Getting Woobie used to Agility Obstacles

[Guest WoobiesMom]

So, I haven't signed Woobie up for an agility class yet primarily because he acts very afraid of the elevated obstacles which are all painted blue and yellow at our training place. He once walked halfway up the bridge ramp (not sure of the technical name) and seemed to realize he was off the ground and jumped off.

 

I've been thinking of building some of my own equipment to use in the backyard to get him familiar before shelling out the $$ for a class. My deck to the backyard is approximately 5 ft. off the ground and Woobie has to go up and down about 10 stairs to get in and out. I thought I would build one of the ramps which would take up about half of the staircase. With the ramp secured to the stairs, he could still go in and out without walking *on* it, but would have to be right beside it everytime he went in and out. Later, I'd work on me walking on the stairs and him going on the ramp right beside me and then even later, add a 2nd ramp which would make the whole staircase a ramp and he'd have to walk on it to get in and out. The angle wouldn't be too severe I think, judging from the angle on the A frame at our training facility.

 

Does this sound like a good way to get him past this phobia? Of course, there'd be lots of clicking and treating along the way, in the beginning for just walking past it, and later for every foot that touches it.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

I got Maggie over her phobia of the dogwalk by putting our little one in the doorway of our living room, and then eating fried chicken on the other side (and sharing it with the other dogs). Evil, yes. It worked like a charm, though. She was happily going up and over in five minutes.

[Pat W.]

Just so you know any good training facility should not start a green dog on full height equipment. Training clubs in my area start with the equipment only about 2 ft off the ground and gradually raise them to full height. Dogs are normally kept on leash to work the equipment until they are confident and normally have a spotter - the instructor - in addition to the handler working with them when they are on a piece of equipment

[PSmitty]

Ditto Pat. At our agility classes, the intro level class has all the contact equipment flat on the ground to begin with. So the dogs just get used to the feel of walking over them without them being elevated, then the next stage is to go to the "baby equipment", which is slightly elevated, and we work up to full height. It would be way too much to expect a skittish dog like Woobie to go over full height equipment without any training, but I bet he could work his way up to it.

[Root Beer]

Something simpler that might be just as helpful, if not more, would be to get a board and paint it yellow. Then place it on the ground and C/T for any interaction with it. Once your dog will put paws on it willingly, you could begin to raise it - just one end at first, just a little way.

 

Eventually you could get your dog to where he is happy walking back and forth across it when it is raised just about a foot or less on two cinder blocks.

 

Then, if you take class, new dogs should start on very low equipment. If your dog is used to interacting with a board and walking on it, the initial introduction to dog walk and A-Frame (very low) should be easier.

 

Just one note, there are a lot of ways you can do this, but I would keep the board stationary at first. It can be useful to do the same sort of exercise with a wobbly board to prepare the dog for teeter, but I am always more comfortable getting the dog used to walking on a board that isn't moving before starting that.

[MrSnappy]

My only suggestion here is that if you have a live-in partner, get his permission or at least warn him before you start using the coffee table to train a fast "down" on the table.

 

Let's just say I'm speaking from experience here

 

RDM

[OurBoys]

WB,

 

JJ is scared of heights and I never could get him to walk the dog walk or teeter-totter. When we (instructor & I) finally got him over the A-frame, you should have seen the look on his face! He was so proud of himself! I was hoping to see that look again when he conquered the dog walk and teeter-totter but that's not going to happen. The instructor kept saying she had a wobble board I could use to help JJ but she never brought it out. One day after class I just asked her if I could look at it so DH could build me one. JJ still doesn't like it but at least we have it for Jake now.

 

If I had known before hand the problem I would have with JJ, I think he would have done better if I had taken private classes with him. With private classes JJ would have had the instructors undivided attention. If he could have conquered his fear in Agility 101, I think he would have had fun in Agility 102. Don't get me wrong. JJ still had fun. He absolutely loves the tunnel! On the last day of class (test day), he was the only one that didn't walk the walk or teeter totter but he was the fastest one going thru the tunnel! Twice!

[Guest WoobiesMom]

... if you have a live-in partner, .....

 

Bwuaahhahhahahahahahah!!!! ROFLMAO!!!!! Sorry. Guess I should share that if I got a live-in partner, it would cost me a tremendous amount of money in alimony! And I haven't dated in nearly 5 years, so that comment made me fall out laughing!

 

Thanks for the tips guys! Now that you say it, it makes perfect sense, but it never occurred to me that these things should be flat. I haven't actually taken the class so I can't speak with complete authority whether the obstacles do lie flat but it doesn't appear that they adjust. I think the A-frame does but not the other ones. They just have them set up outside the tent we train in to try out if you want to. But they've never said anything about lying things out flat. They're pretty new trainers, maybe they don't know. I love the idea of putting it flat and then slowly raising it up a little at a time. That could be done easily on the steps, I'll just make sure it's good and secure. We'll mostly do work on our own in the backyard first to get him confident. If we progress to the class stage, I'll probably take him to the place where I watched flyball last week. The people there were really nice and helpful and seemed like they'd been in it forever, so no rookie mistakes. Plus there's tons of border collies and aussies so it would be nice to be with people who understand the quirks of the breeds. Plus, even after 7 months of Saturdays, Woobie still isn't comfy with the male trainer. He's a very aggressive dominant type and I think it intimidates Woobie. He still hasn't touched him in all this time and his g/f who works the class with him just pet Woobie for the first tiime at the last class. So, I'd rather have Woobie in a happy fun place for agility and flyball classes.

 

thanks again!