Tara - Practicing Weaves

[TaraM1285]

I had some free time this afternoon, so I decided to take advantage of it and play agility with Miss Tara. I loaded up my 2x2s and a tunnel and drove to a nearby field and set them up. I wanted to work on getting some distance between us and the start of the poles so that she gets used to collecting when she's driving to them with speed. We started this by adding distance, then once that was looking ok, I added the tunnel. She has never done any other obstacles with the weaves before, so that was totally new and this was the first time she has done any weaving outside. All in all I think it went quite well! I still need to work on staying engaged with her while tugging and I definitely need to work on my toy throwing abilities. Some of these are just bad! One thing I'd like to work on is to get Tara to really drive through the poles to the end better. Her footwork is still a little sloppy, but I think she's still trying to figure that out as she's entering the weaves with more speed.

Any critiques are very welcomed!

YouTube - Tara - Weaving - 12-10-2010

YouTube - Tara - Weaving - 12-10-2010

[MaggieRoseLee]

Loved how much faster she did even the second time she wove compared to the first. Really can see how she got the rhythm. Great entries too!

LOVE that you remember to practice with your dog on the left AND the right!!! I've found my dogs usually have a favorite side to be on, so that means I know to train TWICE as much on their LEAST favorite side.

Due to the fact I also am a horrible throw and seem to alway get it to go up more than out and away............... I've found that for weave training using a large louds squeaky ball (Cuz?). For some reason as soon as I use a round toy I can 'bowl' it out along the ground as the dog exits the weaves. And this really drives my girls out and away with all the joy and enthusiasm I want.

When she's going thru the tunnel, are you saying 'go weave' (or whatever your verbals are) from like the second she darts her head in the tunnel? I know something I've really been working on is trying to get my dogs to know the NEXT obstacle(s) as soon as I can so it gives them more of a heads up on the course.

I really enjoyed watching your video because it shows how the learning should progress, and how a good trainer (that's you ) has to break it down and figure out how to make your dog succeed. Too many of us just watch our dogs doing it 'wrong' over and over and over (blaming the dog ) instead of rethinking the entire situation and working out how to get our dogs to do it right!

[Jason L]

This is a rookie question. With Dottie we are not doing 2 X 2. Instead we are doing channel weave and I have noticed with channel weave the dogs drive through the poles with a lot more speed (well, because they are not technically "weaving"). Will it screw up the dog to alternate between 2 X 2 and channel type of weaving?

[TaraM1285]

Thanks, MRL! I really appreciate the feedback. Using a Cuz is a great idea, I think that may really help me throw better and help her drive through the weaves harder. I am perpetually late with my verbal commands, it's something I really need to work on. I'll try doing that as she enters the tunnel next time.

Jason, our instructors actually really encourage the use of 2x2s and channels together. 2x2s are great for giving a really excellent understanding of weaving and entries, and the channels give you the speed and drive you want. I did only a little bit of channel work with Tara when she was first learning, and I've thought about going back to them to try and improve her speed and footwork.

[elisabeth_00117]

Kristin, at 1:30 and about 1:45 she did awesome! Nice entries and she had a nice ryhthem and she looked like she had some speed there too!

Great job!

I too have heard that if you use the channel it can really help build up speed.

What we did was hold Stark back a bit, me go out past the first obstacle and then call to him a few times to get him really worked up then we had the person holding him release him. Seemed to help with our speed. Although I did have to work on his starts a bit because he would get so ampt up that he would break his sit, but that cleared up after a session or two.

[TaraM1285]

Thanks, Elisabeth!

I'm really quite happy with how they're coming along. I think she is still figuring out her footwork, so I'm excited to see how she does once she's a little more confident.

[TaraM1285]

We did some weave practice today, when I had the opportunity to use my parents' fenced and relatively dry un-snow covered backyard! I should first mention that she usually finds it really tough to work here because she's SO EXCITED to be at "grandma" and "grandpa's" house, but I thought she did pretty well today. I used a Cuz as recommended and I think she liked it. I did have to edit out her "victory laps" with her Cuz after each run (video would have been 5 times as long!), but otherwise it's all there.

I don't think we've really done much since the last video I posted of weaves, so I think there's some latent learning going on because I thought her rhythm and collection has improved since our last video. I did learn that we need to work more on entries high on the clock on both sides, as you can tell she lacks confidence when she's entering from these tougher angles. I have a tendency to "help" her to succeed and while it's been good to step back and make it a little easier, it's something I am going to be working on NOT doing to get the entries more independent around the clock. Also, it seems I completely neglected working high on the arc with her on my left. And I grabbed her collar a few times to remove her from the weaves, which is a terrible habit of mine and almost certainly causing some conflict that is also hurting the entries on that right side. I'm doing the collar grabbing less than I used to, but something to work on. Definite room for improvement!

You can't really tell from the video, but I also practiced a few rear crosses on both sides to make sure she didn't pop out when she saw me come around the other side and she did great!

YouTube - Tara - Weaving - 02-08-2011

YouTube - Tara - Weaving - 02-08-2011

[wildo]

I love two things about this video- at 2:28 she says to herself, "wait a min, this pole isn't supposed to be on this side. Opps, I think I messed up." Also- you use the best fill music- love the bluegrass!

[TaraM1285]

I didn't even notice that look she gives the pole at 2:28. That is totally her personality, though so I bet that is exactly what she was thinking!

[MaggieRoseLee]

I think you are both doing great! Think the Cuz is helping though I also have huge issues with throwing too high so TRY to remember I should almost be 'bowling' with the Cuz as my girls exit. So really high speed rolling it out and away as they exit the last pole....

I think you did exactly the right thing when she was getting confused with her entry, breaking it down so she succeeds. WAY more fun for her to keep it fun and fast, then making it more challenging gradually.

I think you may get rid of the collar grabbing easier if you also 'mark' the incorrect entry WAY earlier. I do a happy whoops with a hard body pull away from the poles as soon as Glory makes the wrong entry at the second pole. So its much faster to fix and get her back on the correct entry when she's still right at the first 2 poles....

Cause I know you need a new challenge...... instead of always having her go back to the 'start' to weave (like you always had her weave away from the camera) instead toss the Cuz like you are and when you get it back (after the Victory lap ) send her back into the weaves from the side she just exited. This would mean in the video, you'd have mostly been on the far side of the poles (unless you rear crossed) the entire video, while she's have been weaving off your left or right depending on if you were going towards or away from the camera (confused?).

Well done!!!!