Weaves Help - Sending Dog On!

Had a super session again last night - and Max is doing really well - he is pretty much going on without waiting for commands on most of the equipment with the exception of a few items of equipment.

And don't get me wrong I am chuffed to bits with his progress and know that with time he will get there He is my star as far as I am concerened

However, the trainers last night said we need to work on sending them on into the weaves - now Max is very good with his weaves but is still following my hand, along with the command of weave/come - weave for one direction and come for the other!!! He doesn't lose his place and is getting quite quick too.

I asked the trainer at the end how I could practice sending him on and him entering at the right place and she confused me by just saying:

Just encourage him on with the command GO WEAVES - well - is that really it - will it just come with practice or is there a way of trying to teach it! As I have some weave poles just wondered really!

If its just a case of practice then no worries will just continue sending him on and guiding him in if required - but I just can't see how on earth Max will know GO WEAVES is to enter the weaves in the right place?

so any tips would be much appreciated to help Max understand what I'm asking of him

I'm not trying to push him just help him - as he really has come on superbly! And I think he is ready to go that bit extra

Thanks in advance

Rachel and Mad Max!

Ooh. I`d like to know too please. We are about to start our inermediate classes in a couple of weeks and we will be moving on to this soon. I have some poles so could be practising this in the garden.

This is something I can demonstrate but not word well in writing but I`ll have a go

At home, set up two poles [ or more if you have them ] with a jump [ or other item available when training at home ], at an angle [ and correct distance of course ], so that the placement sets a dog up for success to enter the weaves correctly. Along side a wall or fence is good as it encourges a dog to keep weaving if not enough room to duck out of the weaves easily on the far side, [ they duck out on the handler side far less often ].

Accompany the dog for the jump then to the weaves but as soon as the dog has made the jump, start giving your weave cue immediately and keep repeating it all the way to the weaves as that will build element recognition.

Once the dog is successfully doing it accompanied [ correct weave entry ], and starts looking to the weaves on hearing the cue, gradually stop yourself going right up to them yourself but by a tiny distance per session. If you stop too soon and it puts the dog off, go back to the previous level at which the dog was getting it right and continue until the dog is confident enough for you to stop shorter again.

This does take time, requires a lot of patience and should never be rushed nor worked on too repetitively, just stick to a few minutes now and then and always stop on a positive note.

Some dogs never get the hang of distance weave entry so if thats the case dont be disapointed, you`ll see many handlers at the top of the game still accompanying dogs to and along the weaves, so look on it as just a training challenge which can carry a bonus of distance handling to aim for

Understand completely - great idea on the angle too! Would never have thought of that!

I thought there must be something to help!

Thank you Patch - hopefully I can get Max practicing before next week - I do realise it will take time but anything that will help us on our way

THANKS AGAIN - YOU ARE A STAR!

T`is a pleasure, always
I`m just relieved it made sense in writing :smt005

Let us know how you get on

Thanks Patch, somehomework while our class is off for a couple of weeks.