Retriever Girls

I think it is a good thing that agility clubs don't allow large dogs younger than 18months. I didn't want to start my dog til she was 2 yo. She is a flat coat and I wouldnt dream of stressing her joints etc before this. She is now nearly 2 and I suppose I should have started this serious obedience training earlier. My Flatty is totally reliable off lead (except if a man is playing with a dog and a BALL !!, but not too many dogs are 100% reliable) I'm in Adelaide and I think I will try the agility club at West Beach, as well as persist with my inner suburbs obedience club. If my dog mis-behaved -didn't come when called etc- I would be very ashamed. I just want to try agility- it looks like fun!!!!

OK thanks Robatife BCs I think I will persist with this damn obedience club just to prove I can do it and join the agility club across town to have fun and have a go at agility which is all I wanted to do in the first place. Thanks for your encouragement. I think these conservative obedience clubs should be aware that not all newcomers have deliquent dogs nor are they interested in trialling. My club has all the agility equipment and the agility people seem really friendly and they have their own training night BUT you must have grade 5 obedience to join in. I see people and dogs dropping out all the time because the rules are so strict (eg the "lifting the back legs because of tail wagging" in my previous post) But, as they say at my club----HAVE FUN WITH YOUR DOGS ??

Hey Thanks Sas! Im really happy you think this. I should go to another club. I didn't want to start my flatty in agility until she was 2 yo. But at this rate (they say most take a year to pass) it will take too long! I like doing fun things with my dogs. My flatty still thinks obedeince is fun (just!) but it is becoming harder to convince her. When they failed me for the 'stand' in grade 2 because she was wagging her bottom too much and her back feet allegedly lifted I nearly felt like crying!

I joined my local club because I really wanted to try agility with my flat coat. She is a star off-lead , it looks like such fun and with her boldness and energy I was really keen. How-ever, even to start agility (we've done puppy agility), you have to reach Grade 5 (competition level) obedience. OK, we'll do it! The club theoretically allows flat collars, but no instructors use them, and I kept getting suggestions that I need a slip chain. Most people fail classes (in grade 2 there were 2 classes of 10 dogs each, now in Grade 3 there are only 3 of us). OK, I really want to try agility, I'll use a chain just so I have a better chance of passing. It makes no difference, I don't pull it, I don't train with it at home. But they are on to me! My girl scratches on the stays- I explained it was because of the chain- not fleas or allegies- the chief instructor was called up this week and told me I should use a chain at all times. This is very frustrating, all I want to do is have a go at agility, I think I will go to a club further away, I could be doing agility NOW without these silly rules. The club is OK with treats/food rewards though. Just the collar thing is annoying.

Hi Kylie and the black lab I havent had labs- but my goldens breeder told me 6 years ago "up to 12 months we grow bone, then we grow muscle". This is frustrating for a loony retriever owner, but worth listening to. I now have a super-fit and sound golden. I also have a nearly 2 yo flatcoat who was even more energetic. Some tips- and I'm not an expert at all- swimming is good and your lab should be OK even in this weather. Just make sure the entry and exit points are safe. The 40 mins morning walk could be replaced with obedience or tricks training- it really wears my dogs out. It would be good to have a 5-10 mins walk to a park for socializing or sniffing, then back again. I understand your confusion about 40 mins walk compared to crazy behaviour in the backyard. I thought about this a lot, and decided that the silly puppy running around uses lots of different joints and muscles, whereas walking uses the same ones over and over again. It sounds like you are spending a lot of time with your lovely loony young lab and are a great dog owner. I think it would be worth backing off on the physical excersise (I know !! this is hard) and try to tire the dog in other ways. Good luck, and ask your breeder or vet about the weight- I have no idea!