Multi-Tasking Obstacles
We’re having a mini-series here on Agility Fusion- Multi-tasking obstacles! Look for one (or more) posts on how you can make obstacles work for you each week!
We’re kicking the series off with a fairly new item. Freestanding base Competition Adjustable Jumps are perfect for less than perfect ground training- but what else are they good for?
I’ve found them useful for weaves- not a full set, no, but I’ve used them as four weaves, just to practice with since I was too lazy to get a weave set out. Quick doesn’t really know how to weave yet, but he and I had fun weaving in and out! Just take the jump bars off and turn them so their jump cups are away from the dog. I know some think that this leads a dog to not recognize the obstacle, but I want to teach Quick very good obstacle discrimination, so he’ll know when a jump is a jump and when it’s something to just go between.
You can also use the uprights to teach handling skills as you guide the dog around the upright and slowly work in more and more distance. You’ll be gambling in no time!
Why should, or shouldn’t you multipurpose obstacles?
Next week: Tunnels!
You can use a multitude of items to training beginning weaves—bathroom plungers in the living room—-step in fence posts outside….
Until the dog begins to really weave,IMHO no harm in multitasking the equipment.
I think this may just serve to promote less than perfect performance for the intended obstacles. I am a fan of precision and if you are using jump bases for weaves–well, that isn’t the same structure as weave poles, or spacing, and then there is the ground bar instead of flat metal that the dog will have to navigate.
Hi K – thanks for the input! Yes, definitely if you were using a fixed-base jump I would NOT suggest it, but if you’re using a free-standing base, which is what I am suggesting, it would be essentially the same as stick in the ground weaves. Good point about the precision though!