Agility Dogs

In Open level at ADAA you need to complete the weaves or you get eliminated. If the dog gets the entry and then pops out you'll incur no more course faults regardless of how many times you try, you just have to get them done cleanly. (In starters you can do 6 weaves and keep going for one course fault or go back and correct them and as long as you end up getting them right you can still run clean.) In ANKC once you have correctly got the entry you cannot repeat a weave you have already completed or you are eliminated - so you have to run your dog on or put them back in where they made their mistake. Either way you can't run clean. Distance - I'm not sure. With my dogs it has come as our understanding of what we are doing together has improved. Others may have more/better advice.

I always train with a collar- not any more!!! Anyone know where you can get good quality slip leads from? Btw was the dog in the video a flat coated retriever? I love the ones from Clean Run - postage is a bugger though!!

For clarity - it's not at trials that I don't like aversives AND forcing dogs to do things (like being dragged through tunnels or across contacts. It's at training during foundation stages. Both organisations are a great way to get out and have a ball with your dogs, they just approach it slightly differently.

I compete in both, they both have their own advantages and disadvantages. In terms of why there are two bodies - ADAA started because the people who started it wanted ALL dogs, not just ANKC registered dogs to be able to compete in agility and at the time there was no associate register in Queensland. ADAA is also affiliated with a different international body - again, one that is only interested in dog sports, not other elements of the dog world. On trial day the reality is that there aren't that many real differences between the two - some of the rules are a bit different, but that is mostly technical stuff and the equipment is a little bit different as well, but experienced dogs don't really have a problem moving from one to the other Saturday to Sunday. (Slats on ADAA DW's, not on ANKC, different jump heights, weaver spacing - that sort of stuff.) ADAA is my first choice - when I started out the only dog I had was not ANKC registered so it made more sense to play with ADAA clubs - that and the nearest one was 3 minutes up the road literally. Now I justify it mostly because I like ADAA's positive only training ethos more than the more old school obedience based regimes that many of the CCCQ clubs have. (Most, NOT all.) NOTE - I'm not advocating postiive only methods in all circumstances, but if you need to use aversives in agility training something is not right with the relationship you have with your dog. IMO - it should ONLY be about fun. There are a host of other differences in the background (who runs the organisation, how it is run, how it is funded, requirements on clubs etc etc), titling is a little different as well, but ultimately from a competitor point of view, when you step up and start to run a course you are going to have fun with your dog in either environment. ETA - ADAA is a bit cheaper as well. Entries are $4 per run with $50 membership for 3 years. CCCQ entries tend to be between $5 and $7 per run with $60 or something similar membership per year.

Even though it seems like you are only asking for a little more it sounds like she isn't ready to take that big a step. Maybe look at an intermediate step. The other thing to look at is rate of reward - is there a way to increase that to keep her interest? Cheers Tony

Good reminder to everyone. I sometimes run my dogs with their collars on at training - not any more!!

LOL. It is partly that, but also if they are walking behind me I end up getting tied in knots! ;)

I think it comes back to what you are prepared to accept. We have three rules for our 3.(3 BC's - 16 months, 5 years and 4.5 years.) The first is that they are not allowed to cross behind me. The second is they are not allowed to stop and sniff. The third is that if I speak to them they have to listen to me. Aside from that as long as they don't put too much pressure on the lead I'm happy. I know that a lot of people wouldn't be happy, but it works for us.

I have thought long and hard about this and keep coming back to the older rescues that no one wants - BC's of course. That said, by my reckoning I'll probably have another 5 pups come into my life before I have to worry about that!

Clementine = Tiny? Just a thought.

buddy1, the Metro comp on the 11th Sept is closed, I am entering the QLD State agility Fundraiser @ Metro on the 16th (closes Friday)! Jumpers and Strategic Pairs i think! Where is the ADAA one? Thanks guys! I have worked out the forms now, and the club has said i can be measured if i get there early enough next weekend! :D As for the vetting, i have been to watch a few trials now, and i have not seen this done yet, but i will make sure im there in time for that just in case! thanks for all the advice guys! its gonna be AWESOME! MY GOD...ADAA...ANKC...so much to know! See you there! I get to play with a friend's Beardie in that comp - can't wait. The next ADAA trial is on Saturday this week at PADS, then the week after at Suncoast (Caboolture).

;) That'd be right - train at an ADAA club and then forget about it....... ADAA's entry forms all state that formal vetting will not be conducted, but that the right is reserved to vet any dog on the day of the trial. I've only had the dogs 'vetted' at two clubs - all those trials were held in conjunction with obedience trials and the obedience people were handing out the numbers. I've since trialled at both clubs and not had to have the dogs looked at.

You won't have a problem all things being equal. The RSPCA behaviour and training centre's shed is FULL of crates that are leant/hired out to 'students'. They are very pro crate training.

Hey Huski, For agility that depends on the club/trial manager. Some clubs want to see every dog walk (ridiculous - there is no way they'd pick up anything from that) while others just look at entire bitches while others don't look at any of the dogs. ADAA vet by exception rather than as a rule. Cheers T

Who do you consider yourself accountable to for the care you provide your dogs? I don't consider I am accountable to anyone other than my dogs and my own conscience. I'm not particularly interested in other's opinions and the standards I have for my dogs are so far ahead of what is 'required' by law it is almost laughable. I think I have a responsibility to the breeders of the dogs to look after them, but I'm certainly not accountable to them in any way. Who holds you accountable whether you like it or not? The dogs do. They soon tell me if I am out of line. My OH will also let me know if she thinks I'm not doing something right, but again, not really accountability. Do you consider you have the right to hold others accountable, and in what capacity do you do that? The only way I remotely consider I have any right to hold someone else accountable is at club training - are they treating their dog in accordance with club/association rules? Is their dog overweight and should it be allowed to use the equipment? That's about it really. I think everyone needs to take personal responsibility for their own animals and the flimsy laws that we have to abide by are the only real accountability that any of us have. Most of the people on here though (I imagine) will be bound by moral obligation to their animals, other dog owners and their dogs' breeders.

I look at it from a different perspective. I have trials or training sessions where I have performed poorly, but ultimately we don't ever have a bad session because there is always something to learn from what we have done. Looking at that and thinking about WHY it was bad and what I can do to make it better next time is the key.

We blood test our dogs every 6 or 12 months - by process of elimination we found that our boy has a reaction to proban so he is on advantix. The girls are both on proban and show no signs of problems. I can't use tick collars as the gdogs favourite game is to steal them off each other. Caution on advantix - it is absolutely deadly to cats.

thank you for saving me the trouble of typing!

I think you are going to get a whole heap of conflicting answers that won't give any clarity at all. Training methods seem to be a bit like religion - everyone has their own opinion and it is always right. You need to make a decision about wehther you are comfortable using a check chain on your dog and if it is the best method for you. OR put another way you need to make a decision about whether you are comfortable NOT using a check chain on your dog and whether that is the best method for you.

Mention RSPCA in a chirpy voice and I'd be canning them as well.. Really? I'm not so sure about PETA, but if you'd asked me 12 months ago I'd have been training at the RSPCA every week (flyball) and not been saying bad things about RSPCA. BUT, my dogs also train 2 other nights a week, compete most weekends, live inside, aren't left alone for prolonged periods etc etc etc, but you still wouldn't sell a pup to me? If I didn't like the way someone looked after their dogs then I would have a problem giving them a pup. If it was for any otehr reason I didn't like them and I felt that they would be a good owner then I would have no problem letting them have a pup.

When CK was going through his fear periods and OMG they were horrendous, I would treat it like any other training set back. Just ease back on the criteria and work through it until we got a success, then revisit it again in the next session. For the see-saw maybe increase distance to a tolerable level and then work back. For the plastic - maybe shape walking on it? Definitely neutral response for any fearful behaviour though

My older girl Xena is really quick as well and I started wit hthe same mindset as Kavik - I've since abandoned that plan and she now runs contacts (as opposed to being trained in running contacts). My pup otoh has been trained to DRIVE into contact position and for her it is the coolest place in the world. I will allow her to early release once she starts trialling, but for the minute she just gets MEGA rewards for being there. On course like others have said it is about making sure your dogs have a really solid understanding of handing cues. If I can't get to something (rare - lucky with long legs) I'll try and make sure we abort and go another way to avoid taking the fun out of it for the dogs. Circle work and surprisingly one jump excercises as well as jump grids are the areas I'd be looking. Hope that helps.

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I have to say upfront that I do not allow my dogs to be involved large group puppy play sessions, no matter how well controlled they are. BUT.....wondered what others opinions on this scenario might be. A friend of mine has been going to a training school that offers puppy play and socialisation sessions. The goal is to socialise dogs so that they are comfortable and enjoy the dog park. This is not in place of training/classes, but is in addition to the classes the school holds. For pet dogs I quite like the classes the school runs, but have to scratch my head at this one. At first they are in a group of 8 to 16 week old puppies with interactions controlled and dogs seperated if there is any niggle. Then they move into the next session which is 16 weeks to some other age that I'm not sure of. In this session owners still supervise, but there is also an 'alpha dog', owned by one of the trainers who is allowed to 'sort out' inappropriate behaviour. My friend is not comfortable that her large breed pup has been 'sorted out' on a number of occasions for no apparent reason, but it OK because the alpha dog does it. My advice to her is that if she is not comfortable with the situation that her dog is in she should remove it and not go back - there are other ways to socialise your dog. I've seen these sessions and plenty of people love them, but this is the first I've head of the Alpha dog's role. What do others think about this sort of set up?

Food - about $80 for the 3 dogs. Supplements - about the same as food. Training treats - $20. Training 'stuff - toys, lessons etc etc' - $50.00 Competition entries - $200. Vet save up - $200. General Vet bills - $50. Travel - twice a year about $2k so $170 a month. I think that's about it....... $850.