Dog walk trouble....again

What about going to your local hardware store and making your own board? We did that when Bentley was first starting and it was super cheap. We bought a big plank, and then painted it with a paint and sand mixture. You can't raise it up high or anything but you can at least work speed and your end criteria.
 
I third getting a plank to use flat on the ground. The problem with not being able to lower the dogwalk means it reduces your training options, though you can get through this. Merlin has never much liked the contact equipment and he has fallen off too, at one point last year he simply started to avoid the dogwalk like the plague at my old club. The important thing is to keep building confidence.

Merlin used to have big issues with the a-frame, my old club didn't have one, so my only option was to buy a smaller practice version for my garden. Even then just trying to lure him over it he was refusing it and running away. So I dropped the entire thing to the floor and at first just clicked him for going near it. Then I clicked him for putting his paws on it and building up to him walking and then running across it. It was not designed to be used on a lower setting, so I got inventive, bought some chain and bolts and began raising it literally inch by inch off the ground. By the time it was back at full height Merlin didn't have a care. I also was able to work on his running contacts. The a-frame remains his best piece of equipment and he never misses the contact.

So, definitely try to have a plank at home. A short one you can even use indoors and raise it up on books, once he is happy stepping on it, to get him used to being off the ground.

At club I would begin by just rewarding him for being near the dogwalk. Maybe let him watch other dogs going over it to see it is 'safe'? Then I would feed him treats that were placed on the dogwalk, again making it a good thing. Then lure him to put his paws on it. I would gradually encourage him to climb on, even if it meant lifting him off when he became uncertain (I would rather lift him off then have him turning around and walking off himself, which can cause him to fall off again). I would keep asking him to climb up a little further and further.

Some trainers don't like you lifting dogs off equipment, but if it is a case of that or dragging him over it, I would much rather lift him off. I would want him to choose to go up, not be forced.

Basically this is going to take time. Once he has got back to running over it, I would ensure he always runs on it from a straight line, as angled entries onto contacts put a dog at more risk of falling off, and you don't need that right now. You can worry about angles when he is confident again.

I'm sure he will get his confidence back soon. If Merlin can, any dog can!:winkgrin:
 
Oh poor Simba! Just what you didn't want to happen :no: It's horrid when they come off the dog walk. Epic fell off once but after I knew he was OK I turned round and ran him right back over again - luckily he wasn't at all bothered but I know this is a problem for a lot of dogs if they do come off and it's understandable really.

I agree with having the plank on the ground too and the excellent advice that has been given.

I remember with Epic when I very first started doing agility with him I had a few planks which were only about 2/3 feet long but put them end to end on the ground and had some low fencing on each side like a channel and I literally had him chasing a ball up and down this. Gradually raised it up on bricks (all of it so there was no ramps, just a small hop onto it) and he ran back and forth across this 'bridge' after his ball. It never went very high, no more than 6 inches and I gradually faded out the fencing leaving the bits at the end on longest. I didn't really know what I was doing then so it wasn't any planned programme but it gave him the idea and confidence about running across planks raised off the ground and the channel idea was like bed rails to give confidence to start off with and also help with the idea of staying on board. He could have jumped them easily but soon got the idea of running between them.

Also, you could just try lifting him onto the end, just above the contact and work on him going into his contact position (I think he is 2o2o?) and very gradually backchain it so he is being put on a little higher each time. Obviously though if being near/on any part of the dog walk is going to freak him then don't do this, because lifting them on gives them no choice about being on the equipment. You could test it by seeing if he is happy to jump into his end position at the bottom of the dog walk. Maybe even training him to run to a target so it is the target which he is thinking about rather than the plank?

I do remember how worried Sophie's Merlin was of the A frame - you would not recognise him as the same dog now so with a little ingenuity and patience this can be overcome - take heart!
 
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Thank you for all of the suggestions I will definitely see about getting a plan for the garden. It will also be good to get my new little baby used to different surfaces!

Good news after 2 hours of playing sporadic playing near the dog walk, then right beside it and finally running past it we had some success. I had him on the lead and was running past the dog walk to pick up a pole and he just ran on :lol: I didn't even notice until I felt the lead tighten. He is such a brave little boy! I then ran back past it and up he went again. When he was of the lead though he wouldn't touch it again. His lead is like a security blanket but at least we have some progress :) I will definitely have to get a plank of wood asap!
 
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