A question came up on the Flyball Forum about training a swimmers turn for “small dogs.” I assume they were talking about a height dog. I posted this on the Flyball Forum but thought that it would be a good addition here.
I have described the method that I use to train swimmers turns in my Training Manual on this site but I’m going to describe a different method that can be just as affective if done correctly.
The Running Method
There is another method for teach smaller dogs a box turn which I call the Running Method. Although, I have not used this method because I haven’t trained a height dog lately, it seems to work well because the faster teams use it and there small dogs have really fast box turns. I think this method came about because using the “Hit It” method dogs tend to hang on the box, be it only for a fraction of a second. I’ll try to describe the method but it’s easier to show it than describe it.
First off, it is important that the dog be highly ball driven, for with this method you will only be using a box, a ball, and your body. You need to know which way your dog turns but you can train all your dogs to turn the same direction if you like and may even be beneficial for other reasons that I won’t go into here. Anyway, you start off kneeling on the floor in front of the box with your highly motivated ball crazy dog, and in this case, we are going to train a right turn. With your dog on your left side and your left knee on the box kind of in the center and low on the box, you will lore your dog with the ball onto the box. As the dog runs up the box and over your knee, you will throw the ball behind you with your right hand. This training technique is done over and over, over very many training sessions.
The whole idea behind this method is to create a running fast tight turn. Just look at any of the faster teams, like the Gamblers or Rude Dogs and you will see almost all of there smaller dogs turn this way. They have a running approach to the box and run up it rather than hit and catch.
Larry
4 comments ↓
I am intrigued, and have likely candidate. My JRT/Australian Terrier cross is a year old and will turn down treats for a ball.
Her brother learned the “Hit It” method no problem.
She, on the other hand, is a bit more out there in the “run wide open, keep up if you wanta play with me” mode.
I responded on the flyballforum… on how I train a box
It was brought to my attention by someone that this method may teach more of a crash than a good turn and I have some photos that back this up. Because the dogs are moving at such speeds they look like they are making great turns and coming off the box fast, and they are. However, the very close up photos tell a different story and this type of turn many not be good for the dog over time.
Which turn are you referring to? The running box OR the one I posted on the forum?
Personally, unless someone knows how to train the running box or the other similar methods I have found these dogs crash the box sometimes. I have seen a few dogs trained with a running box and unfortunately, some of these dogs do have very wide turns, back legs fall off the back of the box, they also wait until they get to the box before attempting the turn hence crashing their faces… I have also seen some dogs with nice boxes trained this way too.
I think all the turns really depend on the training and the experience of the trainer sometimes.
There is no one method that will work for all dogs and people.
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