Most people think I gain most with running contacts, but as there are maximum two occasions to do running contacts per course (none in jumpers), that's not really true. You can gain the most on turns. Tight turns make the biggest difference, especially in nowadays 3rd degree/masters courses where it's all about the turns...
Teaching cik&cap is the best investment to
- improve your course times
- make handling and timing easier for you
- improve your dog's obstacle focus, distance skills, sends and independent performance
- take lots of stress off your dog's joints
- make turns more fun for your dog
For more on Cik&Cap, see a training DVD or join Agility Foundation Class.
Normal jump vs. cik
Last call for 
Hi Silvia,
My dog is collecting very well when making thight turns so no problem there, but he is also collecting when there is no need to do it, for example when he needs to jump three jumps in a row. Should i train jumpshoots or something like that more often? Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance.
Try big circle of low double jumps, clicking when he extends. Straight line between two tunnels is great too as tunnels give more speed, only that you need to run more then and then it’s harder to see&click extension…
Hi, Silvia!
Would like to thank you for your cik&cap turns. Dogs understand it perfectly! Now I teach my 4,5 and 7,5 years dogs, even they understand what to do. After NY I’ll start to add plank on the jumps on the groud. Hope, it will be the same easy as on jump without plank 🙂
Wish you and all your LaBuBiLe team all the best in 2011!
Thanks! And yes, the whole process is very easy and fun, you just need to add height gradually, that’s usually where people go wrong and add it too quickly.
Hi!
I just have to say that training with cik&caps (or often just caps, because of my bad memory 😛 ) is so much easier! I’m in love with them and I think Roo also 😀 But I’m a bit afraid of doing them to many times so we always do some runs without turns and just running straight. I’m really glad that even she adores tunnels she never go through when I tell her to turn tight after a jump. This is a really great method!
There is never too many cik&caps 🙂 I do only turns for first few months of sequencing, just to make them really strong, and then only include straight lines to challenge their understanding of cik&cap even more.
Hi Silvia,
i got your cik and cap dvd as a present from my boyfriend and i really love it!
I teach my 8,5 month old puppy and she has lots of fun! What do you think about training till now? Are we on the right way?
Thank you!
Cool! I love the heeling 🙂 For cik&caps, don’t forget to also do some multi-wraps and to focus some more on closeness, she is sometimes wider as ideally. No big deal, just reward the best and do some additional multi-wraps, rewarding close to an object. Very nice work so far -- and very cute dog! 🙂
Bonjour,
Je viens de voir votre vidéo sur Cik/Cap, vous ne parlez pas des chiens qui tapent des barres ? Mon chien fait très bien Cik et Cap sur chandeliers sans barre, mais si je mets une barre basse pour commencer, il ne fait quasiment pas l’effort de la sauter, et elle tombe souvent. Récompense ou pas ? Comment travailler ?
Merci d’avance de me répondre, je comprends bien l’anglais 🙂
How low did you put it? Me, I start so low that the dog is not even jumping it, but basically steps over. I ignore it they touch it at this step, but take it as a message that they could use some rear-end awareness and cavaletti exercises. Once the bar is high enough that a dog is actually jumping, I will re-do it if they knock it and only reward when they don’t.
Thanks for your answer, i will retry this way.
thanks for your help. We will go on training!
I teached the heeling like you explained on you page! That was the first time we did it outside with some persons and dogs around us, so i´m quite proud of my little girl doing so good!
Are you doing any seminars in Germany this year?
I’m not sure… Maybe in October, but it’s not sure yet.
Hey Silvia,
I have been doing a bit of the Cik/Cap stuff with AMP. I use the words Tik and Tok since it is easier to remember for me 🙂
Anyway I was wondering if you have any suggestions or if I am doing it right?
Thanks in advance
Katie
Did you want to post a video?
You can’t see a video? it shows one for me…weird…
okay i tried sending a video again…
That’s a nice start, I sure love your dog and her level of action 🙂 She warps really nicely from a send, multi-wraps could be tighter, though, her focus is somewhat too much on you and then she is getting thrown out of the turn. What is she looking up at? The toy? You could hide that. Try to click more focus on an object, that will probably keep her closer as she is very tight on sends, when she focuses on object vs. you. Good job so far!
Thanks Silvia she is a fun girl 🙂
yeah I was thinking that the multi-wraps were a bit too wide since she is trying to look at me. I was thinking of starting to reward her more on the object like you said that way she doesn’t go wide trying to watching me!
Thank you for the advise 🙂
We will be back!
Katie
Hi Silvia,
J’ve got a 3 year old crazy border terrier (I’ve sent you videos of him) who turns very wide. So I’ve decided to try cik&cap. However, I’m not really confident with directionnal cues, so I think I’ll only try to teach him the collection jump (my cue’s “choup”, as when hiking, to make him turn back to me quickly I call him “choup”… from his nickname “choupinou”).
I’ve lured him round the bucket, then I worked round a pine tree, made him do one or two wraps, and began to send him round two pine trees. It looks great, with some errors due to his overexcitement. So, As we beganvery short time ago, I’ll take time to make him understand what I want.
So my question is when do you think it is the right moment to transfer the work on an agility jump (with bar on the ground of course)? I’ve already watched your video, but I’m not sure of the answer.
Thanx in advance.
Hm, if that verbal means to him to turn back to you quickly, then you need another word… Cik&cap is a send at the same time, never turning back just like this. Once he understands the sends and tightness, you are ready to get the same performance of jump wings. Sometimes it helps you just use one (with no bar), to make him understand it’s not a normal jump, but a wrap. Then you add another wing and a bar, start with multi-wraps first and then go from there. Have fun!
thanx for your answer. I’m going to work like this until he gets ready. I don’t really want to train cik&cap to gain time on the course (he is always 10 seconds in advance to other dogs), but essentially for him not to crash on the bar or on the ground when trying to turn tight.