

Sneak Peek for Patron’s only… Public access Dec 27th | Functions of canine leaping and how leaping catches function by Ron Watson
Patron’s Choice Sneak Peek | Public Access Dec. 26
Key concepts of the canine leaping skill and behavior chain that shape and reinforce a leaping catch.
There is a lot more to a vault than the definition. There is a reason you can’t just watch a YouTube video and get an understanding of the vaulting process. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you know how to do it, or how it is done; performance is not understanding. This is very evident when it comes to vaulting.
Reading the disc is a skill that astute dogs and humans pick up rather quickly. The float, the spinSpins and Twists are tricks where the dog spins 360 degrees in a clockwise or counter clockwise fashion. Spin is clockwise and Twist is counter clockwise so it is important to have a, and the speed can reliably be gauged and predicted after several reps. Of course this changes with wind, disc choice, and throwing ability but, generally speaking, the flight path of a disc is easily predicted.
ShapingShaping is a learning technique where successive approximation and a Positive Marker are used to teach behaviors and communicate concepts. Successive approximation essentially means continually closer to the target behavior. So Shaping is a Leaping Catch can, and should be a full time job. Always throw with the intent to deliver the leaping catch unless working something specific that requires a specific approach, speed or distance that is incompatible with a leaping catch. Out throws are glory, not afterthoughts.
Within a game of disc dog freestyle there are many opportunities to reinforce and shape the leaping catch and to turn the speed regulation required for the leaping catch into a habit that is ever present in your freestyle game.
Throwing with IntentThrowing with intent means delivering discs with the intent to make the dog leap or look good. This skill is extremely important for teaching a dog to leap reliably and for enhancing a is throwing a disc to your dog with the intent to make them look good. Throwing the disc to promote a big leap, to hit the dog in stride on the run or throwing a disc that your dog is going to flip for 10 yards away, is the sign of a mature handler.
Patrons Only Sneak Peek... Public Access Jan 10th
Orient the team to the short side of the field, facing the sideline. Send the dog around, giving the verbal cue followed by the physical cue a beat later. Let the dog go around and throw to 2 o’clock. The handler can Set the Flank or Throw to the Flank depending upon the dog’s movement or the intent of the handler.
Contracting the Flank reduces the lateral outrun of dogs and tightens up the around movement. It is a simple operation at heart - just send the dog around and do nothing — don’t throw. The dog will go around and, look at you when the throw doesn’t happen eventually winding up in front position. Work this, and if you just do nothing, the dog will look at you after an Around.
But we ain’t here to do nothing, so let’s talk about how to Contract the Flank with purpose.
Contracting the Flank draws the attention of the dog into the handler. Expanding the Flank and a Free release or Go to a long catch out front both allow the dog’s focus to completely leave the handler and the throw being made in pursuit of the disc.
Dragging the dog across the front of the handler makes it hard for the dog to miss the handler and the actual release of the throw. Combined with the other Get out and Go, Contracting the Flank is a key concept for keeping the dog’s focus and attention on the handler.
There is no need to rush the dog and make a play quickly for dogs who don’t attenuate to the handler well. A quick delivery that makes the dog late to the party will preempt or short-circuit that look in and expand the flank.
When cultivating a Look Here, it is a good idea to mark it using a positive marker to isolate the behavior and take a snapshot of an exciting action based movement.
If the intent is to shrink a dog’s outrun, then Contracting the Flank is the solution. Simply send the dog around and rush the dog to the play. As soon as the dog commits to the around and is guaranteed to complete the skill, throw it across your body to the opposite side of the exit from the around. This will make the dog late to the play and the flank or outrun will contract.
This is a standard Zig Zag entry. Contracting the Flank is a good way to enter the Zig Zag because it works on the principles of an abbreviated outrun and quick turning movement. Contracting the Flank is a good way to enter into and to reinforce sharp turns, aggressive lines, and zig zag type movements.
When Contracting the Flank (or any other time with the exception of intended training exceptions), if the dog goes, DON’T THROW!
When the handler does nothing and does not throw, the dog should look to the handler. Doing nothing and not throwing should equal looking at the handler.
The dog should always chase or intercept the handler’s throw. The handler’s throw should never chase or intercept the dog.
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