Monday, April 16, 2012

Building a Better Walk Through



With mini trials coming up and summer trials right around the corner, here are a few tips to get your run off to a good start. 

Before you even set foot on the course, you can check out the course map and pay special attention to the obstacles and the order they are placed.  Make sure to look for traps and hazards while you have the map in front of you!  It helps to think about questions like “Where is my dog going to have a hard time?”  And “What are my tough or uncomfortable spot s as a handler?”

When you get a chance to physically walk the course, figure out angles of approach for each obstacle. Think about your hand signals and points where it would save time to perform crosses.  Visualize yourself running the course and try and see things from doggy’s perspective too!

Lastly, you can watch how other handlers run the course before you and pick up tips you may have missed.  As handlers, we rarely have time to think these sorts of things through in the moment, so having a good, solid walk through beforehand can make a big difference!  Happy trials!

Credit for this lovely post goes to: Maria

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