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!
 Last call for May classes! You can still join us in Tricks/Puppy class – or Running Contacts Repeaters class!!! |
 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, you suggested I did tunnel-AF -- tunnel-AF to see if I could get more extension, so I just wanted to show you what I got. Success rate wasn’t very high…
Still mostly in I think? -- But yes, she was losing reach and separation and ended too high from that reason… The striding is good and would take her in, if only she would keep the running style rather as get leapy. Try a couple of more sessions, selecting for the best ones and see if she figures out what gets her JPs.
HI Silvia!!!! I hope it is OK to post this. I don’t need any help, we are well on our way to success and I just wanted to show you this great session! I lowered the second apex just a little and boy did that work!!!! 😀 I didn’t use the carpet because it was just blowing off in the wind. I guess I don’t need it anyway!! 😀 Two reps at the beginning didn’t get taped because the iPad fell over in the wind, but they were GREAT!!! 😀
Looks like this might work!!! I will try the other direction next time.
Oh and I have NO idea why the PWM airport words are in my text????? I can’t remove them????
OH shoot, and the second NR is wrong, obviously, LOL!!!
That sure was very interesting comment to Jones’s RC 🙂
Works like magic! Really cool!!!
Hi, Silvia:
My Aussie puppy will be a year old next week. We’ve been working on a 2o2o DW and I’d like to begin working on a running AF. Should I start with the AF flat and get my boy used to running on it at full speed and then start working on rewarding the hits in the contact zone? Or would it be better to start with the apex at about 12″ and stress hitting the contact zones from the start?
Rose
Hi, Silvia:
I’ve been working on a 2o2o DW with my young dog. He will be a year old next week and I would like to start working on a running AF, but I’m not quite sure what is the best way to start. I’m thinking about putting it down to the ground completely like you show with the DW and get him to run over it at speed. Then I’d start marking the hits in the contact zones. Once he’s hitting 80% of the time, I’d raise the AF to one foot. From there I’d keep raising the height by 6 to 12 inches until we’re at full height. Have any of your students tried this and have they been successful?
Rose Kirwan
Yes, start flat and then raise it slowly. Most of the students go for RC on a DW as well, but it can also be used for just AF yes.
Hi Silvia
Some of our competition leagues uses 8 ft plank while other uses 12 ft plank for dog walk. What length do you recommend when we train the dogwalk so that the dogs will be proficient for both lengths?
Thanks!
Both 🙂 Mostly use 12ft, but do try to make a training on 8ft as well before a trial on that length.
Thank you Silvia. Looking forward to your running contact online class.
Hi Silvia,
I’ve taken several of your courses with my Golden Retriever, Rue. I now have a new puppy named Rumble that I’m looking forward to putting in your Foundations and RC’s classes as soon as you offer them again. He is 7.5mo old and we just started running on the carpet this past week. He’s had 4 sessions now and the most recent was using a tunnel before the carpet. I think he is doing great! I’ve been watching your RC DVD as well. I am planning to do another session like this past one with the tunnel start and then mark my carpet and start selecting for hits instead of just running. I was a little unclear while watching your DVD as to what point I should switch to a dogwalk plank or if I should go with some other type plank or ??? Also, the tunnel is about 14′ before the carpet right now and he’s getting really really nice hits with that set up. Assume I should keep it where it is distance wise for several sessions while I’m selecting for jackpot hits before moving the tunnel back? Do you think he’s running full speed enough with that amount of room? Here’s a link to our last session. Thank you for your time! Can’t wait until you open your next session of classes!
The last set up gave you enough extension to continue with it yes -- but not full yet. However, more extension would give you misses as he seems to prefer to start a carpet with ff and then there is not enough room for 2 hits, so maybe just keep this set up for a couple of sessions, selecting for hits, and then move to a longer set up so he has more striding options. You can use your DW planks if they’re thin enough -- most US DWs are thin enough for flat use and most European DWs aren’t, that’s why we need an extra plank 🙂
Longer set up as in longer space between tunnel and carpet?
Would you put 2 DW planks side by side or length wise 2 planks? Or just use one plank?
Thank you!
Kristin
Well, I just went back and re-read your FAQ’s from the RC class I took with Rue a couple of years ago. You said to someone else with a long strided dog to make carpet 20′ or to put 2 planks end to end. I imagine that is what you mean by longer set up?
Yes, exactly. You will need longer carpet/planks end to end for that.
Thank you!!!!!!
Silvia,
I hate to keep bothering you here, but didn’t see this in the troubleshooting on your DVD. So I went to a flattened aframe from the carpet since you suggested I get longer set up for his stride. I thought the transition from carpet to DW planks would be too large for him, so did aframe boards instead. He’s had 3 sessions on the aframe boards and is back to full running across and I seem to have found a good starting spot with a tunnel that will get good hits. I am wondering how long I should stay with this set up before transitioning to the DW planks end to end. Here’s his most recent session. All reps were starting in a stay before the board until the last three which were tunnel start. In the first 2 sessions, he would leap off the end if we started with the tunnel. He now seems much more comfortable running and I of course prefer the speed we get from the tunnel start. Thank you in advance and sorry again to bother you here. Looking forward to being able to get him into your next class!
Last 3 looked great, but do a couple of more sessions on this set up if he was not really comfortable about it at first and then switch to DW planks. Use barriers if necessary to help him stay on.
Silvia,
Can I join the RC class that is going on currently or do I have to wait until the next session this winter? I’d really love to have your feedback as I work through this 🙂
Kristin
There is no RC class at the moment… You could join last class as an auditor, but commenting is closed at this point…
Ok, bummer. I took this class before with my other dog, so am looking through notes from that. Thanks!
Bugging you again real quick. I see next RC class will be in November and Foundations in September. Very much looking forward to signing Rumble up for both of those! I just wanted to show you our reps today on the low dogwalk. This was his 2nd time on the low dogwalk after progressing from carpet, to 2 planks side by side on a 3″ table to 1 plank on table to the low dogwalk. The first 2 reps are from a stay about 15′ before the DW and then the rest are tunnel start about 18′ before. I think for the most part his running is good, but he is frequently striding over the contact (looks like he’s trying to do it in 3 strides). After reviewing my video, I decided to move the tunnel about 2′ closer to see if it’s just a matter of start point, but I haven’t done any more reps on it yet. Please let me know what you think. I can attach his plank sessions too if that helps.
It’s normal he is going for 3 strides from speedy approaches on this height yes. You can continue with some speedy approaches for 3 stride hits and to get more consistency, find a good starting spot for 4 stride hits. You will need to limit his speed more as a tunnel a bit closer for that though -- more like a stay at 8ft or a wrap at 5ft.
Fabulous! Thank you again :). Will see you in Foundations soon!
Hi Silvia, could you please give me some advises about this sequence? How would you drive this exit? Like a straight exit (extended strides)? or like a tight turn (collected strides)?
Thank you
Like a straight exit with my listening dogs and like collection exit with Bi 🙂
Thank you very much (Nakhal isn’t a listening dog 😉 )
Hello!
I am a Junior agility-addict from Hungary, and i have a very sensitive- shy Spaniel who is crazy about anything that involves fetching, running and agility 🙂
We are gradually overcoming our fears, and becoming faster and faster on the agility field each day, even on competitions!
Anyways, our biggest weakness was contacts. She was trained with 2o2o, and can easily do it on any object. However, on AF and DW, the more i ask her to
stop, the bigger she jumps.
Luckily i found LoLaBu (BiLeTo :D) Land, and found out about running contacts in the beginning of 2014- and after researching the topic, we began our journey in March.
And then came the early struggles… that really made me think we should give up, but Szeder already loved the idea of not having to stop… So there was no turning back.
And now, we are doing full height Dogwalks, in only 3 months!
Last weekend, we had our first trial using running contacts, and it went well, so well, that i couldn’t catch up with her after the dogwalk!
So i thank you for being so inspirational and Szeder thanks you for inventing running contacts, which is pure awesomeness!!!
Wow, so happy to hear that! RC sure are so much fun, no wonder Szeder likes it much better as a stop!
Dear Silvia
We have problems. Mora is running nicely all 2 ramps, then changes the leg. it looks like she is preparing to be on the end and than has both hind feet together. She is in or not, usually on the border. if she will has separation she would be nicely in. it worry me very much because it looks like leaping and become habit.
I need your advice and help
But… She is leaping because she is curling into you in anticipation of a toy… You lost all the forward focus, that’s why she is not driving through anymore. Go back to a toy thrown in advance and then fade it again, but ALWAYS having an obstacle after the DW and ALWAYS asking her to take it even on misses (I see you turn her back to you here after NR -- NOT good!).
Thank you. I will work on focus ahead. I hope we will be able to rework it 🙁