Agility Training Talk Thread

[GoldenGirl85]

Wow RS your girls look good!

My main problem with Tess is that she is very toy driven...a little too toy driven, Ive taken her right back to the beginning, she is on one set of poles and so far Ive only got her either on fully open or on 2 and 8 o'clock, problem is that she knows Im going to throw the toy, and she will just race forward anticipating the toss, sometimes she gets through the poles and she gets the toy, other times she goes outside the poles and she gets nothing, but I dont think she is actually realising the poles are the solution to the equation, do you think I need to spend more time building value with the poles?

She is already a weaving dog but has no drive and her entries are really bad, which is why we are going back to basics

[RubyStar]

GG85, Millie was doing that too when I first started with her, she would race out looking for the toy and sometimes she'd go through the poles, other times she didn't. Just lots of repetition over several sessions and she started to get the poles meant something. Ruby was never taught with open poles, her poles were always closed. Reason for this is I started a single session with another method then we morphed it into 2x2 weaving. She never had a problem with the straight poles, even when adding more, but Millie is going to struggle big time adding her 5th and 6th

[GoldenGirl85]

GG85, Millie was doing that too when I first started with her, she would race out looking for the toy and sometimes she'd go through the poles, other times she didn't. Just lots of repetition over several sessions and she started to get the poles meant something. Ruby was never taught with open poles, her poles were always closed. Reason for this is I started a single session with another method then we morphed it into 2x2 weaving. She never had a problem with the straight poles, even when adding more, but Millie is going to struggle big time adding her 5th and 6th

I wonder if Millie might benefit a bit by having you racing her to the end to get the toy, that way she might pick up a bit more drive and she will learn the toy is at the end she doesnt have to look back for it, there was one go where you did run to the end with her and she looked a lot better

[RubyStar]

GG85, Millie was doing that too when I first started with her, she would race out looking for the toy and sometimes she'd go through the poles, other times she didn't. Just lots of repetition over several sessions and she started to get the poles meant something. Ruby was never taught with open poles, her poles were always closed. Reason for this is I started a single session with another method then we morphed it into 2x2 weaving. She never had a problem with the straight poles, even when adding more, but Millie is going to struggle big time adding her 5th and 6th

I wonder if Millie might benefit a bit by having you racing her to the end to get the toy, that way she might pick up a bit more drive and she will learn the toy is at the end she doesnt have to look back for it, there was one go where you did run to the end with her and she looked a lot better

After watching the video back myself and all the tips from here, my next session I am going to try to incorporate a few of these great suggestions

[GoldenGirl85]

GG85, Millie was doing that too when I first started with her, she would race out looking for the toy and sometimes she'd go through the poles, other times she didn't. Just lots of repetition over several sessions and she started to get the poles meant something. Ruby was never taught with open poles, her poles were always closed. Reason for this is I started a single session with another method then we morphed it into 2x2 weaving. She never had a problem with the straight poles, even when adding more, but Millie is going to struggle big time adding her 5th and 6th

I wonder if Millie might benefit a bit by having you racing her to the end to get the toy, that way she might pick up a bit more drive and she will learn the toy is at the end she doesnt have to look back for it, there was one go where you did run to the end with her and she looked a lot better

After watching the video back myself and all the tips from here, my next session I am going to try to incorporate a few of these great suggestions

Ill have to try and get a video of my girls training...if the rain stops...Ive got opposite problems with both of them

Tess has the issue I mentioned above, and Lexi, while she has a lot of prey drive, Im having trouble transferring that drive onto a toy, she gets that the poles mean something, but thats it, she wont run through them, rather she will put her front feet through and stand there looking at me

[huski]

Quick question from me. I haven't been doing any training lately as I'm in WA on holidays, but when I get back to Brissy in early Jan I really want to work on our 2x2s. Is there a cheap and/or easy way to make weave poles? I can borrow some from agility club but obviously club has closed down over the summer break.

[Rileys mum]

I've made all mine. Ive made them free standing so I can shift them easily with 2x2 training. I got PVC pipe and the end caps that go with them. I then got long screws that were able to be secured with a little bolt, drilled a hole into the end cap, pushed the screw in, secured it with the bolt and then put the end cap on the PVC pipe. I stick the screw straight into the soil and they are fabulous so far. They still flex if need be and can be moved simply. Once I've got my weaves trained I'll make a proper set I'll try and load a pic for you. They were sooooo easy to make and really cheap.

I've been using them daily for my weave training and I'm almost at the stage of straightening up my first set of 4 :-D it's so rewarding watching them finally click to what it's all about.

Edited December 28, 2010 by Rileys mum

[GoldenGirl85]

Quick question from me. I haven't been doing any training lately as I'm in WA on holidays, but when I get back to Brissy in early Jan I really want to work on our 2x2s. Is there a cheap and/or easy way to make weave poles? I can borrow some from agility club but obviously club has closed down over the summer break.

I used to do what Rileys mum did but with tent pegs, squash the end a bit so a PVC pipe will fit on it, or if you were interested in those fold out ones I mentioned earlier I can see if the lady has some and organise a set for you

[skip]

I might give those caps and screws a go as well. Thanks.

I used the green plastic garden stakes from Bunnings. I brought the thinner ones as there are a few sizes and just stick them into the ground anywhere. Put the PVC 1 metre poles over them.

I taught one dog to weave with the 2x2 method but the chihuahua has been a bit of a challenge. Nearly there now.

[RallyValley]

I am fairly sure next year I am getting a loan dog to train in agility! He is very food driven and a red head but I don't want to play tug with him, does anyone know of any handlig methods/training books/dvd's that don't revolve around tug?

[ness]

Nawwwww RallyValley - you can always throw food I am sure the little red head will be able to chase it . Ness was trained exclusively using food as a reward for agility and I guess I just used it the same way as I would a toy. You can use a bait plate instead of a tug for a target or just teach the dog to move away to a target and reward.

What about using a food pouch that you can throw if you need. I saw that being used effectively on dogs who were food driven. What about using an i-squeak in place of a tug.

[RallyValley]

Nawwwww RallyValley - you can always throw food I am sure the little red head will be able to chase it . Ness was trained exclusively using food as a reward for agility and I guess I just used it the same way as I would a toy. You can use a bait plate instead of a tug for a target or just teach the dog to move away to a target and reward.

What about using a food pouch that you can throw if you need. I saw that being used effectively on dogs who were food driven. What about using an i-squeak in place of a tug.

Hmm will have to bring out a full arsenal of other things and see what he responds best to.

[ness]

- I never finished off one of my sentences. I was going to say SG had dogs working with a food pouch on her one jump video. But yep experiment and see what works best and jealous you get a red kid to play with - if only I was closer - dammit.

[The Spotted Devil]

Minimal tug used here, especially at trials, as Zig will start to switch off. I use a lot of (different) food and throw tug/food toys. Have fun!

[Ptolomy]

OK I need some suggestions on how to train the closed tunnel - the last time i taught a dog this was - hmmm many years ago. I have a drum with a non see through skirt attached, which I guess can be removed?? So please any suggestions appreciated.......

[RallyValley]

OK I need some suggestions on how to train the closed tunnel - the last time i taught a dog this was - hmmm many years ago. I have a drum with a non see through skirt attached, which I guess can be removed?? So please any suggestions appreciated.......

Have someone hold open the closed part and gradually start lowering it.

[TerraNik]

OK I need some suggestions on how to train the closed tunnel - the last time i taught a dog this was - hmmm many years ago. I have a drum with a non see through skirt attached, which I guess can be removed?? So please any suggestions appreciated.......

Have someone hold open the closed part and gradually start lowering it.

+1

[ness]

Yep that is how I taught it to. Dog run through drum without chute attached. Make sure the chute is totally straight so the dog doesn't get caught up. The other thing we have at club is a smaller chute part so the dog doesn't have to run through a full length chute.

Edited December 30, 2010 by ness

[sheena]

I have taught my girl to do 2o2o on the seesaw, (in training) using the clicker & she has been doing it well for some time now. Just lately though, she has been stopping before or just on the contact zone & just wants to stay there. It is not as if she is frightened of it, as it is one of her favourite pieces of equipment. If I ignore her, she doesn't care & will lie down & wait for me to give in & call her through to the next jump. If I call her through for the next obstacle she will keep running straight through & off, but this is not what I want. OH thinks she is just being naughty, but I really think she thinks for some reason that this is where she is meant to stop. If I use a target she will run straight into position, but take the target away & she stops again half way up. Thinking maybe I should do a few runs with the target & clicker then progress to no treat on the target, but click & deliver when her nose touches the target. But then how do I phase out the target all together I don't think she would have this problem in a real trial as all 2o2o training goes out the window when she is excited

[Agility Dogs]

I think you have two problems here.

The first is that she doesn't understand that her job is to get to the end of the contact and stick there until you release her - somehow she has become confused about where on the contact you want her to stop. I would be going back and training that - you need to create more value for the end position on the contact than she currently has. (I have this problem with my boy.)

I think you can fade out the target by asking for multiple nose touches before releasing. Then when the target goes you still ask for the nose touches. Initially the target will go in and out and ultimately only come out occasionally at training. What does your target look like? The smaller and more transparent it is the easier this will be. A small clear plastic square works well because they are never sure whether it is there until they are on top of it - means they have to prepare for it being there.

The second problem is that 2o2o training goes out the window when she is excited . Unless you are totally sure that you can get into position just about every time then I would be insisting on 2o2o before allowing her to continue.

I have been down this slippery slope with my girl - she used to be exactly like you are describing and it just got worse and worse as she got quicker and and more excited on course. We now have an agreement that I will let her run contacts, but the minute she jumps off them she gets to walk off course. I'm not all that happy with the arrangement because it means I have to run REALLY quickly at times, but it works for us for now and realistically I need her to run contacts if we are going to beat the dogs I want her to beat . Every so often though we come across a refusal plane that we just can't do because my training sux and I haven't stuck to my criteria in the interest of getting a card.

This is a good example of what I'm talking about - I had to be there as she came off the a-frame (not sure the judge had her glasses on that day) and the dog walk so that she didnt' take the wrong obstacle. I'd prefer her to run the obstacle independently and stop at the end. Makes life a lot easier.

The pup that is coming through at the moment will not EVER be allowed to blow contacts because she is excited - released quickly fine, but only if I say so. I don't want to have the battle that I have had with Xena again.