Agility Training Talk Thread

[Sayreovi]

I plan on entering Warringal so it would be great to catch up Happy to watch you run him if you like too. Unless my friend with her two Dals is there Zig will be the only Spotted Dog. I'm tall anyway so you won't miss us :D

What about start line stays? How were they? Ok, so maybe pick one or two things that you know he can do and you can do and work on improving them. Be specific though - not just 'run faster' lol Front cross? Rear cross? Lead out?

ETA: I didn't much like having wet, soggy feet either!!!! Tough conditions - smart dog I say

Cool, will have a look at Warringal then!

Never had a problem with start line stays, didn't lead out as far as I usually do though. OK I get what you mean, will have to have a think and a play at training.

Yes, smart dog but not a very cheap dog

TO, I saw some beautiful Tollers but didn't know it was you

Yup, I had the terrible trio of Tollers. I thought I recognized a couple of the blue merle BC's but didn't realise you had come down from NSW!

[The Spotted Devil]

PS...I now have about a thousand new things to train!!!

Oh I know THAT feeling :D

How did you go yesterday, Vickie? I really wish I could have hung around for a chat although I did enjoy soaking in a hot bath and a glass of red! Zig thanks you for the compliment and is still in with Cloe's pocket rocket. He is also the whingiest Dally

TO - agility is a bit like that - all over so quickly too so it's hard to gain ground. Warringal it is! Just aim to enjoy yourself

[pie]

Tollersowned that sounds just like me and Kyzer!

We have the same sort of problem, if I am a bit nervous because we are at a different grounds or a different class etc it is a big fail, he just shuts down, Jumping is not as hard for him as Agility, I suspect it's because jumping is more flowing with no stopping. This is why we have got 2/3 AD passes since March And because I want that last AD pass so bad it makes me even more nervous! Amazing how they pick up on it!

I decided to stick it out and keep trialling because I figured he performs really well at training so there weren't boundaries to push stress wise there. I still have crap trials and have a bit of a nervous breakdown But I am learning a huge deal and trying different tactics. I have entered open a few times but usually scratch because it makes me nervous (more spectators for open) which makes him nervous, so I usually don't bother. I only really enter 'home' trials to keep my nerves down.

On Saturday I changed my tactic, I usually get Kyzer out 1 or 2 dogs before his run and go straight into the ring (my theory was he'd get less stressed out by the environment if he was in it less) I did this for our JDX round and he was quite terrible, wasn't paying attention, sniffing, shut down. For agility I got him out about 5-6 dogs before and walked all the way around the perimeter of the other rings to our ring, letting him have a sniff at some trees, playing some "ready, go" games, then we sat ringside and just did some little tricks etc until it was his turn, then we casually walked into the ring and by golly he had his best (as in happiest) agility run yet! Unfortunately he ran around one jump that was right near a steward's table but I didn't care, I felt like we'd just got our Masters title :D He weaved like a machine, collected nicely to get the entrance, did all contacts, I couldn't have been more pleased. Our last agility pass was at a trial in May I think, so there have been a lot of bombs in between! Going to try my new tactic next trial and see if it was a once off! I don't care so much for a clean run at this stage, just want him to be 'up'

So I say keep going until you make a breakthrough, things have been pretty shocking for us, doesn't help that I am the world's biggest crier ;) but they seem to be turning around a bit more now. I was on the verge of giving up the whole caper but decided I am not wasting 3 years of training, I know he can do it! I can definitely say that trialling has been the biggest challenge in our agility career! But I figure anything I learn will benefit Trixie and future dogs, plus I actually really enjoy going to trials and having a good gas bag with friends :D

Oops sorry about the essay ;)

[Vickie]

How did you go yesterday, Vickie? I really wish I could have hung around for a chat although I did enjoy soaking in a hot bath and a glass of red! Zig thanks you for the compliment and is still in with Cloe's pocket rocket. He is also the whingiest Dally ;)

started off disastrous. I had 6 runs first up in under an hour (often as many as I get in a day here!)

I blew every one of them! They were holding rings for me & I was running both dogs consecutively, I found it very stressful

Got better though and we ended up winning 2 masters jumping & 2nd in another MJ. Also a 2nd Nq in masters agility, 1 bar :D

I had a bit of bad luck in masters gamblers with shine. She did a superb run on what I thought was a really hard gamble but I did not hear or recognize the whistle, so was still in the opening when I was meant to be doing the closing. She still managed 3rd, but nq cause we ran out of time

our biggest heartbreak happened at presentations on sat night. Trim had won mj on sat too but they didn't call my name. She did a brilliant run in the fastest time & the judge gave us clear, competitors congratulated me. They had written dq on the scribe sheet, so we weren't awarded the 1st. I wanted to cry but that's the way sport is. You win some, you lose some

Edited November 15, 2010 by Vickie

[RubyStar]

And that is one of the reasons I refuse to scribe! I don't want to be the cause of stuffing up someone's brilliant run! I prefer to be backup timer or lead steward :D

[Vickie]

And that is one of the reasons I refuse to scribe! I don't want to be the cause of stuffing up someone's brilliant run! I prefer to be backup timer or lead steward

Well it was the first time it's ever happened to me in agility, so I don't think it's that common. Anyway, wasn't the end of the world & as it turned out, by the end of Sunday, we didn't need that win anyway .

[The Spotted Devil]

How did you go yesterday, Vickie? I really wish I could have hung around for a chat although I did enjoy soaking in a hot bath and a glass of red! Zig thanks you for the compliment and is still in with Cloe's pocket rocket. He is also the whingiest Dally

started off disastrous. I had 6 runs first up in under an hour (often as many as I get in a day here!)

I blew every one of them! They were holding rings for me & I was running both dogs consecutively, I found it very stressful

Got better though and we ended up winning 2 masters jumping & 2nd in another MJ. Also a 2nd Nq in masters agility, 1 bar

I had a bit of bad luck in masters gamblers with shine. She did a superb run on what I thought was a really hard gamble but I did not hear or recognize the whistle, so was still in the opening when I was meant to be doing the closing. She still managed 3rd, but nq cause we ran out of time

our biggest heartbreak happened at presentations on sat night. Trim had won mj on sat too but they didn't call my name. She did a brilliant run in the fastest time & the judge gave us clear, competitors congratulated me. They had written dq on the scribe sheet, so we weren't awarded the 1st. I wanted to cry but that's the way sport is. You win some, you lose some

Crikey - 6 runs in one day is plenty enough of me! In fact, mine were spread out so beautifully on Saturday - it was one of the most relaxing days I've had.

Great results in the end, though, Vickie - what do you need to get with Trim now or did that finish her off?

Silly question - did you get an envelope with your win? I didn't get one and was wondering what I was missing???

[Vickie]

Great results in the end, though, Vickie - what do you need to get with Trim now or did that finish her off?

Her jumping is finished now ...a few more to go in agility.

Silly question - did you get an envelope with your win? I didn't get one and was wondering what I was missing???

We got an envelope with a $10 voucher to an online dog shop for 2nd and a toy for 3rd.

The prizes were quite different in value to our NSW prizes.

[Chezy]

I hate it when my runs follow each other , I don't find it enjoyable running from ring to ring and I only have 1 dog competing atm god help me when rickie nat brian starts

[The Spotted Devil]

OK - thanks for that - makes sense now! And I agree with you on that one.

Question time! My pup is going to trial in multiple disciplines.....at this stage retrieving, obedience and agility. ET of course and I'd love to try tracking but that can all wait. When I started with Ziggy he was VERY slow to mature so I was careful not to push him too hard and I focussed on showing first, then formal obedience and agility later on. This one, however, is an absolute little live-wire and will handle multi-discipline training much better I think. Any suggestions for agility exercises that I can incorporate into her training? I have "The Focussed Puppy" book - she is currently learning sit, drop, focus, heel position, recall, nose target to hand and give (toy). I don't want to confuse her too much but she absolutely eats up the training. When I can get her on her own I'll also do some more shaping with the clicker. On that note - how do you train more than one dog at home? Obviously I'll crate when we are out but at home it's a bit more difficult.

[Tiggy]

OK - thanks for that - makes sense now! And I agree with you on that one.

Question time! My pup is going to trial in multiple disciplines.....at this stage retrieving, obedience and agility. ET of course and I'd love to try tracking but that can all wait. When I started with Ziggy he was VERY slow to mature so I was careful not to push him too hard and I focussed on showing first, then formal obedience and agility later on. This one, however, is an absolute little live-wire and will handle multi-discipline training much better I think. Any suggestions for agility exercises that I can incorporate into her training? I have "The Focussed Puppy" book - she is currently learning sit, drop, focus, heel position, recall, nose target to hand and give (toy). I don't want to confuse her too much but she absolutely eats up the training. When I can get her on her own I'll also do some more shaping with the clicker. On that note - how do you train more than one dog at home? Obviously I'll crate when we are out but at home it's a bit more difficult.

I'm in the same boat as you with the multiple disciplines so will be interested in the replies :D . In regards to training more than one dog at home I'll either bring one into the house to train or if I'm training outside put the other dogs inside or train out the front .

[dandybrush]

man im so bumbed atm :D agility training is on tonight, but i cant go due to very bad sunburn causing me too much pain

[huski]

man im so bumbed atm agility training is on tonight, but i cant go due to very bad sunburn causing me too much pain ;)

Geez it must be terrible sunburn!! Hope you are better soon

Daisy and I have our very first agility class tonight :D hopefully we won't be too much of a disaster!

[dandybrush]

it is bad, never been in this much pain over a sunburn :D

hope you and daisy have a good night

[Staff'n'Toller]

it is bad, never been in this much pain over a sunburn :D

hope you and daisy have a good night

Please do seek some medical advice on it, I got painful sunburn (in London of all places!! ) and I do have some scarring from it.

[huski]

it is bad, never been in this much pain over a sunburn

Gosh I hope you are better soon! Sounds awful

hope you and daisy have a good night

Thanks, we sure did

Daisy was working ok, she was nice and focused which was good. It was a liiiiiittle bit boring in parts for us as we can do stuff like sit stays which is what they got us to work on for part of the class, but other stuff like shaping her through weave poles was a challenge even though we've done a lot of shaping before. The instructors really want us to work with a toy because they said that's how you get drive, but Daisy is just SO much more food driven than toy driven I don't think she could have more drive for a toy than she does for food. And I think a lot of people use food exchange moreso than food drive so don't know how to get drive with food. But I can totally see how using a toy would be useful, so I'm sure we'll give it a go at some point.

[RubyStar]

Can any handler top this move on the course?

[dandybrush]

it is bad, never been in this much pain over a sunburn

hope you and daisy have a good night

Please do seek some medical advice on it, I got painful sunburn (in London of all places!! ) and I do have some scarring from it.

really?? well its day 3 now, it stings to touch kills me to wear a bra i might give it till friday then maybe make an appy with my dr i doubt there is much they can do, and i dont want anyone touching it :p

it is bad, never been in this much pain over a sunburn

Gosh I hope you are better soon! Sounds awful :p

hope you and daisy have a good night

Thanks, we sure did :p

Daisy was working ok, she was nice and focused which was good. It was a liiiiiittle bit boring in parts for us as we can do stuff like sit stays which is what they got us to work on for part of the class, but other stuff like shaping her through weave poles was a challenge even though we've done a lot of shaping before. The instructors really want us to work with a toy because they said that's how you get drive, but Daisy is just SO much more food driven than toy driven I don't think she could have more drive for a toy than she does for food. And I think a lot of people use food exchange moreso than food drive so don't know how to get drive with food. But I can totally see how using a toy would be useful, so I'm sure we'll give it a go at some point.

yeah raz still sux with the weavers, i really need a set at home to practise with

sounds like you had a good night overall

[Dova]

I've just started agility with my three, we went to training last night & Delta my Kelpie showed how enthusiastic she is about the whole thing, read 95% enthusiasm, 5% control. She was doing her usual, race over the jumps & yelling the whole time, then she jumped over a jump, raced up the scramble AND launced herself from the top , scared the you know what's out of me. All I could think was broken legs/neck or badly hurt but she jumped up & started yelling at me to hurry up & get on with it, think my face was white as a sheet & heart in my throat, the instructor said she'd never seen a dog jump from the top before & I don't want to see it again ;). Took her back & did it again properly, looking forward to getting Delta into a trial but it won't be for a while yet, think I'll just do herding with her at the moment, much safer .

[The Spotted Devil]

Glad you had fun, huski I would definitely get a food toy...try here: http://72.29.94.88/~aussieag/products/foodmotivationtoys.htm The Bunny Tug is great for a dog that has no interest in toys but we have now moved on to the Ultimate Jackpot Toy. We don't always use it as a tug as Zig will switch off it after a bit - but at least I can throw it over jumps.

Dova Oh my goodness!!!! I must say that it's easier to have a few pieces of equipment in one place for beginners as they can so easily get sucked into an obstacle and get a fright or hurt themselves! Zig has had a couple of lessons on the see saw and raced towards it in a training session when I had planned to avoid it. My heart was in my mouth as he hadn't experienced the full force of it landing but fortunately I managed to call him off it. I seem to have built very high value for contacts