Green Class
Congratulations on your promotion to Green class. You should now have a green sticker on your badge and your name should be in the promotions book. Keep an eye out for the newsletter as your name will be in there under Promotions.
In Beginners you should have been introduced to the basics of reward based training along with an introduction to obstacles.
The following obstacles are what you will find in Green class.
Cloth Tunnel
Flexy Tunnel
Tyre
A-Frame complete
Dog walk
Weave Poles
See Saw
Jumps
Broad Jump
- Assistance in the getting out and putting away of these obstacles is expected of everyone. Remember help the people who are going to help you (instructors)
- In Green class the contact zones on the dog walk, see saw and A-Frame will be explained. Thus why it is important that you teach two feet on and two feet off from at the start. Remember give the dog a release word before it is able to move off the contact.
- All the above obstacles are a smaller version of what you will find in competition. This way we can introduce the dogs to new obstacles at a safer height and build up both the dog’s and your confidence.
- When training one of the contacts (dog walk, A-Frame, see saw) for the first time, steady the dog by holding the collar. Allow the dog to find its own balance on the narrow planks. (note choker chains are not permitted when using equipment) and reward/ praise the dog as it progresses. By holding the dog by the collar you now control the dogs head and thus where it is going to go. If you hold only the lead you have little control of where the dog is going to go (the lead will only stop it from getting away). Quite often dogs will jump off the dog walk/ see saw the first time as they are unsure and the obstacle is new. Praise and reward as you move along a new obstacle, especially if the dog is nervous.
Weave Poles
This will be the first time your dog will have seen the weavers at ADC NSW. We use a 4 stage process to train both you and the dog (From full nets to no nets in 4 stages). In the first stage the weavers have nets from start to finish. This way the dog can not leave the poles unless it jumps over the nets. It is extremely important that the dog does not jump over the nets but rather is looking forward and down to the next pole. Some dogs will be nervous the first time and look to jump out so it is important to guide the dog by holding it by the collar and if necessary luring with food or a toy.
If you do not need to lure then don’t. The less body movements you add the less you will need to change later on. It is ideal if the dog can be simply guided through the nets by the lead. You should only have to signal the dog to enter the weavers (by hand and voice), then no further signal is required, just encouragement. If you find you are having to use a hand to guide the dog through the full nets then stop. Your hand is only causing the dog to look up and over the nets. Go back to basics, take the hand away and guide the dog by the collar, if necessary lure the dog through the nets (note the hand luring the dog must be below top of the net).
Once the dog is confidently going through the nets on both sides you can start to put some distance between you and the obstacle 2 – 3m. (Do not wait until you have got the weavers without nets to start this). You should try running in front of the dog, lagging behind etc.
As you progress you progress through stages 2 & 3, you will find that there are gaps in the nets. Some dogs will find the gaps no problem, others will pull out straight away. Again if your dog fails, take it back to basics and guide the dog through. If need be move the nets to suit your progression, ie take some nets away and put others in their place where the dog is failing.
Agility is Rewarding
- Agility is reward based training and should be made fun, for both you and the dog. If you are not having fun then it is likely that neither is the dog. So always bring along a positive attitude to training. Always try and finish the nights training on a success, that way the last thing the dog remembers about agility is positive.
- At ADC NSW we strongly recommend using food/ a toy or playing with the dog as the primary rewards along with praising the dog. When the dog does something right, reward it and tell it so. If the dog does something extra well or special give it extra rewards/ praise.
- When rewarding the dog give the reward out of the hand that gives the signal, this includes tug toys/ balls etc.
- Always train all obstacles on both sides, not just the one that feels easiest (that is the dog should be worked on the left and the right). Do not work around a problem, fix the problem before patterning it. It is much easier to train something right the first time rather than trying to re-train it months later. (Ask anyone who has competed)
- A common mistake handlers make is that they believe they should always be moving forward. Sometimes the dogs/ handlers regress, this means that occasionally you need to step back a level to re-build your confidence on a particular obstacle. It might only mean going back to how you trained it initially (holding by the collar and rewarding) or might mean going back to the previous class. There is nothing wrong with this, it is better to train the dog correctly rather than persist with mistakes. Remember the more you train a mistake the more the dog thinks this is the correct way.
- When giving signals make sure that the hand on the side that the dog is on is the hand that is giving the signals. Your shoulders are your “steering wheel”. They should always face the direction of the obstacle you want the dog to do. Thus if the opposing hand is out it is likely your shoulders are giving a different signal to the hand. You dog will learn very quickly to follow your shoulders and so will you.
- If you are standing in line waiting for your turn, practice a stay and lead out or alternatively practice your lead hand ,movements (left and right). It is your time, so use it as best as you can.
- As you progress your instructors will teach you about mirror imaging for fast turns and also possible target training. You may even be told about “clicker” training. If you want to know more ask.
- If you have any questions about something you have heard or seen ask one of the instructors, remember sometimes two instructors will tell you two different things. This is because they are basing there answers on what worked for them. Do not be afraid to ask or say that someone else told you something different we are all still learning!
To be able to be promoted to Yellow class you have to be able to do the following off lead –
Be able to complete a sequence of obstacles off lead on both sides in two different courses.
Understand and demonstrate the ability to do a stay.
Handle the dog with a side change (front cross).
Confidently complete the dog ramp, ensuring contacts are touched.
In Beginners you should have been introduced to the basics of reward based training along with an introduction to obstacles.
The following obstacles are what you will find in Green class.
Cloth Tunnel
Flexy Tunnel
Tyre
A-Frame complete
Dog walk
Weave Poles
See Saw
Jumps
Broad Jump
- Assistance in the getting out and putting away of these obstacles is expected of everyone. Remember help the people who are going to help you (instructors)
- In Green class the contact zones on the dog walk, see saw and A-Frame will be explained. Thus why it is important that you teach two feet on and two feet off from at the start. Remember give the dog a release word before it is able to move off the contact.
- All the above obstacles are a smaller version of what you will find in competition. This way we can introduce the dogs to new obstacles at a safer height and build up both the dog’s and your confidence.
- When training one of the contacts (dog walk, A-Frame, see saw) for the first time, steady the dog by holding the collar. Allow the dog to find its own balance on the narrow planks. (note choker chains are not permitted when using equipment) and reward/ praise the dog as it progresses. By holding the dog by the collar you now control the dogs head and thus where it is going to go. If you hold only the lead you have little control of where the dog is going to go (the lead will only stop it from getting away). Quite often dogs will jump off the dog walk/ see saw the first time as they are unsure and the obstacle is new. Praise and reward as you move along a new obstacle, especially if the dog is nervous.
Weave Poles
This will be the first time your dog will have seen the weavers at ADC NSW. We use a 4 stage process to train both you and the dog (From full nets to no nets in 4 stages). In the first stage the weavers have nets from start to finish. This way the dog can not leave the poles unless it jumps over the nets. It is extremely important that the dog does not jump over the nets but rather is looking forward and down to the next pole. Some dogs will be nervous the first time and look to jump out so it is important to guide the dog by holding it by the collar and if necessary luring with food or a toy.
If you do not need to lure then don’t. The less body movements you add the less you will need to change later on. It is ideal if the dog can be simply guided through the nets by the lead. You should only have to signal the dog to enter the weavers (by hand and voice), then no further signal is required, just encouragement. If you find you are having to use a hand to guide the dog through the full nets then stop. Your hand is only causing the dog to look up and over the nets. Go back to basics, take the hand away and guide the dog by the collar, if necessary lure the dog through the nets (note the hand luring the dog must be below top of the net).
Once the dog is confidently going through the nets on both sides you can start to put some distance between you and the obstacle 2 – 3m. (Do not wait until you have got the weavers without nets to start this). You should try running in front of the dog, lagging behind etc.
As you progress you progress through stages 2 & 3, you will find that there are gaps in the nets. Some dogs will find the gaps no problem, others will pull out straight away. Again if your dog fails, take it back to basics and guide the dog through. If need be move the nets to suit your progression, ie take some nets away and put others in their place where the dog is failing.
Agility is Rewarding
- Agility is reward based training and should be made fun, for both you and the dog. If you are not having fun then it is likely that neither is the dog. So always bring along a positive attitude to training. Always try and finish the nights training on a success, that way the last thing the dog remembers about agility is positive.
- At ADC NSW we strongly recommend using food/ a toy or playing with the dog as the primary rewards along with praising the dog. When the dog does something right, reward it and tell it so. If the dog does something extra well or special give it extra rewards/ praise.
- When rewarding the dog give the reward out of the hand that gives the signal, this includes tug toys/ balls etc.
- Always train all obstacles on both sides, not just the one that feels easiest (that is the dog should be worked on the left and the right). Do not work around a problem, fix the problem before patterning it. It is much easier to train something right the first time rather than trying to re-train it months later. (Ask anyone who has competed)
- A common mistake handlers make is that they believe they should always be moving forward. Sometimes the dogs/ handlers regress, this means that occasionally you need to step back a level to re-build your confidence on a particular obstacle. It might only mean going back to how you trained it initially (holding by the collar and rewarding) or might mean going back to the previous class. There is nothing wrong with this, it is better to train the dog correctly rather than persist with mistakes. Remember the more you train a mistake the more the dog thinks this is the correct way.
- When giving signals make sure that the hand on the side that the dog is on is the hand that is giving the signals. Your shoulders are your “steering wheel”. They should always face the direction of the obstacle you want the dog to do. Thus if the opposing hand is out it is likely your shoulders are giving a different signal to the hand. You dog will learn very quickly to follow your shoulders and so will you.
- If you are standing in line waiting for your turn, practice a stay and lead out or alternatively practice your lead hand ,movements (left and right). It is your time, so use it as best as you can.
- As you progress your instructors will teach you about mirror imaging for fast turns and also possible target training. You may even be told about “clicker” training. If you want to know more ask.
- If you have any questions about something you have heard or seen ask one of the instructors, remember sometimes two instructors will tell you two different things. This is because they are basing there answers on what worked for them. Do not be afraid to ask or say that someone else told you something different we are all still learning!
To be able to be promoted to Yellow class you have to be able to do the following off lead –
Be able to complete a sequence of obstacles off lead on both sides in two different courses.
Understand and demonstrate the ability to do a stay.
Handle the dog with a side change (front cross).
Confidently complete the dog ramp, ensuring contacts are touched.