Backyard Dogs Practice Sequences - 2018 Nov

20 Dec 2019Steve Schwarz

This is an expanded version of my Backyard Dogs article originally published in the November 2018 issue of CleanRun.

This month’s sequences focus on handling your dog on courses with straight tunnels. You’ll work on hard and soft turns in and out of the tunnel and getting to the back sides Handling the Quad Back Side - Patrick Bucher Course/VideoThe Connection Between Threadles and Back SidesBack Side/Back Side JumpBack Side of Jump Handling Combinations - Video of jumps after the tunnel.

Here is the first 40’ x 50’ (12 m x 15 m) obstacle setup:

Setup 1 in feet
Setup 1 in feet
Setup 1 in meters
Setup 1 in meters

Here I’ve swapped the tunnel and the weaves:

Setup 2 in feet
Setup 2 in feet
Setup 2 in meters
Setup 2 in meters

If you have 10 more feet of space, Figure 3 includes a full set of weaves and a 20’ tunnel.

Setup 3 with 12 weave poles in feet
Setup 3 with 12 weave poles in feet
Setup 3 with 12 weave poles in meters
Setup 3 with 12 weave poles in meters

Let’s get to work:

Download a PDF of all 9 sequences on a single page

To control your dog’s path as they come out of a straight tunnel it is important to give your dog their cues before they enter the tunnel. To have your dog continue straight out of a tunnel show forward motion as they approach and exit the tunnel and use the verbal cues you’d use to send your dog forward down a line of jumps.

For turns out of the tunnel you will need to use more cues. Try to be on the side of the tunnel that you want the dog to turn to before they enter the tunnel.

When dogs exit the tunnel they will look for you on the side of the tunnel where they last saw you.

You can front/rear/blind cross before the tunnel but your cross must be completed so your dog sees you on their new side before they enter the tunnel. If your dog turns the wrong direction coming out of the tunnel then you were late in completing your cross!

The more turning cues you apply before your dog enters the tunnel the tighter your dog will turn coming out of the tunnel. You might decelerate, rotate in toward your dog, make direct eye contact, use your dog’s name, or even stop as your dog approaches the tunnel. Of course, using your dog’s name or directional verbals while they are still in the tunnel will also help getting the amount of turn you need.

With practice, these sequences should help with your straight tunnel handling.

Run Clean, Run Fast, Run Fun!

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