AG235: Confident Crossing: The Art of the Front Cross

W1- Front side front cross - mini course

You’ve mastered this week’s front-side front cross drill. Amazing work!  

Now it’s time to move onto the course of the week. For each week, we’re going to go through  the course with only your virtual dog first before we dive into running them with your real  dogs.  

Let’s take a look at the course first, then we’ll discuss the handling:

There are a few different ways to approach the course, but these are the lines we’re going to  take: 

(Note: the dog’s path goes from red to blue to orange to green) 

And this is the handling we’re going to do: 

1 – 2 dog on left 

2 – 3 front cross 

3 – 4 dog on right

4 – 5 dog stays on right, rhythm change 

5 – 6 front cross 

6 – 7 front cross 

7 – 8 front cross 

8 – 9 dog on left 

9 – 10 dog on left 

10 – 11 front cross 

11 – 12 front cross 

Things to keep in mind: 

1 – 2 dog on left 

Note: lead out far enough that you will be able to cue that first front cross in a timely manner  and be off their path/moving down that line to #4 before they come around the wing of #2. 

2 – 3 front cross 

Note: keep that connection strong! Eyes to the line 

3 – 4 dog on right 

Note: look to your dog! You want to know when you can cue that rhythm change. Arms low and  down as you step forwards. When you see your dog look to the jump and commit to the line,  move off away down the line to five, but keep that connection as you go! 

4 – 5 dog stays on right, rhythm change 

Note: keep that connection on the line until your dog is about halfway to you, then you want to  look to your dog to know when you can start cueing that front cross on 5. 

5 – 6 front cross 

Note: step to take off and cue that front cross nice and early, so you are off of their line before  they land #5. Look back to their face as soon as you finish your front cross and be ready to start  your next one. 

6 – 7 front cross 

Note: as soon as you see them take one stride towards you, immediately take your step with  your dog-side leg and starting cueing that next front cross. Keep your connection strong and  keep looking to your dog, then the line throughout this cross. Again, you should have that front  cross completed before they land and ideally before they take off! 

7 – 8 front cross 

Note: look to your dog’s face as they come around #7 and as soon as you see them take a stride  and see their eyes, step for the next front cross.  

8 – 9 dog on left

Note: eyes to the line. Make sure you’re running the parallel path to your dog’s line. 

9 – 10 dog on left 

Note: eyes to the line. As they are approaching 10, look to their eyes/face. 

10 – 11 front cross 

Note: when you see them looking at #10/committed to taking the line to it, step to takeoff and  rotate those hips through your front cross. Then put your eyes right back to your dog’s face. 

11 – 12 front cross 

Note: when you see your dog looking to you, lower your hand to draw them in. As they are a  stride away from you, step forwards towards takeoff to start the front cross and complete it as  they are passing your foot. Move forward off towards the line to #12, looking back to the line. 

Notes for all front crosses:  

• You want your front crosses to be completed before your dog takes off • You want to be moving down the line away from the front cross before they land • Your eyes should always be either on your dog when committing them to the front cross or  on the line after you complete your front cross 
• Rotate those hips around snappily! 

Please post a video of you running the course with your virtual dog before moving onto running  the course with your real dog. That way we can perfect our footwork/connection/handling path  before we bring dogs into the picture! 

Here is an example of what your virtual walkthrough should look like from two angles:

NEXT UP, running the course with your dog…