Weaves Again

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Weaves Again

Posted : 7/21/2009 6:19:15 AM

Belle is doing great in agility but one can always improve certain skills. I have a few weeks until our next trial so I thought I would work on our weaves more. She has greatly improved and at home is doing the side to side behavior, I want her to show me that at trials but more than that I need to work on BOTH of us being less dependent on the other in the weaves.

I feel if I don't babysit her she won't complete them (miss the last pole) So I was wondering if anyone here had some good suggestions of exercises I can work on while we have some time before the next trial. I can really work for a few weeks then back off as the trial approaches so I don't put 'too' much pressur on her.

What I need are exercises where she does them more or less by her self allowing me to stay further away, and even perhaps move out to position for the next obstacle. I would love a dog who I can say "go weave" from basically anywhere and she hunts them down and does them. I know that will take more than a few weeks but the idea of that goal is where I want to begin.

Thanks!

tashakota

Posted : 7/22/2009 8:18:15 AM

What kind of weaves do you have to work with? WAM, channel, 2x2?

Do you happen to have a Manners Minder?

Do you clicker train?

If you do not have the above, I would start with slowly varying your position while she does the poles. Do maybe two sets of six poles and cue the first and as she is in them, begin to slow down and only reward if she keeps going. If she does not keep going, restart and try again.

If you have a helper, you can have them set a toy at the end of the poles for the dog to run to but if they pop out, the toy gets pulled up.

If you clicker train, do only 4 or 6 poles and begin to move away from the dog and only click/reward once they do all of them. Occasionally do 10 or 12 to vary it but do your hardest distractions with fewer poles at first until the dog is successful most of the time.