Agility Dogs

That was the bit that I didn't do. I just kept him inside the house for a few weeks and crated when I was at home. I also didn't do the head collar thing - not because I don't like them (I do - sorry to those who don't), but because we didn't think he needed to go to that extreme. For us it was less about bringing him under control or managing aggression and more about making him realise that if I asked for something it was going to happen NOW. NOT if he felt like it or when it suited him. He is a very soft dog who would use his 'softness' to get a free ride back to his crate - 'If I shut down, I'm going to get put into my crate - cool'. So, basically we implemented it all apart from the bones and head collar when I was home. For practical reasons he was allowed access to our other dog, but it was limited. I loved the games that you progress to and still use them as a basis for our training every morning. (We train for 20 to 30 mins with the 3 dogs in the middle of our morning walk. This gives the puppy a good rest and gives us a chance to train effectively - the balance between drive and self control is excellent imo. ETA - we came up with all of this working with Linda who works for Susan and undertands the program well. There are still areas of his performance that I could improve with more work, but I am happy with where he is at for the most part and he is never going to be the best in the world so we do let him get away with a bit and just make sure it is all fun for him. I am a little more strict with the girls who are both a lot pushier and have a lot more drive than he does.

Agree - to follow it very strictly would be nigh on impossible unless you had all day every day to devote to it. Remember - Susan developed it for one of her dogs that was very chllenging and her business is dog training. In a REALLY short form it basically involves removing ALL reinforcement from your dog's life, other than what comes from you. (They are crated with access to bones and water for most of the first couple of weeks.) As their focus moves more and more to you and they start to understand that you control all resources and they are not to beg, bully or (in my boy's case) manipulate you or anyone else for them they get more and more privileges back. It is VERY full on and even what I did with my boy was challenging for us to keep consistent with, but I did get some really good results from setting clear boundaries and making sure he knew EXACTLY what was acceptable and what was not. He is happier, has more drive and is considerably more focussed on me. NOTE - I can be just a touch obsessive about things so would probably find it easier than most to follow the program.

Not totally, but I took about 75% of it and used it for my boy. (After working for a week with Linda Orton-Hill.) We didn't do it for aggression, we did it for a performance dog who was not performing. It was AWESOME - the results we achieved in the space of a month were nothing short of incredible. (He still has a lot of the principles applied in his life, just not quite as rigidly all the time.) I have also used it with my new puppy and she is going brilliantly. It is hard/harsh, but definitely works.

Completely agree on the balancing act - private training is awesome. Just wish I'd discovered it before going down a couple of the tracks I did when I first got my puppies. If they find a good club for the other activities all the manners, foundations, control will be covered. I guess its just obedience by a different name.

I said I don't think all dogs should be going to obedience and if you don't enjoy it why go? That said I think all dogs should have some form of structured training and socialisation around other dogs in an environment where it is NOT OK just to play with the other dogs. (promoting handler focus.) My youngest girl is now 5.5 months and is working off lead on a field with other dogs at both flyball and agility. (Age appropriate foundation work - not much equipment at all.) She has an absolute blast and is starting to get excited every time we turn up at training. She heels better than my other two ever did at obedience and could just about go into the CCD or even CD ring, but I don't really enjoy the discipline so we just play/work/play with an eye to less structured sports when she reaches the magic 18 month mark. (Maybe a touch younger for flyball.)

lol, ive never even heard of those other places, but yeah Pine Rivers is nice and close, Tess is 9 do you think that will be ok? she loves agility and picked it up really quick so Im guessing she will be the same with flyball, Ill have to look it up As long as she is physically sound it won't be a problem. T

We generally have about 6 or 7 a year up here, plus a few teams make the trek south to the nationals each year. Closest club to you would be Pine Rivers DOC if you are at PADS (from memory). Otherwise there are two teams on the southside, one at Nambour and another at Hervey Bay. That's about it for Qld at present. Oh - there are also two newer clubs I almost forgot - one at Jimboomba and the other at Redlands.

Yay Xena.. She was on FIRE tonight!.. She needs to give some of that zing to Den lol! Well we had a Great night Jock managed his final Q SDX Title and Retirement.. we have one final blow out at Jimboomba next weekend and then its all over 4 years in the ring together and 9 titles and some amazing memories Den also surprised me with his first Masters Jumping Q and 5th not bad for my baby dog Managed to stay Dry lol the wettest part of the night was going from the driveway to the house lol! Good luck to everyone this weekend Well done Jock!! Enjoy your retirement! It was a difficult night - I think Xena was able to look good because she is pretty light and the courses suited her. She was such a good girly, she just didn't want to play, but the second I put her in front of the first jump she knew what it was all about! (Secretly I think she just wanted to get it over with so she could get back into the car!) I do know it was VERY hard to pull up 90kg running as fast as it could without ending up on my butt! ;) Apart from the one puddle I managed to find we were the same as you - getting X out of the car when we got home was the wettest part of the night.

We had a great night at the Qld Agility Fund Raiser Trial tonight - despite the rain. Lucky the rain managed to hold off until I got home! Xena (only took Xena) was just awesome. She had 3 runs - SDX, JDX and JDO and managed to quallify in and win all three. We just worked so well as a team I was amazed. I have to start trusting the little girly more and she will be even quicker. Have a good weekend everyone - hope you don't get too wet. T

Lol, this is me, Ive seen Agility Dogs at competitions, but everytime I see him Im to chicken to say hello, I always find some excuse "oh he is about to do a run" or "nah he is busy talking right now" lol I am scary! I wouldn't say hello to me either. Lol, there we are heard it from the man himself Are you coming to the next PADS comp? thats the next one Ill be at Yep. Only bringing Xena and Wikki though. CK has the night off because we are flyballing at the Sunshine Coast the next day and he needs his beauty sleep. See you there.

Lol, this is me, Ive seen Agility Dogs at competitions, but everytime I see him Im to chicken to say hello, I always find some excuse "oh he is about to do a run" or "nah he is busy talking right now" lol I am scary! I wouldn't say hello to me either.

We were wrapped with the way it went. I know what you mean about being shy - I am too! (Probably why I like my key board.) Between the 3 dogs and trying to have a chat to everyone in the club, plus do a little bit to help out around the place I was pretty busy, but always happy to have a chat - make sure you do say hi next time!! Our next big event is our first ADAA nationals, but the GP always has been and always will be a social/fun weekend just like this one. The venue was just icing on the cake though.

I came to this conclusion this morning. Just when I have the older two prepared to stay in their crates until whenever I choose to go and get and annoying little high drive puppy. Then I looked back at my notes from the older dogs and remembered that they used to do EXACTLY the same thing. Oh well - if Wikki turns out to be as good as the other two then it will be worth the early mornings for 12 months or so.

x2

yes, he is a dog is probably the best answer. Best guess is BC, Aussie and something. He is a beautiful boy - not normally that bouncy, but he was just having a blast.

What an awesome venue, and an awesome weekend all round! I think just about all the puppies really enjoyed it once they realised what they were there for! Here are a couple of runs from the weekend.......... Hope to see some more of you there next year!!

Hi, Sat night won't finish until quite late (8pm or 9pm depending on how the rings run) so it may be a bit difficult for too many of the competitors to get out and say hi. Pls come and say hi on Sunday though! Cheers Tony

We had a great afternoon a the Gold Coast Trial. Heaps of fun and some really nice work by both puppies. This was CK in Excellent Agility And his sister getting her AD title...... Off to the Grand Prix next week. Can't wait!!

ARe you saying Rotties, dobes etc ARE that way or they aren't from birth? Just curious - not having a dig. They are not born as fully trained personal protection dogs. Those that pretend they are are most likely not stable enough and to reactive to be placid family pets. Im not saying that a working dog cant be a family pet, but there are plenty of people there looking for their first dog and getting a working line one, they read about sharpness and calm deep full mouth grips and want one. Usually for wrong reasons and usually with no knowledge on how to bring up such dog. thanks. I thought that's what you meant.

ARe you saying Rotties, dobes etc ARE that way or they aren't from birth? Just curious - not having a dig.

From a performance POV I'm thinking it would come down to three things: 1. Drive 2. Biddability (is that a word?) 3. Structure Wikki, my new little girl is from a show/performance home and has all three of the above. (Oh, and she is dead cute.) BUT, if I couldn't find a pup like her then I would be more than happy to look at 'working lines' BC's. Personally I just don't think they are quite as pretty as the show style borders, but if that was where I had to go to get what I wanted for a performance prospect then yes, I'd go there.

Or potentially make less money for the distributors......... I'm not prepared to take the risk, but I do wonder.

:p You might have a point - I find with my two less is more. The more I talk and try and manage them around the course the more they get confused. They pretty much know what they have to do - run a straight line unless I tell them otherwise. Any verbal cues I give are more for my own self confidence than they are for the dogs - unless there is something evil in a gamble - Xena has a reliable out command. CK well, he is just CK - good thing he is beautiful and can play flyball.

No slapping necessary - you know enough to make your own decisions. Can't wait to meet your Kelpie girl! Too many dogs - nah. We have just brought our third into our home and I'm already starting to annoy OH about no. 4. (or at least warn her that it will happen when our newest and naughtiest turn 5 or I retire my girl. (Whichever comes first - hopefully it will be Wikki turning 5 though!)

I do mine annually - I also do bloods every six months. Our vet does it in his surgery and it costs us about $65 from memory - similar to C3. Annually just means it is easier to show everyone who wants to see it and talk through whether they will accept it or not. also - builds up a bit of a history for us to look at.