Transitioning from C-shaped tunnel to barrel

[Jean Sather (McCreight)]

I have been using a "C-shaped tunnel" in weave training for my young dog Tux, decided to replace it with a barrel in my second training session this morning just to see what would happen.  He has seen (and likes very well) quite a few tunnels -- this wasn't the first time he has seen (or been sent around) a barrel, but the first time in this context -- and he got it on the first try!

Here is a link to some "real time" video from training this morning (less than a minute and a half).  I didn't edit out the "missed barrel" on the second try which shows what can happen with a young or inexperienced dog if you assume that he is "committed" to the barrel and quit drawing the path for him! :^)  We got it right again on the third try.  I'll probably trade off using the tunnel and barrel for this training purpose, but it doesn't appear to me -- at first glance -- that he is any less enthusiastic or slower using the barrel to make this turn than the tunnel.  Hope this link works!



Happy to answer any questions anyone might have.

[JaneClark]

Thanks! I got a trash can today and incorporated it into a short sequence. No problem as long as I set the line for Dash.

[Jeannie Biggers]

LOVE the flow of his body around that barrel Jean!!  Good work, he is looking pretty awesome in those weaves too 

[Heidi Konesko]

We've got our teat dip barrel set out in yard now amongst the hoops, and this is probably a silly question, but should we have the dogs doing barrel turns in both directions?  um, how do I describe this,  for example, turning towards the handler to go around it as well as turning away?  I think I remember having turns away from the handler to go around the barrels at the EGC last year, but the videos people are posting seem to only have turns towards the handler in them.  i.e. dog goes up the outside with barrel between handler and dog, turns towards handler and then runs between handler and barrel.  Penny will be really happy if she only has to turn towards me around barrels.  She has told me she much prefers it that way!   And she is often smarter than me.  So I figured I should ask. 
Heidi & Penny

[MoabDiane]

Someone more familiar with barrels should also chime in....but I believe the answer is yes, barrel "wraps" should go in both directions.  Sharon had posted some sample barrel courses on the Yahoo list (oohhhh.....THERE'S another good thing to add here!).  The elite course was much like a horse barrel racing course, but with an extra "loop" - and one particular turn in and out was especially hard for Mr. B!!
diane

[Tikvah01es]

I bought 3 of the barrels from Target and my dogs love them.  I have worked a little in both directions.  Both of my dogs seem to respond well.  Love this idea of the barrels and am glad that the "tight" c tunnels might be gone in the future.   I really like the challenge involved in turning them.

Rachelle, Miseau and Tikvah

[Sheila & the Shelties]

I've seen barrel  moves go either direction around the barrel..  I have also seen what I call a "quarter-round" where the dog goes to out to a barrel and makes a 90 degree turn to the next obstacle.