# Anyone do agility?



## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Just wondering if there are any other owners attempting agility at the moment?

I have only had Molly for 5 months so we are still learning all the other basics of life too but as I spent much of the first few weeks removing her from the kitchen table I decided agility may be her thing and we have been going for a whole now. We are still working on being a proper team and attempting to go in the same direction and tackle the same obstacle but she absolutely loves going so I think it was a good decision to give it a go.

Any other members doing agility who might like to give us some tips?


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Hi yes we have started agility and Weller loves it as I am sure you and Molly will, it's great fun and he is super good at it, me........not so much but we have fun. Look for local clubs and express your interest but generally you can't start until atleast a year old as the jumping, bending etc is too much for under developed skeleton of a pup. Definately worth doing when Molly a bit older though


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

ooops sorry just seen her age she is a year.........get started


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Sorry - I think my message was a bit garbled!! We have been going for a few weeks now and she absolutely loves it.

More speed and enthusiasm than accuracy but we are working on it!!


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## mrsmac (May 10, 2011)

yes, we have agility session in between our puppy class, Maisie absolutely loves it! she lies down through puppy classes and looks bored but then is like a different dog when it comes to agility


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Puppy classes including agility sound great MrsMac.

Glad to hear there are others out there enjoying their agility too


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## Cockapoodledoo (Feb 8, 2011)

I'm massively into agility! I take Rufus twice a week. He adores it nearly as much as me!  

I started puppy agility with Rufus when he was 6 months old. Our club is huge (300 members) and so they regularly put on beginners and puppy agility classes. The dogs do not jump full height until they are a year old (in fact the jump poles are flat on the ground) and the A frame and Dog Walk are rested flat on the ground too to begin with. There is so much to learn working on direction training, confidence around the equipment, walking and sitting on wobble boards (early training for the seesaw). I'm actually starting Basil when he is 5 months old.......can't wait! However, it is really important that dogs under a year old do not attempt jumping, full height contact equipment or weaves as the sport is too strenuous for young bones. I'm lucky in that our club makes provision for puppies. Some clubs won't take dogs until they are 2 years old.

I have a great time with Rufus. He is fast and powerful. I mostly have to work him from behind as I cannot keep up with him. It's been great though. He has just about learned the commands 'left' and 'right' now so that when he gets to the end of a run of jumps .....and I'm ten paces behind ......I can at least send him off in the right direction!! I can be quite envious of those owners who have their dogs poddling along beside them! ..... not nearly as exciting though!

Enjoy! It's very very addictive!

Karen xx


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## EG1 (May 14, 2011)

I'm hoping Rupert will take to it - he's starting puppy agility in November. Alfie's just been expelled from his agility class for uncontrollable barking! As soon as we get to the field he gets himself worked up into a frenzy. I've run out of ideas and trainer's advice is to give up. Shame as he really enjoyed it - which was why he was barking!


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## Cockapoodledoo (Feb 8, 2011)

Oh Eileen that is a shame. Rufus often gets over excited too and barks a lot. It's a dog's way of communicating that they are having a FAB time! The way I control Rufus's barking is with a Jiff lemon squeezy. I remove the lemon juice - obviously!- and fill it with water. I put it in the palm of my hand and if he gets to the level of excitement where he barks continuously (so that he doesn't hear my commands ...... and annoys everyone else) then I give a little squirt! It stops him instantly. Now, if he barks I just show him the squeezy and he stops instantly! It does not hurt him, just surprises him ... and he doesn't like it. I wouldn't do it to a timid dog but Rufus is as confident as they come with most things.

Karen xx


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## RubyCockapoo (Feb 5, 2011)

Hello!

I've recently started to take Ruby to agility. We had been going to obedience since she was a puppy but I couldn't imagine doing it competitively and we both started getting a bit bored with it.

Ruby has bundles of energy - she's really fast and agile so it seemed like the obvious choice as an activity to mix some mental training with some excercise.

We've only done 6 weeks but she absolutely loves it (and so do I!). I've thought about trying Flyball too. I think it might suit Ruby to focus more on speed as I'm not sure how well she is going to cope with the contact apparatus in agility. I'm going to stick with agility for now and see how she gets on. I can always do Flyball later - her jumping skills will still be good for that!


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## Cockapoodledoo (Feb 8, 2011)

A lot of dogs don't 'get' the contact element in agility for a long time and then it suddenly clicks. I've been doing agility with Rufus for 20 months now and he's just about getting his contacts 100% .... unless he is over excited. It can be frustrating initially when they just don't get it. I'm lucky that we all started together in a puppy class and so we're all at roughly the same standard and supportive of each other. We try not to look at the advanced class taking place alongside us! Lol. However, having progressed as far as we have I believe we can get there now. People in the advanced classes have been doing agility for years and their dogs are generally older too ..... unless they are an experienced handler. Keep going and just enjoy the activity.

Karen xx


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

We are at about the six week stage too and Molly is just starting to listen and pay attention so we are starting to be able to put in more turns and I am getting more control. We are not worrying about contacts and weaves at the moment 

What a shame Alfie can no longer go  personally I would not try something like a water squirt but may try several weeks of putting him back in the car as soon as he starts to get over-excited and barky so he has a consequence of being removed from what he wants to do. I would only leave him in for a minute but when he came out immediately put him back if he started to bark again - and keep this up until he gets the idea that out of control barking will mean back in the car and no agility.

I used to run a flyball club a few years ago and some young dogs just found flyball (and agility) too exciting an environment until they had learned some self-control and a bit more obedience.

I have been asked by a couple of people to take Molly to flyball but really want to get her fully under control with agility before we try flyball as it is generally less disciplined and once the dog has learned the basics all about speed rather than control!!


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## EG1 (May 14, 2011)

What a shame Alfie can no longer go  personally I would not try something like a water squirt but may try several weeks of putting him back in the car as soon as he starts to get over-excited and barky so he has a consequence of being removed from what he wants to do. I would only leave him in for a minute but when he came out immediately put him back if he started to bark again - and keep this up until he gets the idea that out of control barking will mean back in the car and no agility. (Quote)

Yes, you'd think that might work but as soon as we get in the field he starts the frenzied barking again. Have started doing walks with the trainer and her dogs on the footpaths around the agility field - loads of barking but this morning he was so worn out when we got back I actually managed to walk him in the agility field in a fairly calm state. 
Baby steps I think!!!


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Sounds like you are making progress with Alfie  I am not sure how old he is but from my flyball days some dogs found the whole thing just too excited initially and needed to grow up a bit before they could cope with the environment.


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