New Trainer Just Started "need some advice"

[Rambo44]

Hey im new and wondering if anyone would give me some pointers. What is the right way to really get the distance i have a regular dock on my pond, is that suitable for training? I live in nashville TN and i really want to get started in these events, where is the next event and do i have to go to qualifiers

[Sassy Girl]

wo nelly...boy are you anxious, sounds like me when I first started. :D

First, you need to check out all the event calendars, I believe Jumpin Central has a calendar of most dock jumping organizations events on their site - www.jumpincentral.com. It is a great learning experience for you and your dog to go to the events, it gives the dog an opportunity to get used to the height of the dock, the pool (if they are using one) and the environment. Some dogs have issues w/jumping into a pool, don't be discouraged, it looks so different to them, you as his teammate need to help build his confidence up until he is ready.

As for training the distance. Well....keep the toss's and the dog short on the dock until your dog is jumping consistently, no hesitating on the dock, run on the dock through his launch is nice and fluid. Once that happens, then you start using your toy and the dock to work on distance, gradually start sending the dog from further down the dock and tossing your toy a little farther. If your dog will catch the toy, even better, you can utilize this by doing alot of short tosses to keep him grabbing that bumper, then you can increase the distance of throw and the dock placement of your dog.

Lots of on land work can also be done for conditioning and training the launch with hurdles. My dog only see's the dock a few times in the winter, only when the weather is decent, which will probably not be until our next event in January, so we working alot of dry land stuff in the interim. Both dock and dry land excercises are beneficial to your dogs performance in this sport, so don't just push the dock work.

Good luck - please post and let us know how you are doing!