Jackie and I were introduced to barrels today. Foundations for running barrels include using both a body signal (wrapping your curled fist in a circular motion to indicate which way to run around the barrel) and a voice cue (neh neh neh neh neh neh neh neh-- like a motorcycle). Remember to wrap your fist like a gorilla beating its chest, in the same direction you want the dog to wrap the barrel. Have a treat in your other hand, the one not wrapping to indicate direction, and toss the treat on the floor in front of the dog in the direction you want her to keep going past the barrel.
Today we also played another mini-course and played the A frame contact again. Today was the third time Jackie has seen the A frame.
Pearls:
- Remember to point your feet as well as body in the direction you want the dog to follow
- After a successful stopped contact, you can release the dog with "Break!" or you can release the dog with a cue for the next directional cue "Here!" or obstacle cue "Go!" but be sure you are releasing them from the stopped 2o2o contact
Jackie playing a mini course; this is her third time playing the A frame:
