Why sometimes you cant fix agility by doing more agility.

I remember that when I started agility I just wanted to do the jumps, and weaves, running sequences. I was annoyed and didn't understand why we had to do other things.... because isint agility just actually doing the things??

Fast forward a few years to instructing at a club setting, and I remember being disappointed at the reluctance of the class organizers to put more foundation skills into their classes. Because that wouldn't keep people coming and taking classes. However, there were so many issues with the handlers and dogs that could be resolved with some of these skills and training!

Take another leap into the future, and now what I sometimes see with people coming to me for lessons. A reluctance to work on some key areas, because they just want to do the 'sexy stuff' that looks like agility.

So what are the things that you should have mastered before starting sports specific skills, or entering the ring? 

• Handler training mechanics

If you cannot train your dog to turn in a circle on the flat with clear and consistent communication and clean mechanics, that produces fast and low error training without stress or frustration, then how the hell can you expect to train a complex skill, like a collection agility jump? 

The foundation handler training mechanics that I work hard on with my young dogs (and myself as a trainer) before starting sports specific skills include: 

 - using reinforcement markers like a clicker or verbal markers

 - Having a variety of reinforcement options

 - Picking the most appropriate reinforcement for the dog, and the behavior

 - Timing of marking, and handler mechanics e.g. movement of hands

 - Being able to split a skill into smaller training sessions, and criteria, and knowing when to increase your criteria towards the end goal. 

 - Being able to be strategic about the environment, and equipment set up to increase the chance of success. 

 - Being able to plan a training session to make a clean loop of reinforcement for any skill

 - Being able to read behavior to decide when to change your plan, or end a session. 

How have I ensured this was an effective training session? 

• Foundation skills

There are so many foundation skills that are relevant for dog performance sports that are not adequately trained. This can have a huge impact on your sports, and also on your life with your canine teammate.  I would expect these skills are not only well trained, and highly reinforced, but have also been generalized to different environments and contexts. 

These can include (but are not limited too): 

 - Basic positions like sit, down, stand

 - Movement between positions (e.g. sit to stand) 

 - Cooperative care for grooming and healthcare

 - Leash walking

 - Putting on harnesses, coats etc. 

 - muzzle training

 - recalls

 - Interaction with items (e.g. feet on a object) 

 - Interaction with the handler (e.g. leg weaving)

 - Movements independently (e.g. spin, twist, reversing)

 - Foundation fitness skills

 - Heelwork

 - Problem-solving e.g. toy enrichment

 - Happy crating

 - Stationing

 - An alternative behavior to demaning handler interaction

 - Waiting in a stationary position

• Body movement and strength

In every dog sports that I compete in, or watch I see dogs with movement, strength, or lameness issues at every single training session or competition. I understand that it's hard to learn about how animals move, and what good movement looks like. But I feel like it's our responsibility as performance dogs owners and competitors to seek professionals to help us make these judgments if you are unable to do so yourself. 

If you are having an issue with a particular skill (like weaves) your first point of call should be ruling out both injury, and a lack of strength that may be contributing to your dog's performance issue. And I just don't want to hear 'oh the vet says they are fine' because you know what? Vets do NOT receive orthopedic or sports medicine training. They are not good (well most!) with orthopedic issues, and most have no idea about the physical pressures that our dog's sports put on our dogs. 

And I don't just mean agility. I can tell you that the vast majority of obedience, and gun dogs that I have seen competing have the same issues. Lameness, muscle imbalance, lack of strength, and poor movement. 

I really believe that fitness training (cardio, strength, balance, etc) should be a part of every performance dog's training schedule. As high-level athletes cross training is important. Not only that but you can often pick up subtle changes in fitness work, like posture in a stand, that may be a sigh of an early injury and not evident in performance training or competition. 

• Optimal working state of mind (arousal, stress) 

I'm sure most of you that follow me already know that I think a dogs arousal level can have a big impact on training, and competition. Whilst I think that some dogs are genetically predisposed to being outside what we consider the 'optimum' arousal zone (e.g. low and stressy, or high and over aroused), I think that much can be done in your training and competition planning, set up, and trainer techniques, to keep your dog in the optimum zone. 

This involves not only reading your dog's behavior, but having trained and practiced your processes and patterns to help keep your dog 'in the zone'. These are things that you should have trained and practiced thoroughly before starting sports specific training. 

• Delayed reinforcement strategies

So often I think that the problems that I see in the ring are related to the ring being a different place than in training. Because so often in training the handler has treats, and a toy on them at all times, and reinforces liberally. Now don't get me wrong. I'm all into throwing all the treats and giving all the toys. The problem becomes when this always happens in training, and never in a show. That's really confusing! And frustrating, for both handler and the dog. 

Working on delayed reinforcement strategies are part of ring readyness and a clear communication system.  And this should be with food, and with toys. And again, this is something that you really need to have working on BEFORE you start competing! 

In my opinion, the vast majority of agility 'problems' can be related back to an issue with one of the above areas. That's why I believe that sometimes just practicing the agility, isn't going to fix the agility issues. 

I totally understand the reluctance to work on some of these things when you just want to do the agility. And I sometimes find myself moving too fast through the foundation skills and putting skills into an agility setting earlier than I should. But you know what? Taking more time earlier will mean your skill will progress faster later on. And hopefully without issues arising that you have to go back and fix! I've learnt this the hard way.