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weave poles



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 5th 04, 02:13 AM
Marie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default weave poles

Macula's still not ready for an agility class: she's improving (slightly)
in the class we're in right now--as long as we keep busy she stays focussed,
but if I pause in the exercises her attention goes to the other dogs and she
starts barking again :-( I still haven't figured out an effective way of
*getting* her attention when she's this distracted--most of the things the
trainer has suggested I've already tried. Her last suggestion was a shaker
can, not thrown, but shaken with a sharp yell from me. My concern is that
this won't really be viable on a day to day basis--not enough hands,
usually--but it's got me thinking that maybe a sport whistle would work...

Anyway, I was thinking that, if the good weather ever arrives (it's been
cold and rainy all week), I might try working Macula with a couple of simple
pieces of agility equipment in the backyard until she can behave in class.
It would give her some mental and physical exercise, and give me something
to do with her while the boys play (hopefully) in their pen on the deck.
Weave poles were the one thing she didn't instantly figure out during our
one course, so I figured that would be a good thing to work on.

The trainer we started agility with had the poles set into a piece of metal
that sat on the ground. She used two of these contraptions to teach weaves:
the first week she set them about 18" apart and had us run the dogs through
them straight, like they were two walls of a corridor. As the weeks went by
she would gradually move them closer together. Her theory was that the dog
would learn to weave "naturally" as the poles got closer together. Macula
would just run the straight line to one side or the other when the
"corridor" got too narrow. Other times she would try to squeeze between the
rows and knock an entire piece of the set-up down.

I was looking at dog-play.com's instructions for making weave poles, and I
notice that there the poles start out as they will finish--I assume the dog
is taught to weave from the start. And how do I decide how close to set the
poles to start with?

Any opinions as to which method is better? I've discovered with Macula that
it's *way* easier to teach her something right the first time than to try
and unteach something later.

Marie


  #2  
Old April 5th 04, 02:48 AM
Rocky
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Marie said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Any opinions as to which method is better?


That all can be good.

After teaching a lot of beginner dogs how to enjoy aglity
equipment, I'll stand by treats when it comes to weaves. Weaves
are the most unnatural piece of equipment that your dog will
learn in agility, so you have to make them fun. (Treat = food
or sqeaky oe praise.)

I really believe in "muscle memory" when it comes to unnatural
movements like weaves, but there are lots of weave training
methods; _Clean Run_ had a recent issue that you should read.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.
  #3  
Old April 5th 04, 02:48 AM
Rocky
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Marie said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Any opinions as to which method is better?


That all can be good.

After teaching a lot of beginner dogs how to enjoy aglity
equipment, I'll stand by treats when it comes to weaves. Weaves
are the most unnatural piece of equipment that your dog will
learn in agility, so you have to make them fun. (Treat = food
or sqeaky oe praise.)

I really believe in "muscle memory" when it comes to unnatural
movements like weaves, but there are lots of weave training
methods; _Clean Run_ had a recent issue that you should read.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.
  #4  
Old April 5th 04, 02:48 AM
Rocky
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Marie said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Any opinions as to which method is better?


That all can be good.

After teaching a lot of beginner dogs how to enjoy aglity
equipment, I'll stand by treats when it comes to weaves. Weaves
are the most unnatural piece of equipment that your dog will
learn in agility, so you have to make them fun. (Treat = food
or sqeaky oe praise.)

I really believe in "muscle memory" when it comes to unnatural
movements like weaves, but there are lots of weave training
methods; _Clean Run_ had a recent issue that you should read.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.
  #5  
Old April 5th 04, 01:21 PM
KrisHur
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I started w/the 2x2 method but it didn't work for us. That doesn't mean it
won't work for you!
: )
It just happened that at one point when the poles went from 10:00 and 4:00
to 11:00 and 5:00 she couldn't get it. I opened them up one inch and she was
fine but any closer and she couldn't figure it out. I tried for 2-3 months
to help her figure it out and decided to try another method.

I then used straight competition weave poles w/wires. At first I lured her
through slowly and once she learned to stay inside the wires and weave
through the poles I put a target at the end of the weaves with a not-to-good
treat so that Kali wouldn't be so excited that she jumped the wires. I
practiced everyday with the wires and after a couple months slowly moved
them higher and higher (starting with the center wires) until they were over
her head. Once over her head, I started to remove them, starting with the
center wires. Kali has really good weave poles--but does pop out at #10
sometimes. Doesn't matter, I doubt that we'll ever compete. I wanted to get
started this spring but baby-making plans are getting in the way!
--
Kristen and
Kali CDX, CGC, TDIA, TT
www.kristenandkali.com




"Marie" wrote in message
e.rogers.com...
Macula's still not ready for an agility class: she's improving (slightly)
in the class we're in right now--as long as we keep busy she stays

focussed,
but if I pause in the exercises her attention goes to the other dogs and

she
starts barking again :-( I still haven't figured out an effective way of
*getting* her attention when she's this distracted--most of the things the
trainer has suggested I've already tried. Her last suggestion was a

shaker
can, not thrown, but shaken with a sharp yell from me. My concern is that
this won't really be viable on a day to day basis--not enough hands,
usually--but it's got me thinking that maybe a sport whistle would work...

Anyway, I was thinking that, if the good weather ever arrives (it's been
cold and rainy all week), I might try working Macula with a couple of

simple
pieces of agility equipment in the backyard until she can behave in class.
It would give her some mental and physical exercise, and give me something
to do with her while the boys play (hopefully) in their pen on the deck.
Weave poles were the one thing she didn't instantly figure out during our
one course, so I figured that would be a good thing to work on.

The trainer we started agility with had the poles set into a piece of

metal
that sat on the ground. She used two of these contraptions to teach

weaves:
the first week she set them about 18" apart and had us run the dogs

through
them straight, like they were two walls of a corridor. As the weeks went

by
she would gradually move them closer together. Her theory was that the

dog
would learn to weave "naturally" as the poles got closer together. Macula
would just run the straight line to one side or the other when the
"corridor" got too narrow. Other times she would try to squeeze between

the
rows and knock an entire piece of the set-up down.

I was looking at dog-play.com's instructions for making weave poles, and I
notice that there the poles start out as they will finish--I assume the

dog
is taught to weave from the start. And how do I decide how close to set

the
poles to start with?

Any opinions as to which method is better? I've discovered with Macula

that
it's *way* easier to teach her something right the first time than to try
and unteach something later.

Marie




  #6  
Old April 5th 04, 01:21 PM
KrisHur
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I started w/the 2x2 method but it didn't work for us. That doesn't mean it
won't work for you!
: )
It just happened that at one point when the poles went from 10:00 and 4:00
to 11:00 and 5:00 she couldn't get it. I opened them up one inch and she was
fine but any closer and she couldn't figure it out. I tried for 2-3 months
to help her figure it out and decided to try another method.

I then used straight competition weave poles w/wires. At first I lured her
through slowly and once she learned to stay inside the wires and weave
through the poles I put a target at the end of the weaves with a not-to-good
treat so that Kali wouldn't be so excited that she jumped the wires. I
practiced everyday with the wires and after a couple months slowly moved
them higher and higher (starting with the center wires) until they were over
her head. Once over her head, I started to remove them, starting with the
center wires. Kali has really good weave poles--but does pop out at #10
sometimes. Doesn't matter, I doubt that we'll ever compete. I wanted to get
started this spring but baby-making plans are getting in the way!
--
Kristen and
Kali CDX, CGC, TDIA, TT
www.kristenandkali.com




"Marie" wrote in message
e.rogers.com...
Macula's still not ready for an agility class: she's improving (slightly)
in the class we're in right now--as long as we keep busy she stays

focussed,
but if I pause in the exercises her attention goes to the other dogs and

she
starts barking again :-( I still haven't figured out an effective way of
*getting* her attention when she's this distracted--most of the things the
trainer has suggested I've already tried. Her last suggestion was a

shaker
can, not thrown, but shaken with a sharp yell from me. My concern is that
this won't really be viable on a day to day basis--not enough hands,
usually--but it's got me thinking that maybe a sport whistle would work...

Anyway, I was thinking that, if the good weather ever arrives (it's been
cold and rainy all week), I might try working Macula with a couple of

simple
pieces of agility equipment in the backyard until she can behave in class.
It would give her some mental and physical exercise, and give me something
to do with her while the boys play (hopefully) in their pen on the deck.
Weave poles were the one thing she didn't instantly figure out during our
one course, so I figured that would be a good thing to work on.

The trainer we started agility with had the poles set into a piece of

metal
that sat on the ground. She used two of these contraptions to teach

weaves:
the first week she set them about 18" apart and had us run the dogs

through
them straight, like they were two walls of a corridor. As the weeks went

by
she would gradually move them closer together. Her theory was that the

dog
would learn to weave "naturally" as the poles got closer together. Macula
would just run the straight line to one side or the other when the
"corridor" got too narrow. Other times she would try to squeeze between

the
rows and knock an entire piece of the set-up down.

I was looking at dog-play.com's instructions for making weave poles, and I
notice that there the poles start out as they will finish--I assume the

dog
is taught to weave from the start. And how do I decide how close to set

the
poles to start with?

Any opinions as to which method is better? I've discovered with Macula

that
it's *way* easier to teach her something right the first time than to try
and unteach something later.

Marie




  #7  
Old April 5th 04, 01:21 PM
KrisHur
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I started w/the 2x2 method but it didn't work for us. That doesn't mean it
won't work for you!
: )
It just happened that at one point when the poles went from 10:00 and 4:00
to 11:00 and 5:00 she couldn't get it. I opened them up one inch and she was
fine but any closer and she couldn't figure it out. I tried for 2-3 months
to help her figure it out and decided to try another method.

I then used straight competition weave poles w/wires. At first I lured her
through slowly and once she learned to stay inside the wires and weave
through the poles I put a target at the end of the weaves with a not-to-good
treat so that Kali wouldn't be so excited that she jumped the wires. I
practiced everyday with the wires and after a couple months slowly moved
them higher and higher (starting with the center wires) until they were over
her head. Once over her head, I started to remove them, starting with the
center wires. Kali has really good weave poles--but does pop out at #10
sometimes. Doesn't matter, I doubt that we'll ever compete. I wanted to get
started this spring but baby-making plans are getting in the way!
--
Kristen and
Kali CDX, CGC, TDIA, TT
www.kristenandkali.com




"Marie" wrote in message
e.rogers.com...
Macula's still not ready for an agility class: she's improving (slightly)
in the class we're in right now--as long as we keep busy she stays

focussed,
but if I pause in the exercises her attention goes to the other dogs and

she
starts barking again :-( I still haven't figured out an effective way of
*getting* her attention when she's this distracted--most of the things the
trainer has suggested I've already tried. Her last suggestion was a

shaker
can, not thrown, but shaken with a sharp yell from me. My concern is that
this won't really be viable on a day to day basis--not enough hands,
usually--but it's got me thinking that maybe a sport whistle would work...

Anyway, I was thinking that, if the good weather ever arrives (it's been
cold and rainy all week), I might try working Macula with a couple of

simple
pieces of agility equipment in the backyard until she can behave in class.
It would give her some mental and physical exercise, and give me something
to do with her while the boys play (hopefully) in their pen on the deck.
Weave poles were the one thing she didn't instantly figure out during our
one course, so I figured that would be a good thing to work on.

The trainer we started agility with had the poles set into a piece of

metal
that sat on the ground. She used two of these contraptions to teach

weaves:
the first week she set them about 18" apart and had us run the dogs

through
them straight, like they were two walls of a corridor. As the weeks went

by
she would gradually move them closer together. Her theory was that the

dog
would learn to weave "naturally" as the poles got closer together. Macula
would just run the straight line to one side or the other when the
"corridor" got too narrow. Other times she would try to squeeze between

the
rows and knock an entire piece of the set-up down.

I was looking at dog-play.com's instructions for making weave poles, and I
notice that there the poles start out as they will finish--I assume the

dog
is taught to weave from the start. And how do I decide how close to set

the
poles to start with?

Any opinions as to which method is better? I've discovered with Macula

that
it's *way* easier to teach her something right the first time than to try
and unteach something later.

Marie




  #8  
Old April 5th 04, 03:34 PM
Marie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"KrisHur" wrote in message
...
SKIP


I wanted to get
started this spring but baby-making plans are getting in the way!


Not to be nosy--but what have I missed?!?!?! Are congratulations in
order????? :-)))))

Marie (who finds she misses a lot of ng news now that her babies have been
made)



  #9  
Old April 5th 04, 03:34 PM
Marie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"KrisHur" wrote in message
...
SKIP


I wanted to get
started this spring but baby-making plans are getting in the way!


Not to be nosy--but what have I missed?!?!?! Are congratulations in
order????? :-)))))

Marie (who finds she misses a lot of ng news now that her babies have been
made)



  #10  
Old April 5th 04, 03:34 PM
Marie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"KrisHur" wrote in message
...
SKIP


I wanted to get
started this spring but baby-making plans are getting in the way!


Not to be nosy--but what have I missed?!?!?! Are congratulations in
order????? :-)))))

Marie (who finds she misses a lot of ng news now that her babies have been
made)



 




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