Baby steps to Confidence

Lotte has A-frame issues. It all started with one (somewhat comical) episode involving her running up the a-frame, and finding herself stuck running in place about a foot or so from the apex. Literally. Think Wile E. Coyote running in place before getting hit with the realization that he isn't going anywhere (except for down).

Ok, so it wasn't quite that dramatic. Still, Lotte had trouble getting up-and-over the top of the A-frame, and though (through the power of banana... the ultimate reward for my monkey) I know that she CAN do it, that one sucky experience has left her hesitant to even run towards an A-frame. Dogwalk? Teeter? No problem! Just no A-frames. 

Like all of the other agility equipment I've been slowly accumulating, I decided it was time to add an A-frame (of some sort) to my collection. I wound up putting together a very-mini-sized A-frame out of two small panels of 1/2" plywood and some basic hardware. 

It's smaller than I had wanted, at just shy of 3' long per panel, but the nice thing is that I can use it indoors and transport it easily. Plus, it's perfect for my purposes... which are right now, to build Lotte's confidence up and to teach her how to push herself up and over the apex. 

Ta-da! Indoor A-frame! :)  I might paint contacts on later.

When I first introduced Lotte to her new A-frame (with the chain set at the lowest setting), she balked and refused to touch it. So, we started slower. I took the chains off, grabbed a piece of 2" PVC pipe, and laid it underneath the hinge-joint (this made the "high" point only about 3" off the ground). It took a little bit of coaxing, and some cheese trails dropped along the length to get Lotte comfortable going across. We have since graduated to placing a piece of 4" pipe under the hinges (so it is still set up lower than what my chains will allow).

Tonight marked a confidence-breakthrough, in that Lotte was practically flying across the A-frame on it's 4" support, and without prompting. To the point that I had to put her in a stay to be able to put the A-frame up and move us on to working on our 2x2 weaves. I think I'll keep her at the same height for a couple of days, and then try to find something to bump it up to 5 or 6" - just want to keep it going gradual... lest she remember what it is that she's running across!