# Pimg learning weave poles



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Kind of a boring video, I suppose- but it's my pooch going through her new channel weave poles for the first time. I think she's catching on quickly!


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## Achielles UD (May 26, 2001)

She looks awesome! Wow  First time!? WTG! 

Did you make or buy your weave set?  Love it!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Yep first time! Well to be fair- she went to her first agility class last Saturday, and we went through their weave poles a couple times. This was the first time she went through the set at home. Anyway- she seems to get the concept, I think. I tried to get her through a couple times with no physical contact and no treat as a guide- you can see she does the first two poles or so and then breaks. But again- she's very much a beginner! I'm really excited to be doing agility with her; something new for both of us!

I found the weave pole plans here:
Instant Agility Adjustable “Channel” Weave Poles

Cost about $30 to build, and about 2 hours of time.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Brilliant dog! 

Got to make that weave pole thingy!!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Samba said:


> Brilliant dog!
> 
> Got to make that weave pole thingy!!


Thanks! The only deviation from the plan is I used a "T" on the end rather than an elbow so that I could hook another set to this one making a 12 pole set. He mentions this in his plans.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

GREAT JOB! Not boring at all!

You are ready to progress so she's not staring up at your hand/you but onto the job at hand (weaving the darn poles!).

DO NOT CLOSE THOSE WEAVE POLES if you are still having to 'lure' her with your hand! You want her to know 'her' job and it's to get them and you just have to walk beside her! 

*THE most important thing is for her to FREAKING LOVE TO WEAVE! So you need to make if fun fun fun.... seem easy easy easy.... and have a huge and high rate of reinforcment!* 

So you only s l o w l y close the weaves when she's getting them 100% of the time at the current width with ZERO HELP FROM YOU! You should just be able to say 'weave' and then she darts that head in and tears thru all on her own!


TOSS THE TREAT OUT AND AHEAD ALONG THE GROUND AS SHE EXITS PROPERLY!!! This helps take the handler focus OFF of you and keeps it fun and fast.
DO NOT CLOSE THE WEAVES UNTIL SHE'S 100% AT THE CURRENT WIDTH
HER DOING THEM FUN AND FAST IS WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN CLOSING THEM!!!!
Make sure you practice with her on your RIGHT and LEFT!!!!! So she needs to be 100% on both sides
Rather than upping the challenge by closing the weaves.... start practicing different angles on the entries. MAKE IT EASY initially, from the right and from the left sides.
The very very very very very very very very very MOST important thing is to set our dogs up to SUCCEED each and everytime they weave. If they make a mistake it's usually cause WE are going too fast in the training and they are confused. So the channels are perfect to backup and make it easy for a bit and then progress.

As a hint to practice entries and keep it fun/fast, just use 3 poles, remove the rest of the uprights. That way you can easily mark and reward the entry by tossing the treat out and away ON THE GROUND when they exit properly.

BTW, beautiful dog and you are progressing really well!:wub:


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Thank you very much for the reply MRL! It seems very thorough and authoritative! I will certainly employ your suggestions!

...And thanks everyone for the compliments on my dog. She is my world!!


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Do you think there is any problem with having the tube that runs down the middle of the weavies? They do have to step over that but it didn't look like it was problematic?

I got the PVC and as soon as I locate my cutter I will start the project. This will be a great winter time training deal. 

Thanks for sharing all that. I look forward to videos of her progress!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Samba said:


> Do you think there is any problem with having the tube that runs down the middle of the weavies?


According to NADAC, this set would not meet specification:
"The base of the weave poles shall be no more than ¼” in height and no more than 2” in width."

...Then again, I am not sure that channel weave poles would _ever_ meet specification. What's interesting though, is that the USDAA would not have a problem with this base:
"with base not to exceed 3.5" in width and 1" in height"

I am still very, very new to this sport, so I don't know which, if either, of those two are an authoritative source- but my take is that it probably wouldn't be an issue. I am not sure that the dog would ever place their feet down the baseline anyway. I dunno...


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

good job! I had to laugh, right in the beginning I think the second time she went thru the weaves, she heads for the couch LOL,,like "OH thought we were done time for a nap!" LOL..

Can I add to MRL's already great advice,,,??? I would not walk backwards, I know you don't have alot of room where they are set up , but I would try to walk a little straighter and keep the treat /lure in the hand closest to the dog.

Looking GOOD!!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I also found that really funny! We had just gotten back from a decent walk- about 1.5 miles or so, with a healthy dose of obedience mixed in. She probably wasn't physically tired at all, but perhaps mentally. I laughed myself when she went to lay down on the loveseat!


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## BluePaws (Aug 19, 2010)

Enjoyed watching that! Weave poles are so hard to learn ... made me want to set some up and find room inside to practice with!! My mini aussie loves agility, and I assisted classes for a few years, but we never competed. It was inspiring to watch you guys practice! 

Carol


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Achillles and I finally got around to building these. What fun the dogs are having. I had done some early work with the two-by-two method but never got training completed. The dogs really took to this channel.

Glad I came back and read MRL's good advice too!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Dottie is on the channel weave program and what MRL says is so true. Don't be in a hurry to close the weave. The whole point of the channel is to ingrain/imprint in the dog the habit of BLASTING through channel. When we first started channel, we did it as a restrained recall exericse, then a sit/stay recall. And then it was a touch/target exercise (touch/target with a piece of treat at the end of the channel), and then finally we would run with the dog and touch a ball at when they exit of the channel. The width of the channel is of little concern in the beginning. All we care about is the dog shows 100% commitment running through the channel (not "left, right, left, right, left, right") and speed, speed, speed!


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Oh it is so tempting to begin to close the channel and see the body wave action. But, I see how you will not get the speed and confidence in the end if you move too quickly in upping the ante in the training. I will have to be patient with the foundation work.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Samba said:


> Achillles and I finally got around to building these. What fun the dogs are having. I had done some early work with the two-by-two method but never got training completed. The dogs really took to this channel.
> 
> Glad I came back and read MRL's good advice too!


Good luck! Don't narrow the channel too fast, but do pay attention and close it a bit when you can! Judge the narrowing by your dog and how well they are doing!

The sooner and more you can add 'the toy' as they blast out, the better. Takes all the stress and worry out of the weaving for the dog. They just quickly learn that (when they do it right) when they get their nose around that last pole, the toy is magically driving them the rest of the way out and away!

And remember, just cause you aren't narrowing the channel, it doesn't mean you can't train and progress by working on BOTH sides of the poles and changing the angle the dog enters. As well as remember the rear and front crosses (specially the rears can throw them off and pull them out...)


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