Friday, October 14, 2016

Verbals - running out of words

Verbals have become a big discussion lately.  In that people are feeling like they need more. 

I am probably in that camp.  Not as many as some people are contemplating, but I at least need a couple more. Here is a map on the situation that brought this question to mind.








Currently I use the following:

Black = Cik (wrap and head back to me)
Red = no verbal at this point, just body motion and perhaps a physical send on the second jump
Green = Her name and then “round” (backside word)

But, it was brought up to me that sending around the backside when the dog has to turn away from you should have a separate verbal than just your backside word ("round").  On a crowded course with multiple choices, this makes perfect sense to me.

But what do I name it?

Inventoring my current verbals so that I can make sure it sounds distinct:

go - keep going
hit it - hit the yellow and then go on
feet - 2o2o
switch - take the obstacle and then turn away from me (change leads)
out - take the far obstacle in a discrimination (usually used in combo with obstacle name)
ok - release
jump - take the front side of the jump (used when it make not be perfectly clear)
round - backside jump and come back to me
obstacle names (tunnel, weave, walk it, jump, table)
side - stay very close to me
Dog name - give me your attention for a moment
come - come towards me
Look back - used in Gamblers (usually when we mess up) and I want the dog to find the obstacle behind them and take it

And then I combine verbals:

jump - come - take the jump, wrap tight and come back to me (used in threadles for example)
cik - Hoot's threadle command
jump-switch - used in a whiskey where they have to go away from me
hit it - switch - hit the yellow and then turn away (likely to a tunnel)
hit it - round - hit the yellow and take the backside of the next obvious jump
tunnel-come
tunnel-go
tunnel-switch
out-tunnel
come-tunnel

Verbals that I am considering just have to think through the definition:
Big - used to give more info that it is a big jump broadjump, triple, double
(backside flip away) - don't have a word right now

Verbal I am teaching, but not sure if I will use it
right/left - still trying to determine when I need this in addition to my motion







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