Dobermanic Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Hi I am interested in doing some kind of dog sport with my Dobermann. The problem is there are so many I'm interested in and I'm not sure which ones would be the most fun for us. We already do obedience and I show very occasionally but am looking for something a bit more interesting. I like the look of Flyball and Agility. My dog loves to chase balls and is quite fast. I would also be interested in K9 nose work or tracking as she has a fantastic nose. Has anyone had any experience with theses sports and what are your thoughts on which ones are the most enjoyable? Thanks in advance :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I love agility because it makes me work REALLY hard as a trainer and handler PLUS every run is different. I like obedience but I do find it a bit repetitive. Retrieving is incredibly challenging and rewarding but you need a Gundog for that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I really enjoy agility :) I like that there is quite a bit of freedom in the sport, in how you train each of the obstacles and in how you handle around the course, you are not judged on how you hold yourself like in obedience, only on whether your dog takes the correct course. I like how this leads to lots of innovation in both training obstacle performance and handling. You can keep it as simple or make it as complicated as you wish, and set your own criteria for obstacle performance (meeting certain criteria for competition, but room for your own criteria as well). It is fast and fun and as TSD said, every run is different! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I know a few people who do all that. Ie tracking and agility and obedience and rally and anything else they can train their dog for. There's also dances with dogs - which combines heelwork and trick training and music and not everyone pays attention to the music. flyball and agility can lead to injury in your dog - especially shoulders - you need to train the dog to turn and brake without hurting itself... but that can be done too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I am not sure if a doberman is structured right for agility...ie...risk of injury from repetitive jumping & clamoring through tunnels etc. Have you thought of Rally - O ??? And as someone else mentioned, Dancing & Heelwork to Music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 No gundogs, so no retrieving :) , and we dabbled in flyball, but didn't find it very satisfying, but the BCs and I play in obedience, rally, dances with dogs, agility, and tracking, We like them all - well my old girl doesn't believe in obedience - my bad training :D , but will play at rally. There is certainly more variety in agility, and lots of different things to learn, but DWD provides lots of opportunities for creativity, and tracking taps into the dog's natural instincts. One of the things that is so cool with modern methods of dog training, is that foundation training for many of the sports are the same or similar, so that you don't have to choose too early in their career. A friend's Dobe has just gained her Tracking Championship, and her other Dobe is close behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobermanic Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 Thanks for all your opinions it's helpful to hear about other people's experiences. I do think she would be very good at tracking the only problem is where the training takes place is quite far away and I rely on my partner to drive me around. I will hopefully have my licence by next winter so should be able to start then. I guess there is risk of injury in any sport. We would just have to start slowly and learn everything properly to try and minimise the risk involved. And I think I will wait until she is two so that her joints are fully developed. Thanks again :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkycat Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I do pet training in obedience and agility with my Lappie and my Borzoi. I really enjoy it because it is not competitive just lots of good fun with friendly people. My Borzoi doesn't fit through the tunnel so he just goes around it :) and my Lappie tells me off if I stuff up my hand signals :laugh: but they both have a great time and get excited when we go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobermanic Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share Posted June 25, 2015 That's great Sparkycat that your dogs have so much fun. Agility looks like it would be a lot of fun. Even if we don't compete it will keep us both active learning ( mentally and physically) I did a YouTube search last night of Dobermanns doing agility and there are a lot of them doing it and quite a few successfully. I did agility in NZ with my JR she loved it and was really good but to dog aggressive unfortunately. We only did it for a few months because she wouldn't let any other dogs near us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Dobermaniac - Look for the foundation training for agilty, and canine conditioning and body awareness - ie you can start that now, and the sooner the better, it's not jumping or landing or tight turns... it's about knowing where feet are, backing up, perch work, stepping over broom sticks and garden stakes on the ground (like trotting poles for horses) so dogs learn about where their feet are and to pick them up. If you want to do agility work later - remember also to practice heel work on both sides, left and right. You can also practice handling signals eg go that way, go this way, go out - without jumps. I've trained mine to go out around sulo bins and milk crates... beware of fetch the ball games... you want to avoid the face plant, skid and turn that some dogs do when picking up the ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobermanic Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 Mrs Rusty Bucket When do you think it is safe to start with the jumping and weaving etc? She is going on 19 months now. Should I wait until she is two to be safe? Our training club lends out books so I will have a look and see if they have any on agility. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 She is old enough to do jumping and weaving :) But there are lots of other foundation exercises you may want to do first, many that don't require much if any equipment Here are some ideas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) Susan Garrett is releasing the "critical core" games which are her foundations to all her dog training on June 29th - for FREE (well for your email address) so that would include It's yer choice collar grab crate games and recall once game and maybe record keeping That would get you a bit start. Number one thing you need for agility - a rock solid start line stay... Number two - release - ie dog goes when you say. Number three - dog comes back to you no matter how exciting everything is everywhere else. So you start somewhere nice and easy with no distractions or duration and gradually add these in bit by bit... http://www.brilliantrecalls.com/freecallers-sneak-peak.html blatant plug - but I figure it's easier if she shows you how than I try to describe it... Note you sign up and I think the time you can do that will be limited and the time the stuff will be available will be limited - not completely sure about that but given it's a big experiment for her - I can't make promises about how long the thing will be available. Edited June 26, 2015 by Mrs Rusty Bucket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconRange Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 MRB - I asked how long the Recallers freebie course would be available on the FB page, and the response was "once they get that guest pass, we will allow them to stay for at least 6 months". :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) 6 months - cool. The original cheap version of recallers - which included all the games - was 3 months. It was pretty intense tho. Once it got rolling there was a new game every day... and too bad if your foundation was a bit flakey and really too bad if your dog would not fetch a tug. Sigh. They've come such a long way since then, with lots of tug alternatives and also how to train the tug and FAQ for the things that go wrong with us "normal" dog owners. Edited June 26, 2015 by Mrs Rusty Bucket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DobieMum Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Hi Dobermanic, I'm a dobie Mum too. Depends on your individual dog and what you think they'll be interested in. All of my dogs go through obedience, but we don't go onto competition. My boy, I tried through agility and for training (on the same grounds week after week) he was good, but as soon as he got to trailing level, he was too busy trying to do everything else. Whereas my girl is a month younger than yours and already I can see she's going to be great, she loves it. With my girl I have done the beginning of nose work (stopped going to that club for family reasons, timing) and when I can get money to get gear, I'll start to teach both at home. With both of them I do lure coursing and this year I have started dry land sledding with them, my girl only does the puppy runs. The other thing my kids love is swimming and jumping in, so if I had dock diving near me I'd give that a go. Have a look at what you want to do and have a go at it, your dogs will let you know if it's the right thing for them and above all else always enjoy yourself!! ???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobermanic Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Thanks for all the great info. I signed up for the Susan Garrett games so am looking forward to having a go at them. You have all been really helpfull with all of your suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobermanic Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Hi Dobermanic, I'm a dobie Mum too. Depends on your individual dog and what you think they'll be interested in. All of my dogs go through obedience, but we don't go onto competition. My boy, I tried through agility and for training (on the same grounds week after week) he was good, but as soon as he got to trailing level, he was too busy trying to do everything else. Whereas my girl is a month younger than yours and already I can see she's going to be great, she loves it. With my girl I have done the beginning of nose work (stopped going to that club for family reasons, timing) and when I can get money to get gear, I'll start to teach both at home. With both of them I do lure coursing and this year I have started dry land sledding with them, my girl only does the puppy runs. The other thing my kids love is swimming and jumping in, so if I had dock diving near me I'd give that a go. Have a look at what you want to do and have a go at it, your dogs will let you know if it's the right thing for them and above all else always enjoy yourself!! ???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Fantastic! I did Recallers 5.0 and am signed up for 6.0 plus Puppy Peaks. I really enjoy SG's insights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobermanic Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Hi Dobermanic, I'm a dobie Mum too. Depends on your individual dog and what you think they'll be interested in. All of my dogs go through obedience, but we don't go onto competition. My boy, I tried through agility and for training (on the same grounds week after week) he was good, but as soon as he got to trailing level, he was too busy trying to do everything else. Whereas my girl is a month younger than yours and already I can see she's going to be great, she loves it. With my girl I have done the beginning of nose work (stopped going to that club for family reasons, timing) and when I can get money to get gear, I'll start to teach both at home. With both of them I do lure coursing and this year I have started dry land sledding with them, my girl only does the puppy runs. The other thing my kids love is swimming and jumping in, so if I had dock diving near me I'd give that a go. Have a look at what you want to do and have a go at it, your dogs will let you know if it's the right thing for them and above all else always enjoy yourself!! ???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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