2x2 Weaves

Simba13 · Aug 31, 2016

It has been a long time since I posted on this forum

I've just started 2x2 weaves with both my boys (simba 2 and Shoka just turned 1). Simba is picking it up really well. We have progressed to 2 poles about 5 feet apart at about 1 and 7.

Shoka however is finding the entries hard. He seems to always run around the poles when I''m on the right hand side. I know at this point it is not about speed and that comes with time but Shoka just wants to do it as fast as he can which makes it harder for him to find the entry. I have been trying to work the whole ark with him and he gets it from any point in the ark on the left hand side but only gets about 20% of the entries on the right. Should I just stay at this step until he starts getting the entries? I want to make sure I do it right with Shoka. He has such good potential pity about the handler

Silaria · Sep 1, 2016

Honestly, It sounds like you progressed forward to quickly for his understanding of the left hand side entrances. I'd open them up a bit more, 2 and 8, and drill the right hand side with just one set of poles until he understands the entrance. Then move to 1 and 7 with just once set of poles until he gets that entrance THEN add the second pair.

(For those who have no idea what we are talking about, training 2x2's is done with a process called 'around the clock' so the dog understands how to enter the weaves from all possible angles. When you start, the single pair of poles is straight across, positions 3 and 9 on a clock. Then you put a slight angle on them, positions 2 and 8 on the clock. 1 and 7 is a little closer to straight line and you spend the most time in this position unti you get manage to get 2 pair of 2x2s turned, sometimes in very small increments, to a 12 and 6 position. THEN you add the third pair for a total of 6 poles.)

It's not that unusual for a dog to struggle with one side or the other. It's also not unusual for a Sheltie to only be able to weave on one side unless you really work at it; and sometimes that's not enough as in the case of our CJ. She'll ONLY weave on the right hand. We've tried everything to get her to weave on the left and she just can't comprehend that entrance. I also had to really drill Keiran for right handed entrance before he got it. (Keiran is 2x2 training, CJ is channel weave trained but we tried 2x2 to see if she could learn to weave on the left, didn't work.)

Simba13 · Sep 1, 2016

Silaria said:
Honestly, It sounds like you progressed forward to quickly for his understanding of the left hand side entrances. I'd open them up a bit more, 2 and 8, and drill the right hand side with just one set of poles until he understands the entrance. Then move to 1 and 7 with just once set of poles until he gets that entrance THEN add the second pair.

(For those who have no idea what we are talking about, training 2x2's is done with a process called 'around the clock' so the dog understands how to enter the weaves from all possible angles. When you start, the single pair of poles is straight across, positions 3 and 9 on a clock. Then you put a slight angle on them, positions 2 and 8 on the clock. 1 and 7 is a little closer to straight line and you spend the most time in this position unti you get manage to get 2 pair of 2x2s turned, sometimes in very small increments, to a 12 and 6 position. THEN you add the third pair for a total of 6 poles.)

It's not that unusual for a dog to struggle with one side or the other. It's also not unusual for a Sheltie to only be able to weave on one side unless you really work at it; and sometimes that's not enough as in the case of our CJ. She'll ONLY weave on the right hand. We've tried everything to get her to weave on the left and she just can't comprehend that entrance. I also had to really drill Keiran for right handed entrance before he got it. (Keiran is 2x2 training, CJ is channel weave trained but we tried 2x2 to see if she could learn to weave on the left, didn't work.)

Thanks for your reply

The dog I was talking about at the start is my older dog Simba and he is progressing brilliantly with the 2x2. The dog I went on to talk about Shoka hasn't progressed at all. I am still working 2 poles at the starting position of 3 and 9 and haven't taken any steps forward with them at all as he misses most of the right hand entries. We have been working the very first step for about a week now. I started both the dogs on the same day and Simba has progressed so much and is getting 90% of everything we try. Shoka the younger dog is struggling with any right hand entries and always just runs around the far pole. Any tips on what I could do? I can't take a step back because we haven't progressed from the first step. I have tried channel weaves as well but he doesn't get the entries on either side of those

lgore · Sep 1, 2016

Silaria said:
Honestly, It sounds like you progressed forward to quickly for his understanding of the left hand side entrances. I'd open them up a bit more, 2 and 8, and drill the right hand side with just one set of poles until he understands the entrance. Then move to 1 and 7 with just once set of poles until he gets that entrance THEN add the second pair.

(For those who have no idea what we are talking about, training 2x2's is done with a process called 'around the clock' so the dog understands how to enter the weaves from all possible angles. When you start, the single pair of poles is straight across, positions 3 and 9 on a clock. Then you put a slight angle on them, positions 2 and 8 on the clock. 1 and 7 is a little closer to straight line and you spend the most time in this position unti you get manage to get 2 pair of 2x2s turned, sometimes in very small increments, to a 12 and 6 position. THEN you add the third pair for a total of 6 poles.)

It's not that unusual for a dog to struggle with one side or the other. It's also not unusual for a Sheltie to only be able to weave on one side unless you really work at it; and sometimes that's not enough as in the case of our CJ. She'll ONLY weave on the right hand. We've tried everything to get her to weave on the left and she just can't comprehend that entrance. I also had to really drill Keiran for right handed entrance before he got it. (Keiran is 2x2 training, CJ is channel weave trained but we tried 2x2 to see if she could learn to weave on the left, didn't work.)

Thanks for the info.Do you know anything about OMD?

Silaria · Sep 1, 2016

Simba13 said:
Shoka the younger dog is struggling with any right hand entries and always just runs around the far pole. Any tips on what I could do? I can't take a step back because we haven't progressed from the first step. I have tried channel weaves as well but he doesn't get the entries on either side of those

Sorry, I got the dogs confused.

When I was training Keiran I used a combination of shaping and luring. I know traditional 2x2 method uses only shaping but sometimes they need help. Not knowing what you are currently doing, I'm going to suggest what I've done and instruct my students to do when starting out. Take a toy or treat they can't resist (make it different than what you use for the left side so it's special) and simply throw it between the poles to make him drive through; click/treat or yes/treat when he goes through. Repeat this 10 times, take a break. Come back to it in a few hours, 10 times and take a break. Eventually he should start offering it when he realizes he get a big reward.

lgore said:
Thanks for the info.Do you know anything about OMD?

Sorry, I don't know anything about OMD.

Aika · Oct 6, 2016

Silaria said:
Honestly, It sounds like you progressed forward to quickly for his understanding of the left hand side entrances. I'd open them up a bit more, 2 and 8, and drill the right hand side with just one set of poles until he understands the entrance. Then move to 1 and 7 with just once set of poles until he gets that entrance THEN add the second pair.

(For those who have no idea what we are talking about, training 2x2's is done with a process called 'around the clock' so the dog understands how to enter the weaves from all possible angles. When you start, the single pair of poles is straight across, positions 3 and 9 on a clock. Then you put a slight angle on them, positions 2 and 8 on the clock. 1 and 7 is a little closer to straight line and you spend the most time in this position unti you get manage to get 2 pair of 2x2s turned, sometimes in very small increments, to a 12 and 6 position. THEN you add the third pair for a total of 6 poles.)

It's not that unusual for a dog to struggle with one side or the other. It's also not unusual for a Sheltie to only be able to weave on one side unless you really work at it; and sometimes that's not enough as in the case of our CJ. She'll ONLY weave on the right hand. We've tried everything to get her to weave on the left and she just can't comprehend that entrance. I also had to really drill Keiran for right handed entrance before he got it. (Keiran is 2x2 training, CJ is channel weave trained but we tried 2x2 to see if she could learn to weave on the left, didn't work.)

Good morning!
I have recently started my Sheltie Aika on the weave. I'm the one who is having trouble with left leg, right leg. When Aika is to the right of the cone (6 o'clock) and I am at her right, when I say weave, is my right leg going front? Is this consistent when we are from 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock? Then it would be the opposite from 6 to 9 o'clock.
Would you know of a video of Sheltie Forum that would show the weave? I am very visual, so that would be so helpful! Thank you so much for your anticipated response.
Johanne and Aika