# Itchy trigger



## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Lily has an itchy trigger at the start of the course sometimes and I was wondering if anyone has any advice.

Her zoomies don't occur mid-course anymore, but they sometimes happen at the starting point still. It's usually the first course of the night when she breaks that stay , and it's kind of a controlled zoomie now. She'll do a few loops like a bat out of hell and then put herself back in a sit where I put her originally, as if to say " I'm ready now- got that out of my system! 

It doesn't seem to matter if she is well exercised that day either. And she is at least 6 1/2- so these are not puppy zoomies.

The fact that it is freaking adorable makes me a bit less frustrated - she is definitely a little clown and makes me laugh on a daily basis with her antics. It's also much better than the random zoomies she used to have- but in a trial, it just won't fly, cuteness aside!

Anybody have similar problems? Tips for managing? Do I just keep plowing forward and as I improve my handling skills, will she settle down?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

How do you leave her at the start line, sit, go with her or something else? My Lily has greatly improved her start line anticipation by being switched to a down. Also if she breaks at the start line she gets walked off.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

I leave her in a sit because normally she has an incredible sit- stay. But maybe switching her to a down would be something new and break the pattern.

Walking her off the course might be an option too. But if I do it when she comes back to the sit and is ready to work again, will she connect it with the good behavior?

When she had all her random zoomies, her trainer told me to just walk off the course, and eventually she'll learn it's more fun to work with me than zoom when I just disappear. She doesn't have these random zoomies anymore so I guess that strategy worked.

I haven't really tried any strategies yet, and have just been pleased that for the most part the zoomies have disappeared. But I've been thinking about it this week and would like to address it so she can continue to improve. So, I'll bring it up tomorrow in class too. 

I was wondering if having someone else run her might help too? One night I was having problems with my back and one of the other students ran her- and Lily did really good with her- was very focused.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Lily has a great sit stay, but it fails at the agility start line when she is revved by the conditions of a trial (or even just training) sometimes.

It is harder to break a down stay and easier for us to read the intention to break it, giving more of a chance to go back and correct it. Walking her off for breaking a start line stay should have exactly the same effect as walking off for zoomies. I've seen many people use that technique to effect, even at trials where they've paid a $20 or more entry fee (where it smarts in the wallet to do it).

When my knee was bad I did have some other people run with Lily, including at PCA. The person who ran her there has a very different style with her dogs than I do with mine, so there was no success there and as much as I appreciated this friend for trying I don't think it did anything effective. My private trainer ran her several times and did, in fact, get two of Lily's three novice standard legs. I had to hide out of Lily's sight and scent range for her to totally buy in with Stef. At least though Stef knows her commands and her running style. We also had discussions about what to do if she broke the start line or got the zoomies (walk her off). So if for some reason you decide to try having someone else run with your Lily make sure it is someone she is bonded to, will respect getting orders from and who knows your directions/orders and running style.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Catherine- thank you. Good food for thought. I can see how the down could be more effective, as well as walking her off. Every new success brings a new challenge. Six months ago I would have been ecstatic if the only zoomies she had were limited to a brief period at the start line. Time to raise the bar- no pun intended


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

Great information, I'm going to try the down stay and walking off (well, tell DH as I'm still unable to run) with Abbey.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

If you watch videos of BCs in agility lots of them are at start line downs.


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