A beginning set of weave poles consists of 6 upright poles. The dog  will weave in and out of the poles.

Training agility dogs on the weave poles successfully will not happen overnight. If you have a set at home, you can practice frequently for short periods of time and always remember to end your training on a positive note.

Whatever popular training methods you choose to use for getting your dog to master the weaves, do not rush the process. If he or she is doing great one day but then makes lots of mistakes the next, give them a break and try again the next day.

The Wire Method of weave pole training is when wires are clipped onto the upright poles to make a channel path for the dog to follow. As you begin with this methosd, place the wires on the poles at your dog’s eye level, or at a place that will discourage him from going under or over them. As your dog progresses, gradually raise the wires out of your dog’s line of sight until they are taken off altogether. The Chute Method is similar to the Wire Method in that it uses chicken-wire mesh gates to form the path.

The Channel Method is very effective but requires a special weave set that is actually 2 sets of weave poles placed side by side in a parallel offset fashion. Start with the sets placed far apart, so at first your dog is running down a channel, and not weaving at all. As you bring the poles closer together, your dog will start weaving a little.

The Slanted-Pole method was popularized by the Weave-a-matic Weave Pole sets and is similar to the Channel Method. The poles are fixed to a straight base, but can be slanted in an alternating “parted waters” fashion. At first,your dog runs down a path without weaving at first, and as the poles pull closer together, he begins to weave.

The cheapest method is to keep the poles upright, and guide your dog in and out with a leash and treats. You use your legs and body language to gently guide him in and out of the poles.

No matter what method you use, all of them require at least a 6 pole set. You should add more poles only after your dog masters the initial set of 6. Your dog must always enter at the right side of the first pole. The challenge is to get him to do this consistently, and you may want to spend a little time on just entrance training, giving a treat just after the first pole, when he does it right. Entering from the right is not as difficult when your dog is heeling on your left side, but entering the right pole can be harder when your dog is running on your right.

Don’t reward you dog at the end if your dog occasionally “pops” out of a pole, or skips one or more poles. Just take his leash or collar and let him know you’re going to try again then take him back to the beginning. Be gentle and kind since he most likely tried to please you and knows something is wrong because he didn’t get a treat. Start again slowly and guide him with your hand and knees as necessary to make sure he doesn’t skip a pole again.

If he’s still not getting it, you may need to take go backwards a few steps. Depending on the method you use, hold his leash when he goes through or slant the poles more or lower the wires.

Try not to allow more than 2 mistakes in a row or it may become a habit. As soon as he does it successfully, give him lots of praise and be generous with your treats.

Related posts:

1. Channel Weave Pole Set 6 Pieces
2. Channel Weave Pole Set 12 pieces
3. Weave Poles for Practice


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You can’t get simpler than this set – just push the spiked poles into the ground

• Approximately 19″-21″ apart in a straight line.

• Poles are 33″ tall.

• Included is free colored tape for decorating the poles, and a 20″ spacer stick to help you space them evenly apart. (you space them the same for all size dogs).

RETURN POLICY

Related posts:

1. Weave Poles for Practice
2. Channel Weave Pole Set 6 Pieces
3. Channel Weave Pole Set 12 pieces

Agility trainers agree that weave poles for practice are essential to have for your dog to use at home.

• Lightweight, portable, and also very versatile.

• Can be used fixed (straight up and down) or adjustable (slanted), similar to what is called the “weave-a-matic” method.

• Poles are 36″ tall and evenly spaced apart at a standard distance of 20″ (same distance used for all size dogs).

• Comes with free decorative tape for the poles, and easy assembly instructions.

• Each set comes with a free connector kit to connect two sets together and make a 12-pole set.

RETURN POLICY

Related posts:

1. Channel Weave Pole Set 6 Pieces
2. Channel Weave Pole Set 12 pieces
3. Weave Poles That Stick in the Ground