When working on weave pole entrances, a lot of focus is placed on the angle of approach. A typical entry progression might look like this:
However, you’ll notice that in each of these, the dog is on the OUTSIDE of the handler. The angle of entry changes, but the handler can force a line toward the first pole and, if necessary, run with the dog all the way to the entry.
A useful skill to add is a rear cross of the weave poles. In this case, the dog is still on the outside of the handler, but the handle slips behind the dog as they find their entry.
Some courses will make it difficult for the handler to approach the poles with the dog on the outside. Training the dog to find the entry when they are on the inside adds great diversity to the handler’s weave pole entry options. With the dog on the inside, the handler can rear cross as the dog finds the entry, which can help the dog commit to the poles; or the handler can run the outside path if being on the opposite side of the poles is advantageous.
