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 🙂 ) |
Hi Silvia,
I’m still having problems with my plank flat on the ground. My dog will run across and stride nicely across the board but every 4 or 5 attempts she will leap off the end of the plank. I have tried with food placed out front, a toy placed out front, throwing a toy while in motion, sending her around a wing to all of the reward options, standing still and retraining her, calling her across, running with…and still the same issue.
I have read through quite a bit of your blog and I can only come up with 2 possible reason as to why she does this 1) the board is too thick and has some issue with the board itself or 2) she is not running her fastest across the plank.
I am going to get another thickness of plank tomorrow but if that doesn’t work, is there anything wrong with me trying to put a tunnel at the end of the plank to encourage her to run her fastest (she is starting of have a bit of obsession with the tunnel)? I can put a jump instead if you think that would be better but I am sure she would run harder for a tunnel.
Please help…what do you think I should try next?
Sure, you can use the tunnel. You can also roll out a long carpet and just run her over there. To diagnose the problem better, I would need to see the video.
Sylvia, We are starting over again training her running contacts this spring… with much better results… I did move the plank so she has a LITTLE more room before getting on… I probably could move it some more… I think I know better what I am looking for too… When will you post the new long distance Running Contacts class? We are still very busy with the Tricks Class, but I don’t want to miss a chance with your Running Contacts class… -Dinah
here is yesterday’s video:
Much better, but yes, try to give her even more room and maybe use that soccer ball, she sure RUNS for that one! I’ll open RC class end of March, we start in April.
Sylvia, Stella is making some progress… you were right about the soccer ball--I tossed it for her on the last three runs and she did give a little more speed. I will play with that some more.
I have a question and maybe it can wait until the class starts… She is maybe thinking too much about her feet at the end of the board?? She is getting better and better and in this session she only had one jump off the board, but I noticed as I was watching back the video that sometimes her next stride AFTER the board was extra long… which makes me think in the super-charged energy of a trial that big stride could easily be ON the end of the board again…
Maybe playing with the soccerball in between runs more would super-charge her enough to test that?
Yes, definitely try to put her in as excited mode as possible! Otherwise, the contacts might fall apart later on…
Hi Silvia.
What size is the best for a plank?
Length, width and thickness?
I have thought off bying a plywood plate (2cm thick) and cut it to a plan 240cm x 30 cm.
The rest of the plywood plate can be used for an agility table 😉
Agility table, what is that? 🙂 Oh, the stupid thing we only see on World Championships, from some strange reason…
The plank I start RC with is less than 1cm thick, about 80cm wide and not very long (2m maybe), so I can’t use it for very long. As soon as I add some height, I switch to my my other plank that is 1cm thick, 35 or 40cm wide and 3m long. For a small dog, your size should be o.k. too, it’s just the first step that is harder if you have such a narrow plank.
Here is our first attempt at a plank off the ground. I see a number of jumps, and then a number of times where I feel she is meeting the criteria of not jumping but still very high on the board. There were two in the set that I was very happy with but I was unable to see them enough to jack pot them!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=user/agiityaddict?feature=mhum#p/a/u/0/D6wnM-R5Thg
Questions: based on this video should we move back to a plank on the ground and stay there a bit longer?
Thanks.
Wendy
I only see one or two jumps, the rest is running, but she is mostly too high because she jumps on a plank from so far and then doesn’t get deep enough. Did you try with different start points? If she didn’t jump on a plank from so far, her two strides would take her nicely low and then you would have more things to jackpot. There is no reason to move back to the ground as she is not jumping, just find a better starting point so that you have more things to jackpot and then she can see the difference and starts to put some effort into getting there -- it’s normal she doesn’t for now, but it’s time to work on it now that she is running pretty much all.
Hi Silvia,
She is coming from a tunnel about 20 feet away. I can move the tunnel closer but because I have torn a ligament in my knee I can not run right now so need the tunnel to get a head start.
Do you think moving the tunnel closer would help or would she still jump from the same distance?
Thanks!
Wendy
Try 🙂
Ok was not sure where to put this but here is a place of high traffic!. All you makers of lovely videos -- I run windows XP 2002 sp3. Can anyone recommend free video editing software? I don’t have a video camera, just video function on a normal digital camera.
Windows Movie Maker should be on your system. Easy to use and it’s what I use. Have fun!
if it isn’t already on your system -- you can download it for free. just google it. that’s what I use too. Very easy!
Hi Silvia,
I’ve been practicing the RC on a plank with Maia and she’s been doing extremely well, so last week I raised the plank by 5cm. She had a success rate of 100%. It seems she did not even notice that the board was raised at all. The next day, I went to train at an arena that I rent once a week, and decided to practice again. However they did not have anything to raise the plank with so I had to use a tunnel sand bag, which raised the plank to about 20cm! She had more jumps, but still had a success rate of 60%.
Should I keep it at 20cm or should I lower to it maybe 10cm?
I also found that by me ‘encouraging’ her with a ‘gogogogo’ helps to keep her cadance and rhythm. Have you found that?
Here is her video of both practices:
httpv://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq52/ChinookMaia/?action=view¤t=medium.mp4
Still not working, so maybe this one:
http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq52/ChinookMaia/?action=view¤t=medium.mp4
Looks great! I prefer to heave more often by smaller steps, so I would go to 10cm first and then go from there. And yes, I love the “gogogo” 🙂
Only saw the whole video now… I don’t agree with your definition of jumping, though. There is a difference between jumping and missing the contact.
Ok, so what do I do for missing the contact if she is still running?
I will definitely lower the plank for her. It was not my intent to raise the plank so much for her, but I had nothing else to raise it with. I will bring my own bricks so I am not stuck using tunnel bags again 🙂
I watched the video again, and I see that her legs are apart but she gets ‘higher’ as if she is jumping on some of them. So would that not be considered a jump because she propels herself higher into the air than her other strides? This is very confusing, and so hard to know what to reward and what not to (and usually I click anyway -- so is it ok to click right after she is off the plank?) Sorry for all the questions…
P.S. I cannot wait for the RC class! 😀
O.k., if she is higher, then you don’t reward. What I saw was a completely normal striding, but sometimes taking the last stride from the contact and sometimes from above, that’s no big deal. You can jackpot for lower hits, but running as such is enough for a reward. Ideally, you click the moment her feet are still on the plank, but I know: it’s hard!
I reward, but don’t jackpot. And at one point end rewarding it and only reward low hits, but only when the plank is higher.
Hey Silvia,
I started back up with my plank work again with AMP on a 2 foot wide and 7 foot long board. Previously she was running down the plank, but sometimes just didn’t do the correct criteria. Today when I tried she didn’t want to go on the plank. It wasn’t a scared of plank or anything, it seems more like she just doesn’t really see the point and would rather run around it to get the ball. I tried a couple things like: moving her closer, throwing the ball sooner, throwing ball later, stand up further, walking forward and she still wouldn’t consistently go on the board. I got her to go on a few times, but maybe a handful of times. I am really not sure where to go from here though??
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance
Katie
Well, what was your original plank like and why did you switch? To keep them on the plank, I always first start very close to the plank, with front feet on already and then move them further back when they know it’s about the plank. You can also help them with cones, poles, wings or something else to make them see the plank better.
I started way back with a normal regulation Dogwalk plank and then after talking with you switched to a 7 foot long about 2 feet wide and 1/2 inch thick board. I am still using that board now, but have not done it for awhile.
Ok so I should be starting her closer to the plank, since she hasn’t done the plank in quite some time! That I think will help 🙂 If not I will see if a pole indicating there is a board there might do the trick as well 🙂
I am going to try that tonight and see how it goes!
Thanks again Silvia you are a life saver 🙂
Katie
Hey Silvia,
I took video from tonight.
I rewarded anything where she was staying on the board or attempting to stay on the board. The ones marked “Horray” where she stayed on and had good foot work I gave her a big reward 🙂
Let me know what you think
Thanks
Katie
Cool, great hind feet separation! Time to start jackpotting the lowest hits.
Ok I will do that 🙂 Do you think that I should raise it yet or wait until I am getting more consistentsy on the flat work?
Thanks
Katie
Good news from us today. With help from Manca and her ‘magic’ ball Peppers contacts were amazing today 🙂
I was throwing the ball and he did the last plank in 3 strides 🙂 He was quite high up on contact most of the tries but the plank is about 40cm longer still, so I think when I take off the extention his contact will be nice and deep.
He had some jumps but only when my throwing was waaay off.
Tanja
That sounds about right! 🙂
Alright here was again tonight of AMP.
I am kinda concerned that she is only doing the board because of the ball not because she is understanding her job, is this something that I should be concerned about? or as I add height will the coming off the side cure it’s self?
Do you think I should raise the plank or wait until she is hitting better?
Thanks
Katie
Maybe you should join the running contacts class 🙂
I have cinsidered that 🙂 trying to save up for it!