Front Crosses with Strider & Goliath

Hello everyone!

This week I decided to work on some front crosses with Strider and Goliath because in the past I have struggled with the timing of my front crosses.  A front cross is something that must be perfectly timed in order to get the most out of it.  If you are unsure on how to perform a front cross, please refer back to my earlier video where I demonstrate how to do one in a basic setting.

Anyways, I tend to struggle more on my timing when I am working with Strider because he has such a long stride and he is much quicker than I am so it can be difficult to get ahead of him (something that is crucial for a good front cross).  On the other hand, when it comes to running Goliath, my front crosses are usually pretty good and effective due to his slower speed and smaller stride. 

In order to get a good front cross, I have discovered that good timing is not the only helpful thing, but rather the act of letting the dog know that there will be a front cross before it even happens.  For example, some people use a verbal cue to let the dog know that they will be doing a front cross.  For myself, I don't use a verbal cue, but instead I raise the arm that I will be switching to as the dog is taking the jump that we will be crossing after.  This lets the dog know where we will be going before we actually get there.

Over all, remember to always practice often and make it a fun time for you and your dog!

Hayley

Strider's first AKC agility runs

Hello everyone!

In this week’s post I’ll be discussing and showing the videos of my very first agility runs with Strider that I did Memorial Day weekend 2015.  The agility trial was in Pomona and I was super excited to be running at my very first one with Strider.  After an entire year of training, I was finally getting to do what I had prepared and trained for, and this made me so happy and excited.  

We arrived in Pomona at around 11am and I knew we would be doing some waiting around since I would be competing in the Novice classes which were the last ones of the day.  I was pretty nervous all morning as I anticipated what would happen when I got out on the course with Strider.  Time slowly rolled around and eventually it was mine turn to walk the Jumpers with Weaves course (JWW) that I would be running first.  As I heard the judge call out “novice briefing” I made my way into the ring without my dog so that I could get to know every angle of the course and plan out my run accordingly.  After listening to the judge’s brief speech, us novice competitors were allowed to spend 8 minutes walking the course.  As I walked the designated course, following the numbers on the cones, I became even more nervous, but mostly out of excitement.  The course didn’t seem too difficult, compared to some of the things I had worked on with Strider in the past, and this made me feel a little better.

After getting to walk the course, I had to endure some more waiting because since Strider jumps 24”, he would be going last in the Novice class.  Finally, it was my turn, and I made my way to the start line of the ring and got Strider amped up and ready to run.  I walked into the ring, removed Strider’s collar and we were ready to go.  I was super nervous at this point, but as soon as I started running, all those nerves went away.  The course and our run flew by extremely fast and about 29 seconds later, we were done.  As we crossed over the last jump, I was so excited, our run was perfect and we had qualified!  We even managed to get a first place!  I was entirely elated after this run and I felt like I could do anything.  With this in mind, I was highly anticipating our next run in the Standard ring.  

Our Standard run went almost equally well, and with only a few bobbles, we were able to pull out a second place in our height division.  After these two runs, I was so proud of Strider and all that I had accomplished with him.  It was such a rush being able to compete and do something I love with the best teammate in the world.  My first agility trial is something I will remember forever.

I hope you enjoyed this!

Happy training!

Weave Poles and Dog Walk Sequence

Hello Everyone!

In this week’s video, I will be doing a sequence with my dogs that includes various obstacles in order to help prepare us for our agility trial next weekend.  Our agility trial is March 5 in Pomona and before every trial, I like to work on certain sequences and drills to ensure that my dogs are ready to show.  

Also, I recently got a brand new dog walk which is very exciting because it opens a whole new door to my practice times at home.  With this new dog walk, I will be able to work on all kinds of contact behavior and be able to do it without having to drive to my training center.  

The sequence that I set up with include the dog walk, tunnel, weave poles, and various jumps.  Some main things that I work on pre-trial are rear crosses, front crosses, and blind crosses.  I also really put a big emphasis on weave poles because those are where you can rack up the most faults during trials.  Even though I use this sequence pre-trial, it can be used for any kind of practice with your dog.  I invite you to set up this sequence either in your own yard or at your local club and give it a try for yourself.  I hope you enjoy the video and feel free to leave any questions below!  Never forget to reward your dog frequently and make it a fun time for you and your dog!!

Happy training!

Hayley Mack

at the agility trial in Pomona