The dog is now used to doing Bounce & Touch with the distraction of another dog in an adjacent lane - it is now time to introduce it to doing Bounce & Touch while there is another dog in the SAME LANE, as you did in Touch - Gold.

The dog now has to cope with the added challenge of running and jumping as it runs towards the other dog in its lane and does a changeover. Many dogs are anxious about how the jumps restrict their ability to swerve to one side or the other to avoid the changeover dog (particularly if the next dog is released too soon and they cross at, or close to, a jump rather than behind the poles in the runback area). This is why it is very important that the changeovers are done with plenty of time and space between each dog - rather than try and do a "tight" flyball changeover with the dogs crossing nose-to-nose inches before the start/finish line.

Use the same changeover dogs that were used in Touch, and in the same combination - either going first or second, depending on the learner dog's preferences.

Please do not be tempted to rush through this vital stage of training, particularly if the dog had problems doing Gold in Touch. Do not ask your dog to run too closely to the other dog for some time, watch their body language and gradually lessen the distance between them when they are comfortable with the situation. The careful management of the dog's training will eventually result in the dog happily doing changeovers with a variety of different dogs. Both its handler and trainer will be able to team it with other suitable dogs to form successful pairs and teams and perhaps progress to the dog sport of Flyball (where close changeovers on the start/finish line are very important).

See Guidelines for a full explanation of how to set up for success. Ideally the dog should be trained in exactly the same location that it was first taught Recall. 

Try to use the first location where the dog learned Bounce & Touch so that it feels relaxed and remembers what it was taught despite the added distraction of another dog in the lane with it. 

Set the poles up 6ft apart so that there is plenty of room for the dogs to run past each other without getting too close (see diagram) and begin with the changeover dog that the learner dog was most comfortable with when doing Touch.

By helping the dog get used to changeovers in Touch Gold, the dog is already comfortable with running in a straight line towards the other dog and is less likely to swerve out or worry about the addition of the flyball jumps. However, the handler and trainer should not become complacent and expect this part of the dog's training to go smoothly. They must look at the dog's training notes to see how the dog progressed to this stage and be aware of where the dog may need extra training. For instance, if the dog was consistently jumping until the introduction of changeovers, it is more than likely that the dog is wary of the other dog coming too close and is swerving to avoid it (remember how in Touch Gold and Calming Signals it was explained that dogs instinctively do wide curves past each other as a way of avoiding confrontation). The remedy for this would be doing very late changeovers, with the dogs passing as the first dog reaches its handler, then gradually refine the changeover as the dog's confidence returns and its performance is consistent.

Once a dog starts to veer round a jump when doing a changeover it is very very difficult to retrain it back to doing the manoeuver correctly in future. After all, the dog has learnt that it can resolve the tension of the situation by going round the jump and putting the jump between it and the other dog. It naturally remembers how it resolved the problem and will repeat the behaviour as it has worked before. Neither handler is close enough to help guide the dog over the jump, nor will they be noticed as the dogs concentrate on watching where the other dog is going.

The only solution would seem to be to add wings or barriers either side of the jump to make it wider so that the dog has no other option than to go over the jump. However, there are drawbacks to adding wings when training changeovers. Firstly, the dogs become accustomed to the barriers but do not learn that they should jump the jumps without them - these are the dogs that revert back to going round a jump once the wings are removed, particularly in the "heat" of competition later on. Secondly, the handlers become lazy and complacent with the wings in place, as the dog is more likely to go over the jump anyway, without them guiding the dog as well. Therefore, once the wings are removed the dog is not used to looking to the handler for guidance by their body movement and posture, and it has to cope with the situation by itself.

It is possible to use spare people as a temporary barrier, by having them stand with their backs to the returning dog; head turned away so as not to attract the dog's attention; feet apart and hands stretched outwards and downwards to create the illusion of a large barrier rather than a real solid one. They can then very subtly move away from the jump between the dog's training runs so that the illusion of the barrier is temporary and soon removed rather than becoming a permanent fixture like an agility jump wing etc. However, this method will only work if the handler is working extra hard at guiding the dog back through the jump using their body position and posture, and perhaps showing it its motivator to fix their dog's attention on them rather than the other dog.

Having read the above, it will become apparent that the easiest option of all is to train the dog so that it does not learn to go wrong - ie not allowing the next dog to go until the other dog is past the poles, and experimenting very slowly over a period of time on when and where the changeover dog is released. All the early training in Recall, Bounce, and Touch, rewarding the dog for getting it right all the time, will now come to fruition as the dog is so focused on the handler and motivator that it will ignore the changeover dog.

The purpose of this and the 3^rd certificate is so that the dog learns to cope doing changeovers with different dogs.

Once again take in to consideration the difficulties the dog had doing the 1^st and 2^nd certificates and introduce the dog to the third changeover dog.

Having gained all 3 certificates the dog has now earned its Gold Bounce & Touch rosette. The dog can now progress on to Platinum Bounce & Touch. * With each certificate, please send in your Dog-Games Entry Form giving the details of where and when you passed the Gold Bounce & Touch certificate and with the appropriate fees. As soon as the Entry Form and fees are received the Dog-Games staff will enter your dog's details on the website Roll of Honour, so that you have a record of its achievements as it progresses through the Dog-Games and your certificate (and your rosette when you gain the third certificate) will be posted to you.

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