Agilty - Lefts and Rights!!!!!!!!

Ok

were new to agility.........

BUT how do you teach your dog Lefts and Rights> whats the different methods/ best way

Thanks H
P.s i have a collie if taht helps

I get new students to work on direction cues away from agility initially for good ground work when the dog is not having to focus on other things as well [ like stride / speed / taking off etc ].

On walks, whether on or off lead, decide on the cues you want to use for left and right, and every time your dog veers one way or the other, use the appropriate cue so your dog is learning an association to a natural movement.
It helps a great deal as well to deliberately have your dog go either side of you at heel as well, [ ie every so often have the dog go to your right side and use the cue while physically signalling as well, then after a while change to left side with the cue and do this often during a walk but not too regimented if you see what I mean, as in dont do it after too few steps each time ], so that your dog is learning without anything else involved initially.
Once your dog is getting the idea, work on having your dog go left and right away from you on cue, starting just a few feet away then building up the distance.

When your dog is doing it well with a verbal cue, try a visual cue only [ dont forget they can see to a wider angle than us if you are behind your dog doing this sometimes ]. That way, you should eventually be able to use a visual to send your dog the right direction while giving a verbal cue to a piece of equipment when you dont have time to say both or if too much verbal just distracts your dog away from things instead of toward them [ or if you are too out of breath to speak ].

When at training, every time a sequence goes left or right, use the cues while giving a good shoulder / arm signal. With consistancy away from agility training as well, you should find it starts setting in well when at training sessions

Well explained Patch. I'm useless at explaining, better at showing.
Bit stupid really as i am a riding instructor

She is good at explaining isn't she. I'm lucky enough to have her as my instructor and she is teaching us well.
Nice thing about Patch is all breeds are encouraged here and not just collies at other clubs collies can tend to be favoured, but we have all sorts from big to tiny and everyone is as improtant to Patch.
She also has endless patience and concentrates fully on each person individually teaching them everything and showing them the way to get the best from thier dog.
Patch has deaf dogs herself that she does agility with so she is an expert at teaching visual commands.
We all always leave our training nights feeling happy and that we have achieved something personally and the dogs just love it.
No I'm not after Brownie points with her, don't need to be as she uses my horsefields for the club, but from other clubs I have been and watched, got to say this is the one I am glad my doggies are at and anyway she is probaly embarressed reading this now but I think its time she got some public praise as she really is one in a million.

Bev

Aaaaaaw that was lovely!!!!!!
Its so nice when you have a good rapor with your teacher.
I can explain horse technology, but not agility. Only been doing it 3 years. Still get my left & rights the wrong way round sometimes

I`m not often lost for words but on this occasion all I can say is Fank Yew Lots