Jackie and I successfully participated this Saturday in the Contact Workshop, Part 1 at Cowtown Dog Sports. The focus was on understanding what stopped contact training is, and how best to train for optimum contact behaviors in the agility ring.
Our coach Robin Barber started the seminar with some background theory about what contacts are and why stopped contacts are good for a number of reasons. Stopped contact behavior, also known as two-on-two-off (or 2o2o), is when the dog goes over the teeter, A frame, or dog walk (the three contact obstacles in agility) and positions themself with two front paws straight on the ground off the end of the board with two hind legs on the board and the dog's weight transfered onto the hind end. The benefits of training a stopped contact include the following:
Safety for the dog: transfering weight to the rear helps prevent injury, and once a behavior is more clearly understood, the dog gains speed and fluincy which also increases safety. Transferring weight to the hindquarters also helps to lessen the impact on the shoulders and back when descending the A-frame and helps the dog to stay centered in contact with the dogwalk down ramp if she descends rapidly. Stopped contacts allow the handler to catch up with their dog in an already fast-paced game. If the dog pauses at the end of the contact obstacle, this allows the handler to catch up and re-connect with their dog. Finally, stopped contacts make it obvious to the judge that the dog has indeed hit the contact zone; "never make the judge think."
Foundations for training contacts include teaching the dog to drive to a target plate "Feet!" and building value for two-on-two-off behavior at the end of a training plank.
There are several ways to build value for contact behavior, including: have the dog walk over a plank to touch a nose target, and marking and jackpotting the straight two-on-two-off behavior, then tossing a cookie away "Get it!" and waiting to see if she will self-load onto the two-on-two-off (2o2o) position on the plank and marking and treating when she does. You can build value for the 2o2o behavior in many situations and environments: on the sidewalk curb, off the back patio, on the stairs, by marking and reinforcing the 2o2o behavior. It's important to for the dog to be reinforced for being straight, with her focus forward and low.
Once the dog has value for and understands the intitial 2o2o behavior, you can begin to build speed in a number of ways. For Jackie today we used a contact target at the end of the plank followed by a food bowl out in front of her. (Some of the more advanced dogs used toys tossed out in front or driving to a next obstacle.)
The contact plate helps ensure Jackie stays straight and with her focus forward. "Go! Feet!" when Jackie drives forward over the plank and stops in two-on-two-off position and touches the target, I mark and treat her from the contact plate while she is stopped on the plank in 2o2o position. Then I release her with "Get it!" and she drives ahead to the food bowl where she is again reinforced from eating the cookie out of the bowl.
Eventually, and gradually, we will step by step add distance between dog and handler while driving into the two-on-two-off position. Eventually after that we will add running around a barrel (or trash bin, or tree, or whatever) and driving to the plank and waiting in two-on-two-off contact behavior until being released to the next obstacle. Then we can gradually add running through a tunnel and driving into the 2o2o position, repeat, repeat, repeat. One can gradually build and proof the behavior with such "ninja" tactics as rolling a toy or running at high speeds while aroused; but that will come much later for Jackie and me.
It is important that the dog understands the very basic building block of each step of the behavior. Never do what Robin referred to as "clumping" behaviors together, meaning expecting the dog to understand multiple behaviors being taught together at one time. Instead, the learning process is all a series of building blocks. At any level of training, it is beneficial to go back to the basic foundation behavior as a refresher, and it is important that solid foundation behaviors are understood and kept fresh for the team of both dog and handler.
Robin emphasized how important solid foundation behaviors are for both contacts and releases. Even for teams that are competing, trialing, and Q-ing, it is important to stay vigilant in maintaining correct foundation behaviors and have very high standards for startline behavior, releases, and contact behavior. Even training in the ring at a live trial can be beneficial in reinforcing excellent foundation behaviors if needs be.
Some reminders that were repeated during the clinic included:
Robin prompting me to tell Jackie "Feet!" before Jackie ever gets on the plank, so that I give the cue earlier so Jackie has plenty of notice to process and perform the behavior associated with the cue.
Vary the amounts of time the handler waits before you release the dog so you don't get into a predictable rhythm. You want to be sure the dog is effectively taking your cue, not releasing from the handler's timing, body movement, or anything other than the actual cue.
Remember it's all a series of building blocks. It is well worth the time and effort to teach and maintain excellent foundation behaviors, and to maintain high standards in reinforcing above-average releases, start lines, and contact behavior.
Some highlight video clips of Jackie learning "Feet!" to drive over a plank into two-on-two-off contact position, and drive ahead "Get it!" to a food bowl:
- Contact Workshop, Part 1 defined contacts, solid two-on-two-off training, and the benefits of teaching stopped contacts
- Always teach the smallest possible increment of a behavior first, before moving on to the next foundation skill; never "clump" behaviors
- Handlers can build value for the dog for two-on-two-off contact behavior in a variety of ways
- Eventually and gradually add distance and other proofs such as running around a barrel and then driving to the contact plank into two-on-two-off position
- Say "Feet!" before Jackie ever gets on the plank
- Vary the amount of time the handler waits before you release the dog so you don't get into a rhythm
- Training contacts (and all education, really) is a series of building blocks; it is worth it to teach and maintain excellent foundation behaviors
- Always maintain high expectations and high standards of quality in reinforcing and playing releases, start lines, and contact behavior
