Agility Dogs

Along the same lines - we did an exercise the other week where you need to decide whether the dog should be equipment focussed or handler focussed. When you want them to drive straight and hard (equipment focus) you need to be driving hard (running like hell). When you want them to be turning you need to be looking at their nose. If you can walk a course and pick which bit is which then you stand a chance of giving them really clear information - I don't get bitten, but I get barked at when I get it wrong. Try it next time you walk a course - it works really well. T

The only thing I get is even more effort when we do work, but I guess that is a channeling of the OTT barky/bouncy behaviour. Other than that they know that down time is down time and up time will come again.

Just working through a couple of things - in the next couple of weeks though. T Thanks, will it likely be on a weekend or a weekday? I only hope it's not when in away lol Def a weekend.

Just working through a couple of things - in the next couple of weeks though. T

NOW COME ON ALL OF YOU - hardly anyone on here has any excuse. EVERYONE knows that agility is just like dancing. EVERYONE knows that most guys can't dance. (Unless they are drunk......) Gives me the perfect excuse to drink at trials.

We have the Miele for big clean ups, but also have a Roomba robot cleaner that comes on and does the house on its own every day. Has saved our marriage!!

They cover everything from foundations which are pretty good, up to sequencing on basic courses (including all the equipment.) The good - they are getting dogs out and about, building relationships with their humans. It is a safe environment and everyone has fun. The not so good - if you are looking to move into anything formal their criteria is a little wishy washy for my liking, but you will have fun.

Yep, I've been through all 3 levels. Like anything there is good and bad in all of it. They are great with pet dogs and their dog sport prep class isn't too bad, but if you want to go beyond dog park agility then you are probably better looking at one of the established Agility Clubs. Cheers Tony

Hey, Our 3 BC's have the run of the yard when we are out, unless we have workmen coming around. Then they are left in their runs for the day and the guys can let them out when they go. If one is injured and needs crate rest then they can all be crated inside, but we try to avoid that as there is the potential for them to be locked up for 10 hours. I wouldn't worry about Raz being stolen, but it pays to have options for when they do need to be confined and then you can use them for other reasons as well. Hope that makes sense. T

Which is the reason why I probably won't enter ADAA. I still don't completely understand the jump heights and classes, though. Both my dogs measure 530, so do they jump 550 or 650? If it's 650, we won't ever enter ADAA, my Labs just aren't built to be jumping that high and I wouldn't ever ask them to do that, even though they are on the lighter side. And 550 is pushing it also. ADAA has two 'programmes'. International and regular. With your dogs measured at 530mm they are in the Maxi height class. This means that you have the choice of jumping them at 550mm (Regular programme) or 650mm (International programme). My boy who measures 520mm runs at 550mm in the Regular Maxi class. My girl measures 465mm and also jumps 550mm, but that is in the International Maxi class. They don't compete against each other, because they are in different classes. The other difference is that 'Regular' dogs don't have to jump the spread hurdle (it is replaced with a single hurdle) and the a-frame is lower than the International programme. Course times are a touch easier for the regular class as well. Hope that helps. ETA: Kavik, when ADAA first started out they had two height classes - Maxi and Mini. Mini's jumped 400mm and Maxi's jumped 760mm..... ;) T

I just love these two pics - both with the 50mm lens on my canon.

Rowan is brilliant, my 3 are there ever 3 or 4 months. Friends also rate Toni Lynch VERY highly. T

LOL. Yep - the other two run away as well. SnT and Clover - I think the landscapers who put our turf in might have programmed her for us. That ship has sailed.

Finally, I have a dog who loves to chase the hose! How cool!

Wikki gets 'Pig' - just because she is a rude, ignorant little pig. She doesn't really care what any person or dog says, she is just going to keep on doing what she pleases. (Unless I actually ask her to work, then she is the angel child.) CK (Calvin Klein) gets 'Poof'. He is far too concerned with what he looks like and gets upset at the smallest thing. Xena gets 'Wirly dog'. As in Girly Wirly.

We have 3 at the moment. When the youngest turns 4 or one of our current 'older' two retire (whichever comes second) we will consider another. Living with them is the easy bit. Finding time to train and give them enough attention is where I would struggle with another at the moment - especially when the puppy is only 10 months.

LOL. Yep - having fun there too. (I didn't get to as many as I would have liked.) Not sure about the next competition, but we will get there! T

And my Girl - I started another thread and then realised this one was here..... GIVE ME THE BALL!! GIVE ME THE BALL!!

This is my boy, just being my boy. Hey Dad......I just love life.

Took this on Saturday when I was mucking around with my new 50mm lens. It nails her personality to a T!

Hi, Bubblez at Mutdapilly - between Ipswich and Warwick. We boarded our dogs at this place before it changed hands and names. We are heading out that way again in May and wondered if anyone had sent their puppies on a holiday there since? Any feedback would be most appreciated - feel free to PM me if you prefer. Thanks in advance.

Did I spy an entry for your little girl in the obedience catalogue last night AD??? Oh and yes I have video it's just not loaded off the camera yet - I'll get to it this week sometime! Yeah, but we've been having too much fun and not doing enough work. Her SFE is almost non-existant. Maybe later in the year, but by then she will just about be ready for the AD ring. We'll see.

Well done on the obedience results guys! I really admire anyone with that level of dedication to their dogs! We had another great night at agility last night. Not a lot in the way of results, but this run from Xena was really nice and she managed to keep the bars up! This finished off her JDX title. Clever girly.

AWESOME!! WELL DONE NICOLE!!

Soooooooooo close for Mr CK in this one. Doesn't matter, he is still running just plain AWESOME!! WOO HOO!