Last week I set up an exercise I found in the the 2012 WAO USA Team book available at Clean Run. The exercise set-up was adaptable to working many skills, but the skill the designer was emphasizing was sending the dog to the back of the jump, time after time after time. I found the exercise quite frustrating since eventually I was too out of position on each exercise to handle the next obstacle. I finally decided this was silly, so I looked for a real European course to set up. This course is an actual course and in her video, Cik, Cak, Silvia Trkman shows how she ran the course at trial.
If memory serves correctly, I've only set up one other European course to try. Like that European standard course, this jumpers course is actually pretty straightforward -- the only "tricky" maneuver is the threadle at 11/12. However, like the standard course I set up last summer there are long runs involved in getting from one section to another. Basically, if you have a dog with any kind of speed, you have to be able to employ some distance techniques unless you are an Olympic class sprinter.
1-3 will allow for a long lead out for those who need to conserve their breath for the rest of the course. 3-7 can be handled from a relatively small area by anyone who doesn't normally run stride for stride with their dog. (However, this proved to be a bad handling choice for yours truly.) The first running challenge for the handler is having to get from 8 to 11 in time to handle the threadle, a distance of about 60 feet if you have to go most of the way to 8. You could manage the run from 8 to 11 and still direct your dog over 12 if 11/12 were a 180. Unfortunately, it is a threadle, and most of us will have to be at least on the landing side of 10 to handle it. Additionally, we have to get there before our dog does so that we can show some deceleration to help cue the wrap at 11. (Any forward motion at this point will cue a 180.)
It took me a while to figure out how to best run this section of course. Silvia Trkman simply remains near the (65,5) point and uses a verbal to send her dog on to wrap 8 on his/her own while she turns and runs to get into position for the threadle. Unfortunately, Belle doesn't have a verbal that will allow me to do that. I finally realized that if I moved back toward the exit of the #6 tunnel exit and paced myself moving toward 8, I could cut 10-15 feet off my path and have enough time to get into position for the threadle. (It took me quite a while to figure this out since I was firmly wedded to the idea that I didn't want to move very far from (68,3) while Belle was performing 4-8.)
Another problem I had was my insistence on using "wrap" to send Belle to 8. Her grasp of "wrap" ("take the jump before you and wrap around the standard toward me") is way less than perfect. Additionally, 8 is not directly ahead of the dog; it is at a right angle to their path. When I changed my command to "over," Belle had no problem figuring out what I wanted, and my hasty retreat up field created the wrap I wanted with no extra verbal.
In an effort to solve my difficulties with this section, I first tried running along the backside of the #6 tunnel, thinking that I could handle the threadle with lateral distance and be in a better position to get back down field for the closing. However, there were problems with this tactic. First, I had a difficult time remembering to get to the backside of the tunnel. Next, I found myself moving up field before Belle took #8 and this was pulling her off the jump. Lastly, the one time it worked, it did nothing to tighten up the threadle. Running between the two tunnels gave me the best chance of getting where I had to be since it was the shorter path for me.
The next distance challenge for the handler is getting from the weave pole entrance to a spot between 15/16 in order to handle the closing. This is a distance of about 65 feet. I thought it might be problematic for me since it was coming toward the end of the run, but I left Belle in the weaves, supported the #14 jump with a verbal and an out-stretched arm and managed to do a blind cross between 15/16--yeehaw!
I was going to work on the third sequence from Kathy Keats' March series this morning, but since I wanted to rear cross the A-frame, I decided to work on that first. I've never been able to successfully rear cross the A-frame with Belle. I am extremely envious of those who can cut across the heels of their dog and the dog doesn't waiver in its path. When I cross Belle's path, she stalls out at the top of the A-frame.
As I worked through it this morning with Belle, she not only stalled out at the apex, she began stopping at the bottom. You can see me working through these issues in the video. After watching this morning's video, I decided the best way to work on teaching Belle to run the A-frame while I do a rear cross is to start very close to the line I want to cross and work on increasing my lateral distance from that line. Whether or not I want to put the time and effort into teaching it is another matter.
Ironically, when I was working on getting Belle to run the A-frame without sticking, I discovered that a blind cross between the jump and the A-frame was probably a better choice for the sequence I was planning to run. It has the advantage of keeping me in motion and ahead of Belle. However, I still think that being able to rear cross the contacts is something that has its place in the handler's bag of tricks, and it is a skill I would definitely want to make sure my next dog and I have. On the other hand, this is a skill that Belle and I have managed to do without for five years, so obviously there are ways to run successfully without it.
Last week I devoted my time and energy to painting the dining room and doing spring clean up in my flower beds. The dining room is finished, but the work continues in the garden. However, I finally had a chance to set up a new course to work on.
I chose the March, 2012 set of exercises that Kathy Keats designed for Clean Runsince it presents different options before and after the A-frame. Exercise One calls for several wraps, but the one right before the A-frame presented a special challenge for Belle and me since I want her to do a running A-frame. I'm not fast enough to stay at next to the jump for the wrap and handle the turn into the tunnel under the A-frame, so I decided we would work on getting the wrap with a minimal amount of handler help. I thought Belle did a nice job on the A-frame into the tunnel.
Although the Q rate in Elite and Open on this Chances course was close to 50%, Belle and I were not among those teams who Q'ed because we feel victim to tunnel vision. There are two meanings of the term "tunnel vision," and our run fell victim to both.
The tunnel in the upper left corner is about 35' away from the exit of the first tunnel, and it never occurred to me that it was a viable off-course. I was focused on the turn to the #3 hoop, and I really thought was it was a given since I practically lead out to it.I felt really bad for blaming Belle for failing to see the obvious, when it was I who had failed to see. Thanks to Cynthia Ernat for pointing out to me how well the corner tunnel lined up with the start line.
Normally, I would have called Belle as she exited the tunnel. (I know, I know, I should actually call her when she's in the tunnel, but my reflexes suck.) However, in light of how many verbal mistakes I made yesterday, I had resolved to use as few verbals as possible today. This, unfortunately, was a spot that screamed for a verbal cue.
As the dog sits at the start line waiting to be released, if he is looking straight ahead, he sees is the tunnel in the corner looming large and invitingly--especially since today, Chances followed Tunnelers. Even for those dogs with no start line stay, the vision from within the first tunnel was most certainly "tunnel vision."
The other two "traps" on this course were obvious: the dog has to turn from jump #6 to hoop #7, and then there is a dog walk/tunnel discrimination. Unlike the problems we all encountered yesterday getting our dogs to carry out to a hoop after the tunnel, most of the dogs came out of the tunnel and took the jump. Unfortunately, a fair number of them continued on to the off-course tunnel. (This turn away from the tunnel was also tested on both Regular courses, so you had a chance to redeem yourself.)
When we were walking the course, I happened to overhear Cynthia Ernat discussing handling the line from #5 to #6: Instead of turning the dog immediately as he exits the tunnel, it would be better to let him run out ten feet or more before turning indicating the turn. Turning sharply to #6 puts the dog on a path to the off-course tunnel. Allowing your dog to run out from the tunnel first, results in him heading more toward the #7 hoop as he takes the jump.
