emilymarston Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 It is a tough spot to be in. Personally, if my dogs are working flat and are lacking motivation/desire to work with me, that is what I concentrate on, and for that you need more rewards and know how to make it exciting, not less. My young dog is very keen but VERY easily distracted with the attention span of a gnat! I've been struggling to get outr tugging where I would like it, especially in public, so have just decided to concentrate primarily on making the game FUN, and have scaled any more serious training right back! While it is incredibly frustrating considering friends with similar aged dogs have them doing proper equipment and handling, and I am still struggling with basic focus, I know from experience with my other dog that time spent on getting my reward system and desire to work in place now will make everything so much more enjoyable and easier later down the track. I've been trying to excited her during class. I get criticized for even small amounts of praise, so it's hard to train Bonnie like I normally would without getting some sort of look from the other trainers. I'm the only one in class who uses food, so I look really out of place in class already. I could move 10m from the class and Bonnie will be fine, working as normal. I'm trying to still maintain the usual amount of excitement and praise as I normally would give her, but it's hard when all the trainers are telling me to do the exact opposite. Bonnie does have a strong desire to work, but it's really hard to channel that drive into sometime we both don't enjoy. And that's our biggest issue. Personally, if that was the attitude of the club, I would stop going and look for another club that promotes more positive working relationships. I know that is difficult to do in your circumstances, but I would not persist in going to a club that will not allow me to use the methods and rewards that I want and that my dog works best for. There is not much point going if you are not enjoying it and the dog is not enjoying it. I would move, but my parents won't let me change clubs. I can't afford a proper agility club, and I don't want to have to repeat the whole obedience thing at anther club. This is the only way I'd ever be able to take agility classes. I really want to compete in agility, it's the one thing I've wanted for about 2 years. Until I get classes I can't do anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 (edited) Yes, it does seem tough for agility in VIC! Luckily in Sydney there are multiple clubs which are agility specific and have no prerequisites for joining or doing agility. Heeling is not necessary for agility, so it seems strange to test for that in relation to agility readiness. The most useful are a good recall and a decent stay. I still wouldn't bother personally given the attitude of the club, it will just sour your dog (and you!). Are there no people who give private lessons in your area? There are also online classes. I know that is expensive, but maybe cheaper than classes which you are not enjoying. Edited April 13, 2014 by Kavik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymarston Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 Yes, it does seem tough for agility in VIC! Luckily in Sydney there are multiple clubs which are agility specific and have no prerequisites for joining or doing agility. Heeling is not necessary for agility, so it seems strange to test for that in relation to agility readiness. The most useful are a good recall and a decent stay. I still wouldn't bother personally given the attitude of the club, it will just sour your dog (and you!). Are there no people who give private lessons in your area? There are also online classes. I know that is expensive, but maybe cheaper than classes which you are not enjoying. I don't have enough money or space for online classes. I can barely fit three jumps in my backyard. The reason why I chose Altona was because it was $50 for a year of classes (obedience or agility). But it was hard to convince my parents to even take us there every week, it was my birthday present. I haven't looked into private lessons yet. Is there a website or anything that I should look into for private lessons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 ..and perhaps consider that your dog is perhaps losing heart because of your ambition? It's great to be young & keen ...however perhaps agility may be for another time, when you are more independent ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 With private lessons, maybe someone on here knows who gives them in VIC? I only know of people in Sydney. There are DVDs as well, for agility and motivation. Maybe getting a DVD on how to motivate your dog (there are a few of these available - which use food and you games), and then you would be better prepared for going to these classes? For a lot of handling, you only need 1 jump - at the moment I am teaching verbal cues for tight turns and backside of jumps, and working on rear crosses with my older dog using only 1 jump. You can teach a lot of stuff with just a tunnel too, and a plank can teach your contact behaviour, a wobble board help with your seesaw movement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymarston Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 ..and perhaps consider that your dog is perhaps losing heart because of your ambition? It's great to be young & keen ...however perhaps agility may be for another time, when you are more independent ? I dunno. I really love agility right now. It's the one thing I actually enjoy doing that makes me happy. Everything with agility has only gotten harder since I got older. I think my best, and maybe only shot at agility will be this year. sometimes Bonnie doesn't like it, sometimes she does. I'm not sure. I don't want to just give up on it, we're so close and I've been waiting years for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 (edited) ..and perhaps consider that your dog is perhaps losing heart because of your ambition? It's great to be young & keen ...however perhaps agility may be for another time, when you are more independent ? I dunno. I really love agility right now. It's the one thing I actually enjoy doing that makes me happy. Everything with agility has only gotten harder since I got older. I think my best, and maybe only shot at agility will be this year. sometimes Bonnie doesn't like it, sometimes she does. I'm not sure. I don't want to just give up on it, we're so close and I've been waiting years for this. I do know the feeling ...I do . ..and I don't mean to be seen as being tough on you ... Many many years ago , as a late teen - I had a bordercollie X dog , called Ren. Living in the bush , where dogs have to earn their keep , I was determined that Ren would be a sheepdog, so she & I could work and be praised :p Ren had not much drive or interest ..BUT would respond to just whistles to turn L & R ..would Go & STOP , and the other stuff ... she was obedient . She did work sheep - quite well and we did get praised by the shearing contractors etc - but she never really enjoyed it ...ever ... and I have regrets even now , 40 years on, that she did it because she was told, not because it was her life's goal .It was MY goal Edited April 13, 2014 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymarston Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 ..and perhaps consider that your dog is perhaps losing heart because of your ambition? It's great to be young & keen ...however perhaps agility may be for another time, when you are more independent ? I dunno. I really love agility right now. It's the one thing I actually enjoy doing that makes me happy. Everything with agility has only gotten harder since I got older. I think my best, and maybe only shot at agility will be this year. sometimes Bonnie doesn't like it, sometimes she does. I'm not sure. I don't want to just give up on it, we're so close and I've been waiting years for this. that she did it because she was told, not because it was her life's goal .It was MY goal that's like Bonnie in obedience class. sometimes if I do agility with her at home, she's only doing it because I'm telling her to. but at other times she wants to do agility and will bark in anticipation of the next sequence because she's that excited. it all depends on how she's feeling. i have no idea really. I'd like to think that she enjoys agility too, but most of the time it's only me who's having fun. sometimes Bonnie loves it, more often than not she'd rather do something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentchild Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Why do you say this year is your only shot at doing agility? Surely when you're a bit older and have a driving license, car, money etc you can afford to train anywhere you want, any style you want, and not be restricted to just one club or method? You can also then perhaps get a dog that is really driven for agility and loves it completely - you don't sound like Bonnie is very enthusiastic about it? There are private agility trainers but the ones I know are probably too far for you, in the southeast. I feel for you. Personally I would change clubs even if I had to redo everything from scratch - you may find that if you find a place where Bonnie can thrive and you will end up enjoying obedience more - I'd rather redo three courses of super fun classes that me and my dog enjoys and can benefit from, rather than slogging through one more round of classes you both hate just to get into agility that you may find they do not even train in the way you want anyway. All the best regardless, it is tough when you are young and ambitious and have to rely so much on your parents! Good luck to you and Bonnie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Have you tried Bonnie with Nose Work ? Just thinking - if she loves her food, and has a good sniffer ....following trails may be a great thing for communication / enjoyment , and may also make her feel less of the worry ? Not sure ..just a thought :) My last boy, the gorgeous goofy Hamlet was a CockerX ..and LOOOVED using his nose . It was such fun watching him naturally "quarter" an area searching for scent ..and he enjoyed both make believe and real hunting ! That, and carrying things were what he loved best - so that's what I tried to channel . Luckily , we could do real tracking ( feral cats), and I eventually had myself a wonderfully useful and willing "picker-up-of-things -I needed-off the floor/ground" . It was just a pleasure watching him thoroughly enjoy himself doing things :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I'd probably change now and repeat some stuff rather than keep going backwards. Altona sound pretty average though! I'm surprised! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 it all depends on how she's feeling. i have no idea really. must be frustrating for you . Step aside a half step .. look at it all as tho you are helping a friend and their dog , maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymarston Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 Why do you say this year is your only shot at doing agility? Surely when you're a bit older and have a driving license, car, money etc you can afford to train anywhere you want, any style you want, and not be restricted to just one club or method? You can also then perhaps get a dog that is really driven for agility and loves it completely - you don't sound like Bonnie is very enthusiastic about it? There are private agility trainers but the ones I know are probably too far for you, in the southeast. I feel for you. Personally I would change clubs even if I had to redo everything from scratch - you may find that if you find a place where Bonnie can thrive and you will end up enjoying obedience more - I'd rather redo three courses of super fun classes that me and my dog enjoys and can benefit from, rather than slogging through one more round of classes you both hate just to get into agility that you may find they do not even train in the way you want anyway. All the best regardless, it is tough when you are young and ambitious and have to rely so much on your parents! Good luck to you and Bonnie! Thank you :) Well I figured that the next few years of school will be a lot more demanding, I'm in year 9 so this year is not as serious. I have no idea how busy I'll be once I finish school, a lot of people seem to stop doing agility after they graduate. So I'm just guessing I'll be a lot busier when I leave school, I honestly have no idea if I will be or not though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymarston Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 Have you tried Bonnie with Nose Work ? Just thinking - if she loves her food, and has a good sniffer ....following trails may be a great thing for communication / enjoyment , and may also make her feel less of the worry ? Not sure ..just a thought :) My last boy, the gorgeous goofy Hamlet was a CockerX ..and LOOOVED using his nose . It was such fun watching him naturally "quarter" an area searching for scent ..and he enjoyed both make believe and real hunting ! That, and carrying things were what he loved best - so that's what I tried to channel . Luckily , we could do real tracking ( feral cats), and I eventually had myself a wonderfully useful and willing "picker-up-of-things -I needed-off the floor/ground" . It was just a pleasure watching him thoroughly enjoy himself doing things :) I've thought about that. But I don't know if there are classes for nose work close to home. And if I do find classes in VIC, they'd probably be too far or too expensive. Bonnie does love sniffing though :) not that she's any good haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 a lot of people seem to stop doing agility after they graduate. :) and that is also when a LOT of people start , AFAIK .When they are able to drive- and take their dog places , and learn more widely :D Perhaps the ones who stop then finally realise that doing agility is not really their dream after all ? Perhaps they don't have the drive and patience anymore ? perhaps they prefer parties and lovers :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Bonnie does love sniffing though not that she's any good haha ..perhaps you can help her ? No equipment needed to set up, either! THIS looks fun :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymarston Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 (edited) Bonnie does love sniffing though not that she's any good haha ..perhaps you can help her ? No equipment needed to set up, either! THIS looks fun :) I used to do that with Bonnie's favourite toy. I would lock her out of the room, hide the toy, and then let her in trying to find it :) Edited April 14, 2014 by allyandbonnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymarston Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 today's training session. yes I know that chair thing isn't ideal for contact training, but it's all I've got. Bonnie just loved it today. I don't know if you can tell, but she was really happy and so excited that she kept barking trying to hit that contact. that's why I still do agility Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 (edited) i would suggest you change schools if possible? or at least try another - see how she goes. She may associate this one with scary ..... Have I ever told you I love your succint replies? Sounds like Bonnie & her environment do not gel. Thanks as always Edited April 14, 2014 by VizslaMomma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 today's training session. yes I know that chair thing isn't ideal for contact training, but it's all I've got. Bonnie just loved it today. I don't know if you can tell, but she was really happy and so excited that she kept barking trying to hit that contact. that's why I still do agility Now, that is a happy girl :) How clever are you - using that sunlounge like that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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