Improving jumping style?

[RSQRottweiler]

We've been doing small amounts of jumping in our obedience class, mixed with recall work. Sebastian's jumping style is very flat. . .he takes off well in front of the jump and sort of haphazardly flings himself over. He knocked over one jump and it took a couple of times to build his confidence again. He's still jumping flat, and destined for another crash. Suggestions?

Audrey

[Judi W]

First thing I would suggest is do an honest evaluation of his front. If he is straight in the front, he is not mechanically constructed to reach with the forelegs thus allowing for a good cushioned landing.

If if turns out he is straight in the front, what to do? First thing is some physical conditioning to teach him to reach as far as he is capable. I would suggest biking him at the highest speed where he is still in a trott. This will encourage him to reach forward. Also, note, that if you are doing attention heeling, that compounds the issue as with high attention heeling, the dog is moving with his head turned and the forelegs more or less prancing which doubles up on the time where he is not reaching forward.

[WorkinDogz]

I agree with Judi....the dogs "construction" makes all the difference in the world!

If the dog is put together correctly; and as Judi said; conditioned properly......I use the "chute" method to clean up jumping.

I set up almost cavaletti type jumps (little higher but not nearly the 1 meter height he would be required to jump in a trial)

I block off both sides of the series of jumps (which are made of PVC and set about 1 stride apart.....usually 10 of them) so the dog can't take a left or right to refuse a jump.

In the beginning I'll have him leashed and RUN along side of him....and watch him as he takes the first few nicely.....then bust through the last ones. ;)

Doesn't take long to build nice jumping style.....especially if there is something AWESOME waiting for them at the end of the chutes :)

[Judi W]

My dogs LOVE the cavelettis. I don't have to do anything more than point to that part of the field and they cover the whole length doing it over and over again. The kids go back and forth, but my older girl (who has rules don't you know) only runs them in one direction and then circles around.

[WorkinDogz]

LOL Judi......one of mine was a one-way fan.....but.....I fixed his wagon and had someone waiting for his butt on the other end and sent him back.....with me playing allllllllllll by myself with HIS biteroll

Can't have that now can we ;) Mom playing with the biteroll and me alllllllll the way down there.......and the only way to save my biteroll from human :: yuck :: slobber is to jump allllllll the way back.

[Judi W]

Yes, but you have to have a friend who is willing to put themselves in front of a moving and determined freight train that wouldn't think twice about running that person down when she's on a mission.

Seriously, with the dog that lands flat, I would do some reaching exercise as well as biking. I see the agility people doing stretching exercises with some of the dogs who have this problem. They stand the dog and take each foreleg in turn and extend it forward and then back trying to educate the muscles to compensate for the lack of natural reach. It appears to be helpful.