Need some input.

Beanie

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#1
so I think I need to find a new place to train.
My choices around here are pretty limited, and even moreso if we're judging criteria based on "do they trial? are they any good? do their students trial? are THEY any good?" I can't think of anybody if we're using that criteria.

There is the local club but I don't want to put my dogs on their floor because it's just not very good footing for agility. Also they do not impress me with their knowledge or any of their students. In fact it's the opposite. Honestly, Payton is more talented than a lot of the dogs that have been working with this club for years and he is a baby. Also I've heard some really bad things about their classes.

There is a club that I think does Sunday night classes that I could potentially do. I'm not sure if they would require me to put Payton in their puppy obedience classes and stuff before doing any agility. Also I'm not sure if they would let me skip basic agility (there is no foundations class... sigh) and just start in the intermediate class or not. I would have to e-mail with them and see what we can work out. Their advanced classes are for members only, and that's fine, I am totally cool with taking a class to evaluate the club for me and for them to evaluate Payton. But again, I don't know ANY of their teachers as regular trialing agility people and I do not see students from there regularly trialing and doing anything impressive.
Also it's a three hour round trip. I'm not really sure I can afford to do that regularly with gas at $4/gal, on top of a membership fee and a class fee.

I am not aware of anybody around here who is a regular competitor, trials successful, has students who trial successfully, and does private lessons.


My other option is to just not have a place I train at besides my own backyard. My money instead would be spent on online agility courses, which while I have learned a TON from the ones I have taken so far, I'm not sure if there will be a point where it will cease to be helpful and I could benefit more from somebody physically watching my dog...


I don't know what to do. Any advice please?
 

Airn

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#2
I can't help much here, since I don't do agility/know much about it.


But, I have a hard time seeing how the pros of this new place outweigh the cons of it. A long drive, more expenses, maybe even more (unesccesary) classes? And you're not even sure if they're up to par with you and Payton? Not to mention you have the equipment, great dogs, online courses and Chaz :D

Could you do a trial to see if it's a good fit for you? Taking into account the time driving, class time and the money spent.

The real question is: Which option gives us more Payton pictures? ;)

Maybe I'm reading this completely wrong, though. :confused:
 

xpaeanx

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Given your two options I would probably continue at home/online and then look into any seminar type classes to attend every so often.

You could also check more into the teachers at the 2nd place and see if you would want to do a private with them every so often to be evaluated and given feedback or find another trainer by word of mouth through trials to do the same.
 

Shai

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Do either of these clubs have fun matches where you can get equipment time, or bring in outside people of interest for seminars?
 

Beanie

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But, I have a hard time seeing how the pros of this new place outweigh the cons of it. A long drive, more expenses, maybe even more (unesccesary) classes? And you're not even sure if they're up to par with you and Payton? Not to mention you have the equipment, great dogs, online courses and Chaz :D

Could you do a trial to see if it's a good fit for you? Taking into account the time driving, class time and the money spent.

The real question is: Which option gives us more Payton pictures? ;)

Maybe I'm reading this completely wrong, though. :confused:
No, I think you're spot on. The only real pro it has going for it is that it's a class to take. I know some people here feel that even bad agility instruction is better than no agility instruction - so barring everything else it just ticks the box of 'well it's agility instruction.'
I would definitely do a trial visit before I decided to sign up for any classes for sure.

I wanted to take photos tonight but things went sour. =< I'll try to get more, haha.


Do either of these clubs have fun matches where you can get equipment time, or bring in outside people of interest for seminars?
The local one does fun matches infrequently. You don't have to be a member or a current student to go to the fun matches though. They do sometimes have people come for seminars but nobody I've been like OMG OMG about. I could actually go up to Chicago (or Indy) for weekend seminars if I wanted to do that, just both are way too far away to train at.

There is another place about forty minutes from here that also does fun matches. Actually I might be able to use them. I know they allow people and their dogs to be evaluated and skip classes. They do weeknights but late enough I could make the drive without having to rush... I have been to their building before and while I'm not wild about it, I didn't think it was poor. That is a possibility too.
 

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