Coaching: Speed and Motivation

First thing, let me know something about you and your dog and any handling issues for which I should keep an eye open.

Since this is the first time I’ve done handling training via video I thought it might be best to have kind of a structured approach. Here are my thoughts. PLEASE let me know if you have any better ideas!

Choose a course from my practice sequences that has challenges that will stretch you or has elements with which you’ve had issues in the past: /blog/agility/courses/steve/72-backyard-sequences.html

Set up the course, study the diagram, walk it and prepare yourself mentally as if it is a trial - 10 min walk through limit :)

No pre-practicing/warm up runs. Ideally you and your dog would be fresh and warmed up but the course will be new to you and your dog.

I’d like to compare before and after videos so if you could use/borrow a tripod for your video camera that would be great. Then keep track of where you set up the camera so you can put it in roughly the same place for the second video.

Just like a trial, only the first run “counts”. So start the camera and let ‘er rip! If you have “faults” do whatever you’d do in a trial and complete the sequence.

If it’s too easy/too hard pick another sequence and restart the process.

I’d like you to send me the video of your first run of the course. You can tape a few other attempts if you like, but I don’t really care if you don’t complete the sequence perfectly. I want to see how you work together as a team.