Skipping Poles?? Help

Emily Marston

Well-Known Member
I've recently started teaching Bonnie to weave again. She remembers to actually weave through the poles, and is starting to gain speed. But I still have one big problem: she skips poles

Every now and then she skips either the first, last or middle pole. I use green plastic garden stakes as poles. They don't stand out very much and are a bit hard to see. Could this be why she skips poles? Each time she skips a pole, I just take her back to the start and try again. I used a mixture of luring and the 2x2 method to teach Bonnie to weave.
Does anyone know why, or possibly have a solution to Bonnie's pole skipping?
 

MaryK

Honored Member
I think maybe painting the poles, or at least putting 'bands' of white, like stripes, around them may help as those garden poles are a bit hard to see.

Also, slow her down a little, she may be getting a bit too excited and over anxious to please. Take Bonnie back to basics again, slow and easy, and keep luring her the whole time. Once she's 'got it' and is weaving through all the poles then gradually increase speed.:)
 

xena98

Experienced Member
Hi Emily
Just a quick question for you when you use the 2x2 How are you doing it?
I hadnt used the 2x2 myself cause I dont quite understand it and if I dont quite understand than my dog doesnt. With my youngster I do start with 2 poles and than increase it too 4 and than do both sides left and right I actually had a stick with a ball and a clicker on it and she followed that around when she got confident I added another 2 and slowly build my way up to 12
 

Emily Marston

Well-Known Member
Hi Emily
Just a quick question for you when you use the 2x2 How are you doing it?
I started with two poles, then added two more a distance away. She just had to run through them, then you brought the poles closer and closer together until they're in a line. I used this method
Now my dog has improved even more, but she still relies on a cue to weave. The skipping has almost stopped, but occasionally she enters on the wrong pole due to my mistake.
 

xena98

Experienced Member
Having problems with watching videos on forums and blogs at the moment just have a black screen so cant watch it
what do you do when you send the dog in I usually give a command go weave which means who look for an entry doesnt matter where I am and when I practice this I dont really have all of them out only about 4 so I can practice my entries Did the round the clock as well for the entries put markers out 12 1 2 3 and same on the other side and than add a jump. One of the mistakes people do is crowd the dog when sending or fluffing around trying to help the dog and the dog ends up missing the entries
Weaves are a confident thing and it does take awhile and they go through the stuffing up as well. Gabby was trained for the weavers and was trialling for 6 months when she decided she could only go up to 10 and than pop out I was doing everything to fix it up and it just stopped on her on.
Good luck
 

Emily Marston

Well-Known Member
Just slow down a bit, seems your dog gets the idea.
Try not to walk to much in front or behind him.
Rewards lots when he gets it right and try again when it's wrong. It will come in time i'm sure ;-)
I think you've found the problem. It only happened when I wasn't on either side of her. It's summer at the moment, and she doesn't want to work in the heat. So when Autumn comes I'll update her progress :)
 

Emily Marston

Well-Known Member
Having problems with watching videos on forums and blogs at the moment just have a black screen so cant watch it
what do you do when you send the dog in
Good luck
I say "weave" for her entry followed by the word "go" as a motivator for her to stop walking. I think my signal might also confuse her, I point a finger and sort of move it towards the poles. But I reckon this has confused her and made her think I want her to enter on the 2nd pole.
 

madeleine

Experienced Member
I think you've found the problem. It only happened when I wasn't on either side of her. It's summer at the moment, and she doesn't want to work in the heat. So when Autumn comes I'll update her progress :)
Or try to train very early in thd morning.
Just try out the weave, when it goes wrong try again and when it goes wright praise and play. Then leave it. :)

Next step i would take is adding a jump .after the weave and from that build it up.
But good luck! Don't know how hot its with you so i hope autumn comes soon :)
 

xena98

Experienced Member
Hi
I would go back to the four or 6 weavers to just practicing the entry and wouldnt be using the hand signal just give her the verbal and let her find the entry and reward and remember not to crowd her when you put her in
cheers
Danni
 
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