Long Thin agility course

Over the years some amazing people have been kind enough to share their agility courses and handling ideas and these things have really helped me.

So I thought I would share some of my agility courses to pay back all the help I have had.

My yard at Old Mill Dogs is long and thin which is quite a challenging space to think of courses.

This is last weeks Intermediate class course. The main handling challenge we were trying to work on here was sending away to the back of a turned away tunnel (I am sure there is a fancy word for that)
So at the start of the class we worked on Jump 6 to the tunnel

First with a stay at 6 we stood right at the tunnel entrance and recalled the dog over the jump and post turned them into the tunnel.
Then repeated several times taking steps closer to jump 6 and sending the dog further and further into the tunnel until we were able to send the dog over jump 6 and stay at the takeoff side of 6 and send into the tunnel.

Repeat for 18 to 19.


Then on to running the course. 1 - 6 fairly straightforward, running with the dog on the right then send to the tunnel. There are several ways to handle 8, 9, 10. A cross between the tunnel exit and 8 tended to show the dog the line to off course jump 3. A blind or front cross worked well between 8 and 9 or a front cross after 9. A flick on the right hand over 10 worked with dogs who could read that well.
11 to 13 with dogs who could drive out to the tunnel a good way to handle was 11 on left hand then send over 12 and to tunnel while rear crossing and passing 12 on the left hand side. For dogs with a less confident tunnel a blind cross before 12 worked nicely.
Then it was a race getting to 14, being out to the left of 12 gave a nice diagonal spring to 14 which pushed the dog out over 14. 14, 15, 16 on right hand. Front cross 16 and push the dog over 17 to 18 - if you are slightly infront then the dog dosent even notice the off course tunnel. Send to 19 then finish over 20 - simples :)

I hope you have fun running this one, if you do get the chance to film it I would love to see it. (note my spacings are not exact, adapt it to suit your space)

Old Mill Dog agility homework - Left and right circles

I wont lie - I am totally rubbish at knowing my left from my right so I have never actually taught my dogs 'left' and 'right' on an agility course
But I have found this a useful trick for many reasons. Firstly it teaches you and your dog about luring and phasing out the lure (I teach this trick to a new dog just after I have started teaching them 'sit') It is good for warming up muscles and getting focus. It can be great fun for the dog so great for cheering them up when they are a bit down or unmotivated and it gets dogs comfy with turning away from you and  you crossing behind them as a starter to flicks and rear crosses

I usually start with the dog infront of me and a treat in my right hand. I lure the dogs nose clockwise and reward for the nose moving, then reward for 1 step to the right, 2 steps, 4 steps and then a little jackpot for them getting all the way around. (sometimes bigger/less flexable dogs need a bit more space so I lure and take a step back.
Once they have done a couple of full circles with a lure in my hand I then remove the treat from my hand and lure with an empty hand and reward from my other hand
Slowly over time move the lure hand higher and higher and make your circles smaller until you are just pointing in the direction you want them to go.
Add the cue word ('right') when you know they will take the full circle and say it as they are circling, I dont try saying the word before the action until they can do it with just the finger point then I would say 'right' wait a sec then point - if the dog does it before the hand signal then they get a jackpot

Remember and work on the other side (left) as well