cbrand

I want to start Delilah in agility. Rather than take a class, which I have done before, I think I would like to work on my own. I would specifically like to try a system that uses shoots to teach contacts (i.e the dog has to run through a PVC form at the beginning and end of each contact). I plan to use 2X2 for my weaves.

Any suggestions?

jester's mom

I don't have any ideas about chutes... unless you make your own.... but I do have a suggestion on contacts. In the classes Deb and I are taking in agility, the trainer taught us to us a treat as the dog comes down the obstacle, setting the treat on the ground as the dog comes to the bottom and encouraging the dog to stop with its back feet still on the A-frame or dog walk, use the word "touch" and gently stroke the dog's hind legs as it stands with its hind feet on the yellow section (the dog should be standing almost lever backed - not with its hind legs up so high that it is slanted). She calls this, "teaching the dog to have a brain in its rear". Since a dog is not thinking about where its butt is.

What we did to start off was to stand at the base of the A-frame, have the dog jump up on the side of it and come down the base (just circling) and stopping the dog with a treat in your hand, placing it on the ground as the dog comes down to encourage the dog to keep its head low and body coming low down the bottom and stopping the dog before its hind feet leave the obstacle, using the word "touch" and if the dog takes one or both hind feet off, move them back on and use the word touch again and then gently stroke the hind legs and tell them how good they are in a calm, quiet voice.

This has worked excellently! You can train this inside the house as well using the bottom stair of any stairway and having the dog stop and get the treat from the floor with its hind feet still on the bottom step. The dog eventually learns where its hind feet are and after a while, when you say "touch", the dog will actually reach back with its hind feet to put them up on the obstacle or step.

Hope this helps out some.

MericoX

Are you talking about target trainings? It's just a PVC thing you put at the base of contacts.. looks like a lowercase n?

I will be using that when I start training some speed in my male's schnauzers contacts. I personally like a running contact so these are very helpful to us. If you use a clicker (I use one) I click/treat when they do the contact and go through the trainer. Any jumping off the side or doubling back they are picked up and reset to do the contact again and jackpotted.

debjen

Are you planning on doing running contacts or a form of 2 on 2 off..If running contacts one of my friends has just trained her dog with a DVD that she really liked .. I can ask her the name of it..if you are going to do a 2 on 2 off there a lot of DVD's out there..

My cavs do running contacts although I think it was more luck than anything that they have pretty good contacts..However I can't keep up with them so I had to teach directionals..with Flyer I am teaching a stop on the contacts ..no matter which way I go I always train the contact on a flat board first..

the 2 x 2 weave pole dvd is great..I love that method.

cbrand

Yes, I guess it would be a "running contact". I would like to train with a form (yes a pvc N shape or a small hoop) at the start and finish of a contact that the dog would have to run through. We use things like this in Obedience to keep a dog moving straight. I have found it very useful in building muscle memory.

Fluffyspoos

You could always try youtube? I learned how to knit from youtube.

debjen

You can use a hoop at the end of contacts to teach the dog to run through the hoop..

Clean Run: Clip and Go Contact Hoops

Clean run also has a lot of contact DVD's that you can look at to see what type you might be interested in doing.

CharismaticMillie

i learned how to french braid my hair on youtube! LOL

AgilityIG

Rachel Sanders has a good DVD out (from what I hear - I have not seen it). Reliable Running AFrames. You can get a hula hoop and make a PVC stand for it and that should work well for you.

jak

Just a word of advice, if your dog does takes its feet of the 'yellow' part of the contact, then it does not know contacts, and the absolute worst thing you could do is put the dog's feet back onto the yellow...