JFF Agility Notebook - PEAK Internet Residentialmembers.peak.org/~helix/private/2001Mar.pdfSo, even though my dogs are undeniably the most beautiful and brilliant creatures ever to

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

Volume 1, Issue #11 – March, 2001

Volume 1, Issue #11March 2001

The JFF Agility Notebook ispublished monthly by

Dogwood Training Center, LLC

EDITORMarsha Martin

CONTRIBUTORSKurt L. Glaub,Bud Houston,

Nancy Krouse-Culley, Marsha Martin,Joann Schaus, 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 2

It Takes All Kinds 4

Gamblers 5

Junior Handler Training Manual 7

Construction Plans 15

Training Plans for the Agility Center 21

Week One – Colors 24

Week Two – Time and Score 39

Week Three – Gamblers Anonymous 56

Week Four – Double Joker 70

Dogged Hope Rescue Foundation 87

Cover art – "Kowboy" Brittany Spaniel; Owner: Kim Ramsey ofLas Cruces, NM; Artist: Nancy Krouse Culley of Bosque, NM

Just For Fun Agility Notebook Page 3 February, 2001

Editorial– Marsha Martin, [email protected]

Every now and then I see our dogs curled up asleep and feel such an overwhelming lovefor them, it makes me question my sanity.

They are, after all, just dogs. They've been known to eat feces. They'll steal my favoritegloves off the table and shred them in the yard. At 3:00 a.m., they'll throw up the gloveyarn they've consumed - on the white carpeting. They'll track dirt across a mopped floor,across clean carpets, and onto my freshly-laundered coverlet.

I choose floor coverings based on their predictable footprints. Our house has baby gateslimiting their access to parts of the house, and limiting our easy access as well. Theshrubs in the dog yard were chosen for their durability, and have been stomped onrepeatedly. When I'm working in the kitchen my dogs are undoubtedly underfoot, and if Iturn too quickly or try to take a normal stride I'll be tripped by one of the little beggars.

What strange part of me finds all these irritants endearing? The fact is I don't know. Butregardless, no one loves my dogs the way I do. I can talk about them for hours and havefew friends outside my dog community. I cannot love anyone else's dogs the way I do myown.

When I look at a room full of beginner dogs, I see that same adoration in the eyes of everydog owner there. It doesn't matter if the dog is a breed champion or a gray-muzzledmixed-heritage dog that wandered into their home. The dog might be a canine genius ordim-witted. Their handlers think the world of them.

These folks wouldn't dream of missing their agility class. They'll drive an hour intorrential rains and high winds, tromp across a flooded training yard, and stand in thepouring rain for a doggie exercise break.

As I see it, our responsibility as agility instructors and dog trainers is to nurture thisrelationship and give it fertile ground to grow. We must help their dogs succeed atagility, and give these new handlers the tools they need to make success happen withgreater and greater frequency. The idea of flunking a dog out of beginner agility is aforeign concept to us.

So, what happens when someone's pet creates a disruption in class time after time? Dowe criticize their control over the dog? Do we ask them to leave? Or do we give themadvice and training tips to strengthen the bond and engage their dog? The answer has gotto be the latter, if we are dog lovers. Our mission must be to keep them moving forwardin their training, and I'm confident they appreciate that.

So, even though my dogs are undeniably the most beautiful and brilliant creatures ever tograce the earth, I must appreciate all the fine qualities in my students and their dogs.There are no bad dogs.

And this is, after all, just for fun.


It Takes All Kinds– Marsha [email protected]

The most wonderful part of having an active training center is the opportunity to observea variety of breeds - and combinations of breeds - learning dog agility. As a student ofthe sport, I am constantly amazed at the multitude of dog personalities. As an instructor Itry to work with my students to help them appreciate the dog they have, and maximizetheir team's potential.

The Terrorists - terriers are the comedians of dog agility. Beginners with terriers willoften toss them at obstacles. Terriers never seem to take offense at this.

Bye-bye Birdie - bird dogs invariably do agility with a reckless disregard for the obstaclesin front of them. Their noses are in the air, scanning for birds roosting in the rafters. Achange of direction just means they get to scan a new part of the building.

The Terminators - these dogs are doing sequences just to get to the play period theyassume comes right after. They'll do whatever they're asked, but what they really want todo is go jump on that furry brown dog in the corner and get a game going.

The Unappreciated - often viewed as dull and uninteresting, these wonderful dogs arewatching the other teams, memorizing the sequences, and planning strategies. Theirhandlers are so accustomed to their well-behaved dogs they find them slightly boring.

The Attention Getters - they insist on time-and-a-half pay for every job, and expect abonus for actually doing the same course their handler outlines.

The Volunteers - three jumps into a tunnel, up the dogwalk, two more jumps to the teeteris not enough for them. If their handler takes a second to think, their dog is gone. They'reready for real work, and you'd better keep up.

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves - instead of paying attention to their handler betweenexercises, they're sticking their noses in every training bag left on the floor. They'll comeup with plush toys, frisbees, plastic containers of treats, tug toys. (I've actually had myAussie come to me with a stolen plastic container filled with hotdogs. The message wasclear, "Hey! I can't open this darned thing! Can you help?")

There are dozens more, and adding the variable of their handler's personality increases thepossible combinations exponentially. What a joy to see these teams, regardless of themix, succeeding in this wonderful sport.

For every beloved dog we see in beginner agility, there are hundreds of neglected,perhaps abused, dogs languishing in back yards. We're missionaries for dogs and dogsports, and I'm pleased when I can make a difference for just one dog. Maybe thecomment I make today will help someone appreciate their dog a little more, and maybethe way I treat my dogs will serve as an example to folks who are new to this communityof dog lovers.


Gamblers– by Joanne [email protected]

Gamblers is a fun class. Many folks do indeed use it for a warm-up, if it is the first class ofthe day, because in the opening period you choose your own course. The obstacles havedifferent point values and you can take obstacles only twice for points. If you'd like to workcontacts or weave poles, you can do so. If your dog is fast enough and adept at working at adistance, you may even qualify while you are using the class as a warm-up and trainingsession. I won't elaborate on the rules but will give you a few pointers.

Train your dog to work at a distance before you attempt a gamble. Many folks just stand atthe gamble line, waving their arms and shouting commands at their dog. Any dog worth hissalt would either stand there all confused or come back to his handler to make sure she wasOK. Use targets to convince your dog that going away from you towards an obstacle is areally good thing. There is a good book just out on teaching distance work, by Stacy Peardotand Bud Houston, Go the Distance. This will be an invaluable tool for you, especially if youtrain alone.

If you don't have time to train your dog before you show, just work the gamble like youwould any other section of the course and ignore the line. You won't Q but your dog will geta nice warm-up and will not get confused. You could attempt the gamble if your dog is fastwith lots of drive and his natural momentum may very well take him away from you for asuccessful gamble. Novice gambles are usually quite doable. The line isn't that far away fromthe obstacles and the obstacles are usually right in line with each other. NADAC hasinstructed their judges to increase the difficulty of their Novice gambles a bit to lessen therude awakening for Open gambles. So you may well encounter some turns. It could be unfairand possibly detrimental to your dog to ask him to work away from you without training himto do so. You want that first experience to be positive, not negative. And you wouldn't askyour dog to weave, for example, at a trial or even in training wthout first training him to doso. I view distance work in the same manner.

Do not use any gamble jumps in your opening period. If a rail is knocked then you can'tsuccessfully complete that jump in the gamble and you ruin your chances for a Q.

Use a stopwatch during the walk-through to time your planned opening course to make sureyou will be where you want to be when the whistle blows to start the gamble. Run as you aretiming...just as you run your dog...to get an accurate time. This takes some experience toknow just how fast your dog actually runs. That will come.

Plan a nice straight line of jumps or a tunnel, not a slow obstacle like the dogwalk, as yourlast sequence just before the gamble so your dog has momentum and a straight, fast approachto the gamble. Now you see why the stopwatch is imperative.

Give yourself some obstacles to take in your opening plan in case the whistle doesn't blowwhen you planned (in case your dog runs faster than expected). Don't use obstacles right atthe gamble opening cause you have then lost your nice line to the gamble, the one youplanned to give your dog momentum and direction to work away from you. Plus if youdawdle at the gamble area, waiting for the whistle, the judge can call you for loitering (notallowed...this is a game of strategy and you can't just wait around for the whistle and you


can't take any obstacles more than twice to waste time waiting for that whistle) and you won'tQ even if your dog successfully completes the gamble.

Try to find a place on the course where you can practice an approximation of your gamble inyour opening sequence...not the gamble itself, of course, but another area with a similarsetup. Sometimes you can find these (some judges include them intentionally) andsometimes you can't. If you can find one and work it at a distance your dog should be moreinclined to do it again just a few seconds later at the gamble itself.

Pattern your distance work a bit on the practice jump outside the ring. If the gamble has a"get-out over" to the left then use the practice jump accordingly.

Teach your dog "get-out", "go", "left" and "right". The first two are vital for all levels ofGamblers and the directionals will be invaluable for advanced gambles where your dog willneed to turn at a distance.

Use your off-arm signal in conjunction with your "get-out" verbal cue. The off-arm signalforces your shoulder to turn in the direction you want your dog to turn...away from you.

Leave yourself plenty of room so that you can continue running towards the gamble lineinstead of coming to an abrupt halt, which will signal your dog to stop. This means youshould start sending your dog ahead well before the gamble sequence. If there is a tunnelearly in the gamble...almost always the case with NADAC Novice gambles...you can back upwhile your dog is blind in the tunnel so that you then have room to run forward as he exitsthe tunnel, propelling him to run forward (and away from you) also. Just make sure the dog isinside the tunnel before you back up so you don't cause him to back out of the tunnel. Try tothink of that gamble line as merely one boundary edge of a huge area that you can use tomove around in. I try to plan my gambles so that I don't get too close to that line. Forexample (arbitrary), if the gamble is jump, tunnel, jump, jump and the gamble line anglessuch that it is five feet from the first jump and gradually widens to 15 feet from the lastjump...make sure that you start working your gamble about 15 feet from the first jump so thatyou can continue moving along a parallel line while you complete the gamble sequence. Ifyou start close to that gamble line and run along it, you might pull your dog off the gamble asyou are forced to move further and further away from your dog.

I like to stay away from the gamble obstacles in the opening period (not use any of them forpoints) unless I am certain I can safely steer my dog among them without the possibility oftaking two gamble obstacles in sequence. If I am late with a cue and she takes the nextobstacle (in the gamble sequence) during the opening period then we NQ before we evenattempt the gamble. You can't take two gamble obstacles in sequence in the opening period.

Relax. More people get all flustered over Gamblers than anything else and that nervousnessis so easily picked up by the dog. Just imagine how much more difficult it is then for the dogto feel comfy working away from you.

Oh my. I've written too much. Sorry for the book. Hope some of you find the tips useful.


Junior HandlerAgility Training ManualPart Four in a Series

Written by:Ruth Van Keuren

With revisions by:Bud Houston

KnockoutStart class with a little competition this week. Set up two courses side by side, ashort distance apart, with start and finish lines. Obstacles should be placed sothat the dog’s path will cover a distance of 15 to 20 feet between each.

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Winners continue to run off against each other until there is one winner. Thewinner should alternate which side of the course he works; working one time onthe side with the tire, and the text time on the side with the pipe tunnel.

Losers can also run off against each other, the winner of these heats can then runagainst the undefeated dog. Besides being fun for the handlers, this will help theinstructor determine which dogs understand the tire and tunnel, which dogs arestaying with their handlers, which dogs are looking ahead to the next obstacle oncommand, and which handler and dog teams need more work.


Table ReviewIt is best to use a toy to teach the dog the meaning of the word “table”. Thehandler should take the dog and a toy to the table and place the toy on the tableso the dog knows where the toy is. The handler should then take the dog two orthree steps away from the table, give the command, “table” and let the dog go tothe table for the toy. This will teach the “table” command only. Handlers can usea bale of hay, a bed, or a footstool to substitute for the table when practicing athome.

I hesitate to use food in this exercise, as it will teach the dog to sniff the table. Iffood is used it is best to use food in hand to guide the dog onto the table, andthen give the food to the dog as a reward.

Once the dog understands the “table” command and is jumping onto the table oncommand, the down is added. The dog must, therefore, know the “down”command on the ground first. In this exercise the toy or food will come from thehandler after the dog is in the down position. This command will now become“tabledown” as one word. This may be hard for the handlers to put together, butthe dog has to know b3efore it is on the table that it has to down once on thetable. Remind the handler to add “stay” when the dog is in the down position.

The handler should next move around the table while the dog is on a down stay.The dog should not be allowed to roll around to watch the handler. Be sure thehandler does not correct the dog if the “stay” command was not given or if thedog does not understand “stay”.

After the handler has walked all the way around the table, and the dog hasremained in place, he should call the dog with hands up and tons of enthusiasm.This will insure a quick take-off from the table. Increase the distance the handleris able to go from the table while the dog is on a “tabledown stay” command,until the handler is able to move 20 feet away from the dog, and it will stay untilcalled. This is a typical distance a handler might want to be from the dog on theAgility course to prepare for the next obstacle. Once this is accomplished the dogshould be left on a down/stay on the table while the handler moves to a jump 20feet away in order to call the dog off the table to take the jump where the handleris standing. As obstacles are added to the training sessions, the dog can be calledto any of them from the table.

The instructor should explain the table count to all handlers. The count is “5-4-3-2-1-GO”. The dog must stay on the table in the down position, with its elbows onthe table, for the duration of the count. The dog must not leave the table until theword GO is completed. The count should always be done when the table is beingpracticed, and handlers should take turns counting foe each other. Incompetition there is a 5 point penalty if the dog leaves the table before the wordGO is completed.


There are now four obstacles to work with: jumps, tire, pipe tunnel, and table.Neither the dog nor the handler will get bored if the same sequence is done onlythree or four times before there is a change of direction or obstacle in thesequence. Remember, training has to be fun for both handler and dog. Have thehandlers set up courses or come up with a game for one of the classes. I like toend classes with something that is fun for both handler and dog that involvessome sort of competition. Be sure to explain what is good about the game orcourse they have come up with. Handlers also need positive motivation.

Serpentine Sequence10 20 30 40 50 60

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Set up the course shown in the figure above. The tunnel will include a bend thatwill not allow the dog to see all the way through to the exit. This will be fun forthe handlers because they haven’t tried it before, and it seldom makes anydifference to the dog.

Set up a Start and Finish line and ask the parents to do the timing. If the handlersfeel they are progressing too slowly, and aren’t being challenged by the numberof obstacles they have learned thus far, this will give them the challenge theyneed. The instructor should remind them that these are obstacles they will seemost often in competition courses of 16 to 20 obstacles. A solid and timelycommand on their part, plus understanding and response on the dog’s part areall very necessary.

At this point handlers should start to send their dogs over jumps, call their dogsthrough the tire to them, get fast downs on the table, and a fast call of f the tableto the next obstacle.


A-frame ReviewThe objective of this exercise is to teach the dog that the A-frame is a climbingobstacle.

All dogs should start close to the bottom of the ramp so they learn to use the slatson the A-frame to climb. This will be difficult for the larger breeds that carry a lotof weight, like Rottweilers, Mastiffs, St. Bernards and, unfortunately, overweightdogs. The heavier breeds will need a slight run at the A-frame in order to pulltheir weight up the ramp.

Council your students with overweight dogs to put them on a diet in order tocontinue agility. This is a physical sport and the out-of-condition dog will notenjoy it much.

Putting a toy on the ground on the down side of the A-frame will give the dog atarget and prevent it from jumping off half way down and missing a contact. Thetoy should be on the ground 6 o 12 inches from the bottom of the ramp,depending upon the size of the dog. Again, be sure a command, “walk-up” or“scramble” or “ramp” (or whatever the handler chooses for this obstacle) is givenbefore the dog reaches the ramp. Using “up-up-up” once the dog has started upencourages it to continue on up-, and works especially well with smaller dogs.

After the dog has gone over the apex of the ramp and is headed own the otherside, “wait,” “easy,” “bottom,” or “all the way” commands should be used tostop the dog’s motion on the ramp. The handler can help slow the dog byslowing himself, even coming to a complete stop alongside the dog. This willteach the dog to continue on slowly and therefore touch the contact zone on thedon side of the ramp also. The handler should not get in front of the dog, andshould instead, stay to the side and slightly behind the dog, as this will help thedog to wait until the handler gives the command to continue. If the dog doesn’tstop, the instructor might occasionally put hands on the dog to stop it while thehandler gives the command he is using to get the dog to wait or stop.

The A-frame should be set at 4 feet 6 inches for this early training so the dogswill take it easily and work through the contacts. This foundation trainingbecomes very important to the dog’s success on the higher ramps used in latertraining and in competition.

When teaching the A-frame do it for the entire class once. It helps handlers towatch other handlers. It also helps the working handler and dog team to have acheering section, so encourage everyone to cheer and clap for the team that isworking.


The “Tabledown” StaySet up a competition to test how far each handler can move away from his dogwhile the dog remains on a “tabledown stay”. This can be done in two ways:

1. The handler puts the dog on a “tabledown”, and then moves farther andfarther away from the dog. The handler who can move the farthest from thedog before the dog moves is the winner.

2. The handler best on the distance he can move away from the dog before itmoves. If the handler is correct he wins. All winners must increase thisdistance every time they try. The handler who correctly predicts the greatestdistance is the winner. Losers can compete in the same manner, however, thedown/stay should be done on the ground instead of on the table.

The moving downThis exercise will help handlers achieve a faster down on the table. Arrange thehandler/dog teams side by side in a straight line. As the group is heeling along,the instructor should signal the handler sto give their dogs a “down” command.Each handler gives his dog a verbal “down” command. Each handler gives hisdog a verbal “down” and slides his hand down the leash toward the ground tobring the dog into the down position. As soon as the dog goes down it is releasedwith lots of praise. This exercise should be done three to four times in a row.

Handlers can progress to using just their hands without the leash correction. Theexercise then becomes a hand signal for the dog to down while in motion. If thehandlers keep the exercise fun they will start getting very fast downs from theirdogs. Once the dog understands the exercise the dog should only get praise forfast downs./ No0 praise should be given for slow downs. Downs can be used tocontrol a fast dog on the agility course by using them to get the dog under thehandler’s control before the command for the next obstacle is given.

Working coursesTwo short courses with a mixture of obstacles are set up.

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In order to work this course the handler should leave the dog on a wait, move to the endof the tunnel, and call the dog through. He should then run with the dog to the table, andput the dog on a “tabledown”. During the countdown, “5-4-3-2-1-Go,” the handler shouldmove to the far side of the jump and call the dog over after the word “Go”.


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In this variation of the exercise, the handler will take a lead out nearly to the table and callthe dog through the pipe tunnel and onto the table for a “tabledown” performance”During the countdown, “5-4-3-2-1-Go,” the handler should move back to the oppositeside of the pipe tunnel, and call the dog through the tunnel after the word “Go”.

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In this sequence the handler should run with the dog from the start as it takes the firstjump. He will then direct the dog over the A-frame, making sure the dog touches bothcontact zones. Then the handler runs on to direct the dog to the final jump.

In a variation of the exercise, the handler will lead out to the bottom of the A-frame andcall the dog over the first jump, and will work with the dog the rest of the way throughthe sequence.

The Collapsed TunnelThe dog should already understand the “tunnel” command as a result of previous training.In this exercise the handler will teach the dog to continue on when it is unable to seewhere it is going, and how to burrow through a collapsed fabric chute. The handlers houldhold the fabric part of the tunnel open for the first few times, while the handler restrainsthe dog on-lead at the opening of the collapsed tunnel.

The fabric is progressively lowered until the dog is tunneling through by itself. If thehandler is at the side of the tunnel when he calls the dog, it will try to go through the side,so make sure the handler is ahead of the dog when it starts through. The dog will tend torun toward the sound of the handler’s voice, so the position of the handler is critical to thesuccess of this exercise. A jump can be added before and after the closed tunnel.

When setting up stations in class, try to rotate all handlers through each station. A whistlecan be blown to signal the switch to the next station. Those handlers having problems canwork on them before or after class. If a handler is having a problem with a particularobstacle, he should not work on the obstacle until the instructor is free to spend sometime on the problem.


Things to do For Fun

Knock OutAlmost any of the previous exercises can be used for a knock-out competition. In knockout two similar courses are set up, both having Start and Finish lines. Two dog andhandler teams run against each other, the first team finishing with no faults is the winner.Losing teams can also run off against each other, the team remaining after thiscompetition would then run off against the undefeated team to determine the overallwinner.

Boxed PairsTeams are composed of two handlers and their dogs. The teams stand in a five-footsquare, marked area on the agility course. The boundaries of this area are the Start andFinish lines. Time starts when the first handler and dog leave the “box” to run the course.The other handler and dog must remain inside the boundaries of the box until the foirsthandler and dog return to the box.

If the handler and dog on the course commit a fault, they must return to the boximmediately. Once they are inside the boundaries, the other handler and dog leave the boxand start the course at the point where the fault occurred. This rotation continues until theentire course has been run twice, at which point time stops. If no fault occurs, the firsthandler and dog return to the box after running the entire course once, and the secondhandler and dog start at the beginning of the course. The team with the best time is thewinner.

Team RelaysTeams are composed of three handlers and their dogs. At least two of the dogs must jumpthe same height. A course is set up using ten familiar obstacles, numbered 1 through 10.Two dogs that jump the same height run obstacles 1 through 5, and the remaining dogruns obstacles 6 thr4ough 10. The running order is:

1. The first dog runs obstacles 1 through 5

2. The second dog runs obstacles 6 through 10

3. The third dog runs obstacles 1 through 5

The team having the best combined time with the fewest faults is the winner.

As a mixer for a fun match, teams could be composed of handlers and dogs from differentclubs.


Run OffA control course is set up with four stations plus a start/finish line. Two handler and dogteams run off against each other. Time starts when a whistle is blown. A number ofdiffering courses can be used. An example of a control course follows:

1. The dog heels with the handler from the Start/Finish line to station 1.

2. The dog runs with the handler to station 2, where the dog is put on a stay.

3. The handler moves to station 3 and calls the dog.

4. Both take off on a run from station 3, the handler putting the dog on a movingdown/stay when reaching station 4.

5. The handler then continues to the Start/Finish line and calls the dog.

Parents can be used for timing so the instructors are free to make sure the teams are doingeach part of the course correctly. It seems to be most fun for handlers if something theyhave just learned is incorporated into the game.

JumpersA course is set up using jumps only, including the tire jump. Jumps should be set up inpatterns incorporating left and right turns, large circles, straight-aways, and changes ofsides. All jumps must be numbered to indicate the sequence in which they are to be taken.Try setting up a course in which jumps are to be retaken from the opposite direction, andnumber each side of the jump accordingly. Allow each handler to walk the course withouthis dog before running the course.

Time each handler and dog team, and score all faults. Each knocked pole or wrong courseis considered a fault, and each fault results in a 5-second penalty added on to the runningtime. The fastest time is the winner.

Try to get together with other club s in your area to put on fun matches. This will allowfor a different mix of competitors, and may also change any perceptions that certainhandlers always win. A nominal entry fee can be charged to help defray the cost of theclub’s equipment.

Try to organize a trip to a regular agility even to give the handlers an idea of what to aimfor. Some local agility clubs would appreciate help in putting on their events, so let theclubs know if you have any handlers that are willing to help, as the exposure is reallygood for them.


JumpsThree SimpleDesigns

ConstructionPlans

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

Jump – Version 24 jumpThis is a simple box but depending upon artistic abilities can be made into some veryinteresting jumps. These jumps are constructed of ¼" Luan plywood, 2X2 balusters and apiece of 2"X12" for a weighted base. This jump measures 11.75" square by 37.5" tall.

Materials Required (for 4 jump sets)• 2"X12" – 8’ long 1 piece• ¼" luan plywood 4 sheets• 2X2X36" balusters 32 pieces• 1" screws or brads 256 pieces

Tools Needed• Table saw or radial arm saw. Circular saw can be used but will require a lot of

patience and some skill.

• Screwdriver

Instructions1. Rip each sheet of plywood as shown below.


9.25”

11.75 11.75 11.75 11.75 11.75 11.75 11.75 11.75

37.5”

2. Step 2, Cut the 2"X12" – 8’ long into 8 squares 11 ½" by 11 ½".

These cuts should result in 32 pieces of ¼" luan 11.75" by 37.5" and 8 piecesof 2"X12" 11 ½" square.

Assembly Instructions1. Using 4 of the pieces of Luan, 4 of the balusters and 1 of the pieces of 2"X12"

make a box as follows;

1” screws orbrads

Line these edges flush

Luan

2”X12”

Balluster Line this edge flush

1” screws or brads 1 every 6”

2. Repeat for remaining 3 sides. When finished, the top will be open and looklike the following sketch.


Luan

2”X12”

Balluster

3. Repeat for remaining uprights.

4. Sand and paint then install jump cups.

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

http://www.dogwoodagility.com

Treat yourself and your dog to a four-day agilityand gam es vacation in rural O hio. These unique w eekday

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Cam p Dogwoodan intim ate agility experience (15 cam pers only)Cam p fee only $3 0 0 / Instructors Cam p is $46 0

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June 19 to June 22, 2001 (full)Aug 13 to Aug 16, 2001Oct 1 to Oct 4, 2001

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Advanced Camps

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Jump – Version 25 jump

Materials Required• 2"X4" – 8’ long 3 pieces• Jump cups and screws 12 sets• 6" multi-use screws 16 pieces• 3" multi-use screws 36 pieces

Instructions1. From 1 2X4 – 8’ long cut two pieces as shown below. These are the angled

side pieces.

40”

60°

30°

Scrap

2. From 1 2X4 – 8’ long cut two pieces 38 3/16” long and 6 pieces 1 ½” long

38 3/16” 38 3/16”

1.5” piecesScrap

3. From 1 2X4 – 8’ long cut two pieces 20” long and 2 pieces 24” long

20” 20” 24” 24” Scrap

4. Using the scrap pieces, cut four pieces 9” long


Assembly Instructions1. Assembly is quite simple as shown below. In addition to screws as shown, I

strongly recommend using dowels or some other form of reinforcement in thejoints. It is helpful to lay the 3 pieces on a flat work table and clamp togetheror to the table before drilling and assembling with screws. Work on one jointat a time.

If the screws come throughthe boards, they must befiled flush for safety.

2. Assemble supports using the 9” pieces and the 24” pieces using 12 of the 3”screws as follows.

9” Piece9” Piece

24” piece

3” screws1 ½” gap Centeredon the 24” piece

3. Attach support to upright using 6” screws as shown below

Support – slides over end and isattached using 2 of the 6” screws.

Sacrificial Feet

4. Jump is now ready for jump cup attachment.


Jump – Version 26 jumpThis is a simple winged jump that if you are fortunate to have a lot of barrels can be usedfor a very serviceable jump.

This jump is simply 2 barrels to which jump cups are attached.

Assembly is simple, set the barrels on end as shown above, layout jump heights andattach jump cups.

A Call For Agility Games– Bud [email protected]

Stuart Mah and I have decided to write the 2d edition of the Book of Agility Games. Thisprocess will probably take the rest of this year.

Do you want to be famous? Revered? Published? If you’ve invented your own agilitygame we’d like to hear about it! We’re interested not only in the hard-bitten games ofcompetition but fun games that clubs play on social nights and on special holidays.

Please email your game design directly to me at the address above. Tell us when the gamewas first played, and where it was played. We’d appreciate a course map and a completedescription of the rules.


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

Down Under

I’m preparing to take off again for Australiawhere I visited in 1999. My seminar tour hasbeen expanded to include Syndey, Brisbane,Melbourne, Canberra, and Perth.

My last trip was all business, without any daysoff to make a tourist of myself in this farawayland. I’m going to take it a bit more slowly onthis trip, making sure that I take in more of thesights.

The folks in Australia have actually been doing agility for longer than we have in theUnited States. However, until a few years ago the Australian idea of an agility course wasnine obstacles arranged in a “U” shape. Consequently they’re a bit behind us now interms of handling in the international style of the game.

I’ve quite a bit of new stuff to show the Aussies this time around. In the two years sincemy last visit I’ve experienced something of a epiphany in my understanding of the waydogs move. I look forward to making the Australian experience a matter of continuedstudies, rather than regurgitating the same old thing.

Of course this trip takes me away from Dogwood Training Center for more than a month.At the training center we’ll be recycling old favorites. Consequently there’ll be no newdevelopment for inclusion in a future issue of the Notebook. What I’m intent on doingthat month is completely documenting much of my seminar work to the extent that therewill be a single Down Under edition of the Notebook, a couple months down the line,dedicated to the work I do on that continent.

Growth of the JFF Agility NotebookFebruary 2001 has been our slowest growth month since we started publishing theNotebook. Frankly I’ve given a lot of energy to promoting the publication up until thismonth. Because of the many projects underway, the “Jr. Handlers Workbook,”,compiling Kurt Glaub’s “Construction Plans,” into an electronic document, working ona series of handouts for the training center, I’ve not had time for simple marketing. Mostof the agility world still does not know we exist.

I will renew marketing of the Notebook with real energy in the month of March. I’llremind you all that you can earn a free month tacked on to the end of your subscription byreferring someone who becomes a subscriber. Send email addresses and names to me, andI will give a free peak at the magazine to the persons you refer.


Technological AngstAs most of you know, Yahoo has subsumed eGroups. So now everyone is required tohave a log-on id to Yahoo just to have access to the Notebook. I am working on finding anew host for subscribers that isn’t as completely daft an unconcerned with users as isYahoo.

In this past month I have upgraded my computer, the Windows operating system, myemail version, and many of the programs that I use for production purposes. All of thishas wasted many hours of my time on installing software, rebuilding files, sitting on thephone to indifferent customer service centers, and transferring files between computers.

Software is especially painful as the perpetrators of enhancement seem to think thatchange is better, whether that change represents an improvement or travesty. Predatorymarketers like MicroSoft, Yahoo, and AOL foist mediocrity upon us and are casuallyindifferent to the havoc they wreak in our lives. Technology should simplify life. But witheach so called enhancement and improvement the technology is more difficult to wield,and often inferior to the predecessor technology.

I have chosen the path of the electronic publication. So I will rely on the existingtechnology to deliver the Notebook each month. I’m fully aware that many of you are atthe mercy of this technology. I’m happy to help you resolve any difficulties you mighthave each month. Feel free to email me.

Navigating the Notebook

You can navigate in through the Notebook by paging through it or by using navigationalstructures. You can also retrace your steps through documents to return to where youstarted.

Paging through the Notebook

Acrobat provides buttons, keyboard shortcuts, and menu commands for paging through aPDF document.

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Do one of the following:

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Browsing the Notebook

To browse with a bookmark:

Show the Bookmarks palette. You may need to choose Window > Show Bookmarks toopen the palette or click the Bookmarks tab to bring the palette to the front of its group.

To jump to a topic using its bookmark, click the text in the Bookmarks palette.

The Table of Contents is Linked !

To follow a link: Position the pointer over the article in the table of contents. The pointerchanges to a hand with a pointing finger . Then click the link.

Retracing your viewing path

After you have paged through the Notebook, or used bookmarks or links from the Tableof Contents to move through the document, you can retrace your path back to where youstarted. You can go 64 steps back in Acrobat, or 32 steps back for documents in externalbrowser windows.

To retrace your viewing path:

Do one or more of the following:

• To retrace your path within a PDF document, click the Go To Previous View buttonin the command bar, or choose Document > Go Back for each step back. Or click theGo To Next View button , or choose Document > Go Forward for each step forward.

• To retrace your viewing path through other PDF documents, choose Document > GoBack Doc for each step back or Document > Go Forward Doc for each step forward.Or hold down Shift, and click the Go Back or Go Forward button.

Dogwood Training Center

http://www.dogwoodagility.com/store

JFF Notebook Week 1 Page 24 March, 2001

Week One – Colors

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Advanced Course

BriefingThis game consists of three nested courses. Each league team must run each course atleast once. In the final tally, a score for each course must be kept by the team.

The Advanced and Intermediate courses will be judged under USDAA Advanced rules.That means refusals will be judged on contact obstacles only. And all contacts, up anddown will be judged. Off courses are 20 faults.

The Beginners course will be judged under USDAA Starters rules. There are no refusals.Off-courses are 5 faults. The four-paw safety rule will not be observed. However, thejudge may tell a handler to go on with his dog if the performance of a contact obstacleseems unsafe.

Marking Your JFF Dance CardsA clean run is required to qualify in this game.

• Beginners Course – Beginners• Intermediate Course – Intermediate• Advanced Course – Superior

MVP points will be earned only by those dogs running the Advanced course.


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Beginners Course


Beginners Class Plan – Week One

Side One

Side Two

Side OneFigure-of-eight – begin by showing your students the figure-of-eight exercise, teachingthe dogs to pay keen attention to the handler’s lead. Note: The figure-of-eight exercise isdescribed in this week’s Student Handout.

Introducing the bar jump – Use only non-winged bar jumps for the introduction. Thebars should be crossed in the jump standards, with one end in the 8” cup, and the other onthe ground.

The goal is to teach the dog to go between the jump standards as the handler shows thejump. Show your students how to square up your body as you show the jump to the dog.The handler should face the direction the dog is expected to move. The dog gets hisdirection cue from the set of the handler’s shoulders. Face the jump and move directlyalongside of it, showing the path the dog should work with the lead hand, the hand closestto the dog. As the handler passes alongside the standard, the dog goes over the jump.

Remind your students to give the dog a food reward. The reward, both treat and praise forthe 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 opposite side of thejump. The leash should drape over the jump bar. If the dog won’t stay, the instructorwill want to hold the dog while the handler moves into position across the jump.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 several times.

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.

Introducing the Tire – Set the tire so that the bottom of the inside aperture is no morethan 6” off the ground. The goal is to teach the dog to go through the aperture.Demonstrate for your students how to square up for the performance of the tire. Thehandler should face the direction the dog is expected to move. The dog gets his directioncues from the set of the handler’s shoulders. Demonstrate a clear hand signal, using thehand closest to the dog, pushing towards the tire.

Make sure your students reward and praise the dog for each time he jumps through thetire. Dogs are reward motivated.

You will control the dog’s leash on the initial presentation of the tire. The handler shouldgo to the opposite side and call the dog through. If the dog tries to duck left or right theinstructor will stop the dog’s progress. If the dog volunteers to get to his handler throughthe tire, then the instructor just allows the lead to slip through his hands.

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

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.

In this set put everyone twice over the A-Frame (set at 3’). Keep it light and happy.Remind students to give the dog a food treat at the bottom of the A-Frame in the handclosest to the dog. First two repetitions should be on-lead. Do not let students drag or pullthe dog’s leash. The leash is for control prior to going up, and after coming down.

Sequencing – If you have enough time after introducing the obstacles in your groups, youcan try a short, two-obstacle, sequence: Jump to A-frame. Speak to your students brieflyabout using the arm closest to the dog and the obstacle to point the way for the dog. Thisis called a lead hand.


Side TwoSee “Introducing the bar jump,” above. Introduce the bar jump as the first obstacle.

Introducing the dogwalk – We’ll have the trainer dogwalk up, with the wide boards and the topset at about 3’. 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 should alternateworking the dog on both left and right. A lot of praise and an immediate food reward at thebottom of the dogwalk will make the dog a lot more confident and willing to climb up over thisobstacle.

If a dog is refusing the dogwalk we can use a very effective technique for getting the dog tovolunteer to walk up the ramp. The instructor should hold the dog’s leash while the handlerwalks up the ramp to the center table, calling the dog after her. If the dog tries to go left or rightaround the ascent ramp the instructor will draw the dog up short at the end of the leash. If the dogvolunteers to walk up, however, the instructor just lets him go. Do not pull on the dog’s leadwhile he is walking up the ramp. That will make him very nervous.

Introducing the table – You might begin each group by having your students show you their“down” as a group. Have them down their dogs, go to the end of the leash, facing the dog. After amoment, have them return to their dogs. Exercised finished. Give them a pep talk about workingthe Down command at home.

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

Remind your students that Sit, Down, and Stay are described in the Student Handout for weekone. They need to be working on these skills in earnest during the week so that their dogs will beprepared for these performances when working in class.

Introducing the Pipe Tunnel – All of the training sets include pipe tunnels. Your first groupwill be introduced to the pipe tunnel. Other groups that you get will already have beenintroduced. Change the length and bend of the tunnel to be more challenging for each group.Shorten the tunnel and take the bend out if dogs aren’t getting it.

The pipe tunnel will be compressed so that it is barrel-like, short and easy to see through to theother side. Our methodology is never to compel the dog. The instructor holds the dog’s leashwhile the 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 his humanby 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 the pipe tunnel. Theinstructor will gradually add length to the tunnel by pulling it open. After the tunnel is at fulllength the instructor can add bend to the tunnel. This should be done only gradually, as the dogs’confidence grows.

Sequencing – After introducing the obstacles in your groups, you can try a short, two-obstacle, sequence: Jump to pipe tunnel. Talk to your students briefly about the handler’smotion. A handler in motion is very compelling to the dog. If the handler stops, or slowsdown, the dog will likely do so also. So the handler should be running to direct the dog;the dog will run alongside.


Advanced Beginners Class Plan – Week One

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Both black and white sequences should be run twice in the direction indicated by thenumbers. If you have time, you should also run them twice in the opposite direction.

White Numbers – This is a nice down and back sequence without any tricky turns. In thissequence you want to work with your students on one simple handling skill: the handlershould stay in motion. The handler should use his lead hand to focus the dog on the pathahead when the dog comes out of the pipe tunnel. As soon as the dog’s attention is on thehandler’s lead, the handler must take off running, past and through the jumps. The handlershould not stop at the jumps to present to the dog.

Your students should be offering the dog a foot tidbit in the down contact for everyrepetition. This encourages the dog to come to a stop at the bottom.

Black Numbers – This is a big romping sequence around the outside of the building. Usethis sequence to get your students to run and point the way to their dogs. This sequenceshould also be used to begin developing a simple, but important, handling discipline. Each ofthe turns in this sequence are shaped by tunnels. The handler must continue working to thetunnels until the dog gets in. If the handler turns away from the tunnel entry prematurely, thedog will likely do so as well. The handler’s lead is a tool to point the way for the dog. Thelead hand should be held out steadily, pointing the way for the dog. In contrast, the lead handshould not be flailed about or offered in choppy little bursts.

Your students should be offering the dog a foot tidbit in the down contact for everyrepetition. This encourages the dog to come to a stop at the bottom.


Advanced Beginners Class Plan 2 of 2

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Both black and white sequences should be run twice in the direction indicated by the numbers. Ifyou have time, you should also run them twice in the opposite direction.

White Numbers – On the table work with your students on alternate repetitions to begin theirdogs in a down and sitting positions. Don’t waste a lot of class time with dogs that haven’t beentrained adequately at home. Remind your students that they need to be working on theseperformances at home (and not taking up class time to do so).

In this sequence you want to talk to your students about the timing of a turn. The dog turns whenthe handler turns. Therefore, the handler should make a turn after a jump only when the dog isactually over the jump. To turn prematurely will cause the dog to drop the bar or run around thejump. It might actually work against the handler in this sequence to take a lead-out from thetable, as that strategy could have the handler standing still alongside the jump waiting on the dog.The dog takes his motion cue from the handler. Consequently the handler should be in motion.

Your students should be offering the dog a foot tidbit in the down contact for every repetition.This encourages the dog to come to a stop at the bottom.

Black Numbers – This sequence features a 180° turn from jump #2 to #3. The handling skill thatyou want to teach your students is that there is no obstruction to their movement past the jump.There is no invisible barrier, nothing to bump their noses on at a jump. Therefore, they shouldnot stop at the jump, expecting the dog to go ahead over the jump, when they have not. Not onlyis there little risk for working through and past the jump, but it is good handling to do so. Makethe turn only after the dog has committed over the jump.

In a turn the handler should make a big deal of the turn. A happy and high pitched verbal will getthe dog’s attention. Taking off in the new direction will entice the dog to do so as well.


Novice Class Plan – Week One

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White Numbers – This sequence starts with a discrimination problem at the #3 pipe tunnel.A U-shaped pipe tunnel is always a discrimination problem, but we cannot rely simply on thename of the obstacle… because both sides of the tunnel have the same name. We’ll have totry handling. The easy approach to solving the opposite side entry to the pipe tunnel will be apost and tandem. As the dog commits over jump #2 the handler will roll the dog left, in apost turn, as though heading to jump #4. Then, at the last moment the handler kicks out,pushing the dog to the correct entry to the tunnel. We experiment a great deal with bothoutside arm and inside arm as a tandem turn indicator. Try the inside arm first. Many dogsfind this completely natural and compelling.

Out of the pipe tunnel the handler probably should switch to a right lead.

Black Numbers – The sequence opens with a straight ahead sweep. Make sure that yourstudents work the down contact of the A-frame. They should not just plunge ahead withoutseeing their dogs feet in the down contact. It might also be a good practice in Novicecompetition class to give the dog a food treat in the down-side yellow.

Following jump #4 is a tough turn to the weave poles. A novice handler’s instinct might be tokeep the dog on a left lead and kick out on the landing side of jump #4. Your job will be topoint out to your students that the intrepid handler will always endeavor to be on the turningside of the course. So they should have dog on right. The handler’s motion on the landingside of the jump should be compelling; and the turn will not be as effective if the handlerrelies on verbals only. You could show your students a Mitchell Flip, which would be a goodsolution for this turn.


Novice Class Plan 2 of 4

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White Numbers – This sequence starts with the opposite side of the tunnel than the dogwas previously directed. The handler must be prepared to push the dog up to the correctentry. Another approach, to ensure the entry to the correct side of the tunnel, would be forthe handler to do a crossing turn, or possibly even a blind turn, on the tipping side of theteeter. This puts the dog on handler’s left, and makes the right side of the pipe tunnelmore compelling to the dog.

Out of the pipe tunnel this sequence features short transitional distances to jump #4 and tothe table at #5. In the turn to the table the handler simply needs to make sure the dog hascommitted over the jump before indicating the change of direction. A simple post turnmight not be enough to turn the dog to the table, as the dummy jump beyond could bequite compelling. The transition from the pipe tunnel to the table at #5 might be betterserved by a crossing turn on the landing side of jump #4.

Black Numbers – This sequence will test two turning skills, the post, and the tandem.The turn from jump #2 to #3 is a post. Certainly the dog will see the pipe tunnel ahead,but has no real reason to go there if the handler is turning and calling to jump #3. This ofcourse puts the dog on the handler’s left lead, which is away from the turn on the landingside of jump #4. So the turn to the pipe tunnel at #5 will be a tandem. That is, the handlerkicks out, pointing with an inside arm, to turn the dog away.

Another solution to this sequence would be for the handler to do a blind turn on thelanding side of jump #3. That puts the dog on the handler’s right, and makes the approachto the pipe tunnel a post turn.



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White Numbers – This sequence starts with a long sweep up to jump #3. The handlerprobably will want a modest lead out in order to get in position for the turn from jump #3to the pipe tunnel. This really shouldn’t be a difficult turn. But the handler needs to be inposition in order to kick the dog into the pipe tunnel. However, the handler must becareful not to come into contact with the dog. This is a bit of a tandem turn. The easiestway to accomplish the turn is to point into the tunnel while making the corner.

Out of the pipe tunnel the dog must be turned down to jump #5. The handler needs to geta connection with the dog and focus the dog on the approach to jump #5. A good way tohandle this would be to do a crossing turn as the dog comes out of the pipe tunnel. This isactually hard to teach Novice students. Many will want to rotate through the turn whilethe dog is engaged in the tunnel. Of course, the dog can’t actually see the rotation of thehandler’s body while in the tunnel, so it couldn’t be very compelling.

Black Numbers – A handler working his dog on the right through early part of thissequence might get into a bit of trouble in the approach to the pipe tunnel at #3. If the doggets over jump #2 before the handler can get into position, which is very likely, the dogwill curl back towards the handler’s position, which presents the wrong side of the tunnelto the dog. It would be better to work the dog on a left lead, to influence the dog into thecorrect side of the tunnel.

Remember that a dog coming out of a pipe tunnel is often disoriented. The handler mustestablish a connection with the dog and focus the dog on the path to the tire. Continue towork with praise and a treat for the dog in the descent-side contact of the A-frame.



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White Numbers – In this sequence the handler wants to get the dog past the first entry tothe tunnel at #3. The easy way to do this turn is as a post and tandem. The handler’sinitial movement will be as though to turn down towards jump #4. As the dog gets pastthe wrong entry to the tunnel, the handler flips back in a tandem (using the inside arm toindicate the turn).

Out of the pipe tunnel the dog is faced with a flat turn to the table on the landing side ofjump #4. There really isn’t anything on this side of the sequence that presents itself as anoff-course opportunity. Even the teeter is faced the wrong direction. So the turn shouldn’tbe especially difficult. You might want to watch for handlers who come to a completestop at the table while waiting for the dog. When the handler stops the dog is apt to stopas well. So the handler’s job will be to find a way to stay in motion to direct the dog tothe table.

Black Numbers – This sequence starts in a relatively straight forward line. Though jump#2 is presented at a depressed angle to the dog’s approach, the handler should have notrouble working through and getting the dog into the correct entry to the tunnel. It doesn’tmuch matter which side the handler works the dog.

The real fun in this sequence will be the turn from jump #4 to jump #5. This is a veryloose threadle. Threadles always require a combination turn; post to tandem; or cross topost; or even, blind to blind. Let your students experiment a bit. Be ready to specifyhandling if they make this look especially ungainly. Though, something to keep at theback of your mind, when you have a choice of directions to turn a dog on a jump, thehandler should assess the risks and benefits of turning the dog in either direction.


Competition Class Plan – Week One

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White Numbers – The approach to jump #2 requires the handler to make a turn with the dog onthe flat. One solution for the opening would be for the handler to start this sequence with a post(from #1 to #2) followed by a tandem (on the landing side of jump #2). When the dog in on theteeter the handler will often work closely alongside the dog. This might result in the handlerbeing behind the dog and out of real control of the dog’s approach to the pipe tunnel at #5. Itwould be worthwhile practicing this opening in a different way. Try starting with a lead-out-pivot(crossing turn). After the dog is pitched over jump #2 the handler stays in a parallel path to thedog, on the opposite side of the table. The handler must stay in motion parallel to the dog. Thisputs the handler well ahead of the dog and able to easily direct the dog into the correct side of thepipe tunnel.

The final challenge is the approach to a depressed angle tire at #8. The handler will likely wantto keep dog on left, bringing the dog up enough on the landing side of jump #7 to do a tandem onthe flat to create the approach to the tire.

Black Numbers – This sequence starts off with a simple sweep into the pipe tunnel. The turnfollowing jump #4, however, will have the dog looking at an off-course up the A-frame. It will bein the handler’s interest to be compelling in this turn. An RFP should do the trick.

The approach to jump #7 is anything but straight ahead. The handler could post the dog out ofthe tunnel around for the approach to jump #7, and probably have a pretty good approach to jump#8. It would probably be better that the handler engages in some movement to bring the dog upfor the approach to jump #7 in a way that a nice line to #8 is created in the process. The besthandling might be a blind turn. Though a crossing turn would surely work if the handler isthoughtful about the place it is committed.


Competition Class Plan 2 of 4

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White Numbers – Surely your students will want to turn the dog right on the landing sideof the tire at #2. This presents the dogwalk as an off-course opportunity. So the secret willbe to keep the dog turning. A crossing turn will be most compelling to the dog.

In this sequence the dog gets the straight ahead approach to the pipe tunnel at #5. Thecourse stops being straight ahead on the landing side of jump #7. The dummy jumpbeyond will be very compelling to the dog if the handler can’t make the turn up to thetable at #8. An RFP would be useful. In this kind of turn you have to watch that yourstudents allow the dog to commit over the jump before indicating the turn. Otherwisethey’ll risk a downed bar or a refusal at #7. They might possibly pull the dog off the jumpaltogether.

Black Numbers – After patterning the dogs to the straight ahead tire in the previoussequence, don’t be surprised if the dogs decide they want to go the same way in thissequence. Though this is a simple post turn it is the handler’s responsibility to get a goodconnection with the dog to show the new way. The approach to the pipe tunnel at #5could be handled well in a couple different ways. Slow dog handling would have thehandler moving forward and doing a blind turn on the landing side of jump #3. Fast doghandling has the handler keeping the dog on a left lead through jump #4, and doing atandem turn on the landing side of that jump.

This sequence ends with a turn from jump #6 to #7 with a compelling off-courseopportunity to the pipe tunnel, followed by a wicked turn on the landing side of jump #7into the weave poles. The handler will have to be dramatic for the final turn. Once again,a Mitchell Flip might be the most compelling movement to convince the dog to turn.



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White Numbers – This sequence begins with a long transitional distance from jump #1 to#2. Given the short path into the pipe tunnel at #4 the handler will likely want a lead outbetween jumps #1 and #2 in order to be in position to kick the dog on into the pipe tunnel.This sequence closes with a long sweep out of the pipe tunnel that will really have the dogsmoving. Again we are faced with the depressed angle approach to the tire at #7. This time,the approach is complicated by a turn following, to get to jump #8. This is actually acombination of elements of two previous exercises. Again, a tandem on the flat might be thebest approach to the tire. This time the handler might want to square it up a bit in order tohave a clean turn (to the right) for an approach to jump #8. If the off-course potential to thedogwalk seems too severe, the handler could turn the dog left on the landing side of the #7tire, and make a cross and post approach to jump #8.

Black Numbers – This sequence features the turn out of the tunnel to jump #3 that we sawin an earlier sequence. The real difference, in this sequence, is that the course turns to theweave poles, and not to jump #1. Handling the approach to jump #3 in a post position (dogon right) would be a bit out of control for the approach to the weave poles. So the handlerwill want to do a blind turn or a crossing turn on the takeoff side of jump #3 to be in positionto post the dog into the weave poles. The handler will have to be completely compelling inthe turn to avoid the off-course at jump #1.

The approach to the pipe tunnel at #6 will have to be handled with a two part movement. Apost and tandem might be the best way to handle it. However, modifying the dog’s approachto jump #5 might not be a bad thought. (This is typically called a “Vee”). The handler cankick the dog out, as though heading to the tire, and then turn the dog for an approach to jump#5 that also gives the dog a straight line approach to the pipe tunnel at #6.



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White Numbers – Again we have the long sweep across the building. This time theopposite side of the tunnel is indicated. While this might be the more natural approach forthe dog, the fact that we conditioned the dog for a turn in the first entry in the previousexercise might have an influence on the dog’s choice. This most likely should be handledas a post and tandem. That means that the handler starts with the dog on a left lead

The final sequence will be interesting. The handler must take the dog off the table for ashort approach to a jump presented at a depressed angle. This approach is complicated bythe turn and approach to the tire at #8. We should observe the Keep It Simple principle inhis final sequence.

Black Numbers – This sequence starts with a difficult approach to the weave poles at #2,coming off a turn from jump #1. What we’ll probably find is that a post turn causes tooloopy of a turn and will have the dog missing the entry, or blowing around pole #3because the approach was too perpendicular. What the handler wants to do is square upthe entry a bit. That means a crossing turn in which the handler wraps the dog around hisbody for the approach. This has to be done carefully, with a lot of connection, else thedog might be directed to a back jump of jump #1.

The final serpentine is just a bit of fun. It starts with a threadle from jump #5 to #6.Remember that a threadle is always a combination turn; cross to post, or cross to blind toname a couple possibilities. It all depends on how the handler wants to approach the finalserpentine, on the blind side, or on the tandem side.


Week Two – Time and Score

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This course is based on the fourth round AKC Nationals course designed by Diane Craig. Myapologies for the liberties taken to make this course fit into a 60’ by 90’ space. The most criticalchallenges were preserved; though they may be a bit tighter than the course designer intended.

BriefingTime and Score is run like a standard agility course. The dog is required to perform eachobstacle on the course. However, the dog may start the course over again if there is timeremaining on the clock after his first time through. The dog will accumulate points foreach obstacle successfully completed.

The Standard Course Time shall be 60 seconds. At the end of course time, the timekeeperwill blow a whistle indicating the end of scoring. From wherever they are on course, thehandler and dog must go directly to the finish line to stop the clock. Time and Score isscored points, then time. Time is used as a tie-breaker only.

The dog earns 1 point for obstacles successfully completed, and loses 1 point for eachfault incurred (dropped bar, off-course, missed contact). USDAA Starters/Novice ruleswill be used for judging. Failure to perform will be faulted 5 points.

Marking Your JFF Dance Cards• Games I – A Score of 15 or better• Games II – A score of 18 or better• Games III – A score of 20 or better


Beginners Class Plan – Week Two

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Side Two

Remind your students to give the dog a food reward for all performances. The reward,both treat and praise for the dog, should be given immediately as the dog performs theobstacle or sequence.

Sequencing – If you have enough time after introducing the obstacles in your groups, youcan try a short, two-obstacle, sequences. Dogs at this point in their training aren’t reallyready for sequences. It is important to give a lot of reward for each performance. Forexample. You might do the jump several times, and the A-frame. The dog gets a rewardfor each repetition. So when you start sequencing, begin the jump in the direction of theA-frame, as the dog gets over the jump, immediately move forward to the A-frame tomake the presentation; and give the dog a reward at the bottom of the A-frame.

Side OneReview the dogwalk – We’ll have our new adjustable dogwalk up, with the top set atabout 3’. The handler works over the dogwalk with the dog, using a food treat to lure ifnecessary. The handler should alternate working the dog on both left and right. A lot ofpraise and an immediate food reward at the bottom of the dogwalk will make the dog alot more confident and willing to climb up over this obstacle.

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.


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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 Long Jump/Spread Hurdle – In Beginners class we combine the longjump and spread hurdle. The performance of each is essentially the same.

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

The introduction to the jump should be done with the dog off-lead. Each presentationshould have a slightly longer approach than might be necessary with 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 opposite side of thejump. The leash should drape over the jump bar. If the dog won’t stay, you’ll want tohold the dog while the handler moves.


Review the Tire – Set the tire so that the bottom of the inside aperture is no more than 6”off the ground.

Let the handlers present the tire to the dog themselves. Put the dog through on thehandler’s right. Put the dog through on the handler’s left. Leave the dog in a sit or a downstay, and call the dog through.

If the dog is having trouble with the tire, you will control the dog’s leash on the initialpresentation of the tire. The handler should go to the opposite side and call the dogthrough. If the dog tries to duck left or right the instructor will stop the dog’s progress. Ifthe dog volunteers to get to his handler through the tire, then the instructor just allows thelead to slip through his hands.


Review the table – Begin each group by having your students show you their “sit” as agroup. Have them sit their dogs, go to the end of the leash, facing the dog. After amoment, have them return to their dogs. Exercised finished. Give them a pep talk aboutworking the Sit command at home. Ask your students how many of them did theirhomework assignment from week one.

We teach the Happy Table exercise. No harsh obedience-style sitting of the dog will beallowed. Remember how this works. Put a treat in the fist. Put the dog up on the table.Rock the fist past the dog’s ear, telling the dog Sit! As soon as the dog sits, open the fist.Dogs are very clever about this game. It should be upbeat and reward based.

Side TwoReview the pipe tunnel – Allow your students to present the pipe tunnel to the dog. Startwith the tunnel shortened, but quickly add length and bend to the tunnel as the dogs begindoing the tunnel with confidence.

If any dog is having trouble with the pipe tunnel, you should hold 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 Collapsed Tunnel – The chute of the collapsed tunnel should be foldedback on itself so that the fabric chute is only about 4’ long. Our methodology is never tocompel the dog. The instructor holds the dog’s leash while the handler goes to the otherside to lift 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 justlet the leash slip through your fingers.

On subsequent repetitions, the handler should make the presentation of the collapsedtunnel while the instructor holds the fabric chute open. As the dog’s confidence grows,gradually add length to the fabric chute, and begin dropping the chute on the dog earlierand earlier until the dog is pushing through the chute without anyone holding it open.

Introducing a Winged Hurdle – It is the nature of a wing that it puts a bit of distancebetween the dog and handler. Don’t immediately assume that the dog will go over the barrather than around the wing to be close to the handler. When introducing a winged hurdlethe initial presentation should have the handler straddling the bar and luring the dog overthe bar with the arm opposite the dog. Next, change the presentation so that the dog is leftaddressing the jump while the handler goes to the opposite side. Use a lure if necessaryand call the dog straight over the center of the bar. This presentation should be made bothon the dog’s left and the dog’s right.


Review the A-frame – The A-frame will be set at about 3’. Get everyone to load up withfood. 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.

If any dog is having trouble with the A-frame you can take extraordinary measures. Holdthe dog’s leash. Then instruct the handler to go around to the opposite side of theA-frame, and then climb up so that the dog can only see the handler’s hands and face.Don’t allow the dog to run around the A-frame. But if the dog volunteers to go up, let himgo.

Review the Weave Poles – The weave poles will be fully wired. Tonight we are onlygoing 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.

Review the bar jump – Use a non-winged bar jumps for this review. The bars should becrossed in the jump standards, with one end in the 8” cup, and the other on the ground.

The review of 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 opposite side of thejump. The leash should drape over the jump bar. If the dog won’t stay, you’ll want tohold the dog while the handler moves.



Advanced Beginners Class Plan – Week Two

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Black Numbers – This is a nice down-and-back sequence. Talk to your students aboutfocusing their dogs on the line ahead when they come out of a tunnel. Note that the wingsof jump #2 may hold the handler up a bit and cause the dog to wrap back towards thehandler’s position. The handler needs to set up a path that pushes the dog towards thejump and to the pipe tunnel beyond. That path should be outside of the wing, and nottowards the wing. By definition, a wing is an obstruction to the handler.

This sequence is also a good opportunity to work on a blind turn. The handler approachesthe pipe tunnel with dog on right. During the dog’s performance of the tunnel the handlerwill turn in the same direction as the turn of the tunnel, picking up the dog on a left leadas the dog exits the tunnel.

White Numbers – In this sequence we’re using the equipment storage jump (acombination of the long jump and double-bar hurdle). The handler should take a modestlead-out in the sequence. It’s important that the handler not be caught standing still at thelong jump. A Novice dog will jump better if the handler is providing a good motion cue.That means that the handler should be moving briskly in a path that parallels the dog’spath.

In this sequence watch that the handler does not develop a habit of turning off or awayfrom the entry to the pipe tunnel before the dog has committed into the tunnel. This is animportant handling discipline. The handler should stay focused on and pointing to thetunnel until the dog gets in. There is no advantage to turning away towards the exit beforethe dog has made the entry.



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Black Numbers – In this sequence the dog must be redirected coming out of the pipetunnel at #3 back to jump #4. In this sequence we’d like to work on a crossing turn.Please read the discussion of the crossing turn in the white numbers exercise on this page.

Work the A-frame in both directions giving the dog a foot treat in the down contact.While we do want to encourage the dog’s enthusiasm for working at top speed, we alsowant to teach the dog that the contact obstacles must be performed in a controlledfashion. If the handler’s stopping at the down contact is not enough to quell the dog’senthusiasm for launching off the board, you might get the handler to turn back towardsthe dog as the dog comes down the ramp. This often is enough, as it will indicate an endto the forward foot race. If this is not enough, get the handler to turn back towards the dogand reach up and put his hands on the dog, to gentle the dog down into the contact.

White Numbers – This sequence is similar to the previous in all regards, except the turncoming out of the pipe tunnel. The handler really cannot run ahead during the dog’sperformance of the pipe tunnel. He has to stay to direct the dog out of the pipe tunnel tothe tire at #4. In this turn you should get your students to practice a crossing turn. Ideally,the handler will be facing the same direction as the dog when the dog comes out of thetunnel, and at that instant, begin the cross. The entire rotation of the crossing turn is savedfor the benefit of the dog. Doing the rotation while the dog is in the tunnel deprives thedog of actually seeing this compelling movement. This is very hard to get novice handlersto actually do.

Once the dog has been redirected to the tire at #4 the handler needs to get into motion andrun through the final two obstacles.



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Black Numbers – This is a fairly advanced handling sequence for Advanced Beginners.But you should still have a bit of fun with it. The handler could manage this sequencekeeping his dog on left all the way. However, given that the turn from the weave poles isto the left, specify a bit of handling to make it more interesting to your students. Start theweave poles with dog on right. Then, as the dog exits the weave poles, do a crossing turnto pick up the dog on left before continuing with the sequence. This movement iscommonly known as an Axle.

The approach back to the weave poles coming off the turn from jump #4 isn’t easy. Showyour students how to do an RFP to tuck the dog into their position and line up the dog forthe performance of the weave poles. Note: An RFP is a gentle rotation of the handler’sbody back towards the dog. This causes the dog to tighten up to the handler’s position.

White Numbers – This sequence is a straight-forward performance of the technicalobstacles. Please watch where your students stand, awaiting their turn, so they do notinterfere with the training set going in the other side of the building.

The key turn in this sequence is the turn from jump #4 to #5. A novice handler will tendto stop moving forward so that they do not go to the landing side of jump #4. This isobviously a handling error. There is no invisible barrier at the jump. The handler will domuch better to move a stride or two beyond jump #4 and post the dog around for a goodpresentation of jump #5. If the handler gets well ahead of the dog in the quest to stay inmotion, it’s not really a problem. This would be a great opportunity to practice a blindturn. So, as the dog commits over the jump, behind the handler, the handler need only flipback, away from the dog, and present jump #5 to the dog.



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Black Numbers – This sequence features a difficult turn from jump #2 to the oppositeside of the pipe tunnel at #3. If the handler can get ahead of the dog this is a good place todo a crossing turn. If the dog is faster than the handler the handler probably needs to do apost and tandem kind of movement to redirect the dog into the correct entry to the tunnel.

You should also practice a back cross with your students in this exercise. A back cross isa cross behind the dog on the take-off side of the jump. This is fairly advanced for youradvanced beginners students. So approach this exercise with care. The handler cannot doa back cross if the dog won’t go ahead to commit to the jump. If the dog clings to thehandler’s position the handler should instead choose to make the cross on the landing sideof the jump.

White Numbers – This sequence combines some of the skills from previous exercise. Inthe opening, on the approach to jump #2, make sure your students do not stand stillalongside the jump on the dog’s approach. The handler should work through the jump.The analogy I usually use is to compare the handler’s movement to a jump with the karateguy with a stack of boards. He must think through the boards, or risk breaking his hand.When approaching a jump, we do the same thing. We work through the jump with thedog. Stopping or slowing down will only stop or slow down the dog.

The turn from the teeter at #3 to the long jump at #4 is a bit different. In this turn youneed to impress on your students that they need to take the dog off the teeter enough sothat when they turn back the dog has a square and fair presentation of the long jump.They have to be careful not to push the dog so far up that the dog takes the dummy jumpstraight off the exit of the teeter.


Novice Class Plan – Week Two

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Black Numbers – The dog is faced with a discrimination at the A-frame and pipe tunnel#2. This should be solved simply by taking the body magnet position. It’s a simple postturn. The handler should use his lead hand to point straight into the opening of the tunnel.The turn from jump #3 to the pipe tunnel can be a bit more fancy. If the dog gets over thejump before the handler is in position only a post turn will do. But during theperformance of the pipe tunnel at #2 the handler has plenty of time to move forward. Thehandler can work through jump #3 and do a crossing turn or a blind turn from jump #3into the pipe tunnel at #4. The turn into the collapsed tunnel might be a simple post turn.Or, again, the handler can be in motion and possibly do a blind turn.

White Numbers – This opening sequence is double trouble for novice dogs and handlers.The right side of the pipe tunnel is more clearly presented to the dog than the entryspecified by the course. You might try a lead-out-pivot with your students. They shouldlead out enough to be forward of the dog on the landing side of the tire at #2. The onlyway for a crossing turn to work is for the handler to get a connection with the dog on thenew lead hand. Show them how to adopt a luring posture.

Coming out of the pipe tunnel the dog will be facing the off-course tire. So again, thehandler should cross to show the dog the new path. We try to get the handler to save therotation of the cross until the moment the dog is emerging from the tunnel. The rotationof the handler’s body is very compelling to the dog. Mostly though, Novice students don’thave enough control of their bodies to save that rotation. They’ll rotate completely whilethe dog is in the pipe tunnel.



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Black Numbers – Again the dog is faced with the discrimination at the #2 A-frame. You’llbe working against the patterning of the first exercise and the fact that the A-frame is hiddenuntil the moment of the final turn squaring the dog up for the approach. Explain to yourstudents that they will be taking the blocking position in the discrimination. That meansthey’ll use their bodies to physically block the dog’s approach to the off-course obstacle.Point out that the block can take place 6 or 8 feet away from the A-frame, and should not bewith the handler standing toes into the pipe tunnel.

Your students again get to practice the closing turn from jump #3 into the pipe tunnel. Thistime the handler may not be able to have position to do a blind turn or a crossing turn,because most likely the handler was attending the dog closely on the descent side contactzone of the A-frame. Maybe a post turn is all that the handler will be in position to turn thedog successfully. When crossing behind a dog on the entry to the pipe tunnel, some novicedogs will pull out when they sense their handler’s motion behind them.

White Numbers – This sequence again features a turn into the opposite side tunnel at #3.Rather than working on the lead-out-pivot, as we did in the first exercise, this time, showyour students how to do a post and tandem. As the dog commits over the double-bar jump at#2 the handler will pull into a tight post turn. Note that the handler’s path should be flatagainst the tire to pull the dog into the first turn. As the dog turns and gives a stride or two inthe direction of the handler, the handler will flip back abruptly pushing towards and pointingto the pipe tunnel. Coming out of the pipe tunnel the handler should cross. On the landingside of the tire, the handler should cross again. This means that the handler needs to reallyget in motion in order to be far enough ahead of the dog on the landing side of the #4 tire todo the crossing turn forward of the dog.



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Black Numbers – Again your students have the body magnet position on the approach tothe A-frame at #3. In this sequence the dog has a clear view of the pipe tunnel and mayslide past the A-frame and take the off-course. Tell your students to prepare for a turn thatlines the dog up for an approach to the A-frame. You can show them how they can turntheir bodies gently back towards the dog to get the dog to turn towards them. This iscalled an RFP. It can be quite effective when faced with a discrimination like this. Notethat the handler needs to be in front of the dog to be in a control position to handler thediscrimination. That means that while the dog is in the collapsed tunnel the handler mustget going to the landing side of jump #2.

Coming off the A-frame the handler needs to redirect the dog into the pipe tunnel. Whatthe handler should not do is pull the dog so far off the A-frame that they are again facedwith the discrimination problem coming back towards the pipe tunnel. The simple thingto do is to show the dog the tunnel while the dog is still on the ramp of the A-frame.

White Numbers – This sequence calls for no fancy crosses or handling movements. Thetrickiest bit will be the turn from jump #2 to the teeter at #3. This is a post turn, with thehandler keeping the dog carefully on his outside lead and pushing up to the teeter. Thehandler should be careful not to over-rotate, otherwise the dog might come up on thehandler’s right lead, and go off-course over the dummy jump alongside the teeter. Showyour students how to use their lead hand to focus the dog on the path. The handler mustkeep the dog’s attention to show the teeter.

Your students should be giving the dog a treat on the descent side of both the teeter andthe dogwalk, to encourage the dog to slow down or come to a stop in the yellow.



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Black Numbers – The opening of this sequence is interesting. The turn out of the pipetunnel to jump #2 presents several handling opportunities. The handler might make theapproach to the tunnel with dog on right, and then run fully around the tunnel to showjump #2 in a post turn. A better set-up for the post turn might be to start the dog on left,and then run in front of the tunnel, past the exit, to pick the dog up on post. Anotherpossibility would be to do a tandem turn, on the flat, as the dog comes out of the pipetunnel. This probably isn’t very desirable because it puts the handler behind on theapproach to the discrimination problem at the #3 pipe tunnel.

In this sequence the handler is pretty much locked into handling the discrimination in ablocking position. Note again that the block should occur 6 or 8 feet away from theobstacles. The handler does not want to get stuck with toes tucked under the A-frame.

White Numbers – The key turn in this sequence will be the 180° turn from jump #2 tothe tire at #3. The handler risks dropping the bar if he indicates the change of directionbefore the dog is committed over the jump. And of course he risks an off-course into thepipe tunnel if he is late with his command to turn. A simple post turn should do the trick.Though some dogs might need something more compelling, like an RFP to tighten theturn.

It’s a long way around to the teeter at #5. If the handler swings through the transitionaldistance without working on a connection with his dog, it’s likely that the dog will tuckup behind him for an off-course over jump #1. Teach your student that this is not a curvebut two lines separated by a turn. It’s the handler’s job to work in very straight lines, andto escort the dog around his body position for the approach to the teeter.


Competition Class Plan – Week Two

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Black Numbers – The real question in the opening will be whether the handler can putthe dog on a left lead coming out of the pipe tunnel. This should be quite easy toaccomplish. The handler puts the dog into the pipe tunnel on a right lead, then stepsbriskly past the exit of the tunnel to pick the dog up on a left lead. The handler must becareful not to forget the dog out too far so that the A-frame is more compelling than thepipe tunnel at #3. Indeed, the handler may need to apply a subtle RFP to tighten the dog’sturn into the tunnel. Then turn from jump #4 into the pipe tunnel will probably have to bea post turn if the dog is ahead of the handler. Otherwise, the handler could move forwardto make a blind turn of it. To successfully do the blind turn the handler needs to be 4’ or6’ ahead of the dog as the dog gets to jump #4.

Out of the collapsed tunnel at #6 the handler may want to hoof it (run) to the landing sideof jump #7 so that the discrimination could be solved by taking the blocking position. Thehandler would use a crossing turn to put the dog up on the A-frame.

White Numbers – This is the opening from the AKC Nationals Round One course thatcost many dogs a placement in the event. The trick will be the turn from the Tire at #2into the #3 pipe tunnel. The handler must be compelling to turn the dog. Practice this withwhatever movement yours students are comfortable. This could be a crossing turn, a postand tandem, an RFP, or a Mitchell Flip. Between repetitions, encourage your students totry something different.

The turn from jump #6 to the teeter at #7 shouldn’t be especially difficult. A crossing turnor a blind turn would put the dog on the handler’s left lead.



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Black Numbers – In this sequence the dog is faced twice with a discrimination challengethat probably leaves the handler in the blocking position. On the approach to the #3 A-frame,the dog doesn’t really even see the approach until the last moment turn to square up for theascent. Remind your students that when a handler takes the blocking position, he is obligatedto actually block.

The turn from jump #4 to the pipe tunnel at #5 could be a bit interesting. This might be agood place for a blind turn to keep the handler in motion and to make an efficient turn intothe pipe tunnel. If the handler's plan is to do a post turn, it’s possible that the handler willgrind the team to a stop in an effort to come to a stop in position for the turn.

In the final outrun to the pipe tunnel at #8 the handler should be sufficiently ahead of the dogto take a blocking position on the A-frame to show the pipe tunnel.

White Numbers – This sequence reverses the opening challenge, into the opposite sidetunnel. There are several good solutions to the turn to the opposite side of the tunnel. Theobvious solution would be to do a crossing turn. A post and tandem might also work. But it’sproblematic whether the handler can actually get the dog’s attention into the post turn. Aback cross would also solve. One of the attributes of the back cross is a tightened turn on thelanding side of the jump. It’s risky to back cross on a dog at a spread hurdle.

The fun continues after surviving the opening. The handler must turn the dog on the landingside of the tire at #4 to prevent the off-course over jump #6. However, downstreamchallenges may dictate handling. The turn from #5 to #6 is a threadle, calling for some kindof combination turn, like a cross-to-post, or post-to-tandem.



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Black Numbers – After patterning the dog into the pipe tunnel in the previous exercise, thehandler will have to be especially compelling in this sequence, to draw the dog onto the A-frame. Of course the handler is surely on the magnet side of the discrimination. He mightwant to add some kind of compelling movement for the dog, like an RFP or a Top Spin.

The turn from jump #5 to the pipe tunnel at #6 is really nothing more than a post. If thehandler over-rotates, again, the dog may take it as a blind turn and tuck up behind the handlerfor an off-course into the wrong side of the pipe tunnel.

White Numbers – This is just a big dog-on-post spiral that starts tight and opens up. Thetoughest part of the sequence will probably be the turn from the double-bar hurdle at #2 tothe tire at #3. The handler may feel rushed to make the turn because of the beckoning off-course at the pipe tunnel. So it’s quite likely that the handler could cause the bar at #2 to dropby indicating the change of direction before the dog has committed over. If the handler reallytightens the turn in will create a nice line from the #3 tire to jump #4. If the handler allowsthe dog to loop around too much the line to jump #4 might be lost, forcing the handler topush out hard to get the dog redirected.

The turn from jump #4 to the teeter at #5 is not a gimme. If the handler over-rotates in theturn the dog could take the rotation as a blind cross, and tuck up behind the handler for anoff-course over jump #1. This might also be a good place to layer the course, with thehandler staying on the take-off side of jump #4, working parallel to the dog.

The final turn, from the dogwalk at #7 to the #8 tire, should be a cross. A post turn mightswing the dog too wide for an efficient approach to the tire, possibly even presenting thewinged dummy jump as an off-course opportunity.



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Black Numbers – The handler must decide how to handle the dog coming out of the pipetunnel. The handler could run around the pipe tunnel and keep the dog on post for theapproach to jump #3. Or the handler could tandem turn the dog to jump #3. The latter mightnot be the best course, because it leaves the handler a little out of the action for the approachto the A-frame at #4. The easiest thing might be to put the dog into the tunnel on a righthead, and then briskly step past the exit of the tunnel to pick up the dog on a left lead. This is,technically, a blind turn. The handler then needs to push the dog out past the off-course entryto the pipe tunnel under the dogwalk. The handler could do this as a post turn, taking ablocking position on the tunnel. Or, the handler could move the dog out square to the A-frame, and do a crossing turn to put the dog up on the frame.

The transition from the #7 pipe tunnel to jump #8 poses the same question as the originalperformance of this tunnel. How will your students handle the turn?

White Numbers – The real question in the opening line to the pipe tunnel at #3 will bewhich side of the dog to work. We found that quite a large number of dogs will go off-courseinto the wrong side of the pipe tunnel if the handler starts with dog on right. This off courseoccurs in spite of the fact that the line to the correct entry to the tunnel is a nice straight line.File this under unexplained phenomena. But key, certainly, is that the dog actually has to gopast the off-course entry to get to the correct entry. Allow your students to run this once withthe handling of their own choice, and see if it ain’t so.

If the handler works the dog on left it’s possible that the dog will wrap back towards thehandler into an off-course into the wrong side of the tunnel. This can be prevented by takingenough of a lead-out to keep the line down to the tunnel.


Week Three – Gamblers Anonymous

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BriefingGamblers Anonymous is a point accumulation game. All dogs will start on the table, and willhave exactly 60 seconds to accumulate points. The time-keeper will indicate the end ofscoring by calling “Time!” Dogs earn points for simple performance of obstacles by thefollowing schedule:

• Jumps 1 point• Tunnels & Tire 3 points• Contacts and Weave Poles 5 points

Joker Points are awarded for performance of any of the individual distance challengesshown on the course. The point value for any of the jokers shall be the combined value ofobstacles in the joker, plus a five-point bonus. Back to back performances of jokers is notallowed. Another obstacle must be successfully completed between.

High Roller Bonus Points are awarded based on the roll of two dice in the moment beforedog and handler start the course. The White dice will indicate the joker by number. The Reddice, multiplied by 10, will determine the High Roller Bonus Point value (plus the value ofobstacles in the joker – not to include the 5 point bonus).

Super Bonus Points are awarded for performing all six of the on-field jokers. The SuperBonus is 200. The Super Bonus will be awarded in addition to all other points awarded.

Faulting an obstacle will negate the point value for that obstacle.


Beginners Class Plan – Week Three

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Black Numbers –You should warm the dogs up on both obstacles before sequencing thetwo together. Chances are good that at this stage of your students’ training not many ofthem will have weave poles up in the back yard. So impress upon them the importance oftraining the weave poles at home at least on a daily basis. The training sessions at homeneed not be very long. 3 or 4 minutes a day will go a long way towards teaching the dogthe point of the technical exercise.

The weave poles should be performed with the dog both on the handler’s right and on thehandler’s left. Note that in order to get the dog on a left lead the handler will have to dosome kind of crossing turn while the dog is in the tunnel. They will probably do this turnintuitively once you explain to them that you want them to pick up their dog on the left asthe dog comes out of the tunnel.

White Numbers – Winged jumps were only introduced last week. The 180° turn fromjump #2 to #3 is actually a forgiving arrangement of obstacles for your students. Thehandler’s “separation anxiety” at the wing is unchallenged because the handler can savethe sequence even if he works with his toes tucked under the wing of the jump.

The handler has to turn the dog away from an off-course into the pipe tunnel after gettingthe dog over jump #2. The easy way to get the dog to do the turn is for the handler to dothe turn. The handler should turn and move in the new direction of the course whilecalling to the dog. Make sure you work the down contact of both the contact obstacleswith a food treat to encourage the dog to slow down or come to a complete stop in thedescent-side yellow contact zone.


Beginners Class Plan 2 of 3

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Black Numbers – This sequence features the opposite-side entry of the pipe tunnel. Yourstudents will get to work their dogs through the weave poles on the heel side. Show themhow to do a crossing turn (axle) coming out of the weave poles to pick up the dog on theopposite lead. That puts the handler in a blocking position for the wrong entry to thetunnel. Work with your students on keeping a lead hand connection with their dogs asthey bring their dogs around for an approach to the tunnel entry.

Handling the dog coming out of the pipe tunnel shouldn’t be especially difficult. Adviseyour students to use movement towards the tire to get their dogs moving the samedirection. If they stand still at the pipe tunnel trying to collect the dog, then the dog willbe undirected.

White Numbers – This sequence gives the handler a simple dog on right sweep thatshouldn’t be much of a problem. Dogs that are faster than their handlers may curl back intowards the handler at jump #2, possibly running past it. Nonetheless, you should insistthat your students come to a complete stop at the bottom of the A-frame, encouragingtheir dogs to do the same. From the A-frame the handler must accelerate to the jump, andcontinue moving until the dog gets into the tunnel. It’s important that the handler does notstop at the jump to make the presentation to the dog. The handler’s only job is to point upto the jump, and tell the dog to jump. The handler stays in motion.

You might encourage your students not to make the correction when a dog runs around ajump. Instead, finish the sequence. Then go back to the jump and take severalconditioning steps. That is, put the dog quickly over the maybe three times, giving thedog a treat and praise each time he goes over.



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Black Numbers – In this sequence the handler will turn the dog 180° and back. What wereally want to get out of this exercise is that a turn can be just as exciting and as necessarya part of the game as the performance of any obstacle. Advise your students to stay awayfrom harsh or guttural command language in a turn and instead making the turn playfuland enthusiastic in order to engage the dog in the game of turning.

Note that a 180° turn off a jump, especially one with wings, requires a tracking step. Thetracking step is a movement go the side of the jump. As the dog turns and gets his nosearound the wing, the handler will execute the rest of the turn. Encourage your students toturn and run to the next jump so that the dog will do the same. Remind them that theyshould not come to a stop at jump #2. The turn is where the dog lands. So the handlershould work his dog through the jump before committing to the turn.

White Numbers – In this sequence your students will face the winged jump with a paththat should continue in a straight line for the dog. You could actually set this up for dogsthat are reluctant to go out around the wing to get over the jump bar. Set the dog’sapproach up to the jump as though coming in a line from the A-frame. This approachallows the handler to insinuate the wing between himself and the dog before the dogmuch realizes that they’ve been separated. The dog will then naturally get over the jump.

You might also do the opening of this sequence with the dog in a sit-stay while thehandler goes to the opposite side of the jump to make a presentation of the bar from thelanding side. Make sure you students square their shoulders in the direction the dogshould be moving before releasing the dog. The handler should use his lead hand to showthe dog exactly where to jump.


Advanced Beginners Class Plan – Week Three

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Black Numbers – In this sequence the advanced beginner handler has several challenges.The collapsed tunnel to weave pole transition is not as easy as it looks. The dog will comeout of the tunnel disoriented for a moment. It’s the handler’s job to quickly get aconnection with the dog and to show the entry to the weave poles. The handler should callto his lead, and show the poles. Out of the weave poles the dog must be directed to theopposite side entry to the pipe tunnel. This is a good place to show your students an axle.Of course if the handler just turns and leans that’ll work. The point in doing the axle is totake away the off-course potential, and to make quicker time through the transition. Thehandler should always work from the control position.

White Numbers – This sequence features a 180° turn between two parallel jumps. Workwith your students on keeping their dogs a bit apart on the approach to the jump so thatthe handler has room to work past the wing without zigging and zagging. All of thatzigging and zagging is confusing to the dog as every change of direction that the handlermakes is a cue for the dog to change directions also. We want the handler working in anice straight line to the side of the jump, while the dog makes a nice straight line up andover the jump.

Tell your students that they want to push up past jump #3 enough that when they turnback, their dogs have a fair approach to jump #4. Of course they don’t want to push up somuch that the dog is pushed into the pipe tunnel. When the dog’s nose has finally beenturned by the handler to address jump #4, the handler needs to get moving so that the dogwill also get moving, and have a nice running approach to the A-frame.



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Black Numbers – In this sequence the handler will put the dog back into the pipe tunnel.Work with your students to make the turn back into the tunnel as efficient as possible.The turn coming out of the tunnel will be an interesting challenge. It’s a long transitionaldistance from the exit of tunnel #3 to the tire. This is a good place to practice a scoop.Rather than running on to the tire from the entry of #3, the handler should move the otherdirection, to the exit of the pipe tunnel. As the dog exits the handler calls out and runs forthe tire, showing the dog the intended path with his lead hand.

The handler has to be careful at the tunnel not to stand still to collect the dog heading forthe tire. Moving towards the tire is the best way to collect the dog. It’s a powerful visualcue that is completely unambiguous to the dog. Standing still, verbalizing with a lot ofblah blah blah blah, and flapping one’s arms around is likely to be completely ambiguousto the dog.

White Numbers – This is a bit of a fun sequence. After the performance of the pipetunnel at #3, the handler must reverse the dog’s course and put him back into the tunnel.Tell your students that their objective is to allow the dog to come fully out of the tunnel,but not a single step more than that. The handler’s body is a remote control to the dog. Soas the dog comes out of the tunnel the handler should be facing the direction the dog ismoving on the exit. But as soon as the dog’s tail clears the exit the handler must turn backabruptly and push back towards the tunnel. This should include a verbal cue for thetunnel.

If necessary, remind your students that the hand signal; into the tunnel, should point rightdown into the tunnel. The lead hand should not be held high when you want to focus the


dog’s attention down low.Advanced Beginners Class Plan 3 of 4

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Black Numbers – This sequence features a 180° turn from jump #3 to jump #4. Practicethis as a crossing turn. A blind turn might also work. In this case, because of theplacement of the teeter, the handler should avoid the blind turn. In a 180° crossing turnthe handler should include a tracking step. That is, the handler should first move out tothe left, to draw the dog around the wing of the jump. Only after the dog gets out oftrouble of a back-jump should the handler actually do the crossing turn. If the handlersimply doubles back in the cross, the dog will almost surely back-jump the jump.

The crossing turn puts the handler in a blocking position and sharpens the dogs turn awayfrom the off-course. Remember that the crossing turn should have a tracking step. Thehandler’s motion should initially be to get the dog around the wing of the jump beforeturning back.

White Numbers – Start the sequence alternately with sit and down performances on thetable. Encourage each handler to take a lead-out of only two strides. It works against thehandler to take too much of a lead-out in the sequence. But a modest lead-out is fine.

This sequence hinges on how the winged jump at #3 is handled. If the handler moves atthe wing of the jump, the wing is going to bring the handler to a stop. As the handlersteps out around the wing, that change of direction is communicated to the dog. Dogstend to move in a path parallel to the handler. The handler must create a path to whichthe dog can run parallel. The handler’s path is always alongside the wing, and neverdirectly at it. It might be a good practice to ask your students to work their dogs at a


modest distance lateral to the dog over the dogwalk, about 4 or 5 feet. This will allow thehandler to have an adequate lateral path to work a straight line to the pipe tunnel.Advanced Beginners Class Plan 4 of 4

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Black Numbers – This is a long but simple sequence. You might have to remind yourstudents of some of the basics you’ve worked on today. The hand signal for a tunnelshould be low, in order to focus the dog’s attention down low.

The dog needs to be refocused coming out of a pipe tunnel. This is especially importanton the approach to the weave poles following the collapsed tunnel. The handler isresponsible for every turn in the course. And handling every turn should be a part of thehandler’s plan from the onset.

The handler should not make the turn before the dog has committed to the obstacle priorto the turn. At the #5 tire, for example, the handler cannot turn up to jump #6 before thedog has committed to the tire. If the handler turns the dog is likely to turn as well.

At the table do not require any performance from the dog. Instead, the dog should getenthusiastic praise and a reward, either a food treat or a short game with a toy.

White Numbers – In this final sequence allow your students to run all out at least once,in the transition from the A-frame to the pipe tunnel. You’ll have to remind them that it’salways their jobs to work the contact zones for their dogs. So they shouldn’t be rattled bythe foot race to come. Take care of business one obstacle at a time.

The speed at which the handler moves communicates to the dog any sense of urgencythey should have in their own motion. So the handler slows down, even stops, on the


approach to a down-side contact zone. In the long lines of the sequence over jumps thehandler should run with best speed to encourage the dog to do the same.

Competition and Novice Class Plan – Week ThreeWhile the curriculum for Competition classes and Novice classes is the same this week,your expectations of performance should be adjusted for the relative experience of dogsand handlers. For the Novice, you will have to simplify the exercises so that both dogsand handlers are able to succeed. For the Advanced, you may have to up the ante beyondthe simple objectives written here.

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Black Numbers – In positions #1 and #2 the handler will leave the dog in a stay, andtake a lead out to the opposite side of the equipment, to recall the dog without performingthe obstacles on either side. If your student has an obedience background he will want todo an obedience recall, which is a neat trick in obedience, but is completelycounterintuitive in agility. We put a lot of emphasis on the agility posture in a lead-outand recall. That means the handler’s shoulders should be facing the direction the dogshould be moving.

Some dogs are accustomed to doing obstacles when the handler has stretched forward in alead-out. And so the dog may volunteer to do the A-frame or the collapsed tunnel in thisrecall. Show your students how to use their lead hand to show the dog where to be. Thelead hand should not be held up like some kind of frying pan (picture the big flat handextended out to the side of the handler’s body). Instead the handler should point straightdown at the floor alongside his own position, as if to say “I want you right here!”


If the dog absolutely insists on performing some obstacle, the handler is going to have toback down the exercise to a level that the dog is able to succeed. The handler shouldshorten the lead-out to no more than 8 or 10 feet from the dog. Then, in progressiverepetitions, extend the length of the lead-out so that the dog gets the exercise. Asuccessful repetition should always be rewarded with a voice confirmation and a foodtreat or game with a toy.

Another problem that you will find in this exercise is that some dogs don’t have a goodstay while the handler takes a lead-out. You should make sure that your students do notreward the dog by breaking the stay. Our rules for teaching a dog a lead out are simple.The handler never repeats a command. The handler always puts the dog back in positionif the dog moves before being directed to do so by the handler. The handler will start thedog only with a verbal cue. In general the handler should not lead out to a stop. Thehandler stays in motion, keeping a connection with the dog (that means looking at the dogat all times), and calls the dog to start without breaking stride.

In positions #3, #4, and #5, the handler will leave the dog in a stay, addressing theobstacles, and take a lead-out to call the dog through the performance of the numberedobstacle. The handler should use very robust movement to indicate the performance ofthe obstacle and, of course, give the dog a verbal command for the performance of theobstacle.

Some of the dogs will run past the obstacles without any thought of performing them. Theremedial step for this refusal, would be for the handler to back down the exercise to alevel that the dog is able to succeed. The handler should shorten the lead-out to a simplepresentation of the obstacle. Then, in progressive repetitions, extend the length of thelead-out so that the dog gets the exercise. A successful repetition should always berewarded with a voice confirmation and a food treat or game with a toy.

Refusals are most likely to come at the weave poles. Frankly, you will probably not haveenough class time to cure every problem with recalls between and over obstacles.However, you should advise you students that it is up to them to begin upping the ante forperformance of obstacles. They need to get out of the complacent training mode andbegin pushing the envelope, on their own, to put distance between themselves and theirdogs. A handler should be able to call his dog over the performance of any obstacle; at thesame time, the handler should be able to call the dog over some distance without theperformance of any obstacle.

White Numbers – Divide your group up to work each of these three obstaclesindividually. The purpose of this exercise is to work on a progressive send. That is, thehandler will start very close to the obstacle, and send his dog to the performance. Onsubsequent repetitions the handler will start back further and further. It is important thatthe handler take prudent training steps for the dog. If the handler moves back too quicklythe dog may be set up to fail. This is not desirable.

You don’t want to spend too much time on these individual conditioning exercises. If youhave a group of six students, for example, you’ll want to divide them into three workinggroups of two dogs and two handlers. Explain your objectives with each of the three


conditioning obstacles to the entire group before you begin. Rotate the groups every fiveor seven minutes until everyone has had adequate conditioning time on each of theobstacles. You’ll spend your time moving from group to group monitoring how everyoneis doing, and nagging them about the small details of the work they are doing. You’llhave to remind some to continue to increase their progressive distance; while you remindothers that they are trying to go too far too fast. Some of them will be standing flat-footed, flailing their arms. Some will be forgetting to reward their dogs in a timelymanner.

In all distance sending exercises the handler has to understand the implications of his ownposture and movement. The handler’s body should be facing the direction the dog shouldbe moving. The handler’s feet should always be in motion. You want to discourage thehandler standing still and flailing his arms about as though that flailing is somehowmeaningful to the dog. Further, the timeliness of the reward for a performance is of greatimportance. If you are working on a progressive send to a particular obstacle, that rewardmust be given immediately with the performance of that obstacle. Being late with thereward will interfere with the dog’s ability to associate the reward with the performancebeing rewarded.

With the pipe tunnel our objective is to give the dog permission to go on to the tunnel,unattended by the handler. This is the classic Starters gamble: Jump-Tunnel-Jump. Makesure your students are taking prudent (small) training steps so that the dog never fails. It’svery hard to get people to take these small steps. The human member of the team is readyto move on through intellectual impatience when, sometimes, the dog is not.

If a dog already has an iron-clad send to the tunnel, you’ll want to up the ante for thatstudent. They can use this sequence to condition a “Get Out” to the opposite side jump,while the handler remains away from the dog on the near-side jump.

Our work on the tire should be directed to getting the dog to go and seek out the aperturewhen it is not squarely presented. So the progressive distance should be increased fromthe side of the tire, rather than a direct presentation. The handler’s position should bealongside the dummy jump to the right of the tire. Once the handler is sending the dogfrom the opposite side of the jump, the handler probably should incorporate that jumpinto the exercise, and use a tandem turn to flip the dog back up to the tire.

All we want on the table is a progressive send. Since both tables are being used by thestudents working on the opposite side of the room, you will want to work on whichevertable the students on the other side of the room are not working on. A table is a table,after all. If a dog already has a pretty good send to the table, you can up the ante on theexercise. The handler should command the dog to perform either a sit or a down while atthe full distance of the send. If that is working fine, then the handler should be workingon a table count while the dog is in position before releasing the dog.


Novice and Competition Class Plan 2 of 3

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Black Numbers – This is a progressive lateral distance exercise. The services of a baitmaster is required (someone to put a bit of food treat on a target on the table). Start onlyby doing the dogwalk to the table to introduce the dog to the target on the table.

Don’t sweat the down contact in this exercise. Frankly, many of the dogs will bail theramp without doing the down contacts. Teaching an absolute performance of the dogwalkis a separate topic. For today we aren’t going to be mental about it.

Use the numbered line of jumps only when the handler needs room to be in motion to getthe dog in motion. Note that a handler cannot both drag a dog to a performance and sendthe dog to a performance. The handler should ask the dog to work ahead from the verybeginning. The handler’s position should be, as much as possible, behind the dog andpushing, rather than ahead of the dog and pulling.

You have to teach your students an important discipline in this exercise. What’s true of ahandler’s movement up close, is double-true at a distance. The turn to the dogwalk willbe a pivotal moment. The handler’s feet and shoulders must face the ascent of the rampuntil the dog mounts. If the handler turns up before the dog makes the ascent, the dog isfully entitled to turn as well, earning a refusal at the ascent of the dogwalk. Once thehandler has struck a path alongside the dog, the handler’s path should remain perfectlyparallel. This is especially important after the dog dismounts the dogwalk. The handlershould not stop, and should maintain the lateral distance, staying in motion until the doghits the table.

Once the dog is driving across the dogwalk and on to the table in anticipation of the food


reward, the handler can begin to increase the lateral distance from the dog.

White Numbers – In this sequence the handler will do “recall threadles.” Allow yourstudents to run this one time with the handling of their own choosing. Don’t let them shutdown or stop working in the middle of the exercise. If things start to get a little wobbly,just tell them to “go on with it.” Your students will have some difficulty with two specificelements of this exercise: calling the dog between the obstacles, and giving the dog anadequate approach to each obstacle. Off-courses may abound in the early going.

In the recall between obstacles, the handler should not be facing the dog. The handlermust learn to steer the dog by the movement of his own body, the rotation of hisshoulders, and the constant motion of his feet.

Many handlers involved a technically challenging sequence like this will do just thewrong thing for their dogs. They come to a stop, they begin relying on verbals, and theyflail their arms around to try to catch the dog’s attention. What they have surrendered indoing so is the most compelling cues they can give their dogs.

After running this once you can give your dog the movement talk. We are a verbalcreature. We do 95% of our communicating with verbal language. We think that all thatblah blah blah blah we give our dogs is so darned meaningful. The dog, on the otherhand, is only about 5% verbal. The dog takes his most intuitive cues from movement.While the handler may believe the dog is “blowing him off” for not honoring the constanttorrent of confusing verbals, the real truth of it is that the dog just can’t figure out whatthe handler is trying to communicate. If you take away our learned understanding oflanguage, what we must sound like to our dogs is a pack of pestering chimpanzees.

So, on the second repetition of this sequence you will make one stipulation. Yourhandlers may not talk to their dogs as they work. They must make their bodies do thetalking.



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Black Numbers – This is a progressive lateral distance exercise. The services of a baitmaster is required (someone to put a bit of food treat on a target on the table). Start onlyby doing the teeter to the table to introduce the dog to the target on the table. While yourobjectives on this exercise are essentially the same as the work you did in the previousexercise, on the dogwalk, the teeter is a bit more of a problem. The bait master must denythe treat on the table if the dog bails off the side of the teeter. You might also have someconfidence problems on the teeter. In these cases it is important that you don’t push theprogressive lateral distance beyond what the dog is ready for. The dog’s basic confidencewith the obstacles is most important.

White Numbers – In the previous sequence, you might have observed that your studentsbegan using their bodies more effectively to move their dogs. Unfortunately, you mightalso have witnessed an increase in the “arm flailing” phenomena. Jim Basic, a top trainerfrom San Jose, California, calls this “pterodactyl arms.” Imagine the big lizard with wingswide-spread. A handler will often use his flailing arms at the expense of good bodymovement, rotation of the shoulders, and feet that don’t ever stop. Again in this sequence,the handler may not use any verbal cue or command. In addition, you will make a newstipulation in this sequence. Your students will stick their hands in their pockets and runthe sequence without showing a lead hand. They will all be pleasantly surprised by theresults. You’ll most likely find that this final sequence goes better than the first sequence,in which they had both verbalization and arms to use. The importance of this exercise isthat your students comprehend that the movement of their bodies is always the mostcompelling cue to their dogs.


Week Four – Double Joker

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BriefingThe objective is to accumulate as many points as possible, and then to perform a distancechallenge. Points will be doubled if the handler is standing on the doubling mat, carried fromthe starting line and placed wherever the handler chooses. If the handler leaves the doublingmat, points will be awarded at their regular values. And the mat may not be used again todouble points. The doubling base may not be moved once placed.

Double Joker is a two-part game: the point accumulation period and the joker period.

Point Accumulation: You’ll have 40 seconds. Obstacles can be performed in any order, andas often as the handler (or dog) desires. It is permitted to practice the jokers in the pointaccumulation period, taking the normal value of the obstacles successfully performed.Obstacles point values are:

• Jumps 1 point• Tunnels and tire 3 points• Contact obstacles and weave poles 5 points

Joker: You have 20 seconds to do either, or both jokers. You can do them more than once iftime permits. Each joker is worth the value of obstacles completed, times 3. The dog getscredit for however many obstacles are completed in the joker. If the handler is standing onthe portable doubling base as the dog performs the obstacles in the joker, the value of thejoker is doubled.


Beginners Class Plan – Week Four

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In all exercises begin with a simple review of each obstacle. Back-chain all of thesesequences. If dogs are having difficulty with individual obstacles you should simplify,spending more time with those obstacles, and avoiding the longer sequences.

Black Numbers – This is a simple sequence. We want to focus on simple solutions. The dogshould be on the handler’s right lead through the entire sequence. When presenting the pipetunnel at #2 the handler should point straight down into the tunnel until the dog gets in. If thehandler pulls off early, the dog will be entitled to do so as well.

When the dog comes out of the tunnel the handler’s job is to focus the dog on the path tojump #3. This is a simple thing. The handler presents his lead hand (almost as though holdinga treat, to get the dog’s attention). As the dog gives attention to the handler’s lead, thehandler shows jump #3 and moves purposefully on to the table. On alternate sequences workon sits and downs on the table.

White Numbers – In this sequence we will introduce two kinds of turns from jump #1 to thecollapsed tunnel at #2. Though the sequence ends at the A-frame, the course might beongoing from the A-frame. The handler should always be on the side of the turn. If thecourse turns to the right the handler would want to be on the dog’s right. If the course turnsto the left, the handler would want to be on the dog’s left.

First work a simple post turn. The post turn is a same-sided turn. In this case that means thehandler keeps the dog on a left lead through the entire sequence. Also work on a blind cross.The blind cross (like the crossing turn) transfers the dog from one lead to the other. In thiscase that means the handler will switch from a dog-on-left lead through jump #1, to a dog-on-right lead going into the collapsed tunnel.



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Black Numbers – This sequence is similar to the last, but comes to quite a differentconclusion. On the landing side of jump #3 the handler must redirect the dog to jump #4,rather than going on to the table.

In this sequence, show your students a crossing turn. The handler presents the dog with jump#3 on a left lead. Then, as soon as the dog is committed over the jump, the handler rotatesback towards the dog, showing the dog his left lead.

A novice dog often is not keen to follow the lead hand change. This can be conditioned bypracticing the turn with one jump only, using a treat in hand to entice the dog to be keen tofollow the lead hand shift. In general we do not believe in holding a treat in hand whensequencing. However, using a single jump to condition the turn is a fair and practicalexercise that helps establish the communication of the handler’s movement.

White Numbers – This is a simple right-turning sequence out of the weave poles. If anydogs are still ducking under or jumping over the weave pole wires the handler will have toput the dog through the poles on-lead. If the weave poles are done on lead the handler shouldstop at the conclusion of the pole, praise the dog and give a treat, and then take off the leadbefore continuing with the sequence.

With the jump you especially want to be sure that the handler works through the jump, anddoes not come to a stop alongside it.

Work with the presentation of the dogwalk ascent. The handler of a novice dog should notrun past the ascent without seeing the dog’s feet up. On the descent, the handler should cometo a complete stop alongside the dog, in the yellow, and give soothing praise and a foodreward.



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Black Numbers – This is a simple four-jump sequence. The objective is to develop amodest send to the #3 jump so that the handler can take a shorter, more direct path. Beginby sending the dog to the jump from a modest distance. Then increase that distance only abit in each subsequent repetition.

The distance sends throughout this training plan boil down to a lesson of toes andshoulders. Nowhere is this more compelling than this very exercise. The handler’s toesand shoulders must address jump #2 until the dog is committed over that jump. Only thencan the handler turn to finish the sequence. This takes extraordinary discipline. If thehandler turns early, pointing toes and shoulders in a new direction, the dog may (andprobably will) turn to follow the handler’s rotation. The instructor must be keen to spotthis early turning and remind the student to keep toes and shoulders pointed to jump #2until the dog commits over.

White Numbers – Take a lot of care with this sequence. The important thing is that thedogs in your class learn to do the teeter without any fear. Warn your students that theyneed to conclude each repetition of the teeter with warm praise for the dog and a foodtreat. It might be a good idea for the instructor to catch the back of the board so that itdoes not bang too heavily.

In the sequence the handler must present the ramp to the dog. The handler should neverjust run on, expecting the dog to take the teeter just because it’s there. The handler shouldwork alongside the novice dog all the way across the ramp. Luring is okay if the dog isslightly nervous. But you’ll want to break your students of luring if the dog doesn’t havereal issues with 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. And theywon’t do this to their dogs if they aren’t going to think it’s fun. You can’t argue with thatlogic.

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 be braveand 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 from. 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 room chairsand arrange them into two rows, with backs facing. Then drape a bed-sheet over thetwo rows of chairs so that you’ve formed a make-shift tunnel for the dog. Make a bigdeal out of it every time the dog goes through. If the dog is entirely too suspicious ofyour tunnel, you might arrange the tunnel in a hall-way so that the only way the dogcan 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 big dealout 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 you cando 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 – This sequence starts with a long line of jumps. This is an excellentopportunity for the handler to work on a lead-out from the dog. Your students should bedoing their homework each week, which includes quite a bit of work on sits and stays.This will give you an opportunity to see who has been doing their homework.

The handler should be on the turning side of the tunnel. That means this entire sequencecan be done with the dog on the handler's right lead. The handler might want to lead outat least to jump #2 in order to be well ahead of the dog. Again, watch you students thatthey don’t turn off the entry to the tunnel before the dog has made the entry. Also watchhow they make the presentation of the tunnel. The lead hand should be pointing rightdown into the pipe tunnel, and not sticking up somewhere in the air.

White Numbers – In this sequence we will introduce two kinds of turns from jump #2 tothe collapsed tunnel at #3. Though the sequence ends at the A-frame, the course might beongoing from the A-frame. The handler should always be on the side of the turn. If thecourse turns to the right the handler would want to be on the dog’s right. If the courseturns to the left, the handler would want to be on the dog’s left.

First work a simple post turn. The post turn is a same-sided turn. In this case that meansthe handler keeps the dog on a left lead through the entire sequence. Also work on a blindcross. The blind cross (like the crossing turn) transfers the dog from one lead to the other.In this case that means the handler will switch from a dog-on-left lead through jump #1,to a dog-on-right lead going into the collapsed tunnel.



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Black Numbers – In the opening the handler will want to take a modest lead-out with dog onright in order to straighten out the line to the pipe tunnel at #3. Don’t allow your students tolet their dogs start the team. This is bad training discipline. If the handler lets the dog getaway with it in class, it will be impossible to expect the dog to honor a stay in competition.

This sequence features a fairly extreme turn after jump #4, on the approach to jump #5. Inthis sequence, show your students a crossing turn. The handler presents the dog with jump #4on a right lead. Then, as soon as the dog is committed over the jump, the handler rotates backtowards the dog, showing the dog his left lead.

A novice dog often is not keen to follow the lead hand change. This can be conditioned bypracticing the turn with one jump only, using a treat in hand to entice the dog to be keen tofollow the lead hand shift. In general we do not believe in holding a treat in hand whensequencing. However, using a single jump to condition the turn is a fair and practicalexercise that helps establish the communication of the handler’s movement.

White Numbers – This sequence starts off with a tough turn into the weave poles. Thehandler needs to take a post position to bring the dog around his body to straighten the dogup for the presentation of the weave poles. This means the handler should take a lead-out justa bit to be ahead of the dog. Give the command to weave at the first moment the dog sees theweave poles when coming out of the post around the handler’s body.

Make sure your students work the dogwalk, making a fair presentation of the ascent rampwithout running on (until they see the dog’s feet on the ramp). On the descent ramp thehandler should come to a stop alongside the dog and give warm praise and a food treat. Thiswill encourage the dog to come to a stop as well.



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Black Numbers – This is a simple jumping sequence. The handler probably should takeonly a modest lead-out of a stride or two. Too much of a lead-out may leave the handlerstanding stock still in front of the dog, which is never desirable. The handler’s motion isone of the most compelling cues he can give the dog.

Continue from the previous exercise to send the dog on to jump #3 as the handler takes ashorter and lazier path. Again, remind your students that they need to keep their toes andshoulders pointing to jump #3 before making the turn themselves. This puts the handler inexcellent position to make the turn from jump #4 to jump #5.

On the landing side of jump #4 the handler must redirect the dog to jump #5. This is anopportunity to do a crossing turn to redirect the dog. Note that the handler must pushthrough jump #5 to straighten the dog up for the approach to jump #6.

White Numbers – This is a long and wicked sequence for advanced beginner dogs andhandlers. Use this sequence to fine-tune what your students are doing while handling theirdogs. In general, the sequence is all dog-on-left. Though it wouldn’t be a problem if yourstudents do a blind cross or a crossing turn from jump #7 into the collapsed tunnel. On allof the contact obstacles the handler should come to a stop in the descent contacts and givetheir dogs a food treat.

Run the sequence once without comment. This longer sequence will probably bring up alot of issues dogs are having with individual obstacles and your students with elements oftheir handling. Carefully observe everyone individually so that when you run thesequence a second time you’ll have something for everyone to think about and work on.


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 of whatthe dog does is pretty instinctual. The harder task is training the handler. Let’s face it,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 runs arounda 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 you usenegatives. 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 feetshouldturn to face in the direction of the turn. Note also that thefeet should be moving. It’s a mistake for the handler ever tostand still.

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 the dog.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 and Competition Instructors NotesThe Novice and Competition Class Plan is combined this week. Whenever we do this kind ofthing at Dogwood the lesson plan can become a bit of a character builder for the Novicestudents. This stands to reason, as the experience level of the Novice students is often yearsbehind that of the Advanced Competition class participants.

This calls for the Instructor to exercise a specific skill. The lesson plan must be adjusted to fitthe skill level and grasp of students in class. You can follow a simple rule of thumb to decidewhen and how to modify the lesson plan: For frustration, decrease the challenge; forboredom, increase the challenge.

Agility training is like building a brick wall (don’t get carried away with the analogy, bearwith me). The bricks in the wall are like specific skills. The bottom bricks are laid first.These are the most fundamental skills. Layer by layer the bricks are laid, and rest upon thefoundation of lower bricks. It is fruitless to place a brick high in the wall without laying thelower bricks first. It will not hold its place. So the instructor’s skill is a matter of recognizingwhat layer of skills (bricks) must be laid. When it comes time to simplify an exercise, theinstructor must take the training to it’s proper level, or the handler will be frustrated, the dogwill not learn, and you’ll be wasting your time.

We continue our work with a distance curriculum. For the Novice students this is often just amatter of giving the dog permission (and a lot of praise and reward) for working away fromthe handler. For Advanced students these exercises will reinforce basic lessons and provide acontext for drill and practice to sharpen distance skills.

In some cases we have to teach the dog a new skill. The tough part about this training is thatwe are teaching the handler to teach the dog. If the handler is getting it wrong, then the dogcan hardly be expected to get it right.

In the Get out exercise we are using the Intrusion Method. That means that the handler willintrude on the dog’s position, making the dog react away (from being trampled). It’s veryimportant that the handler evoke a response. Otherwise, it is impossible to condition aresponse. What students often get wrong in this exercise is failing to make the moment of theGet out unexpected (startling, sudden, abrupt, unpredictable, shocking even). They telegraphthe impending turn to the dog, sometimes subtly, by a gentle turning of the body, orshoulders, or toes, or by slowing down and coiling up to make the turn. Or they telegraph theturn overtly, by taking off running at a tangent even before the dog gets to the jump leadingto the point where the Get out command should be given. If the handler is not eliciting aresponse, when you get to the proofing repetition the dog will simply not have any responseto the Get Out command. The dog’s failure in a proofing step is usually really a failure in thehandler’s teaching the dog.

A common problem is mistiming the Get out. This can be fixed some times by adjusting thelength of the handler’s lead out from the dog. Occasionally, to improve a student’s timing ofthe Get out, I will tell them to suddenly lean in and tap the dog on the right shoulder as theygo into stride on the landing side of the jump. If done well the dog usually ducks away,which is the perfect reaction to a get out. That’s what you want to do, get the dog to reactaway from the handler. Get out means “increase your lateral distance.”


Novice and Competition Class Plan – Week Four

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Black Numbers – This is the parallel path test. The handler is contained on the away sideof jumps #1 through #3. Run the sequence once to see how the dogs and handlers do withthe sequence. Remind your students that a dog tends to run in a path parallel to thehandler. In order for this to happen the handler must establish a path to which the dog canrun parallel. If the dog comes out of the tunnel and sees the handler standing still(flapping arms, annoying everyone with a bunch of verbals), then the dog will comestraight to the handler.

Some dogs will tuck in to the line of jumps nearer to the handler, no matter how robustthe handler’s path. These dogs need to be patterned to the sequence. So on subsequentrepetitions, put a baited target on the table. Work with the dog on the first repetition toshow the treat, then gradually back off the handler’s position until the handler has the lineof jumps between himself and his dog.

White Numbers – The ultimate objective of this training sequence is to get the dog toperform jumps #1 through #3 while the handler stays back behind jump #1. Toaccomplish this feat your students will pattern their dogs to the performance, at firstmoving out with the dogs all the way to jump #3. But gradually, the handler will hangback more and more in his forward path, while the dog goes on.

It’s important to understand for a sequence in which the handler will send his dog: Youcan't both drag and send the dog. The handler must get behind the dog and push(sending), from the very beginning, rather than stepping out in front of the dog to showthe dog the way (dragging).



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Black Numbers – In this sequence we’ll be working the “Get Out” command. In order toteach the dog what “Get Out” means, we are going to establish the conditions for thatlearning. The dog must be left in a stay addressing jump #1 while the handler takes a leadout sufficient to be on the landing side of jump #2 by the time the dog gets there. Thehandler will intrude into the dog’s path as the dog comes over jump #2, pushing with hisbody to assert a new line to jump #3. At the same instant the handler will give thecommand to “Get Out.” It’s very important in this exercise that the handler does notindicate the change of directions until the dog is committed over the jump. The “Get Out”command must be a bit of a surprise to the dog. So, the handler shouldn’t spoil thesurprise by indicating early with his body.

Take several conditioning steps with your students. Repeating the intrusive step. Thentake one or two proofing steps. In the proofing step the handler will use the verbalcommand, but will honor the containment line, staying on the away side of jumps #1through #3. Note that this sequence calls for two “Get Out” opportunities, allowing yourstudents to work the command equally on both left and right sides.

White Numbers – The objective in this sequence is for the handler to remain behind theplane of jump #2 and call his dog through the performance of the collapsed chute. In theprevious exercise we patterned the dogs to “go on” to the jump near to the tunnel entry.So some dogs might be disposed to continue on with the jump. The handler’s movementand verbalization should be quite different. As soon as the dog carries over jump #1 thehandler needs to call the dog towards him, and rotate his shoulders in a line (parallel to


the dog) that would present the collapsed tunnel. Don’t forget the command for thetunnel!Novice and Competition Class Plan 3 of 4

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These two exercises are quite similar. Each is intended to bolster the dog’s confidence inworking a distance apart from his handler. If either of these exercises are too simple for thedog, you might ask your student to start in the tandem position, (on the side away from theinitial turn). This allows the handler to fine tune the tandem turn as a tool to create distancebetween dog and handler. The handler will still be confined by the line of the two jumps.

Black Numbers – The objective of this exercise is to send the dog out for the performance ofjump #3 while the handler stays behind the plane of jumps #2 and #4. It may be necessary forthe handler to step up for the first several repetitions to show the dog jump #3. On successiverepetitions the handler should hang back further and further. The handler should make a bigdeal out of every successful repetition so that the dog learns that it is okay to work a distanceapart from the handler, and doing so is lavishly rewarded.

Jump #1 simply establishes movement and flow into jump #2. Note that it might workagainst the handler to take too much of a lead out. The handler should not be caught slowingdown or standing still. It might be better to keep any lead out quite modest.

White Numbers – The objective of this exercise is for the handler to send the dog on to theperformance of the weave poles while the handler stays behind the plane of jumps #2 and #4.It may be necessary for the handler to step up for the first several repetitions to show the dogthe entry to the weave poles. But on successive repetitions the handler should hang backfurther and further. The handler should make a big deal out of every successful repetition so


that the dog learns that it is okay to work a distance apart from the handler, and doing so islavishly rewarded.


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Black Numbers – In this exercise we return to the “Get Out” conditioning we started earlier.In this sequence the handler starts the dog on the table, and takes a modest lead out to be inposition to condition the “Get Out” on the landing side of jump #2. This isn’t really intendedas a proofing exercise. But, if some of your students want to proof this, as a gamble,challenge them to give staying outside of the jump standards to push the dog on to jump #3and into the pipe tunnel at #4. Of course, the gamble isn’t completely solved with the one“Get Out.” The dog should be pushed again on the landing side of jump #5, on to jump #6.

White Numbers – This exercise is similar to the last. The biggest difference is that the initialline the dog is moving from the A-frame to jump #2 creates a more severe turn on thelanding side of jump #2. It will be in the handler’s interest to do the A-frame with dog-on-left, but cross as the dog makes his descent. This puts the handler on the side of the turn afterjump #2.

The sequence is also compounded (or confounded) by the off-side entry to the weave poles.The dog has to know how to bend around the first pole to make the entry. It might benecessary for the handler to go up and show the dog the entry several times before the doggets it. It might be a good idea to have the gates of weave poles wired for these exercises, ifnot fully wired.

If the exercise is too easy for some of your students you might up the ante by having themwork a “Get Out” on the descent side of the A-frame. That means they would be handling the


dog on their right coming down the A-frame. This is a pretty advanced “Get Out.” So yourstudents will need to take several conditioning steps with their dogs, initially pushing againstthe dog’s path as he comes down the A-frame, and gradually backing off until the handlerstays on the left side of the A-frame throughout the performance.


Dogged Hope Rescue Foundation

5323 N. Turret WayBoise, ID 83703

[email protected]

Dogged Hope Rescue Foundation, a non-profit animalrescue, has “rescued” dogs available for adoption to good,loving, permanent homes. These dogs vary in breed, age,and gender. Some of these dogs have special needs, somehave been victims of abuse, and some just need securityand a place to feel safe and belong. All animals arealtered prior to adoption. Some of these dogs are rescuewards of the Idaho Humane Society and are subject to theirrules and fees.

If you would like to read about (and hopefully see pictures of)these wonderful animals, please visit the Dogged HopeRescue Foundation web site at www.petfinder.org/shelters/ID05.htm , oryou can e-mail me directly at [email protected] .

Remember – there are animals in shelters, in rescues, andon the streets, waiting for the day their family will come –could that family be you? Will you get there in time?

Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as aprovoise !

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JFF Agility Notebook - PEAK Internet Residentialmembers.peak.org/~helix/private/2001Mar.pdfSo, even though my dogs are undeniably the most beautiful and brilliant creatures ever to