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  All About Contacts

The See-Saw, A-frame, and Dog-Walk are called "contact" obstacles, because these have sections on each end (the up-side and the down-side) that are painted yellow. They are always painted yellow, and by painting the rest of the obstacle a contrasting color, the dog is enabled to distinguish where the contacts are. One of the challenges in agility is the requirement that the dog MUST touch the down-side Contact Zone with at least one paw. This can be a challenge to some dogs, especially the large breeds, as well as those who like to leap off buildings in a single bound.

On the See-Saw and the Dog Walk, the dog must also touch the "upside" of the contact, as well as the downside. In other words, they can't leap on it from the side, and miss the yellow part. But with the A-frame, a dog doesn't have to touch the upside, as some dogs have to get a good running (or leaping) start to get up that steep wall. But of course they have to touch the downside contact. It is usually the A-frame that causes the biggest contact problem.

In a trial, if a dog misses the contact, he is disqualified automatically. It doesn't seem fair, but those are the rules, and without them, agility might be too easy for some dogs! There are different ways to reinforce reliable contacts. One is to make sure that you are at the end of the obstacle to guide the dog with your hand and voice (without touching the dog). Some people teach the "easy" command to their dogs, both on and off the obstacles, which means slow down. But some dogs are very fast, and you might not be able to get to the side of the obstacle in time to say easy or guide them down with your body movements. So many people teach their dog to "target", so that the dog stops at the bottom of the obstacle and waits for your release word. The "target" is usually a plastic lid (like from a margarine container) that is placed on the ground with a treat on it. When the dog "noses" the target on command, a treat is given. Practicing at the bottom of stairs is also good for impromptu target training. A target is then placed at the bottom of the stairs, and when the dog stops and noses it, you can give a treat by hand.

If you prefer not to use food as reinforcement, clickers are an ideal method of for positive contact training.

Another popular (and sometimes easier) method is to use a reinforcing "Contact Zoner" at the bottom of the contact. When your dog goes through and under it, treat him. As your dog begins to consistently exit properly you can remove the zoner. If he ever misses a contact again, simply bring it back as a gentle reminder.

People in agility know that even the most advanced dogs can occasionally miss a contact. So it is important to stick to a training method that works for your dog, and not assume once it is learned, that your dog will not need to have periodic or continual reinforcement training in contacts.

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