Please help with training a dog on the see-saw?

I have been doing agility with this dog for 4 years, but this is his first year using the see-saw. And he is terrified of it. I have never let it fall on him before, but as soon as he THINKS he feels it start to move he bails. He's a Great Pyrenees, and so it is going to fall quickly with him, even guided. I think if I can get him to do it a couple of times he would be fine. But he's too afraid to try. And, since the approach of the dog walk is very similar in appearence to the see-saw, it takes awhile for him to go on the dog walk now, too. I just need advice before I permanently make him afraid of the see-saw and/or dog walk. Please share your wisdom and ideas!

Aww yes my Ben was a bit scared of it - and muddled it and the dog walk up quite a bit too - which ment crawling up the dog walk or flying the see-saw

I would prob go back to foundation things of getting him used to things moving under his feet - I know some people teach dogs to shut drawers and things
A wobble board can help - a bit of wood with a tennis ball under it

With Ben I made a see-saw in the sitting room and put treats all over it and let him investigate it for a day or so
Then for a week every time we were going to go out for a walk I would put him over it once then right out for the walk
By the end of the week when I was putting my shoes on he ran off and did it on his own

I would also give very clear commands for the difference between them - some dogs can see the difference - others cant - so with the dog walk I just say 'go on' and I run like h£ll
For the see-saw I yell 'tip tip tip and stop just before the tipping point

Good luck with it

I agree with wobble boards however introducing a large adult to one may be interesting.

It can also be difficult to find one big enough for your breed.

Large dogs can often be problematic with moving surfaces and narrow ones.

This is because their centre of gravity is so high and they are wider and longer than many breeds they find it difficult (IMHO) to adjust themselves on it.

Agility equipment is not really designed for very large/giant dogs although in the UK we do have an agility group who use larger equipment with their Great Danes etc.

Remember, agility should be fun for the DOG as well as you; if the dog is not enjoying it, maybe you might need to review whether or not it is fair to continue?

Gunny LOVES agility. I mean, he loves it. I had to do agility on lead for two years because he was going so fast through the course that it was not safe. He smiles the whole time he's on the course. He really loves it. It's just the see-saw that he is afraid of. To make a wobble board like was suggested, I put the see-saw plank over uneven ground, so that it moved and wobbled a bit. He just is still very tense at even the slightest movement. I might just take a refusal deduction if he is really afraid of it, but he has been afraid of obstacles before. Like the tunnel. He usd to be terrified of it, until I got him to go through it a couple of times. Now he loves it. I honestly think Gunny will do the see-saw, if I can just get him brave enough to try.

Have you got any of Susan Garrett's books, dvds or gone on any of her courses?

http://susangarrettdogagility.com/

Yeah you can totally understand the big guys being scared of it - bigger dogs take longer to like the dog walk too as its so high and narrow for them - the wee dogs usually LOVE being up to high

Do you clicker train?? I have never done it but there is the 'bang' game that might work for him - basically you stick a jump or something under the down end of the see-saw so it holds it up fully tipped and you teach him to touch the end on the floor, then when he is totally happy with that you move the jump back slightly so when he touches it it moves a fraction - then more and more till he gets used to moving it
You also teach that the sound of it hitting the ground is like a click - it gives a reward - that helps dogs who are scared of the bang - but it might work for your dog that they choose to make it hit the ground as fast as they can to get the treat

I agree with SB tho, only you can know if he is a bit unsure and will like it when he learns it - or this is just an obstical too far and you should just run him past it
You have done really well so far - tunnels are tiny for big dogs
I would love to see a video of him running