Weave pole question...

Cleo2014 · Jun 30, 2016

So I have noticed.... When I run Cleo through the weaves, she does really great if she is on my LEFT side. She is accurate, fast (for a beginner), looking dead on, and has confidence. When I put her on my RIGHT side, she is she is less confident. She tries to look more at me, and pops out of the weaves easier. Has anyone else experienced this? Is she just use to me training her on my left side from obedience class and that is throwing her off?

Lanie · Jun 30, 2016

Hi Brittany,
This is universal. It took us about a month to get consistent weaves on the right (offside weave), when she had been weaving on the left perfectly for months. It's been that way for everyone I know. Just keep practicing and it will click. Make sure to really support her while she's weaving and make sure your shoulders and feet are pointed straight ahead.

Cara Sandler · Jun 30, 2016

Totally normal. That will come with time

Justicemom · Jun 30, 2016

Yep totally normal- 5 shelties trained in agility, all had the same issue except Birch and his issue was finding left side entrance-go figure.

Silaria · Jun 30, 2016

Yup! Very normal. CJ will ONLY weave on Glen's right side; he gave up trying to make her do left handed weaves when she turned 8. Edan and Keiran will weave on both sides but I had to really drill the right hand.

cmae · Jun 30, 2016

Yup! Practice more entries by sending her from everywhere "around the clock." Can you send her from you left? Right? From the end of the weaves? Weaves take so long to perfect and they need a lot of proofing and revisiting. This past weekend proved that to be true for us

Cleo2014 · Jul 1, 2016

cmae said:
Yup! Practice more entries by sending her from everywhere "around the clock." Can you send her from you left? Right? From the end of the weaves? Weaves take so long to perfect and they need a lot of proofing and revisiting. This past weekend proved that to be true for us

She can enter from my left and right just the right is slower and less confidant and she keeps looking back at me. That looking back makes her pop out more.

Calliesmom · Jul 1, 2016

Cleo2014 said:
She can enter from my left and right just the right is slower and less confidant and she keeps looking back at me. That looking back makes her pop out more.

if she's looking back and popping out, get in front of her when weaving. worked wonders for my dogs.....
when she has more confidence weaving, then you can work on being behind her or way off to the side.

corbinam · Jul 1, 2016

I can't remember how you taught weaves...did you use channels? Or 2x2s? I ask because sometimes once the dog seems to understand the ask, we move forward to the completed obstacle (6-12 closed poles). But really, they can really benefit from taking a step back to build speed and confidence. Again, not sure which method you used but I would recommend going back a step (opening up the channels, or spacing out the poles) and really getting her excited and build the confidence.

Cleo2014 · Jul 1, 2016

Calliesmom said:
if she's looking back and popping out, get in front of her when weaving. worked wonders for my dogs.....
when she has more confidence weaving, then you can work on being behind her or way off to the side.

Ah, that was my thought too. However, when I did that, she would try to keep up with me making her go faster. And that would also make her pop out of the weaves. I may have her in a standing wait and maybe go halfway down the weave poles and then call her. Maybe that would work?