megan_ Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Hi All, I want to do some dog sports with Fergus, but I'm not to keen to do all the formal levels of obedience at our dog club. This is mainly because IMO they teach a lot of things we don't need, and the class structures are very formal and we like to train in drive. After training at an obedience school, every session we would both leave bored and a bit despirited. I'm not trying to bag the school, it just doesn't suit us. He has what I would classify as a better-than-average recall (I can call him off playing with another dog, can't get him to recall when he has a dead bird though!). He is very focused on me (when treats don't fall on the ground...) and we often train on an oval where there are kids playing football, other dogs run around us etc and he won't leave my side. We train twice a day and he can hold a sit while I go the width of the local footy field. He loves his tug and sees that it has a high value without much training at all. My question is whether this would be enough to start agility and/or flyball at one of the VCA clubs? Or do we need to persist at formal obedience to reach this level? Thanks, Megan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I would say the important obedience commands needed for agility are a sit, stand or drop stay (for start line stays), recall (doesn't have to be a formal one where you leave the dog and call to you, more a practical one where they will come back from distractions) and a drop stay for the table. Many agility people do not go to formal obedience classes. In Sydney some agility clubs which are attached to an obedience club require you to be at a certain level of their club's obedience before letting you do agility, but there are also agility only clubs which do not have this requirement. Not sure what the clubs are like in Vic. It is great that your dog is excited by a tug That is good for agility and flyball. Maybe someone from Vic will come in here and give you suggestions for clubs, sounds like you have the obedience requirements to me There is also foundation work for agility you can do without equipment or a club that will make it easier to do the handling once you get to a club and use equipment. If you search foundation agility on here you should come up with some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clover Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 (edited) Some Melbourne clubs/ schools require you to have passed their level 2 Obedience, but i am pretty sure you can get tested to see if you are up to standard. What clubs were you interested in? ETA: Only 2 of mine have gone to regular Obedience classes, and all 4 at some stage have competed in Flyball. Goodluck and have fun. Edited August 24, 2009 by Clover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted August 24, 2009 Author Share Posted August 24, 2009 thanks. Croydon obedience is the closest one. I haven't taught him stand yet, so we'' get started on this asap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I thought that you already went to Croydon? Some of the pure agility/flyball clubs might not ask for the same level of obedience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Our club does not require a formal level of obedience but you do have to pass a control test. That would require a solid wait and recall and for your dog to recall away from distractions. Essentially we seek a dog that can display focus on the hander and that can be controlled offlead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP* Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 At flyball your dog needs to be good around other dogs and show no aggression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted August 24, 2009 Author Share Posted August 24, 2009 I thought that you already went to Croydon?Some of the pure agility/flyball clubs might not ask for the same level of obedience. Yip - we're at Croydon doing basic obedience. I haven't taught my boy all the stuff and we will fail! But, as I said, he has the basics down pat and displays no aggression whatsoever (in fact, we have to stand between the two fighters of the group). I've only been doing the obedience to do either agility or flyball. Do I have to get the formal obedience "qualification" to move onto these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Yes you have to pass Basic 2 before you can move on to agility or flyball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiechick Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 All the 'agility only' clubs have a waiting list at the moment, so you would need to look for an obedience club that trains agility if you wanted to start now. What area of Melbourne are you in? If you are willing to wait until early next year and Melbourne's north is not too far away you could possibly join a potential new 'agility only' club to do foundation work. There will only be 6 places in the first foundation course and 3 are filled already so PM me if you would like more details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulp Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 At Berwick we say yellow for flyball and pink for agility which are the intermediate levels. In flyball you basically need a decent off lead recall. For agility I think you need reasonable stays and position commands as well. That is the technicality but the reality is that the instructors will assess the dogs/handlers on an individual basis and people might start flyball at a lower level. Best thing to do is go over to flyball and ask the instructors what is required at your club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted August 24, 2009 Author Share Posted August 24, 2009 thanks all. I'm in Murrumbeena (near Chaddy). I'll chat to the flyball instructors on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 (edited) Flyball is basic 2. Even all the instructors have to do basic 2. You don't have to turn up every sunday but you do have to pass the test. Edited August 24, 2009 by JulesP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Depends on the club. I had to get an agility trial pass to do agility with Chazer at my local club as I didn't want to do obedience classes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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