Matthew Grubb Webboard User Reg: 09-27-2002
Posts: 637
Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.
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I've never had any problems with my work dog jumping on or over things.....solid walls, windows, chain link, car doors... all fine. The other day at training we were working an agility course that contained a "picket fence" jump that was 4' in height. As soon as we got to this jump, the brakes came on and he went around. We tried to repeat it twice with the same result. I got him into drive with his Kong and he jumped over for it but you could tell there was some stress there.
Any agility fans able to tell me why this happened and give some tips on correcting it? Thanks in advance!!
Stephan R Weber Webboard User Reg: 02-16-2004
Posts: 215
Loc: Des Moines, Iowa
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Time to get his eyes checked?
Depending on how far apart and wide the pickets, slat and picket type fences, especially vertical ones can be visually confusing. As the dog closes the distance on the fence, visibility through the fence will change.
I have very poor (not corectable) vision in one eye and notice this effect when I'm on my skateboard. It can be really disorienting.
Jump him starting with his chest against the fence (I'm assuming, being your dog, his back and rear are in shape for it), and gradually work him back so he sees the visibility change in slo-mo.
I teach all my jumps starting with the jump low (or the dog elevated) and right up on the jump, and then move them back. It takes some of the visual componant out of the actual jump (separates it from the approach).
If you work him with cavaletti, you can put the cavaletti out for his approach to get him in stride too, so he's more into the rhythm than the appearance of the jump.
Stephan R Weber Webboard User Reg: 02-16-2004
Posts: 215
Loc: Des Moines, Iowa
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I guess I never did tell you what I see to explain "visually disturbing". How intense the difference is depends on the speed and angle I'm closing on the fence or wall, and ambient light.
Slat fences can appear solid until I get close to them, and then suddenly gaps appear in them. Not so startling, since I can see the fence is there.
Pickets can be really strange and appear out of nowhere. The fence isn't visible until I close on it and suddenly it's there. Worst with narrow and widely spaced pickets.
Chain link at least produces a continuous variation in "texture" (if that makes sense), kind of a mist or difference in hue from surroundings that I notice OK.
It's worse sometimes in sunny conditions because of light diffusion from my very mild cataract in the same eye.
Luckily only one eye is affected. And no, I'm not out there driving. Yer safe <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I keep to the skateboard and my mongoose scooters, thanks.
Stephan R Weber Webboard User Reg: 02-16-2004
Posts: 215
Loc: Des Moines, Iowa
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If that doesn't sound likely, maybe he was confused by the similarity to both weave poles and a jump? Begging the difference by going around seems reasonable if he wasn't sure.
Jenn Kavanaugh Webboard User Reg: 01-05-2004
Posts: 560
Loc: Bushkill, PA
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Sometimes we make things more complicated than they are. If he couldn't see beyond the jump, and this solid jump looked different from others, he sounds like he was doing the smart thing.
Instead of just launching himself in the air and THEN discover something 'scary' on the far side (hole? puddle? boulder?), he thought it quickly thru and went for the 'better safe than sorry'. It looked different from the front, so why not different on the hidden back side?
You did the perfect thing to work him thru this, remained calm, used the toy to work thru his concern, and got him over it.
I've seen dogs refuse jumps that just had different standards holding up the bars (like they havc a pot of flowers on them? or are painted and cut like huge dogs? or dog houses that the dogs try to go into rather than over the bar?) Weird how thing look normal or familiar to us, but not always our dogs.
Intelligent dogs rarely want to please people whom they do not respect --- W.R. Koehler
David Morris Webboard User Reg: 11-28-2002
Posts: 570
Loc: North Carolina
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Dogs are gonna have stress when they are confronted with new things. Thats no big deal. The key is to work thru the situations as effeciently as possible without dragging it out and reinforcing the dogs fear. What you did by putting the dog in drive was good. The only thing different I would have done would have eliminated the dogs ability to go around the jump. I know it wasnt possible to have lowered the jump.This demonstrates the need to be creative when you are trying to think ahead and expose your dog to everything under the sun.
Stop making excuses for your dog and start training it!
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