EXTREME COLLECTION AND WRAPS FROM A DISTANCE
Extreme
Agility
with
John
Nys
JOHN AND TRICK
Collection and Wraps from a Distance
by John Nys
In today’s agility courses, it is not
only important to successfully
complete each course, but to
execute them timely and
efficiently. Part of the efficiency,
is Collection and Tight Turns. It
is important form the start that our
dogs understand how to use their
body to collect, jump and turn.
Prior to agility, I trained and
competed in Barrel Horse Racing
for 15 years. The same concepts
applied when training my horses
in barrel horse racing. Teaching
my horses to collect and turn has
helped me to better understand
what I wanted to see with my
dogs.
Foundation:
Come to heel is very important in
agility to assure that my dog has
focus and never ignore me while
on course. Once my dog
successfully knows come to heel, I
start training collection. My dogs
have to understand how to bend
over the bar, collect their body and
drive out of turn. This is not much
different from training a horse to
barrel racing and take the tight
turns around the barrel. In both
cases, they have to understand
how to do the skill from a drill
sequence to full speed. On course,
I want to be able to have an
efficient turn not only when I’m in
place at the wing of a jump but
from 2 or 3 jumps away. We all
plan “to be there” during our
course walking, but as we know it,
doesn't always happen. From
experience, this foundation
training has saved a run (or two)
for me many times. They
understand and know how to turn
tight from a distance which allows
me to get ahead to move onto the
next obstacle without “babysitting
the prior obstacle or finish line.
Bending over the bar:
This skill requires that your dog
bend as they collect to turn around
the upright of the jump. While I’m
working the collection drills, I am
also teaching my dogs to handle
their body over the jump, at any
angle. This eliminates or reduces
the chances of “knocked bars” on
course. I don’t worry about bars
on course because my dogs learn
to understand how to “bend over
the bar” as they negotiate the turn.
As I progress to teach my dog to
collect and turn, I gradually add
height to the bar as part of the
process. This skill is also
beneficial when I’m may not be in
the perfect landing spot so they
understand they have to adjust
EXTREME COLLECTION AND WRAPS FROM A DISTANCE
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their stride if I’m out of place. I
never train to be perfect on course
because we all know it never
happens.
Step 1: Working the jump by
itself:
Use a non-wing jump to start your
dog on this drill. I start this with
no bars, then I add a bar, gradually
raising it up in 2 inch increments
when the dog has mastered the
current height. Work very close to
the jump and ask your dog to bend
around the jump and come back to
your hand in the “come to heel
position” (Figure 1 and Photos 13). As you work this drill,
remember not to accept any wide
turns or extra strides. You can use
food or a toy for this drill, but I
prefer to start with the toy. I like
to incorporate a word with the turn
because it helps when I’m behind
to add a verbal. You can use
“wrap” or “left and right” for
direction. At this time, the height
is still low, you are only looking
for your dog to understand how to
bend, turn and come to heel once
they have made the run around the
jump successfully.
Figure 1
1= Start position
2= Wrap Position
3= Come to heel position
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
EXTREME COLLECTION AND WRAPS FROM A DISTANCE
Step 2: Adding Distance:
As you work the drills in step 1
from both the left and right sides,
back yourself up from the jump
(figure 2 and photos 4-9) making
sure you still see the same results,
I train very black and white so at
this point if I see them add a extra
stride, tap the bar, or not drive to
my hand I make sure to mark it
and go back, I want make sure
the dog understand what I want.
It’s very important they come
right back to your hand. If your
dog doesn't understand “come to
heel” position over a jump or
outside of the ring, train that
separately so you can reinforce it
on this drill. If your dog goes by
you when you ask them to “come
to heel “ they will without a doubt
go by you on course and go wide
on turns. At this point if the turns
are tight you can raise the bar but
there is no rush to get to the dogs
normal jump height until you and
your dog has mastered it the
current height first.
Photo 4
Photo 5
Photo 6
Figure 2:
Photo 7
Photo 8
Photo 9
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Step 3: Adding the speed:
Once you see the turns you want
consistently, it is time to start
adding speed. I use this by
incorporating a tunnel and 2 jumps
(see figure 3 for jump and tunnel
drill). This is a fun game to play
with your young dog and the
tunnel takes pressure off them as
you work this drill/skill. If your
dog turns tight at the lower height,
start to raise the bar making sure
you see the same results. Never
move ahead if you see an extra
stride or wide turn when you get
to their normal jump height. If you
are not getting the efficient tight
turns you are looking for, lower
the bar back to the lower jump
height and continue skill until you
are ready to move the jump back
up. Start by sending your dog thru
the right of tunnel while standing
in between the two jumps. As your
dog exits the left side of the
tunnel, pick up the dog with your
right drive arm then transition to
your left arm to begin signaling
collection over the bar. It is
important to keep your body in
forward motion during when you
signal the left turn. If your dog
successfully wraps around the
jump as tight as possible, send the
dog with your left drive arm to
the left side of the tunnel. As your
dog exits the right of the tunnel,
repeat the process, this time pick
up your dog with your left drive
arm then transition to your right
arm to begin signaling collection
over the right side of the jump.
Again it is important that you keep
your body in forward motion
during the right turn. Repeat this
process as needed for drill
training. However, I believe less is
more if your dog has successfully
turned with speed around the jump
from the tunnel.
EXTREME COLLECTION AND WRAPS FROM A DISTANCE
Figure 3
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Step 4: Sending on a collection
arm:
I transition the collection arm
from my drive arm when I want to
signal collection to my dog. This
is a result of the foundation
training skills trained in Step 1.
Many other turning techniques
trained today require the
handler to be next to the dog or
jump. However, this technique
requires you to create the turn,
from a distance, without always
having to be next to your dog or
the jump.
As I approach the jump I still
send my dog on my drive arm
(the side my dogs on) and then
as my dog approaches, I
decelerate and transition to my
collection arm, (the arm the dog
will come back to
my hand on), see photo below. I
keep my body and knee forward
to indicate continued forward
motion before they turn. At
minimum, I want to be able to
send my dog at least one jump
ahead so as they turn I can be up
the line. It is important your dog
has independent obstacles so you
are not trying to out run your dog
to reach the jump.
Step 5: Perfect it Before You
Take to a Trial:
Proofing your collection is so
important. Once you take it to a
trial, remember, if you don’t see
the criteria you want in a trial
atmosphere you need to go back
and train and trial less. I truly
believe that once you allow your
dog to go wide on turns in a show
environment, it becomes more
challenging to correct without
correcting it from the start. Take
your time and use the trials to train
and work the skills you need.
There is plenty of time to show
your stuff once you have perfected
it.
EXTREME COLLECTION AND WRAPS FROM A DISTANCE
John Nys has been competing on the
Local, National and International dog
agility stage for over 15 years. During
this time he has become one of the
most respected competitors and
instructors in agility. He is well known
for his positive motivation and mental
management with his students and his
canine companions. Size doesn’t
matter when competing in dog agility,
as John has competed successfully with
multiple canine partners in the small,
medium and large dogs divisions
resulting in John realizing his dreams
and achievements at all height levels.
John is an 8 time International World
Team Member. He has represented the
United States 6 times for AKC at the
FCI World Championships and
European Open Championships. He is
now a current member of the US World
Agility Open Championship Team with
Rush and Trick. In 2010, John and
Rush took home the Silver Medal in
Individual Agility and a Silver Medal
in the Individual Overall Combined
events. In 2014, John and Rush took
home the Silver Medal in Team Agility
and the Gold Medal in Team Overall
Combined events. He has been a
consistent finalist at the AKC National
Agility Championships and USDAA
World Cynosport Grand Prix/Steeple
Chase Championships on over a dozen
occasions, placing in the top 3 on over
6 occasions and winning the USDAA
World Cynosport Grand
Championships in 2010. John has also
won numerous USDAA Regional
Championships and ISC High
Combined Titles with multiple canine
partners. John’s accomplishments have
been earned and realized thru the
dedication and training of all his canine
partners, for which none of this would
have been possible without them all.
(Casey, Blink, Rush and Trick).
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