Course Details
This class starts with a trick and ends with a teeter! Teeter training can begin pretty early in a dog’s agility career because it begins with a simple trick: backing up! From this rear-end awareness exercise, we will introduce the 4-on behavior onto a wobble board or tippy board, name, and proof the behavior, and then start the process of transferring that behavior to a low teeter. Each team will be on their path to a full-height teeter, complete with sequencing and handling skills. The goal of this method is to produce a dog that runs across the board to the end, weight shifts back, rides the board to the ground, and waits in position for the handler's verbal cue to move off of the board. The class is suitable for dogs with no prior teeter experience, and also suitable for dogs wanting to retrain their teeter performance.
**Students may also use this method to teach a 2o2o or a down-on-the-board behavior with some simple modifications** It is preferred that you have access to a fully adjustable teeter though modifications can be made for non-adjustable ones.
Want to know the history behind my teeter training? Read about it on my blog; Tommy's Terrible Teeter
Teaching Approach
This class will take a step-by-step approach. Each step will have written instructions with a corresponding video of each step. Videos tend to be short (less than one minute) demonstrating one small piece at a time, with several pieces outlined in one lecture. Lectures are released in one batch at the beginning of the week. Feedback will all be written.
Megan (she/her) has been involved in the dog sport world nearly her entire life. Though her family did compete in obedience, agility was Megan’s passion right from the start. With over 20 years experience, she has competed with a variety of dogs...(Click here for full bio and to view Megan's upcoming courses)
Syllabus
Week 1:
1.1 Reinforcer Skills
1.2 Clean Loops
1.3 Introduction to Props
1.4 Backing up
Week 2:
2.1 Alternating Starting Position
2.2 Name the Behavior
2.3 Clean Releases
2.4 Stand Up: Handler Irrelevancy
Week3:
3.1 Changing the Reward Strategy
3.2 Handler Position
3.3 Handler Motion
3.4 The Bang Game
Week 4:
4.1 Transition to Low Teeter
4.2 Backchaining to Full Length Board
4.3 Handler Position
4.4 Handler Motion
Week 5:
5.1 Dog Speed
5.2 Adding Obstacles before
5.3 Handling Before the Teeter
5.4 Handling After the Teeter
Week 6:
6.1 Adding Obstacles After
6.2 Sequencing
6.3 Problem Solving
6.4 Your Path to a Full Height Teeter
Prerequisites & Supplies
Equipment:
- You will need a target/mat that your dog can back up onto. Not very large, but the dog should be able to stand with all 4 feet on it. You will not use this mat for very long.
- You will need a board that moves, that accommodates your dog’s body length. The board should be able to stop moving when your dog has all 4 feet on it. A round wobble board or a cato-tip plank are both appropriate.
**Large breeds may benefit from starting on the actual teeter (after the mat), but the teeter should go flat or nearly flat, to begin with.
- You will need access to an adjustable teeter and space surrounding the teeter to add obstacles before/after; around 30 feet of length is doable for adding an obstacle before or after. Obstacles you use before and after can be anything (jumps, cones, tunnels, etc). You only need enough width to accommodate the obstacles you're using and yourself running alongside the dog.
If you do not have access to an adjustable teeter, you will need two adjustable tables so that we can control the drop height for your dog. You will also need to modify your training plans, as this method introduces sequencing with a low teeter, and this is not possible when the teeter is propped up on tables. Whatever props you use to modify the drop, the teeter must ALWAYS be able to move and it is preferred that the dog can get on and off the teeter on their own.
You only need access to an actual teeter for the end of week 3 and weeks 4, 5, & 6. I recommend training on the teeter every other day at the most and maintaining training sessions that include 6-10 reps total.
Appropriate Age of Dog: The nature of a Gold spot is that you'll be doing some training several times a week, maybe even every day. Your dog should be old enough to physically handle that amount of training. I recommend dogs be a minimum of 6 months to be able to complete the lessons on the wobble board only during class and delay the transition to the teeter until they are 10 months old. Dogs 10+ months are able to progress completely through class and transition to an actual teeter, all while moving at their own pace. If your dog is younger than 6 months, I suggest grabbing the materials at bronze.
I begin week 1 materials with my puppies around 3 months old and I do not consider moving beyond those skills until they are solid and fluent in a variety of environments. I begin formal wobble board training around 6 months and follow the curriculum as follows:
6-7 months, week 2 materials
7-8 months, week 3 materials
8-9 months, week 4 materials
9-10 months, week 5 materials
10-11 months, week 6 materials *at half-height*
Full height grows from here, increasing the height each month as the dog is comfortable with it.
All while honoring the dog as invidivudal and taking the process at their own pace. My own puppy, is currently 16 months old and still not on a full height teeter because protecting her confidence is my top priority.
If you have any questions about suitability for this class, please reach out to me via email: megan@synergydogsports.com
Sample Lecture
4.1 Transition to Low Teeter
Once you have a clear end position behavior on your prop, and you’ve introduced your dog to loud, bangy things, we are going to transition our end behavior onto the teeter. To make this transition as easy as possible, I take a familiar position down low and in front of the board.
Toss a cookie to the side for the dog to get, and when they lift their head after eating, cue the teeter with your verbal cue. They should move into their position cleanly. Mark with your room service marker and deliver the cookie to them on the board, in position. Return your hands to home and cue a tossed cookie to reset them for the next repetition.
In the video above, Gletta was clumsy on one rep, but I felt like she was actively trying to fix it the entire time, so I marked and rewarded. If she had stopped moving before she was in the correct position, I would not have rewarded her in position, but just cued the tossed cookie to reset for the next rep.
Gletta was also offering a sit at first so I tried to feed her with her head low to make sitting less likely to happen. That was successful!
Keep in mind that the further away your cookie tosses are, the more speed the dog will have approaching the board. Toss responsibly!
Assuming this goes well, your next step will be to stand up. You will still be using tossed cookies and room service cookies. In addition to standing up, you will begin changing your position, making your way towards being parallel to the teeter.
I can change my position while I am feeding the dog with room service OR while the dog is collecting their tossed cookie. I am NOT changing the position while the dog is moving into position.
Let’s see how your dogs transition from their wobbly prop to the actual teeter!
Testimonials & Reviews
A sampling of what prior students have said about this course...
I’ve never worked with anyone that has such great curriculum for teaching foundation for obstacles! I love this teeter training method because Megan splits the teeter criteria into the most basic steps and has us slowly introduce handler and dog changes at each of the basic steps! I think Megan’s feedback is not only personalized, but also invaluable!
I have taken other teeter classes but I love this method and instructor best!!
I took Megan’s teeter class because I knew that my dog, Quinn, might have some issues with the sound & movement of the teeter. Megan definitely took the time to make sure we split the behaviors, and built her confidence, but also made sure I got to a point by the end of the class, where I had a plan to move forward after the class. Her feedback was spot on, and she was very encouraging throughout!
I got this course to have on hand and polish up some elements of our 4on during the winter. But I really loved the content and am so glad I have it for whenever we get our next performance pup!
This was a really good course and it reminded me that I try to rush or lump behaviours.
Loved this class and wouldn’t have changed a single thing <3
I found the course content to be full of extremely useful material broke down into segments that made learning enjoyable. The feed back from the instructor, Megan Foster was very personalized. Most definitely one of the best classes and instructors I have had the privilege to learn from.
Registration
There are no scheduled sessions for this class at this time. We update our schedule frequently, so please subscribe to our mailing list for notifications.
Registration opens at 9:30am Pacific Time.
AG195 Subscriptions
Gold |
Silver |
Bronze |
|
---|---|---|---|
Tuition | $ 260.00 | $ 130.00 | $ 65.00 |
Enrollment Limits | 11 | 25 | Unlimited |
Access all course lectures and materials | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Access to discussion and homework forums | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Read all posted questions and answers | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Watch all posted videos | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Post general questions to Discussion forum | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ |
Submit written assignments | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
Post dog specific questions | ✔ | With video only | ✖ |
Post videos | ✔ | Up to 2 | ✖ |
Receive instructor feedback on |
|
|
✖ |
Find more details, refund policies and answers to common questions in the Help center.