The goal of this course is for your dog to be able to weave 12 consecutive poles with confidence, accuracy, and joy. It is a good course for newcomers, for retraining dogs who have a problem, and for dogs who are well started but may have a weakness in any element of weaving skill.
Some dogs begin to drive through the slalom happily with very little training. Other dogs feel foreign and flat-footed in there. Both extremes have strengths and weaknesses. Both extremes are welcome in this class!
We will use clickers and voice markers, cookies and toys and party games. You will need to learn your dog's reinforcement hierarchy so that we can use differential reinforcement as weeks go on.
You will NOT need fancy equipment. Of course it's great to have weaves, and they are a great agility investment. But it will not be necessary to have 2x2's or regulation weave equipment. We can teach behaviors and concepts with substitutes like fencing stakes or reflective stakes, “zoner honers,” pvc pipe over metal base, or stick-in-the-ground poles. You get the idea. I will be sure to demo some of the non-regulation options, I've used many of them. They can make your dog very smart!
We will embrace both the mental and the physical game of weaving. We'll work with concepts and with patterns of behavior. We will notice and learn from the individual ways of going. Most important, we will build desire and confidence and accuracy in measurable increments, so there will be no need to rush any one element of the process. The course is designed to help you build skills at your own pace so that you can have it all.
Julie Daniels (she/her) won her first award for writing in the fourth grade, and she was training dogs long before that. Today Julie Daniels is one of the foremost names in dog agility in the United States. She was one of the early champions of the sport and helped many clubs throughout the country...(Click here for full bio and to view Julie's upcoming courses)
The Three C's: what's the best priority for your dog?
Using the “Do You See” Game
When/Where/How to Reinforce
Wk 3
Fine-Tuning Your Markers
Upping Criteria
The Third 2x2
“Last Pole” Games: for xpens and 2x2s
Using the Variables
Individual Choreography
Wk 4
Distance, Distraction, Duration
The Three C's: should your priority change?
Building Accuracy Under Pressure
Using Mistakes Wisely – the when, why, and how
Creating “Self Right” Weavers!
Wk 5
Fun Games With D, D, and D!
Measuring Accuracy – my system
When and How to “Help” Now
Weaning from Props
More with Markers
Wk 6
No Matter What!
Cool Games and Handling Tools
No More Props?
Testing and Maintaining Criteria
Fixing Errors at Speed
Ever More Powerful!
Prerequisites and Equipment
There is no prerequisite for this course! No experience required of handler or dog.
Even a baby dog can learn the first few steps of these games, and the exposure to these concepts will help you so much later on when he is really old enough to weave. Of course, we will not be cranking around the spines and joints of baby dogs, so there is much that we would NOT do with a dog whose growth plates are not closed. That is a good rule to know when to start real weaving for speed and power. For that reason you might not want to invest in Gold level participation with a baby dog. But just imagine how smart your youngster will be later if you instill now the concepts of going between and enjoying the art of the slalom. You could teach weaving between your legs if you'd like to end up with a completed trick for a baby. It's all good.
Here is a picture of a few different ideas for our initial “go between” work in this course:
The spacing can be anything from 18” to 36” to start with, and we will transition to about 24”. Even a couple of wingless stanchions could work for the first concepts.
As we progress with adult dogs, you WILL need to have at least 6 weaves of some kind.
But you do not have to have regulation equipment to teach the concept and muscle movements of weaving.
Here is a picture of some ideas:
Regulation weaves are a great option, and a great agility investment.
If you can get them for class you will always be glad you have them. Twelve is ideal, six is fine.
Leaning against the regulation poles I have two 24” high Xpens (any height will do). If you will be using regulation poles and not 2x2's or channels, then you will need 2 Xpens.
Leaning on an Xpen you can see several reflective stakes which I have slipped into short lengths of pvc. Any kind of stick-in-the-ground pole like this is fine for suitable ground. I've used fiberglass fence posts too. They are cheap and easy to transport, but I put pvc sleeves over them because they shed nasty splinters.
On the right I have a set of practice channels, meaning that they are not regulation because they do not quite adjust to a straight line. I love these for training weaves! They also come in pvc, but I like the sturdy steel base. They are often available cheaply. Channels which adjust all the way to regulation poles are wonderful, and a lot more expensive!
Just into the picture at the front you can see a steel stand-alone pole. I do not remember the original purpose of these, but I have had them for 25 years and still love them. I mention it because you might come upon something serviceable which you will recognize as useful if you are thinking about this.
I hope you can see that the game of weaving can be fun at any level! You can make your dog smart enough to recognize a set of weaves no matter what material or combination of poles they look like. We will approach this as a skill set and a game. Both the physical and the mental components are equally important and equally fun to train.
AG240: FOUNDATION WEAVES - LOVE THEM AND FLAUNT THEM
THE 'FIRST POLE' GAME, by Julie Daniels
Nothing says pure 'agility' like the weaves! A combination of skill set plus mental management by dog and handler.
Often the weave poles are the last obstacle to come together for the team (hence AKC's practice of including only 6 poles instead of 12 poles in Novice classes).
In this class, we will be addressing both the physical game and the mental game of weave poles. In all the games we play, we'll be remembering to keep the mental game strong and positive.
We should by now be enjoying that all-important positive CER for the very sight of weave poles. How simple! How complicated! And often not so easy as it sounds. This class is for developing your dog's unabashed LOVE for that strange slalom obstacle we call weaves. So put lots of reinforcement and fun into the games from Week 1, and flaunt what you have accomplished there! Then get ready for this game about how to find the correct 'outside' entry. This lecture is about the 'first pole' games.
This next game will take our skill set on a different path. The prerequisites for this game are Attraction and One Between. Now we'll introduce the game of putting the first pole always on the left shoulder. This will help the dog feel the proper way to enter the weaves. Later this week we will also begin the swinging movement of weaving through a slalom.
After your dog enjoys seeking and running through the Between from all angles, then you are ready to start playing First Pole.
ANGLED POLES: THE 'FIRST POLE' GAME
After your dog is happily going through two betweens in succession, let's go on to the next lesson of angled poles. We are ready to start the long process of helping the dog feel comfortable putting the first pole on his left shoulder every single time. So this is the start of 'first pole' games. This stuff gets very exciting because you will help your dog learn a concept which will forever be essential to his mastery of weaving at speed.
Go back to only one 'go between' item. This is not about duration at all, it is a complex combination of classical and operant conditioning designed to develop a dog who feels comfortable at a visceral level when he puts the first pole on his left shoulder. That tells you that you will need a LOT of reps before you can say you are done with this one! And I say you are never done. It is a fun game to play even with your most experienced dogs.
Speaking of being never done with this concept! At least some of you wrote me that you will put a young dog in this class but you have a retrain dog in the background. I hope you will start that retrain dog on the simple exercises in Week 1. Spend a few minutes on the concept of Between, which should go quickly for a retrain. Don't skip that step. And then spend a LOT of time here on the First Pole games! I'm not kidding, you can improve everything about the dog's weave experience by enjoying this concept fully.
Remember I just said above, “the long process of helping the dog feel comfortable putting the first pole on his left shoulder...”. That tells you that this skill is not just acquired through operant conditioning. This skill of First Pole is also a function of classical conditioning. We want your dog to WANT that feeling of first pole on the left. It should feel good. It should be comfortable, so he seeks it. That's the goal of this game. Do you see the important role of classical conditioning in this skill?
When something like "put the first pole on your left" is effectively classically conditioned, it's no longer just a choice. Classical conditioning affects things like heart rate and blood pressure, the autonomic systems which are underneath our will power. We have to understand that classical conditioning is how we built that positive CER for the weave sticks. And it will paly a big role in helping our dogs WANT to feel the first pole always on their left. Correct entry will be not be just a requirement, it will be the way that feels good. See where we're going?
Classical conditioning will underscore everything we do here. We want our dogs to continue to be attracted to our games as we go forward through this class. The games will become more challenging, and mistakes will be made by all of us, dogs and humans. Be ever mindful of how your dog feels about his weaves, and how he feels about being trained by YOU. No amount of “you have to do it this way” will make up for your dog's negative CER about weaves or about a training session with you. Am I being clear? This will become more and more important as the class goes on. Don't skip the foundation steps of Week 1. And you can go back to them at any time.
OK, now let's start our first game of First Pole. The Between will now be just a little bit angled counter clockwise from the perpendicular presentation we used when we played Between. Here is a video example.
This is our young adult Corgi named Torri on her very first game of angled poles. We are working with one 2x2 in my little dining room on a slippery tiled floor. Thanks to her low center of gravity, the Corgi has no trouble with traction. You should choose a substrate which is comfortable for your dog.
Torri Intro to First Pole Game
As mentioned in the video, the angle of presentation is specifically set to help Torri feel the first pole on her left, but we don't want her to make a mistake yet. So the cookies are tossed straight ahead, and not too far away, so she can get lots of correct reps in quick succession. Step 1 should be easy as well as fun. Torri had several very short sessions of this easy angled pole game. Less than one minute per session! Five reps is fine! Ten reps is maximum! That's a good rule as you begin.
The next video shows a more challenging set-up. You will need to become the expert on when to make things harder and how much harder. My motto is “small changes, more often.” You might also benefit from going back to easy steps every now and then, even after you have progressed. It's just smart to keep the dog relaxed and happy as you go. And, as mentioned, you just can't have too many reps of feeling the first pole on the left. Just a few at a time, and many sessions in many locations. This game is quite small space friendly, so it's easy to vary locations at this point. How's your CER holding up? Is your dog excited when the weave poles come out?
Here is a harder version along with the how-to of using treat delivery to vary the approach angle.
Torri First Pole Game with More Angle
I hope you will watch and listen to these short videos more than once, as there is much to see and also much to hear. If listening isn't possible then notice the systematic way I am tossing the treats to create more advanced approach angles back to the equipment. I tried to keep these videos short enough that they will be both useful and interesting, without extraneous stuff in there.
Now here is a very short session with Torri making the transition to the diffucult path adjustment as she finds the proper first pole position, ending with a breath-holder rep and jackpot, a perfect stop point. Don't do all of this in one session! It's tempting to keep going, but it is not smart. These sessions should be short! If you keep your dog's empowerment in mind, then you are likely to make the right decision about ending your session when the dog has plenty of desire to play. Never overstay your welcome! Here is Torri showing how well she understands this First Pole concept now:
Torri First Pole Game with Sharp Angle
Notice how I use the toss of the cookie to determine where I want Torri to start her next rep from. We will play separately some First Pole games which have the dog starting beside the handler. But this first game is designed to get the dog thinking for himself about where to put his body. I do not want the handler interfering with the dog's choices in this game. So think about tossing the reward cookies straight ahead for the dog in order to create a "weave line." Previously we wanted the dog to move perpendicularly through the poles, but now we are beginning to create a straight line which will eventually put the weaves in a row.
I can't wait to see how you enjoy these games. Keep Attraction at the forefront of every session. Don't worry about how far you go. And begin at the beginning even if you don't think you need to! Do not skip any of these games! If you are a Gold student, you can concentrate your video work wherever you want my input and help. But do the exercises from the beginning, each and every one.
REINFORCEMENT DELIVERY
Do you need to practice your cookie tosses without your dog? That would be very smart of you! Do you need to experiment with which cookies toss better? What color cookies to use so that your dog can find them quickly? Make sure to get all of your materials and your gear together and in place before you bring your dog into the mix. Be ready to relax and have fun when you add your dog to the session.
I think we all agree that you need to get inside your dog's head. You need to know what he likes and what he will enjoy working for. That will be very important throughout the program! Do you know your dog's reinforcement hierarchy? I think you should have three different levels of reward. Almost anything the dog wants can be used as a treat. What are you using for treats with these games? Are you changing the treats depending on the challenge or the environment? What's your ace in the hole? How full is your reinforcement tool box? I find reinforcement to be a fascinating topic, and many different dogs have taught me the value of many different unexpected rewards.
I hope I have opened the door for some interesting topics of discussion. There will be easy and difficult work for everyone. I thank you for participating in this Fenzi class, and I will do my very best to keep you progressing and having fun with weaves! Let's talk about it!
Julie Daniels
Deerfield, NH
Course Testimonials
A sampling of what prior students have said about this course ...
This weaves course was one of the most comprehensive and valuable online classes I have ever taken. It has really helped both my dogs and after being stuck for over a year trying to teach this skill I saw huge improvement after just the first week.
I am so happy I took this class. Julie is a very insightful and encouraging teacher. My dog and I came to this class with exactly zero experience each on weaves. He has gone from not quite sure about it to happily cantering through a very narrow weave channel and now even has begun actual weaving through the poles. To me this is quite impressive for such a short class. I wish the class would keep going. If it is offered again I would take it again, as I've seen Julie can help you advance no matter what level you are at. Lisa H.
Love the basics of this course that are designed to create love and desire for the weaves -- not just the ability to get through 12 poles without a mistake. Learned so much and loved every minute. Mary Ann E
This was a great class. I was hesitant at first to take an online agility class as a green handler with a green dog for a foundations class. As it turns out I was able to get more out of this course with the detailed feedback I got of video analysis and with the overall increased comfort level of my sensitive dog who tends to need to go slower than the pace of in person agility classes. I was extremely impressed and encouraged by Julie's total understanding/acceptance of my dog's mental state/drive/confidence as well as the physical challenges of my non- standard agility breed (Great Dane). She has really brought to light an overall methodology for working with my dog that transfers to everything and doesn't apply to the weaves. I felt that this class was extremely useful for such a technical obstacle and as a beginner it was great to be able to concentrate on it in isolation. I love that I have the notes to review every one of my videos and that it's not up to my on my toes memory as to what feedback I remember from an in person class. This is not meant as a negative to in person agility classes; however this is both a great supplement to in person agility or a fantastic option for those who dont have in person facilities available. Tanya M
I have done agility with previous dogs and the bane of my life was the weavers the last thing taught and god I hated them so how was my dog going to enjoy them. This time I am teaching my dog weavers first and we have had a ball she loves to weave and I am amazed at the speed we learnt and how we can now add extra obstacles wow love it Lyn L
Fantastic course! Warm, exuberant, positive instructor -- Julie Daniels. Specific goals named every step of the way and what to look for as you are heading towards the main goal of the course. I took AG240 Foundation Weaves to test the waters of online agility education in general and Fenzi Academy in particular. My dog can complete the weaves and find his entrances 90% of the time, but his journey through the weaves has been lackluster. Our instructor taught us to look for and recognize confidence every step of the way before moving on. Although we had learned to weave via channels and 2 x 2s before this class, her particular take on successful weaving from the ground up minimized the opportunity for failure, which builds confidence into the equation. Also, with an online class an having lectures available for a year, a student can go at his or her own pace and catch up later. Exceptionally excellent teaching. Videos show how to turn a mistake into a learning moment. Typical and atypical agility dogs (HOORAY!!!) were included in the examples used. My dog and I give it 6 paws up.
Julie is awesome! I liked how she presented the material and started discussion questions. Her feedback to students was supportive and constructive. I took the course at bronze with a dog brand new to Weaves and another dog who competes in Masters. Both dogs love their weaves and made so much progess. Thanks! Linda A.
An incredible amount of information that addressed every conceivable need/problem/challenge
Registration
This is a self-study class. The lectures will appear directly in your library, under the "Self Study classes" heading. Self Study classes do not have class homework forums. You will not have any access to the course instructor for questions or feedback. Please note there are no refunds on self-study classes so review all the information provided carefully before purchasing.
You will have access to these materials in your library for one year from the date of enrollment. You can keep your library pass current by enrolling in at least one course or workshop a year. Alternatively, you can purchase a library pass for $25 per year for as long as you wish to have access to prior class materials.
AG240 Self Study
AG240: Foundation Weaves - Love Them and Flaunt Them
AG240 Retired
$50.00
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Instructor: Julie Daniels
