Running Contacts
July Running Contacts class, starting on July 25, is now open for registration! Most work is done with no equipment and just a mat: working on turns, soft turns, straight exits, and various handling before any DW work, so you don't need much room to start off.
Here are some graduation videos of dogs from the previous classes. I chose different sizes and only those who started from zero so you can see how far they got in less than 4 months:
The class is appropriate for total beginners (from 7 months old on), retrains from 2on2off and all who have running contacts already (even if not trained with a mat), but want to work on various exits or any other aspect of RC - all the feedback is completely individual, so all levels are welcome. I will also publish all the lessons right at the start of the class, so you can continue from wherever you currently are.
Minimum age for this class is 7 months and the minimum equipment is now just the DVD + a mat - like a towel or a doormat - and later on occasional access to a dog-walk, ideally one that can be lowered.
This class is 12 weeks long (+2 weeks of a catch up break in between) and starts on July 25, but you can register already now and then enter the classroom HERE.
Please note that only those who took this class with the SAME dog before qualify as repeaters!
Please make sure your are registered and logged in before you proceed to paying with paypal - this will ensure you will get your correct access automatically.| participant (includes a RC video download link) - 320 EUR / cca 350 USD |
| in case you already have the DVD, choose this participant option - 280 EUR / cca 306 USD |
| auditor/repeater/2nd dog - 240 EUR / cca 260 USD (DVD is not required for auditors, but is highly recommended) |
 Silvia Trkman is known for bringing every dog, from her first dog on, to the very top of the sport. Her dogs are known for great speed, tight turns, running contacts and long and injury-free careers. Silvia is in agility since 1992 and is– 3x World Champion (with two different dogs)
– 5x European Open winner, with 4 different dogs (Lo, La, Bu, Le)!!!
– National Championships podium and World Team member with every dog she’s ever had – National Champion for 22-times (with 5 different dogs of 3 different breeds) – World Team member for 19-times (mostly with at least two dogs at the time – sometimes four 🙂 ) |
Okay Thanks, I want to do it with Holly & Wilson, just trying to decide who to do this course who to do next :-/ How much is it to do two dogs together? Thank you 🙂
Hi Silvia,
I want registration with Nanou for RC,
(past video/ I already have DVD)
As I understand I must take 2nd Dog ? (Mylo was in 2012 RC)
Thanks,
Oh, I’m sorry, but no, definition of the repeater changed so only those taking the class with the same dog again qualify as repeaters.
Hi, thinking about joining, I have DVD already and I started already training RDW (with Manners Minder in private lessons) but I’m not satisfied with it. I feel my little girl is not understanding the criteria. She is just running to the MM and whether the DW is low or high or even flat running, I don’t see any aiming. If I want to train on other location, I don’t have the MM and she leaps 75% :(. that private instructors also swears by stride regul., but same story, I would like her to aim for the contact and not just conditioning her by endless repititions with aids. Thx!
Sure, you are welcome to join. But also with my method, you won’t see the dogs aiming for the contact for quite some time. Actually, we don’t want the aiming be too noticeable at all as it being noticeable means the dog is dong some major stride adjustments -- and major stride adjustments are hard for them -- and therefore hard for you to maintain. The more natural and easy we can make it look the easier it will be to maintain it.
Thanks! I didn’t mean aiming as in foot targetting, but aiming to just run and not leaping. She was a bouncy puppy, but I was told that it would get better automatically when DW got higher. But I feel we need to restart from scratch.
O.k., yes, that’s certainly something you should be seeing by now and no, it doesn’t get better with height.
Hi Silvia, we would like to use this course to retrain 2 of our older dogs (and learn the skills to teach our pyr shep when he is ready). We don’t think we can afford to pay for a working spot for both so not sure which one we will need more help with. Both were taught 2o2o initially and we tried to teach a running a frame to them last year using your DVD but got stuck with too many questions!
Link loves to run. She won’t even offer a 2o2o at home with a toy in hand so that behaviour is totally gone! She has a bouncy stride and loves to jump into her contacts from a long way away and leap off from up high. Given the chance she would do a 1 touch A Frame (only hit on the apex! She doesn’t think, she just does! Which is why we think she will like RC!
Her daughter Rush is a thinking dog with a very long stride. She still gives 100% 2o2o at home (never in trial). I think she will have more trouble getting the right stride and not stopping but will have a better understanding once she does work it out.
If we cannot afford both, which dog would be better to have a working spot for? The other dog will learn in the background.
Is it hard to do 2 at once? If one dog is ready for a higher height is it bad for them to stay lower until the other dog is ready too?
Thanks 🙂
I would think it will be harder with Link as bouncy and no thinking makes it much harder as a long stride. Retraining both at the time is best, so you can use the same set up for both, no problem to stay a bit longer at lower height as needed.
Plus I’m thinking that when we teach Hype (pyr shep) he will also be bouncy and not thinking so probably good to learn that style first with Link!
Hi Silvia, I just payed for the running contacts class but of course I wasn’t logged in when I entered so must I register again? I have an account as Fredrika Jonasson.
Best regards
Fredrika
O.k., I just gave the access to your old account.
Great, thank you 🙂 Can’t wait until I can get started.
I did not really get to post much the first go round, as the weather here was horrific and not owning my own equipment made it difficult to practice. However, I did watch a lot of the videos and read a lot of your feedback and was able to continue training on my on after class was over and the weather cleared. I now have my own dog walk and can practice a little almost everyday and am seeing much better progress. I have used both a manners minder and a thrown toy for her. She is pretty consistent at home. However I find taking it on other dog walks she will resort to leaping again:(. Looking forward to getting your help Jiggy is a lot of fun
Yes, new DWs can be hard at first, so make it as easy as needed to help her succeed. Use her best set up and starting spot or even start with some gtcg if needed to help her see it’s the same thing.
Hi Silvia
I know that foundations class will start on 15th march
I watched your DVD and it’s very interesting!!!!
Is the class only for dogs who start now to play agility or also for dogs who already know agility obstacles and they just jumping tight?
Thank you
Eleonora (&Nikita)
It’s for anybody who still sees room for improvement on any of the topics covered 🙂 -- We had dogs running World Championships in that class as well 🙂
I’m sorry! I post it again under foundations class!
Hi Sylvia, I’m training with your foundation course DVD at the moment and will register for the online course soon. My border collie is 17 months now, do you think it would be a good idea to get the RC DVD now and start practicing or should i wait till after I’ve done the foundation course? I’m also training the weaves with your DVD, so I do a lot, but mix my training sessions up a lot too.
Kind regards, Monique
Yes, RC ca take a while to master, so it’s probably a good idea to start now and mix some of it into your training as well. we’ll do some RC in Foundations as well, so we can check them then.