Agility In Wa

[boxagirl]

Does anyone know some agility clubs in WA?

My club (ptdoc) does have it but its time is not convinient for us (friday)

Times to avoid are fridays and saturdays.

[spikey]

Northern Suburbs Training & Obedience Dog Club does agility at Carine Open Space - I think it's on Wednesday nights.

[africandreams]

Not sure where you are in Perth, but there is the Southern River Agility/Obedience Club- Agility training is Thursday nights, 7pm at the Canine Centre (Warton/Ranford rd)

Check out the cawa website- www.cawa.asn.au

[poodlemania]

Northern Suburbs has agility training Wed nights. The only catch is the dog has to be at a certain level of obedience. They must be to just about a novice level (CD) eg: have an excellent off-lead recall and be social with other dogs in a highly stimulating environment.

Just let me know if you want more info, I instruct obedience there.

Georgia.

[boxagirl]

i have obedience on wednesdays. bondi might have abit of a growl at some of the dogs, she is usualy ok of lead though. But she will be timid and I dont want to go somewhere that will punish and turn us away if she starts growling. Her obedience is good. I am in Kalamunda (hills) anywhere around here or vic park is ok. Southern river is too far

[mjk05]

I'd recommend Southern River- they have good quality instruction, active judges instructing, and top level triallers. They are also a very open and friendly club.

Its a pity you can't make Perth on Fridays- they are brilliant. Once you are at trialling level, you should phone them again to ask about advanced training, which happens on weeknights as well as Fridays.

NS are okay, but they have a LOT of restrictive rules, many set by people with little/no agility experience, and they do require varying Obedience standards before starting agility (eg some dogs have had to do trial-standard Stand-For-Examination to be assessed for agility ???!!!!@) and the Obedience classes aren't clicker-friendly.

There's also ACWA, I think that's Tuesdays? Or Cloverdale (Mondays??)

Good luck, but I would suggest a look at SRAODC as your first choice (I am a member of 3 clubs, and ex-instructor at one)

[boxagirl]

I will try and convince my dad to take me to the PTODC one next year, or atleast for their 8 week course, then maybe I'll move up and could go on weeknights.

Cloverdale is the other good option as they are close and all.

Thankyou so much everyone ;)

[chicko]

Northern Suburbs has agility training Wed nights. The only catch is the dog has to be at a certain level of obedience. They must be to just about a novice level (CD) eg: have an excellent off-lead recall and be social with other dogs in a highly stimulating environment.

Just let me know if you want more info, I instruct obedience there.

Georgia.

I go to training there every Sunday morning!

[mjk05]

You don't clicker train?

[fifi trixibell]

Hi - Sorry to hijack the thread

I have been thinking about my girls doing agility if they are suited. I am mainly thinking for Lily (BT) but Lulu (CKCS) too if she shows the inclination.

I really need to get the girls into some basic obedience training and they could be socialised more but was put off as my last enquiries all hit dead ends. They are not completely unresponsive - there is a recall but I wouldn't call it 100%. I generally perfer to train with the clicker too. Any suggestions of places worth checking out for them - they are 6 months old - in the Wanneroo area?

Thanks

Ange

[boxagirl]

You don't clicker train?

Sorry didn't know if you were talking to me. If you were I do. :rolleyes:

[Anna H]

Northern Suburbs Agility classes are pretty much full... we've been trying to get in for ages.

As long as you are training in the 'late' classes, you can attend agility from what I was told. You dog also has to be two years old at NS, even to do basic stuff like learning tunnels etc.

I'm looking for a club too ... does Joondalup do agility.

[mjk05]

Sorry didn't know if you were talking to me. If you were I do.

Cool, me too. NSTODC now apparently won't let you use clickers anywhere near their classes (even on the outskirts)- which is very hard if you have a clicker-savvy dog. Even using a verbal marker isn't as effective as the clicker for my dogs, especially in the highly distracting environment of class. Most of the other clubs in Perth are much more easy-going, and if you're considerate of others are happy to let you use the clicker.

Northern Suburbs Agility classes are pretty much full... we've been trying to get in for ages.

As long as you are training in the 'late' classes, you can attend agility from what I was told.

I think they've changed it recently, the requirement was for dogs to be in pre-trialling classes but now apparently they require all dogs to be assessed by certain obedience instructors (some of whom have ZERO agility experience) and the last person I know who had her dog assessed had to do a formal stand-for-examination, even though her dog was already training with another club. I can't understand that.

[poodlemania]

It is true NST&ODC does not allow clickers in our junior classes for many reasons. These include: people were not using them effectively, they are distracting to non-clicker dogs and the biggest reason is our junior classes are geared towards family and companion dogs. The majority of people in our junior classes are not interested in trialling and have excellent results from a verbal reward marker. We also have very large classes-imagine 40 people using clickers!

All of our instructors in agility are excellent and very knowledgable in agility. Most of them are trialling in Masters if they havent already got their title. I have trained at other clubs for agility and most beginner dogs were out of control and disrupted everyone. We are trying to NOT have that as a problem. In my opinion it is an excellent set up with very good instructors.

Chicko-I will keep and eye out for you on Sunday. I have recently had time off instructing but will be there on Sunday. Come and find me at the insrtuctors hang-out. I have a little old black dog.

Georgia.

[chicko]

Ok, i will!

I do think it is a great club although the dogs dont get much socalisation? its the 3 second rule.

[mjk05]

biggest reason is our junior classes are geared towards family and companion dogs

So you don't think family/companion dogs can be trained effectively using the clicker? Its only for competition obedience?

people were not using them effectively

Don't you teach a verbal marker? How are the principles of OC different for a VM vs. a clicker?

Surely if people get the timing right with a VM, they can get it right with a clicker- in fact, some of our top obedience triallers argue that its much easier to get timing right with a clicker, plus all the other benefits (consistent marker, quicker, etc). Maybe its just that its harder for instructors (especially those with little experience of OC training) to pick up when people are using a VM ineffectively, so it goes unnoticed.

We also have very large classes-imagine 40 people using clickers!

Don't you split classes??? You have 40 people in one group, working together? Maybe that's responsible for dogs being distracted, rather than the odd clicker on the outskirts, like other clubs use. I'd expect 40 dogs being rewarded with tasty treats and exciting games with toys to be just as distracting as the sound of a clicker- you still allow toys, don't you?

I'm sure I've read that Gina O'Keefe believes clickers can be used in classes, and dogs learn to differentiate when its "their click".

I have trained at other clubs for agility and most beginner dogs were out of control and disrupted everyone. We are trying to NOT have that as a problem. In my opinion it is an excellent set up with very good instructors.

You do agility then?

Its strange, I'm a member of 3 clubs around Perth- and I've seen more problems with dogs running amok at NS than the other 2 clubs. The interesting thing is that these dogs were in the NS trialling classes (3 and above)- just goes to show that dogs that are well behaved in obedience classes can lose the plot in the agility situation. That's why I think dogs should be assessed in the agility situation, not based on obedience performance- some dogs whose owners aren't at all interested in competitive obedience may not do any heelwork, SFE etc, but might be well controlled and focussed in the agility context.

All of our instructors in agility are excellent and very knowledgable in agility. Most of them are trialling in Masters if they havent already got their title

That's true, most of them are great instructors, although its one benefit of places like SR, PT, ACWA that there are judges also instructing. Its a pity that with such great instructors, NS doesn't trust them to assess dogs for suitability for agility, but gets obedience people to do this.

Anyway, its a good club, I've enjoyed training agility there. But for someone starting out, especially people who are clicker-training, I would suggest starting at another club. Then once you have started trialling, you can look at joining NSTODC for agility only- I believe that means you can skip the obedience requirement- is that right, Georgia?

[poodlemania]

I dont know how to quote so bear with me-mjk05:

I believe that clickers can be used for family companion dogs, I dont only use them for competiton obedience. We try to cater to the majority of our members and most do very well with a verbal marker.

We do split big classes as we have a good number of instructors these days, of course 40 dont have just one instructor. We have segregated areas for different levels so even though they are split up classes are still within earshot.

We do teach a verbal marker and find this works magnificently. If people want to use clickers we suggest to use them at home. For example, I will teach a dog a new behaviour at home with no distractions with a clicker then when the dog has mastered that i will try more distractions then finally try it at training and switch to verbal markers and this works great for me and my dogs.

People who want to join agility are assessed by an obedience instructor at normal training then by an agility instructor at agility training. Some of our agility instructors teach obedience as well.

We are also not accepting agility only memberships anymore. We have also made quite a few changes in our agility structure recently and it runs very effectively.

I have never been to Southern River but do plan to do so by the end of the year. I look foward to seeing the differences in clubs.

Georgia.

[mjk05]

I believe that clickers can be used for family companion dogs

So why not allow them in class? According to some of the clicker-heeling seminars held by top obedience competitors, dogs have no trouble identifying their own clicker among others in the class environment, and that has been my personal experience.

Yes, some dogs are temporarily distracted by the clicking noise if they aren't clicker-trained, but they soon get used to it, and really it's a minor distraction in comparison to kids playing ball, other dogs playing tug, etc that they will need to be proofed against.

I doubt you would get a class of 40 beginners using clickers- even before the club banned them, when they were sold in the caravan, I never saw more than 2 or 3 people using them in class, and they were all experienced clicker trainers. Most beginners aren't keen on another thing to hold/handle in class.

We do teach a verbal marker and find this works magnificently. If people want to use clickers we suggest to use them at home.

Its great that they work for you- my observations of classes using "verbal markers" over 12 months were that most people were using praise only, not true verbal bridges or markers. The dogs didn't seem to respond to a "click word", and people tended to praise through an exercise, then reward at the end of the exercise.

Personally I prefer to use the clicker ESPECIALLY in high-distraction environments, because it is a more effective marker, doesn't have the complications of voice-alterations, and is what I use at home (consistency is pretty important). My dogs are trained to a verbal marker, but I'd prefer to use the clicker.

People who want to join agility are assessed by an obedience instructor at normal training then by an agility instructor at agility training. Some of our agility instructors teach obedience as well.

What's the point of that?

Standard of competitive obedience has no bearing on suitability for agility. As I've said, some dogs in obedience trialling classes have regularly run amok at agility, and at other clubs there are dogs who have done NO formal obedience who are trialling. I recently heard of an obedience instructor requiring a prospective agility dog to do a Stand-For-Examination as part of their assessment- what on earth for??? If there is one thing agility dogs DON'T need to know, its a formal don't-move-your-feet SFE.

We are also not accepting agility only memberships anymore. We have also made quite a few changes in our agility structure recently and it runs very effectively.

But there are a good number of the trialling dogs (in fact, I'd say the majority) who don't do obedience at all- will you be asking them to do obedience (or at least be assessed) next year?

And I think agility there ran pretty effectively previously, too.

I have never been to Southern River but do plan to do so by the end of the year.

Sounds good- are you going to start agility training? They have a new pre-agility class, designed to introduce dogs to control in the agility environment.

[poodlemania]

mjk05-I just wanted to clear up some incorrect facts about NST&ODC and here is where I end it. In my opinion it is a great club and I enjoy training there very much. I also recommend it to anyone in the northern suburbs who is after training.

I have trained agility for a few years a while back but I do not currently have a dog suitable (I have an oldie and a reactive boy, both rescues). I have lost two dogs this year so I am having a bit of time out and enjoying the company of my two 'babies.'

Georgia.

[mjk05]

I just wanted to clear up some incorrect facts about NST&ODC and here is where I end it. In my opinion it is a great club and I enjoy training there very much. I also recommend it to anyone in the northern suburbs who is after training.

What incorrect facts ?

They don't allow clickers (I think maybe the only club in Perth with that rule, and certainly the only "positive" club with that rule)

They require competition-level obedience to start agility training- the only club in Perth with that rule.

I also enjoyed training there over the past 7 years, and used to recommend it to everyone (I had my own flyers with club details to give to people who asked about training at our local dog parks etc). But recently I've found people somewhat disappointed by training there , they imagine it is based on the methods shown at competition heelwork clinics etc, and teaches the clicker-based methods of our top obedience competitors.

I'm sure it caters well to people just interested in pet training with no dog training experience - but for people who use clicker-based methods, have dogs with "issues", or who aspire to competition agility/obedience, there are many other clubs that cater much better IMHO .

Re agility training- its probably worth getting back into it, in order to assess various classes. I've found its advanced significantly in WA over the last few years, and most people are members of at least 2 training groups (including almost ALL the advanced trainers at NS)- so you can get the same level of training (without the restrictions) at most other clubs.

I have only rescues too, and lost my own baby not too long ago , so I'm also on a hiatus, learning other dog sports. Good luck with your training, and I hope to see you around the clubs- most other clubs cater well for "reactive" dogs , and there are plenty of us trialling these dogs, so you might find even your reactive dog can enjoy this sport at other clubs