Agility training

Finkie_Mom

It's A Red Dog Revolution
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Yep! BB's got it right! I've been pretty successful with Kimma in agility with no toy drive. Jari has also only worked for food thus far and he's doing just fine! I luckily haven't had an instructor tell me that toys are the only way/2x2 method is the only way. And I wouldn't stick with one that believed that! We tried channels and WOMs as well, and 2x2s just stuck with Kimma. One of my instructors likes to shape her weaves. I plan on trying 2x2s first with Jari and if they don't work then I have no problems going to something else :)
 

k9krazee

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Ah, the weave discussion. :)

There are many different ways to train everything. Weaves, in my mind, aren't much different than teaching a dog to roll up in a blanket or to spin backwards around a pole. No matter how you go about training the end result is the same. When I train tricks I may use many different methods, one right after another but the dog isn't confused because you're asking for the same end result. I shaped the weaves with Crossbone and used guides for Jack. Both learned the weaves very quickly an both do them well - and will only get better, faster and more reliable with practice.
 

Shai

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Yay Gusto!!

The advice seems to be, train Mimi to be a toy driven dog. Get a toy that I can use as a food toy to convert her. Is this the only way to successfully train 2x2s? I don't want to keep throwing food and encourage floor surfing for tidbits. I also don't want her staring at me the whole time watching me for a reward. Her highest value reward (aside from food) is leaping in to my arms and verbal praise. Not really all that helpful. Something I'm going to have to ask my trainer about on Monday.. Training her on 2x2 in the house has had very limited success as well. I don't have a yard and my living room is limited in terms of space.
Webby is a very soft and easily discouraged dog in many ways and he loved the 2x2 method but he associates toys with food so will drive to them.

IMO to train 2x2 you do need some way of rewarding away from you on the reward line -- whether that's a toy, food, some combination, a manners minder, etc. But as others said, there are many other successful ways of training weaves, so if one doesn't seem right for you, try another :)

I will say that training reliable weaves, no matter what method, is very difficult without enough space for the dog to choose their entry and to drive out the back side at least a little bit. Just something to keep in mind :)
 

iriskai

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I will say that training reliable weaves, no matter what method, is very difficult without enough space for the dog to choose their entry and to drive out the back side at least a little bit. Just something to keep in mind :)
I think this says a lot. Unfortunately I don't really have a safe place to practice outside, either. Front yard is right next to a busy street, back yard isn't fenced and the jerk neighbors upstairs let their dogs crap all over, dog is a sighthound with a vendetta against squirrels.. It is what it is. We'll get it worked out!

I really appreciate all the input, I'll have to try to get a video of the Skinny doing a run. Thanks guys, I think I need a confident kick in the rear.
 

SaraB

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I have taught a 2x2 weaves class for almost 3 years now. For ease of training, we use treats rather than toy rewards unless a dog is more motivated with a toy. Tons of dogs have gone through my class and learned weaves with this method without toy rewards.
 

iriskai

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I have taught a 2x2 weaves class for almost 3 years now. For ease of training, we use treats rather than toy rewards unless a dog is more motivated with a toy. Tons of dogs have gone through my class and learned weaves with this method without toy rewards.
Do you toss the treat out ahead or reward from the hand? I could also use one of those remote treat systems but I would think that would just be something else to phase out later?
 

DenoLo

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The Lola dog had a really, really nice run today in Jumpers and got a Q and a second place. Everybody came up to me afterwards and said that was the best and most confident she's ever looked at a trial. We've definitely had some trial struggles so I was just happy that she actually ran and ran hard. She still seemed unsure outside of the ring with the hustle and bustle and screaming dogs, but I was so glad she regrouped when it was our turn.
 

Beanie

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With Payton I rewarded from my hand with weaves for a while. I just made sure to always always always reward ahead of him with his head facing forward. But then I did switch to throwing a plastic tube with food in it, or our treat bag. About the only time I use the treat bag anymore is when I want to throw it ahead as a reward.
P will also work for toys and loves a ball or tug thrown ahead (especially the squeaky tennis ball on a rope, it's both toys in one!) but Georgie is much more food motivated so we use mainly food with her.




I saw this article linked on my Facebook and thought it was important enough to link here:
http://www.lolabuland.com/2013/05/28/let-your-weakness-be-your-strength/
 

BostonBanker

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Yay Lola! Congratulations!

I rewarded from the hand with both my dogs while teaching weaves (the last thing Gusto has ever needed was the learn to look even MORE at the floor for treats!), but it is one of the few things I used the clicker on, and was very careful to click only when their head was turned away from me.

I do use a thrown tennis ball for Gusto now to reward out in front of the poles, but I don't think that would have been precise enough for him early on. Or at least, I wouldn't have been precise enough with it.
 

SaraB

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Proud of my merle girls today! We had a CPE trial which was Zinga's first official trial!

Zuma came home with a Q and 1st in level 3 Wildcard, and a Q and 2nd in level 3 Standard. I so wasn't on my game today and was just not thinking quick enough for her! Snooker was a mess and jumpers was disastrous.

Zinga did 3/4 today! Q and 1st (beating ZUMA!) in level 3 Standard, Q and 2nd in level 3 Jumpers and Q and 2nd in level 3 Snooker! Super proud of her. We are just figuring each other out, I learned some important things about how she handles the trial situation and we had so much fun! Weaves are still iffy but I knew that going into it. She's also a weave-suck because of all the work we've been doing on them cramming for this trial.

Here's a couple videos of the baby-dog!
Standard - weave issues
[YOUTUBE]8y-k2j5e0sE[/YOUTUBE]

Snooker - we got whistled off for a dropped bar in the closing, but I didn't realize and by the time I did, zinga just sort of finished the course anyways.
[YOUTUBE]k54zPHmjPZs[/YOUTUBE]
 

SaraB

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What a good baby! Congratulations on such a nice start to her career!
Thanks!! Very proud of her, she's just such a blast to run.

She looks awesome! :)
Thanks!

Zinga looked really nice! That a-frame contact in standard was beautiful!
Thanks! I was worried about it, we've flipped back and forth between 2o2o and a running a-frame and just recently decided to stay with the 2o2o. It's not quite as I'd like it, but at least she hit the position!

HUGE congrats, Sara! What an awesome debut for Zinga. She looks fantastic! And glad Zuma did well today, too!
Thanks!

Awesome, Sara! You are cementing my belief that my next dog will be a little Koolie creature ;) Both your girls look great!
So much fun, she's seriously a blast. Love this girly!
 

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