AG140: Building and Maintaining A Start Line

If your dog’s start line behavior started out strong and then fell apart, how did that happen? If you are looking to train a brilliant start line, how can you make sure that the behavior doesn’t fall apart?

As is with all behaviors, it has to do with what is being reinforced, how is it reinforced, and handling cues. Most of the dogs doing agility LOVE it. Training the obstacles and sequences with positive reinforcement, creates a strong desire to “go” interact with them. “Going” becomes a highly valued reward for the dog. If you do not control or handle the “going” properly with clear criteria and cues, then your dog will be reinforced when he goes to the next obstacle. The behavior at the start line can start to change in classes or trials when the handler feels rushed, disconnects (thinking about the sequence ahead), or is unaware of signals or patterns that unintentionally become the cue for the dog to leave.  Also, there can be some issues caused by confusion or frustration which causes a negative conditioned emotional response from the dog at the start line. And when that happens, you no longer have a dog that can think clearly. Anything can happen!!

Here are some examples of handler behavior that can cause start line behavior issues:

1. Attempt to control the dog’s behavior
   • Backing up or facing the dog while leading out
   • Repeating the stay cue while leading out
   • Physically placing the dog into position (i.e. pushing the rear down, etc)
   • Overly demanding/punitive stay cue tone
2. Being disconnected or distracted
3. Using unpredictable patterns or unintentionally pairing the verbal release cue with motion
4. Showing disappointment and/or negative emotions

Dogs will learn the start line routine pattern that is established by you. This pattern starts from the time you walk into the ring until the dog leaves the start line.  As each of these small patterns move forward, towards “going” each of them is rewarded by continuing to the next pattern. It ends up being a very strong behavior chain that builds and gains momentum. If there are any unwanted behaviors along the way, those behaviors are also reinforced by continuing forward in the start line sequence.

Unfortunately, most of the time these patterns go unnoticed until the dog is displaying lots of unwanted behaviors, including leaving the start line before the intended release cue is given. To solve these issues, you must to break things down and rebuild a different set of behaviors.