Ado, I think you might have possible missed my reply?
"Adojrts, would you mind giving a short explanation -or difinition- on each of the things you mentioned? Some of them I'm familier with, but some I don't think I've heard before."
lol yes I did miss it, sorry
Spirals, Figure 8's, Circle work (small and large)- Working your dog on the left and right in heel position, moving in a spiral or other exercise, works great to have a cone/s or something as a focal point in the center. Easy to do when the dog is on the outside of the handler, much harder when the dog is on the inside and not bumping into the handler.
Gait changes: Change of pace (gait), fast walking and running, accelerations and de-celerations from the body language of the handler i.e leaning forward vs leaning backwards.
Targets: sending out to a target away from the handler as fast as they can, also a good time to proof task focus vs handler focus and release cues.
Sending or Outs: teaching the dog to move straight away or laterally from the handler and this is typically done using targets. A dog with an excellent send or out will go at least a hundred feet or more out to go around an object (tree lol) or to do an obstacle that has been named.
Contact Boards: using a raised board to teach the dog to hold the contract behaviour being trained ( 2 on, 2 off / Running / Stopped) and not stop the behaviour until release cue is given.
Front Cross: The handler switching sides by crossing in front of the dog, usually done for a change of direction and for tighter lines while running obstacles but should be taught on the flat first.
Rear Cross: Teaching a dog to drive out in front of the handler and then the handler switching sides behind the dog, typically before an obstacle for a change in direction after the dog has completed the obstacle, so the handler can remain on the inside of an arch in the course,which is the shortest route for the handler.
Flips: Looks almost like a tandem turn; dog and handler both turn at the same time in the same direction and with enough training this can be done at a distance
. So if your dog is on your right, you and the dog turn to the right but your dog ends up being on your left.
Body awareness/hindend awareness: Many dogs have little or no regard (especially larger breeds and puppies of all sizes) of where their feet/body are. Dogs that have spent most of their lives on smooth/even surfaces don't generally have to be concerned about it. Which isn't good for agility lol, the dogs with the best body/foot/hindend awareness are the ones that get lots of time off leash in rough, hilly and very uneven terrian in hard brush or woods. They quickly learn where their bodys are to avoid injury. If that doesn't happen we have to teach them using piles of poles, ladders, backing up etc.
If I missed anything or it doesn't make sense let me know