Hey Rose

Your really lucky wish I could find someone to build me agility equipment I think you're best finding a club to train with check out the agilitynet or agilityeye websites there are some really good Scottish clubs listed on there

Where in scotland are you?(can pm me if you pefer)
I could get my dad to ask jim if he would make you an aframe and some tresels(sp?) for the dog walk, thats all ive got off him so far lol, going to ask him about making a few copies of the hurdle/jump we got from p@h.
He would probaly do it for you for free or a small charge, cos we got it free cos he loves dogs(has a couple of wee terriers himself)

We will be finding a club and starting soon, probs may or june, we would have found one and started now but my mum is in hospital, had her op on monday, getting out 2moro(hopefully) and will be stuck in the house for 2-3 weeks and wont be able to drive or go shopping etc for atleast 5-6 weeks... so we are going to find a club once she is better... thanks for the tip about the 2 sites will have a look at them (well i will try to, i believe i got confused the last time i looked at those 2 cos the computer didnt like themlol

I'll Pm you, think your not that far from me (Louise13 very close friend of mine)

Sorry to hear about you mum hope she is feelin better, I would contact clubs soon all the good clubs I know of have waiting lists. Probably a bit soon for your mum but if she is feelin upto it and the weather is nice the next agility comp is in Dundee at Camperdown Park on 31st of March and 1st April its a really good show. You can go and watch handlers and their dogs, also talk to people at the different clubs. Thats if your wanting to go down the competitive route

P.S my mal does agility

ok , cool. do you have any pics of your mal and wsd?

Thanks, she is feeling quite good actually, just a bit sore still but will be for a wee bit.
Got a few numbers to phone, and will look at those 2 sites.
probs will be a bit soon but never know, could just take a folding seat for her to sit on.
Not sure if we will go down that route with rose, will see how she does with the classes and how well she takes to it etc. and then decide

Im just going to visit mum just now, so if you pm me just now and dont get a response thats why, as we wont be back til 5ish.

Just noticed the last bit, hopefully our mal(once we get it and its old enough) will like it aswell. If not just need to find something else for it to do

Try this, it usually works -
Stick the poles in the ground, directy behind each other in a staight line, about 2 feet 6 inches apart. Then push each pole to the side to an angle of about 45 degrees, alternative poles in the opposite diection, making a long V.
Dog runs down the V. Gradually move the poles nearer to vetical. Finally you have them in the vertical position.

need to try this way,,,,,,,,,,,,,off to get royce lol

thanks paul, will give it a try in the morning


Anybody else teach the weaves in a different way than already mentioned?? would love to hear how you did/do it

This is how I teach my students to start off.

Two rows of poles off-set and wide enough for the dog to walk through to get used to being near/bewteen them.

Gradually make the channel narrower, and watch for the dog to start offering a slightly side to side `bobbing` head movement.

Once they do that, they are feeling comfortable and are starting to get the idea.

Gradually move the poles closer until a single row, [ not in one session - just do a few goes each session then do something else and come back to the weaves later ].

Once you are working with a single row, face the dog so that the handler is walking backward. This enables the handler to regulate the speed better, [ which gives the dog more opportunity to absorb whats required ], and the handler can guide the dog more easily with a toy / treat lure or just using hand/wiggling/clicking fingers to lure.

Keep the wrist at the *top* of the poles and `snake` the hand and wrist to lead the dog. This helps get the handler into the habit of not bending over. [ Bend down over the dog can crowd the dog too much and restricts the dogs view as well ].

Keeping the hand at the top of the poles also encourages the dog to look up and so has a better view of what they are doing rather than having the handler bent over with a treat or toy being all the dog can focus on.

Once the dog is getting the idea, the handler can move along facing the poles [ crabbing ], until the dog is confident enough for the handler to go forward.

The dog must always enter the poles with the first pole to the left of the dog.

Weave entry is very important and optimum handler position while the dog is first learning is one stride out, one stride ahead of the first pole. This means the handler can `scoop` the dog toward the correct entry without crowding or racing the dog.

When the dog is getting good weave entries, start varying the distance until the dog will happily and consistantly go into the weaves at a distance, and after that start creating angles for the dog enter from.

When the dog is weaving well, you can start working on speed but until that time, always keep the pace carefully and never speed up toward the end of the weaves as it can make the dog miss a pole to keep up or to think they *should* leave the weaves to get to the next element.

Always, always, make sure that at whatever stage, the dog is set up to succeed, never try to rush things, and do not get frustrated !
Weaves is one of the hardest things for a dog to learn, it can take time and certainly needs a lot of practice but don`t make the mistake of thinking that means non-stop repetition.

Do a few goes at whatever level then *stop* weaving and do something else, leaving plenty of time before doing another few goes.

Additionally, for `informal` weave training, if weaves are set up at home, ideally have them near the back door and set so that the dog goes through the first two poles, [ and gradually build up ], every time the dog needs the loo, [ making sure the first pole will be to the dogs left side ], and give the weave cue as you let the dog out.

Doing that means subliminal training which can lead to good weave entry being second nature to the dog and without it being a training `chore` to a dog

Just doing two or three weave attempts as often as the dog needs the loo each day is plenty for weave training sessions if that helps describe how to keep weave sessions short and sweet.

HTH :smt001

Thanks Patch, will try what you have suggested.

what commands do you use for the weaves, a-frame, dog walk, seesaw and jumps?

with the tunnel is it ok to just use 'through/thru'... thats what rose has been trained with.

Also should the seesaw and dog walk planks be a foot wide?

sorry to bug ya with questions patch

Thanks

More than happy to help

Re dimensions and distances for all the equipment, I shall give you a link to so that you have the exact measurements as per KC regs - when opening the link, click on the section headed H(1)(B) and it opens a Word documents which you can save for easy reference

http://www.agilityaddicts.freeuk.com/aashowinfoiyot.htm

Re commands, the most commonly used ones are :
Weaves, usually just Weave [ when said frequently as some handler do it can sound like a high pitched Guinea oink - wee wee wee wee weeve lol ]

A-frame, usually `Climb`, but some say `Scale` [ as in scale a height ]

Dog walk - Walk On

See Saw, is usually just See Saw, [ why change it from what it is ]

Jumps - usually `Over` but some say `Hup` or just `Jump`, and some handlers seem to change the cue toward the end of a run to ` go on, GO ON `

Tunnels : There are two types of tunnel, the Open and the Flat [ or Closed ]. Many people use Tunnel for both but I teach separate cues to help recognition for the dog especially if both are close together on a course.
I suggest Tunnel for the Open / Rigid, and Whoosh for the Flat / closed, really to get the handlers used to saying diferent cues but again its up to the handlers what to actually use, anything from `in`, `in you go`, ` through` or whatever the handler prefers but different cues for each tunnel type definately help a lot.

Tyre is usually Tyre but many handlers say tyre when they mean tunnel and vice versa [ it happens a heck of a lot, its not unusual to hear `ty-unnel` or `tun-aaargh-tyre `called out at competitions, lol ], so I suggest Polo for the tyre for my guys, because the tyre looks like a polo and they certainly wont mix it up for anything else at the wrong moment :smt044

The long jump is usually `Longs` though some people use the same for the Long jump as for pole jumps but again it can be a problem if the longs and a pole jump are close together on a course - the dog needs to be able to differentiate.


There are no hard and fast rules on cues though, if a handler finds other words or sounds suit themselves and their dog better or easier to remember, those are what they should use, no one has to stick to whatever others use if they prefer something else :smt001

Of course, with my own dogs I can cheat - they are deaf so I don`t have to remember any verbal cues in a hurry or on a fast or tight course myself