I'm not completely sure what you mean by "pole". Do you mean a regular jump with two side uprights and a bar that is horizontal to the ground?

I've done agility with several dogs and I think you are moving too fast. Most of the training, especially at the start, is intended to make the dog very comfortable with the equipment and what she is supposed to do, not about the dog's actual ability. A dog doesn't start jumping very high until after several weeks of training.

Assuming that is what you mean, I had difficulty getting one of mine to jump also. He is very tall, legs are almost two feet long, and he wouldn't even step over the bar when it was laying on the ground! Now he will jump quite nicely.
First, start with just the bar (broomstick) laying on the ground. Don't raise it up AT ALL. Play with your dog, run around, walk together, etc. Every time the dog steps over the broomstick, tell her "jump" (or "over" or whatever word you want) and give her a treat. Basically ignore the bar but reward her for going over it.

Once she is completely comfortable with it like that, go to the next step. Does she know a sit stay? If so, put her in a sit stay right in front of the bar, which is still laying on the ground. You step over it and then call her to you. Be sure to stay close enough that it is easiest for her to go over rather than around and be sure to be very excited. Again, as she goes over it, say "jump" and give her a treat. Do this for awhile.

Now get those side bars and place them at the ends of the bar, but leave the bar on the ground. Do the calling her over bit again for awhile.

Only now should you start raising the bar. And do so slowly. Go to four inches first, or even two. Repeat the training. Then go to four inches. Then six, then eight.

This should take some time, you should NOT try to go through all these steps in one session or even in one day. Keep the training sessions VERY short and VERY fun. I would expect it to take a week to get her to reliably jump the six inch bar.

Good luck! If she enjoys it, you should consider an agility class. There is an English Bulldog in my current class. He's not fast and he doesn't jump high but he and his owner have a blast.

Start with a pole indoors in a narrow hallway so that she can't walk around it. Ask her 'stay' on one side of the pole (with pole on the floor not raised) then go to the other side and give your 'over' command with a high value treat (not every day stuff - bump up to liver, hot dogs, something stinky) in your hand. Click/reward. Repeat repeat repeat. Raise pole an inch, same thing. When she is reliably walking over the pole in the hallway - or even jumping over it at safe low indoor level, then move the pole to an area without walls indoors or out and go through same process to generalize the behavior. Go slowly, slowly, slowly. She might not be ready for the olympics. No big deal.

No idea what collar tightness or not beating her has to do with any of this :) Can't drag her over the pole you'll just make her more fearful. An aside though: 'yelling' at her for doing something wrong in ANY context isn't a good way to bond with your pup and create the trusting working partnership that you need for training. Sounds like she's sensitive and a little fearful, so in all activities use only positive methods and redirect her with out reprimanding if she's getting into anything you consider to be 'trouble.'

I suggest you put the pole on the ground. Not in the air - she obviously does not like it above her. Which may be the problem - she might have had something fall on her in the past. So, put the pole on the ground and let her get use to it. Play around it treats around it, then ignore it, just leave the pole there....you dont react to it, she wont react to it. Then in a week or so prop the pole up on a little piece of wood a couple of inches off the ground, same thing - play around it, treats around it. let it sit like that for a week or so and so on. Good luck let us know how it goes

Everyone seems to have given you some good tips/ideas. Tootsie doesn't seem to be nose driven. My prior dog was very finicky, but she loved rotisserie chicken, either from the store or right off the BBQ. Regular chicken was okay, but not something she would get excited about.

Also, don't be surprised if Tootsie freezes at the meet. If she's really scared she may try to bolt. Then again she may love all the attention. Just be aware and be prepared to intercept her if she does get scared. She's just a baby and all the new sounds could be overwhelming.

Great advice everyone I will try some of your techniques...maybe all ....I'm hesitant about putting anything in the house for her to walk over...she is very skittish at times and wont go near something if shes afraid. I don't want her to be fearful in the house at all and she remembers. (the curtain touched her butt one night when she was sleeping and she still hasn't forgiven it). So I may use that as a last resort and maybe not at all...but only because the olympics are only for charity so I don't really care if shes any good and I won't risk traumatizing her for them.

Cynthia..thanks for the advice..my yelling at her consist of telling her "No" and "Drop it"...usually because she has something she shouldn't in her mouth. (lots of plants around and I dont want her to ever put the wrong one in her mouth so she's not allowed to eat any). I am very aware that she is fearful so we try to only use positive reinforcement with her. (plenty of good girls and kisses and lots of treats)I only mentioned yelling and hitting because I have no idea why she is fearful so I was explaining that as far as I know we aren't the cause. Oh and I mentioned the collar because when I look at dog shows they seem to have the regular collars on them and they just look uncomfortable when they are running around and the collar is pulled far up. She hates the regular collar and likes nothing on her neck. Oh so back to the point...I mentioned collars because I thought that some trainers use collars in training to pull the dog to do what they want. And I would never want training to become something she hates.

Also We gots toots when she was 11 months....she grew up in a showdog house. Shes used to lots of dogs around. We have also been walking her and shes never seemed to have a problem with other dogs...no fear...she goes right up them to play. The worse we think will happen at the games is she will be too excited to play in the olympics but then we still contributed to a good cause so its win win....we're doing it for her anyway so she can meet some friends...and whether she plays the games or not I'm sure she'll have fun. And if shes too scared we can always leave...or we'll have her crate there for her....although she hasn't used it in weeks.

Again guys thanks for all of the advice. I'll let you know how it goes.

Okay good to know more information and that you are walking her - hopefully every day - use a harness if she does not like the collars, the reason the collars are up so far on the dogs neck is so that the dogs will respond. A collar around the base of the throat means it is only surrounding muscle and you can yank on that muscle til the cows come home and get no response from some dogs...the higher the collar the better. If you are fearful of anything with regard to the olympics, your dog is going to pick up on that fear and she will act on it. Try and clear your emotions. If you are worried she is going to get too rambunctous then give her a good walkies before the games - she should settle after a walk. Good luck

trini - any reason you can't do the exercises I suggested outside? I don't know where you live, but even if it's cold (and I know cold, I live in North Dakota), you can work outside for a few minutes at a time.

mazer - I think she was referring to the conformation collars which are high up on the neck so as not to interfere with the judge's view of the topline.

trini - if I'm right and you're talking about conformation dog show collars, they aren't "regular" collars. They are designed to be that far up and the dogs know how to run with them on.

we live in Florida and its very hot and humid down here in the summer....so she can't walk then...she has to be in AC....right now though the weather is perfect so she gets walked at least twice a day and she goes out to play pretty much whenever she wants to as long as its not too hot....I work from home most of the time and hubby is usually around otherwise. I'm not fearful at all for the olympics...she either does it or she doesn't. I also know shes well socialized so I'm not worried about her with other bullies. I think the olympics will just be fun for us all. Our vet suggested we enter her and her breeder said she would be great in agility so I thought we would give it a try and see how she likes it.

I understand why they use the collars the way they do...but honestly toots is a great dog and listens when it counts most...she just wont come if i just want to play and she doesn't. or if shes cuddling with hubby and I want her. She seems to be very good at knowing when she HAS to listen and when I just WANT her to listen. She even knows the difference between which sofa shes allowed on and which one she can't go on. She is the type of dog who if you try to FORCE her to do something she just won't. Even if she wants to ..if you try to force her she puts the breaks on....you have to ask her nicely :-) So I have a feeling if I tried to use a collar to force her to pay attention and obey she would just buck or sit. Do you think without the collar she won't perform? She's very good at slipping out of a regular collar....its why we moved to a harness. We have taught her basic commands such as sit, no, drop it, leave it. We are still having a bit of a problem with stay.

Prairielove we will be doing the exercises you suggested starting tomorrow. I had been leaving the pole set up and just ignoring it but I will do as you say and just put it right on the ground until she gets used to it. Thanks again.