Weave Pole Training...
 

Before I screw this up... does it matter which side the dog enters the Weave Poles? I'm too tired to watch any more You Tube vids, and I think I've seen them enter from either side... Lol!

I found this in a few articles:

How fun that you are working on this with your pupsters. I need to get our tunnel out again. Have never tried the weave. I was laughing reading your comment that the dogs wanted to play with the ON plush poles like toys. That is what my boys would do. :D

I was thinking it would be good to do in the yard together. I'm so tired of walking 6 times a day, each dog individually, bc of all the big dog owners in the neighborhood thinking their dogs have 100% recall when they don't. I may drop a letter in their mailboxes reminding them about the leash laws in this county and that I will be reporting offenders beginning this spring. But that would probably just make them mad.

Oh and Thanks for that info...

Yup, left.

I taught weaves the TOTAL wrong way with Jackson when he was younger (going in the right AND luring him with food through weaves - eeek!). And it's been hard to get him learn properly now.

OMG! I watched one video of a Yorkie doing a course... she started out great then after the 4th or 5th jump, she went cracker dog (got the zoomies) and just ran all over the place in high speed. She was so cute... then the owner got her back under control and she continued on.

I think mine are going to love doing it. They're too smart and this challenges them so much more than just going for a walk... they have to be active and think!

It may turn into Sno-jility... do you believe this stupid weather!

If i can remember correctly... handler to the left side of the poles, dog on right of the handler. Dog has to enter the poles with right side of shoulders. I hope I'm making sense.

It doesn't matter if the handler is on the right or left side of the weave poles but the dog has to enter the first weave pole from the left. In other words the dog's left shoulder should be closest to the weave pole. Hope this makes sense.

You can start by putting the weave poles a little farther apart than they should be until your dog gets the idea of weaving...then you can tighten them up to the distance they should be.

We took agility lessons for over a year and the weave poles and teeter totter were the hardest to learn. Macy loved the tunnels and hurdles but be careful because I think that is where Macy hurt her knee. Don't let your dog jump any higher than they should.

Thanks for the replies... being indoors I am limited for space, and I watched a video the Brit had on one of her threads. The dog is taught to run through two poles, beginning they are set at 3 and 9 o'clock then gradually moved to 12 and 6 o'clock. I started Tink this way because she is fast and the dog is taught to run through the set of poles, then two sets (like gates on a ski course) and I'm worried about slowing her down. Also starting with only one set, I was able to start training her without knowing the proper entry. Now that I know, I'll start moving the right side pole forward, putting the left side pole first at the start.

I like this method so far, because the dog can retain it's speed in the beginning, only slowing down as it becomes more difficult, rather than starting out slow and trying to work up to fast.

I'll let you know how it goes!

If you are working your dogs outside be sure you do NOT jump your dogs on concrete! Put down rugs or rubber mats for them. The lawn usually has cushion but the concrete is hard on their joints. Even in the house/basement I put Rpet down when she jumps -- and she is a jumping machine!

If you get a board that is not too slick/slippery and Make it a little teeter with just a piece of PVC it will help them get used to the teetering without it being to drastic a movement.

Oh thanks! We're on hardword floors now so I put down 4-5 little rubber backed rugs to prevent slipping. I'm not asking them to jump too high, 6 inches at the most (for Tink who's 16#) but Sapphire jumped it anyway. Right now I'm happy if they just walk over it, lol.

Is it just the movement that makes the teeter totter hard to train? I was looking at some of the training equipment they use to teach balance and all that. What got me thinking of doing this is I have a Little Tykes doll cradle that they've been using as a bed for forever. I usually stick a shoe under it to limit the rocking motion, but it always slides out. Sapphire jumps up onto it and stretches up to try to climb in my bed, and the thing is rocking back and forth like crazy the whole time... her and Tink's balance on that cradle is amazing. So that's what got me thinking I should try them with agility, lol. They've also all been kayaking (no rapids) and they love it!

I do plan to start with anything they do being close to the ground for safety's sake, then gradually making things taller working up to what one would see in competition. That's a great idea for a beginner's teeter though... thanks!

Some dogs don't mind the teeter moving but really have trouble getting used to the "bang" noise it makes when it hits the floor. Sooo, starting with just a little teeter and working up can help them get used to the noise, too.

My Cali is under 4 pounds and we jump 8" during practice. In the ring she may only jump 4-6" but I have gradually conditioner her to the 8 inches so she will not "tick" the bar. Makes for a more clean jump. But don't push them. She has been doing this for about a year so she is in great shape.

Good luck.

Thanks for the tips!

Ooops!... Yep, dog enters with left shoulders. It's been 6 years since we discover Guinness had LP. Sadly, we had to drop out of agility class, but we had a blast while it lasted.