Jump to content

Agility Training Talk Thread


 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 3.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I am excited, very nervous, and wayyyyy underprepared :rofl::eek: I have so much training I wanted to do beforehand, can't believe we are flying out in two weeks :eek: never mind, should be fun regardless of what happens! :thumbsup:

ETA I am also really hoping my brain makes a reappearance in the next two weeks since I seem to be constantly losing it in the ring lately!

You and me both. Denver is doing really well getting some enthusiasm out of him and hoping it means he will run well for me :) Ella shes having enthusiasm in spurts, she wants to play but then goes ehhhhh I'm over this lol! So nationals will be interesting to see what she does

If everything goes to plan nationals will be dens final comp and hell be heading back up to my parents for a life of retirement. Sadly I don't get to see the agility ring as much as the show ring these days and being in suburbia has taken it's toll on him plus the reoccurring injury that decides to show its face every now and again it's not worth it. He's everyone's very much loved family dog and they miss him lots

Though having said that, there's a few promising prospects for future agility and show baby.. Got a few options that have been offered so I guess we will just wait and see..

Bring on nationals

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Time to bump this up again! We've been quietly plodding away at training in between doing retrieving with Em. Both dogs having so much fun - Zig is just bubbling over with enthusiasm and is an absolute delight. Em started off being very precise which is fantastic and produced her first Q and win. However, with a few restrained recalls (thanks to Mr TSD for helping) she has started to relax and run much harder. Where Zig's turns are like an old Jag Em's are like a hotted up Mini Minor so I have had to learn to MOVE it :laugh: The faster she runs the higher she jumps...

0e205297.jpg

Leaving for Canberra on Friday, staying with Zig's breeders for a few nights, trialling on Saturday then heading up to Sydney. So many people to catch up with - never mind the comp!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How did Ava pull up? The owner of Em's sire may bring him down to watch on Saturday too which would be great.

Agility training was cancelled last night due to the pouring rain so I set up a nice little jump - weaves - jump training session this morning to practice those angled entries and tempting early exits. What fun! Oh and we'd suspected it for a while but Em has NO trouble jumping 600. She's easily a 400 dog :laugh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for asking TSD. She seems ok, her gait is normal as far as I can tell, so we will probably come along on Saturday and see how she goes in her first run (Excellent Jumping which is our LEAST favourite event :laugh:).

Looks like a pretty huge trial on Saturday by Canberra standards!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks wuffles - think we will play it by ear!

Took the dogs out this morning for some distance challenge work as Em really isn't ready for Open and we run it for fun. Had a great time with both dogs and it really helped their understanding. By the time we added in some weaves we were all MUD from head to toe :laugh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Bumping this thread up :D

Leo n I passed our foundation agility today :thumbsup: Very happy with my boy!

He normally gets a bit lacklustre towards the end of class and doesn't tug as well, but right at the end doing start line stays he wowed me and went the tug fantastically :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bumping this thread up :D

Leo n I passed our foundation agility today :thumbsup: Very happy with my boy!

He normally gets a bit lacklustre towards the end of class and doesn't tug as well, but right at the end doing start line stays he wowed me and went the tug fantastically :D

Woohoo!! I can relate with the tugging. Pippa tugs great at home, but at training grounds she won't. Then last Thursday night at training, she was back to tugging almost like she does at home, and did so on several occasions thumbsup1.gif There is hope for her tugging yet biggrin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What are these puppy games TSD?

Hi megan - my club asked me to develop a puppy games program for agility mainly but it will be suited to pets or dogs destined for any dog sports. I am rather obsessed with games = training = work = games. I want to teach the basics of shaping, reinforecement schedules and basically make it fun. Special focus on the relationship between puppy and it's owner. If it works out we will also consider a series for older dogs.

Also a tugging workshop down the track perhaps!

Edited by The Spotted Devil
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hudson and I had our third agility lesson today, and our first one on one. :) I was lucky enough that our trainer took some photos while we were training and also took a few pretty portrait style photos of him.

We had a bit of trouble with starting on serpentine patterns, but we just need to keep working on it. I am so proud of how he is going, he is my little superstar! For my first agility dog I feel like we are going to have a lot of fun. :D

The album:

My favourite photos:

555833_10151251313123662_844284891_n.jpg

547987_10151251313753662_2098608792_n.jpg

599299_10151251314238662_1818156328_n.jpg

311668_10151251314438662_727737695_n.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got a question for the agility people! I'm learning very slowly how to run a manic, hyperspeed dog in agility at present and have been reading alot about handling and also spending hours watching videos. But I'm stumped on the use of arms! I understand the need for giving direction and my dog has no trouble with that but my agility club keeps telling me I need to keep my hand raised up in the air or my dog will jump lower or drop bars? Now my dog has never been taught anything in relation to my arm being up in air so I'm confused about how having my arm up will affect her jump. I understand if I start with my arm up in the air and then drop it while she's jumping that affects her jump as I've changed my body language. Surely I can train her to jump with my arm held level or not even having my arm out and only use the arm for directional cues or crosses etc? What do others think about arms? I know alot of this comes down to the handling system that my club teaches but I want to know the reasons WHY we do certain things!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seita - what handling system are they teaching?

Essentially the arm is used to indicate the route the dog is to take not the height they have to jump - if the dog is looking forward leave it up to them to judge take off and jump height. Yes, keep your arm at a consistent height but you will bring your arm closer to your body to bring the dog in and extend your arm to send the dog out. Does that make sense? I'm not very good at explaining these things! My Springer jumps at 400 but clears them sufficiently to jump 600 height - she has a massive take off too so spends a lot of time in the air - not ideal in terms of the height she jumps but that is her style and related to her structure. Sometimes we practice by holding the arms at our sides and just using our shoulders to indicate direction - really fun.

Great pics E&H! Serps is a lot to learn by your 3rd lesson so relax and enjoy :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seita - what handling system are they teaching?

Essentially the arm is used to indicate the route the dog is to take not the height they have to jump - if the dog is looking forward leave it up to them to judge take off and jump height. Yes, keep your arm at a consistent height but you will bring your arm closer to your body to bring the dog in and extend your arm to send the dog out. Does that make sense? I'm not very good at explaining these things! My Springer jumps at 400 but clears them sufficiently to jump 600 height - she has a massive take off too so spends a lot of time in the air - not ideal in terms of the height she jumps but that is her style and related to her structure. Sometimes we practice by holding the arms at our sides and just using our shoulders to indicate direction - really fun.

Great pics E&H! Serps is a lot to learn by your 3rd lesson so relax and enjoy :thumbsup:

I'm pretty sure they are using Greg Derrett's system.... I understand what you are saying and that's what my thoughts were too. I did challenge the instructor on this last night as I honestly don't think my dog knows that if my arm is way up in the air it means to jump high! I've been playing in the backyard with no arms just using shoulder and body to indicate where I want her to go and she's not dropping bars there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...