Weave Poles

Weave pole problems usually fall into three categories: missed entries, early exits, and slow performance. There are two key points to keep in mind as you train weave poles. First, the behavior is difficult for the dog so in the stress of a trial situation, it’s often one of the first behaviors to break down. Second, all of the major weave pole methods have produced excellent weaving dogs. The main three methods of teaching weave poles are channel, weave-o-matic, and 2x2.

When you are first teaching the weave poles, you want the dog to focus forward instead of looking at you. We like to place a reward at the end of the weave poles. The reward can be a toy, a bowl of food, or a Treat and Train (food dispensing device). Then we change up the handler position and motion so the dog understands that weaving does not depend on the handler; the dog should weave independently. Learn more and watch some demonstrations here: Reward Placement in Weave Pole Training

You may also have problems with closing the weave poles, and this article (with video) will help you with that: The Last Inch: Closing the Weave Poles

For most dogs, they perform weaves well enough at home or in training but struggle in trials where there are more distractions. These dogs benefit from more extensive proofing at home, as demonstrated in this Facebook Live show: Upgrade Your Weave Pole Performance with These Drills

And in this podcast, we talk about our thoughts on weave pole training: Reflections on Weave Pole Training