weave entries

[Rottlva]

For those of you in agility, how do you train consistent weave entries, particularly those on the right from a distance????

I swear sometimes we nail them, othertimes we don't, and I know it is partially me and my positioning, but I really feel that Cam doesn't fully get weaves unless I am within a few feet of them.

What I have been doing is using a cage type device which makes a C around the first 3 weaves setting him up to go in correctly no matter where I am. I thought maybe I could condition him into doing it right... From there, I have a little block I use which stands next to the L of the first weave as a reminder to weave....

Ideas????

[fbkeays]

Is there a reward that is such a high value item that it would crush him to not get it? With Cipher it is the ball. She missed the entry, she didn't get the ball. A few "raspberries" thrown it helped too. Cipher got the connection between doing the weaves right = ball and not doing them right, well, didn't get her the ball.

[Rottlva]

We have done alot of targeting with a food reward at the end, if he misses the entry and runs to the food it is picked up by the person handling the target.

Are you suggesting I take him out, show him the high value reward, tell him to weave, and if he misses the entry, say "Oh, no ball today", and go in, and try later????

[targonrotts]

we use channel weaves to start training. as the dog gets better, we close them tighter until dog is doing straight line weaves. we do it from all angles, distances, ect before we go to staright line weaves with no channel.
once they are weaving, we place a jump on one side of weaves next to your 1st pole, about 5 feet apart and ask for a jump and weave. high praise if enters correctly and finishes them. as they get better, we move the jump back a pole, until dog can jump and go all the way to find his weave entry.
another thing we do is we hold dog in entrance by the collar and when offers to go, we send and reward immediately until he offers to do all poles from the start.

dogs do better on weaves when on the right. off sides is easier for them to find.

we also reward from behind as they go out on the exit.
i wish i can explain it better.....

[Ayoka]

Oops I'm coming to this late but we have had great success with the 2x2 method. It teaches the basic movement and the right entry from the start and then you can work on the million and one other variables that makes agility so "fun".

Same idea as the channels but you can break it down to work on the entry (first 2 poles) without necessarily drilling large numbers of weaves. Once your dog gets that entry without the "channel" then you can set up a staggered set in front of a straight set to work on entries before longer sets of weaves.

We started the 2x2's from the get go starting all around the entry "clock" so to speak when we had to go to weave rehab this winter This really worked for us because I could "click" or toss a ball for the right entry with just the 2 poles. We tried the ball & food things but I just don't think he understood why he didn't get the ball when he missed the entry 6 poles ago...maybe he's slow

Susan Garrett is the 2x2 lady and she has some great articles in clean run I also was just reading some interesting "games" for handler placement in a book for working on distance in aglity and they talk about calling your dog through weaves, sending them trough standing to the left, then the right and also moving with them and even stopping. Once Bear's leg is better we'll be working on those games.

[flyballmom]

We trained using the 2x2 method as well, did weaving for food, etc. Those things taught her "to" weave...we also did lots of "round the clock" stuff...or sends to the weaves from all sorts of angles. In training she nails them from either side no matter what I do. In trials, where the adrenaline if freely flowing thru both of us, I HAVE to drive with not only a shoulder, but also with my feet, right to where I want her to go. Even from a distance, if I have my shoulder and feet aimed between poles 1 and 2, that's where she goes. If my aim is off, she misses. Not sure if that's what you're meaning tho...

[Rottlva]

Thanks guys.... I actually think I will try the 2x2 (?) method.... We trialed this weekend All lovely left entries, the right entry I had to set him up again, he was cruising and came in at the second pole. I am redoing NA/NAJ as he has his NAP/NJP, so thankfully no refusal, but I have 2 legs in jumpers and standard, so should be moving up to open soon where weave entries could be an issue....he weaves fine, just hitting the entry from the right.... I'll keep you posted.