2 on 2 off.. V.. Running Contacts

[JohnW]

I run Bailey using 2x2 contacts but I now teach my new competition dog Ben running contacts, I must say I am now a running contact convert. Anyone else use this method and whats your thoughts on it? Some people have been horrified at me going down this route as they have said its a recipe for disaster. I still use 2x2 with Bailey though but I do find it slows him down especially against collies.

[jackie 14]

I do with George, but I have been getting faulted a lot this year at shows with it now that I am having to push him faster, some have been very close, but with a blink of an eye it can be missed because they don't stop,
One show I was at a lot of the running contacts were faulted and they were fast G7 medium dogs
our winter training is to get him to bring his head down without treats so to get it ever time , but with no pressure at him ,as more we focus on it the more he can pop it

[aljeana]

I use running contacts for both my small Cockers

Amy who will be 8 years old in January was my first attempt and was taught to foot target her accuracy at shows varies as she is quick through the contact area she does get faulted quite a lot on the dog walk as she hits with her back feet quite high in the contact area and I do work alot at home to improve her accuracy.

Jodie I must admit I wanted to do 2on2off but as she is a steady dog I went with a running contact but have been more insistant with her foot target and she is going nicely.

I went with a target method so that I had something I could still back train if needed I know now there are methods out there that do just rely on working at speed from a flat plank and there are some good results out there.

One of the negatives with a running contact IMO is the work you need to do to be able too turn at speed from a distance if your dog is quick and the running contact does need maintaining but the plus side is it does give you an advantage on speed, but be prepared for what you may think is a bad call it is difficult to judge your own dog when they are running through the contact on course.

I would recommend video and video in training mode and at shows to check if the running through is consistant.

[Becky and Wilson]

I use running contact with my 2 girls who are both Small, I have no problem with Paisley who is a midget but ISla sometimes misses her dog walk contact, I still prefer the running contact to the 2o2o, I don't like that the dog learns to stop on the contact slowing them down.....but I'm giving it a go with Merfyn as he's Medium and really fast so I thought I might need him stopping so I can catch up!  I'll see how I go and may even change to running contact but that's what my club are training now(2o2o) so thought I'd go with the flow of everyone else!

[SkyeandOllie]

I do 2 on 2 off with Ollie,  hes so bloody fast!! the 2 on 2 off is what my trainer used with her dogs (Grade 7's)

How would you train a running contact?  i just say steady to my GSD and she'll slow then I'll give her a comand to go,  I presume this is whats meant by running contacts?! 

[Karma]

We don't compete, but we learned the contacts as running contacts... Honey is small enough that she generally hits them, but she does have a tendency to leap off the dog walk now...

SkyeandOllie - we trained the running contacts by just encouraging Honey to run straight off the end of the equipment... the theory being that if a dog is small enough it will hit the contacts without having to think about it... so we used a target a few feet off the end of the obstacle to encourage her to run to that... If I was going to be keeping the agility up, we would spend a few sessions re-freshing this to counteract her tendency to miss on the dog-walk, but as we're on limited time (there's only going to be so long I can keep running with Isobel on my back and a growing bump in front!) we're just enjoying the sessions we have left!!