OB310: Ob-ility
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Course Details
Ob-ility is a fast paced and exciting way to teach advanced obedience exercises to dogs that like to move! In this class, we will introduce the basic ob-ility cues (fly and thru) and demonstrate how to use them to teach any dog several fundamental obedience exercises. All dogs will be introduced to the ob-ility method of teaching the broad jump, high jump, recall, directed jumping, and gloves (no retrieves required!). Dogs who enter the class with more obedience skills may also be introduced to the ob-ility method of drop on recall, retrieve on flat, and the signal exercise. We'll work with the skills that you and your dog possess, and add a few new ones to keep you busy! This class is appropriate for any dog or puppy with or without fundamental obedience skills. Only requirements are a basic off-leash recall and a safe environment for your off leash dog to practice!
But... what IS Ob-ility? In the teaching phases, Ob-ility is simply a way of breaking the exercises down so that the movement parts of the exercises are separated from the other parts - this makes the work a lot more fun and "flowing" for the dog. Here is a video showing Team Stella from the last Obility class. After mastering the basic fly and reverse fly, they moved on to broad jump and directed jumping. Look at how much fun this team is having!
While these exercises have not been formalized and they'll need plenty more practice, you can see that this young dog has all of the pieces she'll eventually need, and they have a great way to practice this exercise without all of the sits and stays that are a part of more traditional obedience. Who's having more fun; the dog or the handler??!!
This is an excellent choice for obedience dogs that aren't having much fun with their training, and provides a nice introduction to the concept of using "flow" to train new concepts.
Syllabus
Lecture #1: First rule: Continuous Movement!
Lecture #2: Second Rule: Get Rid of Stays!
Lecture #3: Build on Those Fly's!
Lecture #4: Teach a Reverse Fly
Lecture #5: Challenge Assignment
Lecture #6: Adding a Stop after Fly
The Glove Exercise
The "Go-out" Exercise
Broad Jump Obility Exercise
Directed Jumping Exercise
Recall Exercise
Drop on Recall Exercise
Prerequisites & Supplies
Space Required:
Approx. size of an AKC ring (40 by 50); creative use of smaller spaces is possible.
Supplies Needed:
Three or more identical objects that your dog can run around. Examples would be cones, garbage cans, poles, etc. Height is not relevant but pick an object that is sturdy. If your dog already has a strong nose touch behavior to a specific target, use a new set of objects to avoid confusion.
Two jumps of any type, size or style. (broad jump boards on their sides can be used in a pinch, as can whatever you choose to rig up for jumps).
Treats or toys that your dog will work for.
Prerequisites: None. If you have taken "Heeling Games" you'll be ahead in the first week. If you have not taken heeling games, check out this video and start teaching fly before class starts:
Sample Lecture
The following is an example of obility from the lectures; how to teach the broad jump 'obility' style.
In this exercise, I will assume that your dog can jump over a tiny jump, or your dog can go between uprights. The reason I do not emphasize the jump is that the ob-ility broad jump exercise is not a jumping exercise; it is simply about going "straight ahead" while I stand in the broad jump position.
If that sounds confusing, note that I teach the pattern for the glove exercise without the dog ever fetching a glove. Same here; the dog can learn the pattern of the broad jump without a broad jump!
For me the relevant question is...Can your dog go in a straight line between two poles? And...can they do that when something is in the middle, like a tiny jump? If you have that, then it's a simple matter to add a larger jump when your dog has developed their jumping skills.
Until I found Ob-ility, I hated teaching the broad jump. Seemed tedious and pointless. Now I love it! Here we go:
The AKC Broad Jump (intermediate exercise)
Work on "fly" between two objects approximately 30 feet apart
Add a new expectation – after sending the dog around one stanchion – back up and have dog come back to you for a reward; without going around the second stanchion. The main difference – if you want the dog to move forward, you step forward toward the second stanchion. If you want the dog to return to you, back up or pivot in place as soon as the dog is parallel to you and heading towards the second stanchion. Say 'come' at first to help the dog learn that when you pivot in place or step back, you want a recall; not a fly:
Stay at this step until you can either bring your dog back to front with a pivot, or send your dog on with a forward, sweeping motion. It's your choice if you occasionally add a front. MOST of the time the dog should be sent on – movement is more important at this stage than control.
Add a single board or tiny jump between the fly objects. Note that I occasionally back up and have Raika come to front after jumping. This is not very important at this stage but you'll want to know how to do it eventually.
Finally, spread out the broad jump, one board at a time. If your dog has no clue about jumping over a broad jump board, but understands a bar jump, go ahead and substitute a bar jump set at eight inches for the first board. You can add the broad jump around it. Then remove the bar out of the jump and remove one stanchion at a time after that. If your dog is tiny, place the bar on the ground. Then switch to a broad jump board (single) on its side.
Note that I alternate all sorts of ways of completing the jump – sometimes I bring her to front. Sometimes I sent her on to the 'start fly' and sometimes I turn on a pivot and formalize the exercise. When you are closer to needing the formalized exercise you can decide what you are comfortable with:
When I'm closer to formalizing the exercise, I occasionally take away the second object for flying. When I pivot on a spot and the second pole is gone, the dog should follow that body cue and come into a front. I never totally eliminate that second pole from practice, because it's such a fun way to practice this exercise. However, your dog does need to be able to do the broad jump without it. Hopefully, you'll have enough repetitions of jumping straight that corner cutting will be minimized and then you can introduce various techniques for formalizing the exercise, such as throwing rewards straight ahead or running straight ahead with your dog (Both beyond the teaching point of this class).
To help you understand how to handle mistakes and how to move forward, here is a video of Lyra showing LOTS of mistakes – we hadn't' done this exercise in a while and I thought someone might benefit from this session. I do try to show all of the steps above, except that I spread out the broad jump boards here very quickly and I left the bar jump in. There is no reason to include the bar jump if your dog already knows the broad jump.
Instructor
Denise Fenzi
Faculty
Denise Fenzi (she/her) has competed in a wide range of dog sports – titling dogs in obedience (AKC and UKC), tracking (AKC and schutzhund), schutzhund (USA), mondioring (MRSA), herding (AKC), conformation (AKC), and agility (AKC). She is best known for her flashy and precise ...