Crate Games Find An Entry: Text Instruction

Goal:  Utilizing your Crate Games for ANOTHER fun and functional agility use! This lesson will help your dog find entries to tunnels and the approach for contact equipment.

Equipment:  Crate / Treats / A toy for building arousal. We use a soft sided kennel so it is easy for your dog to find the opening and drive in without getting tripped up on a plastic or wire kennel.

Suggested Training Area Size: Minimum of 12' x 12' (4m x 4m)

Step 1: Building the Value 

Start with your dog on the outside of you and on the side of the kennel send your dog to find the opening using his kennel “cue”. Utilize your body line, motion and cue to send your dog to the opening.

Step 2: Adding Distance

When your dog has shown understanding of this game and is seeking the entry and DRIVING fast, and confidently away from you, start to add complexity by adding distance down the side of the kennel.

Step 3: Adding a PNU

If your dog is successfully finding the entry add the complexity of a PNU for more speed! This game helps your dog to understand to negotiate their bodies while finding an entry into a crate and then transfers to finding a tunnel mouth entry in the future!

Troubleshooting

If your dog isn’t driving into the crate with great enthusiasm remember to revisit Crate Games. You want the training to be fast and fun and the learning to be enthusiastic.