Dearlove Nested Class Course - Oct 12 and Oct 19 2006

11 Oct 2006Steve Schwarz

These are my final Dearlove Agility class courses of the season. I hope you’ve enjoyed running them as much as I have. I greatly enjoyed helping fellow handlers work through the challenges and I’ve been thrilled by the Intermediate handlers who have shown marvelous improvement all season long.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) for you I just came back from a Dana Pike hosted five day agility seminar where we were running sequences from some of the FCI World Championship Courses from Switzerland. This week’s sequences are based on some exercises Rachel Sanders developed using one of those courses. One of the skills Rachel presented was a method of handling Threadles Mary Ellen Barry on Threadle Handling The Connection Between Threadles and Back Sides Traditional Threadle Handling Single Sided Threadle Handling Threadle Sequence, based on comments from Linda Mecklenburg, that is almost foolproof (see this article).

So get ready to Threadle and Serpentine Serpentine Handling Techniques Serpentine Sequence with opportunities for distance handling.

There are two Intermediate team sequences. The first opens with a three jump Threadle into the tunnel. Out of the tunnel the dogs take a large four jump Pin Wheel around the tunnel through 360 degrees to the table. Then it is a Serpentine to finish the course.

The second Intermediate sequence opens with a three jump Serpentine with a sharp turn into the tunnel. Coming out of the tunnel the dog’s take a three jump Pin Wheel around the tunnel in the opposite direction to the table. Then it is back into the tunnel and over a jump to build up some speed into the final Serpentine.

The first Advanced team sequence opens with a three jump Threadle ending with a tight Jump Wrap Jump Wrap Handling - With Video Jump Wrap Handling Tips Jump Wrap/Wrap to avoid the tunnel on the way to the table. From the table it is over a jump with a tight turn into the tunnel. Out of the tunnel the dog’s Wrap a jump on the way into a three jump Pin Wheel around the tunnel whose last jump is the start of a three jump Serpentine.

The second Advanced sequence starts with the now familiar three jump Threadle with a turn to the far side of the tunnel. Out of the tunnel it is the four jump Pin Wheel again this time in the opposite direction. At the end of the Pin Wheel the dog’s are taken through a 180 and onto the table. From the table the course ends with a Serpentine.

Course Setup With Obstacle Coordinates

Intermediate Class

The usual drill: have the handlers walk the course and run it once without any specified handling. Then discuss the following handling options for the left hand sequence:

Assume there is a start line at the bottom of the course. Does a Lead Out give you any advantage? If so where would you be? Where would you set up your dog?
Which side of your dog will you be on taking jump 1? Which side of jump 1 will you be on?
How deep "in the pocket" of the tunnel do you need to go? Want to go? Do you need to go past the entrance of the tunnel at all?
Do you have to take your dog around the tunnel to all four jumps of the Pin Wheel? Can you handle it all from the center of the tunnel? How about from near the #4 entrance of the tunnel?
Where do you want/need to be to set your dog up for the Serpentine from the table?

Advanced Class

Walk it, run it, discuss it, and run it again! The left hand sequence is discussed below:

Assume the start line is at the bottom of the course, does a Lead Out give you any advantage? If so where would you like to be? I'm thinking between 1 and 2 on the right of the jumps with the dog far to the right.
Can you run 1-2-3 all from one side using one sided Threadle handling? Should you?
Which way will you wrap your dog around jump 3? I'm thinking toward the tunnel to avoid trying to take the dog 360 degrees around jump 3.
From the table it is probably dog on left over jump 5 and into the tunnel.
Where will you be when your dog comes out of the tunnel? Which side of jump 7?
Which direction will you wrap your dog around jump 7?
Do you need to run with your dog around the 8-9-10 Pin Wheel?
Can you stay in the pocket and pick your dog up on the take off or landing side of jump 10?
Which side of the 10-11-12 Serpentine do you want to be on? Does the orientation of jump 12 matter? Can you stay ahead of your dog and do single side Serpentine handling of this closing?

Please add your comments and handling approach(es) for these courses below!

If you enjoyed this article won't you please: Thanks!

Dearlove Nested Class Course - Oct 12 and Oct 19 2006

Course Setup With Obstacle Coordinates

Intermediate Class

Advanced Class

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