Agility

Week One

• Pipe Tunnel
• A-Frame
• Clear Jump
• Combining Obstacles

Pipe Tunnel Introduction:

Show your dog the tunnel. Let him sniff it. Toss his object of attraction into the tunnel a short distance to see if you can make him curious enough to venture in. Getting the dog to enter the tunnel the first time can be like trying to convince him to walk through fire! But, after as few as one successful attempt at going through the tunnel, the dogs are convinced that this is a really cool thing to do. After a few repetitions, you cant keep them out of the tunnel! Be patient. If you have to, crawl through the other end of the tunnel to coax the dog in to you, then give him a treat. Sometimes it is helpful to “scrunch” up the tunnel and make it shorter, so that it doesn’t look so spooky. By making the tunnel only a few feet long, some dogs will be a little more brave about going in. However, other dogs become even more frightened by the movement of the tunnel (while you are trying to hold it in a scrunched position) or the extra material which gets wadded up when you scrunch it (it makes the opening look even smaller). Do not try to push or drag your dog through the tunnel. This will only make him more fearful of entering the dreaded “dog-eating snake.” Take your time, and work slowly. When your dog will easily enter and exit the tunnel, and you have added the command (“tunnel”), you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed. Do not proceed to learn the other tunnels until your dog has mastered the pipe tunnel.

A-Frame Introduction:

Start with the A-Frame lowered to a very negotiable height. If flat on the ground is necessary, then flatten that sucker out! However, most dogs are unafraid enough to try it for the first time with a slight incline. The instructor will help you judge what is the best height for your dog. Walk the dog up and over the A-Frame. Place your treats on the “contact zones” (the yellow areas on the up and down sides of all ramp obstacles). Use a word to help your dog understand that he should look down for some food which has been left there for him. You can use any word for this. Some choices are: there, spot,treat,look, place, touch or whatever you think works best. The dog should always get his treat on these zones--never on the ground beyond the zones, never from your hand after he is already off the obstacle. In addition, if your dog accidentally by-passes the zones, do not let him return to the obstacle to get it. That teaches him that he does not have to stop, as he is free to go back. It also teaches him to steal food from the contact zones without being commanded over the obstacle, and it also encourages him to run up on obstacles over which he was not asked to climb. If your dog misses the food, just go on. “There” As the height of the A-Frame is raised to become more of a challenge to your dog, he should still willingly try to traverse it, as he has done so at a less steep angle. Do not let the dog jump off the sides of this obstacle at any time, high or low. Place your hand around the buckle collar to steady the dog. As the A-Frame reaches full height, use a spotter (a person walking on the opposite side from you to keep the dog from falling or jumping off). If the dog balks on the A-Frame at it’s full height, it will usually be on the down ramp. Down is scarier than up. That is why dogs tend to want to exit the obstacle right when they get to the top (the most dangerous point). To help your dog overcome his apprehension, pick him up and place him on the down-side contact zone for his treat, then walk him off. Gradually place the dog further and further back up on the obstacle and have him walk down to get the treat, then walk off. Work your way to the top and over (in reverse) until the down-ramp will be a piece of cake to the dog. Any dog who shows fear at any time in the learning of this obstacle can be “backward chained” in this manner by starting him at the end of the obstacle and having him work his way to the beginning. When the dog begins taking this obstacle with ease, name the obstacle. Some suggestions are: walk-up, climb, frame, scramble, wall, or anything else you wish to name it. When your dog will easily enter and exit the A-Frame, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

Clear Jump Introduction:

Introduce the clear jumps by walking the dog on leash over the jump at its lowest height. Jump over the jump with the dog. As the dog willingly jumps the obstacle, use the praise word, “good jump”. Next, start walking beside the jump, as you lead the dog over the obstacle. Name the jump as the dog shows you he will readily go over it as directed. You may also use your target, or throw a treat or toy over the jump and have the dog jump after it. Most dogs enjoy jumping, so they learn this one rather fast. After the dog learns the basic, solid jump, he may progress to other jumps in the weeks to come. Not all the clear jumps are the same, and you may want to name them differently. For example, you may want to use the word, “jump” to name the solid jumps, the word, “bar” to name bar jumps, the word, “over” to name long jumps, and the word, “tire” to name the hoop jump. When your dog will easily jump for you, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

Combining Obstacles:

As your dog learns each jump, he can put them together as part of a course. To help your dog learn a sequence of jumps, use your backward chaining steps. Start at the last one, add the middle (then the last), and then do the first (then middle and last). Practice the three jumps you learned during this session by doing them first individually, then combine them as a series, to teach the dog the idea of going from one obstacle to the next. Put his favorite obstacle last, and place the target at the end.

 

Week Two

• Closed Tunnel
• Dog Walk
• Pause Table
• Combining Obstacles

Closed Tunnel Introduction:

When you first introduce your dog to the closed or “chute” tunnel, scrunch up all or most of the material which makes up the collapsible part of the tunnel. Have a helper hold the dog in front of the tunnel and have “mom” or “dad” go down to the chute end and gather up all of the folds of material. This makes the tunnel appear much like the one he has already learned. The dog should readily go through to mom or dad, who is waiting with praise and a treat. Little by little, you may back up, so that the chute part becomes longer and longer. When the dog is doing the full length of the chute with someone holding it open, begin dropping the material on the dog as he is about 3/4 of the way through the chute. Start dropping the material sooner and sooner, as the dog gets accustomed to pushing his way out of the chute. Encourage the dog with auditory aids, like clapping and praise, to keep him coming toward the end of the chute. Always make sure the chute is straight and flat when you send your dog through the tunnel. If your dog were to get tangled in the material, he would twist around even more, and by the time he could be rescued, he would have developed quite a panic about this tunnel. When the dog is going through the tunnel with no problem, name the tunnel. You can name it “tunnel” just like the other one, if you’d like.

Dog Walk Introduction:

Do not attempt this obstacle until the dog understands the A-Frame at an equally steep angle. This obstacle is similar, but it is much narrower, so your dog will have to be more careful in negotiating it. Keep your treats (lure) down low to the plank, so that the dog does not take his eyes off the walking surface. Use a spotter to cover the far side of the obstacle, in case your dog decides to exit prematurely. Place one hand around the collar, and the other in front of the dog’s nose, with the treats held down low. Watch what you are doing with that hand holding the treats! Your dog’s nose will be “attached” to your fingertips, and if you move your hand out away from the plank to look at your watch, or something, the dog might try to walk off into thin air to follow the treat! Bait your contact zones and slowly take your dog over the obstacle. If the dog is reluctant to enter the ramp, follow the instructions in the A-Frame section for backward chaining: To help your dog overcome his apprehension, pick him up and place him on the down-side contact zone for his treat, then walk him off. Gradually place the dog further and further back up on the obstacle and have him walk down to get the treat, then walk off. Work your way to the top and over (in reverse) until the down-ramp will be a piece of cake to the dog. Any dog who shows fear at any time in the learning of this obstacle can be “backward chained” in this manner by starting him at the end of the obstacle and having him work his way to the beginning.

“Easy”

If your dog wants to race across this obstacle, place treats across the long board to slow him down. A command, like “easy” can also be employed. If your dog doesn’t know what “easy” means, do not shout it at him while he is racing across the plank! Teach him “easy” by working him separately (on leash), and making him slow down in some other walking situation. Only then should you use the word to try to slow him down on the dog walk. When the dog begins taking this obstacle with ease, name the obstacle. Some suggestions are: walk-up, climb, dog-walk, or anything else you wish to name it. When your dog will easily enter and exit the dog walk, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

Pause Table Introduction:

Start at the lowest table height (it won’t be much of a table). Place your target on the table surface toward the back (to give the dog room to get up onto the table). Show the dog his treat and send him for it. When he gets up onto the table, tell him to lie down. As the dog shows willingness to hop onto the table, begin using the command word, “table.” Give the dog a second treat for lying down on command. As he gets the idea, you can phase out the first treat, and give him only the second treat, after he lies down. Practice also getting your dog to sit when he gets on the table. He needs to sit or lie down immediately, so he needs to develop a fast response to the command, and needs to be able to sit from a down and down from a sit. If your dog does not do a fast drop on command, you will need to teach him one. Use the food in your left hand. Hold it in front of his nose. Quickly drop the food to the ground as you say, “lie down.” Simultaneously give an upward signal with your right hand. The dog must drop quickly to get the food. Release the dog after he drops. Practice this away from the pause table before you ask him to do it on the table. Your dog will eventually have to maintain his position (in either a sit or a down) for a count of five, so he will also have to learn a stay command. If the dog gets up before the count is over, reposition him. Do not shout, say, “NO” or anything else. Reposition and say, “Good Stay.” Add distractions to your stay exercise, by leaving the dog and running away, or jumping up and down, or going behind him. Reposition the dog if he falls for any of your proofing tricks. Don’t let him get up from the stay until you give him a release word (“Okay”). When your dog will easily jump onto the pause table, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

Combining Obstacles:

Practice the three jumps you learned during this session by doing them first individually, then combine them as a series, to teach the dog the idea of going from one obstacle to the next. Add the obstacles you learned last week to his “mini-course.” Put his favorite obstacle last, and place the target at the end.

 

Week Three

• Hoop Tunnel
• See-Saw
• Bar Jump

Hoop Tunnel Introduction:

This tunnel is very similar to the other two your dog has learned. However with the hoop tunnel, it is easy for the dog to exit out the sides. You will want to work with a target, or with two people to introduce this obstacle. It is important that you line the dog up straight, and get him to go quickly through to his target on the opposite end without being distracted. Other than that, the training is just the same as it would be for the other tunnels. If the dog knows the other tunnels, and you can get him going straight in with speed, you should have no problem with this tunnel. When your dog will easily enter and exit the tunnel, and you have added the command (“tunnel”), you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

See-Saw Introduction:

It is imperative that your dog understand the A-Frame and the Dog Walk before attempting this obstacle. At no time during the introduction of this obstacle are you to work without a spotter. Wrap your hand around the dog’s buckle collar and leave it there, while the other hand coaxes him up the board with the treats held low. The hard part will not be getting him to walk up, but it will be getting him to stop at the desired point. Do not remove your hand from the dog’s collar. As your dog’s front feet pass the half-way point of the teeter-totter, you will have to restrain him before he gets to the equilibrium point. Do not grab the board and give him a false sense of security about the board! Let him take one more step, and then let him stretch his neck and body forward to reach for the treat. If he is on the precise point, that change in balance will cause the board to start to teeter. Hold the dog, not the board! Control the dog’s body so that the board ever so slowly drifts down to the ground and lightly touches. Be careful. Some dogs will feel the board teeter and immediately want to back away. This will cause the board to slam back down the way it was before it started to teeter. This is extremely scary for the dog. After the board teeters all the way down and is stationary, let your dog proceed down the plank. Bait the contact zone as he gets to it. Walk him off the board. Before your dog progresses to being able to negotiate this obstacle without you hanging on to his collar, he must understand the word, “wait.” Wait means to stop and hold still. Practice stopping the dog in another situation and use the word, “wait.” When you want the dog to take a step again, you tell him to walk. To the dog, this see-saw looks just like the entrance ramp to the dog walk, which he would normally just run right up. Make sure your dog will respond readily to “wait” before you trust him to do it on the see-saw. Try it with your hand out of the collar, but with a leash on the first few times, until he has shown you that he will safely make it through the teeter portion of the obstacle. When your dog will easily enter and exit the see-saw, you have added the command word, and your dog will wait, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

Bar Jump Introduction:

The bar jump is much the same as the solid jump, but only slightly more tricky. Depending on the location and orientation of the bars (they could be single, double, triple, or criss-crossed), they may seem to be floating in space, or scary to the dog. Follow the same training instruction as for the basic jump. You may want to name this jump something different, like “bar.” When your dog will easily take the bar jump for you, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

[size=+2]Week Four[/size]

• Brush Jump
• Rail Jump

Brush Jump Introduction:

The brush jump is like any other clear jump, but it is slightly more scary, because dogs do not like to jump shrubbery. Do not assume that the dog should easily jump this one because he knows a basic jump, and you will save yourself much disappointment. Follow the same training instruction as for the basic jump. You may want to name this jump something different, like “brush.” When your dog will easily take the brush jump for you, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

Rail Jump Introduction:

The rail jump is like the bar jump, but it has non-displaceable bars, so if your dog knocks into the jump, the bars will not fall down. Follow the same training instruction as for the basic jump. You may want to also name this jump “bar,” or “rail.” When your dog will easily take the bar jump for you, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

[size=+2]Week Five[/size]

• Log Jump
• Long Jump
• Picket Fence Jump

Log Jump Introduction:

The Log jump looks a lot like the regular solid jump from the dog’s point of view, and is a lot like jumping the regular solid jump. The only difference is that the logs are arranged in a pyramid formation, so that the jump is as long (at the base) as it is high. The most common problem occurring with this jump is that the dog cuts the corners. By using gates, or some form of uprights at the sides of the jump, it will make it more of a target for the dog. Follow the same training instruction as for the basic jump. You may want to name this jump “jump,” “hup” or “logs.” When your dog will easily take the log jump for you, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

Long Jump Introduction:

The long jump is like a broad jump in obedience. It is made up of a series of boards or pipes which span the ground in a horizontal jump. When you begin teaching the long jump, use only two of the sections, placed closely together. Then, depending on the size of the dog and his eventual jump height category, spread the sections further apart and/or add additional sections. This jump has the same problem with dogs wanting to cut corners. By placing uprights or flagpoles at the four corners of the jump, it will clearly define the jumping surface for the dog. Another problem with this jump is that if you move ahead too quickly, the dog does not understand the horizontal jumping concept, and he tends to think this is a “contact obstacle” rather than a “clear jump” and will walk over the boards. You may want to use the command, “over” for this one. When your dog will easily take the long jump for you, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

Picket Fence Introduction:

The Picket Fence Jump is similar to the regular solid jump. Follow the same training instruction as for the basic jump. When your dog will easily take the picket fence jump for you, and you have added the command word, you can start working from further back, and from both sides, until the dog will approach the obstacle from any direction and take it as prescribed.

[size=+2]Week Six[/size]

This week we will run a fun course comprised of all of the obstacles we have learned in agility one.

​