A start line wait makes it easier for you to set your dog up in the correct start position (as not all courses are in a straight line) and allows you to get a head of your dog.
It also means they are starting under control.
There could be several reasons why your dog will wait in training but not at a show and we will discuss them in part 2 but for now we can start with the training at home and in class.
If you have a solid wait at home, you need to think how different it is when you come training. With ALL types of training, when you leave the home and include the environment (distraction) you will lose a minimum of 40% of your consistency. I think 60% is more accurate.
So, for example, if you can have your dog in a sit wait for 10 seconds at home away from the agility equipment, you will have a maximum of 4-6 seconds in training.
Now include the distance you had at home, and you probably can’t even get past the first jump in class before they break it.
Agility is a high energy and exciting sport and needs self-control and boundaries.
So, what can we do? We can practice in class and make if fun and rewarding for them to wait instead of nagging and putting unnecessary pressure on them to wait.
It’s just as important as teaching them to jump and you can also unknowingly make it a negative thing, so you may want to think about changing their release word if you think this has happened
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Asking for your dog to wait means there should be a reward for them doing so, not rewarding them for sitting and then asking for a wait as they are probably going to take the food and get up without waiting. All dogs doing agility should have a sit and shouldn’t need rewarding for it.
Start with going back to the dog and having a game of tug and then setting them up and starting or going back and rewarding with food for them waiting or release them and reward them after the first jump. These are all things you should be doing without me asking you to do them when it’s your turn. We are all guilty of not practising it enough.
Dogs are clever so you also need to make sure you do different reps before starting and not just one wait and reward otherwise they my wait for the first reward but not the second.
While you are waiting your turn you could be practicing your wait, you don’t need a jump as you are in the agility environment.
We don’t reward them enough for waiting and jumping, as its usually always after their contacts or weaves they get rewarded for.
If your dog breaks their wait or even very slightly, in training, don’t go with it. Stop and restart. Set your criteria and stick with it 😊
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