2x2 weaves - where am I going wrong?

[SheltieChe]

I love his enthusiasm and energy what a fun boy!
my biggest concern would be that he continuously looks at you for reward which means his reward line was never established. The throw has to be done sooner and further and eventually to the static toy if he would run to it. Additionally you are standing- what happens when you also running?
Have no idea what kind of behavioral chain he established with all this running back and forth and barking trying to find correct entry, not sure how you can fix it.
here is video clip from one of Silvia Trkman foundation classes at 0.58 to 1.28 you can see channel weaves being taught
http://www.lolabuland.com/page/16/
I am wondering if mixing it up will be helpful for you guys.

[seashel]

http://youtu.be/8_VJBPQqTQU
This is our latest video from yesterday. I now have Epic running through 4 poles in a straight line quite reliably from different entry points so I added 2 more poles which I put in front of the line and was quite pleased with the result. We did get to 6 poles before but I wasn't really happy with it but going back to the early stages now I have a clearer idea of what we should be doing seems to have helped. Now I have started reading Shaping Success I have a better idea of the training of the 2x2s although it is the older method described in the book. Out of interest I think I have discovered the reason for the large distance initially between the two sets that we were discussing earlier, as it is to avoid confusing the dog with two possible entry points. It's a fascinating book and I am loving it. I also had The Beginners Guide to Dog Agility by Laurie Leach which I am finding useful.

Problems enountered: you are right SheltieChe that he is looking back at me for the reward. My throwing is better than it used to be but with the best will in the world the toy doesn't always go where I want it to. The difficulty I have found is that as you can see he is so fast that by the time I know that he's gone through correctly it is already 'late' with the reward. If I throw it too soon won't I be rewarding things that are incorrect?
The barking IS an issue with everything he finds exciting - which means living in general as far as Epic is concerned! I don't know how to stop it either! What happens is that before he runs out he looks at me and barks, any movement from me (moving a foot) triggers the barking but if I stand still then he quickly remembers what he is meant to be doing and runs out. I now have a tag on his collar that I can get hold of to 'release' him where I want, sometimes he runs out to the weaves and sometimes he stops, looks at me and barks, then runs out. I have thought about rewarding him only forthe occasions when he runs straight off with no barking but wouldn't that confuse him with the weaves? He's not actually running back and forward trying to find the correct entry and barking, that's probably the misleading impression when I edited out the 'boring bits' because when he's thinking about which entry he actually creeps up to it slowly... and silently! It's just excitement before he runs and he also barks if he has done the weaves but not been rewarded if he hasn't done it right.

I know I am very static at the moment - partly that is because handlers on most of the videos I have watched are stationary but mostly because with the state the grass is in I dare not run! When I did run with him earlier (I did it initially with the V weaves) he was fine so I think running will impove things and possibly will lessen the barking. One thing I noticed with delight early on is that unlike the other two shelties, Epic will run with me without jumping up at me, barking or grabbing.

(Yogi would be a nightmare with agility as he tries to block anyone (including dogs) running by getting in front of them. Even if you turn back on a walk to get a dropped glove he starts barking and blocking with is intensly irritating and has lead to him being stepped on or accidentally kicked on a number of occasions but it didn't stop him.)

We were meant to have our first lesson of 2013 which I was really looking foward to but snow and sleet this morning meant it was cancelled Roll on Spring!!

[seashel]

We had our first lesson of 2013 last saturday and I was so happy to be going back - Epic was ecstatic of course! I was really pleased to show off our 6 pole weave but my trainer pointed out Epic had become a left sided dog and I also realised that while entries from 90 degrees to the right were fine, we had not done enough with running straight on from the front or left either - so plenty of homework to practice!

Over the last week we've had lots of rain and I made the desicion to rest the garden and take Epic to the village green to practice. We've been going up a few times now and it has proved a good move as there are distractions in the form of other dogs/people etc plus a very big open space.

I went back to basics on 2 poles again to work on entries from the right (plus the added difficulty of new environment) and because we had more room and I wasn't worrying about the grass I started to run with him rather than standing still. That is proving a good thing as there is next to no barking, he is running in at full speed and can drive out. I've got him up to two 'gates' again with about 70% sucess today on both sides so that is encouraging but I'm going to fight the temptation to rush through to 6 poles as there is no hurry and I want to get him more accurate. I have noticed that he finds entries to the right of the poles easier from my left and entries from the left easier coming from my right - which seems odd.

But the real achievement is that he is showing he can focus on me and the poles even in the presence of other dogs which doesn't sound like a lot but for Epic is a big deal. Today a large GSD walked past and although Epic stood and watched, he did not panic or growl and I was delighted.

The other benefit of going to the green is we can practice heelwork in straight lines without falling into the flower beds or bumping into the washing line!

I might try and post a video but itis harder as I have to carry everything there and the tripod and camera are quite heavy.