Teeter Training
Close your eyes and picture the perfect teeter performance. What do you see?
Is the dog driving to the end of the board at full speed without pausing at the
pivot point? Does the dog keep its weight forward? Once in the two-on, two-off
position does the dog hold the position until released? Is the dog's teeter
performance the same in competition as in practice?
The first step in any training is to know what the finished performance should
look like and to set a goal of exactly what you want your dog's performance to
be. The second step is to break the training down into pieces, perfecting each
before increasing the level of difficulty.
The first dog I trained for agility, twelve years ago, had a teeter performance
timed at a mind numbing five seconds. Watching her perform the teeter was akin
to watching grass grow. At the time I knew it was bad but did not realize how
bad until a well meaning amateur photographer showed me all the really great
photos she took of my dog on the teeter during a competition. She bragged she
was able to shoot a whole roll of film in the time it took my dog to complete the
teeter. The photos showed a dog, in fear for their life, slowly moving across the
teeter. At that moment I vowed my next dog would have a better teeter and that I
would become a better agility handler and trainer.
My second agility dog, Lana, who is now eleven, has a teeter performance much
improved over the first dog. Teeter performance continued to improve with the
next two dogs, Reckless and Joy the Havanese. To see video of my four dogs
and Silvina Bruera's Border Collie Maja, log onto www.abbadogs.com. Joy,
Reckless and Maja demonstrate great teeter performances from mini, midi and
maxi dogs. Now that we know what the teeter performance is suppose to look
like, how do we train?
When training a dog I cannot emphasize enough the importance of "listening" to
your dog's body language. Watch the ears and tail; look for stress panting or
yawning, growling or grumbling, barking and overall enthusiasm level. A good
trainer does not advance to the next step, or increase the level of difficulty until
the dog is 100% comfortable at the current step. Each step may take a week, a
month or longer. Keep in mind it is easier to proceed slowly, evaluating the dog's
performance at each step before moving on, than rushing the dog or short cutting
training and having to go back later to "fix" a problem.
For the purposes of this article we will assume the reader is versed in clicker
training. Teeter training begins on the wobble board, preferably the type that
accommodates different size balls and thus variable tilts. I begin with a smaller
size ball, the tennis or baseball, to keep the movement and slope very slight.
Once the dog is comfortable with the slope and movement of the baseball I use a
larger softball and progress to a kid size basketball.
Step 1: Using your feet, brace the wobble board so it does not move.
Click and reward the dog first for stepping on then walking across the board.
Step 2: Using the smallest size ball and no longer bracing the board with
your feet, encourage your dog to step onto the board making it move. Click and
reward.
Step 3: Click and reward the dog for walking across the board, sitting on
the board, dancing on the board, turning left and right on the board.
Step 4: Teach the dog the two-on-two off position used at the end of the
contacts. Click and reward for getting into position then up the ante by only
clicking when the dog keeps her weight forward.
Fully train each step on the smallest size ball first then repeat the steps with the
next larger ball. Do not skip steps and do not proceed to the next step or to a
larger ball until the dog is 100% comfortable at the current level.
While I'm getting a dog used to movement on the wobble board, in separate
training sessions, I will get the dog used to running up and down the teeter
without movement. Brace the end of the teeter on the table so that there is no
movement and encourage the dog to run up and down the board. Start by going
from the table down to the ground. Normally, I begin with the table at the 24"
height but if the dog is too nervous a shorter table is used and the height of the
table increased to 24" as the dog gets use to the slope. Once the dog is at ease
going from the table to the ground I ask the dog to go from the ground up to the
table. At this stage do not ask for a stop and touch at the end of the board. As
Jim Basic says I want the dog to "see wood and run". The stop on the teeter is
added later during Susan Garrett's "bounce game".
The bounce game is somewhat of a continuation of wobble board training in that
it transfers the movement of the large wobble board with gentle movement to the
narrower teeter board with fast movement accompanied with loud bangs. Place
the wing of a jump, plastic chair or other item under the weighted side (approach
or up side) of the teeter, bracing the teeter so there is no movement in the board.
Step 1: With the board braced so that it does not move teach the dog to
jump up, side ways on the board, always facing down, and move quickly into the
two-on-two-off contact position. If you have done your contact board training and
end of dog walk training the dog should already have this skill.
Step 2: Now move the item bracing the teeter back so there is a very
small, 1" – 2" bounce in the board. Click and reward the dog for placing its
weight on the board and making the board move. Once the dog is comfortable
with the movement, encourage the dog to jump onto the board and immediately
move into the two-on / two-off contact position. The dog is now clicked and
rewarded for moving quickly into the contact position. Once the dog becomes
proficient in controlling the board and driving to the end with a 1" – 2" bounce
increase the bounce to 3" – 4" and so on. Before increasing the bounce closely
evaluate the dog. Only increase the amount of bounce if the dog is 100%
comfortable at the current level. Remember to listen to your dog and watch for
signs of stress. As the bounce level is increased you may need to go back a
step or two for a few days.
At this point I've spent weeks clicking and rewarding the dog, literally, thousands
of times for moving the board, driving to the end of the board, running across the
board and going into the contact position on the dog walk or contract trainer. It is
now time to ask the dog to run the entire length of the teeter and go into the
contact position.
My teeter has eight height adjustments; I lower the teeter to the lowest position
possible and ask the dog to run the entire board, driving to the end into the twoon
and two-off position. It may take a week or a month at each height position.
With my Havanese Joy I spent a full year teaching the teeter and the behavior
requires weekly maintenance. Only move to the next position if the dog is 100%
comfortable at the present height. That means, full speed, keeping her weight
forward, driving to the end of the board and not stopping at the pivot point. Often
I will make a circle of jumps and tunnels to build speed onto the teeter and ask
for three to four completions of the circle in quick repetition.
As the height of the teeter is increased some dogs may hesitate at the pivot point
before driving to the end. If this occurs go back and do some bounce game
touches for a day or so to reinforce the end of the board. Then try the teeter
again. For most dogs this will "fix" the hesitation. Joy drove to the end of the
teeter beautifully until the number five position when the teeter was at about 60%
height. At that point she began hesitating and leaning her weight back at the
pivot point. No amount of wobble board or bounce game reinforcements could
convince her to drive through the pivot at a full run. I needed to convince her that
the reward was at the end of the board and only if she ran really fast to the end of
the board.
Step 1: Set the teeter at full height then use a jump bar to brace the teeter
so that the board will not move. Verify the board will not move and that the bar
will not spring free under the weight of your dog by pressing down on the end of
the board (the end in the air) with your arms. The bar bracing the board should
not come out from under the board.
Step 2: Load the end of the board with a tasty treat such as canned
cheese or peanut butter, something it will take the dog long enough to eat so she
does not go flying off the end of the board before you arrive to lift her off the
board. Pick your dog up so they can see the tasty treat you have placed at the
end of the board. A small note on lures; when using a lure such as food or toys
you want to get in and get out quick as possible. What that means is use the lure
one or two times to get the dog into the desired position or performance then
switch to rewarding the dog. The problem with lures is that too often they are left
in place too long creating a dog that will not perform until we "show them the
money".
Step 3: Send the dog to the end of the board with you by her side. Once
the dog has reached the end of the board reward her for curling her toes over the
end of the board. After multiple clicks pick the dog up off the end of the board
and set her on the ground. Until the dog drives to the end of the board without
hesitation and without leaning back there should be no movement of the board.
During this training your position should vary "around the clock" sometimes
sending her to the end of the board with you behind, sometimes you are front
recalling her and sometimes you are running on one side then the other.
Once the dog is driving to the end of braced teeter and understands that the
reward is only at the end of the board it is time to add small movement. Put your
teeter on the lowest setting and progress back up through the height
adjustments.
The next installment of this article will discuss maintenance of the perfect teeter
and performance in and out of competition.