Jackie and I met Sheelob today. Ok not really, but we did play with a very big spider. Much of canine jump training has emerged from what the experts have learned from teaching horses to jump, and today Jackie and I played with jump training.
The piece of equipment known as a spider helps the dog learn to jump with power from their hindquarters, as well as helping the dog use its own body most efficiently and comfortably for the dog. Using good ol' Sheelob, we cycled from 8 inches to 10, 12, 14, 16, all the way up to 18 inches, then cycled back down from 18 inches, 16, 14, 12, 10 back down to 8 inches, with the dog on both the handler's left and right sides.
In order to determine each dog's individual jump height, a series of five low (no higher than six inches) cavaletti are set in a straight line grid with a ground half pole set at the beginning. For both the spider and the cavaletti gymnastic, the point is for the dog to run straight through the gymnastic with his focus forward and downward toward a reward food bowl at the end of the gymnastic line. This teaches the dog to jump with their focus forward and downward, which is preferable to the dog jumping while looking up at the handler or around for sightseeing. The dog who jumps with their focus forward and downward is more likely to jump effectively, efficiently, and safely.
By visually assessing how the dog gallops through the jumping grid, as well as using a measuring tape placed alongside the jumping grid, it is possible to determine each dog's individual working stride length that is most comfortable for that dog. It turns out Jackie's working canter stride is five feet, a number we will remember for future reference while jump training.
Pearls:
- The point is to allow the dog to jump freely, with their focus forward and downward, in the most comfortable and efficient stride over the jump
- The handler stays stationary next to the reinforcement cookie, which is placed in and delivered from a food bowl or manner's minder so the dog's focus stays forward and downward
- As well as the primary goal of teaching good jumping mechanics, jump training also builds tremendous intrinsic value for the jumps themselves
Jump training with the Spider and cavaletti:
