Wobble Board and Teeter Training

If your dog isn't comfortable on the teeter, don't push it. Everytime your dog feels the need to jump off that behavior is reinforced. Skip the teeter entirely for a while. Don't go anywhere near it. Don't try to desensitize to it. Work on the wobble board.

Get a piece of plywood, about 2 feet by 3 feet. Then you need things to put under it. Lengths of pipe about 2 feet long with various diameters to start with. Put the plywood on the floor wherever you feed your dog. Feed on the board for the next three days. Then start putting some under it to make it slightly unsteady and still feed on it. Your dog doesn't need to be on it and making it tippy while eating. It is enough for your dog to know it is unsteady but your dog can control whether it moves.

For maximum flexability you will want to tie the pipe underneath in place so it doesn't roll. Just drill two pairs of holes. About halfway down the long side and about six inches in, drill one pair of holes about an inch apart. On the other side do the same thing. Push string or twine down through one hole, around the pipe, and up through the other. Tie the string. Now the pipe is tied to the board. Feed there the next two or three days.

Viewing pipe lengthwise tied under the board

Viewing pipe end on tied under the board

 

Once your dog is comfortable enough to eat there, then start playing with walking on it, making it tip etc. Gradually increase the size of the pipe. When you get up to about two inches it is time to make the board go other directions. Start with something low and small, like a couple 1/4 inch thick tiles. Just put the board's center on top of the tiles. Gradually raise the height until your dog is comfortable with something about two inches high under the board. This is often called a "Buja Board." The typical object under a buja board is a ball which requires a small bit of construction to attach to the board. See Easy Bjua Board.

Then it is time to reintroduce the teeter. Use two tables. Pick up the down part of the teeter and put a table under it. Set the other table so that it is about two inches lower than the other end of the teeter. The point being that the teeter will now move only about two inches. The dog is asked to jump on or is placed on the higher table to run down to the lower table. Now by adjusting the table heights you can gradually increase the amount of teeter drop and you don't have to physically control the board. That lets your dog naturally to ride the board.

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Copyright © 1999-2003, Diane Blackman     Created: November 10, 2006     Updated: April 5, 2006