Agility training

bitme

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I always wondered why do the handlers run and scream in agility, can the dog be directed from a stationery position?
 

MandyPug

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We finished the weekend with 3 Qs and a title; 1 Advanced Standard Q to get our AADC as I mentioned before, then our first masters Qs in a Snooker and a Standard. The standard Q blew me away. We went from not making time by a couple seconds pretty often in advanced to a run where we were about 13 seconds under time. I'm so very proud of the pug, she's come so far in such a short time.
 

Finkie_Mom

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YAY!! Izzie is on fire!!! Congrats to you both :)

Here's just a session from the other day of some jump work totally off leash in our front yard. I never thought I would be able to do this type of thing with Kimma. But she remained focused the whole time. I also did weave training at some point last week that I will link, too (not sure if I linked it here yet).

Jumps:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBcFPDsX5Aw

Weaves:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWwoII4LRWw
 

BostonBanker

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I always wondered why do the handlers run and scream in agility, can the dog be directed from a stationery position?
In theory, you could probably teach it. I know a lot of agility handlers who can't get around the course due to physical issues, and so they teach a ton of distance and get by that way.

In actuality - you wouldn't be competitive. Agility training has progressed to the point where the top teams, even locally most of the time, are going to be very fast and accurate. Handlers teach both verbal and physical cues to tell the dog not only which obstacle to take (which could probably be done stationary), but how to take it. ie "If my outside hand comes up near the commitment point to this jump, take it in collection and wrap the outside bar for a tight turn". I'd be shocked if anyone could produce a super tight, fast, competitive round without being fairly close to the dog, especially on a USDAA type course, where things can get very tight and 'international'.

Plus, most dogs *love* it when their handlers dig in and run with them, and the dog cranks it up a notch or two!
 

Shai

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In theory, you could probably teach it. I know a lot of agility handlers who can't get around the course due to physical issues, and so they teach a ton of distance and get by that way.

In actuality - you wouldn't be competitive. Agility training has progressed to the point where the top teams, even locally most of the time, are going to be very fast and accurate. Handlers teach both verbal and physical cues to tell the dog not only which obstacle to take (which could probably be done stationary), but how to take it. ie "If my outside hand comes up near the commitment point to this jump, take it in collection and wrap the outside bar for a tight turn". I'd be shocked if anyone could produce a super tight, fast, competitive round without being fairly close to the dog, especially on a USDAA type course, where things can get very tight and 'international'.
Yeah there is a well-known agility trainer here (who's been in the sport since pretty much the beginning) who trained his most recent dog this way. He'd basically stand in the middle of the course and direct. Worked okay in Novice and Open (AKC) if it was the right sort of course, and it was fun to watch...kind of like directing NADAC gamblers but with obstacles closer together...but since moving to excellent he gave it up and is running with his dog, albeit augmenting with directional verbals. He just wasn't Qing hardly ever and when he did his times were nothing to get excited about. I admit it was a cool experiment but for the sake of the dog I'm glad he's gone to running him!

There are just too many decision points on today's courses, I think. Even if your dog has a perfect verbal for every type of obstacle out there, and directionals, they are going to be faced with situations on every course where they are deciding between 3, 4, even 5 potential obstacles...andthey might all be "jump"s...plus you need commands to get them to the backside of jumps...to 180 vs. threadle...and as Boston Banker said above, agility is just so competitive now that if you are running on the top tier you need your dog to be skimming the upright and wrapping his body around it and reaching for the earth to accelerate...when you're just conducting from the middle of the course and relying solely on verbals, the dog has to think more and that's going to slow him down, even if you manage to run clean.
 

CaliTerp07

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You'll see the stationary handling a LOT in NADAC. You get double points if you handle non-distance courses from behind a line. What it turns into for 90% of the teams is a very frustrated dog constantly looking at their handler for cues. Lots of barking, lots of spinning, lots of checking in. They Q, they get their double points, but the dog is obviously frustrated. In a handful of teams it works beautifully and looks really cool...but it's definitely the minority.

NADAC is weird though. Handlers there all seem to do rear crosses for everything, choosing to let their dog catch up and move ahead of them even when they don't have to. I definitely stand out running with lots of fronts and blinds.
 

crazedACD

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There's one gal on forums here and there that had trouble keeping up physically and she did teach at least one of her shelties to run it competitively from a distance. Pretty sure she did pretty well.
 

CaliTerp07

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There's one gal on forums here and there that had trouble keeping up physically and she did teach at least one of her shelties to run it competitively from a distance. Pretty sure she did pretty well.
Oh, it's doable! That said, there's definitely a difference between not being able to keep up (but still running as best as you can) and intentionally standing 50 feet away making minimal movement.
 

Emily

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Oh yes, that's true.

I managed to find her youtube channel... (hope she doesn't mind me posting it?) you can see her directing from kind of a distance around the courses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ3DhIsk0J4
Those are definitely some nice distance skills but nothing out of the "ordinary" realm of agility training. :)

Actually, one of my favorite instructors where I take classes has a GSD with incredible distances skills. It's the closest I've come to seeing somebody almost standing still and the dog still working VERY quickly and accurately. Wish I had video, it was crazy to watch!
 

Laurelin

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Oh yes, that's true.

I managed to find her youtube channel... (hope she doesn't mind me posting it?) you can see her directing from kind of a distance around the courses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ3DhIsk0J4
She used to be my instructor but we only made it through a foundations class before my new work schedule conflicted. :( I really wanted to stick with her training place, she instructs some very awesome, competitive teams. But we couldn't work it in the schedule. Asher and Aslan are both really awesome dogs as is her third sheltie (name is escaping me). I still see them around a lot.

I was at that trial too, haha.
 

Dekka

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I will always remember a run at one of the regionals. An older lady came in with two canes and a very boucey sheltie. She put her dog on the start line and then slowly, with both canes moved to the centre of the ring. Leaning one cane up against her hip so she could gesture with that hand, and leaning on the other she proceeded to handle her very fast sheltie around a very tricky jumpers course.
 

adojrts

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I will always remember a run at one of the regionals. An older lady came in with two canes and a very boucey sheltie. She put her dog on the start line and then slowly, with both canes moved to the centre of the ring. Leaning one cane up against her hip so she could gesture with that hand, and leaning on the other she proceeded to handle her very fast sheltie around a very tricky jumpers course.
That is Sharon. The last time I talked to her (acouple of months ago), she was saying that with the more international style courses that it is getting harder to run her dog. That there are just some courses that she knows they wont be successful on, she then turns the run into a training session. But she is certainly an excellent trainer and handler.
 

crazedACD

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She used to be my instructor but we only made it through a foundations class before my new work schedule conflicted. :( I really wanted to stick with her training place, she instructs some very awesome, competitive teams. But we couldn't work it in the schedule. Asher and Aslan are both really awesome dogs as is her third sheltie (name is escaping me). I still see them around a lot.

I was at that trial too, haha.
Haha, small world! I've been at a few forums with her and she pops up every now and then. Her third dog is Jericho I think!
 

Laurelin

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Haha, small world! I've been at a few forums with her and she pops up every now and then. Her third dog is Jericho I think!
That sounds right!

Agility went well tonight overall. It ended up only being 3 dogs and two were mine. That kept me busy all class, lol. Summer did FABULOUS. She had a brain and kept up with the more advanced dogs perfectly.

Mia... still is being a creeper dog on her stays. So a lot of today was putting her up after she wasn't staying. We're going to work stays extensively some more this week. I think it makes a difference when she's in front of an obstacle. She stays much better when she's not anticipating the release. But yeah... we're having to draw a hard line for her and it's frustrating.
 

Shai

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That sounds right!

Agility went well tonight overall. It ended up only being 3 dogs and two were mine. That kept me busy all class, lol. Summer did FABULOUS. She had a brain and kept up with the more advanced dogs perfectly.

Mia... still is being a creeper dog on her stays. So a lot of today was putting her up after she wasn't staying. We're going to work stays extensively some more this week. I think it makes a difference when she's in front of an obstacle. She stays much better when she's not anticipating the release. But yeah... we're having to draw a hard line for her and it's frustrating.
But at least you have another dog to run when you have to put up Mia for being a cheater! :) If agility is that reinforcing for her then knowing that holding the stay is part of the game and the rest doesn't come until you give the okay will pay off!
 

Laurelin

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Yep, it's nice to get to run Summer instead. Of course then Mia has a FIT in her kennel. 'Wait a second! What about me!?' lol

One interesting thing I notice and have noticed for a while is that her stays progressively get worse as we go through a class. Her first 3 or 4 stays were brilliant. Then they got sloppier. I've also noticed that right before I release her, I would start to raise my arm to direct her and she was cuing off my arm starting to move rather than my release word.
 

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