AT July-Aug 2005

Try not be caught off guard.
You paid good money for
that run. You owe it to
yourself and your dog to
be prepared.
After one more check
with the running order to
make sure there are no
last-minute scratches or
move-ups, I will go to the
practice jump and work
on our warm-up routine.
My routine varies with
what class I'm about to
run. If we are about to run
gamblers, I work on "outs"
and "sending". If we are
about to run a tight jumpers
course, I will work on
attention work and wrapping tight around
the jump. If I plan to do a lead-out, I will
do several sit-stays. I tailor each warm-up
to help us prepare for the challenges that
lie in the upcoming course.
I try to make my warm-up easy for my
dog. The practice jump (or weaves) is not
the place to work on training issues. Ifyour
dog is having a training issue, you might
not be ready to show, or you might have to
readjust your expectations for the outcome
of the run. (For example, if you ask for a
skill three times at the practice jump and
your dog doesn't succeed, your dog might
not be ready for the challenge.) I want
my dog to be confident and happy about
working with me. So I start with someeasy
skills to make my dog think he's brilliant.
Then we work on the more difficult ones.
I always end on a good note and keep the
sessions no longer than a few minutes.
Since I run multiple dogs, I often have
to warm up several at the same time. Instead
of giving the first dog a nice long warmup
and yanking the rest out of their crate,
I work with all of them before the class. I
potty and walk them all together. Then I
usually ask people sitting ringside to hold
one while I work the others. Some people
crate ringside and don't have this problem.
I prefer to crate my dogs in my car when
possible. I feel that it is less stressful to be
in a quiet and familiar place than sitting
ringside with all the commotion going on.
It does require that I walk back and forth
more though.
With good planning and some luck,
my dog and I are prepared to run when it
is our turn. IfI have to wait for a few dogs
Agility Matters
A warni-up routine will loosen the dog's muscles to help avoid injuries.
before me, I will stand near the in gate and
ask my dog to do tricks. I want to keep
his attention focused on me and keep his
mind on working. I also keep my attention
focused on my dog. It's the least I can do if I
require that he focus on me. I do not use this
opportunity to talk to my friends about the
course. I don't want to lose the connection
with my dog that I have just built.
If you are
consistent with your
warm-up and cooldown
routines, your
dog will begin to
understand when
it's time to pay
attention and when
he's allowed to visit.
When it's ourtum, I enter the ring, take
a deep breath, and start my run. If things
don't go as planned, I try to make a mental
note for training ideas. (This includes my
handling skills as well!)
When the run is finished and my dog
is on leash again, we immediately run to
get a treat. If we didn't qualify but most
of the course was nice, I still give my dog
a reward. I always reward my dogs for
trying regardless of the outcome. I want
them to like going into the ring. One of
my pet peeves are handlers whose dog
tried hard on course and the
handler doesn't acknowledge
it until after they discussed
the run in detail with all their
friends. If the reward comes
several minutes after the
performance, how will the
dog know that running the
course earned him a cookie?
Dogs benefit from consistent
and immediate feedback.
If my dog didn't try at
all and wasn't "there", I get
the cookies and return to the
practicejump. I ask my dog to
do a few easy things requiring
his attention and then give him
the reward. I always want my
dog to be successful but once
in awhile, it takes some creativity. If I have
an occasional disasterous run, I just chalk
it up to "stuffhappens". But if disasterous
runs become the norm, then most likely
there is a hole in my training and I need to
address the problems at home before this
dog is ready to return to the ring.
If I am running multiple dogs, I
will switch dogs after the current one
has received his reward. I don't put the
dogs back into their crates immediately
following their run, though. Once all of
my dogs have run in a particular class, I
take all ofthem on a walk to cool down. A
walk helps their muscles stay loose and gets
rid of any lactic acid buildup. Also, it's a
nice treat for a job well-done in the ring.
If possible, after the walk, I will sit
quietly with my dog(s) and give them a
little massage or just let them hang out.
Then I return them to their crates where
they can rest until the next run.
If you are consistent with your warmup
and cool-down routines, your dog will
begin to understand when it's time to pay
attention and when he's allowed to visit.
However, you must be consistent when
you require attention versus when the
dog is allowed to just relax. In addition,
by having times during the trial when all
your attention is focused on your dog, you
can continue to build your relationship.
And finally, warming up and cooling
down can help avoid injuries and extend the
competitive life ofyour canine athlete.
82 AUSSIETIMES I July-August 2005