Courses (In Theory) - Terv Club Sun June 13, 2010

So in keeping with my weekend theme, I'm writing about tomorrow's (Sunday, June 13, 2010) Excellent JWW course BEFORE it's run. As with today's post, I'll set tomorrow's blog to automatically post in the afternoon and later write about the reality of what happened.

On to the course!

I think the challenge of obstacles #1-5 for handlers will be determining exactly where or how far they should lead out. Handlers will need to balance their actions so they can support the minor direction change from #2-3, but not put too much forward motion in since the dog will need to do a 180 degree turn into the #5 tunnel. Oh and don't forget the off-course #20 jump.

After the tunnel and on the landing side of the #6 jump, I would love to see handlers do a front cross. Granted, it would require the handler to trust their dog to drive out of the tunnel while the handler drifted toward the landing side of #6, but on paper this seems like a perfectly do-able option. However, after having seen many successful rear-crosses at the weave poles, I'm thinking the safe bet will be that option.

For sequence #7-10, I expect most handlers will have their dog on their left while in the weave poles and will work for a front cross between #9 &10. This would put handlers on the inside track through #14.

As for jump #14 on, I think the key may be to aim for being ahead of the dog to 'lead' them through this fast ending sequence (I love fast flowing lines for dogs as a great way to end the weekend). Which means that after #14, handlers are either going to have to work their way around the #9 jump which has the advantage of  drawing the dog up to #15 or if behind their dog, handlers may have to layer #9 and meet the dog back down at the landing side of #16.

I have to admit, I'm excited to see how folks work through this sequence!

My last concern on this course is that dogs may curl in after #19 and rather than push toward the #20 jump will spy the off course #5 tunnel and veer off-course at the last second. If handlers are behind, no amount of calling will save their butts from this last-minute kiss of death. By the way, the off-course tunnel is not considered an option by the AKC because it is over 21' from the #19 jump. So in theory this obstacle shouldn't be a big draw to dogs.

On a different note, technically this course has up to 11 challenges (9 are required for Excellent) and 3 side-switches (3 are required for Excellent). Can you identify where the challenges and side switches are? Remember, a side switch is defined as a change in direction.

Stay tuned for the Reality version of this course after it is run.

Lisa