In this lesson, we’ll introduce the Target Plank to the dog.  The one I’m using in the video is 4 ft long, 12 inches wide and 4 inches high.  I have painted it with sand-paint to give it a non-slip surface.  You could also glue carpet remnants or yoga mat-type material to the surface of a plank.  I painted mine […]

Using what you have learned in your Focus Forward and Impulse Control games, we are going to introduce a visible target for the dog.  A plastic lid from a yogurt container or something similar works well.  Start by teaching (or reminding) the dog to focus forward on the target.  Ask the dog for a “Stand” or a “Sit” and then […]

We want our dogs to love agility and most do!  They love jumping over fences, running through tunnels, weaving and scrambling over the contacts.  Those actions become reinforcing to the dog and the more they love it, the more important it is to build impulse control so that we have solid Start Lines and 2on-2off behavior. Building impulse control can […]

My ideal performance of the 2on-2off behavior includes the dog understanding that he should be focusing ahead to the next obstacle until released.  I want my dog to focus ahead to the next obstacle, when I’m in front of him, lateral to him or behind him. This is also a useful skill to have at the start line.  That is […]

In this lesson, you will be setting the dog up for success in his contact behaviors by teaching him to perform a “down” behavior while you are both in motion.  If you think about it, it’s the same general process you’ll follow for the 2on-2off behavior. The dog will be running across the board, stop in 2on-2off position while you […]

The Release Word: It is very important in 2on-2off training for your dog to have a true understanding of your release word. You want your dog to stay in position whether you are standing still, running past, Front or Blind crossing – Until you give the VERBAL RELEASE WORD.  I use “Break” because it has a short and snappy sound; […]

Whenever we teach a new behavior we must have a clear picture of the criteria for the final behavior and the steps to get there.  This is important because at all times we have to know what to reward and what not to reward. In the case of the final 2on-2off behavior, I want my dog to come fast and […]

My history of contact training with my dogs is mixed. With each one I learned something new and better understood how to put the pieces together.  With my sheltie Breeze (now 14 yrs old)  I taught a 2on-2off on the dogwalk and teeter using most of the methods described in this course and taught a running A-frame – for which […]

In agility, teaching your dog a solid, reliable contact behavior pays off throughout the dog’s competitive career.  One of the big advantages to training a 2on-2off at the end of the contact obstacles is that nearly all the training can take place on a training board, reducing both the physical stress on the dog and the space needed to do […]