I have just started to do agilty with Thistle and am now the proud owner of a set of weaves. Can anyone tell me how far apart they should be from each other. Do you have any tips on training weaves? We have them at an angle to the ground and I am gradually moving them to upright , but we reach a certain point and then she goes round the outside. Is it just a matter of being patient?
Jane

Jane, I'm not an expert by any means, but do you go through them with her? We were taught to have the dog on the lead and go through the poles with the dog on a short lead. Using left foot when going to the left and right, to the right if you know what I mean. This way the left leg 'pushes' the dog through the first gap and the short lead guides him back through the second gap... does that make any sense?

We had the poles upright from the start. If it went wrong we started again from the top and the idea was to drill it in until the dog knew what was expected (- patience needed!). Then eventually we'd remove the lead.

I thought I'd offer this because no-one else has replied yet. I'm sure there will be other people who can give you better techniques! :D

Monty's Mum :)

We have the poles upright straight away too. Dog is kept on short lead and sort of nudged with left knee/leg through the first gap with hand holding lead kept directly above dog and then enticed back through next gap with toy and so on. Dog is kept on lead until he/she seems to have got the hang of it. Sounds complicated but they get the idea very quickly :)

Daisy

Thank you very much for your suggestions. Apparently there are 2 methods, the one you 2 have described and the way I am doing it, which is supposed to be better for bigger dogs. I don't go through the weaves with Thistle, but do a sit and wait, then I weave while she waits and then I call her through shouting 'weave', and she follows. Then gradually you put the poles upright and Bob's your uncle. I can't imagine this method working, but the teacher is very experienced and I'm sure she knows what she's talking about. Has anyone tried this method?
Jane

I haven't heard of your method - I'm going to agility tonight so I'll see if they know of it. We have lots of large dogs there - Rottweilers, GSD, Akita - they don't seem to have any problem with our method. Which way are the poles slanted ? To the sides ?

Daisy

I believe i am right in saying the poles are officially allowed to be 18 -24" apart, but have been told that almost everyone and at evry show, they are just 18" apart

There are several methods of training the weaves aren't there, it can get confusing !!! There is a great little book out about agility, I think it is from Ringpress books. Tells you how to teach each obstacle.

I was taught, and am still teaching my dog, with the clicker, because it means you don't necessarily have to use any hand movements during the weave. I started with 3 upright poles, then went on to 4, then 5, and so on. Have also used a channel on occasion but onlyl a few times.

Lots of luck :)

Lindsay

Daisy
Yes, if you stand looking at the weave the poles look like a series of V shapes, and you gradually close the angle until all the poles are upright.
Lindsay
Starting with 3 poles might work better for us, but I feel I ought to persevere with one method for a bit longer instead of keep swapping. Thanks for your help.
Any more suggestions???
Jane

Just to say good luck and let us know how you can get on, i agree it's best to stick with the one method and give it a good go before deciding to change at all. Have fun! :)

Lindsay

Thanks :) Asked about it at agility last night - I'm not very good at visualization :( Our poles are fixed in a base, so they couldn't be put at an angle. Do you have special poles for doing this or do you stick them in the ground ?

Daisy

I bought 'V weaves' specifically for this, they bend down as far as you like and you can gradually work them upright - I think I bought them from Premier Agility for approx £100. they come in 4 sets of 3 so you can put together as many as you like at a time

Hayley

Thanks - you learn something new every day :D

Daisy

Daisy
Our instructor has adjustable ones like Hayley described. However I have bought 12 electric fencing posts which you stick in the ground at an angle (or eventually upright :-) ) they only cost me £14.50 for the lot.
Jane

I'm not actually looking for any posts, but I was intrigued by these sloping ones. Both my dogs have learnt just using upright poles without any problem - so was just curious as to what this method was :) At home, we just use bamboo canes pushed into the ground ! May have to buy some proper poles for home if my daughter decides to compete with our Aussie. Do most people have a lot of proper equipment at home or do they improvise ? We don't have a huge lawn and so have just got weave poles and a few jumps made out of water board cones :) Would be nice to have an A-frame etc but just haven't got the space :(

Daisy

Daisy,

I have just started to compete and I go to club once a week and at home I have weaves (which are electric fencing posts like Thistle) and four jumps which my hubby made. I am going to buy a tunnel though as Bailey is obbessed by it and need more practice on training away from it so it does go darting through every time we are within six foot of one! :D

I would love an A-frame etc but I think that it might lose its novelty value if I had everything at home! (Plus I haven't got the room/money :))

Tracy

Jane,

I taught Bailey (Lab) to waeve using the V-channel method but I walk down the weaves beside him to start with while he went through. I also use tit-bits to encourage him. It has worked but it took me about two-three months doing it once or twice a day. But now he is weaving with upright poles nicely and we have got our second show coming up. :)

I would say stick to one method for a while before changing as I was told by my instructor that it can take up to six months for dogs to learn to weave. :)

Hope that gives you some encouragment :)

Tracy

Edited to add I put my poles at 20" apart and he coped fine with the ones at our first show

Tracy
Thanks for the encouragement. Obviously I am being far too ambitious as I was thinking in terms of weeks rather than months. I need to dish myself up a large bowl of patience I think!!!
I'll keep trying. Thistle is now going happily through the weaves at an angle,so she is making progress.
Jane

Also depends at what level of ability you are talking about. We have a GSD at our agility. He has only been coming three weeks and can do the weaves already off lead. OK it is not fast :) - and the owner uses a toy for encouragement, but he certainly seems to have the idea already. When we discussed weaving at agility on Monday, the general concensus was that it is just down to the combination of dog/handler rather than type of poles and method used. Some dogs pick it up quickly - some handlers take a long while to train :D

Daisy

Honey can do the weaves, but finds them really boring and is much to easily distracted by the thought of food, but we are finally getting there, it has only taken nearly 2 years! She has done only 2 shows and has had 3 clear rounds out of 4 so something is going right, just a shame she is not a tad quicker as we have been just out of the placeing every time. Anyway, next dog will be an ACD, and they are faaaaassssst...............

Hayley

(Was intrigued to hear about the electric fence posts, are they switched on or off!!!) :D

Hmm - may have to suggest them for our agility class. A friend's dalmatian is very good at agility, but sometimes goes so fast that he just crashes right through the agility poles - sometimes breaking them :) Now - if they were electrified ........ :D

Daisy