I’ve spent another weekend judging, this time for Riverside Canine, a USDAA trial in New Hampshire. I truly had a good time with the folks up there. They have a very relaxed kind of culture and tend to be good natured, kindly to their dogs, and hard working.

Although it’s not a busy season for me in terms of seminars and camps (the kind of things that pay the mortgage) I’ve nonetheless managed to stay pretty busy. Reviewing courses for the TDAA certainly costs me quite a bit of time. I’m afraid I’m totally incapable of giving a game or a course a quick glance and an easy pass. I turn every phrase of the course as though I were running dogs of my own dogs and try to feel the very same pain that exhibitors will feel. So of course if I get a dozen or more courses I’ll be at the task for three or four hours at least.

I’ve also been working at drafting agility regulations for C-WAGS. This will be a very interesting new venue geared towards an inexpensive recreational approach to the game. I’ll let you all know how it’s coming along.

Over the next several entries in my blog I’ll share with you some of my new drawings. I amuse myself with simple pen sketches. They’re all a bit primitive and, frankly, I’m better with human anatomy than canine. At some point I want to publish a small compilation of insight. The working title has been “Agility Chi – the Art of the Natural Handler”. Awhile back I recognized that the work demands pictures. I guess I’ll just have to draw them myself.

I also promised to document the games of DOCNA. Now that the trial has passed I can publish the courses that I used up at Sugarbush. I continue to collect and document agility games that are used out in the world. I have a fairly large collection that goes beyond those that I published in the Clean Run Book of Agility Games, 2d Ed. Frankly, putting them in my own format helps me understand the games more comprehensively and not have to chase all over the universe to figure out how they’re played.

Movement

The handler’s movement is intrinsic to basic communication with the dog. Movement is direction. Movement is motive.

Snakes N′ Ladders

Briefing

Snakes N′ Ladders is a strategic game that has Snakes (tunnels) and Ladders (contact obstacles and weave poles.) The objective is to complete all Ladders and cross the finish line as quickly as possible.

For more information on Snakes N′ Ladders go to: www.docna.com

Rules

· The dog can start with any obstacle.

· To successfully complete the course the dog must perform all Ladders without faults and cross the finish line before the expiration of time.

· The finish line is not complete until all Ladders have been performed.

· At least one Snake—but any number of Snakes—must be performed between the Ladders. Individual Snakes may be performed any number of times.

· Each individual Ladder may be performed only once.

· Missed contacts or failure to complete will result in course faults. Performance faults are the same as in the standard classes.

· If a dog completes one Snake the handler is not obligated to finish any subsequent Snake that the dog might touch or select before going on to a Ladder.

· If a dog starts a contact obstacle, that obstacle is now the obstacle of choice. The handler must direct the dog to complete in that direction before moving on.

· If a dog leaves a contact obstacle prior to completion the dog will be faulted according to the DOCNA fault table. The handler may choose to go on or use the training in the ring guidelines. Training in the ring will be scored Elimination.

· If a dog starts the weave poles, that obstacle is not the obstacle of choice. The handler must direct the dog to complete in that direction before moving on. Back-weaving will be faulted according to the DOCNA fault table.

Elimination

The dog will be eliminated when:

· Any two Ladders are performed in succession without taking a Snake between.

· A Ladder previously performed is attempted again, whether by intention, or wrong course.

Scoring

Snakes N’ Ladders is scored Faults Then Time. No placement will be given for a score of Elimination (E) or No Time (NT).

Course Design

The difficulty in the design of this class is creating a balance for performance of the technical obstacles, with plenty of flow options for pipe tunnels in between, without actually giving away the farm in terms of challenge and overall flow.

While a superior strategy for solving the course might emerge fairly early in the class, the distribution of obstacles should lend itself to a variety of possible solutions.

The weave pole requirement for Snakes N’ Ladders at the Beginner level includes three sets of 5-6 poles. At the Intern and specialist level the dog is required to perform one set of 10-12 weave poles.

Strategies

Following are a few simple reminders of efficient strategies on the course:

• The fastest way to complete the course is with only 11 obstacles: three contacts, three sets of weave poles, and five tunnels.
• The fastest way to complete: begin with either a contact or weave poles.
• Once you have completed the three contacts and three sets of weave poles get off the course to stop your time

And of course, it’s worth remembering: every time you do either a weave or contact, you must do a tunnel.

Qualifying and Titles

Snakes N’ Ladders is an eligible qualifying game for play in both Dogs on Course in North America (DOCNA) and the Teacup Dogs Agility Association (TDAA).