Clean Run Magazine - October 2007 - 46

Closing the Poles This phase of training again uses six poles. It usually takes several weeks, assuming you are training every day. Your goal is to slowly close the weaves and get your dog weaving from a straight-on entry. This is also where we like to see our students learn to judge how and when to mark entries and exits. For the first few repetitions after each incremental change in the spacing of the channel, you will mark the entry and then switch to marking the exit. Look for 100% accuracy. You want your dog to be successful multiple times before you make the exercise harder. Do not cut corners. Start with the channel set at 5". Remember to work the left and right side of the poles for each step. Put the dog in a stay about 15' from the first pole. Lead out to pole #5 and face the direction the dog is going. 1 6 7 Toy Yes! With the channel 5" apart, put the dog in a stay 15' from the first pole while you lead out to pole #5, facing the direction the dog is going. Release the dog and mark the entry with a verbal Yes! Once your dog reaches pole #5, move forward with the dog. Throw a toy ahead to reward the dog as he catches you. Yes! Toy Switch to marking the exit instead of the entry as you backchain your starting position. As before, your last two backchaining positions are halfway between your dog and the poles and then starting even with your dog. Backchain your starting position, one pole at a time, until you can start even with your dog as shown in Figure 7. As before, your last two backchaining positions are halfway between your dog and the poles and then starting even with your dog. Your dog should remain in the poles and should continue to drive to the end of the poles. Switch to marking the weave exit during this step. 4 5 When you have successfully worked through each backchaining position with the dog on your left and your right, you are ready to close up the poles more and repeat steps 1 through 5. You are going to close the weave poles in 1" (channel) or 15° (WAM) increments until the channel is only 2" wide. When you reach 2", begin to close the weaves in 1/2" increments. Each time you close the poles, mark the entry for the first few repetitions. Then you can return to marking the exit. Troubleshooting • It is important to reward only a successful completion. If your dog skips a pole, remain neutral and try again. If he misses again, open the poles a bit and repeat the drill from the last backchaining position where you were successful. • As the weaves begin to close, your dog will learn how to move and where to place his feet. Watch closely for consistent patterns (either hopping or single striding) as you close the weaves. If your dog’s style of weaving is alternating, repeat the previous exercise. As stated earlier, it is important that your dog either hop or single stride. Release the dog. Mark the entry with a verbal Yes. Once your dog reaches pole #5, move forward with the dog. As your dog catches you, reward by throwing a toy ahead of the dog as shown in Figure 6. 2 3 Repeat three or four times, and work the dog on both your left and right. Weave Pole Training Tips • Since weave poles are mentally and physically challenging, your dog should be well rested and interested in working. Give him quiet time before and after every training session. Train weave poles early in your class or training session so your dog is hungry and interested in attention. Train in 5- to 10-minute sessions and work in an area without distractions. • A good working distance for weave poles is 15'. On an agility course, your dog should be able to hunt and find the weave poles from 15'. In tennis, there is a zone called “no man’s land,” the area in the middle of the court where you don’t want to be—you should be either at the net or the baseline. Being in no man’s land will get you in trouble. On an agility course, the 10'-15' before the poles is no man’s land for handlers. Being in that area can only get you in trouble because you can push or pull the dog off the poles with your body. I like to stay out of that 10'-15' zone and let the dog hit the entry independently, then I catch up with him while he’s weaving. • Mark the slide-outs on your channel weaves in inches. This allows you to set the poles at the same distance quickly and without constantly guessing. It COURTESY OF JOE CANOVA also helps you to keep track of your dog’s performance, which is particularly important in a class situation. Both students and instructors can note that the dog is currently weaving with the poles at a specific distance, whether it is 4", 2", or so on. Week to week, this accurate measurement makes your training more consistent. 46 • If you are working on drive, you can cheer your dog through the poles. If you are working on the entry or exit, then keep the cheering to a minimum. Cheering can easily override the verbal mark for the entry or exit. We also discourage clapping your dog through the weaves. If your dog is dependent on your clapping to either keep his pace up or stay in the poles, you cannot give him a hand signal to stay in the poles while you pull away, which we will use in advanced training. Occasional clapping is fine but do not get your dog habituated to it. Clean Run | October 07

Clean Run Magazine - October 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - October 2007