Winter Weaves....and other great ideas

     For some dogs weave poles can be the trickiest things to learn.  Teaching dogs to weave requires patience, persistence, and a "party on" attitude.  That's right!  I said a "party on" attitude.  Learning the weaves should be fun.  That's why this agility obstacle is best taught every day in short sessions.  But what to do when there is snow on the ground?  Simple.  Bring those weave poles inside the house!!   I have a set of 2x2's that I store in back of my coat rack. Before winter arrived I was working my dog Pippin's weave poles.  I didin't want the snow to impede our progress.   Storing the poles and base inside allows me to pull them out everyday, and teach my pup Pippin in short, super fun sessions.  Where does the party come in?  I use a toy to reward Pippin at the end of the poles.  There is a linoleum floor just past the poles.  To make sure that Pip doesn't slip and hurt herself I place four rubber backed carpets end to end on the floor.  This allows her to drive to her reward, allowing her to focus on the job instead of my hands.  

     Another fun idea is to teach your dog to go around a traffic cone counter clockwise and clockwise.  I call the clockwise motion a "spin" and the counterclockwise motion a "twist".  This is a really simple trick to teach that will burn lots of mental energy.  After your dog knows the commands verbally, without the use of a hand signal, you can start moving farther back from the cone. Without moving toward the cone to prompt your dog, ask for either a spin or a twist.  Once your dog can do this, ask him for multiple spins and twists.  This is a real energy burner.  

     Teaching your dog to backup and put his hind feet onto a 2-3" book can also be a great way to burn both physical and mental energy.  The command "back up" also teaches spacial awareness, which will, in turn, make it easier to live with your dog.  Do you dislike having a dog underfoot?  Teach him to "back up" and he won't be "underfoot" anymore.  

Until next time... Happy Training!