Quiz - Level 1
- The trick for this one will be keeping Jax from going from 2 to 4
- Handling options for 1-2-3
- I can already predict his reality line for 2 - it's going to be big and headed towards 4
- Start DOL and rear cross 2 to 3. I didn't think this was a great option for Jax. Plus that would leave me a little behind in handling 3 I think.
- Start DOR and turn with dog 2-3. With as big as Jax jumps I think he's going to need more of a decel/turning cue. I think he'd take 4 if I did this.
- Start DOR and false turn 2-3. You know how much I love false turns. haha
- Start DOR and reverse spin 2. This is honestly probably going to create the best line and hopefully keep him off of 4
- Front cross 3
- Forward send and move lateral to keep Jax on left from 4 to 5. I think he's going to jump a big slice and have a big correction stride on the ground doing this but I think it's the simplest option even though it isn't going to be the tightest line.
Quiz - Level 2
- 1-4 DOR as pinwheel. I'm just going to have to make sure I support 3 and don't turn my chest too soon towards 4, like you commented in your last feedback video
- Backside send + Front Cross 5. The reality line for this should be pretty tight with the FC.
- Options for handling 6-7-8
- Blind cross tunnel ending up with DOR. I feel like racing a Border Collie through a tunnel for a blind cross might be a poor life choice, though could make for entertaining video
- Enter tunnel DOL, Rear Cross 7. Probably the best option, though I have a feeling he may jump right to the number 2 jump.
- Front Cross 8. He's going to jump 8 at a big slice heading right for the tunnel so he's going to need strong decel/turn cue and I think I want him to end up on my left so he doesn't take the tunnel
- Options for handling 9-10
- Turn with dog 9-10. He's going to jump 9 big and need a bigger correction stride for this, but I don't think he would take the 1/5 jump.
- Reverse spin 9 to create a tighter line
Quiz - Level 3
- DOR 1-2
- Forward send 3. Though I'm trying to decide whether I need to handling 2-3 more. He's going to jump 2 at a slice heading towards 5, so I don't know if I need more of a decel/turning cue here. Thoughts?
- Front cross 4
- DOL 4-5
- Turn with dog 5-6
- Options for side change between 6 and 7
- Front Cross 6
- Blind Cross between 6 and 7
- I'm not sure I have a strong preference between the two. Thoughts?
- Options for 7-8-9
- Rear cross 8. I think RCs are harder for Jax when there is no obstacle for a "draw. " I think that's why he did better than I expected with the technique review, because there was a jump to jump towards. In this case he'd be jumping into space, or he'd see the #1 jump and jump to the left to take that.
- Front cross 8 and wrap him back to the tunnel. This is going to also require a lead change I think so I'm assuming I also will have to do ROTDL between 7 and 8. I think this might be the best option for Jax.
- Enter tunnel DOL
- DOL 10-11 turning with dog
- Front cross 12
- DOR 13-14 turn with dog
- Forward send 15
Because I love nerding out on course maps, I took her answers and worked out what I expected to happen based on her written plans. Take a look here:
And because Arielle loves nerding out, she included some side by side video of her handling plans for Quiz #1, since there were several different valid options for cueing the turn from #2 to #3. Check that out here:
A lot of agility training can be done without dogs or equipment! If you have a course map and some colored writing utensils, you can flex your course analysis muscles! The more you practice making plans on paper, the easier and faster it will come together for you when walking courses in real life.
Megan has been involved in the dog sport world nearly her entire life. Though her family did compete in obedience, agility was Megan’s passion right from the start. With over 20 years experience, she has competed with a variety of dogs, including an American Eskimo and West Highland White Terrier, Shelites, Border Collies, and Parson Russell Terriers, and has worked with an even larger variety of breeds. She got her first dog, a Sheltie, when she was 7 years old and since then she has competed with six of her own dogs and seven dogs belonging to others. Her accomplishments include many ADCh (USDAA Agility Dog Champion) titles, MACh (AKC Master Agility Champion) titles, Regional and National Championships, and representing the US on the European Open in 2015. Megan was also a USDAA judge for over 10 years, providing valuable insight into course design, course analysis, and handling styles throughout the United States.
Megan has been teaching agility full-time, in person and online, for 6 years, through her training school, Synergy Dog Sports. Her passion for sharing knowledge with her students drives her to constantly be learning, growing, and evolving. Megan became a OneMind Dogs Assistant Coach in 2016 and finished her Coach Certification in 2018. She believes in developing a system of communication based on the dog’s perspective and what dogs naturally understand and then individualizing that system for the humans that train and run them. Synergy Dog Sports is named for the truly great things a team can accomplish together when they focus on using the strengths of both the dog’s mind and body and the handler’s mind and body, and improving on any potential weaknesses.
Megan currently has three dogs of her own; Smack (11 y/o border collie), Shock (7 y/o border collie), and Shrek (3 y/o parson russell terrier) and lives with her partner, Graham, and his dogs, Skittles (11 y/o Sheltie) and Skrik (4 y/o border collie) in Stanwood, WA.
For more from Megan, visit her website, www.synergydogsports.com.
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