# the theory of running blinds



## lsatov (Mar 29, 2011)

I have a question about running blinds, it has nothing to do with the search of the blinds separate topic, it has to do with going over the top of the blind and out the bottom vs going around the bottom of the blind and coming out the top.
I understand that at blind 4 going around the bottom in theory makes it easier for the dog to go to blind six instead of blind five vs going around the top of blind 4 out the bottom I have never had this issue because it is an obedience exercise.

The reason I ask the question is when I am walking up the field, and I send the dog to the right she goes around the blind from the top and out the bottom very tight to the blind when I send her to the left of the field she goes around the blind bottom and out the top very tight .

She obviously prefers to turn to the right over the left. Or is it something to do with my position on the field when I send her. Should I be more forward to the blind vs behind the blind. This only happens when sending to the left.

He obedience is great have never had a short cut from blind 4 to 6. I hope to get to a national level with this dog. What would your concerns be. Should I try to change this or leave it alone??Thoughts and comments welcome.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

You would be better off asking that question here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IPOTraining/?ref=bookmarks


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## lsatov (Mar 29, 2011)

I do not do Facebook. I am hoping some of the more experienced sport people who used to be on here will post a reply. Just looking for the pros and cons of leaving it how it is and problems I may or may not encounter. 

She runs all 6. searches all blinds fast and tight just this idiosyncratic preference for going right.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My dog runs blinds with his own technique...trying to change that up would cause conflict that just isn't worth it. He runs them clean and tight. When we first started teaching it, my trainer wanted him to run them a certain way, and it was a battle. He comes in stickside to the hot one, regardless.


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## wolfmanusf (Apr 5, 2012)

I have never seen a dog run them like you describe, but if he runs them fast and tight, I would not worry too much about it. I put together a little tutorial on how I teach blinds. You might already be past this point, but I figured I'd leave this here:

Blind Running Tutorial


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I believe dogs, like people, are "sided" (most people don't even realize this but as a competitive gymnast, each person will have a preference of which direction to spin, turn, twist, which foot/arm leads when tumbling, etc). Some stronger than others. Each dog will always have a natural preference of which direction to turn. Some dogs can be trained away from that if the handler desires the other direction, and some cannot. I let my SchH dogs run blinds the direction they naturally turn. They were/are both flyball dogs as well. They turn right naturally so their box turns are to the right and their blinds are run that same direction (clockwise around the blind, if I am facing it). Like Jane says it's a battle I wouldn't really pick. I've never ever heard of a dog losing a point because of the direction it ran around the blind, only for the technique which can be correct or incorrect either way. Some people will only allow a dog to go one way, that's their prerogative, it's just not something I am picky about in my training.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

My retired man ran blinds this way, and I started my young female by training her to run bottom - top. As long as the dog consistently searches fast and tight in both directions, there shouldn't be any point loss .


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## lsatov (Mar 29, 2011)

thanks everyone for your input. I would prefer to let her run the blinds as she naturally wants to and not make it an issue as there are far too many other areas to be concerned about. I guess my concern was point loss and any other problems this could create. As I am a newbie to this game I sometimes do not have the whole picture down the road.

Liesje I agree with you about individuals have a preference for right vs left dominant. My daughter who was a national ranked gymnast rhythmic needed to be strong both right and left what she did with her right side she needed to do with her left or points were lost. Horses can be more right or left dominant as well and if you do not deal with that it will cost you points as well.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

lsatov said:


> thanks everyone for your input. I would prefer to let her run the blinds as she naturally wants to and not make it an issue as there are far too many other areas to be concerned about. I guess my concern was point loss and any other problems this could create. As I am a newbie to this game I sometimes do not have the whole picture down the road.
> 
> Liesje I agree with you about individuals have a preference for right vs left dominant. My daughter who was a national ranked gymnast rhythmic needed to be strong both right and left what she did with her right side she needed to do with her left or points were lost. Horses can be more right or left dominant as well and if you do not deal with that it will cost you points as well.


I am super dominant on my left side. Things that I can just try and do on the left with no previous training are almost impossible for me to try successfully on the right. Even something as stupid as a cartwheel or handstand on my opposite side is difficult for my brain to process down to my arms and legs, lol. Some people are more naturally ambidextrous. I am also not a dancer so that's not helping me. I was an uneven bar specialist and sometimes competed beam and vault depending on our team lineups, so my strong "sidedness" didn't matter (there were no skills where I couldn't naturally twist or lead left).


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## lsatov (Mar 29, 2011)

Liesje, I understand what you mean I am right handed but due to an accident when I was young to my right ankle I am more left sided dominant for certain things more so than right. I always prefer my left leg for turning, water skiing slalom, boarding, curling etc.. Yet write with my right hand but bat or play hockey with my left.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

If she is running the blinds tight and looking in the blinds as she rounds them I would leave it alone. Unless I am misunderstanding what you have written I can find no reason for point loss in what you described.


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## lsatov (Mar 29, 2011)

Lisa thanks for your thoughts, she is fast looking in the blinds and tight.
Glad to hear I should not loose any points.
I will leave it alone. Just curious if it has to do with my position on the field as I am walking up not forward enough?


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I would have to actually see you running blinds (I can't watch videos on my computer, they won't download) to answer that. I know that missing blinds is often due to our position on the field, but I can't answer for your dog. How about the people you train with. What do they think?


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## lsatov (Mar 29, 2011)

I have a few opinions.
1. she needs to run the blinds top to bottom to facilitate my forward direction up the field and get the correct picture
2. my position could be further up the field and my body position then would push her more up and then she would take the most direct route to the top of the blind. Problem is she is so fast that I would have to run.

thought about doing the blinds on a tighter field distance wise to get muscle memory and go from there adn then perhaps would not have to run.

I just may leave this alone next trial is in 1 month


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

My previous dogs ran the blinds clockwise both right and left. Deja and any dogs in the future will run them counter clockwise. My dogs tend to be very fast which makes running blinds quite a challenge for me. I can sympathize.

From what you are saying you want the dog to run the blinds counter clockwise on the left and clockwise on the right? No, I would not change this 1 month out from a trial.

I always want my dogs to enter blind 6 stick side no matter how they run the blinds.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

lhczth said:


> I always want my dogs to enter blind 6 stick side no matter how they run the blinds.



Why?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

going into the blind stick-side is helpful in keeping the dog clean, not bumping, though it doesn't always work. Also it may shows the dog isn't wary of the stick,some dogs seem to have problems with the stick and avoid it so goes in sleeve side...which is going around the blind for no reason other than what?


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Because it brings the dog into the blind onto the man (defense/aggression) and not in front of the sleeve (prey). It can be helpful to keeping dogs clean too, but that is now why I do it.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I haven't done this with all my dogs, but I do now.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Honest question Lisa, what if you get a left handed helper in a trial?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I agree not changing it up 1 month before trial. Satoris Gator scored 100 points at the WUSV and turns right (which means coming in sleeve side) so I cannot see how there would be any point loss specifically for which direction the dog turns or comes in (and now on YouTube a 100 pt SchH3 from the FMBB popped up and this dog is also turning right). There are plenty of things that can result in point loss while running blinds but I would not be worried about being penalized simply for the dog's preferred choice of direction.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Left handed helpers are rare and we are developing habits, behaviors. I guess if I worked 90% of the time on a left handed helper I would change how I do things.


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