Warm-Up!

This talk of dropped bars has me wanting to explain that Kory has never jumped 26″ until a couple days before his USDAA debut. He’s actually a very athletic and smooth working jumper. But raising the jump-height appeals to a task-oriented muscle memory and should be addressed in training.

A couple days before I took off for Barto I set up in the soggy lower field this simple jumping sequence. I made sure to include a spread-hurdle at jump #2 and the broad-jump at #3 (because we were entered in the Steeplechase).

As the sequence is so simple I added my own interesting twist. Basically staying behind (where you see the little man icon in the drawing) I would give Kory “Jump Right!” commands so that he would turn out of the curve and come back towards me. While this had him doing the broad-jump in the wrong direction and (frankly) the spread hurdle as well I got the satisfaction of working on a more advanced training agenda while getting our jump-height warm-up.

By the way, I probably will have to build or buy a USDAA broad jump. Kory put a foot right in the middle of it in the Steeplechase. You do have to understand that the USDAA obstacle is very unlike the AKC obstacle and apparently requires training on that unique construction.  Because of the extreme slant of the boards facing the approach the dog can’t really tell that it’s a hurdle. It looks for all the world like a little ramp squatting on the ground. I’ll probably just build the darned thing if I can find the specs on the USDAA web-site.

40 Yard Dash

The Forty-Yard Dash is a simple game developed by Sharon Thompson, from Lenexa, Kansas. The game is an adaptation of a simpler (if that’s possible) game developed by Matt Skogan of the Overland Park, KS Police K-9 unit for their Dog Olympics, held every year. The Dog Olympics raise funding for the pet adoption side of the kennel that Matt Skogan and Bob Valencia own and operate. Bob is a detective and Matt is a K9 officer. The game serves as a simple training opportunity to teach simple matters of motivation and speed, body posture and movement. And for all that this game is a simple foot race, it might also teach some people to relax and have fun with their dogs.

Briefing

All dogs will run a simple straightaway race in a lane (much like a bowling alley lane), beginning on the table and ending with a single hurdle at the end of the 40 yards.

The lane will measure 35 yards from the table to the hurdle, and 5 yards from the hurdle to the Finish Line.

The Forty-Yard Dash is a timed event. The handler can be anywhere in the lane, and may use food, a toy or ball, or just about anything to lure or encourage the dog. The dog can be held by a third person at the start line if the handler desires.

Time begins as the dog’s feet hit the ground on the dismount from the table. Time ends when the dog hits the finish line.

Scoring

The Forty Yard Dash is scored time only. The fastest time wins.

A dog that drops the jump bar is eliminated.

Bud’s Google-proof Trivia Contest

Why was the Roaring Twenties so named?

BLOG706

Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: BudHouston@hughes.net. OMG! My web store is up and running: www.dogagility.org/newstore.  I still have a lot of work to do there. I’ve closed down the eJunkie store.