How Did You Teach Your Dog To Hold 2o/2o?

[DeltaCharlie]

Charlie is basically at the "learn the behaviour on the actual obstacle" stage but as he doesn't actually do agility at the moment we aren't really progressing past a stair. He has to be different though- completely aware of his rear end, has no idea that he has front legs! It has taken me 8 months to teach the damn thing how to shake a paw! Even now he still shifts his weight a little until he works out how to lift it up

We ended up changing Delta to a drop. Whether she ends up dropping on the end of the obstacle or doing a 4 on the floor behaviour is yet to be determined but she naturally wants to drop so we will work with that.

I would go right back to the start. Teach the dog to use its rear end. Ladders are good but I prefer perch work. Basically get a phone book or similar and using a clicker get the dog to put its front legs on the book. As soon as they move one of their back legs you can click (step towards them if need be). The idea is to get the dog to keep its front legs on the perch and move its back legs so that it is turning all the way around the book. They need to concentrate on their back legs to move as their front legs aren't really supposed to. You can also teach them to walk backwards. Sit on a chair and wait for them to move one of their back legs. Click and throw the treat between their front legs. Next time they have to move a little more, each time reward by throwing the treat between their front legs. You want them to eventually move a little further back every time until they are walking backwards across the room with you still in the chair. Some people walk into their dog to teach it but Im not a fan of that method, especially as a rear end awareness exercise. It teaches the dog to move out of your way rather than teaching them to move their back legs.

Then you can put them back on the end of the obstacle. Make that position the most desirable place in the world and only ever reward if they are doing the 2o2o with their weight in their hips (if they dont put their weight into their hips they have no chance of stopping at the end without causing damage). Ive seen many dogs fail to stop at the end because they carry their weight at the front of their body. Almost impossible to come to a dead stop like that.

Do alot of stablising work in that position. Get to the point where you can leave your dog in that position and walk all around the course without your dog moving. Once your dog is consistently holding position until given the release command you can start linking it to another obstacle. I have found that dogs have more problems with stability if they know they are heading off to another obstacle. Its the same as start line stays, they are so excited to get going that they don't want to have to wait. If they are focussed on another obstacle then they wont be in the right frame of mind for learning to hold position.

Does that make sense? Its late and Im tired...

[leopuppy04]

Heaps of good advice here!!! *pulls out notebook to make notes*

I know it's not the thing for agility Laffi - but actually making Kinta go slower helped her with her 2o2o.... it helped her to understand a little better exactly what the criteria was. But - I found the best way to teach her 2o2o was with the bar next to the A and getting her to jump over the bar and do her contact that way.... it really helped me get distance too.

Trying to build up the tuggy game so that M will tug while on the A will put some of her weight on the rear feet.

I think the problem is - what Siodney said - she hasn't connected the behaviour with her rear end yet and perhaps the speed she may be approaching the end.

A few questions that may help:

*Do you have a command such as "Paws" "two" or "wait" to get her to do her 2o2o? I find this helps a little as it clearly defines the behaviour (make sure your criteria is clear though, otherwise you have a dog creeping down to the contacts as they don't understand )...

*If you are still using the target plate - how far away is it? Try experimenting a little - I found if it was too close to the contacts, the rear end would slip off because of the momentum K was coming down the obstacle.... too far away and she may jump off/ get her reward with 4 feet OFF the obstacle