The Struggle is Real

At every single seminar I teach, there is usually at least one student who has trouble getting her dog to line up with her at the beginning of an exercise. If you watch an agility trial, you often see the same thing – handlers having to ask their dogs to sit multiple times, using physical pressure to get a sit at the start line, or struggling to get the dog on the correct side of them before they start.

If this describes you, don’t despair! There are some easy ways to teach your dog to get in sync before you begin.

How to Use a Place Cue for the Start Line

Another trick we teach early on in the course is “place”. For this behavior, when you give your dog a physical or verbal cue, your dog circles behind you and moves into position next to your leg on the left or the right. Adding motion and different starting positions turns this into a game for the dog and gives you a snappy performance.

This is a handy “trick” to have if your dog is in front of you when you are trying to line up, or if you accidentally gave them a “side” cue on the wrong side and need to move them. It’s also a great tool to have when you are walking on leash. If your dog moves behind you and gets you tangled in the leash, a quick “get around” will move him back to the correct side.

A Middle Cue Helps Your Agility Dog Line Up With You

Middle, also known as “Peekaboo” is the third trick we teach for lining up together with your dog. On a verbal or physical cue, your dog will line up under your legs, facing the same direction as you are. You can ask for a sit or a down when he is in the middle position, and teach a reliable stay or wait to allow you to lead out on course. This one is fun to expand on so experienced competitors can use it to its full advantage.

I’ve used this trick for my dog who liked her space from other dogs. When she was lined up in the middle, she didn’t have to worry about dogs approaching her from the sides, and was much more relaxed waiting her turn at trials. It’s also the first step in teaching your dog the fun trick of walking with his paws on your feet.

Today’s Tip

If you have problems getting in sync at the start line or setting up for an exercise, any one of these three cues will save you time, effort, and frustration. Getting your dog lined up correctly is critical to starting a course or exercise off right.

These are just three of the 17 tricks taught in the Essential Tricks for Agility Dogs online course. If you have a couple of gaps in your foundation, or you just want a different perspective on how tricks can be used to make your agility career infinitely easier, come join us for a fun training adventure!

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Top photo: Courtesy of Dog Agility Photos for Fun.

Second photo: Courtesy of Dog Agility Photos for Fun,