Excelling at Dog Agility: Book 3 : Advanced Skills Training (Updated Second Edition)
Jane Simmons-Moake'sExcelling at Dog Agility Book 3: Advanced Skills Trainingis an exciting addition to my "all things dog" library. It completes her series in the same clear, concise, easily understood manner as the first two books. The wealth of diagrams augments the text and gives you a visual aid as well.The first two books,Excelling at Dog Agility Book 1: Obstacle Training and Excelling at Dog Agility Book 2: Sequence Traininglay the ground work for the third by providing theory and essential foundation skills.Book 3shows you how to isolate and train the skills necessary to compete successfully at advanced levels of competition by giving you enormous flexibility in handling strategies and therefore, a competitive edge. In addition there is new material that that can be used at the begining levels. The chapter on training aids is one example.Each chapter include topics such as "How to Begin", "If You Have Problems", "Using Training Aids", How to Progress", "Games", "Praise", "Proofing" and "Training Tips". A chapter on weave pole skills reminds us that they must be honed and maintained throughout your dog's agility career. Ms. Simmons-Moake describes and illustrates progressive exercises to accomplish this task. The chapter on the pause table shows you how to teach your dog to jump on the table, keep from sliding off, and get the quick, solid sit or down so necessary to save time. Other chapters cover exciting techniques and skills. The "send-and-run" technique allows you to move ahead before your dog has committed to an obstacle. The dog confidently follows your direction regardless of what you do afterward. "Layering", the technique of keeping one or more obstacles between you and your dog, allows you to complete sequences smoothly without pulling your dog off course. Teaching your dog to discriminate obstacles with verbal cues can mean the difference between qualifying or not. It is best to begin training this skill by calling your dog to you over an obstacle rather than sending until the dog gains confidence. Other useful verbal directions are the "get-out" and the "heel and side" commands that allow you to adjust your dog's path through the course. "Back chaining" is a skill that can be used to gain distance from your dog on the course. Sequences that are often found in advanced competition, such as "pinwheels", "zig-zags" and gamble with its variations are thoroughly addressed with text and diagrams. A chapter on practicing at home illustrates how, with few obstacles in your inventory, you can hone your competitive skills. Appendix A: Problem Solving is done in a question and answer format with many possible solutions given to a particular problem. Appendix B: Video Topic Guide - Tape 3 coordinates the book's text with specific times on tape 3 of her award winning video seriesCompetitive Agility Training. For those who learn better visually, the combination of the books' diagrams and videos are an unparallelled means to become a more accomplished agility competitor. For those of us who are becoming a bit creaky with age, the techniques and skills presented can help us to continue to show our Belgians in agility without having to try and keep up with this very intelligent and speedy breed. An altogether winning combination! --Carol R. Morris,The Belgian Sheepdogmagazine, 2003