Men of Action

My 4" Take on Early Takeoff Syndrome (ETS)

Obviously happy. Obviously speedy. Undeniably early.

At eight inches, he might not have had a near as easy or successful time soaring over that jump at Nationals.

Especially early on, I tried teaching him to jump more rounded and to bounce through the tiny jump chute I had set up in my dining room through one full, long winter. He did learn to bounce through the jump chute. But that skill never really transferred well, if at all, to the more random jumping patterns of an actual agility course.

Still, the stutter stepping continued to be mixed liberally with early takeoffs. And it always got worse as Taylor got more tired or if I got out too far ahead of him (which was very easy to do when he was seriously stuttering at 8").

A few days ago, I picked up my new May '10 issue of Clean Run to find an article by Linda Mecklenburg that offers a reasonable and studied explanation for what I've sort of sensed about Taylor all along. It's entitled, "What is Early Takeoff Syndrome?".

The article explains that there definitely does seem to be a more complex issue behind a dog that "simply" tries to jump too early, or consistently misjudges takeoff.

With Taylor, I believe it has at least partly to do with a deficit of proprioception in his hindquarters. He has consistent trouble "sorting things out" to get up things like doggie steps.

I've always had the feeling, as Linda mentions, that trying to "train" through this issue was actually putting him more at risk for the long term, due to the "hard wired" nature of the issue and his less than perfect structure.

Running ahead of him, which in theory makes sense as a way of speeding him up, in actuality causes him to stutter step more.

Actually, the thing that helped him most was swimming in a little pool in our yard when we had a long hot summer two years ago.

The best thing I've found, and what has made us both happiest is to adjust my goals and to run the way the seems to help him the most. Hence the move to 4" and I always only run only slightly ahead of him.

I am very glad Linda took the time to write this article because I suspect there are other dogs, like my Taylor, who basically cannot help the way they jump. Contrary to most conventions, I believe also that training, especially "overtraining" and drilling, has minimal if any effect, and can often only apply more stress to a fragile physical/mental equation.

For me, sticking with my instincts on what was best for Taylor had it's own reward, even if it might be considered small in the larger scheme of things.

He earned second place in 4" jump height at the recent and first AKC Preferred National Agility Championships, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

I could have returned him to his breeder or swapped him for a swifter, more able jumping partner, but this little dog is such a joy to work with and is so smart and tries so hard, that I consider him a dog of a lifetime even with his "disability".

I hope this article gives more people the inspiration to understand and appreciate the dog they have, and to find a path to a place they both can enjoy, even if it is not necessarily the path you may have first envisioned.

Allow the dog to have its sense of worth and a standard it is able to accomplish and I feel that a lot of happiness result.

In the end, as much as I have learned, and as little as I still know, I still run and am fueled by the happiness I experience in running as one with a species that is not even my own.

Hopefully, this article will help reawaken some of that perspective within the sport as a whole, or at least one can hope.

To learn more from Linda Mecklenburg visit her blog at: www.awesomepaws.us.

Pretty Baby Rue!

New CH MACH 4 Sentinel's Justice Prevails HSA (Raleigh) and Jean!

Taylor Qualifies for 2011 AKC Agility Nationals

My Papillon, Taylor, earned his qualification for the 2011 AKC Agility National Championship and the 9th double Q toward his PAX2 at this trial. These legs also counted as the fourth and fifth legs toward his Master's Jumpers Preferred 5 title (MJP5), and the fourth leg toward his Master's Excellent Preferred (MXP4) title. The courses were tough and technical, and he did a great job of navigating them with good times that earned him first place against a hard charging pack of four inchers. Thanks, Taylor, for being such a wonderful dog.

Samurai Soothsayer Speaks of The Game

Samurai the White

He lifts the tiles from the Scrabble board with a careful mouth, square by square:

GSLAC

The Game will rise again, he says. As the Sports Academy.

That dogs will jump in October.

Or not.

Adapted ISC Standard Course From NAC State Competition

2010 NAC ISC Course, Adapted for Size

For our Competition group, this week, we will be running a size-adapted version of the ISC Standard course run on Friday of the 2010 National Agility Championship. I'm posting the course, and another version of it (basically the same course run backward) below. Set up once, enjoy it twice! Just be sure to flip the direction of the chute and teeter before you run the second course.

Same course set up, another option.

Sometimes I Wonder

What would life be like

if I was bigger.

Stronger.

Faster.

More handsome.

What if I could fly

My wings

would take me

where my little legs

cannot go.

Beyond and beyond.

Invincible.

2010 AKC National Agility Championship Finals Winners

Agility Vision has posted the winning runs from the 2010 AKC National Agility Championships. The finals course was designed to bring on the speed, and these dogs and handlers brought it. Stellar runs, amazing dogs and some daring handling. Although it was a lifetime thrill to be on the floor, watching these runs as they happened, it's nearly as exciting to watch them in video form.

I'm re-posting them here for your agility viewing pleasure:




Believe it or not, there were actually some dogs here that were faster, but faulted. Johanna, who runs Blink, is a wonderful and knowledgeable person, as well as handler. And Blink is the most adorable, alert and engaging little guy. The cutest thing is, his little paws are still running even after his mom has scooped him up to leave the course.

And Dylan and Angie are an awesome team. This dog has to be the fastest I've ever seen off the start line. Like she's being snapped off of it by a big rubber band. Believe it or not, her opening in the Challenger round was even faster. Mighty impressive and almost redefining the look of agility and the shape of the future as the AKC opens its doors to a wider mix of dogs.

YeeeHAAAWWW!!!

The same Samurai who thinks

the world looks best upside down.

Ok, so how do I describe how this whole thing first got started.

Well, ok, it began simply enough. Took off in my little car to take Sami to Agility 1 class. That was supposed to be it.

However, as it turned out, the Competition agility class that was to run right after Sam's class -- the very SAME Competition agility class that was to run the Lisa Potts course below -- with Lisa Potts even in attendance -- for the most part, did not show up.

And by showing up, I mean two people. Two very weak, but adorable people. So, I stay to help them set up. And being that we now only had, say, three very weak people now setting up, Lisa suggests that maybe we should turn the below standard course into a jumpers course.

A very, very fast jumpers course as it turns out, once you consider that all the contacts are now basically transformed into a straight on jumpin' runnin' flat out experience.

It looks great, and my adorable course building friends ask if I'd like to run this very fast course with them.

I think, "Welp, I'd like to, but I don't have dog."

Then it occurs to me, "Wait, yes I do! But it's a CRAZEEE dog."

It's Samurai.

Ignoring the horns of doom that begin playing in my head at this point, I nevertheless decide to take this flaming haired dog with no onboard steering out to run on this very fast course.

And discover that oh my gosh and gollies...he's actually working! Not running off to dark corners chasing imaginary zombies -- actually working! And running. FAST!

And along the way I also discover he can do straight up weave poles. Who knew!

I also discover that I can't get in front crosses, that Sam can sometimes do rear crosses and that my attempts at blind crosses and switches aren't really meaning a whole lot as we top out at about 90 miles an hour.

I find that we maybe know a little more than we thought, but that we also have a whole, darn lot more to learn.

But oh, man was I surprised. And oh, wow, did we have fun. Good boy, Sami!

YeeeeHAAAH!!!

Lisa Potts' Blue Ridge TC Courses

AKC Judge Lisa Potts is returning to teach a class for our Spring Competition agility class. And once again she's given us a very nice challenge.

The course immediately below was adapted from a course she designed for the recent Blue Ridge Dog Training Club trial in Winchester, VA. It's been adapted to fit the space in our training building. The course way below that is the original course, as it was run at the trial.

What I like about these courses is what I like about a lot of courses I've been seeing at AKC trials recently. Judges seem to have escaped the "if it's tight and technical, it must be good" type of course you used to see a lot of a few years ago.

You know, those courses that really never let the dog really run, and tested the handler's ability to keep the dog pushing through a lot of really technical, controlled turns.

Course trends of the moment seem to be trending more to trust that a course's challenges can be set out more subtly. The dog has room to stretch out and move, and yet, must also responsive to light, yet continuous contact with the handler.

They are courses that invite and reward speed, yet require a full, versatile skill set on board in order to be successful.

Ok, so enough talk? Here are the courses:

Blue Ridge Course adapted for class space.

Original Blue Ridge Trial course.

Dog Sings Baby to Sleep

This is SO cute. This Malamute has a way of charming this baby out of a cranky mood. Just have to think this baby will grow up to be one heck of a dog handler after growing up to the Call of the Wild.


EMBED-Dog Sings To Soothe Crying Baby - Watch more free videos

WILD-Flower

This is New Baby Corgi, Rue

Right Now, This Little Flower Needs a Nap

Ask Samurai Soothsayer...Again

Mulling over the question.

We don't think he was being quite straight with us the last time, so we ask again. So, Samurai, where will the

AKC Agility Nationals be held next year?

He looks away. He scratches an ear.

And then, an answer.

Something about where peaches grow. A city that starts with "P" and rhymes with "Fairy".

Could he be right this time? Or is it just another idle riddle.

The ravings of a mad, red-haired Papillon?

Only Samurai knows for sure.

Or not.