Jumpin Boots Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 I agree with what you are saying. But a switch is a command to change the lead on a dog during a TURN though. When coming out of a straight tunnel, a dog should follow a straight line and not veer in either direction if no command or cue is given. I use "here" before the dog has exited to let them know what side to turn to. If their head is already poking out, it's too late. If they are not in far enough, it's too early. Very fast dogs are hard to time sometimes. Tunnelers runs are the only courses I'm very verbal on because Lucia needs to know the direction before she sees the cue. If the dog is coming out of a curved tunnel, the dog will naturally go in direction of the curve. This is where a switch would work to change the natural order of things. "switch" could be used before they enter or just before they exit to turn the dog in opposite direction of the curve, depending on the dogs training and ability to understand the command. One thing that might help with the tunnel is to use a threadel as he comes out. I don't know how to explain it without showing it to you. Maybe your trainer can help with this. It would pull Dean in your direction for a spit second which would be enough to redirect him to a different obstical. This keeps all his attention on your cue to the next obstical. I hope this helps. I don't agree that a switch or left/right is used to change leads in a turn, it can be, but it can also be done on the straight. Using the example of the diagram as before, if I am on the right side of a straight tunnel (or series of jumps) my dog is going to naturally be on the right lead. I am going to give him his 'left' command while he is still going straight. This is going to change him to his left lead making it more natural for him to turn away from me versus coming out of the tunnel and looking to the right and not seeing a piece of equipment, or running me over if I try a front cross there. Another thing I wanted to mention that is a link to the turn que is to start layering equipment. For those of you who are not working on that yet, once you have switch down, I would start. With fast dogs, the less moving around the course you have to do often the happier they are going to be and you can position yourself to help them through tough sequences. To refer to the diagram posted before, that was how I began layering. But I ran it backwards, DW first, then layered into the tunnel so the dog wouldn't see the fact that I wasn't right by them, then as they gained confidence I began increasing the distance and changing the equipent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted February 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Another thing I wanted to mention that is a link to the turn que is to start layering equipment. For those of you who are not working on that yet, once you have switch down, I would start. Yes, that's on the agenda. That will be totally new for me, just like the switches, because switches and layering are way off the spectrum with Miss Velcro Maddie. I've really mastered the front cross with her and my own running skills have, well, improved!! LOL!! I've seen people layer obstacles and it looks like something Dean will love and do well with eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rave Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Makes sense on the jump. What about with a long, straight tunnel? Would you save the switch cue in that case until the dog was actually in the tunnel, or even on his way out? In that case the lead change won't happen until the dog is through the straight tunnel, so I'm guessing the switch would be cued somewhere around the dog's exit. On the tunnel, I would cue right as they were entering if I had to; cueing on exit would take alot of extra time and room, something not always available on a course. Cueing while in the tunnel would be too confusing for the dog, since they don't know where you are... i.e. how can they "turn away" when when they don't know where to turn away from since they can't see the handler? In the previous diagram I would just handle in a different way so I wouldn't have to do that though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rave Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 One thing that might help with the tunnel is to use a threadel as he comes out. I don't know how to explain it without showing it to you. Maybe your trainer can help with this. It would pull Dean in your direction for a spit second which would be enough to redirect him to a different obstical. This keeps all his attention on your cue to the next obstical. Most people call that an RFP (Reverse Flow Pivot). A threadle involves pulling between two tightly spaced obstacles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
in2adventure Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 A threadel can be used for other things besides pulling a dog between two close objects. The same motion/cue can be used to pull a dog in different directions. Maybe it's called a RFP when it's used this way. The only person I ever heard use the term was my first trainer and had forgot about it until you mentioned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Boots Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Yes, the technique you use during a threadle is a RFP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
in2adventure Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Yes, the technique you use during a threadle is a RFP. Good to know. The folks I train with now just call the motion a treadle no matter how you use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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