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Title: How to Train Your Dog to Sit
Author: Jon Weaver
Article:
Training your dog to sit is one of the most basic
skills, and also sets the foundation for many others. Here is exactly
what should happen: the moment the guide stops, the dog should sit
close to his left side. And here is exactly how to go about training
your dog:
Hold the leash tightly in both hands, with the right hand at the
side, and with a loose grip in the left hand at the left side. But do
not slip the hand through the loop at the leash end.
Walk forward and stop suddenly, at the same time giving in a sharp
voice the command SIT. Drop the leash from the left hand. Still holding
the leash in a tight grip raise the right hand, and at that moment
press the lower part of the dog's back to the ground with the left hand
while repeating the command SIT.
The guide should then assume a standing position, once more with the
command SIT. Throughout this procedure, avoid changing the position of
your feet. The dog should still be at your left side.
What is the dog's reaction? He will attempt to get up on his feet, to jump to one side, possibly to lie down or sit sidewise.
Here are the corrections: This exercise offers little difficulty
when executed correctly, though failure may be traced to various
inconsistencies on the part of the guide. Very likely the guide
loosened his hold on the leash with his right hand and did not hold the
dog up on his front feet as he pressed him into the sitting position,
or possibly he changed the position of his feet and therefore found
himself facing the dog. Also, he may have confused the dog with too
many commands.
The command ought not to be used more than three times: first, at
the instant of stopping; second, while the dog is being pushed into a
sitting position; and third, when the dog has assumed the desired
sitting position. Of importance is it for the guide to watch the action
of his hands so as to be sure he holds them exactly as described.
The dog is now in a sitting position at the left side of the guide,
and so long as the guide remains quiet, the dog will not move. Give him
now a few words of praise and a pat with the left hand, while you still
hold the same position with ease.
Should the dog try to sit sidewise and removed from you, place your
left hand against his left side when pressing him into the sitting
position and in that way nudge him closer to you.
Repeat this exercise several times while in standing position. Then
walk again and suddenly stop with the command SIT. By now, the dog will
probably assume the correct sitting position without further influence
and aided only by the single command.
When the dog executes this lesson correctly -- and of course it must
be repeated over and over again -- don't forget those words of praise.
If for a few times he responds readily and then fails, be patient and
help him again by pulling him up with the right hand, and pushing him
down with the left.
It requires several days and repetitious practise before a dog
becomes a competent "sitter." But always remain patient and loving, and
sooner than you think, your dog will sit on command and desire to move
on to new commands.
About the author:
FREE step-by-step instructions
on every aspect of training your dog. From absolute basics including
sitting, heeling and fetching, to advanced commands! It's FREE! Click here
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Title: Dog House Training - How To House Train Your Dog
Author: John Clatts
The absolute first thing you must train your dog to do is is
housebreaking No, no, you don't teach your dog how to break into your
house when you forget your keys. Housebreaking means he must learn
where and when he may do his business. Besides being substantially
advantageous to the hygiene of your household, dogs benefit from having
rules and a routine - as pack animals, they look for duties issued by
the pack leader and naturally enjoy keeping schedules. Here are the
steps to housebreaking your dog.
Dog House Training 1 - The best age to begin housebreaking your puppy is between 8 and 12 weeks old.
Dog House Training 2 - Experts suggest incorporating a crate in a
young dog's training process. (To housebreak an older dog, skip this
section.) A crate usually resembles a cage, with a locking door and
see-through bars, and should be big enough for the dog to move around
in. While it sounds like a miniature jail cell, crates should not be
used to punish your puppy. The idea is to make the crate into a doggy
bedroom - someplace where your puppy can play and sleep. He should
never be confined in his crate for more than two hours at a time.
Dog House Training 3 - Because dogs, thank goodness, don't believe
in eliminating by their sleeping areas, your puppy will not relieve
himself in the crate unless you've cruelly locked him in there for
longer than he was able to hold it in. Three-month old puppies
generally need to eliminate every three hours, so lead your puppy to a
designated outdoor bathroom spot often.
Dog House Training 4 - Try to always leave the house through the
same door - the door you'd like your dog to scratch at to signal his
need to go out in the future.
Dog House Training 5 - Try to take your dog out at around the same
times each day. A routine will eventually be established, and your dog
will soon know to hold it in until you take him out.
Dog House Training 6 - If your not-yet-housebroken dog is used to
roaming freely around the house, look for clues that tell you he needs
to go. Your dog may suddenly put his nose down and sniff the ground
intently. He may begin to circle an area. Or, he may stare at the door
with an intense look on his face. Signs like these tell you to drop
what you're doing and get that dog out of the house. If you catch your
dog doing his business inside (and only if you catch him - not after
you discover he's already committed the crime), rush over and stop him
by grasping his collar, pulling up on it, and saying, "NO" in a deep,
stern voice. Then take him outside to let him finish up and praise him
with pats on the head or a pleasantly chirped, "Good Fido!" when he
does. (Note Don't say "Fido" if your dog's name is "Rex.")
To continue reading go now to Dog House Training
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Title: 10 Tips For Perfectly House Trained Puppies
Author: Lee Dobbins
Article:
House training your puppy is one of the most important tasks you can take on and is vital to harmonious living with your pet.
Every dog can learn to do his "business" outside and it is up to the
owner to learn how to properly train his dog. It is best to start the
training at as early an age as possible and remember to always treat
your pet with kindness - yelling at him and rubbing his nose in his
accidents will only make him afraid of you. These tips can help you get
a perfectly house trained puppy in no time!
1. Establish a toilet area and make sure the puppy has unrestricted access to that area at all times.
2. When you are at home, take the puppy to the toilet area every
45 minutes.
3. When you are not at home or cannot supervise the puppy,
it's important to make sure they puppy cannot have an accident. This
means confining him to a small area that is puppy proofed and has a
toilet area.
4. Make sure the toilet area does not resemble anything in your
home. Training the puppy to eliminate on concrete, blacktop, grass or
dirt is a good idea. The puppy should never be encouraged to eliminate
on anything that resembles the hardwood flooring, tile or carpet he may
encounter in a home.
5. Keep your puppy on a consistent feeding schedule. Feeding
him at the same time every day will help to get him to eliminate
at the same time.
6. Try using a crate. Since puppies will not want to soil their bed area, you can try using the crate to keep him on schedule.
7. Make sure you reward your puppy and give him lots of praise when
he does use the toilet area. He will repeat the behavior if he starts
to associate using the toilet area with good things, like treats, toys
and praise from his owner.
8. Do not punish or yell at your puppy when he has an accident. This
will only make him afraid of you and will not get you any closer to
your goal.
9. Don't give your puppy the run of the house until he is thouroughly
house trained. Keep him confined in his crate or secluded in an area.
10. Be patient and persitent and your puppy will learn to do his business outside in no time!.
About the author:
Lee Dobbins writes for The Dog where you can read more dog training
articles.
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Title: How To Find a Search and Rescue Dog Training School
Author: Melissa Buhmeyer
Article:
There are many things dogs can be trained to do but, of
all the tasks a working dog can perform, search and rescue ranks the
highest for needing qualified, professional trainers. A Search and
Rescue (SAR) dog's performance, quite literally, can determine life or
death to a human in need.
As shocking as it may sound, there is no set of standards for rescue
dog training. Subsequently, rescue clubs, teams, and individuals emerge
as trainers, when, in fact, they may know little, or nothing at all,
about training a SAR dog. Attending seminars and reading books on the
subject are worthwhile endeavors, but they do not constitute being a
SAR dog trainer. Sadly, in a large percentage of cases, this is an
assumption not only made, but followed, and replicated. In some cases,
those touting themselves as SAR dog trainers scarcely have enough
knowledge to teach a dog simple parlor tricks, let alone promptly and
accurately scenting or tracking skills, where a human life hangs in the
balance.
Even when the topical qualifications are in place, this is no
substitute for failing to research the validity of those
qualifications. You will hear the term "qualified instructor" often
from those with police/military backgrounds. While this sounds
impressive, keep in mind that there is no "qualification" standard to
begin with, so the very title is misleading. Further, there may be a
very good reason that the individual is no longer training/handling
outside of the police/military
venues. That reason may be a desire for work in the private sector, or it could be indicative of poor performance.
Now, I'm not trying to paint a bleak picture; there are a number of
incredible SAR dog trainers out there. All of these great instructors
hold one thing in common: they can bear your scrutiny with flying
colors. If you're making the huge step towards training your dog for
SAR, then you really need to make the right choices. Here are the top
things to consider when choosing a SAR dog trainer:
1. Experience. There is no substitute and there is no better gauge
of a trainer's value. Look for trainers who have years of experience in
a wide variety of disciplines, not just SAR. Demonstrated ability, in
more than a single focus, means that the trainer will be able to
administer a wide variety of training methods to accomplish the end
goal. Other potential disciplines to look for include: agility,
obedience, hunting, or herding. This experience is easily verified by
titles such as: Companion Dog (CD, CDX) Agility Dog (AD, MACH, NATCH),
Schutzhund (I, II, II) to name a few.
2. Actual SAR experience is a must. SAR dogs perform a number of
tasks that your instructor MUST have real-world experience with. They
need to be well-versed, from first-hand experience, on how lost or
fleeing people will act, how a crime scene needs to be preserved in
cadaver searches resulting from criminal acts, etc.
3. The trainer should be well-versed on all breeds and capable of
assessing and advising on the limitations and capacity of that breed.
4. Separate marketing from proven performance. If your trainer is
good, you can bet he or she will have references. Contact those
agencies and inquire about the specific services the trainer was hired
for and their thoughts regarding the trainer's services. Just because
they have a polished web site, well-designed brochures, etc., does not
mean they're the best pick, by default. In some cases, a smaller
organization may actually yield better references.
The decision for you, and your dog, to become involved in SAR is a
big one. Take the time to do your homework. Your success and enjoyment
will not only be richer but it may, in fact, save a life!
About the author:
Melissa Buhmeyer has been involved in dog training for two years and is the co-founder of http://www.dogtraining-school.com, a resource for aspiring professional dog trainers and all dog enthusiasts.
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Title: Basics of Dog Training
Author: Dmitry Belov
Article:
The most important things in dog training are consistency, keeping dog's attention and understanding your dog.
To get the respect of your dog you must be consistent. You should
make a set of do's and don'ts for your dog. Follow these guidelines to
the letter, if a dog does something desirable always reward it, if a
dog does something bad punish him or her appropriately. In dogs world
consistency is a sign of a leader. You will make your training my
easier and effective by being a leader who the dog respects and follows.
Ninety percent of your dogs training will be getting his or hers
attention and keeping him focused on yourself. If your dog cannot focus
on you, it will not listen to you, and thus making the commands you
give fall on empty ears. I will describe a technique on how to get and
keep your dog's attention with few very simple exercises. First, most
dogs will respond to their name, so call them and when they look at you
tell them "watch". After doing it few times the dog will associate the
command with looking at you. After you have perfected the "watch"
command, start doing exercises aimed at expanding your dog's attention
span. A good technique is to hold a treat with your teeth and
while
standing in front of your dog give it a watch command. Stand in
position for a few seconds keeping dogs attention, then praise. Repeat
the exercise until your dog focus on you for about a minute. The more
attention your dog can give you the better student it will be.
A vital part of dog training is the understanding of how a dog
thinks. Dogs, like small children, have a very short attention span.
Most dogs can be focused on training for about ten to twenty minutes,
after that time they will start loosing focus and will require a small
break. A good idea is to make regular training sessions of 20-30
minutes per day. Another important thing is to make the training fun
for the dog. Make the dog look forward to the training time instead of
dreading it. To achieve this you should always make their effort
worthwhile. After every successful command make sure to give them a
treat or praise them with very excited voice. The more willing the dog
is to train the more effective the training will be!
Incorporate these techniques into your training sessions and in
no-time you will be ready to proceed to much more complex obedience
training exercises. You and your dog will both enjoy the time spent
together, your dog will respect you for being a responsible owner and
other people will appreciate your dog's great behavior after you are
done!
Dmitry Belov is founder of Dnepr Import. Visit their site at:
http://www.dneprimport.com/
About the author:
Dmitry Belov is a dog trainer that has most of the his experience with large live stock protection breeds.
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Title: Hunting Dog Training
Author: William R. Nabaza of http://www.Nabaza.com/pets.htm
Article:
There are forms of hunting which are now illegal in the
UK but some forms of hunting are not. Bird hunting seems to be a
popular hunting sport for dogs and handlers. Hunting dog training is a
lengthy, time consuming process which at the end is very worth it! You
have to be completely dedicated and willing to put in a great deal of
time to get the desired effects.
There are three essential commands when teaching your dog to hunt.
The commands are "whoa", "come" and "heel". Handlers believe that
"whoa" is the most important of all three and is crucial when hunting
birds, your dog needs to understand that when you say "whoa" you need
to your dog to stop completely in its tracks, no matter where it is or
what it is doing, this command is not only helpful in hunting but can
also save your dog's life in other situations such as traffic!
Hunting dog training is quite a specific training field and needs to
be done by professional hunters. They have the best knowledge and
information on how to optimise your dog's hunting potential. Many
people think hunters use their dogs but they adore their dogs very much
and treasure them as they would children, in fact most of them are like
little spoiled kids!
Hunters believe that if you can "whoa" your dog you have the hardest
part over and done with. You can make him stand still while you rush to
him and congratulate him on a hard days work, that's what it's all
about; making sure your dog knows he's done good! Always take a lot of
time praising him in a soft soothing voice, dogs are born to make their
masters happy and when he knows what makes (he will know because you
praise him when he does what makes you happy) you happy he will
constantly get better and better at the task you are asking him to do.
Apparently even the best champion only ever has his dog command
"whoa", "come" and "heel". His dog does it to perfection though. A lot
of breeds of dog today are being interbred to produce a perfect hunting
dog. All dogs have a great potential to become the greatest hunting dog
in the world, you just need to give him some hunting dog training.
Experts say that half an hour a day when the dog is under one year old,
and when the dog is over the year mark one hour a day three days a week
is all it takes to train your dog in the ways of a hunter!
About the author:
William Nabaza of http://www.Nabaza.com
specializes in domains, webhosting, webmaster's tools, netpreneur's
articles and resources. Stands out as a freebie provider, business
opportunity provider and the like. Visit his site at http://www.nabaza.com or contact him directly at william@nabaza.com There's more pet resources here: http://www.nabaza.com/pets.htm
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Title: Dog Agility Training for Your Puppy
Author: Brad Carlson
Article:
You may be asking, "When can I start agility training
with my new puppy?" You can start immediately, with certain
recommendations. Puppies are always learning, so every time you are
with your pup you can be playing and socializing with agility in mind.
Always remember, if you can control your puppies environment, you can
teach and train the behaviors you want, left on their own, even in a
fenced yard, puppies will learn and develop behaviors that later we may
want or need to extinguish.
Expose your puppy to different surfaces. One of the first behaviors
we teach our pups is "Box" or "Table". This behavior transfers to the
agility pause table. Lure pup up on a low pause table, treat them on
the table. You can call the pause table anything you want. (If I was
starting over I would name the pause table "Box" instead of "Table" for
my dogs because on the agility course there is the potential to have
too many "T" words, i.e. tunnel, tire, table, and teeter. The problem
is I am also a creature of habit, and under pressure revert back to my
default words, "table" would be one of them.)
Teach your pup to "Box", meaning to get up on a variety of
obstacles. In our training field we use "Box" for upside down kennel
tops, the bottom of barrels turned upside down, bird crates, and more.
Be creative with your pup, get them to get up on all kinds of surfaces,
exposing them to different shapes, sizes, and textures. Once your pup
is comfortable getting up on a "Box", then you can begin to ask them to
sit on the box also.
You can also begin to use Buja boards for motion training. Buja
boards are generally made from plywood, 36" x 36" with a painted
surface or covered surface. On the underside, there is a 2x4 box where
a partially deflated ball is placed. This enables the Buja board to
rock gently. At first you can reward your pup for getting one paw on
the board, then reward for two feet and eventually all four. Depending
on your pups temperament will determine how fast they get comfortable
on the Buja Board.
Perch training can also be started with young pups. The Perch is
generally a 1'x1' wood surface that is raised by 2"x4"'s underneath. So
the Perch is about four inches in height. The Perch helps teach pups
rearend awareness. Again, you can reward your pup for getting one front
paw on the perch and then the other. Perch training is mostly used with
just the front paws on the Perch.
These are just a few behaviors you can teach your young pup.
Exposure to a variety of surfaces and heights will help your pup build
confidence in his future agility training.
About the author:
Brad Carlson is a dog trainer at Agility by Carlson. For more training details, visit our website at http://www.carlson-agility.com/
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Title: Dog Agility Training
Author: William R. Nabaza of http://www.Nabaza.com/pets.htm
Article:
One of my favorite activities is dog agility, it keeps
you fit and makes you feel good picking up those trophies at the end of
each competition.
Dog agility training is somewhat harder than other training options,
but I find it the most fun. Firstly if you haven't heard of dog agility
it is a sport for dogs and owners. It is extremely popular in the UK
and now there are reports of it happening in the USA and down under in
Australia. It comprises of a main event, of which there are lots of
different courses for your dog to run. In the courses there is a set
number of obstacles. 26 is the average. Your dog has to complete the
course without getting any faults in the quickest time to win. Sounds easy? Think again.
There are certain obstacles included in the course which need much
training to master. There are two different types of courses, there are
jumping and there are agility courses. Jumping courses are exactly what
it says on the box, they are courses full of obstacles which your dog
is to jump over, things like jumps (two stands which face each other
that hold a pole, the pole stand is around 4ft high) which your dog has
to clear without knocking the pole down, there are weaves (the weave is
a straight line of poles. They can be 6,8,or 12 poles in length, your
dog must weave through this) which your dog must not come out of before
the end. In agility courses there are contact points on obstacles which
your dog must touch with their paws. This requires a lot of dog agility
training.
To run your dog in a show you must be registered with the Scottish
Kennel Club (SKC) (or the AKC, the American Kennel Club if you are from
the USA) and be part of an agility club. The members of these clubs
meet up once or twice a week and train together, they set up practice
courses, or just do certain obstacles their dog needs practicing on.
Dog agility training is not allowed in a club before your dog is one
year old. Most agility enthusiasts have some equipment at home so they
can start their dog from as young as six weeks, of course the poles
from the jumps lay on the ground, and they don't make their dog do
anything dangerous. There are companies such as Jax which make
obstacles and also training obstacles.
A lot of dog agility training must be done before you enter your first show. Your dog must be able to run a full course.
Forgive me for making dog agility sound like hard gruelling work,
not the fun it really is. It is spectacular. The people, the
atmosphere, the fun! The dog agility training is just what you have to
endure to get there!
About the author:
William Nabaza of http://www.Nabaza.com
specializes in domains, webhosting, webmaster's tools, netpreneur's
articles and resources. Stands out as a freebie provider, business
opportunity provider and the like. Visit his site at http://www.nabaza.com or contact him directly at william@nabaza.com There's more pet resources here: http://www.nabaza.com/pets.htm
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Title: Dog Agility Training
Author: Joel Walsh
Article:
Without agility, the most muscular person in the
world couldn't win a fight against a fifth-grader. But did you know
that for a dog agility is possibly even more important?
With so many of a dog's happiest moments spent running, jumping,
catching, and stretching, dog agility training can really help dogs age
gracefully and happily.
What is dog agility training?
You’ve probably seen dog agility training on television. The dogs
run a course of tire hoops, tunnels, seesaw, dog walk plank, jumps,
hurdles, weaving poles, and a 3-meter A-frame. Heeling, sitting, down
stays, send-aways as well as walking off leash are also included.
Who can participate?
Anyone with a dog can do agility training. There is not age limit
for people or dogs. In fact, children and puppies are encouraged to
take part. All breeds and sizes of dogs without a physical disability
can benefit from agility training. Be sure to check with your vet
before you begin agility training if you have any doubts about your
canine’s fitness.
What equipment is needed?
You as the handler will need comfortable shoes and clothes that you can run in, because this is not exercise for the dog alone.
Your dog needs a leather or webbed buckle collar and a leather,
nylon or rope lead of fairly long length. Do not use a chain lead; it
could get caught in the jumps.
Agility Training Courses for Dogs
There are two sides of agility training for dogs. They are the
obstacles and the control training. There are also tips for training
your dog.
Obstacles. Although it seems high to many handlers, the A-frame is
the best obstacle to begin training. The dog walk plank, low jump and
the tunnel (dogs love this obstacle) are also excellent for training
the novice dog.
Control training is important to keep your dog
disciplined both on the agility course and off. Everybody knows that a
dog must heel and sit. You must also teach your dog to know and obey
different commands: to go left and right, lay down, and wait. After
those are mastered, the dog must learn normal recall (returning anytime
you call) and recall over obstacles. Also important is the “send away”
command, making the dog go ahead you.
Tips for Dog Agility Training
Begin training by getting your dog’s attention. Talk to him and
offer a small treat. Coupled with the love he has for you, he’ll be all
ears. Be sure you have the correct lead (generally 6 feet) and a
comfortable collar (measure the dog’s neck and add 2 inches) for your
dog. Give praise often. “Tune in” to your dog to be sure she and you
are ready to train.
Here’s a final tip: make sure that you and your dog enjoy
yourselves. After all, jumping through hoops is supposed to be fun--at
least if you're a dog.
About the author:
About the author: You can read more of Joel Walsh's articles on dog issues such as Dog Agility at: http://www.i-love-dogs.com
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Title: How to Correct Your Dog's Stay on the Agility Starting
Line
Author: Brad Carlson
Article:
Does your Agility Dog Stay everywhere but on the
starting line? My "over the edge Border Collie", started breaking her
start line stays after about one year of trialing. I had to go back and
examine the cause and what lead to the deterioration of her start
line stay.
As I pull pieces of the past, I realize that at first I asked
my dog, Rip, to Sit-stay at the start line. But she began to lean and
scoot, so I changed to a Down-stay. She did this for a while until she
began to crawl and creep. Then I would walk away for a lead out, but I
would continue to face her, by being face to face, that would help her
to hold her position, well it did for a while. Then I started getting
breakaways, she would no longer wait at the starting line, as soon as I
started to step away from her side, and she would be off. That's when I
pulled her from trialing.
Why did her behavior get worse at the start line? Because I started
to negotiate with my dog, way back when she moved from the Sit-stay, I
should have made it clear that the Sit -stay was the only behavior that
would bring the reward of running agility. What I mistook as, "Oh, I'm
asking too much for my edgy dog to Sit-Stay on the line." She took as,
"Mom, doesn't really mean what she says when we're in this fenced ring
with lots of people around." So, she began to test every behavior I
asked for on the line. Dogs will do what we allow.
If your dog begins to break its start-line stay, whether that is a
stand, sit, or down, STOP immediately. Don't run your run. I know
you've paid your entry fees, but you'll be spending a lot more time and
money fixing the problem when it gets worse. For some dogs, taking them
off the course is deterrent enough to get back on track. For other dogs
you may have to "train" your stay in the ring, of course you also, may
be called for training and excused from the ring, but it's most
important that your dog know that the fun can not and will not start
until the Stay stays.
About the author:
Brad Carlson is a dog trainer at Agility by Carlson. For more training details, visit our website at http://www.carlson-agility.com/
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Title: 4 to 8 Dog Agility Jumps Makes Ideal Training
Author: Brad Carlson
Article:
We are often asked, "How many jumps should I start
with?" You can never have too many single jumps to practice agility. A
good starting place is four jumps. This is the absolute minimum number
of jumps that we recommend.
You can teach a variety of skills, drills, and exercises with four
jumps. Four jumps will allow you to work on a short jump chute or jump
grid. You can setup a "box" with your jumps and practice handling,
collection, and 270 degree jumps. You can teach your dog jumping left
and right. You can be outside the box and send your dog or you can
handle from the inside of the box. Your jumps can be setup in a
horizontal line, so that you can practice serpentines and threadles.
Go the next step and get eight jumps. Now you can setup two boxes
with one introductory jump. You've now multiplied your drills that you
can practice with your dog. Your jump grids can be of recommended size
and quantity of jumps. You can also setup your jumps in a circle with
the jump bars perpendicular to the circle or on the circumference of
the circle. This pattern also enables you to train a variety of skills.
You can really be ahead of the pack and have two sets of eight
jumps. This is the ultimate in training because you can keep a jump
grip up at all times that is separate from your course work, and have
eight single jumps to have for course work.
About the author:
Brad Carlson is a dog trainer at Agility by Carlson. For more training details, visit our website at http://www.carlson-agility.com/
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Title: Teaching dog agility weaves with a weave chute
Author: Brad Carlson
Article:
There are many methods to teach dogs how to weave.
Having attended a variety of agility camps and agility seminars, I've
seen quite a few of the top handlers present their preferred method of
weave training. Their training techniques vary,but the one thing they
do have in common, the end result, their dogs all weave fast and
efficiently.
The Weave Chute is one method of training weaves. The Weave Chute is
a structure where the weave poles pull apart and the dog runs down the
middle channel. The weave poles are setup on a base either PVC or
metal, the even number poles pull back to the same side and the odd
numbered poles pull apart to the same side. The poles are brought
closer together, training a chain of sessions, until the weave poles
are in a straight line.
To start, the weave poles are about 3 feet apart. Set your dog on a
Stay (Sit, Down, or Stand). Leave your dog and go to the other end of
the chute or channel. Call your dog, allow them to run as fast as they
can through the chute, when they get near you through a toy straight
ahead or between your legs. You want them to keep moving past you and
not slow up as they get near you.
Move the weaves closer together, try 2 feet for a few sessions, then
1 foot apart for a few sessions. When the weaves are about 1 foot apart
your dog will begin to actually begin the weaving behavior, depending
on the size of your dog of course. This is the stage to add guide
wires. The guide wires help the dog stay on path through the weaves.
Your dogs speed will most likely slow a little in this stage. This is
all right, he is thinking more and feeling the weaves against him for
the first time.
You are still using your Stay at one end of the weaves, leaving your
dog and going to the other end of the weaves and calling him through.
Make sure your dog is successfully coming to you through the weave
path, not jumping over the guide wires and running to you. If this
happens replace him. If it happens again, go back and open the weave
chute a little more. Practice until he can come to you down the weave
chute with 70% to 80% accuracy, not many of us are 100% right in
everything we try. Begin moving the weave poles closer together in
inches now. Most dogs do well even if the weaves are off set by one
inch , but somehow when they are setup in a line, they must look
different and training sessions may seem stalled for awhile. Be
patient, practice with your weaves offset by one inch then in a
straight line, if you encounter problems, go back to the one inch
offset. Your dog will soon realize he can weave when the poles are in a
straight line.
The next transition is taking off the guide wires. With 12 poles,
you use 10 guide wires. The first guide wires I remove are from the
middle. The last ones to be removed are the entry and exit guide wires.
Weaving is mentally challenging to you and your dog, so be patient with
your dog and yourself. Be prepared to put in a few long months of
training to get those fast and efficient weaves.
About the author:
Brad Carlson is a dog trainer at Agility by Carlson. For more training details, visit our website at http://www.carlson-agility.com/
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