Crate Games Squared Part 2

Goal: This lesson we will progress our Crate Games Squared, using a jump with a bump between two crates. Crate Games squared is about your dog driving lines. Here you will show your dog how to follow your body and listen to his cues!

Equipment:  2 soft sided crates, food and toy. Note: If you only have one you can do this game between one crate and one dog bed.  Jump, a jump bump (1/2 of an irrigation pipe), an agility pause table and a tunnel.

Suggested Training Area Size: 50’ x 50' (5m x 5m)

Step 1: Set up your training stations as in the below diagram. The distance is 15ft between jump and crate. To add complexity you can make the sequence farther apart or to simplify bring the two crates closer.

Step 2: Exercise #1 

Here are your lesson exercises for this session.  It is your motion that drives the dog between two crates. Remember to reward when the dog gets all four paws into the crate.  

1: Power straight between two crates. Cue “jump”.

2: Release your dog, at the jump use your cue “chk~chk” and your physical cue for a Early Rotation Front Cross (eFC) cuing collection to turn back to the crate you just released from.

3: Power straight between two crates. Cue “jump”.

4: Release your dog, at the jump use your cue “chk~chk” and your physical cue for a post turn cuing collection to turn back to the crate you just released from.

5: Swing (Rear Cross). Cue “swing or sssss”.

6: Power straight between two crates. Cue “jump”.

Step 3: Exercise #2 

In this step we will add distractions to the exercise to increase the challenge for your dog. Ensure you maintain your Crate Games criteria.

1: Power straight between two crates. Cue “jump”.

2:  Between the crate and the jump, cue “hup right” to drive to the table.

3: Starting at the table, give your sprinkler “tststs” turning cue to cue the jump to the crate.

4: Crate to tunnel with your “tun~tun” cue.

5: Power straight (after taking a tunnel) @10:28 Susan discusses the importance of your body cuing what line you want your dog to take.

6: Release your dog, at the jump use your cue “chk~chk” and your physical cue for a Early Rotation Front Cross (eFC) cuing collection to turn back to the crate you just released from.

7:Power straight between two crates.

8:Cue “wit~wit” between the jump and tunnel.

Troubleshooting

If your dog is cutting off your path, remember to utilize focus forward on the jump and the crate beyond before you release. You may have to revisit focus forward on one jump to get the behaviour first or move your crates in closer.

If your dog stops maintaining Crate Games criteria of a sit. Turn the crate away from the exercise and make your session all about Crate Games criteria of sit when your hand is on the door.