Also I wanted to teach her the weave poles using the Channel weaves method. Is their any site that will give me a step by step process to go through of how to do this?
Oh and what will I need to know to start competing in dog agility? Is their another website I can go to that will explain where it will be and when to register and stuff like that? And how can you find one that's closest to you cause right now I'll would have to travel 8 hours which I don't really like...
I live in Canada btw...
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What type of training do you do? I really love clicker training, and for a dog who is wary of an obstacle, doing some click/treat for looking at and approaching the obstacle, taking all pressure off off doing the obstacle, can radically change the dog's willingness to do the obstacle. If the dog is NOT currently doing any clicker training (and especially if you have no idea what I'm talking about ;) anyway!) then I wouldn't worry about the tunnel at this point- don't ask for it at all, just ignore it. Pit it away. Not much point in teaching it until the dog is closer to trialling anyway. Let her memory of the sound and her dislike of it fade for a while before re-introducing it in a more controlled way when you can make the association a good one.
There is a ton of stuff to know before you are ready to compete- not just stuff for your dog to know, but how you can best handle the dog around the course. Canada is a BIG country, and distances between places can be pretty huge, but you may find agility closer than you think. In addition to the sources wyrdachs mentioned, www.googility.com may also have some resources, as will the AAC.
http://aac.ca/
I am very definitely not a fan of channel weaves- at the beginning stages, they pretty much teach dogs to run by poles, and most people have trouble closing the last couple of inches. If you are going to teach channel weaves, close the poles as quickly as possible so the dog doesn't get used to the visual picture of them open, and the physical feel of them open. Here is a guide to teaching the dog to weave using channel weaves (note that many organizations have changed the specifications, and now 24" is allowed or required in several, and 18" have gone the way of the dinosaur, though you will still see the occasional 20" poles):
http://www.petbehaviorhelp.com/weave_pol…
My preferred method for teaching the dog weave poles is the 2x2 method, originated by Canadian Susan Garrett. Her website is www.clickerdogs.com and she is located in Alberton, Ontario. There is a DVD that outlines the method, and I think the investment is well worth it, especially if you are going to be training primarily alone. Weave poles I would not start teaching until the dog is fully grown- real weaving places stress on the spine, especially for a dog like a GSD, and if you do 2x2 method, it goes very quickly.
Here are some vids of 2x2 training:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTtEbpl5T…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnU5-Yvb-…All sorts of great resources for training and competing can be found at www.cleanrun.com
For a still-growing 6 month pup, here is what I would be teaching:
rear end awareness/body in space skills, core strength (perch training, tricks, balance ball)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43D8V1oha…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV96NI02e…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVNZAoae-…
Tippy board and buja board, running on planks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czeJOJNfh…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqilu_3VG…
Depending on whether you want to teach a running contact or stopped contact, I would also be doing some plank work, at the beginning just making sure dog is happy being on something narrow, can get on, turn himself around, etc. Later, working on the 2on/2off position, or running the contact (see http://www.silvia.trkman.net/ for info on running contacts, Susan Garrett's website for 2on/2off).
Wyr- I love your answers and give you TUs all the time ( don't do TDs) - but - bars on the ground or at 8 inches is fine for small dogs, but disaster as training for a large dog that will need collection skills. Most small dogs can run in extension the whole course, so it isn't as big an issue. What we (and dogs) learn first is what we revert to under stress. Learning to do courses without collection or elevation (going up as well as forward) first sets the dogs up for problems down the road when they are trialling.
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- You should not be starting a 6 month old in agility. Your dog needs to be 14 months old, otherwise you are going to cause damage to bones and joints.
In order to compete, you'll need to work with an agility trainer, otherwise you are wasting your time and money entering an agility trial. An agility trainer can answer all of your questions. - OK, don't worry about not going to give you the "she's still growing" nonesense because that's exactly what it is,...nonesense.
With a growing dog aka puppy, jumps bars are on the ground or at 8 inches. There is no repetitive jumping involved, so your dog will not get hurt. I do suggest you get started with the 1 bar exercises.
As for the Tunnel, make sure you other dog is put away. You should not have 2 dogs running around at the same time. In order to put her thru the tunnel, make the tunnel as short as possible. Use a treat that's really irristiable. When she starts going to the shortened tunnel, gradually, make it longer. You want it to be as positive as possible.
As for the weavepolls, it's really hard to teach and learn just by following written instructions. I do suggest you go to the Cleanrun website, they have many DVDs on teaching weaves. I personally don't use the channel weave method. My dogs see the polls straight up from day one, I use clicker and food. However, there are many different methods to teach weaves, you just has to find what workds for you and yoru dog. Visit CleanRun http://www.cleanrun.com
You can also visit CleanRun to find an agiilty club near you, hopefully you'll find something closer than 8 hours away. That is a drive and I don't know if I'd even do that.
You can also find agility clubs thru:
http://www.usdaa.com
http://www.nadac.com
http://www.k9cpe.com
http://www.docna.com
I didn't bother with the AKC website, since you in Canada. I do know there is a Canadian agility venue also. Can't think of the name at the moment.
edit: Hi Tip, you misunderstand me. The dogs are only using the jump as a single jump exercise. So, teaching right/left or Back or Switch, front cross, rear cross, the jump bar is on the ground or at 8.
I also raise the bar slightly for some bigger dogs, maybe @ 12 inches and just teach them to lift their rear over the jump. I don't have them running over the jump, as you say, they don't learn collection or rear end awareness like that. - Go to a local toy store buy a childs tunnel - approx 3 -4 ft long and scrunch it up so that its only about 1 -2 feet long and ask her to go through that. Run the lead throught the tunnel her on oneside you on the other. Gentle tension on the lead and call her through when successful offer lots of treats repeat 1 or 2 more time and walk away slowly extend tunnel to full length until she is happier with it.
Weave poles aren't even in the picture for another 6mos channel or other wise. If there are no training facilities near you check out www.cleanrun.com/store
you'll find alot of training dvs's, books and tips . I cant stress how important a good foundation is for the young agility dog. If you can audit training seminars do it.
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