Tomorrow I’m off early to Buffalo, NY. I wanted to take a moment to share with you at least one of the courses we’ll be running.
This isn’t a terribly technical standard course. I suppose that I can get away with forward publishing of a course I’ll be judging only in the TDAA. I wouldn’t dream of doing so in another venue. Not many people will go out to set up equipment to practice an upcoming course riddle. Maybe my confidence in the fundamental honesty of people is misplaced.
The tough part of this course will be in the #4 to #7 and #11 through #14 transitions. Ironically these types of challenges are more difficult for the best dogs in the class… those with keen drive and tremendous obstacle focus. To these hard working and well-trained dogs the handler will have to be spot on to show the change of direction and convince the dog into the turn.About the TDAA
One of the things that makes the TDAA unique among the dog agility venues is that the Championship titling program requires beyond a demonstrable expertise in mastering the standard course the ability to qualify and even win nearly any sort of game imaginable.
All venues have games these days. Even the AKC will have a game in FAST, though it isn’t presently tied to any system of titling.
Those venues that have multiple games, like the USDAA and CPE, have defined a specific number of games and hold only these as their titling games. Not so with the TDAA. In the TDAA you can literally be called upon to play nearly any agility game imaginable. And we do.
Back at Dogwood we played an ongoing agility league for something like 8 years. My own students there are masters of the games of agility and nearly dominate play of games in every venue that shows up in that part of the world. The play of games is the way to build teamwork and strengthen the working relationship with your dog.
If you can do this… you can do anything.
I’ll share with you below the variation of Gamblers that we’ll play on the weekend. Note that I’m essentially a USDAA Gamblers fan, but I’ve tweaked the rules just enough to make the game interesting and different.
Gamblers
Each team will have 30 seconds to accumulate points and 15 seconds to complete a gamble. Points for accumulation are:
·       1 point jumps
·       3 points tunnels and tire
·       5 points contacts and weave poles
Each gamble is worth 25 points. Games I dogs may do any of the three gambles. Games II & III may do either the Green gamble or the Red gamble.
In the point accumulation period obstacles may be performed only twice for points. There is no restriction in terms of attempting or practicing the on-field gambles. However, only the simple point values of the obstacles may be earned and if a bar is dropped in the gamble, then that gamble may not be used in the gamble period.
Qualifying
In order to qualify, at any level, the dog must earn 15 points in the point accumulation period and successfully complete a gamble. ÂAbout the Rude Poster
Someone who signed on as “Anonymous Coward†(so fitting!) had this bit to say about me…
Don't worry, it's not just AKC that doesn't like you. I'm pretty certain the level of competition overseas would blow your mind... but you're too "proud" to fly with the team and support them, because they are "AKC." So I guess you'll never experience it, your loss. Would love to run against you on an ICS or better yet, a World Championships course... you could do all your fancy spins, since they obviously are so superior to what else is out there! submitted from Bolton or Avon (outside of Hartford), ConnecticutI don’t have Eric’s godlike powers to just delete any message that disagrees with me on agilityvision.com. So that leaves me pretty open to the admonitions of anyone that wants to have a go at me.
The poster has no clue what it is that I teach. So I’m amazed at the venom. And I pretty much have been around the block to know if one little idiot is giving it voice another ten are thinking it among themselves. And not one of them own the decency to try to meet me to find out who I really am or actually understand my teaching.
Aside from the posters basic ignorance… there’s a suggestion that I’m somehow boycotting or not supporting the US team in World Cup competition because they are AKC. Well you know, I actually compete in the AKC and I have since the program first began in this country. And the World Team frankly usually consists of a bunch of people that I admire greatly; though from time to time will include people that I despise (and mostly this objection is to people who are abusive dog trainers… I have the right to hold this kind of reservation.)
It is true I’ve never been to a World Cup competition it’s mostly because I don’t really like to travel very much and certainly not to be a fan or a cheerleader. And I’ve never owned a world class dog and I’m not going to change my ethics just to go out and get me one.
I’m quite a fan of international competition, actually. A lot of what I teach is based upon the bolder and gutsier handling of European competitors. So it isn’t likely that the level of competition overseas would “blow my mind†as I am a complete student of the game.
ÂQuestions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: dogwoodbud1@earthlink.net. And Checkout my new publication of the Just For Fun Agility Notebook, the very last one I’m ever going to publish at www.dogagility.org/store.
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course posted ahead
Hmmm . . . so, I wonder why
thread hijacking
I didn't delete messages that disagree with me. I actually deleted two messages, one in my favor and the other not. But both were off topic and threatening to ruin the value of the original post, so I deleted them.
This is very common policy.Â
off topic
I agree that the post to which you refer drifted from your original intent. But the inescapable notation is that you have the "godlike" power to nip those posts if you so choose.
Regards,
Bud Houston
dogagility.org
FAST CLASS
There are titles now for Fast Class in AKC. They send the titles in the mail like the other venues do. I don't think that venue would run an event without titles. My one dog is in Excellent A Fast Class and we have only done it 7 times with the other dog in Open due to not running for a while due to an injury. Both dogs have their MACH with one dog with her MACH2. A week ago we won 1st in Standard on both days in Excellent B with my other dog 2nd on one day. We were 3rd in Jumpers with Weaves. We won 1st and 2nd in our Fast Class events both days. It is a fun game!  We do TDAA and we have our TACH and TACH2 with both dogs. We go to "tear em up!" Guess who we are Bud?Â
FAST class
I would say... you are April.
Bud Houston
dogagility.org
New to agility
Can you give a few examples of what you mean by the "bolder and gutsier handling of European competitors?"
I am new to agility, and at my local trials I see a lot of advanced teams handling at a great distance. There is very little movement, but a lot of "turn!/left!/right!" shouting from the middle of the ring.
My instructor gave me an old FCI championship dvd to watch, and I was amazed at how all the handlers ran WITH their dogs in a smooth and flowing fashion.
This is all from a newbie's perspective, but I think both kinds of handling are amazing to watch.
Jennifer from IL
Guess
Hi Bud!
  That is right! It's me!  I wanted to say hi! Happy Agility! Since you were my very first judge in dog agility back in January, 2004. So I have been in dog agility now for over three years. I know you were nice to those beginners who ran for the first time up there in New York. You were certainly nice to me! We have came a long way since then!
  Trudy got her MACH on November 7 and our TACH on November 10. Now she has 3 Champion Titles and Tiffany with 5 Champion Titles.  Anyways, I know your dogs have tons of champion titles! Are they going to drop the coin toss technique soon? Your TDAA courses looked like fun to run in New York.
April, Tiffany, and Trudy
Re: New to Agility
Well Jennifer, I'd say you have a pretty good idea for performance already... tho you are "new to agility". The Europeans run with their dogs (lesson #1) which is pretty fundamental. Agility is a runner's game.
I don't want you to get the idea that gutsy handling doesn't exist in the U.S. Our top players are as gutsy as they come... that's what makes them top players. I'm not terribly sure that what they teach is consistent with what they do... either that, or something is lost in the transition. In general Americans are very conservative "I just want to survive this moment" kinds of handlers.
Europeans aren't suspicious of handler movement as mode of communication with their dogs, as Americans are. We tend to pile reponsibility for just about everything on the shoulders of the dog; and to the extent that many dogs that would be great with another handler flounder in obscurity. All they really need is a handler. Â
Sorry, my answer was as much riddle as real answer. Your instructors have great instinct!
>>
Can you give a few examples of what you mean by the "bolder and gutsier handling of European competitors?"
I am new to agility, and at my local trials I see a lot of advanced teams handling at a great distance. There is very little movement, but a lot of "turn!/left!/right!" shouting from the middle of the ring.
My instructor gave me an old FCI championship dvd to watch, and I was amazed at how all the handlers ran WITH their dogs in a smooth and flowing fashion. This is all from a newbie's perspective, but I think both kinds of handling are amazing to watch. Jennifer from IL
<<
Regards,
Bud Houston
www.dogagility.org
Re: New to Agility
I think I'm picking up what you're putting down :)
This is probably too much to get into in a comments thread on your blog, but I am very curious to see what you would make of my agility instructors. I actually have "shopped around" and gone to several local instructors, all of whom have given me different advice for my super-speedy dog. The different advice ranges from letting my dog work at a distance, and "managing the situation" (the instructors words, not mine) from whatever positions I can get into, to teaching my dog to stick to my lead-hand (and since I run much slower than my dog, I would be heeling my dog around the course), to running my tail off around the ring--however, my timing is always off so I am usually crashing into my dog and totally confusing her.
Of course my dog is always impeccable...she is always trying her best out there, but her handler sucks! As soon as I am able, I will be trying to get out to one of your "Gas savers" workshops, because I am interested in what your approach to handler movement is, and I am convinced that there is a better solution out there than what I have been taught so far!
Jennifer from IL
re: New to agility
Hi Jennifer,
I'm of the belief that both running with the dog and taking advantage of distance when needed can be useful tools. Sometimes on a course, especially at higher levels, you may want to use some distance on certain obstacles so you can be in position for a tricky cross or discrimination a few obstacles later. It comes in handy. Then again, sometimes running with your dog is just the best handler path. I don't think it's useful to say that one way is better than the other in all circumstances--a successful handler will be able to do both.
Another thing to keep in mind is that our dogs will ALWAYS be faster than we are, and sometimes getting them to work in obstacle focus with verbal cues like "left" and "right" helps them get the job done faster than if we always make them rely on our movement and physical cues. Of course, this requires a dog that is well-trained enough to know and do her job--something we don't always see. But when it works it's amazing to watch.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is that thinking there is a "right" vs. a "wrong" way to run all dogs all the time isn't very useful, nor is claiming that the predominant style of one continent is always better than that of another. The most successful handlers usually try to have ALL the tricks in their bags because sooner or later they will need them.
Lisa B from NC