BayBriar Kennel
Uniting Dog And Owner Through Education
Jeannette Hutchison 31834 Geib Rd. Cordova, Md. 21625 410-820-2041

Here is a list of behaviors I teach my agility dogs. I think these behaviors are helpful in teaching focus, patience and foundation work that carries into the ring.

BEHAVIORS TO TRAIN YOUR AGILITY  DOG

- Dog has learned that watching the handler pays off. I shape this behavior with a clicker.

- Dog helps you put the leash on by lifting his head up and moving toward the collar.

- Dog gives you eye contact while you put leash on.

- Dog doesn’t mind when someone reaches into their collar.

- Dog stays and maintains eye contact as you slip the collar off his head.

- Dog keeps a connection with you as you lead out.

- Dog has a reliable stay and waits for the release. He doesn’t push you to release him.

- Handler has taught dog that the release is verbal and not motion.

- Dog releases on the first command and comes running and performs the first obstacle

- Dog knows difference between obstacle focus and handler focus.

- Dog knows his name indicates handler focus.

- Dog comes to handler after run and allows leash to be put.

- Dog waits for handler to release him to the reward.

- Owner gives appropriate reward for the performance.

- Handler has taught dog hand jive and can perform patterns around cones. Turns toward you, turns away from you, running with you on the left and the right, go around behind you left to right and right to left. Dog can send to a cone from a distance. Handler can do a front cross, rear cross, counter rotate, and shoulder pull.

- Handler can work dog on the left and right with a leash lying on the ground. Dog can turn toward handler and away from handler.

- Dog can go to a target. Dog will come from target to you and look back and send away again to the target. Dog can send on from one target to another to another.

- Dog can perform multiple nose touches on the target.

- Dog has learned about rear end awareness by working on a board, foot stool or container, and a ladder on the ground.

- Handler has taught dog to come to recall from behind you, in front of you and beside you on the left and the right side. Dog understands he needs to gear down, collect and shift his weight to his hind quarters.

- Handler has introduced the dog to a wingless jump and taught him to jump with true collection. Handler kneels at the jump and has dog jump in both directions and feeds from the hand on the ground.

- Handler has dog jumping his jump height and begins to have dog come over jump and come to recall positions to your side, both left and right.

- Dog has learned to kennel up when told and stay in crate when door is opened until told to come out. You want him to love getting in and out.

- Dog can hop up on down side of contact and target and touch with two hind feet on contact.

- Dog has been shaped to perform tire. He can do a tunnel. He can get on the table and stick it from all four sides.

- Handler has taught dog to perform several jump configurations: pinwheels 180’s, 270’s,
serpentines, and treadles.

- Dogs need to understand how to collect and extend their strides,

- Dogs need to be able to bounce jumps, take one stride between jumps and multiple strides between jumps.