DW Contact

Running, catching, leaping; this is the forum to discuss dog sports and agility training with other active pups!

Mulligan

The- Flying Bichon-

Barked: Fri Oct 30, '09 7:21am PST


	Well, I need to retrain Mulligan's Running DW contact. In training he never misses it but at trials he has been launching himself of the DW way to early with me supporting the contact. Does anybody have experience with a small dog, non herding breed and training a running down contact behavior. I am not talking about a four on the floor but a down at the bottom cleat. I have a feeling if I train a four on the floor Mulligan would launch himself into a belly flop LOL!!!

my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals

[notify]

MACH ADCH- Lilliana TQX

My idea of a- holiday is- playing agility!

Barked: Fri Oct 30, '09 10:42am PST


	Mulligan, I think Lil' falls in the Northern Breed, but has herding instincts too. It seems you'd shape the behavior the same way as a 2o2o or down or whatever by rewarding the behavior you want and building up the consistency by practicing it a little each day (short sessions - so they want more when you stop) and adding distractions. If you use the word "down" somewhere else you might want a different word for the behavior on the DW so it's clear it means that specific contact behavior. Try using a small board and seeing if Mulligan with offer the behavior for you at the end of the board... add treats (on the ground - not from your hand by dropping them) and say the new contact word to associate the name with behavior. Build up with running with Mulligan and asking for the behavior and reward when he does it. That's for work at home and then use the command in class when you feel confident he understands the association with the behavior. I know how you feel. I have gotten slopping on contacts in trials by doing a quick release command and our contacts have become nearly running each time. I am working on clearer definition again. Sometimes I don't ask for her to stop 2o2o. I'm sure it can be a slippery slope to a launch from the dog walk.

[notify]

Mulligan

The- Flying Bichon-

Barked: Fri Oct 30, '09 4:38pm PST


	Thanks Lilliana The only reason I am interested in if any non herding dogs do a down is it seems that herding dogs have a natural ability to have fast beautiful running downs. Mulligan has been taught a running down for his table performance but I don't think it will ever be as pretty as a BC's

my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals

[notify]

MACH ADCH- Lilliana TQX

My idea of a- holiday is- playing agility!

Barked: Fri Oct 30, '09 6:27pm PST


	Ah, no we don't have a pretty down at all. Takes effort right now. In the right circumstances Lily will do a beautiful 2o2o though. She doesn't glide low like the BC crouch. She runs upright. Maybe 2o2o would work for you too. She doesn't fly and slam down on the DW when she does it, but she will make a full brakes run at it sometimes like you see some dogs do on the teeter. We have a running A-frame.

[notify]

Mulligan

The- Flying Bichon-

Barked: Mon Nov 2, '09 10:22am PST


	Well, we have been playing around with the contacts and I have made a decision. Mulligan is much more happy to sit them down on the contact. I also think it might be a good behavior because it makes him rock backwards to stop the old forward momentum. So far he is very happy running to his target and sitting down. I am hoping to be able to fade away the target in the next few days Also I have named this "park it" for park you buns

my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals

[notify]

MACH4 PACH- Aslan

RAE TQX MXF MXB2- MJS2 MXBP MXJP,- etc.

Barked: Tue Nov 3, '09 2:54pm PST


	I often teach the sit on the contacts. I believe it's a safer contact as it does promote a strong rock back behavior. But this is a team by team decision.

my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals

[notify]

Mulligan

The- Flying Bichon-

Barked: Wed Nov 4, '09 5:17am PST


	Thanks Aslan for making me feel better about the sit behavior I am already amazed at how fast Mulligan is learning this. He use to completely ignore the bottom of the contact equipment. He is now looking for the last cleat to touch. I hope this is the breakthrough that we needed

my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals

[notify]

Pheobie

949314

Barked: Fri Nov 6, '09 7:12pm PST


	I taught People to stop at the bottom contacts. It helped prevent her from trying to jump the whole thing (Not the best thing for an 8 year old dog).

[notify]

Penny- CL3,TBAD,- TG-2

~No- Longer Fat- Bottom'd- Girrrl!~

Barked: Sat Nov 7, '09 9:01am PST


	Yay Mulligan!!!! BTW, love the cue phrase.. "park it".... this isnt an issue for Penny, and not likely for my up and coming in training, Pearl... but my 10 month old Neptune is crazy fast on the flat...and I worry about how I will have to train him differently... See you in Dec/Jan when we get back in the ring!

[notify]

Cosmo

Do you know the- muffin dog?

Barked: Sat Nov 7, '09 1:49pm PST


	"Park it" is a really cute idea ! I use "Park your Hiney" for Cozzie on walks to get him to sit at street corners (it works very well lol). Anyhow Cozzie occasionally launches off of contacts too rolls eyes I wonder if it's a Bichon thing . What I usually do is: Put Cozzie on a leash or hang onto his tab while bribing him with treats and telling him "easy" when he slows down (use "park it" instead of easy) at the contacts. Repeat without using a leash or a tab. Cozzie usually "gets it" after a few times of doing this as a "refresher course". Or, you can place treats on the DW's contact and on the floor in front of it and point them out so he sees them. Then mark the slow down to eat the treats with your "park it" command. (I did this once with cozzie and he slammed on the brakes so fast he almost did a nose plant. ) Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Edited by author Sat Nov 7, '09 1:49pm PST