Course Schedule

WK 5 SIGN #8 PROP WEAVE

Sign #8, Prop Weave packs a wallop!   It is both a heeling on a curve exercise, a duration exercise and an attention while working around distractions exercise.  In essence, you'll be taking what you've learned last week in working the 270's and your attention exercises and you'll be applying them to your prop weave.

Here is an example of a prop weave: The dog and handler team heel in a serpentine through 3 or 4 props spaced 4-6 feet apart. You will always enter the prop weave with the first prop to your left. Remember that your dog may be heeling on your left or your right.

When practicing your prop weave, you'll want to determine both the intensity of the attraction of the props, as well as the distance from them at which your dog will succeed.  When you first start practicing them, rather than starting with a serpentine, start by heeling down one side, starting with the dog on the outside (you will be between the props and your dog) and then switching so that the dog is on the near side to the props. Be sure that your distance from the prop is adequate to prevent looking away from you. Reward frequently. Be sure to pause and give your dog a chance to swallow and look back up at you before continuing forward.

When your dog is successful at walking past the props, you can add passing between 2 props before adding the serpentine, or weaving between the props. You may want to have your props more than the 4-6 ft apart that will be required in competition. You may also choose to heel wide of the props in the beginning to ensure success.

When performing prop weaves, I work to have the prop close to me and far from my dog.  You can heel right to, and up near the prop. This way the dog is wide of the other props.  It becomes less of a serpentine pattern and more like a zig zag.

Reward frequently as you move through the prop weave. Stop to feed so the dog doesn't start to lag because he's still eating and you took off without him.  As your dog gets comfortable with one set of props, change one out for a different prop. Continue to change out props. Remember at a live event your dog will have never seen the props, so the more variety you put into your props the better! As you continue to reinforce passing each prop, the prop itself will start to become a cue to look to you.

Okay, let's see your Prop Weaves! And don't forget to send me your work on your extra Sign or Free Choice behavior this week!