Killer Bees

The purpose of this set of equipment is to facilitate a very basic concept in distance work… layering. The Glossary of Dog Agility Terms (http://wp.me/PmSZZ-5V) defines layering as: “The handler directs the dog to execute one obstacle while another obstacle is between him and the dog.” Okay… I’m going to have to go back and fix that definition. I can hear Sharon Nelson saying “The dog doesn’t execute the obstacles he performs them!”

I often tell my students that the game of agility is won and lost in that expanse of real estate between the obstacles that we typically refer to as “the flat”. The handler should view that real estate as the raw materials for giving the necessary movement for adequately and correctly directing the dog. The handler’s movement is motive.

With this in mind the handler “trapped” by capricious course design that demands or dictates a layering strategy must make judicious use of the available real estate so that enough remains at all times to direct and motivate the dog.

Handlers with long-striding and fast dogs don’t necessarily understand (or need to understand) the concept. But many of us have learned that a generous use of real estate not only makes direction clearer to the dog, but adds energy to the performance.

In this exercise we have the expectation that the handler will remain inside the containment area while the dog does the obstacles ringing the sequence.

If the handler moves too forcefully picking the dog up out of the pipe tunnel – or, in fact uses up too much of the available real estate while the dog is engaged in the performance of the pipe tunnel, then the handler’s movement is likely to die as he comes toes up against the dummy jump between jump #2 and jump #3. Without movement to collaborate with the dog’s movement on the outside, the dog might just as well curl back into the handler’s position tagging the dummy jump, rather than staying out.

The handler could flap his arms or he might be ardent in his vocabulary to try to keep the dog out. But these are things that actually draws the dog back into handler focus and may consequentially have quite the reverse effect from what was actually intended – drawing the dog even more conclusively back to the handler, who is now parked in the wrong direction.

There are many interesting things that can be accomplished with this set of equipment. Learning is accomplished by practice. So often we think of dog agility as a matter of training the dog to his job and the handler’s job is dismissed or unexplored. But it is the science of the handler’s skill that  most often makes the essential difference in the qualities of the team.

Design Notes:

The origin of this whimsical training set is based on a series of three-legged pinwheels. When I first drew it on a napkin in the airport, I couldn’t help get the vision of John Belushi on Saturday Night Live out lf my head. Something about it reminded me of the “Killer Bees” sketch.

Ultimately I added more room in the transitions between jumps and held less to the three-legged definition of the hexagonal original sketch. And so the original design might be lost to obscurity.

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

Where is the first big Coca-Cola advertisement (sign) located?

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the February Jokers Notebook (or March, if you prefer).

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Jokers Notebook ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Plan – Feb 2010 available on the Country Dream Web Store: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/ . Readers of my web log get a discount: Enter “special02” in the box for the discount code. And that will take $5.00 off the price of the order.

Game for the Week ~ Near and Far

Briefing

This game is a modified standard course.  At three specified places on course, the handler has an opportunity to earn a bonus as the dog goes ahead to perform obstacles (the “far” section) while the handler stays behind a specified line.  Crossing the containment line to help the dog will result in a loss of the bonus.  Other faults can be called as on a standard course. We’ll recognize the JFF/TDAA schedule of faults.

The “far” sections on this course are:

• For 10 bonus points: #6-#8 while the handler observes the red containment line;
• For 5 bonus points: #9-#11 while the handler observes the blue containment line; and
• For 5 bonus points: #2-#14 while the handler observes the green containment line.

Scoring

Near and Far is scored time+faults-bonus. The lowest score wins. If the final score is equal to or less than the SCT, then the dog has earned a qualifying score.

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

There are 10 unique numeric digits in western accounting. In the following number I’ve arranged all of the “odd” digits in a logical manner:

5 9 1 7 3

Now, arrange all of the “even” digits using the same logic of organization, including a digit for “0”.

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the March Jokers Notebook.

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Jokers Notebook ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Plan – Feb 2010 available on the Country Dream Web Store: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/ . Readers of my web log get a discount: Enter “special02” in the box for the discount code. And that will take $5.00 off the price of the order.

Bonus Lesson Plans

I often have to make a transition from our weekday/weekly classes to our weekend bi-monthly clinics. You’ll note that the floor-space is smaller on the weekends. This is because the floor is shared with a beginners program and a seating and crating area for students on both sides of the room.

The movement of equipment between the two programs is usually not dramatic. However, it will have to move enough that it overall will have a different feel and frankly can be used to work on unique and diverse training and handling objectives.

I’ll share a bit here with you representing a single page from the upcoming March issue of the Jokers Notebook. The Notebook typically runs about 120 pages, so I don’t think I’m spoiling the element of surprise too much at all. Compare the set of the floor to the game of the week from this past week (http://wp.me/pmSZZ-tt) and you can see how much equipment movement I had to do.

The lead-out gives the handler a consequential advantage in real estate allowing him to get into position to solve technical riddles. In this sequence the handler gets to be slightly forward to solve the transition from jump #3 into the pipe tunnel at #4. There are no fewer than three wrong course opportunities after jump #3.

The table also affords the handler an opportunity to gain an advantage in real estate. The handler should be challenged not to hover over the dog as the judge conducts the table count. Instead the handler should use the table too for lead-out advantage. In this sequence the handler has some interest in conducting a change of sides into the weave poles at #10. Gaining a position for technical advantage is problematic if the handler leaves the table at the same moment the dog dismounts.

A lead-out should be conducted with a test of adequacy: the handler should lead-out only so far that he doesn’t arrive at where-ever he needs to be too early forcing him to move badly with nothing really productive to do. And, the handler must lead out far enough so that the dog doesn’t get ahead of him early, before he’s arrived at a control position. In this sequence the handler can’t really do a Front Cross on the landing side of jump #8 if he’s not actually in Front of the dog. An inadequate lead-out will lead to a sloppy/wobbly moment or having to opt for Plan B handling (or both).

Aye there’s the rubber!

I’ve placed an order for rubber matting (recycled conveyor belting) to recover my A-frame, teeter, dogwalk, and table. It should be getting here any day.

You know the teeter hasn’t much been in my curriculum for several months now. The old plank has been retired. I bought a new Doug Fir plank and have been treating it to cure the new wood warp. Wood that is fresh and a bit wet still will warp and writhe around for awhile. So all I really do is plunk it on a cement floor and turn it over every few days. It’s a mistake to just paint it and put it on your equipment.

The funny thing about my old boy method is that it worked very differently when I lived in Phoenix that it does here in Ohio. In Phoenix you’d only have to flip the wood for about 10 days and it would get pretty bone dry. But that’s in temperatures in the 60° to 110° range with negligible humidity. That’s very very different from anywheres in Ohio.

Anyhow, the wood is about cured and the rubber matting is on the way. So soon enough I’ll have a teeter back on the floor.

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

In the months leading up to President Obama’s inauguration, the Bush administration rushed through a raft of controversial regulations. Name one of these “midnight regulations” that does not cater to some big-business special interest (e.g. damaging to the environment; eroding workers rights, civil rights, consumer rights; limiting women’s access to reproductive heath services, etc. etc. etc.)

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the March Jokers Notebook.

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Jokers Notebook ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Plan – Feb 2010 available on the Country Dream Web Store: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/ . Readers of my web log get a discount: Enter “special02” in the box for the discount code. And that will take $5.00 off the price of the order.

Full Moon

Kory is within a few days of a year old now. He’s a fine boy who has a dandy work ethic and gives me good attention even when there are competing distractions. I’m looking forward to having him out in the world. But don’t you know, that’ll be another six months still.

I’ll be introducing him to weave poles in the next week or so. I’m really haven’t been in a hurry to teach the weave poles. I’ve just been waiting for him to grow into his bones a little bit.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the pressure put on a young dog in agility, especially these days when egos are so fierce in the world and the dog tends to be a poker chip of validation. While I don’t think Kory will ever be a dog who will melt down if I am hard or if I am unhappy I’m pretty much committed to keeping the whole thing a game for him. I expect I can only do that by keeping it all a game for me as well.

One should practice what he preaches. I ran across this old bit that I wrote years ago. I don’t reckon I ever published it. My apparent mission in the piece was to help a novice student get his mind right for his dog’s first time in competition.

Motivation is Strategy #1

When you take a young dog into competition, you should have only one objective, to make playing this game a positive experience for your dog.

Clear your mind of the obsessive stuff. It’s not about qualifying. It’s not about looking good in front of your peers. It’s not about winning an ADCh or getting on the World Team. It’s about making this a positive experience for your dog.

You should develop specific strategies for making the experience positive for your dog. We can state the most obvious case first. Don’t scream at your dog. Get rid of the panic stricken voice. Don’t say “No!” In general, don’t blame the dog for anything that happens. It’s an observable phenomena that when a handler gets uptight or angry or upset, the chances of the dog “zoning out”, finding something more interesting to do, sniffing, or running out of the ring goes up in astronomical proportions as opposed to when the handler doesn’t.

The cycle of attention and positive treatment of the dog probably really starts before you even enter the ring. You’ll want to develop a regimen that works just right for you and you dog. The dog needs to be stretched, and warmed up on a practice jump. Practice rewarding the dog. Practice a happy and enthusiastic interaction with the dog. Do quick heeling exercises with dog working on either side of you with sudden playful changes of direction.

When you enter the ring with your dog, part of your plan should be to tell the dog what a wonderful job he’s doing at intervals through the course. Every two or three obstacles you can proclaim in a happy voice “Oh what a very good dog!” This practice of affirmation has a very interesting consequence. The dog will turn to you and be very proud of himself. He’ll find you engaging and will want to continue playing with you.

You should be very reluctant to force the dog into an obedience sit and stay at the start of the course. A Novice course almost never calls for a sit and stay. So, why would you drain your dog’s enthusiasm by imposing an obedience performance on him?

At the end of the course, no matter what really happened during the running of the course, you should praise the dog lavishly. When he gets out of the ring he should get a jackpot reward, food if he’s food motivated, and a toy if he’s toy motivated. Give him both if he is motivated by both. Tell him what a wonderful dog he is.

Don’t take him and slam him in the crate just as quick as you can. A great reward for a dog is a longer interaction with you after running the course. Go for a walk. Give him all of your attention.

These strategies for rewarding the dog aren’t gratuitous. You’re looking to the long term development of this agility dog. It doesn’t matter what happens today. What you really want is to allow the dog to develop into a keen competitor that trusts you not to get mental about performance issues. Rewarding the dog makes him keen to play the game. The routine of reward will teach the dog an eager anticipation for competition. This is far more desirable than teaching the dog to dread the day of competition, because his human partner turns into a demanding and angry partner.

The competitive person wants to get on with exciting stuff, the running, the winning, the strategy. So good on you if you are still with me at this point, and haven’t skipped over to the discussions of running strategies that follow.

At the end of the day, if you haven’t attended to the motivation of your animal, you risk a setback in simple playful desire in your training program. Take the long view and teach your dog to love this sport. He will develop into a terrific partner if you do your job.

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

On the first night of a full moon where is the moon in the sky at the moment the sun goes down?

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the March Jokers Notebook.

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Jokers Notebook ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Plan – Feb 2010 available on the Country Dream Web Store: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/

Hex Challenge

Here’s a training challenge for you. But you know I have this bad habit of turning a basic training exercise into a game, so bear with.

The purpose of this game is to direct the dog over six jumps arranged in a circle. Though the jumps are numbered the handler may direct his dog to those jumps in the order of his choosing (or the dog’s, depending on who’s in charge of the team).

After the performance of each jump the handler must call the dog back into the center circle before sending him back out to perform another jump. The handler is required to stay inside the center circle at all times. Stepping a foot outside of the circle is a forfeit.

Course time is 40 seconds for big dogs and 45 seconds for little dogs.

The dog will earn 1 point for each jump successfully performed. If the dog drops a bar on a jump the point is lost. Refusals and repeated obstacles are not faulted.

Freestyle Variation

Rather than calling the dog back into the center circle after each jump, the handler can direct the dog at a distance to continue performing jumps. All jumps are bi-directional. SCTs are 22 seconds for big dogs and 25 seconds for small dogs.

Training Notes

The original idea of the exercise is to practice setting a line and sending a dog in as efficient a manner as possible. It takes considerable skill to draw a dog out of a turn into a straight line and set a new straight path with only two or three steps to give. Because of the repetitive nature of the exercise the handler can get considerable practice with quick accelerating steps in a basic send.

For more novice teams the center circle might be slightly bigger, or the outer circle of jumps slightly bigger.

The variation occurred to me as I realized that in the game the typical handler wouldn’t be so keen to practice the wrap and send skill and so I had to write into the rules the requirement that the dog must be drawn back into the circle after each jump. However, the freestyle variation is an interesting challenge for proofing the dog’s work at a distance. Note that the dog’s path might be serpentine or a threadle in nature. Either approach (whether by design or serendipity) will require a solid Get Out skill to keep pushing the dog out to the circle of jumps.

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

What is the correct term to describe the occupation a person who explores caves and underground caverns to: map, report, draw, photograph, and engage in scientific research? I will accept the slang idiom as a correct answer.

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the March Jokers Notebook.

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Jokers Notebook ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Plan – Feb 2010 available on the Country Dream Web Store: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/ . Readers of my web log get a discount: Enter “special02” in the box for the discount code. And that will take $5.00 off the price of the order.

Joker’s Notebook #2 ~ Feb 2010

The Jokers Notebook for February 2010 has been published! It is now available on our webstore. This Notebook contains four weeks of lesson plans accompanied by a game of the week for each week, comprehensive Instructor’s Notes, and wealth of supplemental resources in the appendices. This work furthers the distance training originally included in the “Go The Distance” training workbook, and updates those methods for more up-to-date training and handling trends.

As has been my custom, the eBook opens in an Acrobat .pdf file. All of the CRCD illustrations (over 100 of them) are included. While reading the book on your computer you can click on the upper-right corner of any course map and immediately spawn the drawing into the Clean Run Course Designer where you can move things around to suit yourself.

TDAA Judges Clinics at Country Dream

You know I was thinking about this… it cost me something on the order of $1000 to travel to Calera for a judging clinic. And NADAC requires that their judges repeat that experience and expense every two years. Judges really don’t make their commitment to the sport for money. It’s clear that it’s a wash. Of course it’s good to have expenses paid. If you really think it through, a judge will spend something like 60 hours designing courses, traveling, judging dogs, and doing paperwork… and might take home about $300 for those efforts. It is not something we do for the money.

You should know that the TDAA will probably adopt a policy requiring existing judges to attend a clinic for continuing education every three years. And so what I would like to do is create an affordable opportunity.

Here’s the deal… I’m going to convert all of our TDAA trials here at Country Dream to judging clinics. And, we’ll charge only $25 for the clinic fee. We don’t actually have big entries at these trials. I figure that prospective and continuing ed judges bringing their dogs will constitute most of the entries on the weekend. Of course we’ll follow the typical format having two days of classroom study and course design, and two days of practical judging.

We do have an inexpensive lodging option here at Country Dream.

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

Who’s buried in Grants Tomb?

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the March Jokers Notebook.

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Jokers Notebook ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Plan – Feb 2010 available on the Country Dream Web Store: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/

Hoopers Rendition

Hoopers is a game integral to NADAC play and titling. In this “rendition” we’ve introduced obstacles other than hoops into play. The purpose of the game is to make an introduction for our league players to the basic rules and strategies of the game. On a NADAC “Hoopers” course all of the Test sequences will be comprised solely of hoops.

Briefing

This Hoopers Rendition course consists of Non-Test hoops (shown in purple at the bottom of the course map) and Test sequences.  The Test sequences on this course are:

• White – three jumps to the weave poles. This is a bonus test; the handler may attempt to remain on the opposite side of the black containment line while the dog performs jump #4 and the weave poles.
• Brown – Four jumps arranged in box-like fashion.
• Red – A-frame, tunnel and two jumps.
• Blue – Two jumps to the dogwalk. This is a bonus test; the handler may attempt to remain on the opposite side of the blue containment line while the dog turns away on jump blue #2 to the dogwalk.
• Green – From the pipe tunnel under the A-frame into a serpentine of three jumps.

The team must perform three tests and no more. Note that it all begins with the line of non‑test hoops, and returns to that line after each test. Direct the dog as follows:

• A minimum of three non-test hoops;
• A test;
• A minimum of two non-test hoops;
• A different test;
• A minimum of one non-test hoops;
• Another different test;
• Exit the course by genuinely attempting the finish hoop.

Small dogs will have 60 seconds and big dogs will have 55. When finished, or when the timekeeper signals the end of time, the handler should exit the course by genuinely attempting the finish hoop.

Conduct of the Game

If a test is faulted by a dog going off-course, dropping a bar, or committing a “runout” refusal with all four paws, the team can re-start the test without having to perform additional non-test hoops.  The test can be attempted in a different direction, as long as it is the same test.  All tests (including Bonus Tests) may be re-attempted.  A team can attempt a test up to three times.  For purposes of counting attempts, a test does not start until the dog commits to the first obstacle with four paws.  If a team gives up on a test or is unsuccessful after three tries, the appropriate number of non-test hoops must be performed in order to attempt another test.  The team may not re-attempt a test once they intentionally return to the non-test hoops.

For the purpose of league play the team will earn 10 points for each test completed; and will earn 10 points for each bonus completed successfully.

Scoring and Qualification

Hoopers Rendition is scored Points then Time. Time is a tie-breaker only.

To qualify the dog must earn:

• Games I – 20 points
• Games II – 30 points
• Games III – 30 points

Editor’s Note: These qualifying criteria are established for possible use in the TDAA. We aren’t actually giving qualifying scores in our league play competition. The Games II dog should be given slightly more time for the conduct of the game and thereby differentiating performance from Games III.

Errata and Discussion

1. Where I find the NADAC rules unclear (or unspecified) is the judge’s interpretation of performance between the conduct of non-test hoops and test hoops. For example, if the dog takes a wrong-course obstacle on the way from the line of non-test hoops to the first hoop in a test… is the handler required to go back to perform the appropriate number of non-test hoops before attempting the desired & correct test?

   The same question for a dog correctly finishing a test… is he faulted on the way back to the line of non-test hoops or on the way to the finish hoop? Perhaps an intrepid NADAC fan can answer this question.

2. Our league play course has an expanded course time because of the presence of technical obstacles (contacts and weave poles). On a NADAC Hoopers course the standard course times are constant. This is possible because spacing between obstacles is very consistent and true and the criteria for performance at each level is clearly specified. Here’s what you’d expect for  SCT in a NADAC Hoopers class:

	Small Dogs	Medium Dogs	Large Dogs
Elite	48 seconds	44 seconds	40 seconds
Open	48 seconds	44 seconds	40 seconds
Novice	40.8 seconds	37.4 seconds	34 seconds

1. The qualifying criteria for titling purposes that I’ve described above bears no relation to qualifying in NADAC. NADAC (correct me if I’m wrong) sets a performance requirement for the class and so is scored time-only. I’m unclear as to whether dogs who successfully complete one or more bonuses is placed higher than other dogs that are directed through the simple performance of tests. NADAC players might want to help answer this question.
2. The NADAC Hoopers course features a canny strategic element. The handler can direct his or her dog through the test sequences in the order and direction of choice. And so it is possible for a clever strategist to find the most economical path and with savvy handling beat dogs that are faster.
3. I’ve redefined the “refusal” for the purposes of conducting this game in league play. The NADAC guideline says that the test is faulted by: “bypassing a hoop with all four paws.” This is the classical definition of a type of refusal… called the run-by. And so we will incorporate that definition of this game. However we shall not fault a significant hesitation on the approach to any obstacle or turning back or away from the obstacle (which are the other accepted definitions of the refusal.)
4. Why are we playing this game? We’re going to a NADAC trial in just under two weeks. We want to be ready for NADAC Hoopers!

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

Movies based on old Marvel Comics superheroes often pay homage to earlier renditions of the character. In the movie “The Hulk” the bits of homage included a television show, a cameo appearance of some person, and a pair of pants. Please explain the connection of these three details to “The Hulk”.

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the March Jokers Notebook.

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Jokers Notebook ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Plan – Feb 2010 available on the Country Dream Web Store: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/

Lucky 13

Lucky 13 comes to us from league play competition conducted by Northwest Agility League ~ sponsored by Columbia Agility Team. It is essentially a variation of the game as “12 Tone Row” with a couple of important differences.

Briefing

The object of Lucky 13 is to collect as many points as possible while correctly performing a total of 13 obstacles – no more, no less – with the thirteenth obstacle being the tire. The course design is up to the handler. Each obstacle is assigned a direction and value indicated by the cone next to it. Some obstacles may have two different point values indicated by the cones.

Good natured help by teammates is allowed.

Maximum course times are 50 seconds for big dogs and 55 seconds for small dogs. Scoring begins at the designated start line and ends at the table which is not counted as an obstacle.

General

• If the dog correctly performs more than 13 obstacles, only the first 13 count for points;
• Each obstacle done correctly over OR under 13 incurs a special fault;
• Each bi-directional obstacle (as indicated on course map) may be done once in each direction for points. Each direction correctly performed will count as one of the thirteen obstacles required;
• Repeated obstacles will not count for the obstacle count or assigned obstacle points;
• The tire must be the thirteenth obstacle, done in either direction, to avoid a special fault. Note: the opposite tire direction may be used in the handler’s course design; and
• The table is live at all times and stops the clock. No specific position is required on the table to stop the clock.

Notes on faulted obstacles:

• Each faulted obstacle incurs 5 faults (missed contacts, knocked bars, etc.) and there are no failure to perform faults;
• A faulted obstacle is not included in the count of 13 obstacles to be done; and may not be repeated for points.

Notes on special faults ~ Ten point faults assessed for:

• Each obstacle MORE or LESS than the required 13; and
• The tire NOT being the thirteenth obstacle.

Conduct of the Game

Judge calls ALL points for correctly performed obstacles during a run, including repeated obstacles;

Judge calls out “fault” for any faulted obstacles; and the scribe will record all obstacle numbers called including any repeated obstacles in the order called and indicating an ‘F’ when “fault” is called by the judge. For example, 6, 9 F, 3, 6, 4, 16, etc.

The scorekeeper should count the number of obstacles recorded, excluding any faulted and repeated obstacles, to determine if the thirteenth obstacle was the tire. Then the scorekeeper will add up the number of valid obstacle points and deduct any performance and special 10 point faults. An example of scoring follows.

• The dog performed the obstacles and stopped the clock within the allowed time; and
• The scribe sheet reads: 7, 12, 9, 11, F, 13, 16, 6, 5, 15, 2, 14, 6, 18, 2, 8.

Fourteen obstacles were correctly performed and the thirteenth obstacle was not the tire. One obstacle was faulted and one obstacle was repeated. These two obstacles were not counted. The total of the first 13 obstacles is 138 points. Then the following points are subtracted from the total: 5 faults for an obstacle fault: 10 points for doing one obstacle over the required 13 obstacles, and 10 points for the tire not being the thirteenth obstacle performed. The new point total would be 113 points. (138-5-10-10 = 113).

Based on the qualifying criteria (see below) this score would have been an adequate qualifying score for Games I, but not Games II or Games III.

Scoring and Qualification

Lucky 13 is scored Points Less Faults then Time.

To qualify the dog must earn:

• Games I – 102 points
• Games II – 128 points
• Games III – 154 points

Editor’s Note: The course used in this document was loosely based on the Northwest Agility League course but adjusted for play in the TDAA.

Joker’s Notebook #2 ~ Feb 2010

I’ve been working all day tidying up loose ends in the second in this series, a notebook dedicated to teaching agility distance skills. This is a work that is suitable for the agility enthusiast training alone in the back-yard, or the agility training center that wants to deliver a quality distance training program.

As it happens the Notebook is also a good source for weekly games for anyone running league play. Though, as should be expected, the games in the Jokers Notebook have a distance theme.

You will note the name change. Inasmuch as the Clean Run has threatened legal action because they claim trademark ownership of the title “Go the Distance”. I’m going to avoid the awkward moment and continue to publish a less flawed and more dynamic product that properly reflects the advances in training methods since I wrote that book some ten years ago, with Stacy Peardot.

Although the name of the Notebook has changed since the first month, our mission is renewed and undiminished. In this the February 2010 Notebook I go beyond the simple lesson planning that was envisioned in “Go the Distance”. I have always planned on writing companion volumes to that work that exceed the original content. Distance training is not a static pursuit that can be mastered with a few basic exercises. Distance training is a dynamic thing, an ongoing and evolving mission.

It is my intention to publish the Notebook on a monthly basis. While it is not intended to be a sequential and methodical step-by-step tutorial; it will certainly explore in great detail a comprehensive variety of distance training skills for both the agility competitor and his or her dog. The Notebook will reflect and represent the scope of training as I provide in my own training center; and when I am conducting camp work at home, or seminar work on the road.

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

Try this one on for size:

Name three American presidents who were not buried in one of the 50 states.

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the February Distance Notebook.

Funny Drawing

This doesn’t mean anything and certainly is an unfinished work-in-progress. I just like the look of it.

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Jokers Notebook ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Plan – Feb 2010 available tomorrow: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/

Blame it on Sally!

We had a little sequence in class last night that provoked a rather high fail rate. The sequence features a blind approach to a jump (meaning that the handler needs to step in and shape the approach)… and a choice of directions in which to turn the dog. This was something I first saw back in about 1992 on a USDAA course designed by Sally Sheridan and put up in Phoenix, AZ. It looked like this:

Note that the handler has a choice of directions to turn his dog at  jump #3. Any time I’m faced with a choice of directions I’ll subject the puzzle to a bit of critical analysis.

1. What is the natural turning direction for the dog? Almost surely, coming out of the weave poles the dog will take the jump at such an oblique angle that a turn to the right is the natural turning direction.
2. Which direction offers more/less risk? Turning to the left offers creates the risk of a back-jump on jump #3 and gives the dog another good look at the weave poles. Further, the approach to the A-frame won’t be fair and square unless the handler steps up to sweeten the approach. Turning to the right offers no options and creates a natural square and safe approach to the A-frame.
3. Which direction offers the shorter consequential path? The shorter path is probably to the left.

Answering the which-way-do-I-turn question doesn’t complete the riddle. How do you get it done from a handling point of view?

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

It struck me that google/bing searches on the internet make trivia questions very difficult to write, especially if the key words are in the questions. For example, I put my “four kings” question into bing.com and got several pages of the correct answer. And so now I am faced with the task of writing a trivia question that is not easy to look up by some smarty pants on the internet.

Try this one on for size:

In the movie Titanic Jack Dawson tells Rose (in the scene where he saves her from jumping)… something that can not be true. It is not so much a lie (about something he did as a boy); rather, the writer’s research on inland waterways was incomplete. What was it that Jack Dawson tells Rose that can not be true? And, why can it not be true?

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the February Distance Notebook.

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Go the Distance ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Notebook – Jan 2010 available on the Country Dream Web Store: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/

The Economics of the Agility Training Center

When I was in Calera, Oklahoma for the NADAC judges training Sharon Nelson engaged in about a 15 minute demonstration of rubberized contacts. She took a completely green dog that had never been on an A-frame and basically stirred him around on the plank of the full-height A-frame; up and down, back and forth, and around in cute little circles.

I learn by empirical experience. I have to see the proof of a thing before I’ll believe it. And, you know, I’ve seen tens of thousands of agility performances. It was clear to me from that one little demonstration that the rubberized contact is just about the only way to go for the dog’s safety and confidence. You know it’s a funny thing, if a dog feels out of control on a contact obstacle he’ll try to grip with his nails which exactly the wrong thing to do on a slick hard surface. We’ve all seen and heard the out-of-control dog scrabbling against an A-frame contact with his nails. But on this comfortable rubber surface the novice dog’s feet relaxed back so that he comfortably moved around on the pads of his feet. It was awesome.

Finally today I got on the phone with Teresa at www.dogagilitymatting.com. I tallied up the precut parts to cover two dogwalks, a teeter, an A-frame, and a table. According to my calculations it comes up to 380.00ish, and that doesn’t include shipping. Nor does the quote include the 5 gal drum of contact cement; and nevermind labor… that’ll be me (which means that it’s free?)

So I’m muddling through where to get the cash for this transaction, or at the very least how I can place the order without telling Marsha. Oh heck, she’ll have time enough to find out about it when the rolls of rubber arrive.

Running a training center is a heck of a notion, financially. I’ve got about $100K in the building, maybe $10K in equipment; another $10K in the flooring. Most of this is being serviced by mortgage debt. After I sold my old training center I bought this property and all its standing structures outright. So at least those don’t weigh on us financially. There are routine costs associated with running such a property that aren’t always that obvious, including utilities, road maintenance, landscaping, and repairs on standing fixtures. Lordy, it all starts to add up.

I’m a piker compared to what some enterprising souls have committed to get in the dog training game. But I’ve moved (in what I keep calling my semi-retirement) to a part of the world that was hurting economically long before the Bush Depression started. And so we might have people inquire about obedience or agility lessons who’ll balk at the notion of paying $8 an hour for a couple months of training. It boggles the mind.

And yet, I remind myself, this life beats the hell out of working for a living, (no sarcasm or irony intended.)

Bud’s Trivia Corner

In what activity are you engaged if you are holding pictures of King David, Charlemagne, Julius Caesar, and Alexander the Great in your hands?

First correct answer posted as a reply to this blog post wins a free copy of the February Distance Notebook.

BLOG542

Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. And Check out my latest publication the Go the Distance ~ Dog Agility Distance Training Notebook – Jan 2010 available on the Country Dream Web Store: http://countrydream.wordpress.com/web-store/