Teaching the Weave - Page 2

@Markobytes - " ...and the human is doing a good job also ...." Martin really appreciates your words - he feels like a giant goof in the video clip. :)

@Abby Normal - Martin speaks very quietly so you probably can't hear him say "weave!" in the video. I appreciate your outline of the next steps - it helps Martin to create a plan for the next stage.

 Laura, I turned up the speakers LOL, and now hear the 'weave'. Ialways have my speakers down low so I missed it.  It is a very nice smooth exercise they have achieved.  Have fun !

I taught Chaos the weave as a warm up exercise. Also right and left circles in front on cue. After he learned the weave ( first was two lures, like what you are doing, than one lure, than just hand signal and finally just the cue) I started walking, with rather large steps (I am 5'7 and he is 90 lbs) and he would weave. Now we are working on heeling backwards, we are up to 3-4 steps. Once he is good with maybe doing 8-10 steps straight, we will try backwards weave. I watch freestyle videos once in a while and whatever looks cool, I try to figure out a way to teach it. Just for fun. It is a nice break from obedience and I love how happy and willing those dogs look.

Great fun with your dog. Even a donkey!!!! I use weaving to teach my dogs to follow both hands. Most dogs only follow the hand that feeds them. And then I use it to cut down on feeding. If you have the treat in both hands, and when they are follwing thru, use a verbal command. Then swap the treats so you have a treat in the opposite hand from the one giving the thru command, and then reward from the other hand, and so on, and so on. If you need to go back to using the treat as a lure dog doesn't get the sweet. Teaches them to work and reward instead of using treat as bait..
I also use a lot of twists, mainly to the left, to teach a dog to join up front and back end, if that makes any sense. Really good for left turns, and body position in the heelwork.
My big fella is 47 kilos, so can't do it with him too much, as his back end takes me out. Little fella is 38 kilos, so a lot more nimble, and not so dangerous. Can't walk with Rosco, but can with my other 2. They love it. Really motivational.
Have fun and enjoy.

A few folks have asked me to show what Martin decided to do for the next stage in teaching Bosco to weave. Here's where Bosco is currently at. Martin only has the patience to do one take so this is "reality tv". The video's description has a semi-coherent verbal description. Martin is figuring it out as he goes along but he expects to have two more stages before the final one where Bosco weaves between Martin's legs as he walks.