# Entry to Weave Poles



## ILoveMyGolden (Oct 19, 2006)

Hi All!

Just looking for any tips on working at home with Fin to improve his entry to the weaves.

I have a training set at home. When he goes in (correctly, or the 2nd pole) he weaves fast, many that have seen him go say he is BC fast, but it is just getting him in properly! We are just in Novice (1 Q in JWW, 2 Qs in Standard at our 1st trial) so can still make mistakes, but of course, want to work away from making them!

I know I need to practice both sides and all angles, he is consistent when he is coming off the left and almost has to weave to enter, but coming from the right side, his entry is totally unreliable.

I struggle to not get frustrated with him (knowing he can do it, just doesn't consistently), should I be keeping it really slow at the entry? We have tried a gate to block the entry at the 2nd pole and he totally balks and it makes things worse. When he does get it he is of course praised like crazy. Aside from coming in at all angles, and me working on both sides, are there any other tips that might help us?

This problem is definitely worse indoors (slippy!), rather than outside, but for now we are stuck inside and we need to fix it!

Thanks from anyone!!


----------



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Weave pole entrances and popping the last pole are 2 agility skills that (usually) need consistent work even with the most experienced of dogs. Once learned and polished, most teams need to practice at least a few times a week to maintain these skills – they are hard and as you start to leave the dog in the poles to get to the next critical handling spot they become more difficult for your dog who needs to complete the poles while keeping an eye on what you are doing so they turn in the correct direction ….
How to train? Around the clock entrances, splitting off to one side or the other, front cross before & after the poles, Rear Cross before and after the poles, Blind Cross etc. Place a tunnel close to the entrance and /or exit so you practice at speed and with the distraction of the tunnel. Send from a distance and veer closer to the poles while your dog is in the poles. Place several jumps in a straight line or curved line into the poles to teach entries at speed. Crowd them in the poles, give them room in the poles etc. Send them through the poles while you hang back, call your dog through the poles from in front of the poles. When you think you dog has it – trip & ‘fall’ and see if they pop. Be creative and do not be afraid of letting your dog fail or being slow – slow usually means they are thinking and will speed up once confident, failing just means to try again. Once you finish all these examples at home, take it on the road and start over in each new place.
Your dog does not ‘know’ weave entrances – it takes a very long time, in many different locations with hundreds of scenarios before you dog will start to know weave poles. I liken weaves to obedience heeling, front & finishes ; always a work in progress and never ever done.
Good luck and have fun J


----------



## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Practice practice practice and more practice. Start with easier entries that he can get (like almost straight on) and SLOWLY work to harder ones. That does not mean try to work around the clock on one session, it means getting 100% entries from one angle in one session, then in another session another time or another day start with the same spot then move just a few inches to a harder angle.

My on-side/soft side weave entries are a weak spot for me right now because I have not been practicing as much as normal. My dogs are normally on a daily diet of weave poles, and right now we are only practicing a few times a week. As Sunrise said, it is something that always needs to be worked on. Weaving for breakfast and dinner is good. 

Congrats on your Qs and have fun!


----------



## ILoveMyGolden (Oct 19, 2006)

Thank-you to both of you.

We will work on things with both of your suggestions above, looking forward to the nice weather to be able to train in backyard more easily again too!

The few at home practices we did last week before class Sunday proved to be so worth it, and we will continue to do so, our first trial of the Spring will either be April 13th or 29th, not sure what we'll start with, but lots to work on before then.

Next fun is him going under his tire, I think he thinks he's smarter than all of us and is just being lazy? We've put a gate on its side under for now, but of course.....something we need to work on so it doesn't happen at trials.


----------

