What is Sendaway?
In Class B & C only:
The short answer is the dog to wait at your left side, then to run in a straight line to the marked area and to lay down in the area, then you walk as instructed by the ring steward and call your dog to you left side and do heelwork (see 'What is Heelwork') until told to halt.
All this in a public area, in a marked out ring area.
The long answer is set out below ...
The short answer is the dog to wait at your left side, then to run in a straight line to the marked area and to lay down in the area, then you walk as instructed by the ring steward and call your dog to you left side and do heelwork (see 'What is Heelwork') until told to halt.
All this in a public area, in a marked out ring area.
The long answer is set out below ...
Overview of Sendaway ..
There are probably only 3 basic 'types' of sendaway (Back Marker, Box & Run Through), but all those types then also have varying difficulties depending on the type of 'markers' used to define a sendaway area and the distances involved.
- Each of the 3 types of sendaway area can be defined by a judge using markers, which can be anything chosen by the judge.
- So a sendaway drop area could have a huge 3' cone(s) or something as little as a tiny short pole(s) as back marker(s), a taped area on the ground or no back marker at all.
- There could be large front markers and small back ones or vice versa or mixture of both.
- You never know what markers or type of sendaway you will encounter until you are at the show to see what the judge has chosen to set out.
- Along with different markers, the distance the dog has to run can vary immensely.
- The only ruling on sendaway is that nothing can be placed in the path of the dogs sendaway and any marker used must not have moving parts.
Handler Commands on the 'Send' ..
In B and C commands are normally only a single command OR signal and dogs name if wished,
however for the send section of the sendaway, you can actually
use an arm signal as well as a verbal command.
however for the send section of the sendaway, you can actually
use an arm signal as well as a verbal command.
Back Marker - Triangular Sendaway ..
Photo shows a 'triangle' type sendaway (this example has two front cone shaped markers, one back smaller marker)
|
Heidi (Munsterlander) doing the down at a triangular sendaway back marker
Many thanks to Elaine for permission to post this. |
Example video shows Lundy & Tiva
(German Shepherd Dogs) doing a back marker triangle sendaway with Call Up - dog to run straight through front markers and 'down' on command at the back marker. Many thanks to Denise with Lundy & Tiva for permission to post this |
Example video shows Rumba
(Working Cocker Spaniel) doing a back marker triangle sendaway with Call Up - dog to run straight through front markers and 'down' on command at the back marker. Many thanks to Caroline with Rumba for permission to post this |
Back Marker - Run Through Sendaway ..
Photo shows a 'run through' type sendaway with back marker (row of orange cones and a white post back marker). This is a variation on the triangular type sendaway.
|
Yola (Border Collie) doing the
down at a back marker after doing a run through all the front orange cones (you can just see a white post back marker behind her) |
Back Marker - Single Marker Sendaway ..
Video below shows a 'single marker' type sendaway
- The aim is to have the dog run in a straight line from the starting point to ideally lay centrally across the front of the single back marker.
- The marker can be any shape, colour or size and can be a short or long distance from the starting point.
|
Example video shows Alfie
(Golden Retriever) doing a training sendaway to a single marker - dog to run straight and 'down' on command at the single marker. Many thanks to Emma with Alfie for permission to post this |
Box (no back marker) Sendaway ..
Photo shows a 'box' type sendaway (two front 'mole shaped' markers, two back large pot markers)
|
Yola (Border Collie) doing the down in the centre of a marked out 'box' type sendaway
|
Run Through (no back marker) Sendaway ..
Photo shows a 'run through' type sendaway with NO back marker (with assortment of markers to run through).
This is sometimes considered the hardest type of sendaway as there is often nothing to 'draw' the dog to keep it going until commanded to lay down. It tests the dogs nerve and conviction to keep running over a long distance in a straight line until instructed to stop.
|
Yola (Border Collie) in down
after running through all markers |
What to Expect in the ring:
The 'Sendaway' exercise begins with the dog sitting beside you (on your left side) - you will be directed by the ring steward to the starting position and they will wait for you to set your dog up beside you.
Instructions you hear may be something like:
... then you will hear instructions as per heelwork, but you will be walking the judges chosen pattern with turns, but without your dog - the dog needs to say in the down in the sendaway area whilst you are walking, then at a certain distance you will hear:
The 'Sendaway' exercise begins with the dog sitting beside you (on your left side) - you will be directed by the ring steward to the starting position and they will wait for you to set your dog up beside you.
- During your set up time you get your dog to look at the sendaway as per your personal set up routine for the exercise - the dog has to wait beside you after you have set it up - once you are standing up straight the ring steward will assume you are ready and will start to instruct you as below.
Instructions you hear may be something like:
- 'Send your Dog' (occasionally this verbal instruction will be replaced by the judge physically touching you on your back as the command to send your dog)
... then you will hear instructions as per heelwork, but you will be walking the judges chosen pattern with turns, but without your dog - the dog needs to say in the down in the sendaway area whilst you are walking, then at a certain distance you will hear:
- 'Call your dog'
- 'Halt' (you stop and the dog is to sit at your left side)
- 'Exercise Complete'
What You Might Lose Points for During the Sendaway and Call Up ..
All judges marks are 'graduated' according to the severity of the fault. So any part of the exercise might be marked 1/4 of a point if a minor fault occurred or substantially more if a major fault occurred.
All the individual faults marks are added together to give the overall score for the recall exercise.
You may also lose marks for intentional or unintentional body signals (hand, arm, head, shoulder movements).
The Call up will be judged as per the 'A Recall' and 'Heelwork' faults.
Each time your dog does one of the things below in the sendaway you may lose marks
Sending your dog:
All the individual faults marks are added together to give the overall score for the recall exercise.
You may also lose marks for intentional or unintentional body signals (hand, arm, head, shoulder movements).
The Call up will be judged as per the 'A Recall' and 'Heelwork' faults.
Each time your dog does one of the things below in the sendaway you may lose marks
Sending your dog:
- If your dog does not go at all
- If your dog needed another command to get it to go
- If your dog stopped a short distance from you
- If your dog stopped any distance before the required drop area
- If your dog passes through the required area (ie goes too far)
- If your dog does not move in a straight line to the required drop area
- If your dog hesitates at any early markers before the required area
- If your dog does not lie down on command
- If your dog is slow to go down on command
- If your dog goes down before you command it
- If the dogs final position in relation to the drop area is not as required by the judge
- If your dog does not stay in the down whilst you are doing the walking before call up
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