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 🙂 ) |
Don’t make her wait for me…..Hmmmm….She tends to be all over the place then. She might bark at me for beeing slow…;-) Or even try to grab my arm.
Should I try to look as if stopping (because I got lost, was too slow etc.) was intended all the time? I can try, but I’m not sure if I can act convincingly.
I think I would prefer to train running contacts because I just feel that Lotta will like them way better. But I’m nervous about training them on my own as my trainers don’t teach them. Is it a problem that Lotta is already walking over A-frame and dog walk in classes? Walking because that is what my trainers are asking us to do…
I started to practice cik&cip at home. I hope I can try them in class soon.
You really think I can start teaching running and 2on2off and decide later what to use? Should I use the plank for running only then?
Thanks very much for your advise!
My motto is that you can only make things/sequences more difficult so gradually that the dog can always do them at full speed. If that means just running from one cik to another (with the handler almost static inbetween), that’s o.k. If you progress too fast and a dog has to wait for you, you’re not training, you’re untraining. You’re untraining your dog from independence and obstacle focus and teaching him you’re not to be trusted as a handler as you keep changing your mind:). So whenever I can’t direct the dog, I will just throw a toy in the direction he is running, it becomes automatic.
I would for sure stop walking her over obstacles as that won’t help with whatever method you want to use and start training with speed at home: speedy getting into the position on a box/drawer/suitcase and speedy running over the plank. You can do both, but only use a plank for running first.
Basic question, couldn’t seem to find the answer…YET!
When starting running contacts using a plank on the floor, should the plank have the slats attached as a real full size dog walk would have?
I don’t think that matters… I know many people use a down ramp and therefore have the slats and those of us who use normal planks don’t have slats.
That will be quite difficult in class, as our trainers prepare sequences for all of us. Hmmmm…I guess I’ll have to do more preparation at home.
You are going to be in Germany for some workshops in summer, e.g. in Lage/Bielefeld the 5./6. 08.2010 and 7./8.08.2010 together with Polona Bonac. Are those going to be for people and dogs..;-) that already know what to do with all obstacles or for total beginners like Lotta and me, too?
You need to talk to Silke about it, but normally, all kind of people&dogs come and I always adjust sequences for different levels. I think those seminars are even more important for those just starting as for experienced handlers, so I would for sure recommend you to come! Would be great to see Lotta run!
Advice needed.
Posted video a while ago of two labs I am working with. Daisy was having trouble and jumping at the bottom, Maggie was doing really well. I only see them once every week or two, their owner works with them an additional once or twice a week.
Daisy is still having trouble. We lowered the DW and she was running 80% of the time, but ALWAYS jumping the first run across the board. She is a little more worried than Maggie and can be sound sensitive, so we also have had issues with things spooking her. Today we started with the board flat on the ground then raised it to about 24 inches. That seemed to go well. How should we proceed? Start each session with a flat board to remind her? Lower the whole DW more? Here’s video, there was one jump, but not right at the beginning --
We raised the DW for Maggie, she keeps on doing really well, did not miss a single run --
I should add that I am not running because I was just sending the dog, their owner was calling from end of DW. She hurt her leg and could not run much, but this seemed to work well to get them excited.
The third dog, same owner, is a very small Norfolk Terrier. She has been doing great, but at the new height is taking a very long stride at the bottom. Not sure if I’d call it a jump, and she definitely has all four feet well in the contact zone. Should we be concerned?
Hm, hard to say what to the with the Norfolk, he will in fact probably do all his contacts that way too, but it’s for sure not the best style for longer striding dogs… You can either continue and see what happens or insist he runs the way as he does on some of the reps in the video. For Daisy, try to make a first try easier (doing just the down ramp, putting a toy on the floor…), but in general I think you’re on a good way with her, there is a clear difference between jumping and running, so easy for her to understand it and her success rate is high enough, so I think the problem will disappear with more experience and confidence.
I will ask her. That would just be perfect!
Another video of our running contacts. This is the first training on raised plank. Now the plank is about 18 inches high.
I would like to ask you what do you think about second try (in slow motion it is the second one too)? Would you reward it or not?
Thank you!
Nice! I would reward all tries yes, all are great!
Another question…;-) I just met a girl with a border collie who is training both -- 2on2off and running contacts. She will ask her dog to stop if there is a difficult turn or a misleading tunnel behind dog walk or A-frame and to run if the next obstacle is ahead or at least easy enough for the dog to do in front of her. She told me her BC understands and works accordingly in about 90 %. That he almost never jumps on A-frame or dog walk just on the see-saw which he finds scary… I haven’t seen her doing a parcour with her dog yet, though.
What do you think? Could that work? Or is it too difficult to understand for the dog?
Yes, it works, there are several dogs already that have both. The important thing is that you use two different cues then and that you first teach running (and 2on2off only on a box or something) and only then add 2on2off.
It really works? Cool! I guess that is what I’m going to try then….:-) I really like the idea. Do you see any risk?
Can you recommend a video showing a dog doing both?
Okay then. I will start training running contacts on a plank like you describe and practice 2on2off seperately on a box etc. At what stage do I put the two methods together? When she is able to do running contacts on the dog walk? Or when the plank is raised a certain level?
Thank you so very much for yor advice!
I don’t see any risk, other than it takes at least twice as much time as just training one behaviour:). And yes, you only put 2on2off on real equipment when she can do running already. You can see a video of BC doing both in one of older posts and there is another link on LoLaBu website.
Polona’s Kisa can do both, she has a video of her doing RC and 2on/2off on the same competition on her webpage http://polona.agility-slo.net/
And a little update on Tani: I think me just running ahead helps her a lot. There is HUGE improvement in training! Yesterday I took her to Ilirija after the trial, we finished in MB early and she was still totally full of adrenaline so I wanted to do some RC training with her in this state 🙂 It was perfect, she was hitting lower than usually (2/3), and I think she’s never been so fast and focused ahead. Her success rate was also great, she only missed 1 or 2 but with legs far separated. She also did well on guided training this week, so I think her style really should stabilize with just experience. I hope trying out different dogwalks on competitions will also help her to realize that it’s always the same and that she’ll gain confidence this way.
Today I had someone to take a video of Suris RC.
I was on full height allready (only working with the down ramp at home) without problems, good speed and nearly 100% hitrate.
But when I changed to the trainingsplace ( still doing only the down ramp, same rubber material)she jumped and her hitrate was really bad. So I started with the plank down on the floor again, standing about 10m after the contact calling her to get enough speed.
This is what it looks like.
What do you think about our work?
Thanks !
Judith
Was she jumping on new equipment or leaving early? On this video, she is not jumping, but she is higher as ideally. Try to vary the starting point and jackpot lower hits. Was she lower on your original plank or not?
I am sure that ist isn’t the equipment that makes her jump and I varied the startingpoint right from the beginning so I don’t think that could be the problem.
I don’t know how to teach her coming lower. Of course I tried to click her for lower hits but in the end most times it looks like on the video…
On the original plank in our garden it looked a little bit better but I think she started hitting higher and higher. (On the video you can see her on the original plank- but allready on our trainingsmeadow).
We had a similar problem. I retrained our contacts to RC and did it all in our garden. When we started with the dog walk (just the down plank) in the trainingsplace, both dogs did many faults. I think, it was very difficult for them to concentrate on their job in this “new” place. We needed more drive and focus ahead -- so I gave “better” rewards in the bowl (chicken meat…, my shelties love it), held the dog on the DW and then just ran. It helped a lot!
I´m sorry for my english;-) Here is Riči and his DW after some trainings (2 years old video):
Thanks for the video, it looks great!
And what did she do on a real dog-walk, jump or leave even higher as that? Also, if you can find a starting point that would help her come lower, I would keep working from that point for some time to get higher % of lower hits and only then try to vary it again. Also, training for turns sometimes helps them understand that it’s important to take the last stride from the very end, not just anywhere it takes you.