Training The See-saw For Agility

[Vickie]

Eddy makes great equipment in Sydney.

Maybe pm Maverick for his contact details.

[Kavik]

Thanks Vickie, will do

[kelpiechick]

This is the base of the adjustable one close up.

Instead of the usual hinges on the side, it has a chain along the ground to adjust the height.

Should be easy enough for someone to make.

[Maverick]

hehe Vickie.. I finally got my long awaited dog walk the other day!

But on the topic of see saws... Vienna has been doing the bang game but nothing else.. At ADC training a couple of weeks ago, she flew over the little see saw in yellow class before I could stop her.. Over she went, it went bang, she stopped at the end and looked at me as if to say 'What was the fuss about'

Then on Saturday, I had heart failure.. Vienna flew up a full size see saw.. 'oh shite' I said.. and quickly shoved food in her head as it hit the ground.. Unsettled her a bit but she didn't fly off. Did it twice more and she was fine.. Then put her over the dog walk .. not a problem.. didn't associate the two.. No more see saws until I get one at home..

No 2o2o for see saw for me and I am currently working on running a-frame. Dog walk she has been taught to run over really quickly but now back training 2o2o.

[RexAppeal]

hi all.

i'm a newbie at the whole agility thing, have only been doing it for about 12 months.

I have found that just having a regular sized ss is the best way to practice, as that's what they'll use in trials.

With someone holding the other end (standing @ side), get dog to walk up to their pivot point & use stop/slow/drop

etc (on leash, giving them a treat etc when they stop at the right spot), then the person slowly takes it to the ground,

then walk the dog over the colour.

This way it teaches them to find their own pivot point, (or using slow/stop/drop) then wait there for the person to lower it, then walk off the end.

I see way too many dogs race right to the end, let it smash on the ground, possibly damaging their joints etc.

As well as many dogs thinking it's a dw, and doing a 'superman' off the end - still running in the air, while

the ss disappears beneath them...not good either!

I think that both methods are just as quick, but the first method is much better for the health of the dog.

Eventually the dog can do it without anyone lowering it for them, but it must be slow progress, and the last thing you want

is to spook them, then you have to start all over again... I did this with my first dog, it took about 3 months for her

to do it by herself again. She is still not comfortable with it moving underneath her, but she does it!

As I said, I'm a newbie, and am just so stoked that I found out about all these dog sports last year,

it's a great way to meet fellow dog lovers!

[Kavik]

This dog's seesaw performance is quite nice

[Vickie]

This way it teaches them to find their own pivot point, (or using slow/stop/drop) then wait there for the person to lower it, then walk off the end.

I see way too many dogs race right to the end, let it smash on the ground, possibly damaging their joints etc.

As well as many dogs thinking it's a dw, and doing a 'superman' off the end - still running in the air, while

the ss disappears beneath them...not good either!

I think that both methods are just as quick, but the first method is much better for the health of the dog.

Interesting method RexAppeal. Out of interest what state are you in? This is the method that was used when we first started agility. There is no doubt that it is considerably slower.

I see way too many dogs race right to the end, let it smash on the ground, possibly damaging their joints etc.

I hope this is not the case because most people worldwide now are training the dog not to feel the pivot point & are training them to race to the end. I have not seen or heard any evidence that this is damaging joints & I sincerely hope it isn't.

[Vickie]

An interesting clip, mostly an example of what you don't want

[Kavik]

That clip showed just about every type of seesaw performance! :rolleyes:

[angelsun]

When I taught agility, I trained see saw the following:

dog is encouraged to walk to the centre point and told to wait. Taught to take one step forward, shifting weight and making the seesaw drop and then to move forward.

When we start, there are three distinct steps and as the dogs progresses, the steps get closer together so all that is left is a very slight pause to shift weight to push the seesaw down.

This method means no fly offs, and no hurt dogs. They learn they are in control of the apparatus and that they must push it down before they can go. Very few if any contact faults with this method.