# Suri dislikes the tunnels



## MericoX (Apr 19, 2009)

Awesome job! Looks like you guys are doing great!

What I noticed, is the first time you asked her to go through the 2nd tunnel is that you were stopping when trying to put her in. She may be confused why when she's been running with you, are you now suddenly stopping. I'd work on sending her to a tunnel and seeing if that helps. She went through the first tunnel fine, so (at least to me) is doesn't seem like she's afraid of it. Could be because it was dark, or that you hit it (maybe scaring her). If you can get your hands on a tunnel, I'd start with scrunching it up really tiny and sending her through, treat/praise/etc. and slowly get it to where it's stretched out all the way.


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## debjen (Jan 4, 2010)

I have a couple observations first overall you both are doing great..regarding the tunnel issues..

Red tunnel vs blue tunnel..is she always balking at the blue tunnel or any tunnel..blue tunnels seem to be more difficult for dogs to see or see in because of the darkness..

left vs right..at the red tunnel she is on your right and at the blue tunnel on your left..is she always balking on your left or does it matter..

some possible fixes..If it is the blue tunnel..just go back to the beginning and scrunch the tunnel down as Mericox said..so she gets use to the blue tunnel..same thing if it is a side issue..for every 1 you do on the right do 5 on the left and start with a scrunched tunnel again..

if it is neither of those issues but just truely not liking the tunnel or as Mericox said you stopping at the tunnel so she was confused then go back and build up her confidence in the tunnel..by guess what scrunching up the tunnel and starting again. Is she toy motivated at all?..I was having an awful time getting Flyer through a chute..tunnel no problem chute yuck..but as soon as I started tossing his toy at the end of the chute it became a fun obstacle..which brings up another point..you says she loves the A frame and walk and excels at those..guess why..HIGH REWARD OBSTACLES..We tend to think of the tunnel as an easy obstacle to learn so we don't reward it as highly..do you think if she was rewarded every time she came out of a tunnel she would like it more??

So what would I do .. I would scrunch the tunnel and get her running through the tunnel..working on her send to the tunnel while it is still scrunched..if you have two people send her running back and forth between the two of you..also while it is scrunched to work on sending I do what we call a restrained hold..I start right in front of the tunnel and hold the collar with one finger and get them excited.."ready ready ready" or whatever works and as soon as you feel some resistance on the collar let go and let them fly through the tunnel..when they are doing that reliably I take a step back and do the same thing and I keep backing up until I can send from at least 10 feet back (this weekend at a demo Flyer was doing at least 20 feet sends to a tunnel from a jump while I was heading in the other direction for the next jump)..when I start to lengthen the tunnel I shorten the distance of the send again and work back..

Hope some of this makes sense and helps..Keep up the good work


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks for this excellent advice, DebJen - Poppy didn't like the tunnels at the short fun agility course we took (she was so obviously not keen I skipped them, rather than risk making matters worse), so I have been looking for ways to get her happier with them before we start "for real" in October. I shall work on all these points.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

Olie...you two are doing beautifully! I am so impressed. The nicest thing is how happy Suri looks doing it.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

Thanks for the critiques! And compliments! Both are appreciated EQUALLY! 

The difference of right and left makes total sense actually. It does seem that most times depending on our sets, she is on the right. 

Did you also notice me all but lift the tunnel:doh: - not a good thing. This is why I take someone to video, I want to watch my errors. It helps me anyway. 

The blue tunnel has shown a complete block for a few weeks. So next week I am going to suggest that we shrink it when Suri and I go. It is really deterring her from going. I just want to fly because she is fast BUT I know we are a ways out for that. hwell:

Thanks for the feedback, I will put the suggestions to work!


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## MericoX (Apr 19, 2009)

Is she food motivated? IF you put a pile of food on the ground would she run over to gobble it up? Right now I have Kiba, who is food motivated, and Lincoln, who is toy motivated. 

What I've done with Kiba (this was to work on her speed but can also work with you) is put a small pile of treats at the other side of the obstacle I want her to go on. Take her to the pile by the collar and let her try to get it, but holding her back, basically reving her up. Take her back to the beginning (this case a tunnel) and let her fly - I would also put something to block her from going around the tunnel if her recall is not so good. I've used this method for Kiba to work on her dogwalk, aframe, and weaves (for speed). 

Now with Lincoln, most of the time he could really care less about food. I usually have to try and shove it down his throat just to get him to eat. With him I have his "really cool fox toy" that only comes it for agility and agility training. I started him off with a shortened tunnel, and through it through the jump (had him right at the entrance) and basically threw it through to the other side, and c/t when he made it through. Slowly I would lengthen the tunnel, to which point the toy would only make it partway through the tunnel, and I'd haul butt to the other end to get him to keep going and exit. 

Tunnels are great, as once you get them through a straight tunnel, you can switch and use the other hand/side to reverse and go back through. Or it could all be due to it being somewhat dark inside that tunnel. Kiba LOVES the tunnel and does them no problem, until we had a later class that it was dark by the time class was almost done, and she'd refuse tunnels. I know I sure as heck wouldn't want to go through something pitch black without seeing daylight at the other end. LOL


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## creativeparti (Mar 9, 2009)

shes so sweet.. at our agility training i have a hard time keeping todd out of the tunnels he loves them so much i brought some cheap kids tunnels just some straight ones for him to pratice in as well... im still strugling on teaching todd the weaves.... 

but im sure he will get it in the long run... 

its so funny watching the standards run some are really fast and others are like yeah ok whatever ill jump the bloody thing lol 

todd being a mini i cant keep up with him i dont know any other minis doing agility in person what are they normally like or is it just todd that goes like a bat outa hell


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## debjen (Jan 4, 2010)

creativeparti said:


> or is it just todd that goes like a bat outa hell


I can't keep up with Flyer (mini) either .. of course I'm an old fat woman as said in another thread and I can't keep up with my Cavs either who are also fast..


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## Purley (May 21, 2010)

I think the dogs have their favourite piece of equipment and they have the pieces they don't really like. Tyson is not crazy about jumps. Sometimes he won't go through a tunnel. Just like your dog he will stand and look at me, or go in and then come back out again. I just get all excited and encourage him through the tunnell, and when he does the jump or goes through the tunnel, I make a huge deal of it -- jumping around and throwing my hands in the air and cheering and I always, always give him a treat if he does something he has previously refused to do.

He has done the teeter just fine for years, then all of a sudden a month or so ago, he just flatly refused to go up it. Then I realized. I had always been on the right and I was trying to get him to go up when I was standing on the left. As soon as I changed to the right - he went up. 

Like my instructor always say -- its never the dog's fault - always the human's!!

That works for me.


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## MericoX (Apr 19, 2009)

Lincoln is like a bat outta hell, on redbull. LOL. Doing front classes in class, I already know I'm gonna be looking at this boys butt the entire time I get him doing full courses. We have a friend that owns a BC, that she basically stands in the middle of the ring and directs him, sounds like a good idea to do with Lincoln. Haha


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

I cannot wait until we can put some speed into it.....she is wanting to take off most times. I have to bring her down to get through correctly and wait for critiques from our trainer. 

It is 100% humans lol! Once I get a bit more under my belt - Suri will shine I am sure of it. (I just cant wait) 

The cost I pay for this in my area are a bit inflated I am afraid to even share the numbers:wacko: But there are trials coming up in November and January. I know we are not ready but I want too so badly!!


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## Rocketagility (Apr 27, 2010)

Hello what I see is a new dog that has no obstacle independence yet I also see you have a treat in your left hand and you are trying to get your dog into a tunnel with a hand that is full of food. Basically your dog is staying with the food and not doing the tunnel.

So you need to have one on one time with each piece of equipment and for the tunnel you would be better served if you started back with the tunnel shortened right back to basics and use a throw toy and not food for a bit you can have someone treat if the dog goes through but if you don't have a helper just use a toy/tug I would also work speed. You say later that you want a perfect course and speed later hmm I think this is a mistake I am all about speed first and perfect later. 

Basically get the obstacle independence from a distance and from every angle and side and work speed. Right now you are just heeling around the course.


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