Well, I am back in sunny Colorado and thank goodness it is sunny because it is crazy cold!!! Today we reached a very balmy high of 12 degrees F. I returned from Phoenix with my new pup who is not impressed with Colorado weather over Phoenix that is for sure!
OK, before anyone says it, yes "another dog!" You see I am addicted to dog training and interestingly enough this is what I do for a living so there is truly a need for up and comers all of the time :-)
That sounds really good doesn't it, but, mostly I just love dogs and have finally and hopefully rounded out my pack to include the most wonderful agility dogs in the world! They fit right in with a whole houseful of agility NOT wanna-be's who are just part of the family.
How lucky I am to be able to have so many 4-legged family members that each offer so much to enrich my life whether it be agility or just warming my lap on these incredibly cold winter nights.
So, my new puppys name is very fun, I have named him "Torque" this may not be the most original name in the world but it is not only an energy drink, (kind of a theme with me), but it also has the coolest definition "Torque: the tendency of force to rotate the body to which it is applied" I am all about tight turns so here's to hoping that what you name a dog comes to fruition in some form or fashion!
OK, so about these tight turns... I did a 2 day workshop in Phoenix centered around tight turns, it was a blast!
I will admit I was not sure at first what to expect as any seminar's success is always dependent on how well you cater to the group. Of course I speak for myself when I say that it was so much fun and we got so much accomplished primarily because everyone in the group was not only all about learning, but they were also very diverse, because of this diversity we covered every aspect of tight turns from how do you start a young dog on the right track, to, how can I use these skills to motivate?
I admit I am a bit obsessive compulsive and although I believe I have really done the work and my dogs do turn tight, I am always looking for more, bigger, better, faster so I keep thinking of new ways to train and maintain a naturally tight turning radius on my dogs.
A crucial element in tight turns is the dogs body awareness, and his ability to use himself as efficiently and comfortably as possible.
Because of this I begin my "turn" training with the primary focus being placed on the dogs midsection and how flexible they are and can be.
Many dogs are "unable" to use themselves properly over jumps primarily because they are unaware of their own body. Dogs generally utilize their front and rear assembly's as means of locomotion with very little regard for the entire midsection.
If you sit ringside and watch a large sampling of dogs' you will see many of them offer a straight trajectory over jumps even when a turn cue has been used in a timely fashion by the handler.
The dog will be soaring over the jump in an extended stride, slightly turning their heads recognizing the turn cue and landing long, decelerating, setting their lead and pulling themselves through the turn.
None of this means that the dog is incapable of flexion, it usually means they are unaware of the muscle groups that they have available through the back and side regions.
Torque will learn all about his body before he is ever asked to use it on an obstacle, just as my other dogs have.
I begin my flexion training with "cone work". Using toy drive, tons of play and a bit of opposition reflex, I teach my pups to wrap a standard traffic cone as tight and fast as they can. This game has many benefits, it of course promotes flexibility, but also teaches dig and speed through turns, and the beginnings of front cross work.
Using a traffic cone allows the pup to actually hit the cone as they race around it without the worry of injury, it also minimizes how much I am asking the pup to flex and makes it very simple for me to see that the pup is actually "flexing" around the cone.
I do not use jump stanchions as there is no way to really determine if the dog is flexing because it is unrealistic to expect a tight wrap on something as narrow as a jump stanchion. I also really like the fact that the traffic cones are made of a soft pliable rubber that I am happy for the dog to hit as they go around.
The cone game is one of the things that will be featured in C Spot Teach :-)
I also teach my pups a 360 degree outside turn at my side to encourage flexibility.
When I cue a turn on course I want my dogs to understand that this turn can be made so much easier and more comfortable if they use their whole body appropriately.
Ahhh.... it is good to be back!
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