those of you who do agility...

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ScarlettLady

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How do you train your contacts? and why?

I've just started with a small/medium (not measured yet) dog who i think i'm going to train with stop contacts - 2 on 2 off but just wondered what others did and why?

Cheers :D
 
i would say whatever method you use the main thing to remember is consistency,consistency,consistency. Dont start with one method then chop and change and start trying different things, even if you find yourself at a training clinic where a different method is advised, stick to your plan :)
 
Clicker training and a target (biscuit tin lid or tupperware lid) and put the treat on the target, click as the dog takes the treat as well as saying "touch". Then remove the treat and say "touch" and click as the dog touches, treat the dog away from the target. Then send the dog away to touch. Then put the target on the contact, repeat method.

Have also just treated the dog on the contact without a target/clicker
 
echodomino said:
Clicker training and a target (biscuit tin lid or tupperware lid) and put the treat on the target, click as the dog takes the treat as well as saying "touch". Then remove the treat and say "touch" and click as the dog touches, treat the dog away from the target. Then send the dog away to touch. Then put the target on the contact, repeat method.

Have also just treated the dog on the contact without a target/clicker
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I've been told to target train Harley (he had his 2nd lesson last week and we were given it as homework). He's so smart, he got it in 5 minutes at home! :) Now just say "touch" and he'll touch any item with his nose, as I press the clicker (he wasn't clicker trained either) and he then gets a treat.

Hope he gets it when the trainer adds the obstacles next week! :)
 
galaxy23 said:
I've been told to target train Harley (he had his 2nd lesson last week and we were given it as homework). He's so smart, he got it in 5 minutes at home! :) Now just say "touch" and he'll touch any item with his nose, as I press the clicker (he wasn't clicker trained either) and he then gets a treat.

Hope he gets it when the trainer adds the obstacles next week! :)
Click to expand...

It didn't take Mouse (JRT) long to pick it up. My HWV Bridget got it sussed in minutes when she was about 8wks old - no exaggeration!! And still remembers it now at 3 and we've not done any more since she was a puppy.
 
Teagan and Skye have been trained with 2 on 2 off contacts, they both have really good contacts, they run across the equipment stopping on the contact until I release which can be early so they don't actually stop and also I don't have to go to the end of the contact with them (this can be seen in Skye's Crufts run (link on here somewhere)), so I can get in position for the next piece of equipment. Star's starting agility classes next Monday (she'll be a year old on Sunday) and I'll definately be training her 2 on 2 off. Bertie wasn't trained a 2 on 2 off contact to start and it was alot harder to train it later!
 
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Thanks everyone.
So when you train 2 on 2 off do you all start with a plank on the floor? poor little guy just seems a bit confused and would rather wriggle and sit next to it :confused: i'm thinking maybe a wider plank ;)
x
 
becca_norrey said:
Thanks everyone.
So when you train 2 on 2 off do you all start with a plank on the floor? poor little guy just seems a bit confused and would rather wriggle and sit next to it :confused: i'm thinking maybe a wider plank ;)
x
Click to expand...

I train it on the a-frame 1st (that's the piece of contact equipment I've got at home!) and back chain it, so they start with me just putting them in the 2 on 2 off position and treating them there, then I do it from a little way up and encourage them down into the 2on 2 off position, I also do it on lead to start with and sometimes with 2 leads with a helper 1 either side until they are stopping without me putting any pressure on the lead when they are doing the full piece of contact equipment, always treating them for the stopped position. Then I try being in different positions, ahead or behind, to proof the contact, then work on distance and getting into position for the next piece of equipment, but always going back and treating them in the correct position in training.
 
Ok thanks, unfortunately i don't have any equipment at home, hence the plank of wood, but that makes sense.

(but the younger brother is handy with a hammer and wood, maybe if I talk nicely I could have an A-frame hmmmm :rolleyes: )

Thanks :D
 
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