Ruby

[kelpiekaye]

Sorry this is a comedy of errors. I thought I was posting this in the agility thread. Think I will stick to milking cows

Hi everyone, thought I would bring agility back up the list. I been doing a little bit of agility with Ruby at my club. Shes been to four trainings and about a year ago we did an introduction to agility. Shes going to be two next month.

She is going really well I feel and we just have to master the weave. May take a while! I have been practicing with 6 poles on angles and trying to get her to drive through by placing a toy at the end. How have you guys taught weaves and what method do you think is best?

Dont know why theres two photos, Im not good at this

Edited March 24, 2011 by kelpiekaye

[skip]

Hi Kelpiekaye

Love your dog. I have a little black kelpie type dog. I first tried the channel method as in the country at Orange, NSW - this was all that was given.

Since moving elsewhere I now can train at a club and used the 4 x 4 method of Susan Garrett. Search here on DOL and there is plenty of posts about weaving. Besides contacts it must be the biggest training topic.

I found this method worked well for the kelpie x. He understands entries from different angles and seems to always get it right. When he was learning sometimes he would miss a hard entry from the left side of the weaves but that was due more to him thinking near enough might be OK. If I marked this with a non reward marker he would get it the second time. At home training he understands but takes a little longer to get fast performances at trials. Due to competition distractions and my dog is a pretty laid back dog and motivating him is my biggest hurdle.

But I think this method is really great. I used 4 x 4 as well as a bit of a different method to teach my chihuahua but I think the 4x4 method still played a big part.

Good luck. If you decide to use the 4x4 method I would get the DVD. I was taught at our club but we did watch the DVD together before we started training.

[Kavik]

There are several good ways to teach weaving, much depends on your preference, how much drive your dog has, and you and your dog's experience with shaping.

1) Slanted poles like you have been doing work well for teaching footwork and the concept of weaving. I like to combine this methoI like to combine this method with one that teaches independent entries (such as a 2 or 3 pole method which uses some shaping)

2) channel method - make a channel with offset poles so the dog runs through the middle and bring them closer together as the dog gets the idea of how to weave - similar idea to slanted poles. I like to combine this method with one that teaches independent entries (such as a 2 or 3 pole method which uses some shaping)

3) Susan Garrett's 2x2 method (sorry skip, it is NOT 4x4 but 2x2) - requires a good grasp of shaping to work well and works best with high drive dogs, great for teaching independent entries. A method I want to try out with my next dog.

4) 3 pole method which uses a combination of luring and shaping - great for teaching independent entries

5) use of barriers/guides

[kelpiekaye]

Hi Kelpiekaye

Love your dog. I have a little black kelpie type dog. I first tried the channel method as in the country at Orange, NSW - this was all that was given.

Since moving elsewhere I now can train at a club and used the 4 x 4 method of Susan Garrett. Search here on DOL and there is plenty of posts about weaving. Besides contacts it must be the biggest training topic.

I found this method worked well for the kelpie x. He understands entries from different angles and seems to always get it right. When he was learning sometimes he would miss a hard entry from the left side of the weaves but that was due more to him thinking near enough might be OK. If I marked this with a non reward marker he would get it the second time. At home training he understands but takes a little longer to get fast performances at trials. Due to competition distractions and my dog is a pretty laid back dog and motivating him is my biggest hurdle.

But I think this method is really great. I used 4 x 4 as well as a bit of a different method to teach my chihuahua but I think the 4x4 method still played a big part.

Good luck. If you decide to use the 4x4 method I would get the DVD. I was taught at our club but we did watch the DVD together before we started training.

Very helpfull Cheers.

[kelpiekaye]

There are several good ways to teach weaving, much depends on your preference, how much drive your dog has, and you and your dog's experience with shaping.

1) Slanted poles like you have been doing work well for teaching footwork and the concept of weaving. I like to combine this methoI like to combine this method with one that teaches independent entries (such as a 2 or 3 pole method which uses some shaping)

2) channel method - make a channel with offset poles so the dog runs through the middle and bring them closer together as the dog gets the idea of how to weave - similar idea to slanted poles. I like to combine this method with one that teaches independent entries (such as a 2 or 3 pole method which uses some shaping)

3) Susan Garrett's 2x2 method (sorry skip, it is NOT 4x4 but 2x2) - requires a good grasp of shaping to work well and works best with high drive dogs, great for teaching independent entries. A method I want to try out with my next dog.

4) 3 pole method which uses a combination of luring and shaping - great for teaching independent entries

5) use of barriers/guides

Cheers, I think I will have to do a bit of research. Ruby has got a bit of drive and as shes getting more confident( or Im getting more confident) she getting more drive.