# Help with teeter training



## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

oh wow, a golden with a teeter problem. that never happens  I swear there has to be a fear of teeter gene in goldens because i don't know many that have never had this problem.

My older guy we had major issues with. What I finally did was buy a teeter and put in the in basement. We lowered it all the way to the ground so it didn't even tip and started feeding breakfast and dinner on it every day -- he ran across it and got about 1/5 of his meal while in a 2o2o position and we did that 5 times per meal. Slowly we raised it a link at a time and over the course of three weeks or a month we had it back at full height. I still do the teeter at least every other week with him if he doesn't see it in class or at a trial and I don't hold him to the same criteria as I do on the other contact equipment. He's still got a very slow teeter, but this was the third time I pulled him from trialing to fix the problem and knock on wood we've had one teeter bail in 3 years now.

Good luck. I'd be interested to see how other people have handled it. Most of the people I've talked to around her have done something similar to what I did.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

What worked for me was to do a very fast, easy sort of jumper's course of 5-6 items with a ball at the end. We'd do this and 'race' to the ball, so it didn't take long for him to be insane about wanting to do the 'race'. Then, I put him on the contact of the teeter as the start, then up a bit, back a bit each time with the downside of the teeter up on a table so it wasn't a full tip. I didn't worry about contacts or anything, just tip and GO GO GO! Pretty soon he was keen to get over it.

I've also seen people just take the dog by the collar and pull them up and over it (bearing in mind these are dogs who will do the teeter but do so slowly - don't give them a chance to stand there sort of idea). 

Another thing that can work is to put the reward at the very spot on the floor where the teeter will tip - so it's only seen when the teeter is down. Then you can work on 'where's the ball???' and they get to pounce on it. 

Lana


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## hgatesy (Feb 14, 2007)

We've had this problem with Park too. He's still a work in progress actually! We borrowed a teeter and have it in our yard down as low as it will go which helps. We usually "bread crumb" him over it.... and sometimes will even use breakfast or dinner. Meaning.... we put his bowl at the end with some of his meal in it... he does the teeter and gets it.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Trying to force/"guide" them up or coaxing them with treats on a full-height teeter doesn't address their underlying fear of the motion - okay, they'll do it because they're being pulled up or there's a good enough cookie at the end, but they're still afraid of it. Can you borrow an adjustable teeter? (or buy one if you're planning to stick with agility for a while - mine was around $90 plus the cost of the board and some paint). The best thing to do is lower the teeter so it's just a couple inches off the ground and teach the dog to just step on it and bang it down (shape the dog to put on one paw, then once he's comfortable with that ask him to hop on with both front paws). Once the dog is comfortable with that, start having him run across it in the normal way, but don't stress over a contact at this point (just make sure he's actually making the board tip rather than bailing off).

Then just gradually raise the teeter up link by link until it's full height. At each new height start with just bang-it-with-the-front-paws for quite a while before asking for the normal teeter performance. That means skipping the teeter in class and not competing (if you are competing) for quite a while, until he's completely comfortable at full height. If he ever looks worried or slows down at a certain height, that's your signal to lower it to a height where he is comfortable. So it might take a while, but gradually getting him used to the movement is the only way to get a confident teeter.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I am currently training 2 youngsters on the teeter and am using the Wendy Pape method. Basically the individual components are broken down and taught seperately and in addition I have a very low teeter set up in the back yard (like 8 inches off the ground) that my dogs interact with.

Will this method work? It is looking very good so far  

The seperate steps include:
1) The bang
2) The wobble board / movement
3) The approach
4) The height (at the tip with the board fully up)
5) The end position
6) Release

My previously trained goldens always crouched at the pivot point teaching the more standard way (luring across the whole teeter etc)

It takes awhile, but goldens (especially males) are notorious for teeter issues. They just don't find it natural I guess


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

Selli had teeter issues too and I used the same technique as Kgif and Katie. Just to give you hope, Selli now LOVES the teeter. She will do off courses to get to the teeter.


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## Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom (Jul 16, 2008)

I am watching this post with interest. Casey and I just started agility this summer, and the teeter is his only issue! He loves agility and does well except for needing to be lured over the teeter. My instructor has also said that it is a "golden" thing!


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

We've been in agility class for a year and a half and Augie wasn't able to do the teeter, he was just scared to death of it. I got a teeter and used a similar method to what kgiff said. Within a month he learned to do the teeter, he's not fast but he isn't scared of it. At home he will actually now go stand in front of it wanting to do his teeter. In class he's still a little hesitant since it's a different teeter but he will do it.


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## Bogart'sMom (Sep 16, 2005)

Bogart has done Agility for fun for the last 2 years on and off. The sway bridge and teeter he had trouble with. He loves the sway bridge now and has no trouble going over it. The teeter is not up to the top yet but still a work in progress. End of the month we are taking another class with the teeter as a main obstical. He'll get it eventualy I know because he is a smart boy and he loves the obsticals in agility. Even if we haven't taken a class in 6 months or so he doesn't forget what to do it's amazing.
All the best,


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## Hemi17 (Sep 13, 2009)

Thank you to all that responded with suggestions on Hemi's teeter issues. I am happy to report that he is going over the teeter at full height without any issues!! Wow was that a long time coming. Thanks again to everyone


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