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 🙂 ) |
Hello Silvia!
My dog and I started running contacts in July because I wasnt happy at all with her 2on 2off. It took 2,5 month to get to full height. It was a lot of fun to train and Im looking forward to try it in a trail.
Here is the video, what do you think?
Thank you very much!
Mareike and Mia
Great job! Looks great, maybe try it on some other dog-walks first (in other clubs) to make a transition of the behaviour to a trial easier.
Thank you very much! I will for sure try your advice and look for different dog walks to train with! 🙂 Again thank you very much! 😀 😀 😀
And good luck at the trial! 🙂
Hello Sylvia
Can you have a look at my last session?
I just start the RC on the full dog-walk and I’d like to have your opinion because as you can see, sometimes my BC does only one stride on the descent. I think it’s a jump but his hind feet are separated I don’t know if I should reward.
I don’t know if this is really a jump or if he lengthens his stride, but in any case it is not really what I want.
Can you tell me what you think and if you have any suggestions.
Thanks you for your help
Julie
At this stage (and for several stages before that one!) you are of course NOT rewarding anything that isn’t in the contact, so no, of course don’t reward misses! He sure looks great now!
Thank you very much for your answer and your advises …
See you in Liévin. 🙂
Hi Silvia, today I was watching the videos of runnig dog walk with acqua to have a plan when she recovers, she was getting worst and worst, I don`t now if a rush the things or what, because she was doing pretty runing contacts. Can you help me to make a plan when she is recovered? when is your next running class? maybe it will be next year so we can join again 🙂
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this are the last 2 videos
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Next RC class will start beginning of January, so hopefully, she is o.k. by then! I would start again on the last set up she was successful with to get many jackpotable hits first and then trying to challenge her some more with different approaches and starting points (also on a DW as such), but trying to keep her successful rate high.
Just wanted to say thanks for your past help!! It has helped me SO much in be able to finally get this…..
Yeap, that sure looks great!!! Great job!
Hi silvia,
I was wondering if the way to teach a running A-frame was the same way as a running dog walk?
Thank you
Roxanne
First few steps are the same yes, but then I don’t put so much emphasis on low hits + don’t raise it as gradually because low A-frame gives you too much flying over the top so when I reach that critical height, I raise it to full height fairly quickly.
Perfect thank you 🙂 here is one of the running contact of my black lab, can you please tell me if it looks ok for now on? sorry, i don’t know how to put it in slow motion :S
Yeap, looks good 🙂
Hi, not really a running contacts question but not sure where else to put it. I have a medium dog who has huge strides! She’s actually pretty small, probably Bedlington terrier size but she sure can jump and run! She’s trained with stopped contacts as we just dont have enough access to a dog walk to train running contacts. However, our problem is on the A-frame mainly. She absolutely is obsessed with A-frame, its her all time favourite obstacle! However, where she’s so fast getting up it she is always missing her up contacts or just getting one of her back legs on. I’ve tried sweeping her up with my hand, but she’s so focused im invisible! So I’m not really sure what to do. I have tried just letting her get on with it and seeing if it gets better by itself, but as she gets more into agility she’s loving it more and then missing it more! It’s not so much a problem on dog walk as she doesnt run so fast trying to get on it, but im a bit worried the more she does it on A-frame, the higher chance she has of doing it on dog walk.
So any ideas would be great!
For up contacts, I first try stride regulators and if that doesn’t help enough use front feet targets or shaping the dog to hit it with a plank on the ground.
Thank you Silvia for teaching us how to RUN!
Forgot my name 😉
🙂 Great job!!! Happy running! 🙂
Hi Silvia,
I have Sage and Oliver and I was in your first running contacts class. Since class Sage has been in 3 trials with mixed results. I expected it would take awhile for her to figure things out but I’m not seeing a positive pattern. Oliver has gained alot of confidence and speed and for awhile his contacts were looking great but recently both Sage and him seem to have developed a similar problem (I must be doing something wrong if they have the same problem). I’m rarely ever getting a jump and their hind feet seperation is great but they’re shortening or extending and removing a stride and leaving the dogwalk just above the contact. I don’t think I put enough emphasis on low hits in earlier training. It’s hard because I feel like my criteria is becoming muddled. I would love some advice. Thank you for all your help. I hope I haven’t messed them up too badly. 🙁
So you’re saying that not only they miss the contact because their natural stride takes them too high… They actually shorten the last stride or skip it? Hm, that’s strange. Maybe try some partial DWs, playing “get that contact” from any spot you start them: from very close to further back. You can put a tape few inches lower to where the contact starts and only click for paws over that limit.
Ok thanks for the idea I’ll try it. It’s weird they seem to be striding naturally but consistently high. If I put a target out for Sage after a jump 20ish ft from the dogwalk she drives harder and tend to get deeper hits (if she doesn’t decide to only hit once on the down plank) but it’s not lasting. It’s kinda like they’re hitting where it’s most comfortable without concern for whether it’s in the contact or not.
My corgi was also shortening or taking out a stride to avoid the yellow area once I got to a certain height. After several attempts of going all the way down in height and then working my way back up, I ended up putting a sort of target on the zone. I cut up the thin rubbery stuff people put under rugs so the rug doesn’t move and made it just a tad shorter than the contact zone. I still wanted the dog running through it and not pouncing on it or jumping on and off it, so it didn’t really change his normal running stride at all. (and I first did a few sessions with just the “mat” on the ground so he learned what I wanted before putting it on the plank. It helped a lot as I think it was easier for him to tell what I was rewarding and what I wasn’t and so added value to the yellow area. I don’t know if Silvia would approve but I tried to keep #1 criteria of running through the same.
Unfortunately I ended up giving up running contacts with that dog so it doesn’t really have a happy ending. But the decision was based more on his constant over thinking and tendency to stress and slow down. The mat itself did help a ton and was very easy to fade since it was so thin.
Yeap, I’m o.k. with mats as long as they’re not used as targets but are there just to bring more attention to that area.
Hummm… Thanks for the idea it’s definitely something for me to think about. It would help clarify where I want them to hit and that is what my problem is right now…