Put
your best foot forward...
Back in the mid 80s when
Shaun Hunt started agility, everything was done with the dog on the left,
contacts were completed properly if you managed to stop your dog in time
and weaves were the responsibility of the
handler! Fast forward to the present, and it’s a world apart from those early
days. How things have changed! Shaun has put together an original training
programme to enhance handler footwork for Agility success.
Our training techniques are better. Handling systems help guide our dogs round
courses at faster and faster speeds and dog fitness is at the front of our
minds. The list goes on and on. In short, Agility has evolved to the highest
level it’s ever been.
 Over
the last couple of years the training of my clients has also evolved. After 10
years of training full time, I’m no longer just teaching handling manoeuvres and
training dogs to understand, but I’ve now moved into thinking about what makes
the handling better. From this I’ve developed a programme which targets the
specific movements handlers require to get round a course, focusing on speed,
changes of directions and whole body co-ordination.
One of the problems I have found is not so much the execution of say a front
cross but how the footwork and co-ordination makes the front cross efficient.
Looking at a broader picture, let’s think about driving a car. We don’t think
about which foot goes where when changing gear or braking, where the gearstick
is or using the indicators. The reason for this is muscle memory.
When we are training our dogs, it's difficult to do repetitions on handling
manoeuvres and create muscle memory, mainly because we have a lot more to think
about i.e. the dog, the course and our timing. So what I have done is strip
away the different layers and designed a programme of drills, based on the
specific movements we execute, removing all other distractions (mainly the dog!)
so that the handler can develop this important muscle memory. The aim is so we
can then run without having to consciously think which foot goes where.
The actual programme is designed to suit everybody - young or old, fit or less
fit! You can progress at your own pace as it’s not about how fast or
manoeuvrable you are against the next person it’s about how you can improve
yourself. It’s not a cardio workout and it’s low impact. You only do movements
that you already do when you train your own dogs.
I
recently ran a taster session at one of my venues. The programme ran really well
and received a lot of positive feedback. I’m plan on running another session in
the near future followed by rolling out an online course. If my thoughts have
intrigued you watch this space.
 About
the author...
Shaun Hunt
has been competing in Agility for over
30 years. He has been part of both Team GB and WAO team England, achieving
multiple podiums including Gold in 2013.
He currently runs Phix who is an Agility Champion and recently took over Spice
who runs at Grade 7 and is deaf.
Shaun works as a full time trainer at venues in Cheltenham and travels the
country running training days for clubs.
First published 30 April 2018
Photo of Shaun
and Phix compliments of Yulia Titovits
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