Monday, October 15, 2007

Evil Jumpers Course, Part 2

If you thought that course posted below was evil, try running it with the number 14 jump taken from the opposite side of what's shown on the map. That's how it was set up at Biscuit Eaters and I never looked at the map before running it so I had no idea it was set up wrong. You end up having 2 threadles instead of a nice serpentine. With that course layout the section from #9 to #16 is the most challenging part. I had Lola on my left when she came out of the #9 tunnel, rear crossed then did a front cross on the take-off side of #12. I stayed on the take-off side of #12, more or less between 12 and 13 and facing forward and brought her around in a 180 degree arc with my off arm (right) then had her wrap the #13 jump to her right and sent her over #14 on my right, crossed behind her and picked her up on my left side to finish up the threadle. Whew! That was Joy's suggestion for the shortest, quickest path. My original idea which I also tried and which also worked nicely but with more yardage was to stay on the landing side of 12 after the front cross, send her over 13 on my right and have her wrap #13 the her left, pick her up on my left and do the threadles all on the same side, with her on my left. And actually, thinking about it, I think I still put in that front cross on the take-off side of 12 and still somehow managed to have her wrap 13 to her right. The risk with that is the #3 off course jump.

The other interesting spot was #5 weaves to #7 tunnel. Initially I ran it with a straight path to jump #6 with Lo on my right then I flipped her into the tunnel. This was awkward and wasted at least a second or two. Joy suggested setting line to the tunnel after the weaves and before jump #6 which worked a lot better. Can't believe I didn't spot that myself but I was rushed and not thinking when I walked the course.

Believe it or not I also had a problem at the #3 jump as Lo pulled off the jump when I ran to get in place for a front cross between #4 and the weaves. Lo's committment point is so late, she pulled off at the very last moment. Joy suggested a lateral leadout so that I could run with her almost right up to the jump but at a good lateral distance away so I could be be close enough to #4 to pull of the front cross. Of course this only works with a dog who works at a lateral distance, no problem for Miss Lola.

I seldom make that many mistakes on a course so it was a good one for learning. Joy's lessons are a lot of fun for me, way better than training on my own all the time.

4 comments:

  1. On the 5-6-7 I'd work away from my dog on the weaves so that I'd be at the left side of 6 as they're coming out of the weaves. Plant myself next to #6--stopping forward motion with the dog behind you should bring the dog towards you (amazing how well that works if you've rewarded that kind of behavior during training--all very consistent with G. Derrett's methods) and then a little "RFP" (aka "false turn") on top of that to bring dog into the tunnel should be the shortest path without wasting a couple of extra steps to shape the path before the jump.

    But another question: How did you handle the 16 thru 19? Did you manage to get ahead to do a front cross between 17 and 18? Looks on paper like a lot of distance to cover with a fast dog to get there, but that sequence looks like it would be gnarly if you're trying to do it from behind.

    Also, did you rear cross the #9 tunnel as the dog went in, or did you get in a front X there?

    -ellen

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  2. The problem I had when I ran 5-7 without shaping the path was that I had Lo on my right and had to flip her away from me into the tunnel and there was a moment of uncertainty on her part, causing her to bark, pause, stutter step for a step or two and get pissy with me. She's got a bit of an attitude and likes to know where she's going. She was way faster and smoother with the couple extra steps at the weaves and straight line right to the tunnel.

    I did get a front cross in before the #9 tunnel. A rear cross would put you behind and risk an off course at #12.

    I can’t exactly remember what I did at 16-19. I’m pretty sure I did it with a rear cross between 17 and 18 or maybe even between 18 and 19 but mostly because by the time I got there I forgot where I was going and was winging it. Whatever I did Joy said she didn’t like it and had a better way but we never got to that part of the course because I wanted some ideas on making the table more fun for Lola so we moved on to that. Maybe I’ll ask her on Weds. if I remember.

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  3. BTW, you look much better as a Simpon than i do. :-)

    -ellen

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  4. Sadly, I look much better as a Simpson than I do in real life.

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