourdog will ultimately understand the performance you are asking for. It is desirable thatyour dog doesn’t hesitate one bit when you release him. There is no place for the dog tohesitate on the stairs (or on a contact obstacle), except at the bottom.

Step Three – Fade the TargetOnce you are releasing your dog from the top of the stairs, and he is running to thebottom to his Spot, you need to begin to fade the target. That means that the target needsto get smaller and smaller and smaller, until it vanishes altogether. Your dog won’t havea target in competition, and so the target must be faded in training. Trust your dog tomake the transition. Once the performance has been shaped he won’t need the target anylonger.

Step Four – Waiting to ReleaseAfter the target has been faded altogether, you will begin a training program in which thedog learns to hesitate at the bottom position for up to three seconds. So for awhile (untilyou think you are about to die) you’ll give the Spot command, but you will wait a fullsecond before giving the praise and treat to the dog. Then, for awhile, you will wait twofull seconds before giving the praise and treat to the dog. And then, for awhile, you willwait three full seconds before giving the praise and treat to the dog.

This training step will be very useful for you in competition, especially if your dog is alot faster than you are. Imagine the dog running over the dogwalk ahead of you. If he haslearned to stop and wait for you in his spot, that will allow you to resume a controlposition on the course before going on.

Step Five – Transfer to the A-frame/DogwalkRepeat the steps in this training plan on the contact obstacles in class. You probablywon’t have to take quite as many repetitions. But you will not want to rush the training.


Novice Class Plan – Week Three

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Black Numbers – Two turns in this sequence need to be managed with some smarthandling. The first turn comes out of the collapsed tunnel at #1. The handler needs tomove out enough and wrap the dog around his body for a square presentation of the teeterat #2.

The second turn of interest will be from jump #4 to jump #5. It’s likely that the dog willbe ahead of the handler at jump #4, putting the handler away from the side of the turn.This is an opportunity to practice the tandem turn, a cross behind the dog on the landingside of the jump. We’ll teach an arm signal for the tandem turn. Experiment with both theoff-arm and the on-side arm.

White Numbers – Two discrimination problems are presented to the dog in thissequence. The obvious discrimination will be the off-course tunnel alongside the #3dogwalk. We want to teach our students the perfect handling for this situation. The wrongthing to do is to draw the dog out of the tunnel and turn around so that the dog has anequal view of both the pipe tunnel and dogwalk. Instead, the handler should stand in nextto the walk during the dog’s performance of the pipe tunnel. On the dog’s exit the handlersimply points down into the ramp so that the dog wraps out of the pipe tunnel and uponto the ramp.

The second discrimination is not so obvious. The dummy jump alongside jump #5 maybe more compelling to the dog than the #5 jump. The handler should be prepared with agentle RFP to bend the dog’s line towards the correct jump.


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Black Numbers – The first handling decision of consequence will be what side thehandler starts alongside the dog. Since the turn is to the right after the collapsed tunnel,the handler should be on the dog’s right side as this will be the direction the dog isdisposed to turn.

Coming off the A-frame the handler needs a crossing turn to put the dog on a right lead.There is a long transitional distance from jump #3 to #4. This should get the dogs runningpretty fast. So the turn from jump #4 to jump #5 will have to be tightened up just a bit.Remind your students to call their dogs promptly on the landing side of jump #4. Thehandler will also want to pull up into a tight corner to help the dog do the same.

White Numbers – This sequence requires an attempt of the weave poles with the dog onthe handler’s right side, given the left turn after jump #3. The handler probably shouldnot line the dog up with a straight line from the tire at #1 to the dummy jump alongsidethe weave poles.

The turn from jump #3 to the dogwalk at #4 will test the handler’s ability to turn the dog.The best way to make the turn will be for the handler to get in motion in a positivedirection of the course, towards the dogwalk.

The turn from the dogwalk into the pipe tunnel might be away from the handler’sposition. Ask you students to experiment with the entry to the tunnel. As the dog isdescending the ramp, simply point to the tunnel and give the dog a command for thetunnel.


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Black Numbers – There are a couple good solutions to solving the turn out of thepinwheel. The handler might stay inside of the pinwheel. This puts the handler on thewrong side of the turn following jump #5. But it would be a good place to practice atandem turn.

Another option would be for the handler to execute a blind turn on the landing side ofjump #4. This puts the handler on the side of the turn following jump #5.

Any time we work a pinwheel in class students should be reminded to work throughevery jump. Any time the handler indicates a change of directions before, or while thedog is committed to a jump, he risks a refusal or a downed bar.

White Numbers – This sequence begins with a 180º turn from jump #1 to #2. A crossingturn would probably get the handler in a bit of trouble, putting the dog on left on theapproach down the line of jumps. Of course if the handler can outrun his dog he can getaway with about anything. But if the dog is faster than the handler, it would probably bebest to have the dog on right for jumps #2, #3, and #4.

This opening puts the handler on the wrong side of the turn following jump #4. Oursolution to this will be to do a back cross. That means the handler must ask the dog to goahead over jump #4. You can’t lead the dog through the jump and do a back cross at thesame time. The theory is that the back-cross will sharpen the dog’s turn to the pipe tunnelat #5.


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Black Numbers – In this sequence the pinwheel is reversed as the dog comes off theA-frame. This is a good opportunity for a crossing turn. A blind turn might also work, butis a bit risky in the presence of an option (a back-jump of the #5 jump).

Again, working in the pinwheel, it is always a mistake for the handler to slow down toallow the dog to catch up, or to come to a complete stop. The handler should thinkoutside the box in order to stay in motion. Mix the performance of the pinwheel so that itincludes blind turns and tandem turns. The dog’s performance will be much more briskand directed if the handler is in motion.

White Numbers – This sequence begins with quite a redirection in the dog’s path.Coming out of the pipe tunnel at #1 the handler not only has to redirect the dog to jump#2, but give the dog a path that squares up the jump and gives something of a line to theweave poles at #3. Overdoing the dog’s redirection might get the dog back into the pipetunnel, and off-course.

After the weave poles the handler must guide the dog through a slight turn to the tire, anda bigger turn to the pipe tunnel at #5. The handler needs to sharpen the turn after the tireto avoid an off-course to the table. At the same time the handler must move forward totake a blocking position on the discrimination so that the pipe tunnel is well presented tothe dog.


Competition Class Plan – Week Three

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Black Numbers – This sequence is for the most part smooth and flowing. The handlerneeds to make a bit of a post turn to present the teeter square to the dog. After the teeter,however, the final three jumps are a bit technical. The handler might elect to keep the dogon right and make tandem turns after jumps #6 and #7. Another approach would be tocross in front of the dog on the descent of the teeter and play jump #6 and #7 as more orless a straight line. The dog can be redirected to jump #8 in a gentle tandem. Or, if thehandler can run with his dog he could just keep the dog on left.

Use this simple sequence as an opportunity to watch the contact zones of both theA-frame and the teeter. The handler should be working both up and down contact. Whilethere’s no real substitute for teaching the dog an absolute performance, most dogs can behandled through the contacts with a bit of initiative from the handler. The handler couldtake a bit of insurance on the approach to the A-frame, for example, by doing a gentleRFP to break the dog’s stride after jump #2.

White Numbers – The opening features a discrimination as the dog exits the #2 pipetunnel. The simplest handling of this would be for the handler to stand in by the plankand point the dog up as he exits the pipe tunnel. The handler does not want to pull the dogout so far that when turned back, he gets an equal view of both the pipe tunnel anddogwalk.

The dummy jump alongside jump #5 also poses something of a discrimination problem.The handler will probably want to do a crossing turn while the dog is in the pipe tunnel inan case, to be on the turning side of the gentle turn after jump #6.


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Black Numbers – Every time we work pinwheels we want to remind our students tothink outside the box. If the handler is slowing down or stopping inside the box of thepinwheel he’s probably making a mistake that will risk refusals, dropped bars, or will justnot be motivating to the dog. For example, the landing side of jump #4 would be a fineplace to do a blind turn. That sets the handler up for a post turn from jump #5 to #6, and atandem flip out to the collapsed tunnel at #7, or a series of blind crosses from #4 to #5, to#6, and to #7. The question as to whether to do a blind turn or a crossing turn on thelanding side of jump #4 really depends where the dog is relative to the handler. If thehandler is ahead, a blind turn would be the right thing to do. If the dog is ahead, or evenalongside the handler, this sequence probably can only be saved with a crossing turn.

Continue to work the contacts. A dog who bails the down contact can usually be slowedor stopped if the handler would just stop alongside. If the handler needs to be morecompelling, turning back into the dog on the descent (an RFP) would do the trick.

White Numbers – The approach to the weave poles at #2 poses a bit of a discriminationproblem to the dog. The simple solution would be for the handler to assume the blockingposition on the jump and show the dog into the weave poles on a right lead. The turn afterjump #3 offers the pipe tunnel as an off-course option. But the turn shouldn’t be sodifficult if the handler will just make the turn and call the dog into a tightened turn. Thehandler should be careful not to indicate the change of direction too early, else the dogmay refuse the jump, or drop the bar. The final turn, after jump #6 may be a bit of aproblem. In this scenario the best thing to do if the dog is faster than the handler wouldprobably be a back cross. The tire remains an option to the dog. So the handler will haveto call the dog to compliment the cross.


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Black Numbers – In this sequence the direction of the pinwheel is reversed. The handlermay want a crossing turn or a blind turn off the A-frame to be on the inside of thepinwheel. However, the handling might be a bit more robust if the handler keeps the dogon left and opts for a tandem turn at jump #2 instead. If a handler is using an RFP to slowthe dog into the contact and the dog slides past, it is unlikely that the handler will be ableto do a crossing turn. The tandem at jump #2 could be the only option left to the handler.

A blind turn between jumps #5 and #6 would have the handler in position for a simplepost turn from #6 to #7. This final turn is more than 180º, so the handler will want to pushthe dog out for a square approach to the final jump.

White Numbers – The handler immediately faces a discrimination from the table. Thehandler could take a blocking position on the #7 pipe tunnel and cross behind the dog onthe ascent. An experiment worth trying with all dogs would be to get the handler to take along lead out, well beyond the pipe tunnel before calling the dog. Many dogs will ignorethe pipe tunnel and automatically choose the dogwalk because that’s the only way to getto the handler. It’s worth testing so that each handler would know the dog’s tendency inthis situation.

Coming out of the pipe tunnel the dog must be redirected to jump #4. The handler willlikely want to do a crossing turn as the dog exits the tunnel, and make some small attemptto square up the approach to the #4 jump. This helps make a better line down to theweave poles. But the handler has to be careful not to flip the dog back into the wrongentry to the pipe tunnel. The fun doesn’t end there. After the tire at #6 the handler mustturn the dog to face the discrimination once again. The handler will probably want to takea blocking position on the dogwalk.


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Black Numbers – The most interesting part of this sequence will be the jump #5 to #7sequence. This is a double threadle with traps on either side. It should be a hoot to run.Remember that a threadle usually calls for some kind of combination turn. In this case, toavoid the option (e.g. jump #8 following jump #5) the handler surely will have to do acrossing turn, followed by a post turn. We’ve not done a sequence like this in classbefore. Frankly, we seldom get to the fourth sequence. So we may not get to do it thisweek either. But if you are really interested in how your students do, you should movethis sequence up in the rotation.

White Numbers – We’ve had every other look at this discrimination. In this sequencethe handler must guide the dog to the recessed entry to the pipe tunnel. The handler willwant to take the blocking position on the dogwalk and call the dog to his right lead for apresentation of the tunnel.

The turn from jump #5 to #6 is the real challenge in this sequence. There appears to be acouple good handling options. In the obvious approach the handler has the dog on rightall the way down the line of jumps #3, #4, and #5. The handler must allow the dog tocontinue on the landing side just enough to turn back and have a presentation of jump #6.If the dog drifts too far then surely the dog will be off-course into the pipe tunnel. Thequestion for the handler will be where to make the cross. If the handler does a back crossat jump #5 it’s possible that the dog will not get up far enough for a turn that presentsjump #6. If the handler crosses on the landing side, he may push the dog up into thetunnel.

Another possibility in this sequence would be for the handler to cross between jumps #3and #4, picking the dog up on a left lead.

JFF Notebook Week Four December, 2000

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BriefingPole Jacks is a simple game, played like the children’s game of jacks. The performanceof the short set of weave poles is like the bounce of the ball. All other obstacles are jacks.So, you do the weave poles, score one point. Do the weave poles, then score two points.Do the weave poles, and score three points. Continue in this fashion until time expires.

All jumps are worth one point. Tunnels and the tire are worth three points. The seesawand A-frame are worth five points. The dogwalk is worth seven points. Starters rules(USDAA) on all obstacles apply, including the weave poles.

If the dog faults during a “pick-up,” the dog must again bounce (the poles), and retry thatsame number. Faults include dropping a bar, missing a contact, picking up more pointsthan the dog is shooting for in the pick-up, or crossing the line of weave poles with fewerpoints than the dog is shooting for in the pick-up.

Time starts for the dog upon successful entry into the weave poles. This course featurestwo sets of weave poles. The dog may start in either set, in either direction.

Marking Your JFF Dance Cards

• Score of 5 – Games I• Score of 6 – Games II• Score of 7 – Games III


Beginners Class Plan – Week Four

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Black Numbers – Begin working this set by reviewing the A-frame and the pipe tunnelby themselves. The A-frame should be practiced both with the dog working on the leftand working on the right. Each repetition should include a food treat for the dog on thedescent-side contact. This encourages the dog to come to a stop alongside of the handler.

The pipe tunnel should be practiced from the left, with dog on handler’s left; and fromthe right, with the dog on the handler’s right. Note that in each case the handler presentsthe dog on the turning side.

Finally, sequence the two obstacles together. Work with your students in the use of theirlead hand. As the dog comes off the A-frame the handler needs to move forward, in frontof the dog, and point straight down into the pipe tunnel using the arm nearer the dog.

White Numbers – Begin working this set by reviewing the teeter. The teeter should bepracticed equally with the dog on the right and on the left. The handler should have afood treat for the dog on the tipping side for each repetition. Some of the dogs will bevery nervous about this moving board. They should be coaxed over in a very soothingmanner, with lots of reward after the board tips. The dog should not be pushed or pulled.It’s important that the dog pick his own footsteps.

After several repetitions of the teeter, sequence the two obstacles together. After theboard tips the handler should push ahead to show the jump. Explain to your students thatthey should not stop on the approach to the jump, or alongside the jump. The handlershould work through the jump.


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Black Numbers – This is a slightly longer sequence. Both the pipe tunnel and the A-frame have already been reviewed. So you can get right into the sequence with yourstudents. Work with your students on the use of their lead hands. Tell them to point toeach obstacle in turn, using the hand nearer to the dog.

As the dog performs the tunnel, the handler should not rush ahead to the A-frame. Thiswould have the handler standing still as the dog comes out of the pipe tunnel. Instead, thehandler can wait near the exit of the tunnel, and move forward at precisely the instant thedog is coming out. This is called a scoop.

Your students should be stopping at the down contact of the A-frame to offer the dog afood treat. If the dog is bounding off the board the handler might try placing a gentle butsteadying hand on the dog to guide him down and off.

White Numbers – Begin this set by reviewing the weave poles. The poles will be fullywired. Go through the poles at least twice with the dog on lead. The handler shouldcontrol the leash holding on very close to the collar to keep the dog from jumping over orducking under the wires. The intention is to allow the dog to pick his own footsteps tocomplete the poles.

Attempt the weave poles with all dogs off-lead. If a dog jumps over the wires or ducksunder, have the handler reattempt immediately after putting the leash back on the dog.These dogs will have to do the weave poles on lead for the remainder of your time withthis working set.

Finally, sequence the two obstacles together. Your students whose dogs are on lead willhave to take a moment to bend down and release the leash before going on to the jump.


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Black Numbers – Begin work in this set by reviewing the dogwalk and the tireindividually. The dogwalk should be practiced both with the dog working on the left andworking on the right. Each repetition should include a food treat for the dog on thedescent-side contact. This encourages the dog to come to a stop alongside of the handler.

The tire should be practiced from the left, with dog on handler’s left; and from the right,with the dog on the handler’s right. If a dog is refusing the tire, get the handler to leavethe dog in a stay and move around to the landing side of the tire to call the dog through.

Finally, sequence the two obstacles together. Work with your students in the use of theirlead hand. As the dog comes off the dogwalk the handler needs to turn the dog right,keeping the dog on a left lead.

White Numbers – In this sequence we include both of the dreaded technical obstacles.Make sure your students work the weave poles on their right sides. They should beworking this obstacle equally on either side. Again, give the dogs a chance to workthrough the weave poles off-lead. If they jump the wires or duck under, the leash goesback on.

Use this sequence as an opportunity to talk to your students about how to handle a turnthrough a jump. To the novice handler’s point of view this probably appears like a curve,up from the weave poles and around to the teeter. But dog’s don’t move in curves. Thehandler needs to lead the dog in a straight line through the jump

Finish the sequence by giving the dog a good reward on the tipping side of the teeter.


Beginners’ Handout – Week FourBy now, you’ve probably noticed that the dogs in your class progress at different speeds.Some may seem as though they were born to do agility. Others may still be tentative andface every obstacle as though they just don’t get it.

The more impatient individuals among us will consider giving up. They don’t see theirown dogs “getting it,” and they will rationalize that their dogs aren’t having fun. Andthey won’t do this to their dogs if they aren’t going to think it’s fun. You can’t argue withthat logic.

Agility is sometimes a two-steps-forward and one-step-back proposition. The early goingespecially is an investment in the quality and completeness of your dog’s life. If you giveup, your dog will never know what a wonderful and active world awaits beyond theexcruciating trials of beginners agility training. You just have to be patient.

Recognize the basic tenants of positive training.

• Use praise, food treats, toys, and lots of patience.

• Progress only as fast as your dog is willing.

• Never make an emotional correction.

• Don’t fret over how slowly your dog learns. Your dog learns only as fast as he learns.It’s counter-productive to expect him to do otherwise. The important thing is that hedoes learn and that he enjoys coming out with you to play.

Funny Places and Variable SurfacesIn agility, you’ll be asking your dog to go into and over things that might be beyond hisexperience. There are a lot of things you can do at home to condition your dog to bebrave and confident in all sorts of funny places and variable surfaces.

Please note in this discussion that we never force our dogs through any performance.Instead, as savvy trainers, we endeavor to get the dog to choose his own footsteps and tovolunteer the performance. That’s where true confidence comes form. If you push yourdog, or drag your dog, you play to his fear. And he will learn that you can’t be trusted. Ifhe chooses his own footsteps, he will quickly become confident, and much more likely torepeat a performance.

At all times, especially if you are working with makeshift props at home, your firstconcern should be that these props are completely safe for the dog.

You’ll really amaze your family and friends by turning the house into an obstacle course.For example:

• Try building a tunnel for your dog. It’s quite easy. Take all of your dining roomchairs and arrange them into two rows, with backs facing. Then drape a bed-sheetover the two rows of chairs so that you’ve formed a make-shift tunnel for the dog.Make a big deal out of it every time the dog goes through. If the dog is entirely too


suspicious of your tunnel, you might arrange the tunnel in a hall-way so that the onlyway the dog can move from room to room would be to go through the tunnel.

• While you’ve got the dining room chairs out (and before your spouse catches you atit), you can also use them to create a weaving maze for the dog. The best place to dothis is in a hallway: Set One chair on the right, the next on the left, the next on theright, and so forth. The backs of the chairs should be facing the center of the hallway.You dog will have to weave in and out between the chairs to negotiate the hallway.This will help make him confident in tight places.

• Back the big padded chair up against the back of the couch. You’ve just created akind of A-frame for your dog. Lure him up and over. Play keep away! Make a bigdeal out of it every time he vaults over the top. (If you are reluctant to do this kind ofliving room activity, you could use bales of hay in the back yard, and create ahay-frame for your dog.)

• Balance a broomstick on two stacks of books in a doorway. The dog has to jump overthe broomstick to move from room to room. See if you can teach him to do it oncommand! “Go Jump!” Give your dog a lot of praise and a food treat every time hedoes the broomstick jump.

Buy yourself a 12” x 2” x 12’ board at the hardware store. There are lots of things youcan do with this board. For example.

• Set the plank with either end on two cinder blocks. When you introduce the plank tohim you’ll have to gentle him over it with your hand in his collar. But when he gets tothe end you’ll make a big deal out of it and give him a reward.

• Balance the plank on a single cinder block under the center. Now when the dog walksover the board will tip and drop. Again, be absolutely pleased every time your dogwalks up and over. Give a reward and a lot of warm praise.

• Incline the plank up onto your couch. Get your dog to walk up.

You’ll also want to condition your dog to all kinds of different surfaces. For example:

• On Christmas day take all of the gift wrappings and distribute them around the roomso that your dog can’t pass through the room without walking on the crinkly paper.Okay, if it’s not Christmas, you can do the same thing with a good supply ofnewspaper.

• Buy a big sheet of mesh that they use for screen doors. You might have to put it in adoorway to entice your dog to walk over. Congratulate him for being brave and givehim a food treat every time he walks over the mesh.

• Bring a garbage can lid into the house and encourage your dog to walk over it. Again,you might have to position it in a doorway to get your dog to walk over it.

While you’re practicing your sit and down command with your dog, you’ll want to alsopractice these skills on different surfaces, like on a carpet, a wood floor, in the graveldrive way, or in the grassy yard.


Advanced Beginners Class Plan – Week Four

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Black Numbers – Remind your students to have two treats ready for the dog. Thesetreats should not be used to lure the dog. Explain that dogs don’t learn when being lured.They learn from reward. The first treat should be given the dog in the down contact ofthe A-frame. This will encourage the dog to come to a stop alongside the handler, inanticipation of the reward. The second treat should be given the dog on the table. Ask fora down on the table. As quickly as the dog assumes the down position the handler shouldgive the dog the reward.

At the pipe tunnel the handler will probably want to scoop the dog. Rather than runningdown field where the handler would be compelled to slow down or stop for the dog, thehandler conserves motion until the instant before dog emerges from the tunnel. So thedog’s first view of the handler will be in full motion.

White Numbers – This sequence begins with the teeter. Make sure your students have afood treat ready for the dog on the tipping side, encouraging the dog to come to a stop.Some of these dogs may still be a bit uncertain about this moving board. They should beattended over the board in a soothing manner, and the dog’s trepidation over the boardovercome by the reward.

Off the teeter the dog and handler are faced with a half pin-wheel in jumps #2 through #4.Talk to your students about moving in straight lines through each jump. The handlershould not stop at jumps. The pinwheel is not a circle. It is a square. Show your studentshow straight line goes to corner, to straight line, to corner. It’s easier to visualize that thisis actually a box, and not a circle.


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Black Numbers – To begin this sequence, the handler should line the dog up in a straightline that presents the pipe tunnel at #2 over the center of the #1 jump. Inexperiencedhandlers are often beguiled by the geometry of the first jump and will create the need fora turn where none exists.

Out of the tunnel practice a scoop, the handler waiting until the dog nearly emergesbefore moving forward to present the A-frame.

Note the way your students present the A-frame. The handler should not run on withoutseeing the dog’s feet up on the ramp. The handler’s lead hand should point straight downto the center of the ramp.

After the A-frame comes a turn to the table. The handler should work to the back plane ofthe table. Should the handler stop at the front edge, the dog might also stop.

White Numbers – This sequence begins with the weave poles. The poles will be fullywired for this class. Allow the dogs to perform this obstacle off-lead so long as the dogdoes not jump over or duck under the wires. If the dog does so, the handler shouldimmediately put the dog’s leash on and control the dogs motion through the weave poles.

After the weave poles push on into the pinwheel. You might run this sequence in bothdirections to give your students equal time working their dogs both on their left sides andtheir right sides. Reversing the sequence means that the dogs will be approaching theweave poles with some speed built up. The handler needs to slow the novice dog down abit for the presentation of the weave poles. This can be accomplished by turning gentlyback towards the dog (an RFP). That will collect the dog for an easy entry.


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Black Numbers – This is a bit of a longer sequence. You should alternately practice botha down and a sit on the table while the handler takes a modest lead out. Once the handlercalls the dog off the table the handler should remain in motion until beyond the tire at #3.The handler should make a corner of his body, wrapping the dog around for a straight onapproach to the dogwalk at #4.

Make sure your students work the down contact of the dogwalk with a food treat for thedog. This will encourage the dog to slow down in anticipation of the food treat.

If the dog is really jazzed in the performance he may bound off in front of the handler.The handler can influence this race in a couple of ways. Get the handler to slow down onthe approach to the end of the dogwalk. The handler might also stop, and turn to face thedirection from which the dog has come. By ending the race the handler removes the dog’sincentive to race off the end of the board.

White Numbers – In this sequence we include both of the dreaded technical obstacles.Make sure your students work the weave poles with their dogs on their right sides. Theyshould be working this obstacle equally on either side. Again, give the dogs a chance towork through the weave poles off-lead. If they jump the wires or duck under, the leashgoes back on.

Finish the sequence by giving the dog a good reward on the tipping side of the teeter.

Some dogs may be a bit nervous of the teeter. If the dog is bailing the handler can put agentling hand on the dog’s collar to steady them up the ramp. When the board tips givethe dog warm praise and a food reward.


Advanced Beginners’ Handout – Week FourSo now it’s starting to dawn on you that agility training is not just a matter of teachingyour dog to do a bunch of obstacles. At agility class your instructor is starting to train youto be a handler. You might not have been prepared for this development when you firststarted.

Agility is a team sport. The team is made up of dog and handler. While doing some of theobstacles might be new and strange to the dog, once those things are learned most ofwhat the dog does is pretty instinctual. The harder task is training the handler. Let’s faceit, almost none of it is instinctual to the human member of the agility team.

Do you feel clumsy out there at times? Are your muscles uncertain, and your headwhirling to make sense of what the instructor just said? Don’t feel alone. That’s whatbeing a novice in this sport is all about. If it’s any comfort to you, everyone out there…all of the high and mighty in the sport, the so-called gurus, the champions, the smartalecks, all… started precisely where you are starting; confused and whirling.

It’s time you were acquainted with the rule of 5000: Whatever you do 5,000 times, youown!

So this is the secret to handler movements, repetition and practice. Is 5,000 anexaggeration? Probably, but not much of an exaggeration. The important thing is that youmust repeat a movement enough times so that you understand when to use it, youunderstand how it works, and your muscles do the movement without your brain havingto worry about thinking it through.

Targeting the Go!This exercise requires two jumps, your target, some food treats, and a lot of patience. Itwould be useful to have someone help you with the exercise so that if the dog runsaround a jump someone will be there to deny the dog a reward he hasn’t earned.

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“Go” is a directional. That is, it’s a command that tells the dogwhich way to move. “Go,” means move in a straight line, awayfrom the handler’s position. It means, move in the direction youare already moving. It is the only directional that does not ask thedog to make a turn.

In this exercise you are going to teach your dog to work awayfrom you. The target in the illustration is indicated by the “T” inthe square on one side of the jump. The black numbers indicatethe dog’s starting positions.

Prior to each repetition, place a treat on the target so that the dogsees you putting it there and will be eager to get to it.

Face the dog addressing the jump between the dog and the target. Hold onto the dog untilyou are ready to release. Then, let go of the dog, saying immediately “Go!” and “Jump!”Do this over and over again with only one jump.


Now back up to position #2. Hold on to the dog, and release the dog with “Go!” and“Jump!” Your dog should happily jump both of the jumps to get to the target.

Finally comes the hard part. Remove the target. You are going to switch to reward for thedog, rather than using the lure of the target. A dog begins to learn when you use a rewardrather than a lure. A dog can be very clever about figuring out what earns him the reward,and what denies him the reward. Please note that denying the reward is the onlycorrection you should use with your dog. Don’t use negatives, and certainly don’t doanything abusive with your dog. You’ll set your training program way back when youuse negatives. The dog simply will not be motivated to play with you.

Work the exercise with only one jump at first. And then work the exercise with bothjumps. If your dog isn’t “getting it,” you should go back to using the target for awhile,before fading it again.

Jumping Exercises: Post and Tandem

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A post turn is a simple same-sided turn. This is one of the mostsimple and basic turns in agility. “Same sided” means that thedog stays on the same lead hand through the turn.

The handler should make the turn with his own body. Thatmeans the handlers shoulders should turn, and the handler’s feetturn to face in the direction of the turn. Note also that the feetshould be moving. It’s a mistake for the handler ever to standstill.

The handler should always give the dog a verbal command for aturn, even in a post turn. “Come” is the appropriate command.

The handler’s lead hand should also be extended to focus the dog through the turn. As thedog turns the handler’s lead hand should come up to point to the second jump.

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A tandem turn is a cross behind the dog on the landing side of ajump (or on the flat). This is a pretty advanced turn, andrequires a lot of discipline on the part of the handler to keep thedog from shutting down. The handler must never menace thedog from the landing side of the jump. That means the handlerwill be alongside the dog when the dog is in the air over thejump.

The handler turns only while the dog is in the air, pointing up tothe next jump with the inside arm (that would be the handclosest to the dog, the left arm in this case).

In a tandem turn there should be no hesitation at the jump. The handler crossesaggressively, turning his shoulders and moving his feet in the direction of the turn. Notethat it is a cross behind the dog, so the handler’s movement must be to get behind thedog. The tandem turn results in a change of lead hands. The dog starts on the handlers leftlead, but is transferred to the handler’s right lead after the cross.


Novice Class Plan – Week Four

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Black Numbers – This sequence has two challenges for your Novice students. The firstis the discrimination faced at the #2 pipe tunnel. Teach your students the blockingposition in solving this kind of discrimination. In the block the handler actually uses hisbody to prevent the dog’s access to the off-course obstacle. We also teach the handler tobump slightly into the dog’s path so that the dog has to correct out and away from the off-course obstacle. Note that this bump isn’t into the dog, but into the dog’s path before thedog gets there. The handler must pick up the dog on a left-hand lead and wrap the dogaround his body for an approach to the pipe tunnel.

Coming out of the pipe tunnel the handler must be in position to push the dog out to theweave poles at #3. Following the weave poles comes a tunnel wrapped around the centerramp of the crossover. The handler has a choice here of either sending the dog down intothe pipe tunnel, picking him back up for a presentation of the tire at #5; or, working thedog down into the tunnel, keeping the ramp of the crossover in between as the dogapproaches the tire at #5. Either way, this should be an interesting sequence for yourNovice students.

White Numbers – This sequence is a right-turning pin-wheel, that concludes with a leftturn to jump #5. What we want to teach our students to do in this sequence is stay inmotion in the performance of the pinwheel. That means the handler should not beslowing down or stopping. Show your students how to step outside of the box, with ablind turn, and move back into the box with a tandem turn.


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Black Numbers – This sequence begins with a straight line from jump #1 to the tire at#2. The set of the #1 jump can create an illusion in the mind of some that a minor turnexists between the two obstacles. There is no turn. It is a straight line. Your students whoset the dog up square to jump #1 will actually be presenting the table to the dog as an off-course opportunity. Allow your students to run this once with the handling of their ownchoosing. You can mention the straight line after they run.

Your students get another look at the pipe tunnel tucked under the center leg of thecrossover in this sequence. In this case, the obstacle following the pipe tunnel is theweave poles at #4. The presence of the ramp of the crossover really shouldn’t be anybother. By the time the dog is coming out of the tunnel the handler should already bestepping around the end of the ramp, easily in position to show the dog the way into theweave poles. Of course if the handler stays too long at the entry to the tunnel the dog mayduck under the ramp. (In case you are wondering, this would be judged an off-course.)

White Numbers – This sequence begins with three jumps of the pinwheel, followed by along transitional distance out to the weave poles at #4. This is a bit complicated by thedummy jump following jump #3. Our intention is to teach the Novice handler to keep alead connection with the dog while pushing the dog ahead on the approach to the weavepoles. The handler needs to step out and around the jump, keeping a connection with thedog as the dog wraps around the handler’s body.

Out of the weave poles comes another long and interesting transition. The handler onlyneeds to push the dog out past the dummy jump and wrap the dog for the push on to jump#5.


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Black Numbers – Before running this sequence you should have your students take theirdogs over the cross-walk in the indicated direction. Many of these dogs have never seen aturn on a ramp structure. So they should be escorted up the center ramp and down theright ramp with a hand in the collar. We don’t want them tossing off the far side of thecrossover because they don't realize that no down ramp exists on the descent.

Two challenges have to be met in this sequence. The initial turn out of the pipe tunnel at#2 up onto the A-frame. You’ll want to talk to them about the turn before they put theirdogs up. They must pull the dog far enough out of the pipe tunnel so that the approach tothe A-frame is safe and fair once the dog is turned back.

Coming off the A-frame is a hard turn to jump #4. Given the approach to the crossover at#5 the handler will want to do a crossing turn off the A-frame so that jump #4 ispresented on the handler’s right lead.

White Numbers – Again the dog and handler are faced with the long transitionalapproach to the weave poles, this time from the opposite side. We do these kinds ofmirror sequences in order for the handler to get equal working a dog on both left andright sides. If they don’t practice both sides, one will be weaker than the other. This isn’tjust a matter for the handler, but for the dog as well who may be unaccustomed toworking on one side of the handler.

Out of the weave poles the sequence concludes with a sharp turn down to jump #5. Acrossing turn would probably work best in this turn. The handler must be careful not toindicate the change of direction until the dog’s nose has made the exit of the poles. To dootherwise might pull the dog out of the poles early.


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Black Numbers – This is a nice and casual dog-on-right sequence. The dog again has toturn on the center platform of the crossover. Encourage your students to use both theirbodies and verbalization to turn the dog. Remind your students to steady their dogs on thedown contact. If the handler slides to a stop along-side the down contact, with erectposture and shoulders back, the dog should come to a stop as well. If the handlercommunicates a sense of haste or urgency, the dog will take the race and may well blowthe down contact.

After jump #4 the dog is faced with a discrimination problem. The table is placed in closeproximity to the tire at #5. This shouldn’t really be a problem. The handler should rely oncalling the dog and using his own body to help turn the dog. A reverse flow pivot (RFP)should work very well. This is a very gentle turn back towards the dog. It will cause thedog to tighten up to the handler’s position.

White Numbers – Out of the initial pinwheel the dog must be directed straight ahead tojump #4. The difficulty in this sequence will be getting the right turn on the landing sideof jump #4. One approach would be to do a back cross at jump #4. If the dog doesn’t feelthe handler’s cross this approach could get a bit ugly. Another possibility would be to doa blind turn on the landing side of jump #3, or a crossing turn, and influence the dog’sturn at jump #4 by being on the turning side.

This would be a pretty good opportunity to work on the tandem turn with your Novicestudents. A tandem turn is a cross behind the dog on the landing side of the jump. Ofcourse, if the dog gets to the jump before the handler, the handler should change thecrossing strategy and do a back cross, crossing on the take-off side of the jump.


Competition Class Plan – Week Four

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Black Numbers – This sequence begins with a discrimination problem at the #3 pipetunnel. The handler is given an opportunity to take a lead-out from the dog at the table.This would best be handled as a block. Remind your students that when taking theblocking position, the handler must actually block the dog's approach to the off-courseA-frame. To add insurance to the blocking side, the handler may want to side-step intothe dog’s path on the approach to the pipe tunnel, just enough to bump the dog out towrap around the handler’s position. The performance of the #5 pipe tunnel provides aninteresting opportunity either to send the dog down into the tunnel, or stay parallel withthe ramp of the crossover between for the performance of the tire at #6.

White Numbers – This double pinwheel requires a constant change of direction. Thewheel starts off right turning and, at jump #5, becomes left turning. What we look for inthe pinwheel exercise is a handler who thinks outside the box. The handler who standsinside the box in a minimal circular effort is most likely to have an uninspired dog, andmost likely to earn refusals and dropped bars.

The handler should stay in motion. Whenever the opportunity presents itself the handlercan step outside the box. If the handler is actually ahead of the dog on the landing side ofa jump the handler should step through, turn blind and pick up the dog in the tandemposition. For example, the handler might start the dog over jumps #1, #2 and #3 on a left-lead. Getting ahead of the dog at jump #3 the handler turns up to jump #4 in a blind turn,picking up the dog and jump on his right. This should immediately be followed by atandem turn on the landing side of jump #4 as the handler steps back inside the box. It isa worse condition to be trapped outside the box, than inside.


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Black Numbers – This sequence starts off with the tunnel divided by the center leg ofthe crossover. Again the handler has the option of either sending the dog down into thetunnel, or working the dog down into the tunnel and keeping the ramp of the crossoverbetween for the approach to the weave poles at #4. The presence of the dummy jump atthe center of the sequence may influence the handler’s motion.

On the approach to the tire at #7 is a discrimination problem. The table is presented as anoff-course opportunity. The handler may actually be able to move to the landing side ofjump #6 during the performance of the #5 pipe tunnel, allowing the handler to assume ablocking position. But the handler should easily be able to keep the dog on right, justcalling the dog into the gentle turn after jump #6.

The handling of the final transition of the sequence from jump #6, to the tire at #7, to thetable is more of a problem than it looks. An ill-timed back cross might result on a refusalat the tire, and possibly an off-course to the table. The handler might avoid this by doinga blind cross between jump #6 and the tire, picking the dog up in a tight post to the table.

White Numbers – The initial pinwheel is disturbed by the long transitional distancebetween the #3 jump to the weave poles at #4. The handler’s job in this transition will beto push the dog out around the dummy jump following #3. But the fun doesn’t end there.Immediately following the weave poles is another long transition out to jump #5. All thehandler really has to do is escort the dog past the dummy jump prior to jump #5. Thisplan puts the handler on the inside of the pinwheel from jump #5 to the tire at #7. Thisleaves only a tandem turn for the turn to jump #8.


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Black Numbers – Again we approach the U-shaped pipe tunnel tucked under either sideof the center leg of the crossover. This sequence is really quite different, because theapproach is not to the weave poles, but to the jump in the center of the set. The handlerwill probably want to send the dog down into the tunnel and then step past the ramp ofthe crossover in order to do a crossing turn to pull the dog past the weave poles.

In the turn out of the pipe tunnel onto the A-frame, the handler needs to allow the dog tocome out of the pipe tunnel only enough to have a safe and fair approach to the ramponce turned.

The hardest element of this sequence will be the transition from the A-frame to thecrossover. Jump #7 creates a slightly left-turning path. If the handler keeps dog on left theapproach to the crossover will be very difficult. The handler will want to do a crossingturn on the descent of the A-frame, putting his dog on right for the approach to jump #7.On the ascent of the crossover, the handler must cross behind the dog on the ascent.

White Numbers – This sequence starts similarly to the previous with a long around-the-corner transition to the weave poles after jump #3. On the exit of the weave poles thesequence takes a radical turn, sharply back to the tire at #5. Given the left turn requiredafter the tire, the handler will probably want to do a crossing turn out of the weave poles,to resume the left-turning pinwheel.

You’ll have to remind your students to find opportunities to think outside the box. Thissequence can actually be started on the tandem side. That is, the handler approaches thetire with dog on right, with the intention of crossing behind the dog on the landing side.The tandem turn will accelerate the dog into the sequence.


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Black Numbers – This sequence starts with a turn left-turn in the center of the crossoverThis isn’t a turn we’ve practiced much. So, it should be entertaining, if nothing else, asthe handlers try to get their dogs turning on the center platform. Note that the line fromthe crossover to the pipe tunnel at #3 is not perfectly straight. If the handler gets too tiedup with the dog on the descent of the plank the dog may curl back towards the handler onthe landing side of jump #2. The handler might cross in front of the dog on the descent,making the curling path much more natural to the pipe tunnel.

The sequence otherwise combines some of the elements we’ve worked in other exercises.Again the dog faces the discrimination problem at the #5 tire with the off-course tablealongside. The dog also gets to do the tunnel under the crossover ramp in the 5-6-7transition.

The sequence ends with a tight turn to jump #8 coming out of the weave poles.

White Numbers – Out of the initial pinwheel the dog must be directed straight ahead tojump #5. The difficulty in this sequence will be getting the right turn on the landing sideof jump #5. One approach would be to do a back cross at jump #5. A tandem turn,crossing behind the dog on the landing side of the jump, should work just as well(without risking a refusal or a dropped bar quite so much as a back cross would.) If thedog doesn’t feel the handler’s cross this approach could get a bit ugly. Another possibilitywould be to do a blind turn on the landing side of jump #4, or a crossing turn, andinfluence the dog’s turn at jump #5 by being on the turning side. The sequence ends withthe now familiar long transitional post out to jump #7.

jff agility notebook - peak internet residentialmembers.peak.org/~helix/private/2001jan.pdf · jff...

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