Dear competitors, take responsibility

I’ve reached the point when I’m afraid to open the fridge so as not to see another DOGWALK SAFETY post.

Don’t get me wrong, I am concerned about dogs safety as any reasonable person, I think dogwalk safety is an important issue that needs to be investigated and I feel some adjustments can be made relatively easy (like standardizing the length and height of dogwalks and perhaps lowering it – making it wider is not an option that can be introduced in a quick, safe and economical way and is therefore totally unrealistic).

But at the same time, I feel like we’re reaching a mass hysteria here. I’ve already saw complaints of pretty much every dogwalk entry possible – not straight enough, not fast enough, too fast, too unpredictable because every dog would collect a bit differently, not enough distance to adjust, too much distance so too much speed. Same as complaints about different makes of dogwalks: too bouncy, too long, too short, too hard, too soft, too big of a gap between the planks (ok, that is actually a valid complaint). Some people go as far as proposing to eliminate the dogwalk entirely (which totally is a slippery slope and I don't feel I need to explain why... let's just all switch to nosework perhaps). 

Also, people push for speed and then complain how we make dogs run crazy fast on a narrow plank. I’m not saying that it is behind every fall from dogwalk – freakish accidents do happen, even to best trained dogs and great handlers and it is truly heartbreaking, but I still see idiots bragging about their dogs doing dogwalk in two strides or morons bragging about their dogs having the fastest time despite knocking pretty much every bar in the course and jumping every contact.

Please understand and accept that you cannot predict and prevent every accident – one of my dogs cut all his finger ligaments during a normal walk in the fields, the other fell several meters down after we climbed what seemed to be a small hill but ended as a cliff on the other side. Life is risky – some of these risks you can foresee, some you can’t. If you perceive a given situation dangerous for your dog, you need to decide if you take that risk or not.

You actually don’t have to train running contacts either… oh, but then you say you won’t be as competitive, right? Well, here’s your sign…

You don’t actually have to run the course in the rain or hard wind.

You don’t have to run a course that you consider unsafe – and don’t bitch about it, because same situation can be perfectly safe for 99% of other dogs and handlers, but not for your dog. Years ago I made a decision to run a course with ridiculously dangerous dogwalk entry with Brava, but not with Brego. Because Brava was experienced, because Brava was careful and able to adjust, because she had way above average physical coordination and balance, because she was trained to negotiate crazy entries (it’s still big part of my RC foundations) and Brego was young, crazy and always felt he is immortal and by that time I hade learnt to think for him. Should Brava fell of course I would beat myself up, but I considered the risk minimal. If Brego fell, it would be totally my fault, because in his case it was totally possible at that stage.

There are also things that you CAN do.

You can actually also train both 2o2o and RC to your dogs. Seriously, dogs are very smart, and they can differentiate between various verbal cues, you know, like sit and down and left and right and stop and run… I’ve done it with several of my dogs, it works, I can always decide that in a given situation 2o2o is a safer option and use it.

Train every possible dogwalk entry, including the most stupid ones – breaking it down so as to explain to your dog how to do it safely and that also, in fact, they are allowed to jump down if they feel unsafe or out of balance.

Train your dog for situations that you might expect reasonably in competitions (and also for some not so reasonable). If you cannot teach your dog to safely navigate a dogwalk after one straight jump and claim it’s too much speed, there is something wrong with your training. It is your responsibility to train your dog appropriately, so they can negotiate obstacles in a safe way. 

Work on your dog’s fitness and coordination.

Also, please teach your dogs that regulating the stride is not extending it ad infinitum. Don't reward those "two strides" dogwalks. Use flatwork with grids / regulators to teach the idea of collection. Use less speedy approaches. Use regulators on the dogwalk. Use the collection after dogwalk.  If your dog touches the planks just 2-3 times, there is more room for miscalculation and less for adjustment, also with smaller dogs, even wind can be a factor. 

Dogwalk accidents will happen, same as tunnel accidents will happen, same as jump accidents will happen and freakish-stupid-accidents-during-normal-walks will also happen. You can’t foresee and prevent everything. But neither can anyone else, so stop expecting the whole world to accommodate because you failed to train certain things or made certain decisions. Take responsibility. 

Why meaurements at AWC / EO weight more than national measurements

EO 2024 is over and as usually there are some controversies concerning dogs that were measured out of a category. It is of course a personal drama and definitely a huge disappointment for the handlers involved, but as some people question how come measurement by the judge of the FCI measuring commission weights more than sometimes 2 measurements from their national judges, here's my two cents. 

Mojo (34,7 cm), Brava (38 cm), Brego (44 cm), so small - medium - intermediate (previously large)

Let’s start with the fact that generally the measuring system we have (that is measuring dog’s height at the withers) is amateurish and inaccurate in several ways and perhaps in time we could find a better way, although personally think that it would be possible only with x-rays and (ok, not being a vet I’m not entirely sure this is possible) for instance measuring ulna from olecranon process to styloid process.

But for now, you have to consider the following variables:

- the condition of the dog – whether the dog is muscled, fat, hydrated and so on,

- the stance of the dog, especially the position of the head – that can be taught and the better and more natural your dog stacks, the more accurate measurement is possible. Personally, I devote quite a lot of time to that.

- the measuring device – years ago we got pretty weird official measure of one of our dogs, which didn’t matter much as it wouldn’t influence the category (at that time the dog was clearly large), but still we wondered, and we actually measured the measuring stick with another measuring tape… and got 2 cm difference. So well, the measuring device should be certified and accurate.

- how the measuring person perceives the withers – this is actually not so easy and you’d see that some judges would generally tend to measure a bit lower or a bit higher, depending on where they actually put the measuring stick. As part of Polish agility commission I witness lots of measurements to make sure the dog is standing as correctly as possible and the judge is not putting the measure at the middle of dog’s back rather than at the withers (I actually had to reject such measurement once, so this is not a hypothetical example).

- the fact that measuring regulations very greatly from country to country when it comes to the number of measurements, who can perform it, age of the dog when measured and so on.

There are also factors concerning well, honesty and good intentions of both the dog’s owner and the person doing the measurement and if you read the above, you can deduce some things that can be done to get a particular measurement. Sadly, people can and some do cheat and also go great lengths to achieve particular result.

By doing an official measuring at AWC / EO, you eliminate at least some of the variables. Yes, the method is still flawed, but what you get is:

- the measurement is done by a person who has been trained on how to do this properly,

- the measurement is done with same equipment for everybody, on the same surface,

- the microchip of the measured dog is checked and recorded,

- the measurement is public and witnessed by lots of people – team captains, team members etc.

- in case of doubt, there are other members of the measuring committee to consult, check the correctness of the measurement or measure themselves to get second opinion. Again, I have witnessed the measuring process several times – and really, in case of doubt there is always more than one measure taken, the handler is told to go for a walk and come back to get the dog more relaxed and so on. The intention is to get as fair and as accurate measurement as possible. 

Yes, considering how costly going to EO or AWC can be and how heartbreaking it can be to go all the way and not be able to compete if the dog is measured out of its category, it would be great if we could get the official measurement by the FCI measuring commission done (with all the correct procedures) at some other events during the year or at least enter the non-competiting dogs for measurement as well for the future - that would be especially valuable from the competitors from overseas.