WHAT YOU NEED FOR RUNNING CONTACTS IN DOG AGILITY

Solid, consistently successful running contacts require these things:

• Frequent access to contact equipment (once per week won’t cut it)
• Lots of training time for repetitions, repetitions, repetitions
• Exceptional directional commands at the exit, or a handler who can keep up with her dog
• An experienced handler with a good enough “eye” to only reward performances that meet criteria

So why is this important?

Because most of us don’t have either the time, dedication, experience, or access to really teach running contacts successfully. (Including myself in the whole “time” category).

That means many handlers spend YEARS trying unsuccessfully to teach their dogs running contacts, becoming more and more frustrated as they throw money away at trials on non-qualifying runs. It’s heartbreaking. And retraining is always harder than training something from the start.

So, back to my advice. Unless you have everything on that “required” list, teach your dog a solid stopped contact that can be transformed into a quick-release after your dog has some ring time under his belt.