AG140: Building and Maintaining A Start Line

Strong start

If your dog's start line performance started strong and then fell apart, how did that happen? If you have a dog that has not competed and you want to train a brilliant start line, how can you make sure that the behavior doesn't fall apart?

Reinforcing behavior

Behaviors increase and become stronger when they are reinforced - that's how reinforcement is defined. Reinforcement occurs when the dog accesses something they find value for (for example, food or toys). Reinforcement can also happen by when the dog performs a behavior that has value (from a long history of reinforcement). For example, when your dog accesses a highly valued obstacle after performing a skill (like the start line), all of the previous behaviors are reinforced by the execution of that obstacle. So, you can essentially reinforce your dog's start line when you release your dog to perform the first obstacle (if that obstacle has value for the dog).

The reverse also comes into play. You can build in a history of unwanted behaviors when you repeatedly continue or cue obstacles after your dog performs unwanted start line behaviors. If you ignore those undesirable behaviors, they will continue (and can even become stronger) in that environment. That's why so many dogs have different performances at the trials. The environment becomes a cue to the dog for a different performance. There is also an emotional component in play. If there is stress or confusion, skills will get weak or disappear altogether. It's a complicated behavior chain that needs to be unraveled to clear up confusion for individual dog and handler teams.

Because it can be tricky to reward your dog's start line performance in a trial, you must work hard at exposing your dog's trained routine to many environments and distractions. In an environment that has lots of distractions (trials), your dog's performance will get tested. However, if the training has also been tested and the handling and the release cue are clear to your dog, then those new situations won't be an issue. As long as new environments and distractions are gradually layered into your dog's experience with plenty of success, then your dog will eventually handle distractions that seemed impossible in the past.

For the love of agility

Most dogs that do agility LOVE the sport. Training the obstacles and sequences with positive reinforcement creates a strong desire to interact with them. Going to the next "thing" becomes a highly valued reward for the dog. However, if you and your dog are not communicating well (your cues are not clear), both of you will be frustrated. The lack of communication will deteriorate your dog's start line stay - maybe without you even recognizing the first signs. For example, your dog's behavior might start to change in classes or trials under certain conditions when:

1. you feel rushed,
2. you disconnect from your dog (thinking about the sequence ahead or talking to your instructor),
3. you are unaware of signals or movements that your dog associates with the release,
4. you are unaware of patterns that unintentionally predict a release

Also, there can be some issues caused by stress or frustration, which creates a negative conditioned emotional response in your dog at the start line. And when that happens, you no longer have a dog that can think clearly. Anything can happen!!

What causes behavior to deteriorate?

Here are some examples of handler behavior that can cause a good start line behavior to deteriorate:

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 (examples: two steps then release, handler looks at the dog and then releases)
4. Using unintentionally pairing the verbal release cue with motion (example: reaching towards the dog with a hand at the same time the verbal cue is given, moving forward at the same time the verbal release cue is given)
5. Showing disappointment and negative emotions - even when it's not directed towards the dog.

Conclusion

Your dog learns the start line routine pattern that you create - intentionally or unintentionally. This pattern starts from the time you walk into the ring until your dog leaves the start line. As each of these behaviors progresses, each of them is rewarded by continuing with the subsequent behavior. It ends up being a robust behavior chain that builds and gains momentum. If there are any unwanted behaviors along the way, those behaviors are also built into the routine. 

Unfortunately, most of these patterns usually go unnoticed until the dog is displaying lots of unwanted behaviors, including leaving the start line before the handler's intended release cue is given. To solve these issues, you have to break things down and rebuild a different set of behaviors with clear cues.