FMFC (Forward motion front cross)

Had a nice training session yesterday afternoon and this morning. I set up a simple sequence to work on FMFC's with Summit. As with most Border Collies, collection is not something that comes easily and we've worked through the entire DJS book last year and at least twice a week, we work on RTH and collection exercises from the book. A FMFC (where I am giving my dog turning cues although I maintain forward motion) has not been easy for Summit. But in the last month, he has been responding well to the cues (outside arm, shoulders rotated in towards dog) and collecting for a nice turn.


This is the sequence I set up. I purposely had the 4 main jumps spread far apart to practice the FMFC. I also mixed it up by doing a FC on the takeoff side as well as running down the line to cue extension.




Exercise 1: white circles. FMFC on landing side of 3. Serp. 4 & 5. Repeat on other side #5-6-7-8 (FMFC on landing side of 7).
Exercise 2: white circles 1-3, black circles 4-7. FC on take off side of 3. run towards 4 and FS to to 5. Turn and run towards 7 cueing extension.
Exercise 4: start with white circle 1. Lateral lead out, release dog over 1 and recall over 2 and run towards the unnumbered jump.
Exercise 5: start with white circle 1. Do not lead out. Cue extension over 1, turn and run towards 3 (cueing extension).

I also practiced cueing a FS to the pinwheel as well as a LS for a 180 (instead of the pinwheel). Summit responded well to both my motion cues.