Disco 2X 2 Day 2 1-3-09

So we had a successful first day of training with the 2 X 2 weaves. If it was nice outside and I had time we could be doing 2 or 3 short training sessions a day, but for now that just is not possible. Remember that in each training set you only work the dog for a couple of minutes. It could very well take you longer to get everything out, set up and warm up the dog than doing the actual weave training. That is not to say that you could not do some other things with the dog as well but the formal training needs to remain very short. For today I will be staying at just two poles and working the arc inside the hotel room. If things go very well maybe I will venture outside into the cold parking lot for a second training set before dark. The trial format here in Erie is very works well for training a second dog. They run all the excellent level classes first so we are done with the trial and back at the hotel at just a little after 11 am. I got to take both dogs on a nice walk and Dixie has settled down for a nap.
Disco was very excited as soon as he saw me get the poles out. We played a short game of tug to get him focused on me and then when right into working the arc around the two poles. He picked right up form yesterday and is quickly offering me the poles as soon as I get him back in place. There is not much room inside here to do handling moves to get him back but that is fine for today. We worked our couple of minutes and then did some retrieving inside. He is pretty good about bringing things back to me inside but not so much outside. He will have to get better at that for our more advance training outside. I decided I would call for an early dinner delivery and then take him outside and see how he does with a second set of poles.
Now outside I managed to find a nice clear and quiet spot in the hotel parking lot. I start him with one set of poles, rotating them to the proper 2-8 angle as he does them just a couple of times. I then added the second set of 2 poles about 15’ from the first set. After rewarding him after the first set (between the two sets) once from each side I then let him do both sets. He very quickly moves ahead of me to do both sets. We work both side of the arc without and problems. I moved the poles slowly back to straight and about 7 feet apart. Disco has no problems with this set up. We play a little extra tug at the end of the training session while I pack the poles back into the SUV for the trip home tomorrow, there will be no training since we will leave from the trial site for home and arrive home after dark. Disco and I went on a short walk to end to celebrate his good work.

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