Contact Training - Opinions Please!

[Cheetah]

Ok, I'm wanting to teach Shippo some contacts (A-Frame, Teeter, Dog Walk, etc.) and I want all the agility people to tell me the methods they use to teach it.

I posted a video a long time ago and got differing reactions to it ("Yes it's right!" "No, that's wrong!") So before I go any further, I just need some opinions on what you guys think is the BEST way to teach this. Anyone?

[Dekka]

Depends on your dogs structure, running style, your goals etc etc..

My guys all do a 2o/2o.

[MafiaPrincess]

Mine do 2o2o too.

[corgipower]

Originally Posted by Dekka

Depends on your dogs structure, running style, your goals etc etc..

Can you explain this a little more?

[Dekka]

If I had a dog with very upright shoulders I might opt for a orto (one rear toe on) or a four on the flour. If I had a dog with a very consistent stride I might opt for a running contact. Umm I was lazy with Kaiden (didn't really know much or plan on being very competitive so I just let him run) so he does bad running contacts...

[adojrts]

I agree, you have to define a couple of things first. Conformation of the dog first and then what are your goals?

And remember you don't have to have the same contact performance for each obstacle. Many dogs will ride the teeter down, having running (or extremely fast releases) for the Frame and a stopped or 2o2o for the DW.

[Dekka]

LOL and it can depend on your personal running speed and distance skills.. It can be handy to have a dog who will stop and be redirected from a stationary position. I was reading in the dog chiro's office in either Clean Run or Dog Sport an article that was discussing the pro's and con's of running vs a stopped contact from a handling point of view.

[BostonBanker]

I played around with a few options when I was starting with Meg. I originally was going to teach a down on the contact, which my trainer used with one of her dogs. She's a very upright dog in the shoulders, and has an old elbow injury, and I thought if I could have her stop before she hit the ground, and lower her center of gravity, it may lesson the impact. But possibly because of that heavy front end she has, I saw she was having a ton of trouble, especially on the a-frame.

Then I went on to "running contacts" - which for me at the time, meant pretty much nothing. She was slow and cautious, and I was able to get away with pretty much doing nothing and never missing one. Then we built up the speed and drive, and starting getting called.

Two winters ago, our agility class decided to really focus on contacts. I can't even begin to count the number of reps we did daily on a plank on the ground. At least 100 a day, almost every day. Then raising one end of the plank...then on very low contact equipment. It was probably 4 months before we had the dogs running full-height equipment. I retrained with 2o/2o, as did most of the class. A couple people with small dogs trained running.

It did all pay off. Not only do we not get called on our contacts at all now, but probably 95% of the time, she actually performs the entire behavior in the ring exactly as I want it - the driving to the bottom, and holding position until released. The stopped contact is also proving to be VERY beneficial from a handling standpoint for us. I have no hope of running as fast as she does, so it gives me time to repostion myself. While I hate to say "never", I don't think I would train anything but a stopped again.

[SpringerLover]

My dogs both dog 4 on for the teeter (well, when Buzz did the teeter) and Bailey does 2o2o for both dog walk and A-Frame. Buzz does running.

[corgipower]

Whatever you decide on, reinforce, reinforce, reinforce!! Even if the dog is slow and steady in early training. Even if it's a short legged dog. Reinforce always!!

Getting the contacts is more than just a Q. It's an issue of safety. Ares and I had to learn that the hard way.