Target Training for Agility?
- Thread starter SnowDove
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TwoDogs
Boxer Insane
By using target training you're shooting for an eventual 2on2off contact. There is some debate whether a 2on2off contacts put undue stress on the shoulders and spine of a dog. Because of this a whole slew of competitors have moved to teaching running contacts rather than 2o2o or at least changing how they train the 2o2o contact.
Running contacts can be more complex to teach, and some claim they will always be less reliable. 2o2o advocates will tell you that bigger dogs will be more apt to blow a running contact since it is easier for them to stride right off the obstacle without ever even hitting the contact zone. Running contact advocates will argue that they are willing to put in the additional training time and risk the occassional blown contact in order to reduce the shock to their dogs shoulders that comes when a dog comes to a complete stop on an incline.
It seems that teaching a two paw target lies somewhere in the middle of the debate. Advocates of the two paw target say they get the reliablility that a 2o2o contact but because the dog's head remains in a more level (normal) height that they are reducing some of the stress that a lowered head nose target brings.
From a strategy standpoint, some competitors purposely train a 2o2o because they like having that extra bit of time to catch up to their dogs on course. Other competitors that do more distance handling might opt for a running contact since they don't need to be so close to their dog.
In the end, it depends on a couple of things:
How much contact work you are going to be doing--are you an agility addict and are going to be training alot? If so, you might want to train the running contact or paw target 2o2o to reduce the overall amount of joint stress on your dog. Are you playing recreationally without alot of contact repetition? Then a nose target might be fine.
Is there anything structurally about your dog that would make one type of contact training healthier for them?
How strong are your handling skills? Do you do alot of lead outs and distance handling? Are you working toward that goal? If so, you might want the better times that a running contact can bring you. You might not want to have to be there at the end of a contact to release your dog to the next piece of equipment.
Do you already have a fast dog that you have a tough time keeping up with on course? If so, you might want the 2o2o contact and the time it can give you to get yourself around course the way you need to.
When I dabbled in agility I found that a paw-target trained 2o2o contact made sense for me and my guy. I had already trained a paw target to a paper plate for other reasons so it was far less confusing for him than if I suddenly decided that paper plates or plastic lids were now supposed to be nose targets. I wanted a 2o2o because my handling skills weren't so hot and if I was slow in giving direction he would just make up his own course without me. The 2o2o let me catch up to him and get where I needed to be. I wasn't too worried about jarring his shoulders since I was just doing agility recreationally and not training intensively.
Running contacts can be more complex to teach, and some claim they will always be less reliable. 2o2o advocates will tell you that bigger dogs will be more apt to blow a running contact since it is easier for them to stride right off the obstacle without ever even hitting the contact zone. Running contact advocates will argue that they are willing to put in the additional training time and risk the occassional blown contact in order to reduce the shock to their dogs shoulders that comes when a dog comes to a complete stop on an incline.
It seems that teaching a two paw target lies somewhere in the middle of the debate. Advocates of the two paw target say they get the reliablility that a 2o2o contact but because the dog's head remains in a more level (normal) height that they are reducing some of the stress that a lowered head nose target brings.
From a strategy standpoint, some competitors purposely train a 2o2o because they like having that extra bit of time to catch up to their dogs on course. Other competitors that do more distance handling might opt for a running contact since they don't need to be so close to their dog.
In the end, it depends on a couple of things:
How much contact work you are going to be doing--are you an agility addict and are going to be training alot? If so, you might want to train the running contact or paw target 2o2o to reduce the overall amount of joint stress on your dog. Are you playing recreationally without alot of contact repetition? Then a nose target might be fine.
Is there anything structurally about your dog that would make one type of contact training healthier for them?
How strong are your handling skills? Do you do alot of lead outs and distance handling? Are you working toward that goal? If so, you might want the better times that a running contact can bring you. You might not want to have to be there at the end of a contact to release your dog to the next piece of equipment.
Do you already have a fast dog that you have a tough time keeping up with on course? If so, you might want the 2o2o contact and the time it can give you to get yourself around course the way you need to.
When I dabbled in agility I found that a paw-target trained 2o2o contact made sense for me and my guy. I had already trained a paw target to a paper plate for other reasons so it was far less confusing for him than if I suddenly decided that paper plates or plastic lids were now supposed to be nose targets. I wanted a 2o2o because my handling skills weren't so hot and if I was slow in giving direction he would just make up his own course without me. The 2o2o let me catch up to him and get where I needed to be. I wasn't too worried about jarring his shoulders since I was just doing agility recreationally and not training intensively.
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TwoDogs
Boxer Insane
One other thing to consider. Teeter contacts are sometimes trained differently than the other contacts. A common way is to have the dog "find the sweet spot" or "seek the pivot point"--the point where their weight causes the teeter to start to tip--and stay in that spot until the teeter hits the ground before hitting the 2o2o contact. Some trainers will do this with 2 targets--one on the pivot point and one for the actual contact. On the teeter especially (I think because it was moving downward) I found that my guy seemed more confident navigating the whole pivot point/contact process with his head up.
Even if your trainer takes a more aggressive approach to the teeter and has you train the dogs to stride down it while it drops, I wonder if anticipating having to put their heads down at the end of the teeter might not slow some dogs down a bit or cause some apprehension. Eventually the target gets removed and all you're left with is a nice (hopefully) 2o2o contact, but if the dog has patterned an apprehensive or slow teeter contact then that pattern just might stick.
Even if your trainer takes a more aggressive approach to the teeter and has you train the dogs to stride down it while it drops, I wonder if anticipating having to put their heads down at the end of the teeter might not slow some dogs down a bit or cause some apprehension. Eventually the target gets removed and all you're left with is a nice (hopefully) 2o2o contact, but if the dog has patterned an apprehensive or slow teeter contact then that pattern just might stick.
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