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13. BROAD JUMP |
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LEVEL FOUR The dog seeks out and jumps over one board on body language cues only, handler 3' away from the jump. This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION:
So many sports require jumping, and it's so much fun
for most dogs. The Broad Jump is the most difficult of the two
jumps for two reasons: it doesn't have marker posts on the side
to keep the dog in the middle of it, and it's easy to walk over
it instead of jumping. For these reasons, we're going to go slow
and build a really good foundation. Getting from one side of something
to the other side is a standard, useful behaviour – and
one that you've already started with teaching the dog to go around
a pole. Another way to lure would be to simply stand on one side of the board with the dog, click when she looks at the board, and toss the treat to the other side of the board. Then click when she moves toward the board, toss on the other side. Then click when she gets to the board, click on the other side. Then click for getting to the other side, toss on the other side. You noticed there was a lot of shaping in that luring, didn't you! Another way to lure would be to put a target or target plate on one side of the board and let the dog go to it. For this, it's a good idea to have a helper, because you don't want the dog to be able to get the treat off the target plate by going around the board, only over it. Or you could use your eye contact to lure – stand with your toes touching one end of the board, click a few times for eye contact, then pivot to use your eyes to pull her over the board. Or you could shape the behaviour from the beginning. Sit down, make yourself comfortable a few feet from the board. Click her for noticing the board, for looking at it, walking toward it, interacting with it (don't be afraid, let her touch it), getting to the other side. Once she understands the job is getting to the other side, you can start shaping fewer and fewer paws on the board – click for only three paws, only two paws, only one paw, and finally for a clear jump. There's luring in this shaping as well – by where you toss your treats, you can control how she approaches the jump and how fast she goes over it.
Or you could butt the Broad Jump board up against the pole you
taught her to go around, and cue the go around. For the Broad
Jump, this is probably my least favourite, as there's no pole
on the finished product, so you'd have to fade it. SHE'S STEPPING ON IT AND TRIPPING OVER IT! I know that any contact with the board is cause for hysteria in a traditional trainer, but relax. The shaping process and more confidence and understanding will show her what she's going to get paid for, and then she'll give you that. Most big puppies (and others!) aren't used to having to propel their bodies over something cleanly and frequently don't know where their front feet are, let alone their back feet. She doesn't have to be perfect right away. Let her learn and experiment and she'll figure it out. Better yet, as SHE has figured out how to get from one side of this obstacle to the other, chances are she'll have excellent jumping form when she's done. SHE JUMPS BACK AND FORTH OVER IT! THE BROAD JUMP IS ONE WAY ONLY! You're worrying too much. In obedience, she'll never have a choice of which way to jump it. You'll set her in a sit on one side and tell her to jump to the other side. In agility, it will be part of a course and again, you'll be telling her which direction to jump. The bottom line, then, is that you're getting twice as much jumping in the same amount of time, and it's doing no harm at all. ADDING
A CUE: Not yet, let the sight of the board be all the
encouragement she needs. Change your distance in relation to the board. You can toss each treat toward the centre of the space in front of the board and several feet back from it, which sets the dog up nicely to offer you another jump. Once you can do that, you can totally control the whole setup without having to be anywhere near the board. Once
she's steady on the single board, ask her to jump over other things.
Watch your height – don't ask for too much for her experience
and her age. We don't want our puppies and young dogs giving us
a lot of height or distance, or too many repetitions. What they
need to learn about the Broad Jump is to seek out and commit to
jumping it, no matter where it is and no matter where you are
in relation to it. They can learn that on one board, no height,
no length. |
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LEVEL FIVE The dog jumps 2 boards from 4' back with handler 5' away. Dogs under 18 months may jump 1 board from 5' back with handler 5' away. This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION:
We're gradually building the distance the dog must jump. Unless
you're practicing dozens and dozens of jumps every day, or have
a very heavy breed, I don't see a problem with a puppy in good
shape jumping two boards, but if you're concerned about it, teach
the behaviour with one board unti the dog's growth plates have
closed. |
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LEVEL SIX The dog performs a full broad jump exercise over a half-width jump. Appropriate cues.This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION:
The width of the Broad Jump is twice the dog's height at the withers,
so half-width is the dog's height. Many dogs have a longer running
stride than this, so the challenge isn't in making the distance,
but in doing the behaviour correctly. Be sure you have adequate
footing so the dog doesn't slip. |
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LEVEL SEVEN The dog performs the full Broad Jump exercise. This is an optional behaviour that must be performed with no food or clicker in the ring or area. DISCUSSION:
This is the "real" Broad Jump, complete with
SitStay, return to Front, and Finish. |
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