Teeter Fear: how to conquer it!
Here I'll describe the step by step process of how I taught both of my extremely fearful dogs to do the teeter confidently.
Overview: Amy, my first agility dog, was afraid of sudden movement and noise (we also struggled with the tunnel). Obviously this made the teeter quite a challenge. At the time, I was teaching Amy everything on my own, so it became a learning process for the both of us. I wasn't even aware of the regulations for a teeter, so my own teeter board was only 8 feet long. Little did I know this was a huge factor in Amy's success. This method was then proved to be successful with my second agility dog, Tarra. It is also a long process, but well worth it. Now I'm hoping this method will help anyone else going through the same thing.
***Important training tips:
- your dog needs to have chosen to work with you before you start the training session.
- stop the session before your dog gets bored
- give your dog breaks when he needs them
- use high value treats and toys
- don't get frustrated, this is a long process! Good luck! :)
1. Play with your dog around the teeter. Play tug, teach tricks, play games, anything your dog likes to do. Initially Tarra didn't even want to be around the teeter, so I spent a week simply getting her comfortable around it. We would do short and easy sequences around the teeter and play lots of tug!
2. An adjustable teeter is a necessity. But for now, you can take any length plank and put it onto a piece of pvc pipe or something small to pivot on. This is your mini teeter. Work the mini teeter until your dog is perfectly fine with it. Be patient. 1 five minute session a day for a few days can make a huge improvement!
3. Adjust your teeter to its lowest setting, about 4" on our teeter. Ask for a teeter behavior and take it slow. You don't want to pressure your dog, make it a fun learning experience. You do not need to hold the end of the board, let the dog feel that he is in control of the board. If he jumps off, let him! Your dog needs to know that he has an option to do the teeter. Here's our first session with the lowered teeter:
Overview: Amy, my first agility dog, was afraid of sudden movement and noise (we also struggled with the tunnel). Obviously this made the teeter quite a challenge. At the time, I was teaching Amy everything on my own, so it became a learning process for the both of us. I wasn't even aware of the regulations for a teeter, so my own teeter board was only 8 feet long. Little did I know this was a huge factor in Amy's success. This method was then proved to be successful with my second agility dog, Tarra. It is also a long process, but well worth it. Now I'm hoping this method will help anyone else going through the same thing.
***Important training tips:
- your dog needs to have chosen to work with you before you start the training session.
- stop the session before your dog gets bored
- give your dog breaks when he needs them
- use high value treats and toys
- don't get frustrated, this is a long process! Good luck! :)
1. Play with your dog around the teeter. Play tug, teach tricks, play games, anything your dog likes to do. Initially Tarra didn't even want to be around the teeter, so I spent a week simply getting her comfortable around it. We would do short and easy sequences around the teeter and play lots of tug!
2. An adjustable teeter is a necessity. But for now, you can take any length plank and put it onto a piece of pvc pipe or something small to pivot on. This is your mini teeter. Work the mini teeter until your dog is perfectly fine with it. Be patient. 1 five minute session a day for a few days can make a huge improvement!
3. Adjust your teeter to its lowest setting, about 4" on our teeter. Ask for a teeter behavior and take it slow. You don't want to pressure your dog, make it a fun learning experience. You do not need to hold the end of the board, let the dog feel that he is in control of the board. If he jumps off, let him! Your dog needs to know that he has an option to do the teeter. Here's our first session with the lowered teeter:
Notice how she jumps off in the beginning. I'm not looking for speed, I want her to comfortably exit the teeter with a walk or a run, not a rush to exit the teeter. I also set up a sequence with the teeter using her favorite obstacles, tunnels. I call these sequences "circuits". This gives Tarra something else to focus on after and before the teeter, thus showing her it's just another obstacle!
4. When your dog isn't showing stress signals as much and you think it's time to move up, go for it. At this stage, Tarra is very unsure of the teeter. I'm taking the board down slowly but she has to start the tipping. Then I gradually stop helping as much and she progresses to doing it on her own. (many sessions are inbetween these videos but are not shown for convenience)
4. When your dog isn't showing stress signals as much and you think it's time to move up, go for it. At this stage, Tarra is very unsure of the teeter. I'm taking the board down slowly but she has to start the tipping. Then I gradually stop helping as much and she progresses to doing it on her own. (many sessions are inbetween these videos but are not shown for convenience)
Now we're progressing with a target and a towel under the end of the board, to reduce noise.
I also stopped asking for a 2o2o after this session because she was confident enough not to fly off. Now that she doesn't have to stop at the end, her confidence is skyrocketing! This next video shows how much she has improved at this height. Next session is a move up!
5. The second half of this video is her first time at the next height.
5. The second half of this video is her first time at the next height.
6. After multiple sessions at this height, we move up to full competition height, BUT, the teeter is landing on a 13" table instead of on the ground. Notice the towel is placed on the table to reduce noise at first. Once it is removed, I let the board hit the table gently and gradually let go.
7. After many more sessions, she is still uneasy. But she has improved tremendously!
8. The hard work pays off, here she progresses to a full teeter all by herself. :)
9. Transfer to a regulation teeter. This teeter looks much different than the one she was trained on. Yet, it drops slower and isn't as loud, she has had the foundation to make any teeter easy!
Now she has drive and enthusiasm for the teeter!
10. Transfer to competition teeters. The next video shows us at a fun match, she was very nervous on the teeter since it was so loud.
10. Transfer to competition teeters. The next video shows us at a fun match, she was very nervous on the teeter since it was so loud.
11. Trial! Even though she had been wary of the teeter at the fun match, after lots more at home practice she pulled off a perfect teeter at our local trial this past June. The teeter is at 1:45.
I hope this helps you and your dog. If you have any questions you can contact me through my youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/cattledogagility101?feature=watch OR my business website: http://www.tarrastugs.weebly.com Happy training!