I'm trying something new in Directed Jumping. Many dogs NQ in Utility because they take the wrong jump. The handler stands with arm stretched to the designated jump and shouts JUMP, and the dog takes the other jump. It happens to me as well.
One of the advantages of training and trialing different breeds and different sports is seeing different things. In herding, my Sheltie is very reliable on verbal directional commands. When I say COME BY, she goes in a clockwise direction around the herd. When I say AWAY, she goes anti-clockwise around the herd. I don't need to give a hand signal, either, as many times she's behind the sheep and wouldn't see it.
So I'm now trying to do the same with Directed Jumping. I say AWAY when I want AJ to take the left jump. I say COME BY when I want him to take the right jump. I realized I should do it in only one direction at this point, as he's not sure if the command refers to the direction or the particular jump. When I go both directions, the jumps are reversed by his point of view. He's getting the concept though. This morning, he was slightly facing the left jump and I said, COME BY, without pointing. He was confused, but shifted his body to point to the right jump.
In the evening I did it again and used minimal or no arm gestures. AJ was 100% in about a dozen jumps!
I was debating whether I should use RIGHT or LEFT. But I found myself getting tangled up in my own mind as I got to thinking his left or my left.
So I used that which I'm already comfortable. If German Shepherd handlers can say FOOS FOOS FOOS in the ring, I can say COME BY.
I'm doing this in my backyard now because I'm training the concept. The jumps are close and the bars are low. I normally need the room in the park to train Directed Jumping.
I hope this works out as well as I think it can!
AJ is going to Orlando. There's 76 spots in Open and it didn't fill. AJ's entry was #53 and it arrived three days before closing.
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. How was the National obedience classic? You guys look great!!
I even reminded him between each run and he said he got so caught up thinking how good she was doing. Many people in the club were kind to us and reassured me to relax because we should easily Q. Hubby said she was laser focused on me almost the entire time. I had to ask because you almost blank out the experience when running. I kept reminding myself in my head to smile down at her, especially when she did well. We can say "good girl" once during each heeling portion without any deductions so I plan to do that to help reassure her that she's doing good!
