Once in a while, on competition courses, the seesaw is placed so that the dog is required to handle it independently. Whether you need to move forward or sideways from the obstacle, or there’s a distance gamble on a gamblers course. Teaching the dog independent seesaw skills gives you the freedom to move to the next point, and, when the dog knows exactly what is expected of him and how to perform the seesaw safely without your help, safety increases.

So, August's training challenge is all about an independent seesaw. There are two exercises included. In the video, you will see Janina Kantola with her young border collie Ava, performing the first exercise.

Training focus: Seesaw and distance work
Number of exercises: 2

Exercise 1.

In the first exercise, the idea is that the handler stays in a small area (preferably below the horizontal line on the course map) and the dog needs to listen to the verbal cues. He needs to be confident enough to work at a large distance from the handler and to proceed to the right obstacles without hesitation.

Please note that if your dog is not yet confident, you need to build it up in small steps. Use a helper or treat and train machine for rewarding him and encouraging him to work away from you. You might need to support him with your movement first, but step by step he will be more courageous and perform the obstacles at a larger distance from you. But remember: reward him a lot and don’t do or say anything that might make him unsure.

Pay special consideration to the end of the seesaw. As you see on the video, during the first repetition, Ava exits the seesaw from the side, but the second try goes perfectly!

Exercise 2.

This exercise requires the dog to be able to focus forward and continue to the tunnel after the seesaw. The idea is that the handler stays on the right side of the vertical line on the course map. If you want more challenge, you can also try staying on the lower side of the horizontal line and then on the upper side of it.

Save the course maps and the exercise

The course maps can be found in the AgiNotes app. You can save the challenge to your training list and after performing it, move it to your training diary with one click. We hope you’ll enjoy the exercises and get to develop your dog’s seesaw skills!

Save the exercises in Finnish

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