Agility Jump Skills Task: Set Point Exercise

I am so bummed, I had done this task with the new slow motion feature on my iPad with the idea I would use the video clips in this blog post. But something odd happened because I'm still getting used to how things work with features like that...and the videos were uploaded to my computer without the slow motion intact. Ugh....so I have just regular speed clips of what the boys did with this exercise. I'm sorry about that. The next time I do this exercise, I'll upload the slow motion videos directly to YouTube from my iPad. Ugh.

The set point exercise is a simplified jump grid for agility dogs. I also am a firm believer that competitive obedience dogs who are preparing for Open and Utility would also really benefit from doing this sort of jump training. If you are seasoned in agility, then you might recognize this jumping exercise from Susan Salo and her jump grids materials. This is found on her Foundation Jumping DVD and her new book Jumping Grid Workbook . Both resources are available on Clean Run's website and I do recommend any of Salo's material. This agility task is part of our Agility Jumping Skills Task Pack and is available on our website: www.trainemtasks.com

The set point exercise is pretty much the only grid that will teach your dog the proper mechanics of getting themselves to lift off of the ground  and over a jump. There is no speed, there is no distance, and there is no influence from the handler on this one....it's just the dog jumping one jump. This grid really should be often as a dog is learning how to jump so they get used to how jumping correctly feels.

With the set point exercise there are two jumps, one's called the facilitator jump and the set point jump your dog is be jumping over. The facilitator jump can be a jump bump or a non-winged jump set at the height of about 4 - 6" depending on the height of your dog. This facilitator jump is never set higher than 6" or else the whole purpose of the set point exercise is lost. All the facilitator jump is defines the space that is available to the dog and more of less put them in the right place for take off. That space will cause your dog to step in, rock back on to it's rear, spring into the air and drop it's head while it's over the jump. The distance the facilitator jump is from the set point jump and the distance your dog is from the facilitator jump is dependent on how long your dog's back is.

The set point jump can be any agility jump you choose with the exception the broad jump. The height of the jump can be anywhere from low to your dog's competition height. Salo does recommend that when working with the set point exercise to change the height of the jump often so the dog will pay better attention to what the job at hand is.

On the other side of the set point jump is a target (that is easily seen by the dog) with a reward. It needs to be far enough away from the set point jump that the dog can finish it's stride after it's landed. This can be anywhere from 6 - 10' depending on the size of your dog.

And so what are you doing while your dog is working the grid? Not a whole lot to be honest. Where you stand is one step ahead of where the target is and one step away off to the side. This way your dog can get to the target and not charge ahead of you. (In the videos I'm going to be posting...I am not in the position because I wanted to show you what my dogs were doing from the side.) Make sure you switch sides of the target at your body is facing the same directions as your dog is heading.

Lars working the set point exercise:

 

Ocean working the set point exercise:

Jaakk-O Turn Task

Wow... it's been ages since I've made a blog post in here. I think I tend to write in bursts so, hopefully, this is the start of a blog post burst. :)

Yesterday, I pulled the Jaakko Turn task card from my agility grab bag. For those of you guys who aren't familiar with what a Jaakko turn is, it's a fairly new agility handling move from the One Mind Dog (OMD) crew. The Jaakko is sort of replacing the Ketschker as the go to move to cue a tight turn like you would need to wrap a jump. I am actually starting to seriously embrace the One Mind Dog handling system because Ocean really reads these cues that I've been using well. I decided to use part of a Masters USDAA course to practice our Jaakko turns. Coming from the landing side of jump #2 with Ocean wrapping #3 to the right (coming through 2 and 3) and heading to 4 was my handling game plan. The Jaakko cue would happen right in front of 3.

 

  

What exactly is a Jaakko turn? With the Jaakko, Ocean is on my left side heading to jump 3 and I start to position myself near the front of that jump and on the side that I want him to turn. My body is facing forward and I stoop down with that left arm across my body cueing him to take that jump. My body language should tell him this is strong deceleration and for him to chip in and turn tight to the side that I am standing (and to not take #2 again.) There's also a blind cross element to this turn! I intend to pick Ocean up again with my left hand as I move towards jump #4. So, as Ocean is in the air and wrapping the jump upright, he and I are more or less doing a blind cross. This is one of the few times you'll see me do something like a blind cross with him. LOL So, that's the Jaakko...and what separates that from the Ketschker is that you do stoop down low to cue that strong deceleration. The Ketschker, you stay more upright...and you don't get as hard as a deceleration cue.

Here's some video from yesterday...complete with weird music. ;) You'll see that our jump backsides still need some work. My instructor and I decided that I really should start handling backsides on the take off side because when I'm on the landing side, I can't get myself out of the way enough for me not to get hit by him. So....that take off backside handling is something new to our agility handling toolbox.

So you guys...'til next time! I have some rally tutorials I have to edit and I'm hoping to get those up relatively soon. :)