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 🙂 ) |
Will do! Thank you so much Silvia!!! I will let you know how it goes =)
Hi Silvia! I’m an agility junior from Wisconsin and I’d really like to know what you think about my Boston terrier’s dogwalk performance. Looking forward to hearing from you, thanks much!
Jess
Was I seeing that correctly? Does he do two in a half strides on the down ramp? That’s awesome!! I’m Silvia’s running contacts class with my golden and Silvia thinks Sage should learn to run the down ramp in one in a half. Did you just figure that out on his own?
Whoops. I meant “did he just figure that out on his own”.
Yes, she strides down in two usually! I think she pretty much figured it out on her own, she really extends a lot when she runs, aha! I’m really looking forward to see what others, and Silivia have to say! c: Thanks!
Looks awesome Jessica!! Good job! My 12″ jumping dog would like to do it in two strides, but his strides are not extended enough, so he has to adjust to do it in three and that makes it so much harder for him. Did you do this on your own or did you have a coach?
Did it on my own. 😮 We’ve never taken any classes of any type.
Well, that is impressive!! Nicely done!!!
GREAT job!!! She definitely seems to understand the game, I love all the variety of hits she is giving you. And what a great speed for such a small dog! Great job! When do you start trialing, I’m sure you two will do great!
She’s trialed twice before, but she has a trial this weekend. 😮 If I get any good clips I share them with you. Thanks so much Silvia!
Good luck! And have fun! 🙂
I think this has come up before and I can’t remember your answer. If someone wanted to train just a running a-frame, but not a RDW, would you teach it the same way? What if someone wanted to join the RDW class for just that, the a-frame, could they do that? I have a friend who might, as she only wants a running a-frame. Thanks, Amy
Sure, she can join, she will just need to ignore the assignments and work on her own thing. It’s just the carpet part that is the same, then I go directly to flat A-frame and raise it slowly, when teaching just running A-frame.
Do you have videos of your dog’s a-frames? I am running into folks doubting Spur’s good a-frame just was a freebee I got from doing a RDW and that it was just a fluke.
I never really bothered to tape it as it’s so easy it’s boring… 🙂 Saying that, I remembered I did once tape it on a request and can still find it on YouTube, it dates to 1st Feb 2007 and Bu didn’t miss not even one not before and not after 🙂
Thanks, that’s a good one because she shows a variety of strides! 😀
Hello Sylvia,
Thanks for your blog and for sharing your method.
I’ve read your blog and I decided to learn to my young BC running contact.
At the beginning when the plank was on the floor the results didn’t satisfied me at all. So I decided to put the plank on the wall. My BC had to jump go on the begin of the plank, it was in order to see if it can help him to adjust his strides. And the results improved.
Currently, there’s 3 sessions ago, at the middle of the session he begins to jump. And now he jumps mostly of the sessions.
I dond’t understand.
I think when he have a big jump to do to go on the plank it”s OK, but when he came from a table he has no jump to do and it’s wrong.
Perhaps I should start at the beginning with no speed before the plank (begin the plank from the stop)??? Perhaps he don’t understand?
I have no other idea to explain that situation…
Can you have a look at my video that sum’s up all my sessions from the beginning. And can you tell me what is your feeling about my problem?
Thanks, and sorry for my bad english (I’m French)
Well, I see many problems at the beginning of your elevated plank work… The dog is not running full speed, looks at you instead of forward, you pay too much attention to him hitting as to the form of running etc. Interestingly, the dog starts to run better&better anyway, but I think it’s still not in full extension… I think he needs to learn to do it in full extension so one way would go to back to a flat plank, forget about the hits and focus on running vs. jumping. Another way would be to bring the speed in gradually by putting him further and further back on a low DW, but I think the first way is safer.
OK thanks for your advises.
I’ll try the first solution next time
Thanks a lot 🙂
Hi Silvia! I’ve been studying your method for some time and decided to take the plunge and train my bearded collie puppy a running dogwalk. We had our ups and downs with it as I at first had trouble seeing and marking the running and NOT jumping, but we hit a big milestone and got to full height this past week! We still have lots of things to work on (turns!), but its been a fun journey so far. Here’s a little video of how our training progressed. If you have any thoughts/suggestions I’d love to hear them!
Cheers from the US,
Shannon and beardie Beckham
Great job! Beautiful video! Fun to watch all that flying fur 🙂 He is sure having lots of fun!
Thanks! Yes, he does have fun. I guess we wouldn’t do much agility if it wasn’t fun! 🙂
Hey Silvia,
Would like to know what you think of these repetitions?
It is only his first time doing the plank off the dogwalk, we previously just did the raised plank! I rewarded all of them even though some he came off the side and the one was a little bit of a leap.
Thanks
Katie
Look great! Ready to raise it some!
Thanks Silvia 🙂 Up we will go!
So Silvia, I thought you might enjoy seeing Shiver’s RDW progress since you first met her in February at the seminar in Minnesota (reminder- the dogwalk performance was not so good then!).
Since then we’ve worked hard on a re-retrain, focusing on learning to run and not revert to old behaviors or LEAP. We’ve got some work left to build confidence, but it’s getting there!
Shenna
Wow, that sure looks MUCH better! Great job!!! Go Shiver!
Hi there, I’ve been working on a running contact with my dog Copper since last winter -- it’s a lot of fun! I still have trouble on occasion with determining if he is really running or sneaking some jumps in there. Here’s a recent clip of a pretty typical contact performance for us -- I would really like to have some feedback on how he looks. Thank you!
Looks like running to me! Would be good to get him extend even more and get even deeper, so I would jackpot those tries, but even this try is good enough: definitely in and with separated hind feet. Great job!
Thanks, Silvia! He is not the most confident dog in the world when it comes to running full speed in agility, so it is definitely something I will continue to work on and jackpot when he does show more speed & confidence.