Training the Teeter

[Kim Williams]

Hi Everyone,
I have a question? How does the facility you are training in teach the Teeter? I am asking because I have had 1 teacher allow the dog to wait (in the middle) for the teeter to fall and then go over. My new teacher I have now wants the dog NOT TO PAUSE and run to the end and ride it down. Yesterday, I set up a teeter in my yard and would like your opinions on training doodles.
Thanks so much
Kim and Parris

[Linda and Murphy]

Kim,
Murphy started when he was about a year old. The teeter was set very low and she had him walk across and she would catch the end and ease it down (so it didn't SLAM...not easy to do with a 90lb doodle!). Then we went to her not catching it (at a low level) and gradually raised the height. We also used a "target" with treat.
The only issues Murphy has had (and it seemed other dogs had on the same teeter) was in a practice match. It was the first different teeter. It must have done something different because he jumped before the yellow and before it was down.
A beagle that we train with regularly simply got to the middle and refused to go, then jumped off.(se had never had an issue with a teeter)

Also, there are no teeters in NADAC. Hope this helped.

Linda and Murphy

[Kim Williams]

Thanks Linda! Luckily, Parris is very excited about the teeter but waits on the pivot point. One of the teachers says that is a good teeter, the other wants her to run to the end.
Does Murphy slow down at all on the teeter?

[Linda and Murphy]

Kim, he only does it in class (and we haven't been in awhile).
I think he slows for the teeter ( as compared to everything else) and just walks his big, doofy self across.
If Parris is excited about it, I don't think you can go wrong.

[LeAnn, Lucy & Rusty!!]

I think it depends on where you are in your training.. waiting at first while the dog builds his confidence is good but you don't want to train your dog to wait.. the end goal is not stopping in the middle of the teeter but making sure the dog knows to pause at the end (for his safety and to ensure contact)... So it may not be that your trainers differ only that your pup is at a different place in his journey to master teeters.. who know???

Most trainers use a release word for their dog when it gets to the end of the teeter.. if the team (dog/handler) are experts the pause and release word are seamless.. when I was at the AKC National Agility Championships the handler forgot to say the release word and the dog just stood crouched at the end until the handler finally looked back and then gave the release word - what a VERY well trained dog.

One of my favorite "celebrity" agility trainers is Susan Garrett.. here's a video of her dog making a mistake on the teeter by jumping off before she gave the release.. she called him on it and he jumped right back up.. you can see more of her videos at Clicker Dogs on You Tube.


I just ordered her book on weave poles.. cuz Lucy begins them next week... I'll let you know what I think. So far I've not been disappointed in anything from her...

Good luck!

[Kim Williams]

LeAnn,
Thanks for all the great info. We have a teacher that wants to go against all the other trainers on the teeter. He literally holds the teeter while the dog is going across and makes them do a "down" at the end, then puts the teeter down. Many of the other instructors say that some dogs will do a fly off this way. I have only been doing agility for a year , but was curious how other facilities train the teeter. Thanks for the great post and video.
Kim and Parris

[LeAnn, Lucy & Rusty!!]

mmmmmm I'll ask my trainer this week to weigh in on the topic... interesting.