Training the pipe and chute tunnels.

To begin training the pipe tunnel it is often suggested that it be squeezed together so that it is shorter in length. For Chihuahuas and other small dogs this presents another challenge in that the material in between the ribs that make up the tunnel form pockets that are as deep as some of their legs are long. These tunnels are pretty tall and wide to the small dogs so there is usually no problem in stretching the tunnel out to it's full length so that the "bottom" is relatively smooth. Have someone hold the dog at the opening and go around to the other end. Crouch down and look through the tunnel at the dog and call it to you. Most small dogs will willingly run through. Should there be any reluctance to run through it use a box or other item that represents the idea and have the dog work that before using the full tunnel. Many children's play tunnels are available that toy dogs will readily run through. They're great to have for backyard training if your space or budget doesn't allow for a regulation tunnel. Katie Greer

Chute tunnel training should begin with the chute material gathered up at the exit of the barrel, so that it appears to be "open" to the dog. Gradually, let some of the material fall across the opening so that the dog begins to push the material aside to go through. As the chute comes clear of the end of the barrel have someone hold it up so that there is a clear indication of where the dog should go through. As it reaches its full length begin to drop the material when it has nearly exited the chute portion. If the dog objects to completing the obstacle with the chute material closed back up to an earlier successful stage of training and gradually move forward again. Katie Greer

Use a sand bag on the open end of the chute rather than having it totally staked down. There are far less problems with a completely unattached open end or one that is lightly weighted rather than one that is completely staked down at both corners. If it is staked, just one grommet. If it's too "tight" at the exit portion of the chute, the added pressure makes it difficult for dogs to pass between the layers of cloth. This situation also causes bunching of the fabric under the paws of dogs moving through, which in turn causes tangling as the dog attempts to drag the added sand bag with it. Katie Greer

For a dog that plays in the chute, back up to the basics. You want to avoid allowing the dog to continue enjoying its game so remove the temptation. Have someone hold the dog while you show them their favorite toy or goodie and head out toward the end of the chute. Open up the chute and let them see what you have, call them through. At home you can set up a target a distance away from the end of the chute. Fold the cloth up around the barrel so your dog can see daylight. Let them see you placing food on the target then take them back to the front and send them through. The dog should charge right through to the reward. After doing this a number of times, go back and try a complete run through. Show them the goodie, pump them up with "Ready chute?" a few times, then charge off to do it! They should be eager to meet you at the other end once they realize there's a payoff for doing so. Katie Greer 

A few things we do with our Newfies which might help:

First, we raise the entrance end of the tunnel about 6-12 inches. This is done by placing some lumber under the tunnel. The raised opening permits the dogs entry without having to duck as low, and eases the transition into the tunnel body.

Second, we observed that our dogs always run slower in tunnels when wearing collars, and surmised that the collars are engaging the top of the tunnel and giving something akin to leash corrections as the dog passes each rib. The solution was to run the dogs naked. Roger Greenwald

Having Great Danes, I am familiar with the giants problems in agility.  To teach the tunnel, have them lay down in front of a squished up tunnel and have the owner go to the other end and call them through.  After they have that mastered, when they approach the tunnel the command is DOWN tunnel.  They do learn that they have to crawl through the tunnel. 

Mastiffs do drool and more so when stressed so have the owner bring a slobber towel.  The giants also do not have the stamina for an hour long class so teach the new stuff early in the class and let them do the things they know the last half of the class.  Always end on a positive obstacle so they have fun and want to come back next week! Bonnie Drabek

We have 10 month old Saluki and Afghan pups who are a little hesitant about pushing through the fabric.   Both of them are very prey driven.  With that in mind, we took a 4' long fuzzy tug toy (I think it is called a "donkey tail") and revved them up with it.  One person held the dog while the other put the toy through the closed end about 1/4 up the chute and the first time through, held the chute up slightly.   As the dog went through the chute, the toy was pulled through as a lure and the dog chased it, learning to go through with his head down.   Both pups were pushing through the closed end in no time at all with a good game of tug as their reward :-)).   I would think you could use a tennis ball on a long rope for the retrievers or like-minded breeds. Just a thought! Julie Messersmith

I have used a Toys R Us type tunnel in the past - the plastic one with zoo animal print. This is cheap and is useful TO A POINT. I recently bought 4 of them and I use them as reinforcement for my students. When they reach certain levels of competency, they can begin shaping the tunnel and they are loaned the plastic tunnel to take home to train with.

As long as you only use it straight you can shape the tunnel, you can work on angles and sending from a distance, you can work on cross-behinds with a straight tunnel. These are a good way to get started. BUT do not make them into a curve. I did that three or so years ago when I started training my Beardie. I clipped two of these together and used it as a curve. I never really thought about it - I thought it was pretty neat! Then I saw Animal Planet's tunnel cam and realized that dogs BANK off the side of the tunnel (a duh moment, indeed, for a physics teacher <BG>). Dogs cannot bank off the flimsy plastic tunnel and my Beardie is very slow in the tunnels - NOW I understand why. <BG> I have not used the nylon play tunnels but I'll bet they are hard to bank off also.

Once you've outgrown the usefulness of a cheap tunnel, the only thing left is to invest in a 'real' tunnel. Helix Fairweather

Simon (miniature poodle) came out of the tunnel and saw a MAN! standing right next to it, so that became an issue  for awhile. He'd go really slow through the chute, and come out with big....spacey eyes... cause you never know who's out there waiting.
 He had been going through pretty confidently at that point. He's clicker trained and so here's what we did...

I stopped encouraging him....and putting any stresses on him by using other people to help. He needed to figure out that the chute was ok on his own terms and time. I  took the clicker and we played the shaping game for the entrance to the tunnel. I just left the chute where it was.   After awhile,  if he went into the fabric area  I would scritch the fabric with my fingers and  engage him to bite through the fabric at me ( you know, that  game you play on the bed with the comforter between your hand and the dog mouth).

But I think the biggest breakthrough came when I went to the closed end of the chute and held it up and clicked and treated for him going in and out (I didn't care at this point that he would turn around and come right back out the end I was holding). I would laugh and giggle at him and then I started letting the fabric drop on his head and shoulders as his started to come out. Then he started charging in about 2-3 feet and when hearing the click would turn and come charging out.... by then I had dropped the fabric (either partially or fully) and he had to break through to get his goodie. This all progressed very quickly and with great fun and he is now a very confident, fast  chute worker.     As he got good at it.... I would make the entrance more difficult to get into and when I felt he could handle it, I would try grabbing him through the fabric in the "I'm going to get you" play game. I wanted him to get used to twisting and turning in the chute and not panicking. So far so good. And before I did this,  I was really worried that this very soft dog would never be able to do the chute with confidence. Leslie Lord

Here's another idea. Don't know if it will help, but for timid dogs, I train the chute backwards. First I teach them to just run thru the barrel with no fabric. Once they are confident, I put the chute fabric on and hold it open at full length. I hold the dog with head just inside the exit end and send them through the chute to their owner who is kneeling down, beckoning with cookies just outside the barrel entrance. It is white and bright and very safe appearing and they seem to not notice the fabric at all. Then I gradually lower the chute fabric as they are running toward the entrance so that it brushes on their backs. They are always pushing toward the end that is larger, open, most familiar and with least resistance in the fabric. Once they are doing this happily, I try sending from the correct end, with the owner holding the chute wide open as they approach. Then gradually lower the fabric until they are pushing through. At home I ask them to play games with cookies under towels and blankets, letting the blanket drag across their back and gradually teaching them that it is OK for the fabric to touch their head and that they can push out. Hope you find something that helps. Susan McClair

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