Agility, the A-Frame

Text: Eve and Romina Schwender
Deutsche Version

In the first Edition of Sloughi-World we reported generally about what interesting possibility of keeping busy a Sloughi "Agility" can provide. Now we want to explain more precisely the Training Arrangement at one of the many Agility-devices. For that reason we chose the so called "A-Frame". The A-Frame (you can see it well on the photos) can be adjusted to different sloping positions. That means, to calm down the dog at the beginning and to make the training easier you can put it totally flat. So every dog can get over this obstacle with the help of its Owner without any problems.

The dog is on the loose lead, we make it sit in front of the device and then give order like "A-Frame up" or similar. (But it should differ clearly from orders we give daily!).

Then we approach the "A-Frame", the dog on our left side (the lead in the left hand). We pass by the "A-Frame" on the right side, while we show the way over the obstacle to the dog clearly! with our right hand (including "gingerbread"), that is, the "gingerbread" very close to the bottom of the obstacle shows the way and the dog for this reason also with its nose and eyes follows the way near the device. This all should be done very slowly at the beginning in order the dog really understands, what you are asking.

the redmarked contact zone

Simultaneously by the lead and at our elbow our Sloughi is also protected from falling down or jumping. Our gestures and voice are important so as to motivate the "Agility-Novice" and to get rid of its fears, perhaps.
Never try to force a dog!!!

From the very start you should insist the dog to run over the marked "surface of contact" and that it doesn't jump onto or down of it (at a contest points could get deducted!).
Of course, the training doesn't take place only on one side, so that no problems arise, when guiding from the other side. If the dog safely accomplishes the "A-Frame" at the lowest level, then one can raise it step by step.

You can reduce the reward in your hand to a "titbit" which, the dog seeing it, is put at the end of the obstacle, so as to get the dog again and again leave (its nose on the ground) the "A-Frame" prudently. (This is also done with "perfect" dogs sometimes, because mistakes, when jumping off too soon slip in with the speed.) But our hand should again and again show the way, until we notice, there is no help needed anymore! It is also favourable to give the order "slow" from the beginning, above all at the peak of the obstacle and when "climbing downward", so as to avoid injuries and to guarantee not to touch the contact zone(we show what we want by slowing down our motion and our voice and we slightly hold back the dog by the lead if necessary).

Does our Sloughi on the lead get over the "A-Frame" without problems and full of joy also in the steepest position, then perhaps we can do the same on other devices, and can also try the whole without the lead. Always provided that the dog exactly knows what we want it to do and it likes to do it concentrated!
But, the "A-Frame" is again put into the lowest position and the Owner and Assistant attend on the dog, to avoid its falling down. If we have trained conscientiously the preliminary stages the danger is relatively small, as the dogs have fun with the obstacle and have learnt on the lead how to master the situation!
Step by step you can raise the device again. If the dog once feels a little unsafe without the lead, we linger with the training at a lower position.

The aiming point is just only to give the order (perhaps also from a far distance) and the dog manages the obstacle as fast as possible and without any assistance.

It is very astonishing that our Sloughis are absolutely enthusiastic “A-Frame-Climbers”. At the beginning we were very sceptical whether just this obstacle would be appropriate for Sighthounds by all means. But the dogs convinced us of the contrary.
The slight doubt at the beginning gave ground to such a great enthusiasm, so they climb the Wall so easy, like chamois, without an order at moments not being observed.

hoch