Agility Dogs Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I have 3 Agility Dogs - well, I will in about 3 weeks time when the third starts trialling and the other night I had a light bulb moment. I got our third one because the second one, was....well.....loveable. As an agility dog he has always been really good at flyball, frisbee and scabbing pats from anyone and anyone who didn't look too scary. We've given flyball away at least for the moment and frisbee is pretty easy so I really wanted another dog to train for agility since after 4 years I just couldn't get CK to see the value in it. All of a sudden he has come alive and decided that agility is the coolest thing on the face of the planet so the much threatened retirement plans have gone on hold and I now have 3 fun to play with agility dogs. In the back of my mind I kind of had a plan that Wikki (no 3) would come and live with us and then when she was 4 or 5 we'd look for number 4. Now as it turns out I've come to the realisation that when she is 4 or 5 the others will be 8 or 9 and hopefully still running. I always thought this would be the case, but the realisation is more that I can't train 4 competitive agility dogs. (Given that training for the trained dogs is as much about fitness as it is about skills the commitment in time is still there even if the content of the training is a bit less intense.) I've had to rethink my plan and now recognise that I won't be ready for another dog until at least one of the current bunch retires from competition. It will be injury/age that forces it so the training load will decrease at that point. I'm kind of a little disappointed to possibly be putting our next puppy off, but at the same time excited at how much is left to be done! Has anyone else a realisation like this and what was it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaseyKay Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I am more the other way around. I got puppy#1 and puppy#2 18 months apart (for agility and obedience). Puppy#2 turned out to have health issues (epilepsy and eye problems) and never competed, so I just competed with the first dog (in most sports though!), she retired from injury aged 8 years so one day realised I had 2 dogs aged 7 and 9 years and no one to compete with and I enjoyed competing, so got puppy#3 now 2 years old and competing in agility, has her CDX, starts tracking comps this summer. It seems such a waste to spend all day at an agility show to run one dog, 3 maybe 4 runs maximum. I don't REALLY want than 3 dogs though (or do I...) and retired-dogs #1 and #2 are still fit and bound to go on for years yet. I wish I had your problem :) So my connundrum: get another one to compete with but have 4 dogs for who knows how many years?? (I do now have a license for 4 dogs umm, just in case). Change from day to day with: "yes you should just get that puppy"! to "4 border collies, what are you crazy"?? I need a realisation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I have one sporting dog and one purely pet, and I can barely keep up with the two of them, so no more for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHRP Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) Personally for my competition dogs I like a 5ish year gap. I find by the time the dog is 5 they have good solid foundations and training becomes less intense and more about maintanence and the 10 year old dog is winding down his career. I therefore have the time to put into a new pup while still competing with my older dog/s. So, I have up to three dogs competing at times, but usually just two. I have seen people take on pup after pup and not really achieve all they could with any... I've also seen people trial multiple dogs with great success! Edited October 13, 2011 by FHRP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I'll have 3 in a 2-3 years for Agility. Trim is nearly 8, Shine is 5 & Fly is not 6 months yet. I'll probably still run Trim once I start Fly, but since she has all her titles, will probably just enter her in 1 or 2 events (so she doesn't hate me lol). I can already see myself wanting another pup for sheep at some point in a few years . That one may well end in divorce ;) but I am starting to record my husband saying what an awesome puppy Fly is and how she's no trouble so that I can remind him how easy he thought having a puppy was Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I'm kind of in the same boat as CaseyKay. Zoe (12 years) has aggression issues so I was not able to compete with her. Diesel (nearly 8 yrs) has health problems so I was never able to compete with him. So I have Kaos (5 yrs) as my only competition dog. At the moment looking at breeders for the next dog but not sure when that will be yet. Would like to have Kaos in Masters first and iron out a few little competition issues and be sure of how I want to train the next one first, but so jealous of my friends who have recently gotten or just about to get new pups! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Trim is 8 What an amazingly fit and talented dog! What is your secret Vickie :p I think I'd struggle with 2 competition dogs at the moment. I do hope to get another dog in a year or so, so I'm not sure how that is going to go in terms of competition. Hopefully Mindy will be competing and have the basics by then but depending on our situation, the next dog might be pet-only, maybe an older rescue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RallyValley Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I have Toby who is 3, he is the family dog so will not be coming with me when I leave home, an injury means no agility and temparament issues mean no obedience beyond CD. He will enjoy Rally though and keep competeting on that as long as he is sound. My pup is 2 years and 11 months younger then Toby, she should be able to have a go at everything and keep me busy! All going well my next dog will be from the pup's second litter when she is around 5, if her health tests ect line up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaCharlie Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Hmm... well we have 9 LOL although admitedly not all are competing at this point in time. Brooks (12) and Jaz (10) are retired from everything although they still do a bit of training here and there to keep them happy and active. Dash (9) Sweep (7) Charlie (6) Delta (almost 5) and Link (4) are competing in agility and flyball. Delta and Sweep also do some DWD. Then we have Whip (15months) and Rush (10months) who are both being trained in agility, flyball, DWD and sheepwork. There may be 2 more added to the clan late next year We worked out that in 2014 we could in theory have 9 dogs competing. Dash at 9 is still like a 12 month old pup and so long as she is looked after there is no reason why she shouldn't still be running (except perhaps finances LOL). Delta's body may not last that long though, only time will tell with her. Good thing we love dogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) Trim is 8 What an amazingly fit and talented dog! What is your secret Vickie :p thanks AL I am sure most of it is her breeding. She has really great conformation and is very well put together. Her grandmother when she was 12 was still about the fastest dog I've ever seen & I haven't seen her Mum for a few years but I'm willing to bet that at about 12 now, she would still be spectacular. The only credit I can take is that I followed nutritional advice, have always kept her lean (well except for the tub of butter and a chocolate birthday cake issue) and touch wood, other than a sprung toe, she has never had an injury. I cannot even imagine retiring her, I think she would scream the place down if I took her to a trial & didn't run her. Edited October 13, 2011 by Vickie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) I don't even have one yet, so that will be enough for now! I do know people that are competing with 3/4/5 dogs, have a couple of old retired dogs, and some young dogs coming up. Way too much work! I want my silly agility dog, and my serious agility Doberman... that's at least 5 years away, so don't have to worry yet! :D Though I do train/compete with other people's dogs... thankfully one person is retiring her old dog and taking her young one back off me, as I am running out of time to train/compete with dogs now, and I don't even live with them all! Edited October 13, 2011 by DiscoDobe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandybrush Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 i have 2 dogs, i do some agility with my older boy, will prob do it with my girl to, however i really struggle to train both dogs and fit everything in so i dont think i can/will ever have a 3rd dog, or at least not for the next 10 years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I have 2 dogs ( scratch that one dog and one monster puppy lol) I compete in obedience a bit with the older dog and I am really enjoying it, I hope to trial with the puppy too one day. Must say having a puppy is a lot of work training wise, they know nothing which is nice but it is also a lot of effort time wise. I would like to get into retrieving a bit too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seita Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I think 3 dogs will be my limit unless I win lotto and can stop working! My plans are to have a 5 to 6 year age gap between my guys, I've only got Ella at the moment and she's 5.5 now and I hope to breed a litter from her in January and keep a pup to compete with who in turn I'll breed when it gets to around 5 or so and which point Ella will be nearing retirement and I'll have time to focus on a puppy again. Personally I think I'd struggle with having more than 2 dogs in active training. I wish I could be superhuman like Ptolomy and have soo many dogs doing so well but I think I'd go mad if I tried or divorced or both! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I'm still waiting for mine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agility Dogs Posted October 14, 2011 Author Share Posted October 14, 2011 WOW - thanks guys, so many varied responses. TBH, my first two are too close together, but were never 'meant' to be performance dogs, it has just worked out that way. I was going to have a 5 year gap, but then Wikki (with the same Dad as CK) came along just a bit too early and I couldn't not have her come and live with us when the chance was there. I'd love to win lotto and retire as well - would make everything much easier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Mine are the same age and both compete in obedience and agility, are on so on par with their training and titles it is freaky, even though I got them 2 years apart. It was never my intention to end up with 2 dogs the same age, I am very aware of the downfalls of that, but it just happened that way when I adopted an adult. I want about a 5-6 year gap between mine, and as both of mine are very close to 5 years old now, that means I should start looking. But, I just don't feel I'm ready for a new pup yet. My current two are still my learning dogs and I have so much to learn still, that I don't want to get a puppy until I feel I'm more prepared, and until my two are in maintenance training mode. I think I'm going to have to make a decision in the next 18 months or so if I am going to add to my pack or not. I don't think I could handle more than 2 trialling dogs at one time, though. I like having 2 trialling dogs, nice number. Makes a trial worthwhile when I have more than 1 out there, but anymore than 2 and I might get a tad stressed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I was going to have a 5 year gap, but then Wikki (with the same Dad as CK) came along just a bit too early and I couldn't not have her come and live with us when the chance was there. AD - of course you had to have Rory's little 'sister' (repeat mating of his parents ) My local council limits my numbers - can only have 2 without a kennel licence - which they don't issue - but in reality it's probably just as well. I wouldn't have time (or energy) to train another one. Kirra is over 9.5 now, but thankfully still lean and fit (in spite of her strenuous efforts not to be lean ), and her chiro is quite happy for her to keep competing in agility. She's also competing in Track and Search, and playing around a bit with DWD - although we haven't competed (yet???). Lil big man Rory at just 3 is still showing in conformation occasionally, although he already titled a year ago - he enjoys it, and I have a lovely Junior Handler who enjoys handling him for me . I'm training him in Obedience and Tracking, and he's done a fair amount of agility training. He's still a bit reactive in highly exciting situations, so haven't tried competing in agility yet - maybe next year. He got ET and his TD title this year - he loves his tracking, although not when there are Scotch thistles all around a corner (like there were on his Test 4), and he loves playing in Obedience and Rally O - especially Rally O cos he's not really ready for group stays yet. Although I retired 9 years ago, I've been back working 4 days a week for the last 6 years (partly because I enjoy it, and partly to fund the doggy luxuries like travelling across the country to Nationals or training camps - so that limits the training time I have available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I think 2 is my limit... Money and time wise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agility Dogs Posted October 14, 2011 Author Share Posted October 14, 2011 playing around a bit with DWD - although we haven't competed (yet???). A friend of mine keeps bugging me to play with Wikki as well - I didn't help matters the other night by playing with her while the dogs were lined up waiting to run at agility. One day, but I'll get next year's WAC out of the way first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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