Can you identify the skills Dave Munnings is using
to train Strider?
Collection. Extension. Call to side. All valuable foundation skills and all shown in this video as British handler and FCI WC medalist, Dave Munnings, trains BC-in-search-of-home, Strider.
What a lucky dog to have a handler who can make learning seem so fun. The lessons are all there, but it's clear Strider thinks it's all a game.
Hope this big, blue Border Collie finds a great performance home!
After training the first stages of running contact, a need soon arises to find away to train accurate turns after the contact.
Many courses today are being designed as not "friendly" to running contacts, or to phrase this more positively, to test the thoroughness of the training.
The biggest challenge I've confronted lately is close angle turns after the dogwalk. These are almost devilish for a young dog as they demand a very steep transition from extension across the contact to engagement of the hindquarters and collection for the turn.
The other part of the equation is being able to cue the dog to stay in extension when the course proceeds straight ahead of the contact.
I know these are items I've only begun to address with Samurai, so I was very excited to see that British trainer, Dawn Weaver, has very nicely outlined the basic skill set that needs to be addressed for training turns of contacts and a view into how she trains them.
Thanks Dawn for this video which is yet another example of how information sharing regarding dog agility training is becoming ever more enriched by social media and video on the web.
It's almost a miracle to be able to view the style and methods of trainers in distant places from nearly anywhere on the globe. Thanks to all who are contributing to this ongoing conversation.
You weren't your mama's only boy But her favorite one it seems She began to cry when you said goodbye And sank into your dreams
Pancho was a bandit boy His horse was fast as polished steel Wore his gun outside his pants For all the honest world to feel Pancho met his match you know On the deserts down in Mexico Nobody heard his dying words That's the way it goes
All the federales say They could have had him any day They only let him slip away Out of kindness I suppose.
From the song, "Pancho and Lefty" by Townes Van Zandt
When I first posted a question about blended front crosses on the Clean Run list, Linda Mecklenburg posted a response that she would be posting a video clip that would demonstrate the technique.
Unfortunately, I somehow missed the video, until just the other day. I think this answers my original question and an provides a very clear and straightforward presentation of both the initial front cross and the following "backy uppy" performed with the same inside arm that the handler is on after the first front cross.
Thanks Linda for posting this and for your continuing efforts to share your lifetime of knowledge with the agility community.
Daisy Peel prepares to give an under-appreciated handling option its due.
It's time I came clean. I admit it. I've always enjoyed doing blind crosses. Sure, I often covered doing one as an "oops" when I couldn't quite make it to a front cross, but truth be told, I've always secretly enjoyed that little thrill of zipping out across the line, giving up sight of my dog -- just for a heartbeat -- but savoring that trust that he made the connection, understood the intention, and came in right on target for the change of side.
You'd be quite correct in guessing they didn't always work out. But more often than not, they did. However, not so long ago, it wouldn't be so uncommon that someone would almost predictably meet me ringside after a blind crossed run to point out my "mistake".
But lately, things have changed and those of us who have long been giving in to the temptation of going blind have seen the technique begin to move back out into the light, and possibly into favor.
This trend is most famously heralded by a very new, and nicely produced teaser video put out by Daisy Peel. Part of an exciting launch of a new training brand, she's hinting that she's about to take the whole issue of blind crosses -- theory, application and training -- by the horns and hopefully into a video...or maybe a series of online classes?
I guess we'll find out soon enough. I, for one will keep my eyes "Peeled".
