Schnauzers in Agility

COMMON SENSE TIPS FOR THE NOVICE HANDLER

(and some pretty good stuff for the advanced people, too!)

compiled by Leslie Anderson and Susan Burton

Leslie Anderson can be reached at LHA1@aol.com

Disclaimer: This is a collection of ring tips from many different agility enthusiasts. Not all tips will apply in all situations. We all know that different things work for different dogs. Some of the gifted handlers were generous enough to share some tips that often go unspoken. An * indicates that a tip is specific to AKC.

· When walking the course, walk your path, not the dog's. Don't follow the path the dog should take because you may slip up and do this during your run. This would push the dog off to the side and could cause a refusal.

· Your walkthrough time is valuable. Don't waste all of it memorizing the order of the obstacles. You can get an idea of the obstacle order by looking at the posted course and by standing ringside and watching when the judge measures the course and the ring crew sets the jump bars.

· During the walkthrough, follow these steps: (1) make sure you know the obstacle order (2) identify the most difficult parts of the course (3) plan your strategy (4)rehearse it and (5) finally, run the course so you see how it feels at a faster pace.

· When you doing step 3, planning your strategy, you might want to try the "buddy system." If you have a buddy showing in the same class that you are in and you trust this buddy for his good handling skills and strategizing abilities, walk the course with him. Find out how he plans to handle the course and why. This doesn't mean you should handle the course the same way. It just means that he may have seen something that you have missed. If you don't have a buddy, step back to the side of the ring and just observe what the other handlers are doing. The time to make any necessary changes to your strategy is NOW, not when you are on the start line.

· Don't plan strategy strictly from the posted course. The course often seems different when you walk it than it looked on paper.

· Have a back up plan. If you know your dog is likely to take an off course, plan the best way to keep him on the right track, but have a back up plan in case things don't go the as planned.

· When walking the tougher parts of the course, squat down and look at it from your dog's view. Seeing which obstacles your dog will site on next can often help you in choosing the correct way to handle a sequence.

· If you know your dog is likely to have a problem with a specific obstacle (i. e. tire, see-saw, etc.) make your decision while WALKING the course how you're going to handle it if he balks. It reduces your pressure if the problem occurs, with the added benefit that the reduced pressure is communicated to the dog, and can help solve the problem all by itself.

· Use the practice jump to pattern your dog on something specific to the course. For example - if the course had a jump followed by a hard right turn to another obstacle, you could practice sending your dog over the practice jump then turning him to the right.

· Don't back jump the practice jump before going into the ring - unless you're trying to pattern your dog for this.

· Be close to the gate and ready to go when it is your turn. Don't wait until you are needed on the line to get rid of any last bits of treats or toys. However, you don't necessarily have to be standing at the gate waiting the entire time. As long as you let the gate steward know that you are ready and that you are watching for your turn, you should be able to back off the gate and spend time with your dog.

· Be considerate of the dogs in ring ahead of you when revving your dog up. Many people play with their dogs to get them "up" before going in the ring. This is great as long as you are not doing it so close to the ring that you are a distraction to the dog that is running the course.

· The time you spend waiting your turn to go in the ring is very valuable. Use these moments to get your dog focused on you and what is about to happen. Don't let your dog's attention wander or let him become interested in anything other than you (i.e. sniffing other dogs or watching someone else play with his dog).

· Learn what kind of warm up routine works best for your dog - then stick with it. For some people, this is revving the dog up and for others it is calming the dog down. Still others use the time to get their dogs focused on them with food or a favorite toy. Figure out what works and do it religiously. The dog will learn what to expect and will soon know that the warm up routine is a prelude to running agility. You will also need to figure out how far in advance you should take your dog out of his crate to get the best performance. Dogs that "poop out" relatively easily should be left in the crate as long as possible, while others need to burn off excess energy with a game of ball before heading to the start line. You may have to experiment some to learn what works best for your dog.

· If you have a dog who likes to focus on things other than you , here's a trick to get his interest before you head to the start line. Leave him in his crate while you play with and/or feed another dog in front of him. He'll get jealous very quickly and decide that you might be a lot of fun to be with after all. One word of caution - be considerate of dogs in the ring when you do this. Don't do it if your dog's crate is near the ring or if he is likely to bark and become a distraction to other dogs who are showing at the time.

· *Take your lead off before you enter the ring if at all possible. You should always be able to do this in AKC because your dog is allowed to wear a collar. You can carry little dogs to the start line or guide bigger dogs by the collar. Fumbling around with a lead on the start line can frustrate your dog , the judge, and other competitors who are waiting their turn.

· "Watch me" is basically useless on the agility course. A dog who is looking back at his handler after every obstacle is likely to miss an obstacle that lies ahead. You want your dog to listen to your directions, but also to watch for the obstacles that are coming up.

· Don't let your dog see or sense your disappointment if either one of you does something wrong on the course. It is better to continue on as if the mistake never happened than to let your demeanor change because you are disappointed. Dogs pick up on these things and if you shut down, your dog is likely to do the same.

· Don't futz. If you are doing a lead out, your dog does not have to be in a sit. You can do a lead out from a stand. If you do a sit lead out, the sit does not have to be a straight obedience sit. Fussing with your dog to get him sitting correctly only allows your dog to get frustrated, bored, and distracted. This is not a good way to start the course.

· With most Novice dogs, its best not to turn your back to the dog on a lead out. When walking away, keep your body turned so that you can make eye contact with your dog. If your dog does break a stay at the start by standing up or taking a few steps before you are in position, just go. Don't go back to your dog to reposition him. Here again, your dog is likely to become frustrated. Do more training work on stays at home.

· A lead out is not right for every dog. If you always try to lead out, ask yourself why you are doing it. If you can't come up with a good answer, don't do it. If you can keep up with your dog most of time, a lead out might not be for you. An alternative is to stay with your dog until you are ready to start, then take off!! You can get a much faster start that sets the tone for the whole course.

· Train the take-off. If you run from the start line rather than leading out, train for a fast take off. Start by working at home. Place a treat on a paper plate that is a few feet away from your dog. Get your dog very excited about the treat, but restrain him until you are ready for him to get it. Use a verbal cue for the take off, such as, "On your mark………. Get set………… Goooooooooo!!!" On the word "GO", blast off and run with your dog to the plate. Let him reward himself by eating the treat. Gradually increase the distance between your dog and the plate before blasting off. This teaches the dog to charge out at a very fast speed on your verbal cue. Now, you are ready to use this verbal cue on the start line to get a fast take off. You can also do some blast offs as part of your warm up routine outside of the ring by holding a treat in your hand instead of having it on a plate.

· Notice the timer and be ready to start at his/her cue. Not being ready allows your dog time to get distracted.

· If you get stuck on the start line longer than expected, use the time to get your dog ready to go. Point out the obstacles that are in front of him. Get him interested in the course. Don't ignore your dog and allow his attention to wander.

· Scan the course (especially if you are the first dog in your jump height) as you go into the ring. Especially look at the table, tire, and jumps to make sure the heights are correct. Also look at the see-saw to make sure the ascending plank is on the ground. It is the exhibitor's responsibility to check that the equipment is correct.

· If your dog is slower than you would like on the dog walk, don't reduce your speed to match his. Racing him to the down contact can speed him up enough to gain you valuable seconds.

· *If you are running the course (in AKC) and can't remember whether the table is a sit or down, put your dog into a sit and wait to see if judge starts counting. If he or she doesn't, its safe to assume the table is a down and you can put your dog immediately into a down. This way, you haven't lost much time worrying about what to do.

· *If your dog begins to obsessively sniff the table and won't go into the sit or down, call him off table and send him back on. You will only be given a 2 point table fault and can hopefully get the dog's attention in the process.

· If you attempt an obstacle several times and it seems your dog is just not going to do it, GO ON !!!! Make the best out of the rest of your run.

· *If you are approaching a trap (you won't have this is in Novice, but you will in Open and Excellent) and your dog starts to take the wrong obstacle, it may be best to let him go. This will only be scored as a wrong course. However, if you call your dog back and the judge sees this as a refusal for the correct obstacle, you were better off with the wrong course. You are allowed two wrong courses in any class, but only one refusal in Open and none in Excellent.

· *Notice where the run out plane is on the table in every course. Don't let your dog jump on the table from the opposite side he approached it from. This can be scored as a run-out.

· You can avoid handler induced refusals more easily than any other kind. Don't induce refusals by insisting the dog wait for you. If he's headed toward the correct obstacle, let him go.

· Tables, tunnels and chutes make the best places to do a side switch.

· *For most Novice dogs, it is important that you don't turn your back to your dog when he is on the table. Use your five seconds to get your bearings and think about what you will do next, but never take your mind or your eyes off your dog. Wait until the count is over, then pivot or move out. Better safe than sorry. If your dog exits the table prematurely because you walked away or rotated your shoulders to see what obstacle was next, you will not only get table the fault, but time penalties as well because you will have to start the table count over again.

· Never short jump your dog. If he refuses a jump, take the time to back up and give him a running start. You'll waste more time if you expect him to flat foot the jump, because many dogs will just refuse again in that situation.

· *Remember your 1/3s. In your mind, you can divide the distance between two obstacles into thirds. The first third is yours to do what you want in. Here is where you can safely get your dog into the position you want him to be in. The second third is a gray area that you are better off not fooling around with. The last third in an approach to an obstacle is the area where you will most likely earn a refusal. Don't call your dog back to you or call him off the correct obstacle in that last third.

· Cross the finish line. As simple as it sounds, many Novice handlers make the mistake of stopping prematurely. Notice where the finish line is and make sure your dog crosses it before you stop working. The last obstacle in the course is not necessarily the finish line.

· Don't use your dog's name as long as he is working with you on the course. He knows who you're talking to. Use the time it would have taken to say his name and "Good Dog" to give him better timed obstacle commands. Save his name for a special situation. For example, you may want to say his name suddenly to get his attention if you need to call him off an obstacle or change direction.

· Remember that the physical and emotional well being of the dog needs to be the most important aspect of the run. Remember to help the dog out that's tangling itself in the chute, or give a boost to a little dog who's feet are slipping on the A-frame because it's wet. Sure it means touching your dog and/or the equipment and incurring the penalty that comes with it, but don't wait for the judge and/or steward to do something. Your dog is depending on You. There will be another day and another trial - if the dog can handle it emotionally and physically.

· If you get lost on the course, all it not lost. Work your way back on course (if you can) and continue on. If you're hopelessly lost, head towards the exit, and at least celebrate a big finish. Your dog will never know.

Concentrate on obstacle performance. Don't let pushing your dog for speed ruin the solid training you've done. There's plenty of time to push your dog to go faster AFTER you've both built up some "ring confidence". At the Novice level there's PLENTY of time to complete the course.

TRAIN - DON'T COMPLAIN !!!

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