The first time through the course, walk the dog’s path and look over the course from your dog’s point of view. Step over the jumps. Okay, you don’t have to walk up the A-frame, but do go to the end and stand at the bottom so you can see what your dog will see. Get down to your dog’s eye level at the tunnel exits and walk out of the weave poles as your dog will come out. As you walk, see what your dog sees. Look for off-courses, traps and refusal planes that you might not notice if you walk the handler’s path. This is the information you need to plot your handling strategy.

The second time through the course is when you walk your handler’s path. First, figure out where to place your dog at the start line and where you’ll stand for the opening sequence. Then, proceed through the course, moving quickly past the easy parts so you’ll have time to spend on areas where you need to figure out handling strategies – points where you’ll need a front cross or back cross, or to call your dog around a jump, etc. If there are parts of the course where you find it difficult to figure out what to do, go two or three obstacles ahead and work out where you’ll want you and your dog to be when you get there. Then, work your way back toward the tricky part. Often, what you need to do will become obvious.

Walk through a third time and look for long straight lines between a series of obstacles. This is where your dog should pick up speed and gain some time. Adjust your handling strategy so your dog can enter these stretches and take the straight lines. Also, look at the end of each of these fast, straight stretches. This is often where the judge has put a difficult off-course, trap or contact obstacle. Recheck your handling strategy at each of these end points. Will your plan fall apart if your dog has moved well ahead of you? Is there an open invitation to your dog to fly off or miss the contact? If so, now’s the time to rethink how you’ll need to handle your dog in these speed zones!

Now go back to the points where you need to be
in a particular place to execute a manoeuvre such as a front cross. Memorize a visual cue so you can move accurately through these manoeuvres when you run the course. For front crosses, memorize what the jump stanchion (or tunnel exit, etc.) looks like at the point where you execute your pivot for the cross. You will use this image to find that same point when you’re running the course at top speed. Incidentally, this is one of the most valuable tools I have for handling a course that requires pinpoint timing of front crosses.

If you have time, go back and walk the course several more times to practise your handling moves and double-check your memory of the course flow. As you leave the course, remember to check in with the gate steward. This is also a great time to make a mental note of the two or three dogs that will run ahead of you so you’ll know when your turn is coming.

Use the time while you wait for your run to practise the course. How can you do this? Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and visualize the start of the course. Now, run through the course and physically practise your handling moves.

Forget part of the course? Take another look and fill in your memory blank. Do your mental run-through at least twice so that you commit the course and your handling to memory. Sound weird? Not really. This visualization exercise (sometimes called psychocybernetics or “air handling”) is well known to athletes in many sports where it is considered an essential element of executing a successful performance.

Finally, potty and warm up your dog. Head for the start line. Take a deep breath. And go for it!

By Mary Mandich
Mary Mandich has trained her Welsh Springer Spaniels to multiple performance titles, including the highest awards in agility.

(Appeared in March, 2006 issue)