For more on running contacts, it's best to join running contacts class or get a Running Contacts DVD. This page is meant for those who just have a quick question or want to show their finished product - you are very welcome to do so, it still brings a smile to my face when I see a beautiful running contact, it's something addictive about it. It is on times frustrating as well... - but it all makes the end result even sweeter. So... Happy training, everybody!
 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 🙂 ) |
Yesterday’s session was nearly 100% success!!! This is the first time since throwing the ball as far in advance as he can see it that I have had no jumping. He still adjusts his stride some and has many where he doesn’t seperate his hind feet much, but I know he is working hard at being successful and thinking through this. With all his worries and our past issues this is HUGE!!! Each session has more and more success and I could not be more thrilled! We still have a long way to go, as everything he does takes a lot of time, but he is happy and showing more speed every time.
Cheers!!! Amy and Little Spur
Sounds great! Looks fast on this picture!
Do you have any suggestions after seeing the second video I posted? (The one that’s not dark.)
Thanks 🙂
Hannah
Yes, that looked much better, she definitely runs there and her hind feet are definitely separated, I thought you said she keeps them together? I would still teach her to fetch a ball to get a treat, though, it’s much easier to get rid of a toy as a static food dispenser.
Yeah, she stopped pushing off with her back feet together after I asked you about it. Lol, go figure.
I’ll work on encouraging Sage to run to a toy. After you mentioned it I tried throwing a ball and she was actually chasing it. I think the key for her is not having both toys and food out at the same time because then she doesn’t care about the toy anymore.
When you use toys are they stationary or moving?
You have no idea how great it feels hear you say it looked good. I can’t wait until we’re ready to try it on a real dogwalk! Thanks again 🙂
I mostly only use moving toys now, it gives you more speed AND is easier to get rid of.
Ok thanks. I’ll try using a ball next time I train. Thank you for all your help 🙂 I’m not sure exactly what will be in your running contacts class. Do you think it would be beneficial for us?
Hannah
I will post a detailed description soon. I think it will be interesting for all, training running contacts, it will give guidelines and feedback at each stage.
dear Silvia,
As you said, Charlies running contacts improved very much when i started to just run and not think so much about it!
Unfortunately, we now have a problem with turning after dogwalk. He is sometimes doing such a big jump at the end when i tell him to turn. you can see it here:
so i just read your FAQ on turns again, and i think we have a problem with timing and with the command, my command for turning is just a “chachacha” -- so only his name -- in contrast to “runrunrun” for running … do you think it would be better if i said something like turn?
Greets, Laura and Charlie 🙂
Hm, no, unfortunately I don’t think there is such a simple solution as just changing the name… I think you need to teach the behaviour as such… Did you specifically train turns (with a pole and all) or not yet?
Yes, i did train it and they were good, mostly better than running straight … so okay no simple solution, but training, training, training i guess 🙂 hahaha
thank you
Hi Silvia,
I am hoping you can help me. I am trying to teach my dog running contacts and have been working off the notes in your section of step by step.
I have attached a video for your review. As you can see,s he is very eager to run across, but I am having trouble getting her to actually hit the yellow. Her stride seems to be off. Should I be concerned at this height or is the goal to simply run the plank at this point?
I am wondering what to do next to improve performance? My dog has never been taught anot other way of contacts -- she has no idea anything but running so she is not being retrained. This is her first method of training. I would be very opne to an criticism or thoughts you have about what we are doing. Thanks,
Victoria
NB, Canada
Hm, I think her last stride might be somewhat higher… Did you try to change her starting point? Also, jackpot for more hind feet separation, that would take her in.
Thanks I will try to change her starting point, for the most part it was roughly the same starting point for each time in this clip, I would say about 10 feet back. I have the clip with slo motion that shows her feet better. I am unsure how to encourage more hind feet separation….but very eager to get this right. Here is the other clip with slomo if it helps get an idea of her stride better. I read that you don’t use use the stride regulators or props to assist? This is all new to me, sorry for so many questions, but I am hoping we can succeed! 🙂
Nope, no stride regulators, just a plank and a clicker 🙂 You can simply shape more hind feet separation. Try to put her somewhat further back, might make her striding better.
thanks! got it I think…For today’s session I went back to the flat plank and she had better hind feet separation so will focus on that and build again. She was great on the flat and when I changed her starting point it (as you suggested) it did take her in to the contact area better.
Thanks, back to work! 🙂
Delta is doing the full dogwalk now. As you predicted, she stopped hitting with her front feet and switched to rear feet.
It is interesting seeing the whole dogwalk as she runs with her rear feet split quite wide across the top plank but usually has them close on the last stride -- sometimes together. I am jackpotting the widest splits. Just beginning turns on the plank now.
Looks great! It looks even faster as 1.36s, very nice style of running, will be fun to run real courses with her! When do you start trialing?
Yes she will be a lot of fun for sure! We have done 1 jumpers run at a trial. Very fast, very fun.
Started turns yesterday. On the plank, not the full dogwalk, and she offered all front feet hits. She does all rear feet on the full dogwalk now. (see video from a few days ago). I wonder if I will need to do turns on the full dogwalk so that she has the same footwork. Here are a few samples of the turns off the plank (very shallow turns hardly any turn at all at this point).
Thanks!
Yeah, with shallow turns, you can easily use a normal dog-walk. I use a plank when I go directly to sharp turns.
Hi Silvia,
I ‘m teaching my dog RC step by step just like you wrote on your page,but I’m doing this on shorter plank than you ( 190cm) and at first step it wasn’t a problem -( I think) because I’ve let the dog earlier ( I mean he has run this absent pease of plank on a grass). And now I am in 3rd step, and my dog is hiting contact. we have got 100%, but I do not know do should I letting my dog on this plank, or by now stop teaching this and waiting for new plank ?
I think you need a longer plank now.
So I restarted doing running contacts with my corgi after talking to you during your Minnesota seminar! Lance was originally doing running contacts a year and a half ago but I gave it up and switched to 4 on the floor after 6 months of struggling. This time around seems to be going much better!
I know that running vs jumping is the most important criteria and I think we are doing very well with that respect. My question is how much emphasis do you begin to put on foot placement as you start to raise the board. At a certain height Lance was hitting decently low but with the board raised just a tiny bit higher the majority of hits are now pretty high up although I think he is still running nicely. I am currently rewarding almost everything but really jackpoting the few times he does manage to get lower on the board.
Do I stay at this height or even lower it until I am getting more lower hits or could I raise the board since I don’t think he is jumping??? Is there a certain height where foot placement starts to play a bigger role in your criteria other than just jackpotting the nicer hits? Here’s a few clips of a session before and after the raise that has made this difference:
I thought you said corgis don’t run with separated hind feet! Lance does! 🙂 He is definitely not jumping no, I think the reason he is higher on a higher board isn’t the height, but that he is running slower, therefore his strides are shorter and he ends higher. Did you try running with him, as you did on a lower plank, it could be that made him faster? Or start him further back? You could also go to the next height, sometimes one height is just harder for them because of their natural striding. At this point, I try to help by changing the starting position to have more things to jackpot, it’s only later in the process (when being close to the final height and/or already doing full dog-walk, with the plank at the end) that I expect them to be able to do stride adjustments.
I know I have to eat my words! He doesn’t always run with hind feet separated but is doing it more and more. Silly corgi!
Thanks for the response, I am really happy with how he is doing this time around I just wasn’t sure when it would be time to add in foot placement into my criteria. I will focus on speeding him up and just have fun with running!
We finally got some running AND hitting the contacts low on the 4,2m long plank yesterday. I was sooo happy 🙂
He is still running a bit slower than on the home plank, and my hope was that he was going to run faster on this one because he has more room to build up speed… But I haven’t used up all the tricks in my bag yet, so I’m counting on getting more speed next time.
If you’re interested, here’s an example of running on the home plank: rel="nofollow ugc">
Sorry, the first video is from the 4,2 plank, the second one is on the home plank (3m long). It seems that a part of the text I wrote was eaten by software bugs.
I can’t see the first video, it’s forbidden because of the music you used, but WOW, he sure looks great on a second one!!! Very cool!
Thanks! 🙂
Oh, I didn’t notice that they blocked the first video 🙁 I swapped the audio with one of their approved songs, so it should be available now.
Hi !I put a board of 140 cm onto a wooden base, height of 20 cm.
What do you think?
MUCH better!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Some tries are perfect, jackpot those! The tries she has hind feet together and pushing off, don’t reward that enthusiastically.
thank you Silvia
Today was not like yesterday 🙁
I have to solve the first problem is the starting point that is very slippery
I tried to remove the poles , but my dog always went out out.
I do not use the click, i say good and when my dog does not jump , i go to him and play fast and loose.
Today I’m wrong, because I said good even when he jumped
Hi Silvia.
I’m looking foreward to the longdistance course in running contacts.
I have started to teach my dad’s Sheltie running contacts. I do not have a thin plank, so i used the real dogwalk. I’m in need of time, so i tried to higten the plank to soon, and the we got the nonacceptable behavior.
I have made video of every days training.
Well, first video doesn’t look like my method at all, the dog looks back at you and jumps off the contact every time (he is in, but definitely jumping). Last video looks better, rushing things up will put a final goal further.