Allyson
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I can only tell you how I have trained 4 Weimaraners to do it.
I only start when the dog is fit and the growth plates have closed.
I start only when the dog knows how to do the 3ft clear.
I then generally start at around 4ft 6 inches, so the dog has to scale rather than clear, but starting point depends on individual dog. Once this has been established I allow the dog to start from a position and distance comfortable for it; I ask the dog to come towards me and then away from me (for competition the dog must scale, wait in a designated position and then return on command).
Once the dog is doing full height, I then lower the scale and ask it to scale from peculiar angles so that it is prepared if, in competition, it lands at a funny angle to right itself.
Once this is established I then start putting in control ie the position for the initial scale and the “wait” on the other side (still at a lower height eg 4ft 6). The dog will have demonstrated which position it naturally takes up and as I believe in harnessing a dog’s natural desires that is what I end up cuing.
All my dogs have started from the sit, but stand and wait for the return. I find that because they are big and long, scaling from a down is too demanding, but that is JMHO.
I then take my dogs to different scales to generalise the scale, I also, train my dogs to scale 6ft 3” so that in competition, if the ground is soggy etc, it should scale 6ft with ease.
Once the dog is in competition I never ask my dogs to scale the week of a competition and when my dogs are "resting" they do the scale no more than once a week maximum.
I am not sure what my GSD will do, he is only 15 months and nowhere near ready for scale training at his size, age and weight.
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