Clean Run Magazine - October 2009 - 36

him to stay on the board and exit straight. Remove the wing as soon as possible (hopefully in one session). The highest I ask a dog to jump up on the side of the teeter is the dog’s shoulder height for large dogs. If you have an adjustable teeter, run the dog through at a lower height with a toy placed 6" from the board. When the dog is confident, gradually increase the teeter height. If you only have a full-size teeter, you need a pause table with 24", 20", 16", and 12" legs. Place the table under the up/approach end so it can be used to adjust the height of the teeter drop and the dog can get on the table to get to the teeter plank in a straight position. Do not give a table command to get the dog on the table. Just use your hand in his collar and motivate him to jump up. Start with a 24" table. Get the dog on the table and have your hand in the harness or buckle collar. Walk the dog along the teeter plank. Just before the pivot point toss a toy about 6" from the end of the teeter. Release the dog. If the dog jumps off before the teeter moves, hold the throw a little longer next time. Use verbal praise for any forward motion and verbally mark the bang. The goal is for the dog to be dragging you down the board so you have to let go. The end behavior does not matter at this time. Flyoffs are okay. When the dog is confident with you on either side and with going through the pivot point, gradually add to the height of the drop by lowering the height of the table. Place a toy 6" from the end of the teeter. Let go of the dog and walk up behind him, remembering to verbally praise any movement forward and verbally mark the bang. Go through all your table heights, progressively lowering the table. Remember that your goal is to get the dog past the pivot point, not to train an end behavior. Now remove the table and do the full teeter, praising forward motion and marking the bang. Again, place a toy 6" from the board’s end. Push down the down end of the plank and have your dog jump on the teeter from the side and then have him continue to a straight tunnel positioned about 6' after the teeter. Reward after the tunnel. Repeat this twice on each side and then do the entire teeter, praising any forward motion and verbally marking the bang. Your body language tells the dog to go to the tunnel. Do this on both sides. If there is no bang and you get a flyoff, withhold your verbal mark. Continue to the tunnel and don’t give a negative mark. Most dogs that have this problem with the teeter do not enjoy flyoffs and will self-correct if left alone. Add an obstacle before the teeter, being sure to maintain a straight approach. Praise the obstacle before the teeter and praise when the dog gets on the teeter. Verbally mark for the bang and send to a tunnel. Reward with a toy. Then move the tunnel farther away, up to 18'. Next add handling off the teeter to different obstacles. Continue to praise completing the obstacle before the teeter and correctly getting on the teeter, as well as verbally marking the bang. (Remember to praise the same way at your first trial with your new teeter performance.) You need to decide what your final performance criteria will be: whether you want to keep the “bang and go” or teach a two-on/ two-off position. Name your teeter performance once you’ve taught the final contact behavior. It’s best to use a different word from your previous cue. I prefer a verb because it’s an action word. D Brenna Fender is a freelance writer with an undergraduate degree in mass communications and a masters degree in elementary education. She lives with her husband, two young children, a Whippet, and a young Papillon. Over the years, Brenna and her dogs have earned titles in agility, obedience, conformation, hunting, rally, and lure coursing. The husband and children are far less impressively titled. Contact Brenna at BrennaFender@gmail.com. Clean Run | October 09
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Clean Run Magazine - October 2009

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