The Great Handling System Debate

This topic seems to be the flavour of the month on many agility related forums at the moment - to the point where some have almost adopted an 'us and them' mentality.

Personally I don't care which handling system, if any, anyone chooses to adopt. I quite like the fact that on any one course you will see many different handling choices, some successful and some not. But what really pushes my buttons is the amount of people mouthing off about why a particular system sucks when in reality they know next to nothing about it, apart from a pack of misconceptions spread about by followers of the 'other system'

Sometimes I almost wish for a return of the 'good old days' when I didn't have a system, wasn't aware that I needed a system and in fact didn't even know what a system was - Yasser got along just fine without one when he was running in agility.
But as dog training further develops ,the bar is raised (no pun intended) and now we're all looking for those things that can make us consistent, faster and more competitive and training a system would probably be pretty high on the list in regard to achieving those things. Plus we're bombarded with information about systems in agility magazines, seminars, forums and even in general discussions around the ring so it's pretty hard to avoid. And never has any topic since politics and religion caused so much dissension between so called mature human beings. Pretty funny really, when all people are arguing about is basically a bunch of cues used to get around a course - albeit combined in different ways and given different priorities depending on which system you follow.

So after initially training Atilla with a whole bunch of different things that I picked up mainly from overseas presenters - some of which worked brilliantly and some that didn't- I have now jumped on the system bandwagon (well about 2 years ago to be exact) and am trying to adopt a more consistent system of handling.
These were the things I considered before I decided :

1. Will this system fit with how my dog works and my physical ability?

Funnily enough, I began training the Derrett system with Atilla when he was starting out, but was persuaded not to continue by many who told me that I wasn't fast enough to be in front of him all the time. This is a huge misconception about the Derrett system - in fact you could run a course using all rear crosses and still be handling within the system. But as time goes by and you get more experience and can work a little more lateral distance, it also becomes easier to be in front of your dog. In fact the only difficulty I have now is recognizing when it is feasible that I will be in front and when I probably will not, and planning my handling strategy accordingly. I still screw this up on occasion.

2. Will the handling system fit within the typical course design of the organisation I am trailling in?

This is probably the consideration that turns a lot of people away from running the Derrett system in Australia - or in Victoria anyway. Quite a number of judges set courses that are very difficult to handle without breaking the rules of the system. In fact it's even been suggested by some cynical people that they do this on purpose. I have decided to bite the bullet when it comes to this and if I genuinely can't find a way to get around that I am happy with, then I withdraw or make up my own course. At first I was scratching maybe one run every month, but as my course analysis skills gradually improve (about time, say the kelpies) then I find I am having to do this a lot less - only one run so far this year.

3. Does the system fit with my training philosophy?

Personally, I hate the idea of 'punishing' my dogs for dropping a bar and missing contacts - to me that's a training issue so if it happens then it's my fault and I need to do more training. As one system promotes this and the other doesn't, that was an easy choice to make.

4. Does this system make sense to me?

One makes total sense, even if I don't always execute it properly. The other confuses me, so in all likelihood if I am confused then my dogs will be too.

5. What support is available to help me train this system?

This one was also hard - especially when very few people you train with are familiar with what you are doing. But I am gradually building up a 'network' - and the internet, DVD's and seminars are wonderful things. Sometimes it's hard to have the courage to try things when you're not sure if you're doing it right, but if no one ever tried things out, then I guess systems wouldn't have been developed to begin with.

6. Do I really want to invest the time and effort to retrain into a system?

This one was also a big factor - it took a big commitment to decide to retrain, especially when Atilla had already had a year out of trialling due to injury. But I feel as if I owe it to both him and Cruz to be more consistent with my handling and to put the foundation into training positional cues with them. And kelpies definitely do better with things in black and white rather than shades of grey and the consistency of the Derrett system was the final deal clincher for me.

So that's my system of choice and the reasons why I chose it. For me it makes a whole lot of sense and gives me guidelines to choose between the different options available for handling a course. This is one area that I especially want to improve on this year, as I believe that at least 75% of the time when I don't Q it's because I made a bad decision on how to handle a section of the course.

So I guess different systems suit different people and whatever you choose has to 'sit right' with you and I don't have a problem with that - but I'm seriously considering bringing along my i-pod for future course walking so I can tune out the comments relating to which handling system gets the job done better.

Kyneton, Malmsbury......and Greg Derrett !

I've been taking the kelpies to Kyneton and Malmsbury quite a bit over the past few months. It's just under an hour's drive from here and there are lots of places where they can walk. It's such a pretty area with a ton of history - according to the internet there are more original bluestone buildings still standing in this area than anywhere else in Victoria - and if it was on the internet then it must be true !
Some photos from the Botanic Gardens in Malmsbury -

Don't they look so well behaved and obedient - as if butter wouldn't melt in their mouths- not!

Views of the railway bridge taken from the gardens. A very modern V Line just went over but I was too slow to get it - would have made a great shot with the contrast between the train and bridge. I waited for a while, but no more trains.




Atilla in the gardens - eyeing off the geese and ducks in the lake - they didn't appear all that inclined to let themselves be herded though, much to his disgust.

The Malmsbury bakery cat. Loves to come and sit on a chair at the outside tables with you. Kelpies are not impressed by this at all but the cat is not phased. Gives you headbutts as a reminder to keep patting it if you happen to stop!

One of the examples of an old bluestone structure that the area is famous for. I got out of the car to take some photos of an old bridge and some interesting looking trees and just as I was getting back in I happened to look into the distance and saw this tower. The lighting wasn't great by this time but I just had to photograph it anyway. Something very eerie about it, the way it just rose up in the paddock behind all the gorse and whatever the red berries are plus it played havoc with the focus on my camera - it would appear perfect but when viewed back the foreground would be fine and the tower was a blur- freaked me out a little bit I must admit. Anyway, this was the best I could do.
Looked it up on my friend the internet and it is the oldest surviving stone windmill in Victoria, sans sails.
The bridge that I originally got out of the car to photograph. Probably the original 'Calder Highway' at one stage.
And yet another of the bluestone buildings that are all over the area.

And now for the really exciting news - Greg Derrett is coming to Victoria. My 'agility idol' in person, I am SO there ! I am going to start setting up his double box exercises again and working through them one at a time, watching the DVD in between each exercise to make sure I get them right. Cruz is ready for them too now so it will be interesting to compare both dogs - experienced and inexperienced- to see how they go.

Training is driving me crazy at the moment.
Due to a problem with the new lights at the oval where we train, we have had no club training for 4 weeks now, and this week is looking doubtful too. Cruz's debut seems to be getting pushed back further and further all the time. Maybe I should just 'bite the bullet' and put him out next month just to see what happens. Or maybe I should be patient, stop comparing them and not keep thinking 'Atilla had his novice titles by this stage' . I guess it will happen when it happens and I shouldn't be in a hurry.