contacts

josie · contacts

How do different people train contacts at agility?

Our agility club does it by putting treats on the bottom of the contact, so the dog learns to slow down each time and look for the treat. This isn't working too well for us because Slate comes down at such speed that she comes off the end and then turns and eats the treat.....

If I had time and space at training, I could shape her for touching the contact area but it kind of works on the basis of each person having 1 go. Any ideas?

Allyson

You can do what I did.

Trained my dogs to paw touch a piece of carpet, made it smaller, then put the carpet at the contact points, voila!

josie

Oh, that's a great idea! I'll try that! Very Happy

Cindy

I also have the problem Hector is so fast over the contact equipment that he misses them unless I shout "slowly - touch"

I was taught by placing the dog at a sit on the yellow contact area (or whatever colour it is painted) and with its two paws on the ground off the contact. I would then issue the command "touch it" whilst the trainer would hold the collar gently or you would hold the ldog on the lead and take a step forward, then back then "touch it" again with another step forward then back and then release the dog to a treat or ball throw or whatever motivational impliment you are using. This would continue until you could walk a fair way off with your dog in the "touch it" position before release.

It took ages as its a little step forward and one back, then two forward and back and slowly built up until you can do if off lead . Or if your dog had the habit (as Hector did) of charging down the other end at break neck speed is to get the trainer to lead them over and you place your leading leg across their way saying "touch it"

The Collies and Springers seem to be taught by placing cream cheese on the bottom of the contact area so they know its there.

Then it built up to letting them over the contacts using the "touch it" command only directed by hand signals.

Is this understandable? Laughing

josie

Yes, thanks Cindy.

That's pretty much the method they are using at our agility club. Slate will do it easily on lead and stop the second I say "wait" and will stay there until released with "ok" (she already knows the "wait" command - which is the command I use for a stand-stay) - but she is so fast when she's off lead that I can't see her as she comes down the A-frame - I can't even see when she's on the contact to yell "Wait" and I think she feels she's left me behind and wants to come off the contact to see where I've got to! Shocked

I've also tried the "planting food on the contact" method, but Slate doesn't see this food until she's passing it, she comes down so fast Shocked

So then runs back and eats it. Or you have the problem, if you're integrating the A frame into the course, that dogs cut across and eat the treat there without completing doing the rest of the course and so reward themselves for doing the wrong thing. I don't put the treat there in advance for this reason.

Ideally I know we would be doing all the contacts individually until the dog knows them 100% and only then integrate them into the course, and I could keep her on lead until the behaviour is secure, but my agility club doesn't work like that and I don't want to kick up a huge fuss and demand to do things differently. Shocked

On the bright side, we are kicking those collie asses on the jumping and speed side of things and doing lots of clear rounds jumping - this week the trainer asked me "Are you sure you don't train at any other agility clubs??" Very Happy

We can't even practise any agility stuff from one week to the next as we don't own any equipment, unlike half the other agility enthusiasts in my class, who all have more advanced agility dogs at home and their own equipment in their back yards! I only did the agility thing for a bit of fun and to see what it was about, but I'm actually enjoying it quite a bit (and Slate loves it!). Very Happy

Cindy

The one thing I found with Hector is that Weimaraners are more fearless at the contacts and boy do they move when they are motivated by fun and mental employment Very Happy

You are right about persisting with the contact work until your dog (am me in my case Wink

) get the point. We always start off with a contact session no matter how long you have been doing agility and what stage your dog is at. Its just the way my trainer works and the proof is in the pudding as it works and you can see that when we compete Very Happy

Besides the weaves, I do not use food as a motivator as Hector moves too fast and is enjoying himself way too much to be bothered about a titbit when he can go bombing over a A frame or seesaw Rolling Eyes

I beat Collies and towners that have been doing it for ten years first time out . Not sure if that should be a brag as they might just of been ultra crap in the first place - but some do UK competitions and don't come last Very Happy

Cindy

Raked out a old photo of the "touch it" a bit further along the line from the sit and touch we did at the very begining

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/Wontis/hectortouch.jpg

This was after "slowly" along the walk and down to the "touch it" before release

Slowly got to the point I did not need the "touch it" all the time but can still call on it if I am have a can't remember which way after this day and need him to slow down whilst I get it together and remember the rest of the course Embarassed