More on the Ketschker Turn

Apparently the Ketschker turn has been around for several years in Europe.  I emailed Steve Schwarz, the Agility Nerd, a link to my second session and he replied that the Ketschker is used primarily to tighten up jump wraps.  His advice was to not use two obstacles to train it as that might end up diluting the cue to wrap.  Also he did a post in his blog on April 11th about jump wraps, and one of the methods he covered was the Ketschker.

Here is a video that demonstrates a lot of wrapping with the Ketschker:


I broke my ankle Saturday evening, so I won't be able to do any more work on this fascinating maneuver (or any other agility) for at least eight weeks.  I'm hoping to really work on Belle's directionals and her service dog skills ;-)  Additionally, I want to re-commit myself to my weight loss goal for the NADAC Championships in October.  If I don't curb my fork, I'll end up 20 pounds heavier by the time the cast comes off.  Wish me luck.

Rose 

The Ketschker: A Different Type of Blind Cross

Added 06/13/2013:  The first video of me introducing the Ketschker to Belle has nearly 1,000 views.  Since I really didn't have a clue as to what I was doing, that is really unfortunate.  Here's a short video I shot today that shows a much more systematic way to introduce this move:

 

Original Post:
 
I was watching some videos posted lately by ScottisSeite on YouTube, and saw a very interesting handling maneuver.  The handler moves backward toward a jump and the dog takes the jump and goes behind the handler to the other side of the handler.  Here's a video from three years ago of someone training the maneuver, which is known as a Ketschker:

Here is a more recent video from a seminar that shows people using the Ketschker:

I decided to try teaching Belle this move.  Here is my first effort this morning.  It's a rather blatant example of how not to train.



After I edited this morning's video and looked for a couple of examples from ScottisSeite to include in this post, I spotted how to indicate the move to Belle at 1:54 in the second video above.*  Watch the lady's hands.  She is basically using the hand movements we use in obedience to teach a dog to return to heel position by going around the handler's right side.   Well, duh, we may not do much obedience, but we have worked on that skill.  I went out again with Belle and managed to quiet my arms and body and get a much better response from her.

*(Note:  To me it doesn't look like everyone is using this particular signal, but for Belle and me it seems like a good starting point.)

Here's the video of our second session:

Grand Prix Practice

Belle and I will be going to a USDAA trial on Sunday, so I wanted to get in a little Grand Prix practice. 

I spent an hour setting up this Grand Prix course designed by Frank Holik.  Once I began walking it, it seemed very familiar. 

Before running the course, I came inside to search through last years videos, and sure enough, I had set up this course last July.  I watched the video and was appalled at how much shouting I did while running the course.  I was hoping to run the course a little differently today by opting for a rear cross instead of a front cross between 5 and 6, and by running on the backside of the #16 tunnel.  My first idea worked quite well.  The second, not so much.

Dusty had A-frame problems, so I devoted most of our training time to that issue.  With Belle, I made the same mistake this morning that I made back in July.  I took the dogwalk/tunnel discrimination for granted and Belle ended up taking the wrong obstacle.  Additionally, the course highlighted the need to work on Belle's teeter performance.



I decided I would mow the field and then set up a second Grand Prix course.  This one was designed by Janet Gauntt.

By the time I finished setting this course up, there was only enough time to run it once.  We had a slight bobble between 3 and 4, but not enough to be called for a refusal.  (I was concentrating on getting into position to handle the 270, and moved across the box a smidge too soon.)  Belle and I got as far as #11 before we had an off-course.  We started again from the A-frame and this time I stopped soon enough to let Belle know the next obstacle was #12.  The rest of the course ran very smoothly.

More Letter "a" Alphabet Drills - Threadles and Rear Cross

Exercise 2 provides the opportunity to do two threadles in quick succession.  Once Belle, Dusty and I were able to do the two threadles, I added different lead-ins to the exercise to increase the speed the dogs were running at.  Exercise 3 provides a chance to do a much more dynamic rear cross than Exercise 1.  Finally, Exercise 3 provides the chance to practice a lead out and three threadles in quick succession.