Training the Send to Jump with a Target

Having a terrible time getting this video to play when I tried to "edit" it into a nice movie for Youtube, so went to the original unedited version. Here are some comments that you will need to understand all that is going on. This is one way to teach your dog the AKC exercise #210, Send to Jump. Before you can start you must teach your dog to target from at least 10 feet away. Wally has been targeting for 8 years so I am moving fast, and the first part of the video got cut out so you don't see me doing a demo only a foot away from the target. Use something soft and only a small bite, so the dog can eat is quickly. Don't let the dog linger at the target sniffing around for more. If you have to use a leash when you start so you can give the dog a light pop back to you if they don't return right away. Make this a FUN GAME. Don't drill - even with lots of treats involved the dogs will get tired of this. Do a few reps several times a day and you'll make more progress. In the video I use a water bowl since it showed up better in the long grass than a cottage cheese lid - you can use anything you can set a treat on that is visible to the dog. Start with the target only a foot away and after 5 repeats at that distance, if the dog is moving toward the target when you say "get it", begin to move back not more than 8 inches at a time. when the dog can target from at least 10 feet away you are ready to add the jump into the picture. When you do this you will start with the dog close to the jump and GRADUALLY move back (no more than 8 inches at a time and only after at least 8 repeats of sending to the target at each distance - you want a solid foundation(. When the dog is sending forward over the jump you will begin adding lateral distance. You will start moving to your R away from the jump - sending the dog away from you and over the jump. Start close to the jump and gradually move away 8 inches at a time with at least 5 repeats at each distance. If you move and the dog doesn't go out and over, go back and work a little closer. When the dog can both go ahead of you and move away from you it's time to put the whole thing together. DO NOT worry about having the dog return to heel while training this. Train ONE THING AT A TIME and here you are training the dog to take the jump. You can add the return to heel when that is well trained. Don't rush. Make haste slowly. Continue to use the target until the whole exercise is together and solid, then you can begin to fade the target. It was 85 when we started doing the video so we were all melted. My class took turns trying this with their dogs when I'd finished showing them how to do this but it was too hot to try to video them. Good luck. Ruthann McCaulley - Author of Rally All Around http://rallyallaround.wix.com/rally