Backyard Dogs By Dudley Fontaine Often when designing the exercises for my "Backyard Dog" articles I tend to focus on what is interesting and challenging for me and my dogs at the time. Having had the good fortune to travel abroad and compete on several occasions, I am repeatedly amazed at the dogs' level of understanding of weave poles: entries, exits, and all the "holes" in between. This month's training sets combine discrimination and weave skills. I've had a lot of fun working these with my own pups and really enjoy seeing their comprehension increase! Finding ways to challenge both my dogs and myself is what keeps the sport fresh and fun while also allowing us to gain more of a competitive edge. Figures 1-3 are for Novice/ Starter dogs, Figures 4-6 are for Open/ Advanced dogs, and Figures 7-9 are for Master dogs. Give these a try and see what new things both you and your teammate can achieve! D 2 1 1 2 5 4 2 6 6 5 3 3 1 4 T T 3 4 6 1 7 2 5 5 This month's training sets combine discrimination and 6 weave skills. I've had a lot of fun working these with my own 4 pups and really enjoy seeing their comprehension increase! 3 T 8 8 3 2 4 1 T 9 Clean Run | February 14