Clean Run - July 2010 - 67

Problem Solving
When starting a training program I first need to identify what is preventing my dog from successfully weaving. I learned from Bob Bailey that when training, you should look at what you have, identify what you want, and train the pieces that are missing. I try several things to see where my dog falters and start from that point. Before announcing success I probably have done many different things to fix the problem. It was during this process that I noticed that my dog Stuie did not like to touch the weave poles with the side of her body in the area from her last rib to her hips. She would jump away from the poles, causing her to pop out of the weaves. I spent several weeks shaping her to weave through my legs, to touch and be touched by a variety of poles, and to play tug in the weave poles without letting go of the toy every time she bumped into a pole.This went a long way toward helping her become more comfortable with weaving unfamiliar poles. Entering Incorrectly Does Your Dog Know His Weave Pole Cue? When I give my cue Poles I want my dogs to look for the weave poles and collect or slow slightly to enter. Before sequencing I need to know that the dog understands his weave pole cue. I stand close to the weave poles with my hand in the dog’s collar or on a short leash or tab. The dog is looking at me. When I give my weave pole cue I expect the dog to look toward the poles and possibly pull toward them. When I get this response I let go of the collar or tab and let the dog weave. This exercise can be done on a minimum of four poles. If your dog likes running into a tunnel, practice restraining the dog in front of a tunnel to see if he recognizes the Tunnel cue before you attempt to determine his recognition of his weave pole cue. If your dog does not respond to the obstacle cue, repeat the cue taking a small step toward the obstacle. Keep your hand in the collar or on the tab until your dog looks forward toward the obstacle. I often mark the dog’s response with Yes before releasing the collar and letting the dog go forward to the obstacle.
July 10 | Clean Run

Have You Done Your Entry Work? Initial weave entry training is done with two poles, making sure the dog can find the correct entry when I stand in various locations. I refer all my clients to Mary Ellen Barry’s article in CR April 2009 on weave pole training. Even if (like me) you do not train weave poles with 2 x 2s this is an excellent article to teach the concept of entries. I follow all the steps up to Step 5 when the second set of two poles is added. In addition I work the recall, run-by, rear-cross, and send exercises explained in my article in CR May 2006. For some dogs this work may be all that is necessary to improve weave pole entries. For others this training may not be enough to help the dogs nail entries when sequencing in competition. Again, like my own dog, the dogs may be great in training but not in competition. Does Your Dog Collect on Approach? When problem solving missed entries I also look to see if the dog is collecting properly before the weave poles. If a dog does not collect himself on the approach to the weave poles, it is unlikely that he can load correctly into the poles; or if he does enter correctly, he is likely to get hung up in the poles. With the increased speed during competition any lack of collection is exacerbated. Place six poles in a large area with no other agility equipment around. Run with the dog, then approach the poles. Give your weave pole cue and see if the dog collects to load correctly. If he does, increase the number of poles to 12 and repeat. Do not slow down to help your dog load into the poles. If your dog cannot load correctly, this would be my starting point for training. If the dog is successful I set up a Weave Pole River exercise, consisting of jumps, tunnels, and several sets of four or six poles. The weave pole entries should be easy but set so the handler can be either ahead, beside, or behind the dog as he enters. The sequence may require a rear cross of the poles, a front cross of the exit, and so on. The idea is the handler runs the course giving little assistance to the dog to enter other than the verbal cue to weave. Initially every time the dog enters correctly I reward him with either a toy or food thrown to the base of the last pole or forward from the poles. After completing the sequence I run the sequence in reverse, making sure to adjust the weave poles to ensure all entries are relatively easy. Once the dog becomes proficient at this exercise, I stop rewarding every good set of poles and start to randomly reward the poles. Each time I set up the Weave Pole River, I change the pattern. If I am getting more than 90% success in a session, I adjust the obstacles by changing the location of the poles, but not the jumps and tunnels. Often a dog happily goes back to where he has been before; so by altering the weave pole location, the dog must focus on locating the poles since they are in a slightly different place.
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Do a front cross between #2 and #3, a front cross, between #6 and #7, and a rear cross at #10. Your location relative to the dog as he enters the weave poles should vary.

The jumps and tunnel are in the same position, but the weave pole positions have changed. Do a front cross between #2 and #3, a rear cross at #6, and a rear cross at #10. The distance between the obstacles and the weave poles should vary between 15' to 24'.

Clean Run - July 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - July 2010